A Look At Past Phish Festival Soundchecks

Tomorrow marks the start of Phish’s Curveball festival which runs through Sunday at Watkins Glen International race track in Watkins Glen, New York. At past festivals Phish has used the day before the event starts to soundcheck and though there’s been no official confirmation, it’s likely the tradition continues today.

For this week’s Throwback Thursday feast your ears on audio from past Phish festival soundchecks thanks to the From The Aquarium YouTube channel.

Clifford Ball (1996)

On August 15, 1996 Phish prepped for their first-ever major festival by jamming for an hour on the main stage at the Plattsburgh Air Force Base. Outside of a jam based on Argent’s “Hold Your Head Up,” the hour-long soundcheck was all improv. Listen to an audience recording of some of the soundcheck or head here to watch the pro-shot footage that was released on the Clifford Ball DVD:

Great Went (1997)

Phish didn’t soundcheck for their first of three festivals at Loring Air Force Base in Limestone, Maine. In fact, they warned fans at the start of the event’s first set that the first few songs would serve as their soundcheck.

Lemonwheel (1998)

On August 14, 1998, Phish soundchecked for over an hour in Limestone. The quartet mixed obscurities with jams and songs they’ve never played on stage before and since. Thankfully the soundcheck was aired over the festival’s radio station which allows us to hear it in all its soundboard glory:

Set: Funky Bitch, Ginseng Sullivan, Back at the Chicken Shack, Jam, She Caught the Katy and Left Me a Mule to Ride, Dog Log, Down Home Dirty Blues, I Gave My Love a Cherry, Please Send Me Someone to Love (via Phish.net)

Camp Oswego (1999)

Unfortunately audio of the soundcheck Phish laid down at the Volney County Airport before their 1999 Camp Oswego festival doesn’t circulate. We do know they based a jam around the phrase “Mr. Sausage” in a throwback to the Clifford Ball soundcheck and also performed “Beauty of My Dreams” and a slowed-down version of “Carini.”

Big Cypress (1999)

While the soundcheck from Phish’s Millennium shows at Big Cypress in Seminole Indian Reservation wasn’t aired on the festival’s radio station, tapers did capture audience recordings. As usual, the band mixed rarities and jams for the pre-festival soundcheck including “The Ballad Of Curtis Loew,” a Lynyrd Skynyrd cover they hadn’t performed in public since 1993 and wouldn’t do so until May 31, 2009 at Fenway Park.

Set: Jam, What’s the Use?, Ginseng Sullivan, The Ballad of Curtis Loew, Quinn the Eskimo, Timber (Jerry), Jam (via Phish.net)

It (2003)

The day before Phish’s third and final (for now) festival at Loring Air Force Base at the top of Maine featured an hour-long, improv-heavy soundcheck. Included amongst jams was a rendition of Little Feat’s “Skin It Back” which Phish hadn’t performed in public since 1988 and wouldn’t do so until July 3, 2012 at Jones Beach. The It soundcheck was aired live on the festival’s radio station.

Coventry (2004)

Just before shit hit the fan leading Mike Gordon to announce the festival was closed, Phish jammed for an hour at Newport State Airport in Coventry, Vermont – which was billed as the band’s final shows. The quartet welcomed famed photographer Danny Clinch to join them on harmonica for one of the Coventry soundcheck jams. The soundcheck also included a cover of Traffic’s “Light Up Or Leave Me Alone” which Phish hadn’t performed publicly since Big Cypress and wouldn’t do so again until July 1, 2010 in Raleigh. The Coventry soundcheck was aired live on the festival’s radio station.

Festival 8 (2009)

On the day before starting their Festival 8 event, Phish actually played two soundchecks at the Polo Fields in Indio, California. The first was an afternoon acoustic session in preparation for their acoustic set on November 1. The second was an electric soundcheck which was aired on the festival’s radio station. Phish’s electric soundcheck at Festival 8 included jams on “Devil With A Blue Dress On” by Mitch Ryder and Yes’s “Starship Trooper” as well as a version of the rarity “Gone” and the only known Phish take on “Liquid Time.”

Super Ball IX (2011)

Phish’s first festival at Watkins Glen took place in 2011. Once again the band jammed for an hour on the day before the festival and broadcast their soundcheck on the event’s radio station. For reference, the Super Ball soundcheck spanned approximately 4 to 5 p.m. ET in the afternoon.

Magnaball (2015)

Phish laid down a 46-minute masterclass in improvisation for their Magnaball soundcheck at Watkins Glen International on August 20, 2015. The soundcheck was delayed due to rain, but when the quartet took the stage they delivered a series of jams that sent fans into hysterics. While the setlist for the Magnaball soundcheck on Phish.net just lists “Jam,” @YEMblog proposed “‘Insanity’ > ‘Ridiculousness’ > ‘Crushing Waltz’ -> ‘The Kinda Shit We Hope We Hear Every Night.'”

[Originally Published: August 20, 2015 / Updated: August 16, 2018]