Phish Podcast ‘Undermine’ Looks Back At Legendary Amsterdam 1997 Shows With Guest Scott Marks
Hear Tom Marshall, RJ Bee and Scott Marks discuss the intimate run including the infamous “worm” banter and more.
By Nate Todd Nov 9, 2022 • 10:35 am PST
Phish podcast Undermine from JamBase partners Osiris Media continues to roll out “The Road To Fall ’97” for its fourth season which highlights key shows leading up to the band’s landmark 1997 Fall Tour. For the latest episode, hosts Phish lyricist Tom Marshall and Osiris CEO RJ Bee take a look at Phish’s July 1 and 2, 1997 concerts at Amsterdam’s intimate Paradiso with guest and occasional JaBase contributor Scott Marks who is well-known for his work with phish.net, The Mockingbird Foundation and more.
The discussion got underway in earnest with Scott giving a bit of his history with Phish, noting that he began seeing the band in Fall ‘97 but that the second night of the Amsterdam run is among his favorite shows. The conversation then turned to the intimate nature of the Paradiso concerts as well as the great quality of the recordings.
“The shows that came out of the Amsterdam ‘97 box set at the Paradiso, the sound is pristine,” Marks said. He added, “You wouldn’t even know you were listening to a live show until you hear the audience. There’s no crowd at all when the show is going on. It’s really special and I think they did a fantastic job putting this together.”
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RJ then asked Tom about some of the material Phish had newly unveiled at the time, some of which had a darker slant like “Ghost” and “Saw It Again.” Tom notes that “Saw It Again” is definitely nightmarish while “Ghost” is about a “friendly spirit,” something he has spoken about in-depth on the Under The Scales podcast.
The conversation continues with a deep dive into the music of the Amsterdam ‘97 run which kicked off with “Ghost.” Marks notes that even at that early stage, the song was already becoming a jam vehicle and also heralded the famed funk explosion of the late ‘90s. Scott then pointed out the infamous “worm” theme the band began toying with that night that spread into the next concert and also on to other shows of the European tour. The episode continued with an insightful reading of the rest of the run. As always, it’s a fascinating conversation.
Watch the Undermine Amsterdam ’97 episode below:
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Set 1: Ghost [1], Horn, Ya Mar [2], Limb By Limb -> Ain't Love Funny, Saw It Again [3], Dirt, Reba, Dogs Stole Things
Set 2: Jam [4] -> Timber (Jerry the Mule) > Bathtub Gin -> Cities > Jam [5] > Loving Cup > Slave to the Traffic Light
Encore: When the Circus Comes
Ghost began the first of two nights of the infamous "Worm" banter, with Fish saying "I think you know where you are" and Trey responding with "You're on the back of the worm!" The "Worm" was also mentioned in Ya Mar, Saw It Again, and the jam out of Cities, which also included When the Saints Go Marching In and Santa Claus is Coming to Town teases by Trey. Mike teased Time Loves A Hero in Ghost. Trey teased Dave's Energy Guide in Limb By Limb. Dirt was introduced as "Green Grass High Tides Forever." The second set began with a Fish piano solo that evolved into a jam, as the rest of the band eventually joined the stage and Fish moved to his drum kit. Bathtub Gin contained a Little Drummer Boy tease from Trey and a Simpsons Theme tease from Mike. Loving Cup contained a Frankenstein tease from Mike. The soundcheck's Dog Log was performed in a slow funk manner with "the crew doesn't get to eat" alternate lyrics. This show was officially released as part of the Amsterdam box set.
Set 1: Mike's Song > Simple -> Maze, Strange Design, Ginseng Sullivan, Vultures, Water in the Sky > Weekapaug Groove
Set 2: Stash -> Llama -> Wormtown [1] -> Wading in the Velvet Sea
Encore: Free
Set e2: David Bowie
Maze contained a Spooky tease from Trey. The Wormtown Jam continued the stage banter of the night before. Portions of the narration were sung to the tune of Steve Miller’s Swingtown, as Trey warned the fans in attendance about the “killer worms” that inhabit the canals of Amsterdam. Mike teased Maze in the Bowie intro. This show was officially released as part of the Amsterdam box set.
