Watch Phish Perform ‘The Pendulum’ At 1990 Soundcheck

Thirty-five years ago Phish played a song entitled “The Pendulum” for the second and last time publicly as per Phish.net. However, it turns out April 1, 1986 wasn’t the last time the quartet performed “The Pendulum.” Videographer Tom Adams of Reelife Documentary Productions just unveiled video purportedly of “The Pendulum” from a Phish soundcheck in 1990.

The video was filmed at Hampshire College’s Robert Crown Center in Amherst, Massachusetts ahead of the band’s December 7, 1990 concert at the venue.

Phish debuted “The Pendulum” at Hunt’s in their hometown of Burlington, Vermont on February 3, 1986. Fellow Goddard College student Zenzilé Madikinea recited poetry while the band played and reprised the feat at the same venue on April 1, 1986.

Read more about “The Pendulum” from the Phish.net song history:

Once upon a time, Phish played backing music while Zenzilé Madikinea recited revolutionary poetry. Zenzilé studied at Goddard briefly around this time, having been a revolutionary and “troublemaker” in South Africa as a young adult. Zenzilé rallied extensive support for various civil rights causes, urged on by his innate dissatisfaction with the heinous state of the world, always electrifying his supporters with eloquent speech and cadence.

The first Phish/Zenzilé collaboration took place on 2/3/86 at Hunt’s, offering a four-”song” suite of that included “Tonight,” “The Pendulum,” “Babylon is Burning,” and “Dec 1661.” On April Fool’s Day 1986, they reprised “The Pendulum,” perhaps in order to distinguish between Zenzilé and a true prophet – Phish subsequently slid into “Dave’s Energy Guide” as a bridge to “Icculus.”

Check out Phish’s purported “The Pendulum” from December 7, 1990 below:

Adams also shared additional footage he captured that afternoon:

[Hat Tip – Phish.net]