“Obviously they can play, they’re smart and witty, and they obviously don’t take themselves too seriously. So what you get is a lovely night of well played music.” Nailed it. Now you gotta see it in real time

WE NEED MORE PHISH, DOUG!!!!! Thank you for this. I first saw phish live in 1992 at Saratoga Performing Arts Center(SPAC) opening for Santana...458 shows later, here I sit. Welcome to the phamily my man. Worth a very deep dive. They played their first show in March of '83. The road has been long, and it's been an incredible experience and journey. The juice is well worth the squeeze.

@jasongregorius96

5 ай бұрын

7/25/92 is such a gem!! 👊

@kevink.-tp7ib

5 ай бұрын

There is nothing like a SPAC show!

@honuman39

5 ай бұрын

I went to that 1992 SPAC Santana show w Phish opening also. That was my first Phish show but I was there for Santana (who killed it btw) and I remember seeing all these Phish fans who got up and left after their set before Santana started. I was mad and thought it was disrespectful to Santana. I didn't know Phish at all and I think I liked it but I didn't get it at that show. A year later I was living in Denver and I saw them at their first Red Rocks show and left with my jaw on the floor.

@christycieboter7432

4 ай бұрын

No spac this year.. why?!

@jeffhauf5598

4 ай бұрын

I saw that tour at Canandaigua that year. I wondered why this band had a song about uncle ebeneezer in the freezer. A year later I saw them again and was hooked ever since.

Here because of the Phish, but loving your reaction to this Reba. It's like hearing my favorite band for the first time again! I will be subscribing! Check out some more Reba from 1994 for a real treat.

My 15 y/o son spent two months straight learning this guitar part note for note. But now he has memorized and plays it like it’s a piece of cake. Which it certainly isn’t!

Go see them live if you get a chance. One of the best shows I’ve ever seen.

Hell yeah, finally some more Phish!! Please come back to Phish again soon!!

Thank you so much for playing Phish - Please play more! And you absolutely MUST see them LIVE!!! Add a crowd and lights that are completely in sync with the music and there is literally nothing better.

@Throplife

5 ай бұрын

well they just added a phan. typical

I jumped for joy when I saw Doug was reacting to more Phish, more jam bands please!!

I'm glad you finally got to Reba! It was a pleasure to see you appreciate it and its daunting complexity. Do more Phish and get out to a show! They're playing great right now and you'd have an absolute ball.

YES!!! The Phish videos are my favorite! 😂

Jumping around in the crowd.. as a composer/musician, INCREDIBLE. Find the gems with the time signature differences, sneaky ends of a songs into the start of a new ones.. you never know what version you'll get, it's always different. A huge reason why we're all still here. Jazz fusion is 100% accurate, into all genre's. Music addiction.

Awesome you did more Phish! Because you seem to enjoy their more composed songs, check out Fluffhead from the Clifford Ball, 8/17/96. Phish is known for their festivals and the Clifford Ball was their first one. Straight Trey hose on this one at the end.

I see Doug, and I see Phish (or the Dead), I hit the like!

They have a whistle solo. How freaking awesome is that ?

More phish!! Please :)

I was at this show. So awesome to see you react to this!

@gandalfthebraindoc2618

5 ай бұрын

I was there too! What a great summer. Took my son. He was 14. Now in college and his buddies do Phish tour with him. He has seen over 50 shows now. First one OKC 2012. He and I were tour buddies. Now he has his own! Dad kicked to the curb but always happy to buy him tix! And tag along with the youngs.

Even though this has been my favorite band most of my life, it's really informative to hear this perspective of someone who obviously understands music and has a great ear for whats transpiring. Very appreciative for this channel and fresh takes on music I love. Thank you Daily Doug!

@katzpdx

5 ай бұрын

This! I have been seeing this band for more than 35 years and when I hear this type of analysis, It gives me a new lens into the song.

Yes! So glad you're coming back to Phish. I've loved your other two Phish videos, have watched them several times. This wasn't the smoothest performance of the composed sections (it's one of the harder songs to play perfectly on the guitar; I've been trying for quite a while), but the song's great. Glad this was one you covered, but it's one of the more difficult for the average person to get into, IMO. As for the lyrics, we actually just got some fresh lore for the song on New Year's (this past one, on 12/31/23): the eponymous Reba is apparently the cousin of a major character in Phish-dom, Jimmy. If you happen across this comment, you really should add "The Curtain (With)" to your list. I think you'd really like it.

@lindaanne8188

5 ай бұрын

Jimmy’s cousin! Making that fake meat.

@rundlet1658

5 ай бұрын

May I add the Curtain With from Camden 2011

@alan-daniel

5 ай бұрын

@@rundlet1658 agreed, one of my favorites, has been on my "3.0 beautiful/bliss jams" playlist since it happened

The instrumental portion was used by The Weather Channel during their Local On The 8’s often in the early 90’s! It was so freaking awesome to hear Phish on TWC! 😂

@whitmatthews6740

17 күн бұрын

Used to love to catch that flipping through the channels

If you like the complex stuff I think something like Time Turns elastic would be cool. It’s newer but it’s so cool. Petrichor is amazing as well

I love the genuine and complete curiosity you listen to music with. I’d love more Phish content, but what I’d love more is some Umphrey’s McGee content.

@JRJigsawyer

5 ай бұрын

Yess this! Would love to see him react to something like Hurt Bird Bath or Bridgless.

@kevincassels

5 ай бұрын

Umphrey’s is LONG OVERDUE

Yes, Doug. A real conversation between them all and it's always different at each time. Something to live for and explore. As other ppl have said, GO IN PERSON.

Some of the best times of my life have been at Phish shows. Just a fun band everywhere.

I was at this run of shows. Awesome playing and jamming. As you can see in the video the band was planning on playing something else and the crowd demanded a Reba. Spontaneity is definitely one of the best parts of a Phish show. You never, ever can predict what's coming next.

@sycadelic666

4 ай бұрын

Such a great spot. Didn’t notice it upon first play, definitely see it upon a look back.

Thanks for this. I didn't understand much, but I heard some great musicianship, and it made me want to hear more. So unusual these days!

I've seen them play this a few times and it's a live favorite of mine. It always reminds me of Zappa. Thanks for digging into this one, Doug!

@brucefournier2391

5 ай бұрын

First time hearer and yes, immediate Zappa and Gentle Giant on the break, as well.

@phunkyphish3

5 ай бұрын

@@brucefournier2391 What did you think of Reba?

@gandalfthebraindoc2618

5 ай бұрын

Great point. I should have read this before posting mine later. Totally agree. I’ve called in Zappaesque. Phreeeeedom!!

@brucefournier2391

5 ай бұрын

@@phunkyphish3 Being an 'old school progger', I certainly appreciate the quality of the musicianship. On first listen, I don't 'hear it' past that. What other songs would you suggest to get a good sense/color palette of Phish. Thanks.

@VegasSongwriter

5 ай бұрын

@@brucefournier2391 Listen to A Live One, the album. Sort of a "best of live performances" from a certain time period. They're very much like the Grateful Dead in that once you 'get it' for a given song, you suddenly enjoy all other versions of that same song so much more. That album's a great starting place.

Thank you so much for doing this! Phish fan since 94 here, this has always been one of my favorites. I love your Phish reactions, and you are really insightful on your very first listen. The more the better!

Boom! One of Phish’s coolest prog compositions - has a little of every mood. A masterpiece!

That was me and my wife and our crew chanting for a DIFFERENT Phish song, "Tela" ("TE-LA! TE-LA!") at the start of this. Trey whipped his head around (he was already silently strumming the chords of the next song they'd play that night, "Birds of a Feather," about to count it off), heard us, and started playing "Reba"! It was hilarious, since we love this song too, but it wasn't actually what we were chanting and requesting! Oh well, we got this ridiculous "Reba" instead which was the perfect call for that moment in the show. The part you said reminds you of jazz fusion really reminds me of a Bach 2-part invention between the bass and the piano/guitar, with the piano and guitar playing a canon at the unison on the repeat. The reason you're hearing the jam as IV-V is because the song overall is in Bb! And that jam is an Eb Lydian jam with a lot of emphasis on the A-natural from Trey.

We call that the Reba bliss section. Trey speaks to our souls

Phish is ridiculously talented. It often goes overlooked

The large majority of this is through-composed excepting the lengthy guitar solo (when you correctly noted it may be entering a more improvisational section), and the audience knows all the changes and is waiting for every note. Re: lyrics, Phish really embrace silliness in lyrics; it doesn't always really have to matter what they mean, it just matters that they're fun to hear and sing along to. Super fun reaction, love the variety of artists you choose.

@buttfingerblaster

5 ай бұрын

If the crowd had their way they would fast forward time 6 minutes lol

@rhubarb1073

5 ай бұрын

@@buttfingerblaster no way, the "composed" fugue like sections are so fun, and reba's got the best one. I've got that whole section memorized with matching dance moves

As a phan this brings me so much joy. Someone said it already but it’s like I’m listening for the first time again. Incredible stuff, thank you! See you on lot.

It's a joy to watch you watch Phish Doug!

Oh cool, I went to this whole 3-day run! This was in a period where their crowd sizes were relatively small - I think there were only 12-13k people at the show, and wasn’t sold out. Also I could take the 4 train home each night and sleep in my own bed. The Chalkdust Torture from this run was instantly well-reknowned, but the Bathtub Gin is great as well and nobody talks about it.

@BuckHypervisor

5 ай бұрын

The Chalkdust was a turning point in a way. It really marked Phish 's return to deep Type II jams with multiple key changes and sections of pure evil, pure bliss and everything in between. And the Tweezer that night...it wasn't the best ever, but the place it found in that second set was perfect. The crowd lost its collective mind when it dropped. So sweet.

Awesome! Great to see you diving further into the Phish rabbit hole! Thank you Doug!

Glad you finally got around to Reba!! Great version! Looking forward to more takes on Phish, and really hoping you catch them live soon. Their playing is top notch these days.

Oh so goooooood. Love your insights on our 4 favorite guys. They are so much fun. You def need to check them out! Looking forward to hearing another phish reaction from you.

This has continually been my favorite of their composed songs since I first heard in 1989.

For Stash I recommend 7/22/97 or the version on A Live One

@AvatarKnownAsNathanielPeters

5 ай бұрын

12/30/97

Life is like a Phish show... you never know what yer gunna get.

Hope you can make it to a show! Thanks Doug!

Man I looove Reba. Such a great time. Never had so much fun in my life as seeing Phish shows. I remember back in ‘96 climbing Mt Crested Butte with some buddies and we were singing the Reba lyrics. We had shared some kind bud on ski lift towards the top. We all knew the lyrics and as younger guys could spit it out pretty fast. Then whistling the last section together. Great memories in such a beautiful place with a head full of bud and Phish in our brains. The constructed parts of this song with all the changes have always reminded me of Zappa. What do you think??

I am so excited you picked Reba! I saw your other 2 Phish reviews. Reba is my favorite - my happy song.

Glad I stumbled on this today. What a joy to see someone who knows music and theory in depth hear a song like Reba for the first time. Your reactions were priceless. I highly recommend going to see the live. Phish are the most entertaining band to see live. You won’t be disappointed. Reba is one of those songs that they stick to the script every time up until that last section that goes from IV to V which is improvised. Fantastic versions if I may are New Years Eve ‘93 in Worcester Mass and Clifford Ball ‘96. Thanks Doug

Great review Doug, you pretty much nailed it in your analysis.

I love phish.

Don't beat yourself up for missing the beats in the section right before the solo/jam section. I've been listening to Phish for 28 years, and I still can't get those beats right. You need to do Fluffhead. And also something from the last decade with a real on the spot jam in it.

@TheHSIHP

5 ай бұрын

I can't either. Ha!

Bag it and tag it!

You nailed it RE: ensemble. I don't consider what they do as soloing, one may take the lead but it typically is not a solo it is a part of a whole. I love how, especially these days, the instruments combine and the blend to the point where it is hard to distinguish amongst them. It blends so well that solo just doesn't describe it properly.

Listen to the 12/31/94 Reba. Probably my fav. Love seeing you back on phish!

@Phishegghead

2 ай бұрын

You mean 10/31 right?

Phish is so good. We really don’t deserve them

Thank you thank you thank you for doing this! My favourite Phish tune. Its interesting you mentioned it's hard to know where they're going when they keep changing. We'll, I once read this song was written as if someone with ADHD was writing it: always changing to something different. Great reaction to the song. Keep up the excellent content!

Now that was fun thank you Doug for listening to Reba, which is an amazing song and you killed it there at the end of the jam. You threw your arms up in the air right when they stopped the jam and started the whistling. I’ve been seeing these guys since 1994 and I was ten years late. I took some time off here and there, but I still catch them as often as I can, hopefully in Vegas at the sphere in April. You have lots of opportunities to see them considering where you live; they play New York City a lot. Anyway, that was a lot of fun. Thank you for putting a smile on my face this morning.

yay, Phish, Soundtrack of my 1997 USA trip ( the "Four Corners"-Monument states )

Welcome to the world of Phish my man! Love your take on it… you are only scratching the surface of the Phish catalog… Give the song “Fluffhead” a watch … live version of course… very compositional … you will love and has wild / fun lyrics.

11/25/1994 from Chicago will always be my favorite Reba

ooohh can't wait to watch - one of my fav Phish songs - the duh-dunh, duh-dunh after the guitar/keys cat & mouse is like such a great moment at a Phish show - thank you so much for these!

@brianford78

5 ай бұрын

yeah once we get to the more improv-y section of Reba, you get some of my favorite "beautiful side of Phish" guitar stuff, every time (some of my other fav is in Divided Sky, which you've done, and Lizards) - you also got more tension/release here than in D. Sky or most of YEM, which is a hallmark of the Phish experience...

@brianford78

5 ай бұрын

you might like Guyute - some complex stuff in there, too - the time sigs especially

@brianford78

5 ай бұрын

Phish lyrics not making a lick of sense is pretty standard, especially before a certain period of their history... i don't bother putting much into it - go listen to Bathtub Gin or Golgi Apparatus; no message to really take away there, just silly

The back of my head is in this video. Sunday at Randall's Island was a Top 5 3.0 show for me. It's funny you talked about the lyrics. Trey shared a little bit of Reba's back story during the NYE Gamehenge.

The first time I saw Phish (Georgia Theatre, February 1990), I didn’t care for them much, because I kept getting in to what they were doing, and they’d change! It made me nuts! I learned to appreciate it, but that first time was pretty freakin funny!

This was great. Been years since seeing them and my last show was my 70th show I got to see..

I enjoy this video

@awmerriam4

5 ай бұрын

You Enjoy Yourself 😜

this song represents everything that i love about phish

Happy BLUE Year! U got me back with another Phish review! More BLUE Oyster Cult from thier 1st 3 albums please! 💙😇💜

This is my favorite Phish reaction ever. Good on ya. The most comprehensive and accurate reaction to one of Phish’s more technical songs I’ve seen for sure. You’re doing a great job of dissecting the jam too. Welcome aboard? Hmu if you want to hear better (and by better I mean more compositionally accurate) renditions of this song, and/or other songs of this ilk. Def check out Fluffhead. God bless.

@AllenEvanWright

5 ай бұрын

FYI a lot of Phish’s earlier stuff, lyrically, has no meaning whatsoever. Their aim is not the words having meaning, but rather the words making sense phonetically. See “The Mango Song”. They were so committed to the music having meaning on its own, that many of the early lyrics are gobbledigook.

This is the song that took me from being a phish fan to a phish phan. The solo from the album version left me speechless. I've been playing guitar for 30 years and its still my favorite of any I've heard from any guitarist ever.

@Mime59100

5 ай бұрын

One of the best studio guitar solos ever

Been waiting for this one!

Please listen to 12/31/93 Reba for an absolutely pristine rendition from their prime. One of their most complex tunes that really shined when they were at their peak of musical proficiency.

@jp783

5 ай бұрын

12/31/95 was the motherlode

@dershed

5 ай бұрын

​@@jp783The major flaw with the 12/31/95 version is that the composed section is botched pretty badly. But the improv section is an all-timer. My personal favorite all-around version is 5/16/95

@jp783

5 ай бұрын

@@dershed I totally disagree. I think Trey was trying some counterpoint/harmony (improvised) that may have gone a bit off the rails, so he took a chance and sometimes when you take chances, they don't always work out exactly like you might like, but that was an amazing performance of that song. It was definitely NOT "botched".

Loving these Phish reactions. Keep it up. If i was to pick one song id love for you to hear, you really need to hear esther. It's a gorgeous little composed piece and paints a rich, dark, and playful story. Multiple "movements" and Id recommend listening to the studio version. Hope you like it if you listen even if on your own time.

@lisawilliams8180

5 ай бұрын

Glad to know I'm not the only Esther phan lol 😹

I was there! This was my very first Phish show, and it was a killer. That whole show was great, and I was spoiled, as it was considered one of their best of the tour. Never miss a Sunday show, I believe is the saying. And yes Doug picked up on it, there was a group at the front yelling for Reba most of the early part of the set, and Trey decided to stick it in there. Good call.

This guy would fit right in at a show lol

Also, on the composed piece of Reba, you missed "the chase". The first time through, keys and guitars play it at the exact same time. The second time through, the piano plays it a half second before the guitar plays it a half second later, nite for note. The guitar is chasing the piano note for note by a half second. Brilliance.

@randomperson-dy6kj

5 ай бұрын

To be fair, Trey kinda muffed it. That's our boy! :)

@DJKernelForbin

5 ай бұрын

​@@randomperson-dy6kj Yeah... I wouldn't have suggested a track from 2014 for this listen. Definitely should've done a nice 1993 version. I imagine he would have been much more impressed (tempo, precision, etc)

@randomperson-dy6kj

5 ай бұрын

@@DJKernelForbin Exactly. I'll be first to admit I'm a jaded 1.0er but I really cannot see (hear) or understand why people are saying how good they are now. I love the band. Always will. I got old, they got old. It is what it is. They are ok now, but nothing like they were in the 90's. Nothing. When I was seeing the Dead in the 90's, we knew it wasn't anything like '74 or '77. And that's fine. They got old. It happens. But we certainly weren't saying how great they sounded, that they were playing better than ever, or how a new live version of a song was 'best one ever,' or any of that. The best Phish will always be Page banging away on the grand piano, Machine Gun Trey, Cactus in his big haired-glory, and Fish tripping face and still killing it. 1.0 in untouchable. On the flip side, if Doug is impressed with this mediocre Reba, imagine how he'll react when he hears a classic, tight, impeccable one. :) Sorry for the rant, it's been a tough day.

Yes! Love these videos, I highly recommend Scent of a mule from the Clifford Ball

Reba is one of my early favorite Phish piece. Great reaction ! Here's a suggestion. I think you'd find this piece quite interesting to react to, as well as your audience that's inclined towards progressive/symphonic rock. Ie Rai Shan made only one studio album in 1994. Not much information is to be found about the band. The lyrics are in Japanese. What's left is the music and vocals. The album is easily found on youtube. Simply search by the band's name. I've chosen the sixth piece of the album for the suggestion, although all are quite nice. The track list and links to each piece is in the video's description. Ie Rai Shan 夜来香 (1994) Track # 6 "告白ボレロ - Kokuhaku Bolero" Cheers.

So happy to see more PHISH!! Would love to see you do some Tedeschi Trucks Band!!

Review live versions of all the Lawnboy songs. Great album.

This song has brought me to tears many many times, that’s how powerful the second half is

The crowd was actually chanting for a different song, Tela. I'm not sure if Trey misheard them and played the wrong song, or if he heard them just find but played Reba as a joke. That's the sort of thing they'd do. The fans do love Reba though too, Tela is just more rare.

I hear both Zappa and Gentle Giant here.. interesting.. never listened to these guys before..

Very happy to see more Phish content, though a video from the '90s would've caught a better performance from Trey, but either way haply to see it on the channel. Let's get some Umphreys McGee on the DD!

IWT!!! Randall's Island was SO much fun! Incidentally, the concert site was located next to the NYC State Mental Asylum! Ha! Inside and out - TRUST ME 😀

Phish has “type 1” & “type 2” jams. The former being more within a defined structure and the latter being free flowing & very, very open. Different songs have different spaces for different types of jams. I’m only a lowly clarinet player so far from an expert but I think those are the terms used & that’s what’s going on

My favorite version is 9/14/00.

9:17 you have a little classical fugue going between guitar and keyboard, right where you commented about it reminding you of Jazz fusion. Early in the song when you commented on it not really repeating, it really was but it was repeating where each repetition became a shorter time signature like a iteratively reducing pattern. It's a big long composed section to that slow blissy improv jam at the end basically. That's Reba.

My sister liked a boy in high school . His name was actually Trey , he liked phish , my sister I guess bought a cd to check them out , it was lawn boy , Reba and the squirming coil are my favorites . I remember every note of the album version of Reba SQ I love that . I’m dabbed up writing a book here lol . 😂

That was fun

The shaker was a nice addition

Love it!

He gets phish. Nailed it. Your commentary suggests you understand why we follow them year after year

Dude, I cannot watch this right now but Reba is what hooked me onto Phish on September 7, 1992. It was the whistle.

@stacybenstockklein449

5 ай бұрын

Your reaction at 15.58 with the whistle is everything! More please it’s always more Phish is the answer and you have to see them live you just do you are a fan, you like their music, you appreciate it especially on the level that I don’t because I don’t have the vocabulary that you have with The notes and the technical shit yada yada. Best band ever!

Thanks for this. I really enjoyed it! If you ever analyze more Phish, I would be interested to hear your take on something less composed (i.e., what we Phish nerds would call a jam vehicle). Perhaps the 7/22/1997 DWD -> Mike's Groove?

Funny too - the other two songs you reviewed had a literally a few words as lyrics - this is one has lots!

Phish is unusual for a "Jam Band". They don't really do a free form jam like say Grateful Dead or moe.. Their "jams" are very organized, and they mean every note they play, as disorganized as it may seem, to the uninitiated. I saw them about ten times in the 1990's, the last time in 1995, and saw them play "REBA" a few times, and it was always fun and interesting. Like you, I couldn't keep up with the lyrics, except the "Bag it, tag it, sell it to the butcher in the store" chorus. The fifth member of the band is Lighting Director Chris Kuroda, aka CK5, he is by far the best in the business, just watch their shows and you will see.

@DelsinM

5 ай бұрын

This is not true. Phish play complicated sections and then drop into jams over (usually) one chord.

@bobschenkel7921

5 ай бұрын

Still, they are not as free flowing as the Grateful Dead or Widespread Panic, or some other groups. Their "jams" are VERY structured, which isn't a bad thing, it's just different from some other bands. It's all good, just different. @@DelsinM

Yes, more Phish!!

Do go see them live - it's an experience not to be missed. I followed the Dead for a while & Phish for a while back in the early 90s. Nowhere I'd rather be tbh

When they announce a show at Deer Creek this summer, you should definitely go check it out. Or go to their festival in Dover, Deleware in August. Theres nothing like being immersed in the world they create for our delight at those fests they throw where they are the only band playing!

1st time viewer here I like you're overall presentation approach ,quality aidio/video execution you're speech skills are on point you didn't saunter into a rambling spell and got right to it . I'm choosy on the " reaction videos" along are fake and I'm interested w people w professional degrees or legitimate interest in music handling these type of videos But I feel you provided what I'm looking for hope this modest critique helps and I honestly haven't heard Reba in like 6 yrs nice Also: if I may be so bold as to offer a suggestion of " St Alfonsos' Pancake brEakfast" by Zappa ?lol

Hello, I just found your videos, I really liked them, thanks for them. I recommend you listen to Tatsuro Yamashita, I think you will find it very interesting, it could be the song "Sparkle", "Silent Screamer" or the song "someday", "Love space", But he has a fairly extensive discography.😊

You gotta check out the version of Reba from 10/31/94 it’s the best they’ve ever played it Also check out any version from 1994 of colonel forbins ascent > fly famous mockingbird. That’s another great example of phish’s compositional genius Also a lot of phish early songs lyrically are campy and have a play on words aspect to it. Not always about the meaning of the words but more the sound the words make

Listen to more stuff between 94-98. Those are the peak years when they walked on stage and shredded faces 200 nights a yeR