It’s the evening of July 21, 1993, and Phish is navigating an especially energetic version of Runaway Jim at the HORDE Festival in Middletown, New York. Guitarist/vocalist Trey Anastasio’s masterful, extended solo runs the gamut from quiet meditation to blistering groups of cascading notes, delivered in ways both clever and compelling. But what happens next is perhaps an even greater metaphor for the guitarist’s overall approach to music.
The band segues into Big Ball Jam, an occasional addition to the set where large, colored beach balls are simultaneously batted about by the audience, each color assigned to a different band member. Every time a ball is touched, the corresponding player sounds his instrument. (Luckily, video of this fun spectacle is available on YouTube.)
