On December 6, Phish will release Hampton/Winston-Salem '97, a brand new 7-CD box set, showcasing three complete shows recorded Live November 21 & 22, 1997 Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA and November 23, 1997 Lawrence Joel Veteran's Memorial Coliseum, Winston-Salem, NC, in the midst of Phish's legendary 1997 Fall Tour. Hampton/Winston-Salem '97 contains all the music played over these three shows for a total of 45 songs (8 hours of music from Paul Languedoc's stereo soundboard mix, remastered by Fred Kevorkian). The Box includes never-before-heard material from soundchecks at both venues.
The 1997 Hampton Coliseum shows were the band's first two-night stand at Hampton Coliseum – a venue they have played a total of fifteen times including a two-night stand in 1998 (released as Hampton Comes Alive) and a trio of reunion shows in 2009. The shape and feel of the venue have earned it the nickname "The Mothership" among fans. The next show after Hampton 1997 took place at Lawrence Joel Veteran's Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina - another familiar venue where Phish also performed in 1994, 1995 and 1998.
These shows were a memorable triad for the band and fans. They are among the most requested shows for release from the Phish Archives and make up a compelling slice of the twenty-two-show tour that stretched from Las Vegas to Albany. The Hampton/Winston-Salem 97 shows were packed with notable renditions of classics including "Split Open And Melt", "AC/DC Bag", "Slave To The Traffic Light", "Mike's Song", "Halley's Comet", "Tweezer", "Run Like An Antelope", "Stash" and "Bathtub Gin". The band also showcased a wide variety of newer covers from the debut of the Rolling Stones' "Emotional Rescue" to Del McCoury's "Beauty Of My Dreams", Jimi Hendrix's "Izabella", Clifton Chenier's "My Soul" and even an impromptu take on War's "Low Rider". The Hampton/Winston-Salem '97 shows also showcased newer originals like "Dogs Stole Things", "Ghost", "Piper" and the brand-new-for-fall instrumental "Black-Eyed Katy", which is the only song repeated on the release.
Hampton/Winston-Salem '97 @ LivePhish.com
1997-11-21 Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA @ LivePhish.com
1997-11-21 Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA @ LivePhish.com
1997-11-23 Veteran's Memorial Coliseum, Winston-Salem, NC @ LivePhish.com