Opinions are abound in the spectrum of Phish, but few would argue that 1994 was one of the band's most critical years. The band racked in 125 shows, and were full throttle on the way to cult superstardom. It was at this point when it was evident to both personnel and fans alike that the band would pursue this as a career, and that Phish would be around for the long(er) haul. The band felt this energy multiple times in '94, as evidenced by Chicago '94, a two show box set documenting Phish's debut performance at what would soon become one of their favorite venues.
The setlist is notable, as they performed many songs off of Hoist, the studio album released earlier that year. Phish turned these songs, and others into marathon jam vehicles, though it should be noted that only one song, the quintessential "You Enjoy Myself," stretches past the 20 minute mark. This may be a minor detail to some, but it highlights the bands ability to push their sound without adding extraneous scale running. The songs, however, do get the treatment, and in a big way. Throughout the two shows, which are pretty comparable in mood, the band plays around with discordant chaos, which eventually finds their way into a heavenly, cohesive groove. They hit their high note stride with the energetic "Run Like in Antelope," which many would say have seen it's best day in 1994. The highlight of this example would be the epic "David Bowie," an 18 minute exercise of sonic dissonance, which many fans say is the band at its best. All the jamming is organic and original, and many would find the lack of looping ambiance, which would later be a staple of their live shows, a pleasant change of pace.
Many fans will note that these1994 shows are devoid of the running gags of the past, such as the Big Ball Jam or the Phish Secret Language. This is a clear representation of where the band's priorities lay during this period of time. They were dropping the gimmicks, and allowing the music to be the punchline. A year after the first concert on the album, in June of '95, the band had a historic meeting to discuss how far they really wanted to push this project. These shows reveal that, that even before the meeting, these boys were all in.
One thing that should be noted is how fun-spirited this show is in context of the band's history. In 1994, the band was quickly becoming financially solvent. They were beginning to book shows at outdoor amphitheatres, now in all areas of the country, and they were barreling towards the finish line of success. They were playing without the worries of where the band would go. It is just fun; a band on stage clearly enjoying themselves. Conversely, they were still two years away from their historic festival, Clifford Ball; the moment that led them to exclusively play arenas, and the catalyst to Phish INC. It was still in age of innocence in 1994, lacking the overwhelming burden of an entire enterprise resting on four hippies from Vermont. Also lacking is the bacchanal of backstage hanger-ons who would eventually aid to the band's 2004 demise. The business side of Phish was still run by in-house friends who cared about the band, and the people in it. Once again, it is just fun! It is a band on stage playing out of love, not worried about the overhead of what would soon become a pretty big corporation. The good spirits are palpable throughout the album, and provides a shining example of what makes this band so damn great!
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