Customer Reviews

Hampton Comes Alive

5 star:		(63)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Like any truly great live album, HAMPTON COMES ALIVE is done justice only when the volume is turned up to that ear-bleeding setting once reserved for stadium shows. From the opening ROCK N ROLL PART II to the closing TUBTHUMPING, this collection catches everything that is Phish; the unparalleled musicianship; the unique combination of humor and sincerity; the lightning quick changes in style and tone; the balance of concert-only favorites, surprising covers, and album standards; the pervasive wanddering spirit that so many have grasped on to. The only thing missing? Chris Kuroda's mesmerizing lights (but if you turn off all yours, your imagination can take it from there). Ladies and gentlemen, this one goes to eleven.

not since "A live One" has live phish sounded so powerful and energized. SS&P is great for showing an evolution in phish's playing style, but the song selection leaved something to be desired. with Hampton Comes Alive, we truely hear phish the way we were meant to. live, uncut, unedited, raw. there are great classics here as well as newer songs which gives these show a great balance. Musically all four of them are "on". it's a rare occassion when 4 very talented musicians can be so cohesive and create a flawless music. fortunately phish does this more often than most, and it was captured on these 6 magnificent cd's for our enjoyment. highlights- rift, stash, SOAM, bath, Jiggy (w/fish on vocals), BBFCM, Sabotage, Free>ha,ha,ha>Free.

Amsterdam 1997 was the Back of the Worm, Hampton 1998 was the Bomb! Once the band released the loops during "Tube", the audience was no longer grounded. The E-xtra intensity generated by this Vermont-based foursome takes music to new levels. Hampton Comes Alive dosn't just capture the two nights at Hampton, it truly reflects the essence of Tour. This album is not just for the spinners and freakers, its for all music appreciators that want to know what being in the band is all about. I've been touring with the band since '92, catching almost 200 shows. This album is truly representative of Phish during that time period and is a must have for the collection. Both nights have the feel of a 3rd set. The band has done it again!

Let me get something clear after reading some of the reviews below. This box set is not bad at all. Of course, its not the greatest either. I've seen and heard better shows than this. What makes it good though is the fact that its uncut, well recorded, and covers two complete concerts. It has a wide range of covers, plus quite a few unrealesaed Phish originals (Driver and Tube being my favorites) and some great versions of Phish classics (Divided Sky, Foam, Roggae). Yeah, yeah, it isn't Trey's best guitar playing. And some moments sound just plain sloppy. But this isn't a set for newcomers. I think "Slip Stitch and Pass" and "A Live One" are better representations of live Phish and would be better for newbees. But I think experienced Phish phans will be able to appreciate this boxed set for what it is. It boils down to this: If you can afford it, buy it. Its good.

When people asked "What's up with that?" You Just saw them play a show at (enter venue here) and you are going to see them again at (enter another venue here!) ? ? ? The answer is Yes. Now with this box set people can now hear what is up with seeing them many times. First, no songs repeated when they play at in the same place more than once. Second, when the boys play Hampton, its like having an ace in the hole. Shows are special there. This box set is a great representation of Phish in 1998 during their evolution as a band. Highlights for me :Divided Sky, the Free > ha ha ha > Free sequence, Split Opne and Melt... oh there is plenty more. Think of it as a great musical slice from 1998. A Live one was a fine first live CD. A collection of songs from many shows. Slip Stitch and Pass. A great slice of part of a show from Germany showing the new direction they were taking. and Now HCA. The logical next step that went a step above. Not one but TWO Shows! Personally, I hope future live shows are released the same way. To pull a thanksgiving theme, this is like a getting a great dessert after a Thanksgiving Meal. You got a great pumpkin pie AND a fine Apple pie to boot.

Enjoy!

What can you say about this CD? It's so large and complex there a few words to describe it. This two night stay in Hampton VA produces great new versions of "Ghost" songs (ie: meat, guyute), killer reditions of classic favorites (ie bathtub gin, harry hood, divided sky) and an awesome array of covers. A very strong and bold entry into Phish's catalog. And to everyone considering buiying this box set, don't listen to the whiners about it's price or that they're playing is sloppy, it's all giberish

HCA realistically represents a Phish experience, containing both the good and the bad moments of a Phish show. More than anything though it seems to represent what makes Phish loved by its fans. The music is real, and every time that it is played it is unique. Yes, there are plenty of mistakes, but would any popular top 40 band be daring enough to put themselves in a situation to make a mistake? NO, unlike Phish, top 40 bands rely on the safety net of playing album cut renditions of their hits. Phish remains true to the music, expanding on it every time they play it. Sometimes it comes off well (Harry Hood, Bathtub Gin, Divided Sky) and sometimes not so good (Wilson, Stash). This is neither the best Phish show nor the worst one, but rather a typical example of what Phish has to offer. In the same sense, this box set is really only for true die hard fans, if you want a good Phish live experience go to a show, buy A Live One, or get some tapes.

Well, this is the real deal. This is a two-night show by the best band on the planet. I agree with one of the other Amazon reviewers that a better two-night show might have been chosen (I've certainly seen them tighter and I never did care for the BBFCFM and "Jiggy"-type nonsense), but you can debate the worth of shows ad infinitum. This album is a landmark release that will hopefully lead to similar full show releases on an annual basis. Highlights include Bathtub Gin > Piper, which is true grace, an enjoyable, if sloppy, Mighty Quinn, an amazing jam to end The Mango Song, and a great Mike's Song > everything > Weekapaug marathon. At the end of the day, Phish selected a pretty solid show with a lot of previously unreleased material, and that alone warrants five stars, even if you've seen them better. See you all at Big Cypress!

Compared to most of the "music" scene these days, "Hampton Comes Alive" is a truly eye-opening experience - the creative jams, musical inventiveness and outright genius of these four Vermont natives defies catigorization. These are not "rock" concerts, per say. Neither are they jazz, pop, hip-hop or Reggae. These shows encompas each of these genres - and the sets move freely from one to the next - all of it sounding exactly like Phish.

Unfortunately, however, this unique blend of music can be found at most Phish shows - and these particular nights in Virginia are not examples of the band's finest effort. Perhaps it's the absence of the Phish crowd atmosphere, but I don't think that's the only reason. In general, these shows seem to lack the... balls, that made Phish the unique and wonderful band it is today.

My recommendation - buy the set, but don't expect it to blow-away your bootleg collection.

As most have already stated, this box set is a typical phish moment. Unlike Live One, which was really a "best of" CD of selected performances, Hampton is a raw portrayal of two shows. It contains plenty of well-played classics, like Divided Sky, Foam, Harry Hood, etc. This also is the highest concentration of covers I think I've seen in a series of shows, totaling 11 out of 45 tracks. Some are bizarre and hilarious, like Sabotage, Gettin' Jiggy With It (!), Tubthumping, while others are obscurer songs by classic rock giants. Like a real phish show, some moments are to die for, like the climatic divided sky or the happy noodling of simple or the goofy ha ha ha, while others are more bland and have been surpassed in other releases, like Mike's Song or Weekapaug. (btw, I did enjoy the mellower, toned down stash) But the mixing and production is incredible, and the diversity of songs is immaculate. If you already have Live One and Slip Stitch and Pass and crave more album quality, live phish, you can't go wrong here.