[Welcome To Weekly Catch With Osiris! A weekly series brought to you from the team at the Osiris Podcast Network. Each Wednesday we're going to bring you a historic Phish show from that week, plus provide some context into the show in question. The goal here is to dig deep beyond official releases & well-known shows, to bring you some of the overlooked gems throughout Phish's 35+ year career. If you like what you find, we'd encourage you to check out the assortment of podcasts at the Osiris Podcast Network! This week's catch comes from Brian Brinkman of Beyond The Pond.]

Listen: The Front - Burlington, VT - 02/06/1989

The year 1989 was an important one for Phish and not simply because it marked the end of the decade of their birth and led into the most celebrated period of their career. It saw the band headline The Paradise in Boston for the first time, close out their performance career at Goddard College, play their first 12/30 show in New York City, and play their first ever New Year's Eve show. It was a moment of transition for a band that in five years would transcend the NE Bar scene to become one of the preeminent national touring acts.

In many ways, the show on February 6, 1989 from The Front in Burlington, VT is emblematic of the entirty of the year 1989 for the band. It contains some of their classic tunes in spots that, in just a few short years, would seem completely out of place - "You Enjoy Myself" first set closer, "Golgi > Divided Sky" in Set II, "Corinna" & "I Didn't Know " Set Closers - while also seeing the band string together a first set that showcased their keen ability to read a room and respond in a massive way. Imagine seeing a setlist that contained "Peaches," "La Grange" and "You Enjoy Myself" in Set I in 2019. The show is simultaneously a preview of what's to come, and a peek into the mind of a band still figuring it out as they go along.

If there's anything you have to hear it's the fast take on "Sanity" which showcases the punkish side of the band, while also showing the dexterity of their songwriting, and the blissful peak in "Harry Hood." A song that's known for the seemingly countless versions that culminate a show in sincere and emotive ways, this version from The Front is one of the first to truly hold up on tape. The "Bowie" encore caps the show in strong fashion, a nod to the near-future, when the band would close out some of their best shows with an encore that rounds everything out in the best way possible.

Dive into the first installment of Weekly Catch With Osiris with a great snapshot of Phish figuring out what it really meant to be Phish.

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