The months preceding April, 1994 were relatively quiet for Phish. After finishing up the Holiday run of shows (see TMIPH December 1993) the band members took some personal time and availed themselves of the chance to play with side projects. Trey and Fish joined friends Jamie Masefield and Stacy Starkweather for Bad Hat performances in

Although there were not many shows scheduled, late fall and early winter 1993 was a busy time for Phish. They spent most of October and November recording their fifth album for Elektra Records, Hoist, at the American Recording Company studios in Woodland Hills, California. Many special guests visited during this project and appeared on the

Phish began pre-production toward the end of September for their fifth album on Elektra, https://www.phish.com/releases/detail.php?ID=47. This was their first album recorded entirely outside the Northeast and the first to receive a strong marketing push from the record label. https://www.phish.com/releases/detail.php?ID=47 was recorded and mixed in and around Los Angeles and the band members settled into the

After finishing a long spring tour encompassing most of February (see TMIPH February 1993), March, April and the beginning of May (see TMIPH May 1993), Phish took some time in June to practice and relax. Having traveled the amphitheater circuit the previous summer opening for Santana, summer 1993 represented the band’s first tour as a

Following the release of Rift, the band embarked on a national tour that included 70 concerts. Phish’s fourth studio album, Rift, was released in late January (see TMIPH February 1993). The tour went from the Northeast through New York and Pennsylvania, down into the Southern states, across Colorado and the Southwest, up the entire West

Following the release of Phish’s fourth studio album, Rift, in February, the band commenced a seventy-two show tour that lasted until May and took them through twenty seven states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian provinces. This was the first tour that featured Page on grand piano. The tour showcased many new original and

On Groundhog Day (February 2nd) 1993, Phish’s fourth studio album, Rift, was released, and on the following day Phish launched a massive North American tour (including three stops in Canada) that lasted through early May. The tour began in Portland, Maine with the premieres of Loving Cup, The Wedge and Lifeboy. These new additions to

In fall of 1992, Phish was busy recording and preparing for the January 1993 release of their fourth album, Rift.. On the night before Halloween 1992, the band played the WBCN New Music Concert, their first appearance at the Boston Garden. In November, they began their second U.S. concert tour of the year at the

After finishing their first album for Elektra, A Picture of Nectar, and touring in support of it through Spring of 1992 (see TMIPH March 1992 and TMIPH April 1992), Phish departed in June for their first European tour. They played eight shows there spanning fifteen days in five countries. The Europe 1992 dates were all

All but one of Phish’s initial Europe dates were forty-five minute support slots opening for The Violent Femmes. On June 19th, they performed at Stadtpark/Freilichtbuhn in Hamburg, Germany. Trey politely greeted the crowd saying, "Good evening ladies and gentlemen. We are special guests from the United States" as they began to play The Landlady. The

Having released their major label debut album, A Picture Of Nectar, Phish played their first European dates and helped to found the landmark HORDE tour and were beginning to see increased notoriety. They had spent most of August supporting and performing with Santana (see TMIPH August 1992). After the Santana tour ended in late August,

Following a string of concerts in the east, southeast and midwest (see TMIPH March 1992) Phish continued their spring tour supporting A Picture of Nectar with shows in the western states and along the west coast. The "secret language " had taken quick hold and the shows were filled with references to this newly-launched band-audience