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This double-disc firestorm was the first official live release from Vermont's favorite jam band, and it is both a roaring celebration of and, in many ways, a fitting conclusion to Phish's first decade of genre-bending, head-popping rock. Recorded in 1994, A Live One finds Phish wringing everything they can out of every song (four clock in at more than 10 minutes, another at more than 20, and a sixth, "Tweezer," at more than 30), whipping themselves (and the audience) into a frenzy with a high-octane attack long on instrumental pyrotechnics and short on subtlety. By 1996 they had taken this no-holds-barred approach as far as they could, and they would begin to temper their frenetic energy with a mellower, airier, and funkier approach. But this collection remains a vital snapshot of the band at its initial peak, a time when no studio could have hoped to capture the densely packed Phish experience. --Marc Greilsamer

Product Review
The Grateful Dead analogies may apply to legions of Phish-head devotees, but musically this double-live set reveals a band with the fluency of early Allman Brothers minus their focus and muscularity. A neat blend of hippie whimsy ("Gumbo") and extended jams ("Stash," "You Enjoy Myself") that aren't as tedious as you'd guess. --Jeff Bateman

If you are fan of Phish, and want to get a CD of them live without going into Bootlegs, there are three choices. First, there is Slip, Stitch and Pass. This a great live album, but not the best. There is Hampton Comes Alive, which is a six CD box set containing two full live shows. It is really great, but it may be too long and expensive for a casual fan or for someone starting out. In my opinion, A Live One, is the best one available. It is 12 great songs on two CDs for a good price. It has Phish's long, intricate jams, like You Enjoy Myself and the 30 minute Tweezer. It also contains their more simple and shorter songs, such as Bouncing Around The Room. In my opinion, the best songs on this album are Bouncing Around The Room, which is the best version of the song I've heard, Chalkdust Torture, Wilson, Tweezer, and Simple. All the songs are great. This is also a great starting place for Phish. Comment | Permalink | (Report this)