Jam Chart for Possum (127 entries)

Date City Timing Notes
1985-10-30 Burlington, VT 4:59 Debut. Both Page and Jeff Holdsworth perform in this version, during a brief crossover period before Jeff left the band. The jam includes a Page section and Trey-led part. Jeff leads the vocals.
1986-10-12 Plainfield, VT 5:48 -> in from "Halley's." First version with Mike taking the lead on vocals, without Jeff, and with the familiar Trey-led jam.
1987-08-10 Burlington, VT 8:24 -> in from "AC/DC Bag." The first 2:10 is the transition jam between songs. Great recording quality and typical of many early versions in which Trey's solo is followed by a Page-led solo. Also one of 8 "Bag" -> "Possum" pairings in '87 - '88.
1988-07-23 Underhill, VT 8:29 Unknown additional percussionist. The jam begins in a low-key manner, with nice added texture from the percussionist.
1988-11-03 Boston, MA 7:06 > in from "Fluffhead." Solid early version with great playing by Trey, especially near the conclusion of the jam.
1989-02-07 Burlington, VT 7:06 -> in from "The Sloth." Awesome version with excellent and varied playing by Trey.
1989-06-30 Northampton, MA 7:46 Cool twangy playing by Trey early on, then he just rips. Great recording quality.
1989-10-01 Burlington, VT 8:33 Starts with Trey plucking solo, he plays a "Brady Bunch Theme" tease, then this "Possum" picks up a big head of steam.
1989-10-26 New York, NY 9:22 Experimental, mildly dissonant playing by Trey for much of the jam. Machine Gun Trey earns his name by the end.
1989-12-01 Boston, MA 8:26 Quite a few guitar playing styles on display here in this rousing, encore slot version. Great way to end a show.
1990-02-23 Haverford, PA 7:26 "Alumni Blues" tease in intro. Cool jam that's quite different and interesting. Good quality recording.
1990-05-11 Providence, RI 9:10 "Johnny B. Goode" teases plus a somewhat dissonant and incendiary conclusion to the jam. This is a serious ripper.
1990-05-13 Burlington, VT 9:29 "Norwegian Wood" teases in the intro and jam. Good quality jam with some interesting and unscripted variation by Trey.
1990-06-16 Townshend, VT 9:11 The beginning of this excellent jam is unusual and in minor key. Version released on Live Bait Vol. 5.
1990-09-20 Somerville, MA 10:21 Quality jam includes experimental melody lines from Trey, signals, and multiple rolling peaks before the big one.
1990-10-04 Durham, NH 10:03 Mildly dissonant, "DEG"-like jamming early on. Then some great Machine Gun Trey action as the jam cranks up.
1990-10-05 Saratoga Springs, NY 9:54 Dissonant and experimental jamming at first, followed by dependably blazing fast Trey in the latter half of the jam.
1990-10-06 Port Chester, NY 10:12 Improvisational jamming is spread throughout, as if in step with the musical ideas flowing from the mind of Trey.
1990-10-30 Crested Butte, CO 8:56 A very cool section with Trey and Page in a sort of call and response. Then a blazing hot build up to blow the lid off.
1990-10-31 Colorado Springs, CO 9:00 Serious kick-ass, blistering and ripping jam. Straightforward, but so what? Archival release from Live Phish.
1990-11-02 Boulder, CO 0:51 "Possum" -> "Buried Alive" -> "Possum." Great song pairing and an excellent, improvisational, and fiery jam.
1990-11-02 Boulder, CO 9:35 -> in from "Buried Alive," which is played in the intro. The jam in this "Possum" is awesome, and the "Buried Alive" sandwich is just the icing on the cake.
1990-11-10 Richmond, IN 9:54 Very unusual and very exploratory (for "Possum") beginning of the jam with jazz-like Trey and "Foam" teases. Shredfest follows.
1990-11-24 Port Chester, NY 8:22 Some nice "Manteca" teases/jamming. Mike is really awesome on this one.
1990-11-30 Keene, NH 10:21 Enjoy listening to Page, Mike and Fish rock out while Trey sustains a single note for nearly 90 seconds (6:30 - 8:00).
1991-03-23 Steamboat Springs, CO 8:21 Great jam with some cool, repeated licks that Trey lays out, and with Page on the B-3 for much of the jam.
1991-04-02 Arcata, CA 6:56 Teases and signals in the jam (see Setlist). Definitely an odd, off-kilter sort of jam. (*Recording runs out before ending).
1991-04-26 Plymouth, NH 8:28 Solid, mildly dissonant jam that picks up a serious head of steam.
1991-04-27 Port Chester, NY 8:18 Great intro and a nice and different jam with cool staccato picking by Trey.
1991-05-02 Poughkeepsie, NY 9:56 Cool intro with "Wipeout" teases. Jazz-like jam early with pulsing rhythm. Great Machine Gun Trey action follows.
1991-07-14 Townshend, VT 8:45 Awesome and very improvisational version with a different approach to the jam, a "DEG" tease and a roaring peak.
1991-07-24 Charlottesville, VA 8:03 Different intro, different sort of jam. In other words, another solid '91 "Possum."
1991-09-25 Keene, NH 9:12 Good pulsing, exploratory early part to the jam that gets very rocking. "Rhapsody In Blue" tease and signals too.
1991-09-27 Rochester, NY 8:43 Great rock-the-house version with excellent Mike and Fish. While not highly improvisational, it's just solid through and through, and includes amusing banter before the song.
1991-11-07 New Orleans, LA 8:11 "Barney Miller Theme" tease, signals and some brief but really cool key changes near the end of a seriously raging jam. Archival release from Live Phish.
1991-12-06 Middlebury, VT 16:06 Extended hihat intro, during which the band repeats "Wait" over and over for 5:30, and then play Simpson's language. Fish asks the crowd, "Can I hear you say yes? Can I...Boner?" At 8:53 they return to Possum, teasing "Wait," and engaging in the "stop and start" style of improv, and trey teases "Buried Alive." Version finishes with a "Turning Japanese" tease.
1992-03-06 Portsmouth, NH 9:25 Twangy country-like jam becomes more typically high powered. Several signals taboot (see Setlist).
1992-03-26 Winston-Salem, NC 9:30 Fish is noticeably aggressive in this straightforward, ass-kicking jam.
1992-04-03 Avon, CO 10:39 This is an excellent and far-ranging jam for a "Possum." Not "Type II" or anything, but Trey mixes it up quite a bit.
1992-04-05 Boulder, CO 12:33 Brief full band "Landlady" jam, plus teases and signals (see Setlist), and Mike sings "Crossroads." Awesome jam.
1992-04-16 Isla Vista, CA 10:32 > in from "Buried Alive." Smoking hot jam plus signals that were customary in this period.
1992-04-21 Eureka, CA 12:42 Extended intro with many signals and "DEG" teases. Great jam that has a nice swingy feel to it before going full throttle.
1992-05-12 Canton, NY 11:38 Cool, funky breakdown jam in the intro. Then Trey plays around with several "Dixie" teases early in the jam. Fiery ending.
1992-05-17 Schenectady, NY 13:48 Fantastic medley of signals and teases/little jams including "Rocky Mountain Way," "L.A. Woman," "China Grove," "It's Ice," and "Divided Sky." The jam is typically strong '92 fare and features incredible shredding by Trey.
1992-11-27 Port Chester, NY 10:39 Great tension building, multiple peaks and shredding Trey in a roaring "Possum."
1992-12-02 Columbus, OH 9:38 Interesting start to the jam leads to a tense, somewhat dissonant remainder with great playing by Trey.
1992-12-04 St. Louis, MO 11:48 Mostly straightforward, but the jam has multiple sections, and with each, Trey alters the riff or jam style. Solid.
1992-12-06 Chicago, IL 4:04 "Possum" -> "Vibration Of Life" -> "Possum." Just the 2nd time "VOL" had been performed. Predictably intense jam.
1992-12-06 Chicago, IL 6:21 -> in from "Vibration Of Life," which occurs during the jam in "Possum." From here, the jam is a predictably intense '92-style one.
1992-12-11 Ann Arbor, MI 11:56 "Flat Fee"-like playing early, then the jam takes off, getting more and more rocking with multiple peaks. Intense ending.
1993-02-03 Portland, ME 10:28 Cool jam on "You Don't Love Me" by Willie Cobbs, but more familiar as an Allman Brothers Band cover, from 5:27 - 5:55. After that, it is a crazy shred-fest, plus it's Page's first time on baby grand, which sounds awesome.
1993-04-18 Ann Arbor, MI 10:55 The beginning of the jam is different and improvisational. Grows mildly dissonant as it progresses even while Trey shreds.
1993-04-30 West Hartford, CT 9:56 Experimental jam with quiet scat singing by Trey early, good tension, a near breakaway section at 6:00, and pounding Fish.
1993-05-06 Albany, NY 11:11 Good improvisation and some cool licks from Trey early, then the Machine Gun lets it rip with great trilling near the end.
1993-07-15 Weedsport, NY 9:14 Trey hits on several different riffs in the jam that are good. Faster tempo, so even faster shredding. "Wilson" tease in intro.
1993-07-22 Stowe, VT 9:29 Great and varied jam that includes a "Tweezer" jam at the beginning and a nice melodic section. Then it acclerates.
1993-07-29 Knoxville, TN 10:26 Very cool beginning to the jam, and Trey is tuly superb throughout, embracing a variety of styles and tecniques.
1993-08-08 Cleveland, OH 11:02 August '93 = improvisation. This "Possum" inculdes a cool intro, a jam with moments of improvisation spread throughout, a "Tequila" tease, a crafty transition back to lyrics, and then hysterical Mike singing an octave lower.
1993-08-12 Rochester Hills, MI 10:24 Like 8/8/93, another improvisational version. "Possum" isn't exactly a "Type II" vehicle, but there are brief moments in this one that come close. Includes a "Tweeprise" tease, a solid low-key start and a rocking conclusion to the jam.
1993-08-16 St. Louis, MO 12:37 Several breakaway moments in this exploratory jam. When it's not moving beyond "Possum," the jam is wild, rocking and intense with incredible playing by Trey. Unusual and spontaneous ending with whistling.
1993-08-21 Salt Lake City, UT 10:04 Still August '93, so "Possum" is still exploratory as far as "Possums" go. The jam starts off a little odd, then comes back to a more "normal" mode. Has a cool slow down section plus Mike singing falsetto/extra low. (*skip in tape, timing inexact).
1993-08-25 Seattle, WA 12:46 A couple of short sections that stretch beyond "Possum," plenty of intense, improvisational "Type I" action, and incredible shredding.
1993-12-28 Washington, DC 12:05 Jazzy, exploratory and quiet beginning to the jam. The power cranks up with "Kashmir" teases and then gets blistering hot.
1993-12-31 Worcester, MA 12:30 "Peaches en Regalia" teases, good on-the-spot variation, a great rhythmic breakdown midway, and a fiery ending add up to another top notch '93 "Possum."
1994-04-11 Durham, NH 10:47 Start/Stop jamming in the intro. Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love" is teased during an intense jam.
1994-04-21 Winston-Salem, NC 11:12 Intense jam rocks the house, hard. Great Fish and Page.
1994-04-30 Orlando, FL 11:21 Several teases in the jam (see Setlist), but they fit in really well, as if part of the jam, not funny little add ons. Then the jam takes off in typically blistering '94 style. Fish rocks this one hard, and the others are no slouches either.
1994-05-12 Tucson, AZ 11:43 Intense, powerful version with a "Bring It On Home" tease (Willie Dixon song popularized by Led Zeppelin) in the intro. The jam incldes a "Give Me Back My Wig" tease (Hound Dog Taylor) from 5:23 - 5:46.
1994-05-27 San Francisco, CA 11:50 Extended hi-hat intro with the crowd shaking macaroni boxes and "Flintstones Theme" tease. Fish: "Shake your macaroni!"
1994-06-10 Morrison, CO 10:40 Awesome pump-it-up jam. Excellent musical variation from 3:55 - 4:30, then it's off to the "Possum" party.
1994-06-14 Des Moines, IA 9:42 Intense, with "DEG"-like jamming from 5:15 - 5:50, awesome Fish, and an "On Broadway" tease at the start of the jam.
1994-07-01 Philadelphia, PA 11:02 Gripping, powerful jam with dissonant, off-key playing, serious tension, a "Voodoo Child" tease, and an explosive ending.
1994-07-13 Patterson, NY 13:59 A wild, chaotic, and improvisational ride. Though you never really lose sight of the song in play, the boys take this "Possum" for a crazy and far-ranging journey. Hysterical Mike and Fish vocals at the end to add fitting emphasis.
1994-10-25 Atlanta, GA 11:50 An excellent, creative, and increasingly intense jam which includes some unusual Page B-3 action, multiple, blistering hot peaks, as well as Trey teasing "The Rover" in the intro and full band teases of "Kashmir" and "Magilla" in the jam itself.
1994-11-02 Bangor, ME 12:20 Must-Hear stormy exploratory jam with a descending melodic theme in parts, several sections that challenge the limits of standard "Possum," and "I'm A Man" (Spencer Davis Group) teases in the intro.
1994-11-18 East Lansing, MI 11:42 Blistering and rocking version includes "Bathtub Gin," "Jean Pierre," and "DEG" teases and a blazing peak.
1994-11-26 Minneapolis, MN 12:40 Hard rocking version grows increasingly dissonant with several brief departures that stretch the bounds of "Possum" and a hot peak.
1994-12-04 Chico, CA 13:33 Quite possibly the most intense, ass-kicking straightforward version of all time. Insanely ferocious conclusion to the jam.
1994-12-08 San Diego, CA 15:34 Another wacky '94 "Possum" with a spooky, extended intro, a silent jam, dissonant playing, and a raging peak.
1994-12-29 Providence, RI 11:37 "Dueling Banjos" and "L.A. Woman" teases. The latter half of the jam is dark and brooding with a uniquely Fall '94 tone that has moments that sound similar to a "Bowie" or "Tweezer." Ends in solid, ripping "Possum" fashion.
1995-06-07 Boise, ID 12:29 Several sections have a bleak and desolate tone, especially from 4:30 - 5:45, but the foreboding sentiment returns later.
1995-06-19 Noblesville, IN 13:58 Somewhat of an evil "Possum" that grows increasingly tense, dissonant and shrill, and includes an unusual stop.
1995-06-26 Saratoga Springs, NY 14:08 Super version with excellent stylistic variation by Trey, as well as "DEG"-like playing and a cool "Heartbreaker" tease/jam. Trey's shape-shifting play recalls the excellent versions of '90 and '91.
1995-09-27 Sacramento, CA 10:49 Mike and Trey highlight this excellent, fun, rocking and well played version. It's mostly straightforward, but high quality fare nonetheless. Try 9/27/91 for another terrific non-exploratory version, separated by 4 years to the day.
1995-10-07 Spokane, WA 12:02 Very solid "Possum" with building tension and moderate dissonance. Great variation and trilling by Trey, and a sweet peak.
1995-10-11 Chandler, AZ 14:36 Outstanding version with the jam based loosely on "You Don't Love Me" (Willie Cobbs, popularized by the Allman Bros.) - listen from 4:25 - 4:41, 6:15 - 6:30, and 8:56 - 9:03 for teases. "DEG" and "Johnny B. Goode" teases as well.
1995-10-22 Champaign, IL 15:00 Intense, fantastic version with off-key jamming, amazing trilling from Trey, and an unusual ending that -> to "Catapult."
1995-11-12 Gainesville, FL 12:28 Fantastic version and one of the most improvisational ever. Includes a Simpson's signal, a "Dixie" tease, Trey scatting, a "Woody The Woodpecker Theme" tease, a "Johnny B. Goode" tease, AND a wild and exploratory jam.
1995-11-29 Nashville, TN 17:20 Extended, percussive intro, almost like a "Bowie." Soaring, multiple peak jam with awesome Trey and Fish.
1995-12-07 Niagara Falls, NY 13:43 Multiple peaks that grow increasingly intense. Fish and Page are especially dynamic, with Page briefly on the B-3.
1996-08-02 Park City, UT 11:21 Good melodic variation by Trey, some great tension building, and a nice peak make for a good "Possum."
1996-08-07 Morrison, CO 12:02 Extended section of dissonant jamming (6:25 - 9:50) eventually returns to more familiar "Possum" habitat.
1996-08-12 Noblesville, IN 14:06 Extended intro with cool funky Mike and Trey. Jam peaks at 10:30, then drops into dissonant mode before re-powering.
1996-08-17 Plattsburgh, NY 13:23 Lots of nice improvisational twists and turns in the jam including dissonant and off-key jamming with great tension.
1996-10-21 New York, NY 8:57 Here's an odd one: the entire song is played in a different (lower) key. Go figure.
1996-11-30 Sacramento, CA 9:27 Peter Apfelbaum on tenor saxophone and John McEuen on lap slide guitar. Sweet jam with back and forth between Trey and McEuen, then Apfelbaum takes the lead followed by Page on the organ and piano, and then they all rock out together.
1996-12-30 Boston, MA 11:47 A nice extended settled section, some cool "Johnny B. Goode"-like strumming, and a rousing peak in this fun version.
1997-03-01 Hamburg, Germany 9:43 Heavy metal jamming in the intro and more in the jam itself.
1997-07-23 Atlanta, GA 12:11 The band remains in a lockstep groove as Trey tears through this Phish staple. The jam threatens to break away but then returns for a rousing conclusion and shoots off fireworks to close the first set of a highly regarded show. H/T @Tweezingspaceranger
1997-11-19 Champaign, IL 13:48 Funky intro with great Mike. Excellent straightforward jam gets intense and chaotic, then turns bluesy and rocking.
1997-12-07 Dayton, OH 12:38 "Camel Walk"-like licks and polka scales in the intro. Very tight straightforward jam that ends with more polka-style chords.
1997-12-29 New York, NY 2:38 > in from a strong "Bowie". Fun version with two "I Can't Turn You Loose" jams, one at the onset of the jam and the other appearing after the last chorus.
1997-12-29 New York, NY 5:39 The main "Possum" jamming occurs here and includes extended Page lead sections on organ and piano, before Trey gets his licks in later on.
1998-07-06 Prague, Czech Republic 10:59 Awesome version with a great swingy theme to the jam that Trey keeps returning to. Mike is outstanding, and Page plays the Fender-Rhodes for a stretch, adding to the jazzy feel. Includes a "Stash" tease from Trey.
1998-08-02 Noblesville, IN 11:05 "Manteca"-like jamming, lots of great Page on the B-3, and very strong Mike and Trey. Fun version with a > to "Ghost."
1998-08-16 Limestone, ME 15:25 This extended jam is vintage '98 Phish sound, with technically astute, but patient playing, and with contributions by all band members. None of the frenetic, guitar dominated fury of '92 - '95. But also lacking any real improvisational elements.
1998-11-24 New Haven, CT 13:33 -> in from "Tweezer." Extended jam that grows dissonant and off-key and also incudes "Born On The Bayou" teases.
1998-11-29 Worcester, MA 3:36 "Possum" -> "Wipeout" -> "Possum." 30 second "Wipeout" jam occurs at the beginning of the "Possum" jam.
1998-11-29 Worcester, MA 4:10 -> in from "Wipeout" to return to the standard "Possum" jam.
1998-12-30 New York, NY 11:19 Great intro with awesome Mike. The jam is basically a medley of "Wipeout" jams, with different little jams led by Fish, Mike, Page on the B-3, CK5, Trey, and Mike again. In the encore slot, this one sends the fans home happy.
1999-12-03 Cincinnati, OH 11:47 Sort of a call and response between Trey and Page that becomes more of a Page-led jam. A very different, relaxed vibe.
2000-06-30 Hartford, CT 10:24 Trey's agitated, high pitched playing in the latter part of the jam sounds like a jet airplane throttling up for takeoff.
2009-06-02 Wantagh, NY 8:00 Sweet Page B-3 solo at the beginning of the jam, followed by Trey.
2009-06-06 Mansfield, MA 9:10 Mike figures prominently in the jam as Trey brings the volume way down early. Rousing finish to the jam.
2009-08-07 George, WA 8:33 Normal "Possum" jam abandoned for call and response between Trey and Page. Unique and well worth a listen.
2011-06-04 Cuyahoga Falls, OH 10:21 The jam includes a number of tempo downshifts, grinding things to a near stop, including during the ending lyrics.
2012-06-07 Worcester, MA 9:31 Unusual jam which breaks into very un-"Possum"-like sections at 6:00 and again at 7:00. Not typical at all, but very exploratory for "Possum."
2013-11-01 Atlantic City, NJ 11:04 A quality "old school" version with a lot of good "Type I" variation in the jamming, building up to an intense peak.
2014-07-16 Clarkston, MI 9:51 Resembles a lot of the better versions from '89 - '91, when the "Possum" jam typically included some quieter play and "Type I" exploration, before shifting gears to the high energy finish. The peak could be better here, but still a fine version.
2016-07-03 Saratoga Springs, NY 8:02 Colorful bluesy licks. "Southern" swinging lines. Page and Fish might set this "Possum's" steady, swampy shuffle, but it's Trey who dominates this dense, extremely solid version.
2016-07-18 San Francisco, CA 9:07 Like other recent strong versions, Trey's warm soloing shapes and colors a great groove. However here, Trey also works a series of licks into excellent and somewhat cacophonous full-band improvisation, which results in the wonderful, boxed-in feel of a "Guyute" jam.
2017-09-03 Commerce City, CO 12:03 > from "2001", the version smacks of 1991. Approaching the jam quite differently, Trey's solo is awesome and strange, dissonant and improvisational. Melodic play and playful teasing gives way to a sound off-kilter, which slowly swells to inform a steady block of tension. This, then, builds to burst in classic "Possum" fashion.
2018-07-25 San Francisco, CA 10:51 Another strong showing, with the band again (see 7/18/16 and 9/3/17) departing from patterned, formulaic play. Trey elects to experiment, and strikes any number of interesting notes - in lieu of swapping solos with Page - before leading the band into, and through, a dark, dissonant foray; this culminates in a strong, protracted, build and release.
2018-10-21 Hampton, VA 12:57 Following a quality piano solo, Trey grabs the marsupial by the scruff of the neck, and proceeds to give it a serious workout. Like many versions from the early '90s, Trey explores a number of musical ideas and variation, all within the context of "Possum." Strong, straightforward jamming here.
2019-06-21 Charlotte, NC 12:20 > from "20 Years Later." After a normal start to the song, at 5:50 the band shifts to a quiet, minimalist jam for about a minute. At this point, Trey starts singing the words to "Have Mercy" over the jam and the rest of the band follows suit. "Have Mercy" is sung over the jam for a moment, and then more typical "Possum" play until the song is brought to a rousing conclusion.
2023-08-26 Saratoga Springs, NY 10:30 With Derek Trucks, whose slide-like guitar work greatly enhances "Possum's" bluesy flavor. The jam first features DT and Trey trading lead duties before culminating with the two joining forces for a blistering conclusion.
2023-12-31 New York, NY 10:05 This extra-mustard thrasher of a version serves as a fitting capstone to a legendary night. Seemingly unwilling to let the night end, Trey and Co. blow past the goal posts with unbridled joy, with a series of false peaks giving way to a mountain-top crescendo and fanfare conclusion.
Jam chart versions are selected because of improvisational and other characteristics that distinguish these from typical versions of the song.
The jam chart team has highlighted some versions with a yellow background; these are the versions the team believes to be especially improvisational, or otherwise notable.
A purple date indicates that you were in attendance.


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