In celebration of Phish's 13-show run at Madison Square Garden, the Mockingbird Foundation is announcing 13 unsolicited "miracle grants" supporting music programs across the country. Each board member identified their favorite Phish show, and we found a worthy music education program nearby, part of the Foundation's long-standing Tour Grants program. We're presenting these 13 special grants chronologically, based on the dates of those favorited shows. Following #1 and #2, here's #3...

A little over 23 years ago (May 7, 1994 to be exact), Phish played a concert at the Bomb Factory in Dallas, TX. This show has become famous for its second set, an extended jam weaving in and out of "Tweezer" and songs such as "Sparks", "Makisupa Policeman", "Walk Away", "Cannonball", and "Purple Rain". This hour-long segment, which later became known as the Tweezerfest, stands largely unique in Phish’s history.

Phish have played many extended jams since this date, but taking the entirety of a set (sans an introductory "Loving Cup" > "Sparkle") to devote to the jam, to use it to tie together every song played at the end, even taking the normally short goofy "Hold Your Head Up" as a launchpad to explore a little more... this is something that marks this night as a special occasion.

For those of us lucky enough to be in attendance, the 2/3-filled Bomb Factory in the Deep Elum region of Dallas is the location of a euphoric event, a defining night in the lives of many of us. In honor of that electric evening, the Mockingbird Foundation is giving a $1,500 grant to support music education at Benjamin Franklin Middle School in Dallas, TX. Located 9 miles north of the Factory, one can only hope that their band has been inspired by the energy present that night. As Jon sang, “Yeah, it’s time we all reach out to the new. And that means you too [the Benjamin Franklin Middle School of] Dallas, TX!”

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Checking in from sunny, hot Los Angeles, at the corner of Peak and Fomo. Let’s see what Phish has up their sleeves tonight, besides the strawberry donut surprise. [But first: three cheers to this concept that the band cooked up with their pals at the estimable Federal Donuts. It’s been the catalyst for a lot of top notch Phish nerdery, conjecture, and fun. Well done!]

The a capella “Strawberry Fields Forever” that kicks off this unusual show is a lovely opening flourish, with each band member taking a verse, and gamely punching through the Saturday crowd’s semi-drunken appreciation. There’s a dramatic beat before the final “... forever” that baits the crowd much like the pause in “Divided Sky,” and then the strawberry theme carries forward into “Halley’s Comet” as the band takes their places.

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