Venues

Van Andel Arena

Grand Rapids, MI, USA

Jump to: Top Rated Reviews Jam Details

Top Rated Shows

Highest rated shows at this venue by Phish.net users:

Date Rating
1998-11-11 230 votes 4.5696/5
2024-08-06 446 votes 4.4462/5
2024-08-07 344 votes 3.9302/5
1996-11-11 66 votes 3.6515/5

Top Reviews

Highest-rated reviews from shows at this venue:

2024-08-06 by art_vandelay 26
I mean, is this even fair? I was already enjoying myself immensely, then Billy Strings comes onstage to assist in dismantling the building for the next 70 minutes? What's that saying about never overlooking a perceived "lesser" tour stop? Yeah....whoops. If you're the type who skips...
1998-11-11 by MiguelSanchez 23
This show was overlooked by a lot of people, mostly due to the fact that it followed the weekend run at the UIC. Anyone that sleeps on this show is making a huge mistake!! PYITE: Punch is always a great way to start the night. This one is par for the course for a '97-'99 version. Of...
1998-11-11 by King_Williamson 11
Being that it was my first show, I didn't know what to expect, but I had only three expectations or hopes/wishes. First, I was hoping to hear Halley's... check. Second, I was hoping to hear Limb as it was one of my favorite tunes at the time... check. Third and most important, I was...
1998-11-11 by n00b100 11
Fall '98 is such a weird tour to me - there are many shows that have seen official release, far more than other (perhaps more deserving) tours like Summer '95 or Fall '99*, as well as the legendary 11/2 DSOTM show, but the quality *wildly* fluctuates from show to show and the music is not quite...
2024-08-06 by ChasingDsky 10
This show is outstanding from note 1 to the end. While there is an obvious highlight from Moma->Carini that will undoubtedly be played repeatedly, the rest of the show is worthy of praise. Set I includes several very well played rarities (Strawberry Letter 23, Peaches, Train Song), tight...
2024-08-06 by Tuna_Belly 9
Walked away from this one a very happy customer. Van Andel was rockin' and steamy last night. Absolutely fantastic first set with great flow, song placement, and really sharp playing throughout. "Sigma Oasis" had a nice little jam at the end, which felt appropriate given the quick segue from...
1996-11-11 by JOEB7891 6
This show is great. The Tweezer is killer, and has a great groove. This is right when the Talking Heads grooves started finding it way into Phish's songs. You can start to hear hints of the 97 cow funk in this Tweezer. Back to back Divided Sky and Swept Away and Steep too.
2024-08-07 by ChasingDsky 5
Another night in Grand Rapids, and another stellar performance from the four boys that traveled far and the one that's formerly local. Just like last night, the show can be broken up into three segments: set I, set II Phish, and set II/e with Billy. Set I is fantastic. My Soul and Undermind...
2024-08-06 by DownWithSteam 4
Heck yeah, the tour is heating up and perhaps climaxing? What a show in Michigan, 3rd show in a row by Phish deserving of 5 stars in my humble opinion. Strawberry opener is very welcome and trey got right to business. Solid version. We mean business out the gate. Peaches being dusted off is...
1998-11-11 by HighNote 4
This show from Fall '98 is packed with standout versions of Birds, Theme, Julius (as always, ha), Halley's, Simple, LimbXLimb, Ghost... But seriously, Trey is juiced for the second set here. I laughed when he closes the first set saying "We'll be back in 5 min...10 min.....20 min..." Trey...

Notable Jam Chart Performances

Individual jam chart entries from this venue:

2024-08-06 • The Moma Dance (23:23) Set 2 Noteworthy
This "Moma" is the first song Billy Strings sits in on over two nights of shows. His presence is felt and appreciated mere seconds into the song. As the jam begins, Trey and Billy engage in some fantastic interplay which sets the tone that this won't be a typical sit-in. This is the longest "Moma" to date and gets way out there.
1998-11-11 • Halley's Comet (24:00) Set 2 Noteworthy
Pretty high octane jam at first. Around 11:00, morphs into a snappy, funky phase. The energy builds as the jam regains momentum and space rage ensues. Jam abruptly segues to "Simple."
2024-08-07 • Oblivion (15:20) Set 1
Big first set version brings the heat and stays punchy and rocking throughout. Capped off by some fine trilling and a relatively satisfying peak before returning to the lyrics to finish
Debut. Features Billy Strings on guitar and added vocals (and a nice jam, too).
Short but sweet sit-in version featuring Billy Strings on PRS electric guitar engaged in wild back and forth with Trey. One can easily imagine the force ghosts of Dickie and Duane looking on, smiling in approval.
> "Wolfman's Brother," and played quite slowly atop a "Mound"-like beat, the space affords Trey and guest Billy Strings plenty of room to shred.
2024-08-07 • Evolve (8:22) Set 2
Guest Billy Strings accents the verses with a country twinge that adds to the feeling of being one tiny part of a giant calculus of the universe. This deviation continues past the lyrics, providing an exceptionally spirited extended type-1 jam with noticeable roots in the expansive rural nothingness. (H/t to @maxhog for this note.)
Remarkable version, featuring Billy Strings on acoustic guitar.
2024-08-07 • Blaze On (8:30) Set 2
Billy Strings blazes and shreds in this two guitar guest sit-in version
Story goes, Billy heard "Frankenstein's" riff while rehearsing for the sit-in, and asks to play the song. Trey says, "Sure." They run it through. Humorous banter and a great version ensues, night two.
2024-08-06 • Sigma Oasis (10:39) Set 1
Less by way of bells and whistles than vim and vigor, play is fierce. Trey seemingly signals for a shift after the five-minute mark; Page, however, blows through the stop sign, igniting an exciting audible - one which underscores what makes "basic" Phish c. 2024 (hint: Trey, here) so very peak.
2024-08-06 • Bathtub Gin (15:27) Set 1
The band really ratchets up the speed and intensity just before 13 minutes to deliver a fast paced and eager stunner of a Gin to close the first set.
2024-08-06 • Possum (7:23) Set 2
Billy Strings takes lead vocals and swaps geetar solos on this short but sweet version.
Play showcases the twin-guitar stylings of Trey Anastasio and Billy Strings. A powerful, fairly straightforward version with, unsurprisingly, heavy Allman Brothers over- and undertones.
2024-08-06 • Carini (10:21) Set e
A scrappy, high-energy take featuring Billy Strings on second guitar that oscillates between the psychedelic hard rock-isms that Carini typically serves up, as well as the familiar Allman's-esque melodic volleying that seems to naturally flow out of Trey and Billy like an unencumbered river.


Phish.net

Phish.net is a non-commercial project run by Phish fans and for Phish fans under the auspices of the all-volunteer, non-profit Mockingbird Foundation.

This project serves to compile, preserve, and protect encyclopedic information about Phish and their music.

Credits | Terms Of Use | Legal | DMCA

© 1990-2025  The Mockingbird Foundation, Inc.