Among the iconic Phish tours of the 1.0 era is The Island Run, four shows played at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island and at Providence Civic Center in Rhode Island. These shows kept the fire of 1997 rolling along and set the stage for a phenomenal 1998. Dave Calarco, aka Mr. Miner, wrote extensively on the Island Run and later collaborated with MYFE. Designs to create a set of pins that represent these shows in a creative and artistic way. Dave offered some insight into his pins in a short Q&A below. Pick these great pins up, its a fine example of the band’s music inspiring the art of the fans!
PhanArt: Why did you choose to make pins that feature Island Tour jams?
Mr. Miner: I wanted to fuse the lastest fad in Phish memorabilia with some of the most memorable shows of all time. These four jams are four of my favorite pieces of music the band has ever played.
PhanArt: What is so special about this run of shows that has put them into the history books as one of the most notable runs ever?
Mr. Miner: The Island Run needs no introduction. Four shows that were spontaneously announced in the spring of ’98, because the band was teeming with creativity have become legend in the Phish community. Following the well-loved tours of Fall and New Years ’97, the band had a European jaunt planned for June—but they couldn’t wait that long. They wanted to play now. And the rest is history. As they began to blend a spacey ambiance into their funk stylings of ’97, Phish dropped, arguably, the greatest four-night run of their career in Nassau and Providence, resulting in timeless jams that sit amongst best of all-time.
PhanArt: What are your top highlights of the run?
Mr. Miner: 4/2: Wolfman’s -> Sally -> Relax -> Twist; 4/3: Mike’s -> Old Home Place -> Weekapaug, Roses > Piper; 4/4: Tweezer, Birds > 2001 > Brother, Ghost, Harry Hood; 4/5: Oh Kee Pah > YEM, Disease > Yamar, Possum -> Cavern
The Pins
Twist, April 2nd, 1998
Coming late in the second set of The Island Run’s opening show, this “Twist” jam elevated in full, giving us the first true sense that something greater was at work. What started as an outrageous Phish concert had turned into a completely sublime experience. As “Twist” reached a higher plane, Kuroda blanketed the venue with moving, narrow white beams of light, creating an overwhelmingly, extra-terrestrial feel. As the futuristic music with this alien lighting display, a powerfully cathartic moment crystallized; a moment so surreal that if you were there, you’ll never forget the Nassau “Twist.” We paused the video at the exact moment, capturing a screen shot of the lights, as precisely as they were during the jam. – Mr. Miner
This pin features Kuroda’s lights, measures 1.5″, has two posts on the back and is stamped with the show date, MYFE/Miner logos and pin # out of 250. The cost for this pin is $20 plus shipping.
Roses/Piper, April 3rd, 1998
Hailed by many fans as their favorite jam of all time, “Roses -> Piper” is a household term in any Phishy abode, and has come to define the astounding capabilities of Phish for an entire generation. Kicking off the second set, this timeless pairing covered 45 minutes of the greatest improv you’ll ever hear. April 3, 1998—a night that will always live in infamy—is eternally synonymous with this unparalleled jam. – Mr. Miner
This pin features Roses and the red worm surrounding Nassau Coliseum, measures 1.5″, has two posts on the back and is stamped with the show date, MYFE/Miner logos and pin # out of 250. The cost for this pin is $20 plus shipping.
Birds/2001, April 4th, 1998
Blending spacier textures —sounds that would come to define 1998—to say the interplay within this “Birds” is airtight would be a gross understatement. Carving a ferocious and forward-looking jam out of the brand new song, Trey hit the final chord of the song with a delay effect that immediately morphed into the beginning of “2001.” Crafting an alien-like ambiance before liftoff, with Fish’s snare hit, Phish spun into one of the elite versions of “2001” ever played. Clocking in at over half hour of infectious improv, the pairing of “Birds > 2001” is but another timeless paring of Island Run lore – Mr. Miner
This pin features a space helmet with birds in the visor reflection, measures 1.5″, has two posts on the back and is stamped with the show date, MYFE/Miner logos and pin # out of 250. The cost for this pin is $20 plus shipping.
Oh Kee Pah/YEM, April 5th, 1998
Rolling with the momentum of the past few nights, Phish came out and played one of my favorite versions of “You Enjoy Myself” in history. Taken entirely by surprise, the audience erupted as the band dropped into “YEM” out of “The Oh Kee Pah Ceremony” for the only time in their career! This move signified a rabid band ready to tear apart the Civic Center once again, and what a way to get the party started! One night we had an idea: instead of spelling out “Oh Kee Pah”—both literally and figuratively—we’d include images of all the elements that comprised the band’s infamous, collegiate rites of passage. We’ll let you do the detective work from here. – Mr. Miner
This pin features a trampoline superimposed on the state of Rhode Island, measures 1.5″, has two posts on the back and is stamped with the show date, MYFE/Miner logos and pin # out of 250. The cost for this pin is $20 plus shipping.
Collectible Display Tower
This special collector’s set commemorates those four legendary nights in April 1998 in Long Island and Rhode Island. Each pin depicts the peak jam/sequence from each night as considered by Mr. Miner. To push this series over the edge, each matching set will arrive in a customized, crystal-clear plexi-glass Tower display that fully reveals both sides of these jewels.
The cost for the plexiglass tower and set of 4 matching number pins is $60 plus shipping
