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Brando & Dusty celebrate 30 years of Phish & share their Top 10 Favorite Moments

May 8, 2023

On May 8, 1993 the Vermont-based band Phish performed at the UNH field house gym. Brothers, and founders of CashorTrade, Dusty & Brando scored face value tickets for $17.50 and raced to their first show. The next thirty years would become a rollercoaster of experiences.

In 2009, when the band returned from hiatus, the ability to secure tickets evaporated and prices on the secondary market skyrocketed. The brothers, who were web designers, were determined to find a solution and proposed a face value ticket movement.

Today, CashorTrade reaches almost a million fans worldwide, is growing every day, and employs over 25 full-time rockstars who are prepping a brand new app set to launch this summer.

In honor of the music and the community that has shaped their lives, Dusty & Brando would like to celebrate by sharing some of their favorite moments with you. May 8, 1993 Setlist

1.

DOWN WITH DISEASE JAM - Worcester Centrum, Worcester, MA - 12.31.1993

As the band descended from the ceiling in scuba gear they embarked on a celebratory moment in their career by breaking free from the college gym. They played to a sold out crowd of almost 15,000 fans. This jam is riddled with Auld Lang Syne teases and the energy matches their excitement. This was DWD before it had lyrics.

2.

THE HOT DOG! - Boston Garden, Boston MA - 12.31.1994

Witnessing the band climb into a giant hot dog & fly over the crowd was shocking & humorous. At the time the crowd had strong heady organic veggie burrito vibes and this was a classic Phish.

3.

GAMEHENGE - Great Woods, Mansfield, MA - 07.08.1994

Brando and I had the tapes from Sacremento 93 where Phish played Gamehendge (the tale Trey wrote as a senior at Goddard College). A few months later at our stomping grounds GreatWoods we were lucky enough to catch it. We were pretty blown away and didn't think 29 years later we would still be chasing that night. Listen Here >>.

4.

GLIDE II - Lowell Memorial Auditorium, Lowell MA - 5.16.1995

In May 95 Phish announced adding a Voters for Choice benefit concert to start their summer tour. We left school and raced to Lowell Memorial Auditorium, a venue with a 2800 capacity. The band delivered the first public performances of Ha Ha Ha, Spock's Brain, Strange Design, Theme From the Bottom, Free, and Glide II. Don't You Want To Go?, Lonesome Cowboy Bill, I'll Come Running, and Gloria. It was the first time they asked the crowd to weigh in and name a song. Spock's Brain was the winner. This Glide II went in the vault for another 13 years, only be played one other time at MSG in 2018. Full show >>

5.

YEM SILENT JAM - Knickerbocker Arena, Albany, NY - 12.9.95

We hopped in our chevy blazer last minute and drove hours through a heavy winter snow storm without tickets. When we arrived in Albany a fan had 2 extras for FACE VALUE and we rushed into the show. The band was on fire, and this YEM was unique. They actually just stopped playing but continued to proceed as if they were still mid jam. They seamlessly returned the audio and groove in exact time minutes later. We weren't sure if we lost our hearing or the bands sound dropped out. Again a classic PH blooper. The whole show was off the hook. (min. 23:00 heads to the silent jam)

6.

TWEEZER REPRISE (ISLAND TOUR) - Nassau Veterans Memorial, Uniondale, NY - 4.03.1998

Fall 98 was something special in itself, and the energy was through the roof. This Trey reprise strut certainly is burned into our memories demonstrating the tidal wave the band was surfing as they splashed into a new era of Phish.

7.

SWEET JANE - Thomas Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV - 10.31.1998

Halloween 98 Phish dropped the The Velvet Underground's album Loaded in this costume at the Thomas Mack Center. The show was a burner but this Sweet Jane was another example of the band having a blast on a path to stardom.

8.

GETTIN' JIGGY WIT IT - Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA - 11.20.1998

In honoring the Grateful Dead's love for Hampton Coliseum the band fell nothing short of giving the fans something for the history books. This Gettin' Jiggy certainly landed there.

9.

LAYLA w/ Seth Yacavone - Worcester Centrum, Worcester, MA- 11.29.98

A special moment to remember was when our good friend Seth Yacovone from Vermont stepped on stage (who was like 18 at the time) to join the band for a ripping cover of Eric Clapton's "Layla". Seth and Trey trading licks was an absolute treat. What a night.

10.

99 PROBLEMS w/ JayZ - KeySpan Park, Brooklyn, NY - 6.18.2004

The pouring rain did not keep us at bay. When Jay-Z came out on stage the crowd was in lock step and the band proved there wasn't any bounds to what they could pull off.


Thank You

Truly, this has been the show of life. From Sugarbush to the Everglades, Shoreline to the Gorge, it's been a heck of a run. Through it all, we have forged some truly special lifelong relationships, even as we reluctantly had to say goodbye to some loved ones along the way. We grew up with the band, and Phish has become the soundtrack of our lives.

There's a magic that occurs when you're surrounded by the friends and family you love so much. It's the cool breeze whisking across the crowd after dancing your ass off all night and you bask in the beauty of a Slave or Hood jam, or at minute 3:00 of that Farmhouse below. All the challenges of life are washed away, and there is nothing left to do but fully embrace that moment.

We could not be more grateful to have lived through this era in time with you. Thanks for supporting this amazing community and what we work to preserve with CashorTrade, and for being our few companions.. on this ride. We wish you and your family health and happiness as we navigate this next chapter. See you at Dicks! ~ Dust & Brand

Some Honorable Mentions

GHOST - Madison Square Garden, New York, NY - 12.31.2010

check this gear shift at 7:00

FARMHOUSE - Meadows Music Theatre, Hartford, CT - 6.17.10

ANTELOPE - The Clifford Ball, Plattsburgh, NY - 8.17.1996

DOUBLE REPRISE - Meadows Music Theatre, Hartford, CT - 6.18.2010

SHINE A LIGHT - MSG, New York, NY - 12.04.2009

MEATSTICK - MSG, New York, NY - 12.31.2010

1999 PRINCE - MSG, New York, NY - 12.31.1998


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