This was maybe my 5th show? I had junta on a black nondescript tape since 4/14/89 at Johnson. I was a student at Johnson State College in Johnson VT. I remember hearing about this show at Goddard at the last minute and talking this guy into going because I had seen them several time and loved them already. He was totally down, had no idea what he was getting into. We pulled into a long line of cars as the Goddard parking lots were already full. I started running into all my friends from college. Someone says hey man want some mushrooms. Sure I said. A few moments later Ninja Custodian started.

As an aside this was the second time I've heard Ninja and I didnt love them. The first time was on Cliff St in Stowe at a party (which is funny because it's right across from the Stowe police but they didn't bother us at all, long live 1988), the band was friends with Ninja and Trey was there because Sue is from Stowe, and it's where I met Fish and Page while playing hacky sack oddly enough. Not that it was a big deal, I think I had seen the band 3 times at that point and they were just a really special garage band and nothing more. So I appreciated them but they were just guys.

Back to 10/31/89, it is not normal for it to be 70F, on Halloween, at night, in Vermont in 1989. But it was. I was wearing what would be called docksiders. But they weren't the sperry docksiders that were popular at the time, they were slightly different and I would say cooler because they were different. But same idea. Once ninja was done the mushrooms kicked in. Even though I was totally into Phish already from the junta tape I think it was this night that forever cemented them in my mind. I was all over the place as a psychonaut is. I find myself in the middle of the crowd looking right at trey with his devil ears on. And he's is looking right at me saying he looks too much like dave, turns out my name is dave. I freaked the fuck out, how does this guy know my name!!! (btw you will note the show on phish'in says it's incomplete. I assure you they played mcgrupp). I remember the mac and cheese being passed out. And then I went outside into the rain. The 70 degree rain it was soooo warm. And I danced like I never danced before and my leather docksiders that werent sperry's melded to my feet and I dubbed them my tripping shoes from that moment on. And I wore them on every trip after, and there were many of them. I miss those shoes, and this was before cavern. No one told me to take care of my shoes but I did anyway.

Anyway it was during highway to hell that I realized that my ride had left without telling me. (come to find out he absolutely hated the band). I am now in Plainfield a long way from Johnson with no way home tripping on mushrooms. I remember loving contact but having no interest in run like an antelope because Im freaking out that Im out of my mind at this college that is even more fucked up than mine (at johnson even professors went on dead tour) and I have no way home. I find all my other friends had left too. The show ends and Im just in the parking lot watching everyone leave. And I finally see someone I know. He's like what are you doing kegmaster? (my name because I was good at running kegs at the time). His crew gave me a rideand it was the most terrifying drive of my life. The warmth of the night led to endless fog. If you have ever driven in Vermont you will know that roads like rt 14 and 15 are often curvy and crazy especially in the fog with a driver, who you know is also tripping and driving like it's a video game. I am honestly lucky to be alive after that, I cant believe I didnt literally shit myself. But I made it home and here I am today. Just got home from 8/26/23 and one of the best shows I have ever seen after all these years and something made me want to reflect and write this review.