Holiday Jams Draft!

Summary

Helping Friendly Podcast: Holiday Jams Draft!

Date: December 19, 2025
Hosts: Brian, Megan, Justin Bruce, Ryan Storm
Theme: Celebrating, debating, and drafting the greatest Phish holiday shows and jams, with detailed fan perspectives, spirited banter, and deep-cut analysis.

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Episode Overview

The HFPod team—joined by Phish community notables Justin Bruce and Ryan Storm—gets in the holiday spirit by drafting their favorite shows and jams from the legendary Phish New Year’s and holiday runs. Structured as a “snake draft,” each host selects from seven categories, building dream setlists while sparring over criteria, strategy, and Phish fandom. The episode is rich with both deep analysis (musical, historical, sentimental) and the playful trash talk that defines the best Phish fan gatherings.

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Segment Breakdown and Discussion Points

Introductions and Vibe Check (01:19–07:21)

• Hosts: Brian, Megan
• Guests: Ryan Storm (returning), Justin Bruce (first time on draft, experienced podcaster)
• Topics:
  • Holiday/“winter break” excitement, teaching anecdotes, work stress.
  • How each host is preparing for the upcoming MSG New Year’s run: “Man on holiday mode is just the best theme.” (06:43 Megan)

Notable Quote:

“10 days from now, we'll all be hanging out on our couches getting ready to webcast tonight. I'm so stoked.” —Brian (06:05)

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What the MSG New Year’s Run Means (08:02–17:14)

Panelists reflect on the unique tradition and personal meaning of Phish’s New Year’s Run at Madison Square Garden:

• Justin Bruce: More into year-end album recaps than the Fish NYE run. Never been to MSG for NYE, uses runs as a way to catch up.
  • “It’s not a tent pole of my fish personality.” (08:51)
• Ryan Storm: Has watched every NYE since 2011; MSG is now non-negotiable for New Year’s Eve.
  • “It’s the only place that I ever want to be on New Year’s Eve.” (10:10)
• Megan: MSG is her “home venue.” Sees it as an annual reunion and culmination of the Phish year.
  • “It always just feels like a reunion in a way.” (13:21)
• Brian: Reflects on the magic and history; loves how the run both caps the year and hints at the next phase.
  • “The year ends and begins at the same time. You know what I'm saying?” (09:36)

Memorable Story

• Megan: Teaching her kids a sandwich song, then serenading the school cafeteria chef—highlighting her holiday “vibes day.” (02:21)

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Draft Format Explanation (17:14–19:17)

• Categories: 1228, 1229, 1230, 1231 (NYE), Random Date Show, Wild Card Show, Holiday Jam.
• Snake Draft: Order determined by die roll (Megan, Ryan, Justin, Brian).
  • “There are about 16 different first picks here, so I'm curious to see how she's going to mess this one up.” —Brian (19:51, teasing Megan)

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The Draft: Picks, Arguments & Analysis (19:51–1:18:12)

Detailed highlights, with speaker, quotes, and timestamps:

Round 1: Opening Salvos

1. Megan—1231/95 (NYE) [20:54]

• “The ultimate Fish peak. The first show that Fish played that was the absolute ultimate peak.”
• Universally agreed a “strongest” NYE show; described as “the band at their absolute, like, strongest point.” —Brian (22:37)

2. Ryan—1231/99 (Big Cypress) [24:55]

• “I mean, this is one of those picks that to me… if it was on the table and you don't take it, I don't know what to tell you.”
• Confirmed: “Night two,” i.e. midnight-to-dawn marathon.

3. Justin—1230/97 [26:54]

• “I am going to take a specimen show from a specimen year… the Rushmore bag, the spare groove. Then it's peaky, then it's chill, then it's rocking…”
• Universally recognized as top tier; loved by all hosts.

4. Brian—1230/93 [29:20]

• “Historically important… preceded by a blizzard drive… this is one of those shows where the band gives you insight into who they are into the lore of Fishdom.”
• Followed by a strategic early “Random Date” 1/3/15 Miami show pick (31:48).

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Notable Draft Strategies & Tactics

• Early category “runs” and “blocking”:
  Justin and Brian stress the importance of strategically snagging shows in rare categories (“You really don’t want to end up with a couple of these.” —Brian, 44:53).
• Wild Card Intrigue:
  Justin stuns by grabbing 12/30/19 as a wild card for its “epic tweezer.” “It's not just about the tweezer. It’s mostly about the tweezer.” (36:08)
• Personal Attendance Bias:
  All drafters admit favorite live shows impact their picks, but try to balance “objective” greatness with personal memories.
  • “Attendance bias, Meg.” —Brian (100:21)

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Key Debates & Memorable Exchanges

On Show vs. Jam Greatness

• On 12/29/94 Providence:
  • “You don't have to pretend that the rest of the show is that good. This show is about the Bowie.” —Ryan (42:27)
  • Megan defends whole show status: “It's about the bowie… but I like this show.” (42:45)

On “Controversial” Picks

• Megan picking 12/30/19 Tweezer as her jam:
  • “If you don't agree with me... you can... you don’t have to vote for me!” (84:28)
• Brian’s honest critique:
  • “The last seven minutes are unlistenable from a jamming standpoint... [but] seven minutes in the middle are some of the most perfect, fluid, effortless, gorgeous, peaceful Fish jamming that has ever been played.” (85:44)

On Recent 4.0 Shows:

• Ryan, picking 12/28/23:
  • “I absolutely adore this show… I wanted a 4.0 pick. And this is my 4.0 pick here.” (50:46)
  • Others: “That’s the one you went with?” (50:38, Brian and Megan in unison)

Most Contentious Exchange

On 12/29/97 versus 12/30/97:

• Ryan: “I don't think 1230 is all that it's cracked up to be beyond a really, really long show… Overrated.” (76:16)
• Megan: “If that's what you're thinking about on 1230/97, you just really don't get it.” (76:36)

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Favorite Show & Jam Highlights

For each major category, the top shows and jams drafted included:

• 12/28: 98 (MSG, acoustic mini-set), 23 (4.0 “wave of hope”), 95 (historic Worcester), 03 (type-2 Bowie and Tweezer).
• 12/29: 94 Providence (Bowie), 95 Worcester (Real Gin), 97 (Antelope, Tube), 24 (huge Ruby Waves).
• 12/30: 97 (“Specimen year”), 19 (“Religious” Tweezer), 18 (slow alumni, MIKE’s groove, Glide), 17 (Disease), 16 (floor pyrotechnics, Ghost).
• 12/31: 95 (“Ultimate peak”), 99 (Cypress), 03 (Miami, “no one was having more fun than Fish”), 98 (flow/stagecraft), 93 (beginning of the Big NYE show tradition).
• Random Dates: 1/1/11 MSG, 1/3/15 Miami (groovy DWD), 1/2/16 (tweezer, lizards), 1/3/03 (five-song set, memorably uneven).
• Wild Card: 12/31/93 (“for the pageantry and Down with Disease jam's debut”), Gamehenge 12/31/23, 12/30/16 (Brian’s personal attendance story).

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Notable Jam Picks

• Best of the Best:
  • 12/29/94 Bowie (“the most narrative jam they’ve ever played”—Megan, 68:14)
  • 12/30/19 Tweezer (“all the elements I want in a jam… on the list with Providence Bowie”—Megan, 84:28; also, Justin's wild card show)
  • Big Cypress Roses are Free (Justin: “the point of Big Cypress, the long gig dream realized” —93:24)
  • 12/29/23 Chalk Dust Torture (Ryan: “absolutely incredible … dark and experimental … a fantastic time”—115:21)

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Draft Results Review, Rosters, and Final Banter (1:18:12–1:29:55)

Reading of Full Drafts (124:17 onward)

• Brian recaps the teams with both admiration and mockery: “All time favorite show. And mine too category, and Meg's too.” (124:55)
• Megan feigns offense at criticism of her 12/29/94 pick; playful bickering, high spirits prevail.

Closing Community Vibes

• Justin is praised as “the silent assassin,” whose careful notes and strategic picks upend the game.
• Heartwarming: Everyone reflects on how much fun it is to needle each other, expressing genuine friendship and shared joy in Phish.
  • “I love that we're all close enough friends that we can, like, abuse each other in the context of drafting fish.” —Ryan (128:50)

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Notable Quotes

• “Why have friends if you can't abuse them? That’s a really good … put that on a T-shirt.” —Brian (129:02)
• “The most narrative jam they've ever played… It is, to me, the perfect journey jam.” —Megan on 12/29/94 Bowie (68:14)
• “No one is having more fun than Phish and the whole crowd on 1231, 2003.” —Justin (55:12)
• “There’s a magic to this time of year. … The year ends and begins at the same time.” —Brian (09:36, 14:10)
• “This is my fish church… I like to be in the middle of the soup feeling the vibes…” —Megan (111:08)
• “I have my first selection still available from 12/29. To make sure that I'm representative of 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, and now 4.0…” —Justin (116:43, selecting 12/29/24)
• “Attendance bias, Meg.” —Brian (100:21, in full self-aware mode)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:19] — Episode/guest intro, holidays
• [08:02] — What the MSG Run means to each host
• [17:14] — Draft rules, categories, order
• [19:51] — Draft begins
• [24:55] — Big Cypress (Ryan’s pick)
• [36:08] — Justin’s wild card stunner: 12/30/19 Tweezer show
• [42:27] — 12/29/94 Bowie debate
• [50:38] — 2023 picks begin, generational arguments on modern years
• [68:14] — 12/29/94 Bowie jam: the "journey jam" debate
• [84:28] — Megan claims “her” 12/30/19 Tweezer
• [115:20] — Ryan’s 12/29/23 Chalk Dust jam pick
• [122:10] — Brian’s last pick, 12/28/03, and closing statements
• [124:17] — Full draft list and results, banter
• [128:50] — Reflections on Phish fandom, friendships, and closing

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Overall Tone, Language, and Community

The episode is marked by quintessential Phish fan energy: detailed, earnest, occasionally pedantic, but always self-aware and rooted in camaraderie. The hosts lovingly roast each other’s choices, defend their own, and celebrate both the universally-agreed classics and personal sentimental favorites. They quote setlists, reference inside jokes ("attendance bias!"), and swing between hilarious storytelling and hardcore jam analysis—demonstrating why they “bring the fan voice into discussions about Phish.”

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Essential Takeaways

• The MSG Holiday Run is “fish church” for fans: It’s about the jams, the community, the tradition, and yes, the drama.
• Classic peaks—and quirky personal picks—define fandom: While everyone agrees on “must-haves” like Big Cypress or 12/30/97, there’s genuine affection for less-lauded shows too.
• The draft is both competitive and connective: The fun is in the debate; the “winners” are the listeners who find new jams to love.
• Generational and stylistic diversity: Both 1.0 and 4.0 are represented and defended; every era has a champion.
• **Phish shows aren’t just music—they’re memories, reunions, and for many, homecomings.

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For Newcomers:

If you missed the episode, this summary highlights both the historic shows to listen to and the friendly chaos that is the Phish community in holiday mode. Start with any of the shows or jams named above, and you’ll get why this tradition means so much.

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“Why have friends if you can’t abuse them? Goose 2024.” —Brian (129:02, in full draft spirit)

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Vote for your favorite draft in the episode comments—and happy holidays!

Transcript

[Megan]

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[Brian]

Like the F150 Explorer and Mustang Mach.

[Megan]

E available feature on equipped vehicles Terms.

[Brian]

Apply does not replace safe driving.

[Megan]

See Ford.com BlueCruise for more details.

[Justin Bruce]

Osiris.

[Brian]

Okay, coming early today, guys. What's happening? This is the Elping Friendly podcast. My name is Brian. You know me, that is Megan. You know her. And we are introducing a future podcast celebrity today, Brian Storm. How we doing, bud?

[Ryan Storm]

I'm doing great. Thanks for having me on today. It's great to be back on HF Pod. I think it's been almost a year.

[Brian]

First time, long time.

[Ryan Storm]

Fourth time, fifth.

[Megan]

Time, fourth time, but who's counting?

[Ryan Storm]

I think it's been more than that. No, I was going to say the last time I was on, I think was in this past February when we were talking about Mexico 2019.

[Megan]

Yeah, that sounds right.

[Brian]

Yeah, you wanted to do it for the fifth year anniversary. You wanted to cover Mexico 2019. But then the fifth year anniversary was superseded by what actually happened in Mexico. And then this last year we were like, we'll just talk about it for 10 minutes, then we're going to talk about 2019.

[Ryan Storm]

Yeah.

[Brian]

Meg, how are you doing today? Are you getting close to Christmas break?

[Megan]

Yeah, I have half a day left with students this afternoon. Yeah, I was supposed to teach reading in the afternoon and I decided to teach a song instead. And we just sang some songs and had some fun and it was a real vibes day in third grade. Today it was sandwich day in the cafeteria and I teach my kids this song about sandwiches and so they were like, can we sing the song on the way to the cafeteria? So we went down seven flights of stairs and they sang a sandwiches song and then serenaded our chef in the cafeteria. It was pretty cute. So that's really adorable. My kids were really cute today. Yeah.

[Brian]

Yeah.

[Megan]

It's been a day well spent. Yeah, it was a, it's been a stressful week because college acceptances are Out. But that was a nice, bright moment today. So it's good.

[Brian]

We. I can definitely understand the stress right now. I've got weather issues out here. I've got university students I work with who refuse to enroll in classes. I'm going to. I'm going to be gone. I'm going to be out of the office for three weeks. So it's like this big black hole before the semester begins. So what would theoretically be a very nice casual work from home week into the holidays has turned into a mad dash. But all of that is fulfilled with a massive bright spot that is us doing another draft. Our last draft of the year. We are using this as kind of a faux MSG preview. We are waiting on one more very special guest, Mr. Justin Bruce of the Vice or Virtue podcast webcast. As well as. If you are a Vegas Golden Knights fan, you are well familiar with Justin Bruce and his weather predictions. Weather predictions? Is that what we call them in the industry? I don't know. As weather coverage during timeouts. He's gonna be joining us here. We are going to be going through the history of fish holiday shows, holiday runs, holiday jams. We're going to be drafting seven categories in today's episode. We're going to be drafting a 1228 show, a 1229 show, a 1230 show, a 1231 show, which is New Year's Eve for anyone keeping notes at home. We are going to have a random date show. And then just to put more pressure on Meg, we have a wild card show category.

[Megan]

So true.

[Brian]

You can pick another show, rightly or wrongly, in your wild card category. And then finally, we are going to have a holiday jams category. So very, very excited. Mr. Justin Bruce has arrived. Mr. Justin Bruce, how are you doing, my dude?

[Justin Bruce]

Hey, guys. I'm great. I've taken about 10, 15 total seconds between leaving the office and entering the fish draft, the sphere. And I'm excited. Can't wait to see what he thought.

[Brian]

He was going to come in backstage and just hang out and shoot the shit before we went live. And now he's coming in hot to a live podcast. My goodness.

[Justin Bruce]

So I'll be here.

[Megan]

Justin. When we realized that RJ couldn't do the draft and we needed some people to draft, I immediately texted. Brian was like, can we please have Justin Bruce draft with us? So I'm so glad you're here, Ryan. I'm glad you feel about.

[Brian]

I get it.

[Ryan Storm]

Megan and I have podcasted together a lot before. She hasn't had the opportunity to podcast with you as much.

[Megan]

Yeah, it's true.

[Brian]

That's always.

[Megan]

That's it. Exactly. That's it. That's it.

[Ryan Storm]

And before we start, can we just take a moment? We're 10 days away from fish.

[Megan]

Wow.

[Brian]

10 days away from fish.

[Ryan Storm]

I'm very excited.

[Brian]

A big holiday between now and then. But yeah, then 10 days from now, we'll all be hanging out on our couches getting ready to webcast tonight. I'm so stoked.

[Megan]

I will be webcasting the first show, but I am already thinking about my outfit for the 29th and 30th. I'm pretty excited.

[Ryan Storm]

I'm thinking about my outfits for all four shows too. Are you What T shirt I'm going to wear? It's a big decision.

[Megan]

Yeah, it's.

[Brian]

I got to coordinate sweatpants to T shirt to sweatshirt vibes. Because we'll be man on holiday mode in holiday mode.

[Ryan Storm]

What movie you've got going while the show's happening?

[Brian]

It's, you know, it, you know.

[Ryan Storm]

And what is going to queued up.

[Megan]

Oh, my God. Man on holiday mode is my new favorite thing. I was telling someone at school about that today. I was like, we were talking about what we do over the break and I was like, man on holiday mode is just the best theme. I feel like this is really an exciting thing you've introduced into my life. Brian Brinkman. Thank you.

[Brian]

It's what I need to survive the week.

[Megan]

I know it doesn't sound as good. Woman on holiday. We have to find, like, the female equivalent, Lady Holiday. Holiday. I don't know. It just doesn't have the same ring to it. But we can work.

[Brian]

The damsel on holiday.

[Megan]

Still still needs a little work, to be honest.

[Ryan Storm]

We'll workshop it.

[Brian]

We'll workshop it.

[Megan]

Okay, thanks. Yeah.

[Brian]

So we are on a tight schedule today for everyone out there. We all have. Well, most of us have jobs and kids and lives outside of jam band drafting.

[Ryan Storm]

Hey, I have one of those.

[Brian]

Hey.

[Justin Bruce]

Walking on a beach. Working hard.

[Brian]

Very hard. So he sent a mass email yesterday about the goose bracket. Very, very challenging. I understand. So we are going to die. I'm just trying to undercut Ryan as much as possible to. To get him to pick horrible shows.

[Ryan Storm]

It's gonna happen. It's what I do.

[Brian]

So we are going to jump in here very quickly. We've got seven categories to draft. Four people, if I'm doing my math correctly. Someone help me out. Is this 24 or 28 jams or 28 shows and jams are going to be drafting I think that that's correct. We're going to be doing that here shortly. We're going to get our order set before we get our order set. I do just want to go around here. What does the Fish New Year's Eve run mean to you on an annual basis? And we'll hold off the second part till the end of the podcast, depending on time. So what does the MSG New Year's Eve run mean to you on an annual basis? Because I'm a polite person, I'm going to go with Our guest first, Mr. Justin Bruce. What is the, what is the Fish New Year's Eve run mean to you?

[Justin Bruce]

You know, to be honest, this is often the time of year that I peter out when it comes to keeping notes about jams and like thinking about shows critically. The holidays with family and still doing work. Like, I'm just trying to typically stay caught up with what Fish is up to over New Year's. I have never been to an MSG show. I've never seen a New Year's Eve fish show, so. And this is the time of year where I'm really excited to listen to all the albums that I missed when the best of, you know, year end lists come out. So it's nice to have, but it's not a tent pole of my fish personality.

[Brian]

This is an interesting take already coming out. Our first question of the episode. I definitely get it. This is the catch up time of year. This is like so much of my stress of being caught up on music is so that I can go in fresh for msg. So job, families be damned, everything has to revolve around being caught up. So on 12, 28, I'm ready. That's when the year ends and begins at the same time. You know what I'm saying? Ryan, how about you? What does Fish New Year's Eve mean to you in the four years since you started seeing Fish?

[Ryan Storm]

That's hilarious. Well, when I saw Fish for the first time 13 and a half years ago.

[Megan]

And a half.

[Ryan Storm]

And a half.

[Brian]

You still gotta say the half and a half.

[Megan]

It was June.

[Ryan Storm]

I don't know. For me it's been since I watched the live stream of Fish New Year's for the first time in 2011, it was the steam gag. I was immediately like, this is the only thing I want to do on New Year's Eve forever. And I've been lucky enough to have seen my first Fish MSG shows at the April 2022 run. And I have not missed a show at MSG. Since. So I'm really, really excited every year to go back to the garden and see what they have for us. You know, I've absolutely adored every gag that I've seen and just, it's the only place that I ever want to be on New Year's Eve. You know, if I somehow am not able to be there, I will be on a couch watching non negotiable fish is what I'm doing on New Year's Eve.

[Brian]

We got asked, we were at a dinner party a couple weeks ago and a friend of ours said, what are you guys plans for New Year's Eve? And we were like, well, we can hang out, but we will be watching fish and it will be the focus of everyone at the evening. And they were like, okay, we're gonna go do something else. Cool.

[Ryan Storm]

I will talk to you at set break. Yeah.

[Brian]

Cannot have you in my house. Taken away from whatever fish is doing. Meg, what about you? You are the New Yorker here, although Ryan lives in New York. What is it like half the year at this point in time?

[Megan]

At my house, usually, yeah, at your house.

[Brian]

What does fish New Year's Eve mean to you? As someone who has seen quite a few fish, New Year's Eve and New.

[Megan]

Year's adjacent shows, MSG is my most seen venue and it's my favorite venue on the planet. It's like home to me. I always wanted to live in New York City growing up, and I saw my first MSG fish show on 12 29, 1997, and I knew that I was going to see as many as humanly possible after that. And when I moved up here, I saw I was really kind of out of the fish universe. After I graduated college, I was trying to be an adult and I didn't see a lot of of fish then. It was also kind of. It was during the hiatus and everything. But when I got kind of my love for fish was reintroduced in 2017, I would see them every year. I saw them like I saw the Petrichor New Year's, unfortunately, and I saw a bunch of other random shows. But after the Baker's Dozen after that year, I really started to make sure that every New Year's Eve during that run, I was seeing some fish. And it's usually been 29 and 30. I usually spend the 31st with my family celebrating. They're not fish people, so I'm going to be with them on the holiday. But I always go on the 29th and 30th with my friends. It's so fun and for us, it's really just a time when we get to kind of celebrate the year and celebrate what Fish has been for the year. And it's always just. It's like a homecoming every year. And it feels. I have friends that come from all over, and it always just feels like a reunion in a way. And it's just a really special, special time. And ever since I started joined Osiris and doing HF Pod, it's been a really social time. We meet, we have a lot of events. Usually we have live events. I think we're going to host an event with Relics on the 29th. Ryan and I, News Alert are hosting a happy hour on the 30th at the Irish exit before the show. So that's going to be coming out soon, and it's really fun. We always have just a huge group of people that get together. And so it's been. It's a really special part of my year, and it's something that I look forward to. I host my whole entire family for Christmas. We'll have 14 people at my house. And I get up on the 29th. Everybody leaves that day, but I get up before everybody else and I drive to New York, pick up my girlfriend at the airport when she flies in. And I have two days just on my own with my fish friends. So it's great.

[Brian]

That's it. There's a magic to this time of year. I've done two New Year's runs. I did 2012 and I did 2016 in the Garden.

[Megan]

Good runs.

[Brian]

Quite nice runs. One of my favorite days ever was 12:30, 16. Woke up, took a run into Central park, went down to Chinatown with my cousin and got some awesome noodles and dumplings. Went to the Gingerman with a buddy, got some great beers, pre show, got in, had amazing seats. That was one of the best shows I've ever seen. And there's a feeling in MSG during that run of, like. There's that, like, elevated sense of wonder around the holidays. Plus the history of what the band has done, both in that venue and during this time of the year, plus the fact that whatever they played throughout their previous year, they're kind of putting their stamp on who they were in said year. Plus kind of giving you a little bit of a hint of where they're going next. You see a really big show on 1229 or 1230, and I don't really think that there's any other time of year that beats it for Fish. Like a great 1229 show versus a great random show I catch over the summer. The 1229 or 1230 show is always going to be kind of elevated just because of the overall vibes of. Of what it means to see Fish at this time of year. They've prioritized New Year's Eve runs since at the very start of their career, essentially, and it's always been a great way for them to put a kind of pin on the year, what it meant, and then look forward to where we're going, which is something we're going to talk about as we get into these shows. So clearly we all are infatuated with what Fish does.

[Ryan Storm]

So many vibes.

[Brian]

So many vibes. Now that I'm a Perma webcast, New Year's Eve, bro, to me, it's. We order a different meal on any given night. We hang out. I'm texting with good buddies who are at the show versus those who are watching from home. I get to finish out my playlist. I get to really put us in a position where the year is finalized, all the notes are done. Everything is boom. January 1 by fish 25, fish 24, fish 23. Whatever it may be, that note is finished. It's history. Now we move on to the future. I love that.

[Megan]

Yeah, there's nothing like the energy at MSG during the New Year's Eve run. The only time I've ever felt anything like it was the Baker's Dozen. There's just something so exciting and anticipatory going on in that place. The vibes just. Yeah, super high. And Fish plays. Yeah. Like you said, just some unbelievable shows. So it's exciting time.

[Brian]

So what do you guys think? Should we start diving into this? Should we get our draft order in place? Is everyone ready?

[Justin Bruce]

I was going to say, did you guys decide that I was going to go first before I hopped on at the beginning? I've got the first pick.

[Ryan Storm]

I'm worried about the security of Brian's die here. And you know, how we're going to roll it, but.

[Brian]

So I'm about to roll it. We've got the numbers. Everyone's picking between one and six. We've got Meg with number two, Ryan with number four, JB with number five. I am taking number six. I'm using the Google die. All right, everyone can look at this here. I'm going to go ahead and roll first. We're going to see who the first pick is. The first pick in the New Year's Eve Shows and Runs draft will be Megan. Oh, the pressure.

[Ryan Storm]

I don't like that we can't see when the number pops up.

[Brian]

Second pick will be.

[Megan]

Oh, my God.

[Brian]

Yeah, roll again. Because we roll. The 1 second pick will be Young Rye. Third pick is gonna be jb.

[Ryan Storm]

I, I, I don't like this.

[Brian]

Which means I'm getting the double pick.

[Ryan Storm]

I don't like it.

[Brian]

So we're gonna do a Snake draft. You don't like it? You don't have to like it. You don't have to. I'm not gonna. So we're gonna do a Snake draft format, which for everyone out there listening, Snake Draft means we go 1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 3, 2, 1. 1, 2, 3, 4. So Meg is going to start with one pick. Ryan is going to get one pick. JB is going to get one pick. I will get two picks. JB will get one pick, Ryan will get one pick, Meg will get two picks, and we'll go in order like that.

[Ryan Storm]

All right, Justin, you see how they treat the guests on this podcast. We get the middle dice roll. Both get double picks every round. You know, you're still going to be.

[Justin Bruce]

Able to pick all your 2017 shows that you.

[Ryan Storm]

It's true. It's fine. I'm gonna take the whole 2018 run.

[Brian]

Yeah. Love it, love it, love it. All right, so let's go ahead and get started here. Meg has the first pick. You know, I'll be honest. I think that There are about 16 different first picks here, so I'm curious to see how she's going to mess this one up, but. Your move, Meg.

[Megan]

Well, I am really, really torn, because in my opinion, there are three shows on this list that are three of the best shows that Fish has ever. That all could contend for the number one spot of the best shows that Fish has ever played. And I don't know which one is the best category to kind of nail down first. And I also think that if I decide to nail one of these down, I have a bit of a controversial pick that I feel like is gonna get your goat a bit. Brian. But I also. This is really kind of like, I feel like what I wanna pick.

[Ryan Storm]

Oh, boy.

[Brian]

Because starting out controversially. All right.

[Megan]

Yeah. Because I think it would be really easy to pick probably what everybody thinks is the best fish show that they've ever played, but it's not my favorite fish show that they've ever played that I think is the best peak and.

[Brian]

Really going for brevity here with pick one. I love it.

[Megan]

Okay. So sorry. I'm used to, I'm used to stretching these out.

[Brian]

A bit.

[Megan]

But also I do want to just explain my thinking because Brian's going to accuse me of something here and I just want to explain my thought process so we can show that it wasn't some sort of just weak attempt to take what he likes.

[Brian]

If you just want to take 1230 97, that's. I understand it and I will accept it.

[Ryan Storm]

Just we know that's what she's taking.

[Brian]

Like, let's just do it.

[Ryan Storm]

Rip the band aid off. Megan.

[Megan]

I wasn't going to take that. Do you think I should?

[Ryan Storm]

I think you should.

[Brian]

You do What a play right here. Wasn't going to take it and. No. But now I will.

[Ryan Storm]

The mind games.

[Megan]

The mind games. I think that. Yeah, I'm not going to take it because. Well, I'm not going to tell you because that would include my strike. Give you too much of my strategy away. I'm actually going to pick the show that I think is in the other category that I think you need to have one of two shows in. And I'm afraid that if I let it go, I'm not going to get picked for so long. And I think that the 1230 category is a little bit stacked. So I am going to pick for my first pick the ultimate fish peak. The first show that Fish played, that was the absolute ultimate peak. It was such a great peak that they didn't even know what to do next. It was so great. And I'm picking 1231 95. Perfectly played classics, Killer jams, Flow for days, Fun gag. The show has it all.

[Brian]

Yeah, I think that that is the right first pick here. I think that there are certain. There are certain other shows that would work in this category, but I think that ultimately that's the strongest overall New Year's show that the band has ever played. Like traditional New Year's show. And that is the band at their absolute, like, strongest point. I think it's a good pick. Do you guys approve of that? Sure.

[Ryan Storm]

I mean, it doesn't matter.

[Megan]

You have to have opinions on the drafts. It's an. Okay.

[Ryan Storm]

Sorry. That is absolutely. Would have been my pick if you had taken the show that I'm about to choose.

[Brian]

So that would have been my number one pick as well. I think that that is the right call for number one. So Meg's got. Meg's kicking us off here with an extremely strong show, 1231 95. And now she will not pick for at least 10 picks. So let's all make sure that we get a bunch here that, you know, I Mean, holy.

[Ryan Storm]

Well, I know in revenge, Brian screwed. Make his two picks, 123097 and 1230 19.

[Brian]

Somehow.

[Megan]

1230 19. He does not like the show. He does not like that show no.

[Ryan Storm]

Matter what you do.

[Megan]

And he doesn't like it.

[Ryan Storm]

I like that show.

[Brian]

You can make a pick. Ryan is.

[Ryan Storm]

I'm gonna be a lot faster than Megan. I'm gonna say that I'm gonna take the show that she alluded to that a lot of people think is the best show that Fish has ever played. And I mean, this is one of those picks that to me, if it was on the table, like there are other shows that I maybe have more of an attachment to or would pick. But this is the kind of show. Okay, really? We're just gonna let Neil do this and put every single one of his comments on the screen through this whole podcast. Great. This is the show that if it's for the record.

[Brian]

Hold on, hold on, hold on. For the record. Neil said. Because we have to. Not everyone watches.

[Ryan Storm]

That's true. That's true.

[Brian]

Neil Landry, hall of Fame commenter, hall of Fame, Osiris podcaster, Hall of Fame, music fan, hall of Fame, educator, hall of Fame, dad. The list goes on. Just said that Ryan has never heard 1231 95, which. Look, why would he be lying about that? I don't know. Why?

[Ryan Storm]

Yeah, why?

[Brian]

Why would.

[Ryan Storm]

Why would Neil lie about something like that? So anyway, as I was saying, this is the kind of show that if the pick comes to you and it's still on the board and you don't take it, I don't know what to tell you. So big Cyprus, 100%. That is my first round pick. Again, this is just a no brainer for me and something that I like. Part of me really wants to take gamehenge just because of the fact that I was there and it's the greatest night of my entire life. But in a broader Fish context, Big Cypress being on the board means that I've got to take it.

[Justin Bruce]

And I'm assuming you, you mean night two and not night one. Just.

[Brian]

Yes.

[Ryan Storm]

Just to clarify, that is 1231.99, not 1230. Thank you, Dunstan. Really appreciate it.

[Justin Bruce]

I saw a sliver of an opening.

[Brian]

And just forcing him to take that. No, that's. These are the two right calls. I don't know if I would have. It's an interesting approach you guys are both taking here because there are some categories. First, there are some categories here that need a little bit of love that you may struggle with when you only have 100 every round, but, you know, you. You strategize how you want to.

[Ryan Storm]

I mean, I agree, but. And I think by the time that you and Justin each have two picks here, by the time it gets back to me, I might have a much weaker other category. But I'm hoping that the strength of having Cyprus, and I'm sure Megan feels the same about having 123195 is going to make up for whatever happens in the next number of picks.

[Megan]

You know what? Nobody needs to talk to me about draft strategy. Okay, guys?

[Brian]

Oh, listen to her.

[Ryan Storm]

But that's Brian's favorite sport.

[Brian]

This is the most aggressive we've started to draft. My goodness. All right, jb. Okay.

[Megan]

I don't know if that's true, Brian. That's Definitely not true.

[Brian]

JB is. He's got one pick here. 123195 and 123199 are already off the board. What do you got, JB?

[Justin Bruce]

I am going to take a specimen show from a specimen year. You may recognize this show from its Rushmore tent pole jam early in set two. And indeed we're going. December 30th, 1997. Apologies. 1997. Apologies to Brian. I know you love this show.

[Megan]

And me. Come on.

[Justin Bruce]

And Meg, this was your.

[Ryan Storm]

There are no friends.

[Justin Bruce]

You were in the room.

[Megan]

I was in this show. It's my favorite fish show I've ever seen ever, in my entire life.

[Ryan Storm]

So can I claim.

[Justin Bruce]

Thank you. Thank you for supporting how expertise of a selection this is. But set one opens first sneak and Sally since 1989. The stash with Mike shining in set one. That's a hallmark of a phenomenal show. Of course, the Rushmore bag, the spare groove. Then it's peaky, then it's chill, then it's rocking. You get the whole 500 miles Harpua situation. Trey talking about the floor bouncing up and down. We've heard it a million times, but it stands the test of time. 12:30, 97. Thank you, please.

[Megan]

Yeah, that was it, Justin. Best Harpu of all time and the most thrilling fish show I've ever been to. Best.

[Brian]

Yeah, that is. That's the best fish show that's ever been played. And the right pick here. I think that's either one or two. Just because you. You can go between categories here. So we've started to. We've now got a 1231 and 1230 pick here going on. Great stuff. Justin, I would not have expected anything less from you. You know, that was. That was it. That was it. All right, so I now have. I've got some. I've got two picks now and I've got some interesting moves I can make. I'm going to solidify a big boy because it's important that I get one really big historical pick before I start picking a bunch of indie rock choices here.

[Megan]

Deep Cut, Brinkman's Deep Cuts.

[Brian]

We love them.

[Ryan Storm]

1985.

[Brian]

I wish that there was an 85 New Year's Show. You know that I am going to select in the 1230 category as well. This is a strong category but I do want to make sure I have this show before Ryan or Megan have an opportunity to take it. Historically important here. I am going to go with 1233 from the Worcester. No, not Worcester, that's the next night from Portland, Maine. This show is the Spirit Brother of 1230 97. This is one of those shows where the band is gives you insight into who they are into the lore of Fishdom. This is a show that was preceded by a blizzard drive from New Haven to Portland. The Farmer's Almanac write ups about this show are some of my favorite things I've ever read historically about Fish. Locke Steele's write up. Specifically where he describes the fans yelling for slave towards the end of the show after this really magical Mike's groove that happens. One of the best Mike songs I've ever, ever heard. Great segue into the horse and then towards the end of the show they play the first East coast slave to the traffic light since the 1980s. I want to say yeah, 1989. If he couldn't get any cooler, Neil Landry was in that.

[Ryan Storm]

He was in every single one of these shows in the 90s. Like just for the record, I just love it.

[Brian]

I love it. Every time I think I know enough to be like he's the coolest guy ever, he says something even cooler. What is it like to podcast with someone like that, Ryan? You know, just amazing stuff.

[Megan]

Unbelievable.

[Brian]

So 1230 93, that is going to be my first pick and then I'm going to go to a category that desperately needs early picks. Otherwise you are in a world of hurt trying to make some selections. By my count there were only three shows worth selecting from this category. So we have four people here. I don't want to be the musical chairs guy, the odd gu out. So I am going to go to the random dates category and I am going to initiate some 3.0 love here because they didn't.

[Ryan Storm]

I want to know that I wasn't the first person to take a 3.0 show.

[Megan]

Seriously. That should definitely be noted.

[Brian]

That is noted. That's a good point. I love this show. I think that this show revealed a lot about where Fish was going as they moved into 2015, which is, I still think, the strongest year of the 3.0 era. And I think that this show feels like an early summer 2015 show. They had played an up and down New Year's Eve night in Miami, followed by two very up and down shows on January 1st and January 2nd. And then they came out on the final night of the run January 3rd, and they played overall, just a really fantastic first set. Great song selection, extremely tight playing. And then this 25 minute down with disease in the second set that really showcased the communication that the band was starting to really discover during this period in time. The tightness, the melody that Trey was going to really be employing throughout summer 2015. You hear all of that as we move or as we listen to this last show of the Miami New Year's Eve run, that reverse New Year's Eve run. I love this show. I still go back to this disease, and I think that if I'm going to get anything from this category, this is kind of what I got to get to hold myself down.

[Megan]

Yeah, that disease is great. I just listened to that this week.

[Brian]

So groovy. So groovy. A lot of organ, a lot of pages. What do I do other than. But still, they make the most of it. You know, the man just didn't have any synthesizers and he needed them.

[Ryan Storm]

I mean, he had, you know, one at the time. But I would just like to take a moment before he makes his next pick to appreciate the analog situation that Justin is working with over there, as always.

[Megan]

Yeah, this is amazing.

[Ryan Storm]

It's amazing. If you're listening to this after the fact, go look on YouTube and just watch. As Brian is talking, Justin is making notes, shuffling around pages. It's amazing. You can tell that he works on the news.

[Megan]

It's great.

[Justin Bruce]

Well, you can tell that some of us were born in 1980. And to get things into our brains gotta use a pen or a pencil paper.

[Ryan Storm]

When I was alive.

[Justin Bruce]

Okay, okay, okay, Brian, that is Brinkman core to the nth degree. To use that second pick in the entire draft to nail down that just totally afterthought random people.

[Megan]

When we talked about.

[Justin Bruce]

I can't thank you.

[Megan]

I gotta say, I thought we learned this lesson, Brian. I thought we learned this lesson when it was at Albany that we learned that nobody cares about the random category.

[Brian]

Yeah, I mean, I just. I was looking at the shows there and even the two others that I would consider picking. I don't want to have those on my list. So I try to pick one of them. I know you are. Because you value attendance bias more than almost anyone except for rival.

[Megan]

This is not true. I just think 1231, 95 over 1230, 97. That is the epitome of lack of attendance bias.

[Brian]

I like to have a very even distribution of quality to high quality shows. Some people like to go big or go home and then say, hey, I don't care about all the categories I want to have. If I'm at a buffet, I'm just not going to only go after the first item that I see. I want a little bit on my plate. Right? Yeah.

[Justin Bruce]

Hey, don't fill up on steak or lobster at the buffet. Make sure you grab some bread, everybody.

[Brian]

Thank you.

[Megan]

Oh, my God, I love this.

[Brian]

If they have steak and lobster, they probably have really good rolls. Have you ever had a really good warm roll?

[Justin Bruce]

Don't forget the congealed Mac and cheese.

[Megan]

Over there in the corner.

[Justin Bruce]

Whenever I watch you guys do these drafts and I feel like I've watched countless hours, I often think it would be fun to just get in there and take just stuff kind of approach. So I am going to utilize my wild card pick.

[Brian]

Whoa.

[Ryan Storm]

Whoa.

[Justin Bruce]

And that is because I need to revisit the 30th of December. Specifically a monster tweezer from the year 2019.

[Megan]

How dare you, Justin. How dare you.

[Ryan Storm]

How dare you.

[Brian]

Wild card. Are you kidding me?

[Justin Bruce]

Took it as a wild card because it was. I love the pick, but it's not just about the tweezer. It's mostly about the tweezer. But you get a mic screw to open the show. Excuse me, I'm looking at the wrong. I'm looking at 2017. You get a chalked full set one. You get. You get a blaze on with the mind. Left body into bliss, into pleasant little jammy section a Karina, which they play more often than not during New Year's Eve runs. Interesting. And it might end set one 35 minute epic tweezer. Just beautiful. What's happening at 20 minutes is like, holy smokes. I didn't know that fish could still do this. And you know, the rest is. Is gravy. But this was the highlight of the 2019 New Year's Eve run. And it's in. It's in my stable as a wild card.

[Megan]

Oh, my God, Justin. I can't believe it. Yeah. One of my favorite fish shows I've ever seen in my entire life and never forget that it was on the floor for that tweezer. It was. Yeah. It was religious, to be honest.

[Brian]

I kind of want really impressed with this strategy here.

[Ryan Storm]

I kind of want to follow up Justin's approach and take the 12:30:19 tweezer in my jam category. But I'm not.

[Megan]

Do it. That's fine. Just do it. Just do it. Ryan. I'm fine. I don't need it. It's fine. I don't need it. I can still beat you.

[Ryan Storm]

I have no doubt about that. You win these drafts more often than anyone for a reason. But so when Justin started talking and he talked about this break stuff approach and that he was going back to 1230, I was very worried that he was going to take my next pick. We are going to the greatest year of the 3.0 era. 12:30 18 is my next pick. This.

[Brian]

Are you picking this in the 1230 category?

[Ryan Storm]

This is in the 1230 category. I'll be taking 1230, 18.

[Brian]

Very good call.

[Megan]

Damn it.

[Ryan Storm]

Thank you. At this point, I was with 12:30. Basically, if 12:30:19 was still on the table, I wasn't going to pick this this round. But with that off the table, I know that if I'm Megan right now and I'm looking at what's left.

[Brian]

A little bit screwed.

[Ryan Storm]

Yeah, exactly.

[Brian]

And I mean, especially in the 1230 category.

[Ryan Storm]

I mean, honestly, the luxury of getting to pick this category last. Oh, not necessarily. Because there's still wild cards.

[Megan]

There's wild card stuff.

[Ryan Storm]

Regardless, this I think is the best remaining 1230 that I want to pick. And 100%.

[Megan]

I mean, this show is amazing.

[Ryan Storm]

It's incredible. From. From front to back, you know, you get unique slow alumni blues. I absolutely love this. Mike's Groove Glide 2. You know, segway to Cross Eyed. We could pog coming back in the middle of two in tube second set. That just does not quit jam of the year win. Everything's right in this second set, which I disagree with, but it's phenomenal.

[Justin Bruce]

It was.

[Ryan Storm]

Yeah, I know, right? It I. I don't think it should have won the bracket, but it won the bracket.

[Brian]

That's the best tray. That's the best tray from 2019. 2018.

[Ryan Storm]

2018. Brian, I know those years blend together.

[Brian]

For you, but that's the best tray from 2018 and probably 2019, now that you mentioned it.

[Ryan Storm]

Well, 2019, the bar is low. So yeah, 12 30, 18. Feels good to have a 2018 pick on my list.

[Megan]

This was Also, first.

[Ryan Storm]

You know, I'm gonna take this whole run here. You know, 123118 will be my wild card pick. I just. I wanted to get Cyprus first.

[Brian]

I mean, this is a great pick.

[Megan]

Yeah. This is one of my favorite fish shows I've ever been to as well. It's a perfect set list.

[Ryan Storm]

I can't wait until. I can't wait until people start picking things from 4.0. And I can do what Megan's doing now.

[Brian]

Now.

[Megan]

I mean, the energy. When this show opened with Alumni Blues into Letter to Jimmy Page, back in Alumni Blues, like, people were just, like, so excited. I remember I had taken something from a woman in a Care Bear suit. And afterwards, I was like, is this as good as it seems like it. It was so much fun. The show was so awesome. Second set rules. Bring back cool Amber Mercury. Awesome, awesome jams. Great encore. Just really. I cry during glide, too. Like, it was just. This is bliss. Like, it's beautiful. The show is amazing. And Billy breathes fish. We play Billy Breeze more. What is happening?

[Brian]

Yeah.

[Justin Bruce]

Amen.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[Brian]

It's a great call. That was my next 2012, and I think that 123018 is probably the best show of 3.0, so, you know, go figure. Good stuff. Great pick, Ryan, and way to just. I love how you guys have approached tactically. Just cornering meg out of 1230 shows. Really, really good stuff.

[Ryan Storm]

Megan, I apologize. It's actually Justin's fault. I wasn't gonna take 12:30 yet, but he forced my hand.

[Megan]

It's fine. It's fine. I still feel strong about make a bold chase.

[Brian]

You make a bold choice, and you still have to hide behind someone else so that you don't get yelled at by Meg. Come on.

[Ryan Storm]

I don't think this was that bad.

[Megan]

Oh, my God. No. I appreciate everybody thinking about me and then taking my favorite shows.

[Ryan Storm]

I feel.

[Megan]

This is what Brian must feel like when he drafts. I get it. Brian, now I feel for you. Is it my turn?

[Brian]

It's your turn, Meg.

[Ryan Storm]

You get two now.

[Brian]

We're now filibustering. You get two turns.

[Megan]

Okay, great. Okay, So I can't believe this is still on the table. And maybe people will disagree with this, but I think that I have to have this show because it has one of the greatest fish jams of all time in it. I gotta have 12, 29, 94 Providence on my list because this is one of the greatest fish jams of all time in the Providence. Bowie, as we know, we also have just this really cool opener. Runaway Jamie Nafoam. This really great segue. We've got really fun, just holiday vibes during this whole show.

[Ryan Storm]

You don't have to pretend that the rest of the show is that good. This show is about the Bowie.

[Megan]

It's about the bowie.

[Ryan Storm]

It's fall 94, so it's amazing. But this show is only the status that it is because of the Bowie runaway. Jim foam was played 800 times in 1994.

[Megan]

I know, but I like this show.

[Brian]

The man's making a good point, but let her go on. Keep going on because there's no take backs. It's already on the screen.

[Megan]

There's no take backs. I'm down with this. I think that if you. I think that this is one of the most important Fish shows with one of the biggest jams of all time in one of the biggest tours of Fish. And I think that it's important to have. Yeah, I mean, you can go ahead and pick 2024 if you want. It's fine.

[Ryan Storm]

I might. I might just do that. By the way, I'm wearing a shirt from the same venue.

[Brian]

Oh, Goose.

[Megan]

Yeah, I was out there this weekend. Brian and I were there. It was so fun. It was cool to be in that room.

[Ryan Storm]

Yeah. Also another Neil is cool moment. He was on the rail for the Providence boat.

[Brian]

He was. He was. Every time he's got a way to one up us all.

[Megan]

My God, that's cool.

[Brian]

That Goose was there. Good on those guys, you know, it was fun.

[Megan]

It was a fun party.

[Brian]

Would have been cooler if they had tried to match what fish did in 1994, but you know, we can't have everything. True.

[Ryan Storm]

Rick doesn't like his bike.

[Megan]

They did play a song that they opened the second show with that had Slassie in it. And I was like, is this a nod? That would be cool. But then they. Then they probably should have jammed if they really wanted to make a nod to it.

[Brian]

That would have been. That is the key here.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[Brian]

All right, so 12.29.94 based on one jam. What do you got next?

[Megan]

Oh, my gosh, Bright. I'm happy with that pick. Just so you know. I mean, it's. It's better than picking like a 2015 show in your first round. But that's fine. It's fine.

[Brian]

I gotta worry about random dates anymore I can enjoy.

[Megan]

Yeah, Random dates. Shares.

[Brian]

Just for the record, I ranked 8 12, 29 shows and I did not have 1999 on that list. But anyway.

[Megan]

Okay, Brian. Okay. Thank you very much. I also didn't have a 2015 show on my list either. So it's fair. It's all fair. I'm trying to decide if I want to go to. I'm like making fun of Brian's strategy, but I'm like, do I want to go to the random dates category?

[Ryan Storm]

It's kind of a bleak one. It's tough.

[Brian]

You really don't want to end up with a couple of these.

[Megan]

I'll tell you what, you don't want to end up with them. I think I'm gonna pick actually. Yeah, I am gonna pick probably a show that I was at, which is shocking. What? I don't have any shows that I was at so far on my list, just FYI. So you can be shocking.

[Brian]

What category are you picking? Him.

[Megan]

I mean, let me just make sure. This episode is brought to you by McAfee.

[Brian]

I got a message that our flight was canceled, but they can put us.

[Megan]

On another flight and we just need.

[Brian]

To confirm our credit card info.

[Megan]

Wait, I got a security alert from McAfee. It flagged that message. Message is a scam. McAfee's scam detector automatically spots and alerts you to suspicious texts, emails and deepfake videos. Learn [e-mail] Online Protection this episode is.

[Brian]

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[Megan]

Parents invest in so many things to.

[Brian]

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[Megan]

Yeah, I'm gonna go random show. I'm gonna go with a show that I was at and it was an interesting time for me because I had had a baby very recently and I hadn't been to a lot of fish and I was going to see fish and I was a bit overserved because I was really excited to be there. But I'm going with one. One 2011 msg. Really heartfelt. Divided sky. Round room. Busted. Brian, that's for you. Perfect set listing. Set to killer simple and actually this is hilarious that I'm saying this, but a really great Makasupa policeman. So there you go.

[Brian]

Really, really great. Really great.

[Megan]

Actually really good.

[Brian]

Yeah, no, no, I'm being totally sincere. That's an awesome Makasupa with a crazy little ambient gem in there.

[Ryan Storm]

Oh, yeah.

[Brian]

That is the show that made it seem like maybe Fish should expand the New Year's Eve run and always do a 2011 show or a New Year's Day show. That is what a. What a pleasure that show was after a really uptight, not very fun 1230 show. A 1231 that is remembered for probably the most overrated jam in the band's history. And then they just came in on New Year's Day, and people were just like, ah, let's just chill. There's no stakes involved here. And they played a great show.

[Justin Bruce]

Let's have a My Soul opener, and let's just see what happens the rest of the show. You had to, man.

[Brian]

Okay. He's just sitting over there in silence, and he comes in here with throw, like, unbelievable.

[Ryan Storm]

He's been taking notes. He's been taking notes from Neil's group chat behavior. Really.

[Brian]

He knows what to do.

[Ryan Storm]

Ryan, didn't you threaten bodily harm on anybody who picked the most overrated jam in Fish history before you?

[Brian]

I. I threatened. Cut off of communications going forward. So if someone decides that we just. We won't communicate anymore because. Not because I want that jam. Because none of you should watch. Come on.

[Ryan Storm]

I see. Okay, okay, okay. That makes more sense now.

[Justin Bruce]

I got it.

[Brian]

All right. All right. So Meg's got one one eleven for her random dates, which I. I would say that's. Give or take. That's the second or third best random date show, so well done. See, now you don't have to worry about that. And one of these two guys are going to be stuck with something that they don't want. I promise.

[Megan]

Big stinker. A big ass.

[Brian]

Is it? Yeah. This is it.

[Justin Bruce]

That's what you think.

[Ryan Storm]

Hey. Oh, I don't know. I'm trying to decide whether being stuck with something from Hampton O3 is that.

[Brian]

Bad.

[Ryan Storm]

And whether, you know, like.

[Brian]

There'S one show three I would select, but I would not.

[Ryan Storm]

I think. I think there are two shows left in this category that I would take, and I'm reasonably sure nobody's gonna take either of them as their wild card pick, so I'm gonna save that category for a little bit later. I am gonna go for a category that I think, for me at least, and I know there are some amazing shows, but for me at least there's one that I really want from this category, and I don't want anyone else to have it. I'm gonna take 12, 28, 23. Gonna break the 4.0 seal here. I absolutely adore this show. You know, this huge wave of hope in the second set. The mics, the simple. I just remember being at this show and just thinking the band was, you know, really amazing. And I think that was the. You know, I mean, the 29th was the 30th that run. But the. Oh, and the gin in this show, incredible four song encore. You know, I remember I was on my way up from my seat as we KOG was ending and then they started playing Santos and I was like, oh, yes, I'm not leaving yet. And I know that's not a glowing review for a lot of people for this show, but there are. There are a lot of really incredible jams in this show. And for me, I wanted a 4.0 pick. And this is my 4.0 pick here.

[Brian]

That's the one you went with?

[Megan]

Yeah.

[Ryan Storm]

Listen, I don't know.

[Megan]

Howling Set 2.

[Ryan Storm]

I have plans in other categories.

[Brian]

Yeah, I'm trying to. I'm remembering now.

[Ryan Storm]

You know, Brian, I think this show is more well rounded than 12. 2994 is so more than one track to listen back to.

[Brian]

Oh, okay.

[Megan]

Okay, okay, okay. Brian.

[Brian]

I would agree. I think. Well, it's an. You know, we all make our picks. I picked four shows for 12, for 12, 28. And this was not on that list. It is a good wave of hope. You are absolutely right. It's a great wave of hope. That does a really interesting thing in the middle of the second set where it segues directly into to Rift.

[Ryan Storm]

In hindsight, I actually didn't mean to take this in this round, and I got ahead of myself, but it happened.

[Brian]

We broke him. Look at it.

[Ryan Storm]

Well, I mean, it's. I. I got distracted. I was looking at the categories and I. I took my eye off the ball and it's hilarious.

[Brian]

Broken by a dragon. No, I. I get it. I totally get it. I just want to read for the listeners out there, the first set. No man in no man's land, comma Haley's Comet, Carrot Sample in a jar, comma Runaway, Gym, comma bouncing around the room, comma, Axel. A part two Little Carrot, Funky Bitch, comma gin into Ghost.

[Ryan Storm]

The gin is phenomenal.

[Megan]

We did a hundred songs in that set.

[Brian]

That is definitely. That is like. That's one of those first sets that kicks off a 1228 show that you're like, okay, it's gonna take maybe another set or two for us to get back, get into holiday.

[Ryan Storm]

I was reasonably sure in the middle of that gin that it was gonna be Good. I guess I overestimated how much. Well, I, I don't think.

[Megan]

Thank you, Neil.

[Ryan Storm]

This is gonna. Eventually, this is gonna happen eventually. But I, I, I guess I overestimated how much people like this show. But I'm sticking with it. I love this show.

[Brian]

Well, you have no choice now.

[Ryan Storm]

Well, exactly.

[Megan]

I can stick with what you like. You gotta stick with what you like, Ryan.

[Brian]

Yeah.

[Justin Bruce]

Ryan, of all the 12, 28 shows, the one that you picked was the fourth on my list. There you go.

[Ryan Storm]

I made your list.

[Megan]

It wasn't even on my list. I have six.

[Ryan Storm]

No, I made a big mistake here. I will own that and I'm gonna pay for it. But, you know, that's.

[Brian]

Yeah, Neil. Neil is just losing it right now. Is there any way I can call in to berate Ryan or is this gonna have to wait for the show to be over?

[Ryan Storm]

We shouldn't. Neolon is like peanut gallery.

[Brian]

We will start implementing call in specials on the next draft, so. And Ryan, that pick solidifies you as a future draft contestant. So. So well done.

[Ryan Storm]

Eventually. That's good. I'm glad.

[Brian]

All right, all right.

[Justin Bruce]

Hey, let's move on to. Move on to a good pick here.

[Ryan Storm]

Yeah.

[Brian]

Hey, how about that? There we go. All right.

[Justin Bruce]

So, David, so remind me. Thanksgiving is about being thankful. Christmas is about, you know.

[Ryan Storm]

Did you write these jokes down in advance?

[Justin Bruce]

No, I'm, I'm a professional.

[Ryan Storm]

Yeah.

[Justin Bruce]

You know.

[Ryan Storm]

Yeah.

[Justin Bruce]

Thanksgiving, thankful Christmas, you know, giving appreciation. What is New Year's Eve about again? I forget. Is it about, is it a serious holiday or is it about just like having a ton of fun?

[Megan]

Let's go party.

[Justin Bruce]

Let's go party. Okay, so I'm going to go with the New Year's Eve show. And this show is like a party tent. And it's a humongous party tent. It's held up by some really big jams. And as far as pound for pound fun, no one was having a better time than Fish in Miami in 2003 on December 31st. And you'll say, well, sir, that's the, that's the show, you know, where, where they're seeing Jungle Boogie. And like, sure, you might think that's a, that's an insane pick. That's like a grimy gutter sort of like 2.0 selection. I would urge you to take a look at 1231 03. This is a top shelf show from start to finish. Set one, Mike's Groove. You enjoy myself finishing the Wilson in the tube from the night before. Whatever. Set two, that stache 24 minutes. Incredible. This is an incredible.

[Megan]

I love that stache.

[Justin Bruce]

Incredible jam.

[Megan]

I love that stache.

[Justin Bruce]

From synths to spacey to gorgeous to peaky, back to stache. And then you've got jungle boogie. The whole marching band emerging from a car. You do this weird Auld Lang Syne into Iron Man. Each of those is about a minute because that's Trey's attention span at that point in time. And then a 22 minute runaway gym. That is just a perfect exemplar of what the band was doing when they were at their strength in. In 2.0 to me. So you get this huge Runaway Gym jam. Reba is gorgeous. And then because they've been having fun all night, some just off the chain Fishman Trey antics. Feel, feel, feel my heat. No one is having more fun than Phish and the whole crowd on 1231, 2003. And that's why I think this is a very, very excellent pick.

[Ryan Storm]

I would argue that the person having the most fun at that show was whoever was selling drugs to the band.

[Megan]

Seriously.

[Ryan Storm]

Made a lot of money that night.

[Megan]

Yeah. I'm loving these 2.0 and 3.0 picks from Justin and Brian tonight. This is good. This is good for my list.

[Brian]

I want to.

[Ryan Storm]

I like this hot take from the incredible dash R3H in the chat.

[Brian]

We're going to read that here in one second.

[Ryan Storm]

Okay.

[Brian]

The program, our producer got in my ears and said we have to highlight the incredible perp. Because whenever someone has a story like this, we have to highlight them. Especially if it's the incredible perp. He drove 3,000 miles from Washington state on a motorcycle to get to that run. So effing good. That is. Wow. That is dedicated. He's so cool.

[Megan]

You're so cool.

[Brian]

3H says that his hot take is that 2003 is the only New Year's Eve run where they got worse every night. I don't disagree with that. And yet I still love 1231, 2003, particularly that stash. That gym feels very Coventry esque. Like the fun you're describing is the too much fun that the band would totally have that would lead to them breaking up. But this run is where the seediness, the griminess, the let's stay up until 4 o' clock in the morning every night and just like throw anything at the wall and see what happens. That all peaks in 2.0 on this run.

[Justin Bruce]

It's kind of like when you're in a car going over like a sharp hill and you have that moment where you crest of weightlessness. We have all the goods from a fantastic year that is 2003, and we're looking forward to having way too much fun in 2004 and all the problems that that's going to contain. But this is like the inflection point of 2.0. It's just the perfect best of both worlds. You take the good and the bad. But again, on paper, this is a beefy show with a lot to offer.

[Brian]

It's a beefy show. I would agree. That stache. Can we talk about that stache again? My goodness. So good.

[Justin Bruce]

One of my favorite jams from the whole year.

[Megan]

Yeah, I just listened to that again this week twice.

[Brian]

I was like, so quiet. And let's give it up for the chalk dust. Slave chalk dust. Like, somehow that works. Beautiful. Seven below as well in the second set. Just amazing stuff. All right, I got two picks now.

[Megan]

Oh, my gosh. Wow. Two.

[Brian]

I'm scared. Think I know what I'm gonna do here.

[Megan]

I'm so screwed. I feel like now.

[Brian]

So I've already got my 12:30 pick. My. That is, I think, the best fish date ever. And I would have preferred to have 1230 97, but I'm very pleased with 1230 93. Thank you for that, guys. I'm going to go one night earlier to a night that when it clicks, it has the potential to be stronger than 1230, and in recent years has been stronger than 1230. We had that run during the mid 2010s where every 1230 show was just magic. Since 2022, 1229 has really taken the reign. But I'm not going to go with a new show. It's kind of saving a newer show for later. I'm gonna go with one of my favorite fish shows of all time, a fish show that has a second set that if you read it on paper to a noob, they may be like, that's a lot of songs, man. But, like, if you know, you know. This is fish at Similar to 1230. Similar. Similar to 1230. 93. Similar to 1230. 97. This is fish dipping into the lore. This is what the New Year's Eve run is all about for me. This is 1229, 1995, a show that has very excellent in the way that 1995 could. Could offer a very excellent standard first set of my friend, My friend. Poor heart disease taste. Nicu Stash, Fluff head Llama. Sweet out of line. It's really about the second set here that flows, goes through a motion, gives us A peek back at this band as they were just in their infancy and what would lead to where they were at this point in time when Mike's bass instructor Jim Stinnett comes out and plays a jam with them. But it's really all about the gin. Real me, Jin. The real gin, as we. As we call it. Great Macasupa with stink stank stunk as the keyword here.

[Ryan Storm]

Second highlighted MacAsupa on this draft.

[Brian]

Second highlight of Macupa this draft.

[Megan]

Who knew? This is such a good song.

[Brian]

The real gin, which is just that. That is as 1995 fish coated as it gets. The chords, the aggression, the way Trey is yelling in the real me. The way they come back into gin and it suddenly gets all experimen fading into magrup, fading into big black furry creature from Mars, which is where Jim Stinnett comes out. And then a lagrange bouncing fire Lagrange. Close it out.

[Megan]

Bring it back.

[Brian]

This is some magical stuff here from Fish. One of my favorite shows ever. A show that we just. We need to have released what was going on. I don't understand. I don't like it. We need to have this show in official soundboard quality for everyone.

[Megan]

Why do we not have a Worcester box set of this year? Like, come on, we should have like all of the best shows released from all the years.

[Brian]

That would be a great box set. I'd be very into that box set. Ryan, have you heard this show? I just want to confirm.

[Ryan Storm]

Yes, I've heard this show. Thank you.

[Megan]

Thank you for checking and real.

[Brian]

Thank you. I appreciate that. All right, so that's my 1229 show. I feel all right. I am going to. ECW2 says this is the type of show that makes me angry when they release a 91 show. Yeah, I'm very much for the band representing the like 87, 92 period. But there are still really incredible shows that have not yet been released from the peak years that I feel like we need the band to spend a little bit more time on.

[Ryan Storm]

So don't worry. The next archival release or the next live bait is going to be a selection from the late 80s Kevin Shapiro hit Brian up for that. It will be highlighted by several versions of Whipping Post that are the greatest jams the band has ever played.

[Megan]

Oh, my God.

[Brian]

I mean, you listen to an 87 whipping post and you just can hear the foundation and you just want to.

[Ryan Storm]

Listen to later Fish.

[Brian]

Do you?

[Ryan Storm]

Yes.

[Brian]

I'm a little bit of a historian. I don't know if you know that. All right, so I am debating my next move here.

[Megan]

I'm very curious.

[Ryan Storm]

Yeah.

[Brian]

Let me just look at this really quickly because there's a move I could make where I could really.

[Justin Bruce]

Maybe you want to dip back into the random dates category for your wild card. Brian, really sticking to you.

[Brian]

Way, way to be. No, I've got another. I've got. I've got plenty of options for my wild card at this point in time. And Ryan did me a great service by selecting a show that was not even on my radar for 1228. So I'm good. I've got four options there. New Year's Eve, you guys have all taken. I can do that whenever I want to. I think I'm going to kick off the jam wildcard here, and I am between three jams. I know what the right pick is. Okay. But I kind of want to do, you know, I want to do a me pick, I think. But I don't know if this is the right.

[Megan]

Do it, Brian. Do it.

[Brian]

Because if I. If I select correctly here, I get, you know, the accolades of the community.

[Ryan Storm]

The fate, and I get the accolades and the victory.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[Brian]

Who wants that? Everyone wants to be low key, in the shadows, making the right choices.

[Ryan Storm]

Megan, correct me if I'm wrong. I never want to draft. Draft.

[Megan]

Yes.

[Brian]

I won one draft. Everyone knows which draft it is because I won one draft.

[Megan]

I think you should have won another one too. But I do too. Vote was off. Yeah.

[Brian]

Yeah. There were a couple drafts where strategically someone took my number one pick and I had to deal with it as a result of that.

[Megan]

Oh, I wasn't talking about that one.

[Brian]

Which one? There were like six of those.

[Megan]

Sorry.

[Ryan Storm]

Sorry for opening this can of worms. Brian, what's your draft?

[Brian]

So 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. Tier one holiday jams. Okay, so I can't really go wrong here, but I do think I can go right. And I shouldn't really be belaboring the point here. My jam wild card is going to be the only thing you should be picking from 12, 29, 94, which is the David Bowie. Glad for Meg that she got the show. I am glad to have gotten the best 35 minutes of the show.

[Megan]

Begins with I have those 35 minutes as well. Just so you know, on my list.

[Brian]

Into a very tight, very fast, very aggressive version of David Bowie, which then dips out into eternal space. Beautiful hood segment. Demons. Lassie. There's so much in this jam. I still remember the first time I still remember the first time I ever heard this jam. I was on a break from my summer job in high school, and they had just released Live Fish 20. And every person on PT was like, you have to listen to this jam. If you've never listened to it, you're a total eternal noob. You don't get fed. I was like, okay, okay, okay. And I got scared at lunch. Like, I was listening my headphones on, eating a ham sandwich. Terrified. Like, peeing my pants terrified. And it was. And then every story I read about people was like, I took my buddy, he ate a little bit too much acid. And this show or this jam completely changed his life. Not this show. The Jam completely changed his life. So I think this is one of the best fish jams of all time. Are eternal. Co host RJB has this as the number one fish jam. So this is our RJ nod here.

[Megan]

Yeah. This is not an indie rock pick, just FYI.

[Brian]

Yeah, this is an extremely.

[Megan]

I know you.

[Brian]

Classic rock preface.

[Megan]

Like that. Okay.

[Brian]

Okay.

[Megan]

I just want to make sure.

[Brian]

I feel. I feel happy to get the. The big pick here.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[Brian]

I'm very glad to have this.

[Ryan Storm]

No, this is like being a classic rock radio and choosing Freebird. Like, not at all.

[Megan]

No, no.

[Justin Bruce]

This is like choosing.

[Megan]

Not a good analogy.

[Justin Bruce]

It's like choosing Half a Free Bird. Ryan. Because Brian and I get to split custody of the. Brian will get it every other weekend and then.

[Megan]

I'll get it.

[Brian]

That it's genuinely impressive that you still have anything to say about 1229 94. Not even talking. It's a talent. He's right. Yeah, they're right with this. That's something that I will say just to.

[Justin Bruce]

Just to puff that choice up. Brian. I. Of course, we listened to it in the preparation here, and, you know, you think of the. The crazy Lassie, eerie, dark, evil section, but, man, the middle of that. Bowie soars in a way that's so typical of fall 94. But, like, the best of the best of fall 94 jams. It is. It is incredible.

[Megan]

This is the most narrative jam they've ever played. It is, to me, the perfect Journey jam. Like, it's the ultimate journey jam. I listened to it again, too, and I was like, this is, I think, what all other jams would strive to be if they could be.

[Brian]

Yeah.

[Ryan Storm]

Neil and I were talking about this the other day, about how that middle section is Hollywood Nights, by the way, I can see Hollywood Nights.

[Brian]

This is. And Neil commented on it. There we go. The Hollywood Nights. This is When I was talking about the lore and the magic of a New Year's Eve run, it's all kind of embodied in this jam. Because like Justin was just saying, the man takes so many notes. He just says everything at he makes the best points. As a result of this, you take fall 94 and you just condense it into one 35 minute jam over new Year's Eve. And it is the providence, Billie. Just incredible stuff. All right, before we go back to jb, I want to give everyone a quick update of where we're at at this point in time. And then we're going to take a quick commercial break for everyone listening at home. Everyone watching us is just going to watch us sit in silence, which is the coolest part about this podcast. So really quickly, Meg currently has everyone. I have four picks. Everyone else has three picks right now. Meg has the 1229, 94. No, the full show for her 1229 pick. No 1230 yet. 1231, 95, that's a good one. And 1111 for her random dates. Ryan Storm has 1228 23. Do I have that right? That can't be correct. That's 122823 for 1228. He has 1230 for his 1230 pick and 1231.99. Pretty big show. Quite a classic rock pick for 1231.

[Ryan Storm]

I didn't mean that in a bad way when I said that to you, by the way.

[Brian]

I know. I'm just giving you shit. Okay, JB's got 1230, 97 for 1230, 123103 for 1231, and the stab in the back, greatest pick of the afternoon so far. 12:30 19 in wild card show. And then I've got 12:29, 95 and 12:29, 12:30 93 and 12:30, 13:15, God tier random show in random days.

[Ryan Storm]

And God tier as a guest.

[Megan]

You don't get to read everybody's picks and comment on them as you do it. And I have to say, I have.

[Brian]

To say you want to host this show.

[Megan]

No. But the funniest thing about this is that I thought I was going to have to worry about Brian and Ryan. And it's actually Justin, the person that I wanted on this show that I'm worried about this evening.

[Ryan Storm]

Sorry, you brought Justin on because you thought he was.

[Brian]

Wasn't going to win.

[Ryan Storm]

Justin is the most prepared person I've ever.

[Megan]

I knew he was going to be prepared. I know, I knew he was going to be intense. But I like, I like the challenge. But I didn't think he was going to come for me, but there's no.

[Brian]

One more prepared with notes on a deep tier 4/ potential honorable mention jam than Justin. It's. It's incredible.

[Megan]

Risky for me. I knew it was going to be risky for me.

[Ryan Storm]

While we're complimenting Justin, if you like Eggie, please go listen to Justin talk about Eggy. Best guy around.

[Brian]

Vice podcast. It's a great, great entry point and deep dive into Eggy if you are just getting into them or if you are a super fan. It is, dare I say, the best eggy podcast out there. Just.

[Ryan Storm]

It absolutely is.

[Megan]

It really is.

[Justin Bruce]

Thanks.

[Brian]

And with that, we are going to take a quick commercial break. We will be back with with the remainder of a very contentious Although some people are making it contentious by falling on their faces, holiday fish shows and jams run one bad pick. All right, we are back.

[Megan]

I'm not falling on your face, Ry. Don't worry, I tripped.

[Ryan Storm]

I can trip again and fall on my face, but I have room to recover.

[Megan]

Totally. Yeah, you've got it. We believe in you.

[Brian]

But all right, jb, you are up with your fourth round pick. What you got.

[Justin Bruce]

You got a lot of guys. Best month in fish history. What is it again?

[Ryan Storm]

December 95th.

[Justin Bruce]

Thank you, young Ryan. I am going to go to December 28th. No, 1995 to Worcester. This is a very, very good show from the very, very best month month in fish history. And I think everyone listening, even if they're familiar with this jam, it's probably sleeping on this jam a little bit. And Epic set to Tweezer 22 minutes. But we have the loose Summer 95. Oh, but it's December 95. Vocal influenced antics in this tweezer jam early and then rhythmic Trey loading the spring. But he's learned patience. He's going to let Mike do his thing and Mike cooks up these moody melodies and then Trey's like, I got to get mine. So then he leads the jam to a powerful, stormy peak. This Worcester 122895 tweezer in and of itself would make this selection, I think top shelf. But you also get a melt opener that doesn't happen every day in set one. Sure, there are a couple of PA problems in Rift that's not the band's fault. But this is just an incredible jam in what is a very, very strong show. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

[Megan]

Pretty mad about this because I was just hoping that they would come back to me so I could get this because I never should have Posted about this. This jam this week. That was a huge mistake on my.

[Ryan Storm]

Yeah, because that's how Justin figured it out.

[Megan]

This. This tweezer, like, it's so ahead of its time. There's a section, like, halfway in the middle that it. You cannot believe that's 1995. Like, it is so modern sounding, and I could not believe it when I listened to it because I haven't listened to it in a really long time, and it just completely blew me away. It sounds like contemporary fish in a way that stands out. It's so unbelievable. I love, love this tweezer, and I'm so glad that it's on Life Bait, Volume 7. And, yeah, I mean, what a great show. This timber's dark jam. And, yeah, you've got Mike playing like. Like part of the base jam. It's just. It's good stuff. Really good stuff.

[Brian]

All right.

[Justin Bruce]

Thank you for the support with this ship.

[Brian]

With this show. With this show. We now have three of the four nights of 1995 represented.

[Megan]

Yeah, that makes sense.

[Brian]

Which makes a lot of sense. Whenever I think of what fish is during the holiday run, I often think of 1995. So this is. This is high level, high octane fish. All right, Meg. Or. Sorry, Ryan.

[Megan]

Yeah. Is it ever gonna be my turn again?

[Ryan Storm]

So I made one. I made one bad pick, and 25 minutes ago, every.

[Brian]

Yeah.

[Ryan Storm]

And suddenly everybody has forgotten that I have big cypress in 1230, 18. So I would just like to illustrate that, you know, so I took my token 1.0 pick. So obviously the rest of my picks are going to be 3.0 and 4.0.

[Brian]

Perfect.

[Ryan Storm]

I'm just kidding. Megan's gonna be really upset at me, but I can't believe it's still on the board. I'm taking 12.29.97 for my 1229 pick. Yeah. I'm surprised this has made it this long, But, I mean, this show. I like this show more than 12:30. I'm gonna tell. I'm gonna say it as a full show. You know, we had this argument earlier and patented Ryan Storm fish take. I don't think 1230 is all that it's cracked up to be beyond a really, really long show.

[Megan]

Oh, my God.

[Ryan Storm]

Overrated. The hood meanders for.

[Brian]

Sorry. Ryan's mics just suddenly went out. I don't know what happened here.

[Ryan Storm]

Let me speak. Let me say my bad takes. The hood gets ripcorded into my soul. Of all things bright.

[Megan]

Of all things Ryan, if that's what you're picking, if that's what you're thinking about on 1230 97. You just really don't get it. Like there is. This show is so thrilling. It's not vibes. It is an absolutely thrilling night of fish where you never knew what was going to happen. You never knew.

[Ryan Storm]

It's true. A ripcord into my soul at minute 20 of a Harry hood.

[Megan]

I can't even. I don't. I don't want to have this conversation anymore. Somebody else can talk to him about this, this.

[Ryan Storm]

So my point, 1229 on the other hand, you get crossroads in the first set. Incredible theme, you know. Fall 97 extended funked out Antelope really great disease disease Bowie Possum I can't turn you loose Possum I can't turn you loose One of the greatest tubes the band has ever played and a yem. I just, I. I love this show a lot. For all of my scorn and that I pile upon fall 97. I do love this show and I'm happy, happy to have it on my team. I'm sure it would be one of those picks that if it were a person and got drafted by me, it would be sad about getting drafted, but I don't care.

[Brian]

I just want to applaud you. This is now your third pick that I just didn't have on my list. So well done.

[Ryan Storm]

Yeah, I was gonna say my first two picks you absolutely had on your list.

[Brian]

This is. You know, I loved the approach that they took when they released Both this and 12:30 because I do think that they complement each other very nicely. This is the 97. Let's lean into the funk groove. Jamming 12:30 is the let's, you know, bathe in what it means to be a Fish fan. What the lore is around this band. There's those two things. Yin yang is very, very important. Great multi run. I mean if you don't start crying when they start singing Hannibal Lecter, I don't know what's wrong with you, but like when you hear the friendship between Tom and Trey on that stage, I love it because they're both what, 32, 33 years old, realizing like, hey, we've made it, we've really made it. And then they start singing Hannibal Lecter back and forth at each other. I don't know what to say but.

[Ryan Storm]

Are you confusing this with 1231 95? I thought that was the moment where made it.

[Brian]

Well, there's a lot of moments where they made it, but the fact that 123097 is not that level that level of inside joke.

[Ryan Storm]

I would say the great win is a moment from 97. Even more.

[Brian]

Combined with jamming, combined with rarities, combined with bust outs, combined with rule breaking, combined with segways. I mean, it's just. But 12, 29, 97. Respectable pick. I don't personally agree with it, but respectable pick.

[Ryan Storm]

Sometimes there's a downside to Brian steering the discussion because he gets to lead with something like, well, I didn't have it on my rankings.

[Justin Bruce]

Just hypothetically, if I were hosting this podcast, Ryan, I'd also say, wow, 12.29.97. Not in my top four of possible 29 choices, but I'm sure wasn't in mine either. It was on the list.

[Ryan Storm]

I'm on fire here.

[Justin Bruce]

Well, I mean, how can you turn down a. A mid set to possum into? I can't turn you loose. I. I understand where you're.

[Ryan Storm]

I thought we were picking based on things that were fun. You guys, fun picks.

[Megan]

You did pick 2003, Justin. I don't know.

[Brian]

Hey, whatever.

[Justin Bruce]

I made that. I made that choice mentally at like six in the morning as the sun was coming up.

[Ryan Storm]

Last time, the party was just, you know, this is.

[Megan]

The party was starting.

[Ryan Storm]

This is the last time I picked something from 1.0.

[Brian]

I'm to going.

[Ryan Storm]

Going back to what I know after this.

[Brian]

This is it. This. You have to have a strategy.

[Megan]

You got to do what you know.

[Brian]

I do just want to alert everyone. We are at the 40. We have 40 minutes left before one of us, Ryan, has to go pick up his children. So we need to. We need to move a little bit more quickly here. We can't keep picking these shows that require us to lecture you on why you shouldn't have picked these shows. Pick better here, Ryan. Come on.

[Justin Bruce]

Sorry.

[Megan]

You're doing great.

[Brian]

You're doing an excellent job, and you're. You're.

[Ryan Storm]

I don't need the encouragement. You don't have to sugarcoat it. Okay.

[Brian]

Fair, Meg, go on. I won't say anything more. Nice. Don't worry. Make your two picks.

[Megan]

Do I have two picks? Okay.

[Brian]

You got a lot of work to do. I.

[Megan]

First of all, I'm happy with my list so far. Just so you know. Very happy. And I'm happy with this next pick, too.

[Brian]

Good.

[Megan]

It's my second choice in this category, and maybe some of you have 3.0 choices that you think are better, but I love this show, and I think it's. I'm psyched to have it on my list. I'm gonna go with 1228.98 MSG for my 1228 category. Really great stash. This taste is awesome. The way that Trey Waits have this huge patience moment before his solo. We've got an acoustic set within a set. Sleep Albuquerque And Driver Set 2 opens with an absolutely amazing Carini and DeWolfman on Live Bait, Volume 13. Just awesome jams.

[Justin Bruce]

That's a good choice. That was definitely on my short list for the 28th, I will say that. And to be complimentary, Meg, don't. Don't get nervous that Wolfman's. The fact that they like, get weird and spend some time in that space and then get even weirder. Like toward the tail end of that jam, they were just like, like doing their own thing in 98. And respect to the band for doing what they wanted to do.

[Megan]

I love 98 fish.

[Brian]

I'm just blown away that you guys have already made three picks and only one of them for 1228. And only one of them was on my list. This is a great underrated pick. Nice call, Meg. The acoustic set is really, really nice. This was the show where they had the stage actually set up up for a four night theatrical experience and then it kind of faded. Really fun little statistic there for Fish that Karini Wolfman's. They released that on Live Bait, I believe, for the Baker's dozen. And that is some of the best 98 jamming. That's really, really good stuff. Not what I would have picked, but, you know, very respectable 1228 pick.

[Megan]

Yeah, I'm happy with it.

[Ryan Storm]

This was on my list.

[Brian]

And, you know, you just were drawn to 2023. I get it.

[Ryan Storm]

You know, what can I say?

[Brian]

This guy, that arrogance in the text threads this morning about how he was going to perform in drafts and then he makes.

[Ryan Storm]

Just for the record, most of my time today was I'm only picking 2017 or later.

[Brian]

That's fair.

[Megan]

It's true. That's true. Yeah, you have.

[Brian]

All right, Meg, you got another pick here. What are you going with?

[Megan]

Well, I'm going to do something that I want to do and that you are all going to think it's like very. It's expected. And I know a lot of you don't agree with me about this, but I really do think one of the absolute best jams that Fish has ever played on a holiday run is 12:30:19:12eezer. And I want that as my jam. And everybody can just. You can. If you don't agree with me and you think it's a bad jam you don't have to vote for me. Who thinks it's a bad jam or if you don't think it's as good as another one. You know, there are other jams that I know people love more, but this is on that list. Out of those jams, this is the one I return to the most. And I think it's the closest narrative jam to something like the Providence Bowie. And it has all the elements that I want in a jam. And I've talked at length on this podcast about this jam, so I'm not going to do that. But I love this jam and I'm sure maybe this will tank my draft, but it has to be on my list. And I'm happy about that.

[Ryan Storm]

That I'm shocked at you talking about this in a way that makes it seem like this isn't an absolute Pantheon level fish jam.

[Megan]

Well, it's because Brian beats me down about this all the time.

[Ryan Storm]

Well, first of all, we make fun of you because in drafts, 12, 30, 19 is just your thing.

[Megan]

Because it's an epic.

[Justin Bruce]

As Justin usually it's my thing today.

[Megan]

Yeah, it's what Justin Bruce will tell you.

[Brian]

It is an episode.

[Megan]

He took it. What is. Was that your second pick in this draft? This is an epic show and an epic jam, and I want it on my list. And thank you. You're right. You're right, Ryan.

[Ryan Storm]

3.0, 4.0 is my thing. I get made fun of for it and I keep going.

[Brian]

I need to do the stats on how many times meg has picked 12, 30, 19. If you listen to our top 25 shows of the century draft, you will note that we talked about 25 shows, but actually 26, because Meg turned the conversation about Alp into a conversation about 12, 30, 19.

[Megan]

You're welcome. I mean, don't you want to divert that conversation? Come on.

[Brian]

Look, I have. No, no, no.

[Ryan Storm]

It's not Alpine 22, Brian.

[Megan]

We're talking about Ruby Waves. Sorry.

[Brian]

This. I have. I think this is the seventh best New Year's Eve run jam the band has ever played. I get all this. Hate that. I don't like this jam. I am properly critical about elements of this jam. The first 20 minutes are pretty standard. The last. Last seven minutes are unlistenable from a jamming standpoint.

[Megan]

What are you talking.

[Ryan Storm]

Back up, back up, back up.

[Megan]

Justin, show me that face again. Like, come on, Brian.

[Brian]

I don't really need a jam to end in charge. I don't know, maybe that's seven minutes.

[Ryan Storm]

That's the last 90 seconds.

[Megan]

It's literally like 90 seconds.

[Ryan Storm]

My point, though, that's very different from seven minutes.

[Brian]

The reason why it's a top seven New Year's Eve run jam of all time is that the seven minutes in the middle are some of the most perfect, fluid, effortless, gorgeous, peaceful fish jamming that has ever been played. They are channeling Brian Enos, the Big Ship. The fact that those seven minutes exist, you have to acknowledge. You have to celebrate. So I think that it's, It's. It's a very on brand pick for Meg. There are four or five jams I would have picked before it, but I understand why she did it. Well, I picked the number one.

[Megan]

Okay, Brian, that's fine. That's your list. Fish is subjective and I. This is true.

[Ryan Storm]

All right, I'm gonna start now.

[Brian]

I'm just glad Meg got her pick.

[Ryan Storm]

Yeah, clearly when I.

[Brian]

She deserved it.

[Ryan Storm]

Clearly when I try to play the game here, it doesn't go well. So I'm gonna be selfish and I'm taking gamehenge as my wild card show pick. Or so story 12:31 23. For those of you like Neil, who don't know what a gamehenge New Year's Eve show is, this is the greatest night of my life.

[Brian]

Neil taking strays.

[Ryan Storm]

Neil doesn't think this is a real game hench. And I think that that's stupid.

[Brian]

Oh, that's. That's the first incorrect opinion I've ever heard. Oh, no. Other than his take on Bruce Springsteen.

[Megan]

Wait, not a real gamehenge?

[Ryan Storm]

Yeah, he doesn't think this is a real gamehenge. That's, that's, that's the thing. But anyway, anyway, this show is the greatest night of my life. The first set and a half of this show basically don't exist. It doesn't matter. But everything from Harpua through the end is just absolutely incredible. I listened to this ACDC bag again earlier today, and it holds up very, very well. I mean, you know, it being two years old, but I, I love everything about this. The way that they executed the gamehenge, the way that, you know, we kind of all knew it was gonna happen, yet, like, couldn't dare believe that it would really happen. And then it did, and it was incredible. And yeah, man, I just. I. I'm happy that it's still left on the board this late. I kind of took a gamble. Not. I, I kind of wanted to take this second round, but I'm happy that I waited and I'm happy that I have this.

[Justin Bruce]

I Applaud your restraint, young Ryan. I won on my. On my notes for 12. My summary of this choice. Respect, Ryan, and you have my support. Gamehenge, a make a wish gift from the band to fans who miss the early 90s.

[Brian]

All right.

[Ryan Storm]

Some of us weren't alive. Okay.

[Justin Bruce]

Yeah, I mean, it's only like, I wasn't there either.

[Megan]

If you're gonna make fun of me for picking a show that has one section of a show that you like. I'm just saying, like, you know, know a little hypocritical here.

[Ryan Storm]

There are more songs in Gamehenge that I would listen to than 1229 94.

[Megan]

So you think this is a relistenable show?

[Ryan Storm]

This is not withstanding the caliber of said songs.

[Megan]

Is this a re listenable show for you then?

[Justin Bruce]

I mean, yeah, don't sleep on that mid ACDC bag.

[Megan]

Exactly.

[Brian]

Geez.

[Ryan Storm]

I. And I thought you guys liked it.

[Brian]

This was my number three 1231 show. I think that this was the right pick, and I think that it's an aggressive move. Move. If you were performing well to pay make. Take this as a wild card when you already have 1231 99. Great, great calls. And it may actually be what ultimately you have right now. 1230, 18, 1231.99 and 1231 23. That's a very strong bench right there. Even. Even with where you screwed up my starting lineup, buddy. Listen, this guy with this puts 1231.99. Yeah, well, you did put 123123 on the bench. That is your wild card show.

[Ryan Storm]

Well, that's on the bench.

[Brian]

Regardless, whatever my turn of phrase may be incorrect, I apologize. I'm just an amateur podcaster over here. We're doing our best. You know, you have a really strong run of shows here that may actually end up pushing you over the edge. So don't get too big of a head, but well done. I think this is a great pick. I probably should have made this in my 1231. I saw the three picked already and I got a little bit complacent. Well done. And the fact that you were there, that's what matters more than anything.

[Megan]

It's true.

[Ryan Storm]

Vibes. This is a Vibes pick.

[Megan]

It's true. Totally.

[Justin Bruce]

Well, and even though we're me specifically, are casting a little bit of shade, it's incredible that fish did what they did. The art, you know, the pageantry, the. The doing, Doing it up big, 2023 style with all the Broadway flourishes, you know, it's. It was incredible. And I was an amazing moment. I was the one person who had no clue that they were going to do Game Hinge that night. I was genuinely shocked when I had no idea, honestly.

[Ryan Storm]

Rumors.

[Brian]

The rest of us were like, oh, man, they're really mailing in this first set. But it's okay because game change is coming up soon.

[Megan]

Exactly. No, it's incredible set.

[Brian]

We kept my son up for this entire show. And I have a picture of him reading the Fish Companion while watching fish play gamehenge, which is one of the most special moments in my life.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[Ryan Storm]

To a Brian Eno album in one year.

[Megan]

He is a Brinkman.

[Ryan Storm]

Okay.

[Megan]

Yeah, I remember. I remember watching this show, and my kids were like, wow, Mom, I'm sorry. You should really be there for.

[Brian]

For this.

[Megan]

So I get it.

[Ryan Storm]

I've been telling you that that entire day.

[Megan]

But anyway, I know, I know.

[Brian]

All right. JB's got the next pick, which if. If history is, you know, a predictor, he's gonna gut us right here. This is the one.

[Ryan Storm]

100%.

[Justin Bruce]

Well, I'm just concerned as I make this choice that we need a proper 1.0 steward for the greatest fish show of all time. 1231, 1999. So to make sure that I at least have some participatory role in that, in my jam selection, I will be taking the very, very, very, very late at night. Roses are free. 35 minutes from big Cyprus. An incredible mike led groove. Page ascending, descending, grandeur. It's amazing. And then an out there shuffle. This is when I first listened to Big Cypress back in, like, early 2000. Wasn't there in person, but listened to it right after. I feel like I would get caught up and like, start the show. And then, you know, after an hour or two, like, something would come up. But late at night. This is just magical that this Roses jam happened at 4 or 5 in the morning whenever it was. And it is, I think, the most challenging jam from that night, but also, I think, the best jam from that night. So there you have it.

[Megan]

Awesome pick.

[Brian]

That's a really awesome pick. I love that jam. I think that that jam is kind of the point of Big Cypress. Like, they wanted to test themselves to see what kind of music they would play after an extended period in time. Trey always talked about this with the long gig that they wanted to know what kind of music will we play a day and a half into a concert? And obviously they can't do the full long gig the way that they dreamed it up. They do a slightly modified still Playing an overnight show from midnight to 7am That's a really special thing. And one of the most special aspects of that is that around 5 o' clock in the morning you get a jam like this. That would not happen at any other show. Show. Ryan would probably say that that means it does not count for bracketing purposes. But that's something Ryan would say.

[Megan]

Relax.

[Brian]

Don't pick anything from the big set. Big Cypress set, because it's automatically going to win.

[Ryan Storm]

Nobody said nobody's picked a segment yet.

[Brian]

Well, I guess I did. Well, technically speaking.

[Ryan Storm]

Well, he picked a show. Yeah, but nobody's picked a segment yet. Tells you something. Something I don't know.

[Brian]

All right, I'm up now. I've got two picks back to back and I'm trying to figure out what do I do here. I feel like I got to do a big double whammy here for my wild card show as well as. What do we want to do? What do we want to do?

[Ryan Storm]

Well, I'm gonna too busy ragging on my picks and weren't prepared for your turn, huh?

[Brian]

Well, now there's just so many great shows to pick. The. The beautiful thing about this is if you played this right, you get no bad shows. You know, other than the random dates where, you know, you get bad shows. You can get bad shows. But I'm gonna go with what I would argue is the best non Cypress 95 New Year's Eve show of all time.

[Ryan Storm]

So the third best New Year's Eve show.

[Brian]

Yeah, but if you say that Cyprus is its own thing and you say.

[Ryan Storm]

So if you eliminate the two best New Year's Eve shows, this is the best one.

[Brian]

Correct. This is 12:31, which is the date of New Year's Eve, 1998. This show. What is the most important thing to a great fish show? Meg, let me ask you.

[Megan]

Go to me.

[Brian]

Yeah.

[Megan]

What's the most important thing of a great fish show? Jams.

[Brian]

Jams. But also, who did you think you were? The flow. The flow is the most.

[Megan]

Of course. Gotta have flow.

[Brian]

If you don't have flow, you don't really have. You don't really have, you know, a great show here you can have great jams like the Providence Bowie. You may not have a great show what you ultimately want, but if you.

[Megan]

Have a big enough show, you have a great. A big enough jam, you have a great show. Just FYI, nobody walked out of the Providence show being like the show is kind of lame, but we got a good jam. Just.

[Brian]

That is fair. The. The 1.0ers did not get super aggressive until later in time when they could then be like I was at 12, 2994. This show opens with 1999 goes into a gorgeous Mike's classic groove Ghost into Hahaha with a cavern to close down. I mean you've got segues, you got jams in the first set, beautiful tweezer into cities in set two really cool Antelope into Frankenstein. The third set, often the forgotten bonus set in a New Year's Eve. We get a jammed out runaway gym into a long kind of language, Auld Lang syme into an 18 minute simple that gets super dark and super weird. 19ish minute Harry Hood with an 8 minute intro that then fades into Tweezer Prize Llama to close things out because Tweezer Prize isn't taking us up to 11 enough. And then for the encore, what happens when we play a great show? You have to have some Beatles in the encore. And here we get While my guitar gently weeps. This is a show that there's no skips when I listen to the show. It is press play and let it go on through. This is that vibe that Fish was giving out towards the end of 1998. It is both chill, it is both kind of introspective. It allows for experimentation. It's just, it's just amazing, amazing stuff. And I want to give a big shout out here to ECW2 says the full set list read for every Brian show is classic. It's true. It happens every time. And then Ed said lol. They made the boringest part of Hood. Really. I hear what you're saying. I just. Man.

[Megan]

I was supposed to be at the show. I love this show too. And we couldn't get tickets and we were up in New York and we saw the two nights before it and then we ended up just partying in our hotel room. And I remember being bummed because the show was awesome.

[Brian]

It's a really awesome show. I'm very happy to have it. All right, so now I need to go see. I'm doing all the oh, we've closed now. 1231, 1231 categories. Our first closed category, we've got 123195 for Meg, 123199 for Ryan, 123103 for JB, 1231988 for me. Now I got to go to a wild card show. And this is kind of where I want to mess around and screw some people over.

[Megan]

Just trying to figure out nobody picks the one I want for this.

[Brian]

I'M trying to figure out which I.

[Ryan Storm]

Just wanted to say as ECW2, I was talking about the full set list read. Look how good my pick is. I'm reading song names. If. If some person has to go and get auto drafted on their last pick because they have to go pick a child up, it's Brian's fault.

[Brian]

It is. It's because the full. All right. Anyway, we, we. We will have to break open the rule book if we're going to do that. So I'm also doing all that data entry here. So, you know, you can just chill out. Let me talk.

[Megan]

He's doing a lot.

[Brian]

Guys, I'm gonna go with my wild card show because 1228, I'm to going golden. I'm. I'm stoked with what I'm gonna get last. My wild card show, though, I think can do some damage here. I'm gonna go to 12:30, which is the best date of official.

[Megan]

Ryan, this is so mean of you.

[Brian]

And I'm gonna go.

[Megan]

Attendance bias, Meg.

[Brian]

You can. You can justify attendance bias.

[Megan]

No, I don't. Oh, God.

[Brian]

This was a show that happened. I was so lucky to go to this show. There was a lot happened in my life at the time. And I got tickets to see the 29th through the 31st of this run. And I've already talked about this. I had one of the best days of my entire life on this date. And I had so much fun at this show that it spilled out to bars and after shows. And I didn't go to any after shows. We don't do that. I went to a dive bar in midtown Manhattan. We ran into a guy who looked like Trey and we all got pictures with him. I was out until like 5 o' clock in the morning. I had so much fun that I had a terrible time the following evening. Which was okay. Cause the following evening was all about vibes.

[Ryan Storm]

I was gonna say, was that because of the show or partying on 12:30?

[Brian]

Partying on 12:30.

[Ryan Storm]

Okay.

[Brian]

I just. I just. And the show. The show was. The show was what led to the partying. Because the show was.

[Megan]

No, no, no.

[Ryan Storm]

I mean, like, was the bad time on the 31st because of how bad 31st show was or the partying the previous night?

[Brian]

Yeah, I felt I couldn't eat. I was in a terrible state. But it was worth it because 123016 is one of the best fish shows I have ever seen. And it is one of the best 12:30 shows that the band has ever played. It kicked off an Incredible run of 2016, 17, 18, 19 were all amazing shows, all amazing experiences. And I'm just thankful that if nothing else, I. I have two 1230 shows on my list now. So 1230, 16 is my wild card show. I don't even feel like I need to read the set list because you all know it's all about that ghost.

[Megan]

No, I don't think you do.

[Brian]

This is the wheel. Great moment in the show when they are peaking party time and I'm watching the show and I see this guy like six rows in front of me, turning around, looking at me, going like this. And I realized during the jam that it was my buddy Sam Timber, who if you've. If you've ever met him, you know he is the best person to reassure you that you are seeing a great fish show. Amazing stuff. Total attendance bias, but I feel happy with it. 12:30, 16.

[Megan]

Nice. I like that for you.

[Brian]

Good. Glad.

[Megan]

It wasn't what I thought you were.

[Ryan Storm]

Going to pick from me.

[Megan]

It wasn't what I thought you were going to pick for me.

[Ryan Storm]

Amazing.

[Megan]

I'm so happy. No, that's a great show.

[Brian]

I was going you to tell take.

[Megan]

I. I can't tell you.

[Justin Bruce]

Yeah, I don't want to. Don't want to tip my cat. But I. I had. I was so sure you were going to take a different 12:30 show.

[Brian]

Same.

[Justin Bruce]

I wrote it down on my list and then I had to scratch it out.

[Brian]

Same. Justin, what is the.

[Megan]

We can't tell you.

[Justin Bruce]

We can talk about this later post?

[Brian]

Yeah, I'm. I'm. I'm really interested in what you think.

[Megan]

Well, we'll see.

[Justin Bruce]

Flab. Flabbergast. Guessing.

[Megan]

Okay, so we've got you two pick and then me.

[Justin Bruce]

Yeah. Now.

[Brian]

Yeah.

[Justin Bruce]

I'm at the buffet. I've gorged myself on lobster and steak. Brian and Megan thankfully left some pieces of bread for me so I can get into the random dates category. Yeah, actually, of the four shows that I had, you all picked the third and fourth shows on my list respectively.

[Brian]

Oh, I. Wow.

[Megan]

Interesting.

[Justin Bruce]

Also going. I'm also gonna go to 2016 just so I can get some early or mid 3.0 representation. I'm gonna go July. Excuse me?

[Brian]

January.

[Justin Bruce]

That'll be the next pandemic. When fish does New Year's Eve in July. All right, I'm going. January 2, 2006. 16. Top shelf song calls a top shelf tweezer jam. 22 minutes. But they are not messing around. From a team. And bright and taciturn and mellifluous. Then power Then a little synth ending. You've got sand limb by limb, Susie Hood, yam. All the things that you would. Lizards encore. Who's saying no to that? So, yeah, I'm going 1, 2, 16 for my random show.

[Ryan Storm]

Damn it.

[Brian]

This isn't a long list of shows I was supposed to be at and for family related reasons was not able to be at. And I remember webcasting this and being.

[Ryan Storm]

Like, man, man, thank God.

[Brian]

Would have been a great way to kick off this year. No, I was still in my youthful phase where I thought I had to be there at shows. Great, great pick. Awesome stuff. Stuff. That was my number two show in the random dates. So all three of my picks. Ryan, I don't know what you're going to do with the random dates, but Godspeed.

[Ryan Storm]

No, this was 1 2, 16 was what I was hoping to get. And, you know, I totally understand Justin taking that because, you know, it is what it is. I do want to shout out.

[Brian]

This is the challenge with the draft where you're like, how long can I wait?

[Ryan Storm]

Right? I know Justin did just draft all the best adjectives. I agree with that. You know, there's not.

[Megan]

Where are you going? Right?

[Ryan Storm]

It's not a ton. It's not a ton here, man. I mean, I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go with 1 303. You know, I think that's kind of. You do 12 with the 46 days, but, you know, I'm gonna go with 13 here. Not my ideal pick here. I would like to note that I now have a pick from every era.

[Brian]

Nice job.

[Ryan Storm]

That's kind of cool.

[Megan]

Well done.

[Ryan Storm]

That's great. Nice and well rounded. Yeah. I like when Paige does collab stuff and this contact is the thing. And I'm not gonna read the whole set list. There are a few other highlights from the show, but early January 03 is not where the band would be.

[Justin Bruce]

Six weeks later, later, you get a five song set one.

[Megan]

Isn't that the truth?

[Justin Bruce]

Like, that's nice. A five song.

[Ryan Storm]

But there's not a lot of excitement in said five songs. Set one.

[Brian]

You got Tweezer an opening.

[Justin Bruce]

Tweezer is nice.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[Justin Bruce]

I mean, this is your pick. I'm trying to help you out.

[Megan]

Yeah, we're trying to help you.

[Ryan Storm]

I remember 2022 also opens with Tweezer. That. That doesn't make it an exciting tweezer.

[Justin Bruce]

I remember as this was happening in. In real life at the time, I was trying to get my college roommate into film fish. I'd been at it for a little bit of time. And I was like, hey, new show just dropped. Let's give this. You enjoy myself a listen. It's classic. This is like. This is canon.

[Brian]

And then it restarted.

[Justin Bruce]

The beginning. I was like, ooh, okay.

[Ryan Storm]

All right, all right.

[Justin Bruce]

Gotta get our sea legs.

[Ryan Storm]

Yeah. You know, for me, this is like going to the buffet, and you're like, you're still hungry, but there's one stale roll left, and you just. You eat it because it's the only thing left.

[Megan]

You slather it with butter and you take it down.

[Brian]

What fucking buffet are you guys going to where there's only rolls left that you want? Like, can we have some?

[Ryan Storm]

Like, the random buffet, Brian. The random dates.

[Brian]

The random date.

[Megan]

It's so true. It is just.

[Brian]

I. I definitely did not clarify this at the top, so I apologize. But great question from Ed. Does random show mean one that's not 1228-1231? Yes. So certain runs they played 1227 once they've played post New Year's a couple of times, which is not with post Post Malone, no matter how much people want it. So anytime they played outside of the 12:28-12:31 run, we just had those as random. You know, this show at the time was a big deal, if you recall, right? The Wolfmans was huge. Nakasupa was pretty big. The you enjoy myself restart was. Was basically where three shows in now. All of the haters who wanted to claim that 1.0 was the only good fish, they finally had their thing that they could hang their hat on, and they would not let you forget it. It's annoying, but the Contact has some cool fall 97 stuff that. That I'm really into. So, you know, I think I would have gone 12 03, but, you know, you got to do. Got to do what you got to do. He's got a lot of big shows here, a lot of heavy hitters that he's. He's. He's holding his hat on right now.

[Ryan Storm]

Shall we?

[Megan]

It's my turn.

[Ryan Storm]

It is Meg's.

[Brian]

Meg's last turn.

[Ryan Storm]

Last final two picks.

[Megan]

I cannot believe this show is still on the table. I have been holding my breath this whole time, and I'm so glad about it. For my wild card Show, I'm picking 123193 from Worcester. Just the biggest show to date that they had ever played. Aquarium set on stage. Awesome. Reba. In a banner year for the song Big Tweezer to open set two Peaches teases in its ice And Possum, a great yam. The Down With Disease jam premieres comes out. We get the kernel that's going to be Down With Disease, one of the biggest songs Fish will ever have, and we've got a Mount Rushmore hood. And this show is. Is when you think of New Year's Eve and you think of Fish, this has to be on the list of what you're thinking about, because this is one of the first times they set that big thematic feeling that has come to define what we think of when we think of New Year's Eve.

[Brian]

Fish.

[Justin Bruce]

Trey Teasing. Auld Lang Syne. And that hood is, like, one of my favorite little.

[Megan]

Perfect.

[Ryan Storm]

Everything about that hood is perfect.

[Megan]

Mount Rushmore.

[Ryan Storm]

There's nothing wrong.

[Brian]

Yeah. That's a great pick, Meg. Really great call. And I. And I admire you for picking that in a wild card. Meg now has 1231.95 and 1231.93 to outweigh her selection of 1229 94, the whole show, as well as the 123919 tweezer. Great stuff, Meg.

[Megan]

Way to believe that I'm getting shit for picking the 122994 show on this podcast right now. What is happening?

[Ryan Storm]

Yes.

[Megan]

Unbelievable. Unbelievable. This is my final pick.

[Brian]

This is your final pick?

[Megan]

And what category is it in? 1230. This is really funny because if anybody who listens to the show or knows me knows that 1230 is my most favorite night of fish all year. It is the night that I feel like is my fish church. I always try to be on the floor if I can. That's the only night of the year I care about that.

[Brian]

That.

[Megan]

Because I like to be in the middle of the soup, feeling the vibes and having that energy, and I cannot believe that I have to pick, like, my fourth pick for this. But it's okay, because it's still a great show, and I'm gonna pick a show that has a pretty killer set list. Yeah. I'm picking 123017 from MSG for my 1230 show.

[Ryan Storm]

Brian's gonna quit podcasting with you, by the way.

[Megan]

Why?

[Ryan Storm]

He does not like this show. Just.

[Brian]

Just. Just warning. It's not true. That's not true. That's not true. I got a lot of stuff put in my mouth here that I. That I don't like. Certain things. I. I think 12:30:17 is a fantastic choice here. Meg, go ahead.

[Justin Bruce]

I. I thought that's what Brian was going to pick in his. The last time around.

[Megan]

So did I. I was. I like it better than 2030 16. I'm sorry, Brian. I know you were there, but I like it better. It has Justin saying same and so does Ryan. We've got a mic screw to open a tweezer, which is a mid first sweat tweezer jam that goes into ass handed, which we know that you know, Ryan, we know you love this jam. Set two down with disease. You know, 28 minutes, huge downward disease to open set to unfinished into a fantastic steam. I mean, it's just a. I think this is a really good set list. Sleepy monkey Tweezer reprise encore a la 12 697. You know, I like this show. I think it's great. It's not my favorite 12:30 show, but I think I have enough strong picks in other categories to outweigh this.

[Ryan Storm]

Also funky.

[Megan]

It's not a lemon. You know, it's not a lemon and I'm happy with it. Happy with my list.

[Ryan Storm]

Funky brother.

[Megan]

There you go.

[Brian]

Funky brother. Which is more. They couldn't really play brother, which was the funny part about it. I'm honestly surprised that this is the first 2017 pick to get taken here because 12, the 2017 New Year's run, there's really no misses from a full show standpoint. Even New Year's Eve, it's a little more up and down. But I mean, that song, I heard the ocean sing the God of Jabu. There's just really great stuff throughout there. This show, I think, like a lot of 2017 historically doesn't look as good because of the slop and the fact that Trey did not have the ability to string together more than like 10 notes at a time. But with what you said from a set list standpoint where they're placing jams, the chances they're taking, this is a huge show. I don't think you could have gone wrong.

[Megan]

Thanks.

[Ryan Storm]

I just want. I want to enter into evidence text conversations from a few weeks ago where I was talking about how much I love this disease and Brian told me it was whole a uninspired and not a very good jam. So it's very true.

[Megan]

I don't think I was on that text chain.

[Ryan Storm]

No, no, you were not. But I just. I want that entered into the record as Brian tries to pretend he likes this show just well.

[Megan]

Oh, thank you.

[Brian]

Thank you. I think it's a good show, but I think it also deserves criticism.

[Ryan Storm]

Absolutely. But this disease is fantastic.

[Megan]

I agree.

[Ryan Storm]

I love this jam. I like this pick, by the way.

[Megan]

Thank you.

[Brian]

Meg is all finished now. She's made all of her picks and we've got six minutes left for JB to make it to or, excuse me, Ryan, to pick up his children. Ryan, you are up. You have your final pick, which is a jam wild card.

[Ryan Storm]

Yes.

[Brian]

Which is actually a really good strategy to hold that off because there are so many great jams, so many picks.

[Megan]

I messed it up. I feel like I was in no.

[Ryan Storm]

I was in no hurry here, you know, Brian thinks I'm gonna take the 12, 29, 18 tweezer. I'm not gonna do that. As much as I love that jam. I am, however gonna go with my gut here, which is 4.0. I don't really care. You know, it's like, do I like, can I double dip? Should I double dip on cypress and take the cypress disease? But I'm not gonna do that because I have the whole show, which that is part of. I am going to take the 12, 29, 23 chalk dust torture.

[Megan]

So sick.

[Ryan Storm]

This jam is absolutely incredible. You know, it's like very dark and experimental for most of it. Megan, you and I were at this show together. We had a fantastic time. We did this jam. You also get a lot of that like wiggly effect that Trey was playing with in late 23 and early 24. And I just think the way that it's in that controlled chaos zone for so much of it is phenomenal and it goes way, way out there. I love this jam and I am proud to finish my draft with a 4.0 pick.

[Megan]

Hell yeah. I love this jam. This is like a throwback. It's such a multi part jam. So many sections. Each section is like just as compelling as the others. An absolutely sick crash and then that drum beat segue into oblivion. Like, that's cool. This is. I love this jam. I just spun this twice this week and I was like, wow, this is good. It was on my short list for sure.

[Justin Bruce]

And you get bonus.

[Brian]

Bonus woos.

[Megan]

That is the one down part about it, to be honest.

[Brian]

If you have to pick the second best New Year's Eve run chalk dust torture that's ever been played, this is.

[Megan]

A good one to pick. I like this jam.

[Justin Bruce]

All right, so for my last pick.

[Brian]

Well done. I like that pick. That's a great chalk dust torture. I think that's a top five jam of 2020. Sorry, JB.

[Justin Bruce]

All good. For my last, last pick, you guys had all selected from 1229, so I knew I could do that one last. And actually, as luck would have it, I have my first selection still available from 1229. To make sure that I'm representative of 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, and now 4.0. I'll be choosing 1229, 2024. This is a jammy set. 1. The Caspian Jam surprised me at how great it was. Going from minor to major. Yem has a chill, quiet funk jam, the world's shortest vocal jam. And then a nice move into ghost and then a 37 minute Ruby waves that is huge and multi sectioned in 37 minutes. Fish is literally going to cover all the bases. And they do. And a little bold is like love Encore. A callback to my first show at Star Lake in 1999. Had a little bold as love encore. So yeah, 12, 29, 24, please and thank you.

[Megan]

Oh, that show. That was my longest fish jam outside of like a special secret set that I've ever seen. It just blew my mind. I was so happy. And this whole show is so killer. Yeah. I remember like when they started Caspian, I was like, oh, God. And then, then it ended up being amazing. So, yeah, great set list. Great show. Really.

[Ryan Storm]

Yeah.

[Megan]

Just so many good jams.

[Brian]

That was 12:29 becoming the new 12:30.

[Megan]

It's the new 12:30. It's the new 12:30 with 23 and 24. Yeah.

[Ryan Storm]

Monday. It's a Monday show this year. Don't miss out Monday night.

[Brian]

I feel like I totally get your point. I feel like the New Year's Eve run, the days of the week don't matter. It's the 100%.

[Megan]

We agree, 100%. Who even knows what day of the week it is?

[Brian]

That's the beauty of when you get to the end of December and you're on break and you're at a fish run. You're just like, what day is it? And I can't wait for that. Seeing as I'm sitting here still trying to finish up some work before the holidays, I feel like Bob Cratchit. All right, I have the last pick to make here in the draft, which is a great honor. I want to thank, thank Ryan and Justin for joining us here and for being such good sports. Justin really showing how much of a killer he is. Ryan talks a great game. Before you get Ryan Brand today, I would have, I would have really appreciated Some just full 2017 onward picks here from you. That said, my Last pick is 1228, which I'm so thankful that you guys decided to only pick one show from 1228 that I would have selected because it just allowed me to hang out here, savor the moment, enjoy the camaraderie the fun draft. I considered taking 1228, 2019 because nobody talks about that show and that show fucking rules. That is an excellent 1228 show. Debut of evening song weird jams in set 2. Choctaw torture reprise, Ass Handed Drowned Guy.

[Megan]

Forget Swept Away Steep. Come on.

[Brian]

Swept Away in Steep which were not played during this show. Beneath the Sea of Stars is what.

[Megan]

You'Re thinking of 1228, 19.

[Brian]

Yes, I believe it was 18 that.

[Ryan Storm]

They did Swept Away Steep.

[Brian]

This show is a dog face boy though. Sorry, but I'm not choosing 1228 19. This is not.

[Ryan Storm]

I was going to say I Hope.

[Brian]

You'Re not 7, 14, 19 pick for 12 30. 19. I'm going to go with my heart here, which I guess I've already done. So I'm just like, I'm showing my heart during this period in time. We are going 1228, 2003. I cannot believe this show is still available. This begins with a 17 minute David Bowie and then follows up two songs later with a really nice type 2 tweezer that then gives us a. The first type 2 Frankie says just a gnarly crazy Susie Greenberg midway through the second set. Great guy to Jabu in that second set. I mean you just have fish 2003 at their peak. Just like gnarly, experimental, aggressive. Awesome, awesome stuff here. The first set is so good that it ends with a tweezer a prize.

[Megan]

That is cool.

[Brian]

Beautiful Harry Hood towards the end. Fishman during love U scats a verse and then sings in near perfect time. I can't remember the words now. I can't remember the words. And it really doesn't matter because I can't sing either. So who gives a fuck? It's time for the vacuum cleaner. Just amazing stuff to Ed or ecw. I forget which one of you guys made this point earlier that Fish kind of got worse on each night of 2003. Part of the reason why 2003 still holds up is because 1228 is probably the best played show of the run, which is a unique thing, but just tons of jam scattered everywhere. I got to get some 2003 love in here.

[Megan]

I love that opening spacey jam into Bowie. It's super cool and a jammed out Frankie stick. Does fun really pound?

[Justin Bruce]

That's a phenomenal 13 minute tweezer.

[Megan]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Justin Bruce]

Just some Pink Floydy like chill kind of vibes. That's. That was high on my list of 1228 shows. But I knew that after picking New Year's Eve 2003 if I pick 1228, 2003, you guys would refer me to like a counselor or something.

[Brian]

So you can't go too far.

[Ryan Storm]

2.0.

[Megan]

Yeah, you can't have too much 2.0 on your list.

[Ryan Storm]

Well, especially late.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[Ryan Storm]

Yeah.

[Brian]

So I'm just going to read quickly through the results here. Who won? The viewers, the listeners, y'.

[Ryan Storm]

All. Neil won. Actually. Neil won the draft.

[Brian]

Neil won. Neil won. Meghan's pick in 1228, she's got 1998. In 1229, she's got 1994. 1230, she's got 2017, 1231, she's got a big one. 1231 95, random dates. She has New Year's Day, 2011, her wild card show. Brilliant pick here. 1231. 93.

[Ryan Storm]

Can we not have the commentary, please? We need an objective reading of the picks so people can vote.

[Brian]

And her jam wild card is extremely on brand. 12:30, 19. Tweezer Ryan Storm, I think I'm reading this correctly. Selected.

[Ryan Storm]

The impartial one.

[Brian]

1229, he's got 1997 because sure, he had to make a point about 123097 by picking 1229. 1230, he's got 2018, that's a killer pick. 1231, he's got Cyprus. Killer pick, random dates. He's got 1 3. Even though I don't think he's ever listened to the yem restart wild card show. Joe went big here with 12:30, 12:31 23 and his jam wild card, he's got 12:29, 23. Good, good stuff there, JB, the silent assassin of the draft. 12:28, 95.

[Ryan Storm]

Just for the record.

[Brian]

12:29, 24. What a amazing 29 year gap there between those shows. 12:30, 97, total assassin lesson Brian's all time favorite show. Just all time favorite show. And mine too category and Meg's too. 1231. 03, his random dates is 1 2, 16. His wild card show, Twist the Knife in Meg. 1230, 19, and his jam Wild card. This is as Brian core as it gets. This is why Justin and I, we. We never fight. There's just. There's just. Yeah, yeah, I.

[Justin Bruce]

We're both always right.

[Brian]

It's just always right. 1231.99 roses are free. Done. And then my picks. 1228, you got 1228.03, which is the best 1228 show the band has ever played. 1229, you got 1229. 1995, which.

[Ryan Storm]

Which is the best 1229 show the.

[Brian]

Band has ever played. 29 show the band has ever played. Twelve thirty, we've got 1993, which is the second best. The second best show that the band has ever played. 1231, we've got 1231. 98, 8, which is the best one they've ever played.

[Ryan Storm]

If you remove the top two from the list.

[Brian]

Thank you, Ryan. I appreciate that. Good ally. Oop there. Random dates. 1315, the best random date show ever played. Wild card show. 1230, 16. Should I have gone with 1231? 93 there? Probably. That. That probably is.

[Megan]

I was terrified.

[Brian]

I decided to go with a 12:30 show because Meg had not picked 12:30 and I didn't know we could.

[Ryan Storm]

I didn't know we could explain our pick picks.

[Megan]

It was a defensive move and I think it backfired a little bit.

[Brian]

Brian. Sometimes defensive moves do. This is why. This is why we. We celebrate offense and then jam Wild card. I picked the best part of 12.29.94 and the best jam the band has ever played during a New Year's Eve run.

[Megan]

So you picked a jam from a show that I have. Cool. Okay, cool. But you think that show's bad. Got it. Got it.

[Brian]

No, no, no. I don't think the show's bad.

[Ryan Storm]

He thinks overall it's not that good in terms of full show quality in comparison to other 1229s y it his grocery list loud to his wife.

[Brian]

I have never felt more seen before. I go to the grocery store. This does actually happen. I just want to double check because I don't want to be at the grocery store and forget. So I read out the list. This is a great call. It's like ECW2 knows me.

[Ryan Storm]

Celery, best vegetable you can get.

[Brian]

Banana is really good.

[Ryan Storm]

Yellow fruit, not in the fridge.

[Brian]

Have you ever cooked like, like hash brown potatoes with celery leaves chopped up and then put eggs over it? That is.

[Megan]

Celery leaves are really good, actually. They're underrated. I put. I put them in a salad with like farro. It's really, really good. Some pomegranates.

[Ryan Storm]

I have to go pick up my kids. We. We need.

[Justin Bruce]

Yeah, the fennel. The fennel portion of the. Of the podcast is when I have to go pick up my.

[Brian]

My children. I just want to know.

[Justin Bruce]

Ryan, I'll see you at school in just a moment, buddy.

[Brian]

Yeah. JB didn't say a word for five minutes. Only to say, quote, fuck. Woos. Well done, jb. Thank you for hanging with us. Go get your kiddos.

[Megan]

Thanks, Justin.

[Brian]

That was awesome.

[Megan]

It was so fun. Even if you took my favorite staff, it's fine. I still like you. I won't be mad at you.

[Brian]

Well, this was a great draft. Thank you, guys. Ryan, Justin, thank you guys for joining us and helping with the camaraderie, the contentiousness, the shit talking, the fun. I had a great time. I hope Megan had a great time. It sounds like she might not have, but, you know, work through that.

[Megan]

Brian, don't put words in my mouth. I had a great time. I am not emotionally invested in my picks the way that you are, which is funny, but I am. I'm happy with my. I'm happy with the jam, the draft.

[Brian]

I think I made whatever makes you feel better.

[Megan]

Yeah, I think I'm. Yeah, I'm actually really happy with it. Makes me feel better. What do you mean? What is that? That sounds like a dig. I just want to say super happy with my list.

[Ryan Storm]

I just want to say that I love you guys so much and Justin as well. And, you know, know, thank you so much for having me on this episode. It's really incredible to be a part of the shit talking in a draft, you know, after watching you guys and pitting you against each other occasionally in the chat for fun, you know, and watching you each kind of mentally destroy each other on different episodes, you know, I love this. I love that we're all close enough friends that we can, like, abuse each other in the context of. Of drafting fish. It's really. It's really great.

[Brian]

Why have friends if you can't abuse them? That's a really good. You put that on a T shirt. You know, why have friends if you can't abuse them? Goose 2024. You know, something like that.

[Megan]

Ryan, we love you too. And even though we give you so much crap, we really loved having you on. I'm so glad you got to do it. And you are an awesome drafter and I'm so glad you picked some things so that I.

[Ryan Storm]

You still don't have to sugarcoat my 12, 28, 23 pick, by the way.

[Megan]

Everybody makes a mistake in a draft. It's okay.

[Brian]

I was going to say, I agree.

[Megan]

Brian has quite a bit of 3.0. It's fine.

[Brian]

Do I?

[Ryan Storm]

But they're the. But they're the best shows played in 3.0 on those dates.

[Brian]

That's why I get them. That's why I picked them. This was a great draft. I hope you all are taking notes of shows and jams you should listen to. Unless that is 12, 28, 23, which in that case, I would just. You could listen to 2019. You could listen to 2016. There's better 1228 shows out there. Jesus Christ.

[Ryan Storm]

2019 is not a better 1228. But whatever.

[Megan]

You can listen to 98. 1228. 98.

[Brian]

That's a great show. I hope you guys all take note of these shows and start spinning New Year's Eve run jams as you prepare for msg. We will be back soon. We're gonna have to figure out our next date for recording because we are about to be in the holidays and I'm sure that we are both crazy. So we will get back to you with when we are hosting our next episode. Our next episode is going to be the season finale of our rushmore season for 2025. We will be concluding it with you. Enjoy myself and I'm pretty excited about that. Meg, I hope you've started prepping for it. I'm already. I've got my four.

[Megan]

I have not started. Rya. I had to prep for this massive draft with 100 jams and 2000 shows. So did I. Oh yeah.

[Ryan Storm]

I also listened to every album and watched every movie and read every book that's come out this year, so I don't know what your problem is. Megan.

[Megan]

I don't know either. I read 41 books this year, so I'm doing pretty good.

[Ryan Storm]

Don't Worry, Ryan read 700.

[Brian]

I'm just. I'm almost at 50. I had 51 last year and I want to get to 52 this year.

[Megan]

Including audiobooks now.

[Brian]

Including audiobooks, yes.

[Ryan Storm]

Oh, that doesn't count as reading.

[Brian]

I would disagree. Anyway, the podcasts are not reading. Audiobooks are reading. We got one last dig here from ECW to RJ is going to claim some random RJ's.

[Ryan Storm]

12, 409 100%. He's picking 12409. Look.

[Brian]

12, 409 yen. Do not skip that. That is an amazing.

[Ryan Storm]

Yeah, but is it the best?

[Brian]

Never. Not at all. All right, I'm still not over ghost.

[Megan]

Sorry.

[Brian]

ECW2 here. Coming in hot. Trying to challenge Neil for the best. So great chat member today. All right, we will be back sometime soon with our YEM episode as well as we'll be back in early 2026 to recap MSG and to talk through how 2025 fish went. All that good stuff is coming up here. We'll keep you posted on the date for the Yam Rushmore. Otherwise, hope you guys have a wonderful holiday season. Stoked for MSG Fish on the horizon and we'll see you all soon.

[Megan]

Thanks everyone.

[Ryan Storm]

By.

[Brian]

Sam. Osiris.

[Megan]

Did you know you can opt.

[Brian]

Out of winter with VRBO? Save up to 1500 dollars for booking a month long stay. When thousands of sunny homes are waiting for you, why subject yourself to the cold? Put the snow shovel down, put the parka back in the closet, and don't you dare scrape another windshield. Slip into some flip flops, consider a sunless tan and use the monthly stays filter to save up to $1,500. Book your warm getaway at vrbo.com this is Lawrence Lanahan, journalist, musician and host of Rearranged, an Osiris Media podcast about music arrangements arranging Once a song is written, arrangers make musical decisions that shape how we end up hearing the song. We're not just talking about adding orchestral accompaniment like horns and strings, or doing a cover version of a song. Arrangement can be putting happy music over dark lyrics, using samples, recording all acoustic.

[Justin Bruce]

Even tiny decisions like putting an electronic.

[Brian]

Loop into an acoustic song to draw.

[Justin Bruce]

Your attention to an important turn of phrase. It's all arranging.

[Brian]

Rearranged Episodes are documentary essays where I use arrangements to answer some big questions like what is a song and what can a song become? And how can the sound of a song change the meaning you take from it? Listening this way has changed my relationship with music. Tune in to Rearranged and maybe it'll happen for you too. Learn [e-mail].

[Justin Bruce]

Osiris.