An ordinary Fall '96 Phish show in every way; nothing wrong but nothing essential. This was my second concert - headed up to Buffalo with a handful of friends and managed to win some converts, as I recall. The band wasn't pushing the envelope at this point, though a major creative breakthrough occurred just two weeks later in Atlanta (the 'Remain in Light' set), which would start the band on the expansive-minimalist path that dominated their late-90's music. How's this for a jerky suggestion: if you're just assembling your Phish collection for the first time, skip 1996 altogether, or grab the Ball and 12/6 and be done with it. There's plenty of fine music in there but it's all transitional stuff - the kind of material you'll hear differently, knowing where it's leading.