Phish | Gumbo | 8.13.97 | Burgettstown, PA | Star Lake Amphitheatre | Cosmic Psychedelic Country Jam

Phish – Gumbo (Live at Star Lake Amphitheatre, Burgettstown, PA – 8/13/1997) Step back into the peak of "Cow Funk" with one of the most celebrated, legendary versions of "Gumbo" ever played! Recorded live on August 13, 1997, at the Star Lake Amphitheatre in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, this performance stands as a crown jewel of Phish’s historic Summer ’97 tour. The Significance of this Gumbo Up until 1997, "Gumbo" was traditionally kept as a shorter, jazz-oriented composition that rarely broke free from its rigid structure. Summer 1997 changed everything. The song was completely transformed into a launchpad for deep, exploratory improvisation. The 8/13/97 Star Lake "Gumbo" is widely considered a gold standard version by fans. Clocking in with an unforgettable, multi-tiered groove, the band locks into a textbook exercise of democratic, minimal, and incredibly patient 1997 funk. Mike Gordon drives the ship with deep bass bombs, Page McConnell colors the space with clavinet scratches and piano work, and Trey Anastasio applies masterful rhythm scratches before building into a triumphant, soaring peak. The Significance of the Show and Tour Summer 1997 is universally regarded as a renaissance period for Phish. Fresh off their European tour, the band completely reimagined their sound, shifting away from rapid-fire arena-rock transitions and leaning heavily into "cow funk"—a style defined by thick grooves, space, loops, and listening to each other. The Star Lake '97 show is legendary in its own right. Sitting just days before the band's massive festival finale at The Great Went, it features an incredible setlist including the debut of Elton John's "Amoreena" and a rare first-set "McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters". It's also famous for Trey using a mic'd rubber chicken to communicate song choices to Page! Sit back, drop into the groove, and remember: "There ain't no time to stash the gumbo!"