Setlist
Set One
Set Two
Encore
Stream this show and the entire LivePhish catalog
Setlist
Set One
Set Two
Encore
Show Notes
Lakewood Amphitheatre is a 19,000 seat modern outdoor shed opened in 1989 at the Lakewood Fairgrounds near downtown Atlanta. The venue has had some corporate names since then but it was still just Lakewood when Phish rolled in on July 23, 1997. This was Phish’s second Lakewood show of 11 to-date (1995-2015), reserved tickets cost $27.00 including parking, and the Wednesday night sellout crowd was fired up. The band was freshly back in the United States after their second European tour of the year with a quiver of new songs that were coming into their own. Just a couple of shows in, the U.S. tour was already formidable with the band coming off of two standout shows in Virginia Beach and Raleigh. Atlanta continued the streak.
Set I highlights included the Julius opener, Limb By Limb, Split Open And Melt and Billy Breathes. Limb By Limb, with its syncopated beat and sinuous leads, was a U.S. public debut introduced to the Hotlanta crowd along with new songs Dirt, Dogs Stole Things, and Water In The Sky. Set II’s Punch You In The Eye opener (with shoutouts to Burlington’s own Joe Moore) set up the Lakewood Ghost – a 27-minute improvisational masterwork that cemented this show’s must-hear status. A knockout combination of You Enjoy Myself > Rocky Mountain Way > Chalk Dust Torture rounded out the set, with a unique Scent Of A Mule’ish breakdown in YEM and Rocky Mountain Way woven into the Chalk Dust closer.
Lakewood ‘97 was recorded by Paul Languedoc to digital multitrack and was mixed/mastered by Jon Altschiller.
Reviews
oozingdreadlockskullcap — 7/30/2026 4:07:08 PM
"HOLY FUNK"
Zach — 7/26/2026 2:42:03 PM
"I don’t know how I am just now hearing this show. Wow. It has better sound quality than some of the modern day shows. Then the performance itself, the band is really locked in on this night. This show deserves a physical deluxe treatment, CD, vinyl, T-Shirt, mock backstage pass, hell even a cassette modeled after an old Maxell. "
Ferret — 7/23/2026 3:51:07 AM
"OMG I was in Georgia for this show. had ticket G13. I introduced a 1st timer, I believe it was wet but a great show none the less "
Mac Kitchin — 7/7/2026 8:48:28 PM
"This is their best show ever. Too many highlights to list but that Ghost is the best piece of live music ever performed. The show was also recorded on multitrack which is partially why it sounds better than most. Simply outstanding. "
Linda Louski — 6/18/2026 11:38:51 PM
"I took the ticket finally and got the ride.. the Ghost absolutely broke down many levels of any reason. Re aligned here in 2026 and will probably spend the next 36 hours trying to process it. Poor blokes that were there are still looking for their melted brains. 10/10 Best band in the land!"