Tag: Trey Anastasio

Flashback: Phish Busts Out The Covers at MSG, December 30, 1997

One of the most influential years in the history of Phish couldn’t end without a stop at MSG, The World’s Most Famous Arena, and it was 1997 that would bring the band to new highs, including their first ever three-night headlining bill at The Garden.

Today marks the anniversary of the second night in this run, a show marked by one of the greatest bust outs in terms of show gap, a legendary “Harpua” with assistance from Tom Marshall, and a handful of fan favorite cover songs played alongside some of the traditional heavy hitters. In addition to all the clips seen below, the entire show can be streamed here.

1997 Holiday Run shirt design by Erin Cadigan via PhanArt

After a quick discussion, Phish casually greets the Garden crowd with one of the greater bust outs of all time. It’s merely the first “Sneakin’ Sally Through The Alley” in 920 shows, last played at Ian McLean’s party in Hebron, NY in 1989, a likely much more intimate gathering. After shaking off some of the early rust, Phish easily settles into a funk groove so reminiscent of this era, fueled by Trey Anastasio on guitar with Page McConnell eagerly aiding and abetting on the clav.

Instead of ramping up towards a (now) customary vocal jam, the funk jam slowly devolves and Anastasio adds some digital delay loops as the tone shifts towards a much more ambient feel before the opening guitar lick of “Taste” ensues. McConnell throws down some thunderous play on the baby grand piano before yielding the floor to Anastasio for a spellbinding crescendo of electric guitar.

Things cool off a bit with the relatively new “Water In The Sky” that follows, still in its early, slower tempo. But Anastasio puts a stop to that quickly at song’s end, starting up the familiar strumming that initiates “Punch You In The Eye” and a quick stop at Gamehendge.

“Punch” goes off without a hitch and after some brief high-intensity feedback, Anastasio seems to make the audible call for “Stash.” Aside from the opening funk produced in “Sally,” this provides the other real notable jam of the first set, a brooding, mesmerizing sequence that has some distinct touches of “evil” Phish. Drummer Jon Fishman continues to push the pace to an almost alarming rate before the reigns are pulled back in, somewhat quickly, and the song finishes rather meekly.

To rev things back up, Phish resorts to a reliable figure, “Chalkdust Torture.” Fishman and bassist Mike Gordon steer the collective ship more than ably as Anastasio reaches back and delivers one last scorching first set guitar solo that the Garden crowd visibly devours with delight.

The first set that opened with a bust out comes to an end with a cover, this time The Beatles’ “A Day In The Life,” with Page McConnell on lead vocals. Some more extended feedback from Phish ends the song in a flourish as MSG collectively shows their appreciation at the conclusion of a rather short opening set, one that barely lasted an hour.

Anyone who would complain about that fact, would soon be put in their place thanks to the giant second set and extended encore for which this show is best remembered. It all starts off with, arguably, one of the better “AC/DC Bag”s ever played. It starts out innocently enough, but soon shifts back into that sinister tone that was prevalent in the first set. In vintage Phish style, simple melodies are stretched out, reexamined and continually revisited until all four band members are firing in sync like gears in a well-oiled machine. Throw in some classic ’97 funk, more relentless guitar play from Anastasio, a sprinkling of Gordon-supplied bass bombs, “Pyscho Killer” and “Third Stone From The Sun” teases and, 25 minutes later, you’ve got the latest in a (now long) line of Phish gems mined at MSG.

After an opening number that took up almost half of the length of the first set, Phish wastes no time in bringing it back to Gamehendge for a well-received “McGrupp And The Watchful Hosemasters.” The band deftly makes its way through the composed section of this classic song before giving way to a brief but beautiful two-person duel between Trey and Page on their respective instruments before it comes to an end.

Afterwards, the familiar oom-pa-pa intro of the first ever “Harpua” at MSG rings out and the Phish crowd erupts with glee. They would have good reason to as this would be a special one, dubbed the “Pentagram Harpua” based on Trey’s “life changing” narration. The following sequence includes nothing less than a Lost In Space reference, a young Trey crafting a pentagram out of lunch boxed goods, and Tom Marshall joining the fray for a hilarious cover of The Proclaimers’ “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles).”

Phish keeps the proverbial pedal down after all of this madness and launches right into some more classic rock, this time it’s Jimi Hendrix’s “Izabella,” a now revered cover selection that debuted only earlier this summer. Anastasio simply annihilates the guitar solo and MSG is nearly combustible at this point.

Seizing this opportunity, Phish then goes all in with a majestic “Harry Hood” to cap a special sequence of music. A mild glowstick war early on gives way to a “Hood” that’s anything but, with Mc Connell producing a bevy of dulcet tones on the electronic keyboard and the customary mesmerizing guitar solo from Anastasio. It’s as well executed a “Hood” as they come and, along with “AC/DC Bag,” serves as a more than willing co-anchor as far as second set exploratory jams go.

In fact, the normally euphoric outro jam eventually develops into a full-on blues one and instead of bringing “Hood” to an end, Phish slides right into another cover tune – “My Soul.” Steady bass play from Gordon provides the floor for another scorching guitar solo as the band romps effortlessly through another recently debuted favorite. This is followed up with a “Sleeping Monkey” that brings a little levity to the ending portion of the set. Trey then thanks the MSG crowd, promising one “last” song that turns out to be “Guyute,” one of the key tracks from the yet-to-be-released Story Of The Ghost.

Phish fan shirt from the 97 Holiday run via PhanArt

Tonight’s encore gets the 1997 New Year’s Eve celebration off to a rollicking start. Trey begins the encore noting the closeness to midnight and that the band may as well “play two New Year’s Eve shows.” Turns out he wasn’t kidding as Phish then proceeds to drop down one of the more legendary encores of their playing career. Things start off with yet another new number to live repertoire, “Carini,” which features a quick stand-in by the man himself, Phish crew member Pete Carini.

After those pleasantries are dispersed, Phish then immediately drops back into a molasses-thick funk jam that soon reveals itself to be “Black Eyed Katy.” Although not known at the time, this instrumental steeped in cow funk would be the last one ever played before lyrics were added and it would go on to live the rest of its days as “The Moma Dance.”

“Katy” then eventually turns back into “Sally” as Phish slyly segues back into it and revisits the bustout opener in the encore for another go ’round. And as if all this weren’t enough, “Frankenstein” replete with feedback galore, strobelight insanity and Jon Fishman on vacuum for good measure. When all is said and done, it’s a near 30-minute encore that wraps up one memorable New Year’s Run gig, or just another ho-hum Phish show at MSG depending on how you look at it.

Phish Madison Square Garden – New York, NY 12/30/97

Set 1: Sneakin’ Sally Through The Alley -> Taste, Water In The Sky > Punch You In The Eye > Stash, Chalkdust Torture, A Day In The Life

Set 2: AC/DC Bag > McGrupp And The Watchful Hosemasters, Harpua > I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) > Harpua > Izabella > Harry Hood -> My Soul > Sleeping Monkey > Guyute

E: Carini -> Black Eyed Katy -> Sneakin’ Sally Through The Alley > Frankenstein

December 30, 2021
Phish Goes Under the Covers in Albany: November 25, 1998

Fresh off the heels of another legendary Halloween performance in Vegas and two iconic shows in Hampton, Phish rolled into Albany for the second to last stop on their legendary Fall 1998 tour. It sees the band at the height of its powers, mixing in new, fresh material to go alongside a bevvy of cover songs that have been unearthed this year. With a rare one-night only appearance in Albany, Phish lets it all hang out in a show that often gets overlooked, but certainly shouldn’t be.

Tonight’s festivities begin with the signature guitar intro to “Punch You In The Eye,” which receives a giant roar of approval from the Pepsi Center. Page McConnell shines early with some stellar runs on both the electric keys and grand piano as the Gamehendge-adjacent number revs up an already rabid arena even further. At its conclusion, another familiar guitar riff emerges. This time it’s the bluesy intro to “My Soul,” a cover song Phish first started injecting into their live shows the year before. McConnell again dazzles with a ferocious piano solo before handing off to Trey Anastasio who returns the favor in kind and then some on guitar. Phish then eases off the gas pedal a bit with another new number, “Roggae,” one of the tracks from The Story Of The Ghost which was released just last month.

The musical setting then shifts back to Gamehendge with “AC/DC Bag.” Anastasio again takes the reigns on a patiently developing jam that gets plenty of noticeable assistance from Mike Gordon on bass and drives the crowd into a certified frenzy by the end. McConnell has a little fun on piano as well, stretching out the ending until Phish changes lanes once more and jumps into the increasingly rare “Lifeboy.”

Phish in Albany 1989-1995

Afterwards, Jon Fishman’s familiar hi-hat drumming signals the introduction to “David Bowie,” which is stretched out and teased beautifully before being cleared for launch. Phish then absolutely obliterates the song’s composed section, playing at a near manic pace, before embarking on a jam that serves as one of the show’s true highlights. It’s patiently crafted, with Anastasio and McConnell parrying back and forth early and often. As the jam continues to build in intensity, Phish does the same with the ending, stretching it out for all its worth to complete a 19-minute journey that blows the roof off the Albany arena.

Few would complain if the first set ended right there, but instead the band throws out one more change of pace pairing. Trey jumps on acoustic guitar for only the sixth ever “Sleep,” a song first debuted earlier this tour, and “Driver,” both songs that would be included on the band’s forthcoming 2000 release Farmhouse. To cap things off, Phish throws in a cover of Led Zepelin’s “Good Times, Bad Times,” with another incendiary guitar solo from Anastasio escorting the Albany faithful to set break.

Phish In Albany: 1997-2000

After a little spacey ambiance, another familiar Fishman drum beat starts up set two. This time it’s “Also Sprach Zarathustra,” aka the theme to Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Again, Phish takes their time in slowly building up the song’s introduction, going well past five minutes before the first signature guitar lick rings out. The jam that ensues is flavored by some tremendous Mike Gordon bass play before coming to a rousing finish. “Golgi Apparatus” serves as another throwback song to the days of yore and goes off without a hitch before they get into another jam vehicle, this time a cover of The Who’s “Drowned.”

As another whirlwind musical excursion slowly comes to an end, Anastasio quietly starts the beginning of “Prince Caspian” and the rest of the band quickly follows along. After another stout feedback-heavy guitar solo, the music comes to a crawl and then “Piper” emerges, with it’s now “classic” slow build which fits in perfectly with the show tonight. The slow build yields another manic jam, with McConnell furiously pounding away on the baby grand piano. With the Albany crowd once again supercharged, Phish then drops a “You Enjoy Myself” on them in what’s already a full second set of music.

Phish In Albany: 2003-2009

The closing sequence for this show is straight out of 1998 and not one to be duplicated anytime soon. As “YEM” and its customarily eerie vocal jam concludes, instead of taking a bow, Phish bursts into “Been Caught Stealing,” the Jane’s Addiction song that made its debut earlier in year during the “Summer of Covers.” Until a certified bust out at Walnut Creek in 2011, this was the last one played. A rip roaring “Llama” then closes out the second set in fine fashion. For the encore, Phish breaks out yet another cover selection, this time its The Beatles’ “Something,” penned by George Harrison and covered by Phish only on this Fall 1998 tour. To date, it’s the last time it’s ever been performed. “Guyute,” another pick from the recently released Ghost, follows this before an a capella “Free Bird,” as only Phish can do, closes out yet another sterling Albany gig.

Listen to show at PhishTracks or see complete audio recording below.

Phish Pepsi Center – Albany, NY 11/25/98

Set 1: Punch You In The Eye > My Soul, Roggae, AC/DC Bag > Lifeboy, David Bowie, Sleep, Driver, Good Times Bad Times

Set 2: Also Sprach Zarathustra > Golgi Apparatus, Drowned->Prince Caspian > Piper, You Enjoy Myself, Been Caught Stealing > Llama

Encore: Something > Guyute, Free Bird

November 25, 2021
Phish Opens Fall Tour, Honors ‘Billy Breathes’ in Lake Placid: October 16, 1996
With the Clifford Ball and their first massive festival now in the rearview mirror, Phish began their fall tour just two months later in Lake Placid, NY. Conveniently, the tour opener was scheduled for the day after the release of Billy Breathes, their sixth studio album which was recorded in Bearsville, NY earlier in the year.

This show would seem to serve as a celebration of that, with a whopping nine songs pulled from it for duty this evening. Combined with the usual tour opening gaffs, it doesn’t make for the most free-flowing of shows in the world, but certainly offers more than a good glimpse of Phish at a time when they are skyrocketing in popularity while still trying to find ways to innovate and explore new musical paths. After two acclaimed shows at the Olympic Center last year, Phish would return for their third and final show at Lake Placid to date.

Accordingly, the show begins with the first of many selections from Billy Breathes in “Cars Trucks Buses.” A feisty Page McConnell piano solo highlights this one and gets a serious round of applause from the Lake Placid crowd. This immediately gives way to the familiar ambient noise and iconic bass lick opening of “Down With Disease.” Trey flubs a few of the early lyrics but still manages to nail his signature guitar riff before the band is off and running with a first set jam that stalls early before picking up speed instantly and coming to rousing climax.
Fall Tour “Cars Trucks Buses” shirt courtesy of Warren Baker via PhanArt
After a standard run through of “Wilson,” Jon Fishman cranks up the percussive intro to “Buried Alive” which yields another hearty Anastasio guitar solo. The tempo goes up even another notch with the juiced up “Poor Heart” that follows and is played to perfection. Then it’s back to the Billy Breathes catalog with album’s title track, which was also played in soundcheck before the show. McConnell, Anastasio and bassist Mike Gordon nail the complex vocal harmonies before going into the instrumental section that doesn’t stray too far from the studio version.

Fall tour postcard via PhanArt

“Mound” and “Sample In A Jar,” two traditional first set building blocks, are each played with precision, with the latter garnering another giant round of applause from the Lake Placid faithful. In addition to “Mound,” the rest of the first set is peppered with more cuts from Phish’s acclaimed Rift album like “It’s Ice,” which has a little trouble on the dismount, and the traditional “The Horse” and “Silent In The Morning” pairing. The “I think that this exact thing happened to me just last year” lyric in “Morning” is especially apt here, with two Phish shows occurring at this very same venue just eleven months ago, technically last year. And as it tends to do, “Character Zero” closes out the first set with its customary panache.

Tonight’s second set begins with “Wolfman’s Brother” which produces another mild jam that doesn’t veer too far. This is succeeded by “Taste,” another Billy Breathes tune that goes a little deeper and features some wonderfully dissonant guitar phrasing from Trey. Things then slow down tremendously as Mike Gordon leads the band through his contribution to the new album, “Train Song,” only the fifth one ever performed at this point.

Lake Placis fan poster, image courtesy Warren Baker

Phish then revs the Lake Placid engine back up with the opening licks to “Simple.” This features, by far, the most exploratory improvisation of the night with another jam that has good intentions but never seems to really lift off the ground. An extended ambient-sounding section soon gives way to heavy drum and bass with Anastasio feverishly working his guitar’s funky “wah” tone. Meanwhile, Page is rotating between organ fills and pounding on the piano before Trey jumps on his percussion kit that was on stage these days. As the lone extended jam of the evening, it failed to strike a chord with at least one attendee this evening.

That Simple is by far the most interesting song of the night, foreshadowing that it will be one of the top-tier jam vehicles for the rest of the year. But a large span of its 16 minutes are spent with Trey on his percussion kit, with Page switching between organ and piano to try to keep it afloat, unconvincingly. It’s an example of the mini-kit as momentum-killer, and more broadly, of Trey’s well-meaning but wrong-footed attempt at forcing band democracy.
Rob Mitchum

Phish then goes back to the Billy Breathes playbook in a big way with the three songs that follow, starting with the first ever performances of “Swept Away” and “Steep.” Both go off without a hitch and at the explosive end of “Steep,” the opening chords of “Prince Caspian” immediately begin. McConnell leads the way on this one with some thunderous play on piano early before it winds down. “Run Like An Antelope” then rears its head, much to the delight of the crowd, starting a vintage show-closing sequence. The band takes their time with this one and delivers a mesmerizingly dark jam that gradually gains intensity and a slew of audio effects before peaking.

“The Squirming Coil” has a few rough edges as well but is bailed out by its customary delightful piano solo ending from McConnell. And in a show full of original material, some of it brand new, Phish does throw one cover into the mix with a ferocious take on Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode.” This allows one last chance for Trey to lay down another few blistering runs on the fretboard and he takes full advantage. The encore for this evening should come as no surprise. It’s “Waste,” the ninth and final selection from Billy Breathes for the evening. With the tour opener now under their belt, Phish would then travel to Pennsylvania for two gigs before returning to Upstate New York in Buffalo for a show at Marine Midland Arena three days later.

You can listen to this 25th anniversary show at Relisten or Phishtracks.

Phish Olympic Center – Lake Placid, NY 10/16/96

Set 1: Cars Trucks Buses, Down With Disease, Wilson > Buried Alive > Poor Heart, Billy Breathes, Mound > Sample In A Jar, It’s Ice, The Horse > Silent In The Morning, Character Zero

Set 2: Wolfman’s Brother, Taste, Train Song, Simple > Swept Away > Steep > Prince Caspian, The Squirming Coil, Johnny B. Goode

E: Waste
October 16, 2021
Trey Anastasio Band Bring New Life To Classics At Radio City Music Hall

Trey Anastasio Band officially closed out their fall tour with back-to-back shows at Radio City Music Hall over Saturday, October 2nd and Sunday October 3rd. It was the group’s first performance at the legendary venue since 2018’s ” A Concert for Island Relief,” where TAB teamed up with Dave Matthews Band and more to raise money for hurricane relief efforts in Puerto Rico.

photo by Rene Heumer

This year’s Radio City shows arrived during a similarly turbulent time for both the world and Trey Anastasio Band. Despite the band’ precautions, the lineup was drastically affected by COVID – 19. First came the loss of Jennifer Hartswick to a mild case of the virus, which put the rest of the brass section in quarantine. Then, shortly before a Columbus, Ohio show, Russ Lawton tested positive as well. Thus, on Saturday night, TAB performed as a five piece, with Jon Fishman again stepping in for Lawton.

As Ray Paczkowski put it:

We thought about it like, half the band is TAB, half the band is Phish. And we want it to sound like something that isn’t quite either.

Though powerhouses like Hartswick and Russ Lawton were impossible not to miss, the tapered-down nature of the band allowed TAB the freedom to improvise. The set stayed playful and experimental throughout, and Jon Fishman’s presence behind the drum kit felt familiar while adding a layer of mystery.

Furthermore, a smaller band gave newer members an opportunity to shine. Bassist Dezron Douglas joined the band this fall with enormous shoes to fill after the tragic loss of Tony Markellis. Markellis, who joined Trey’s earliest solo project in 1998, was a force of nature and a steady heartbeat within the band. Though Markellis remains one-of-a-kind, Douglas’ jazz roots and dexterous abilities add a new element to TAB. Reportedly, Russ Lawton specifically requested working with Douglas as the band sought a new bassist for this tour.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KklDY5VjUkI

Douglas, who studied at the Hartford Conservatory of Music with Hartswick, brings the life and freedom of jazz to his masterful electric bass work. A classically trained double-bassist who first heard Phish in high school, he embodies the timeless quality of TAB’s music. No matter how many times TAB has performed a song, it never feels the same. Their music, like their ensemble, grows and changes as the years go on.

With their rendition of “Mr. Completely” thoroughly embodying their ability to rejuvenate old classics. Highlights included Douglas’ perfect syncopation on bass to Cyro Baptista’s insane percussion break, where he built a beat out of bird calls as the rest of the band went silent. The energy in the audience marked a TAB show at its very best; fans of all ages focused on letting a rhythm take them, dancing their hearts out together. For some 20-odd minutes, the harmony rang throughout the audience.

Despite setbacks along the road and the constraints of touring during COVID-19, the TAB live experience was fully intact at Radio City. After their hiatus from the venue, TAB offered a little bit of everything, from a heartwrenching Paczkowski/Anastasio duet of “Shade” to crowd favorite “Twist.” The packed house got a joyous and poignant set that honored those missing and welcomed new (and familiar) faces back again. As Paczkowski said, the goal was to create something a little TAB, a little Phish, but also new and singular. By the time TAB landed on classic closer “First Tube,” the crowd dancing madly in the aisles, it was clear that job was done.

Setlist via Phish.net

Trey Anastasio Band – Radio City Music Hall, New York City – Sunday, October 3, 2021

Set 1: 46 Days, Tube, In Rounds, Gotta Jibboo, Cayman Review > Blaze On

Set 2: Party Time > Ghost > Mr. Completely, Shade > Twist

Encore: When the Words Go Away*, Theme From the Bottom*, More*, First Tube

* = Trey Anastasio solo acoustic

Sunday review by Matt Romano

The final evening of Trey Anastasio Band’s 2021 tour was a Sunday to remember. The revolving cast of musicians included Trey Anastasio and Jon Fishman’s first time together on the infamous stage at Radio City since Spring of 2000. It’s important to understand the level of composition versus improvisation Trey’s music takes on for whomever joins him on stage. Keyboardist Ray Packzkowski, percussionist Cyro Baptista and bassist Dezron Douglas were all the right cats to join in the moment at Rockefeller.

A nod to the NYC subways helped the show open with “Get Back on the Train.” Having Cyro add another layer of percussion to Fishman’s grooves all night was reminiscent of Phish’s Halloween’s shows in Atlantic City 2010 with Giovanni Hidalgo and Atlanta 1996 with Karl Perrazo. Dezron Douglas’ bottom end locked in with them served up the funkiest “Moma Dance” to date that clocked in over 20 minutes. “Undermind” also included heavy drum grooves with Jon and Cyro exploring all of the skins in front of them. “Ocelot,” “Set Your Soul Free” and a chilling set closing “Dark and Down” helped wrap up a complete jam heavy 6-song set.

The second set opened the Art Deco venue with Tony Markellis’ infamous bass line to “Sand” This ensemble really had all three mezzanines grooving immediately. Paczkowski’s rig sounded as if it was coming from Radio City’s organ in the main theatre, the largest instrument ever built by the Wurlitzer company. “Everything’s Right” served up the longest layer of improvisation clocking in at over 35 minutes of sound stretching out to the grand foyer. Ups, downs, ins and outs… it was hair raising. Trey returned to his Upper West Side abode for “Lonely Trip” and never “Never Left Home,” recorded solo during his NYC quarantine. Dezron Douglas’ bass line sounds like jelly jam to Trey’s lyrics on this. “Oh, I’ll never be halted, I always shall roam. Oh, scaling the cliffs and enjoying the view” The band then closed the show with a dark and extended “Carini.”

The encore was full of special dedications and moments to TAB members current and past. Trey let the crowd know that members Russ Lawton, Jennifer Hartswick, Natalie Cressman, Coachema Gastelum and James Casey were all in good health and on the mend despite their absence. A soul Sunday nod to Markellis was sent out to the theater as well. Trey appropriately performed “Strange Design” and “Backwards Down the Number Line” on the acoustic guitar to reference all these friends as part of the tour’s ever changing ride.

He then invited special guest James Casey to the stage in hand with alto soprano sax for backing vocals on the last three songs. “Evolve” “Rise/Come Together” and “Life Beyond a Dream” Casey’s sax blew like Branford under the great proscenium arch that sits above the stage. All three songs’ message is saturated in positivity and optimism towards whatever life can throw at you. Love is the message here. “We’re all looking for a little more love to shine a light and lift us up,” “Don’t give up hope. Keep on dreaming.”

Setlist via Phish.net

Trey Anastasio Band – Radio City Music Hall, New York City – Sunday, October 3, 2021

Set 1: Back on the Train > The Moma Dance, Undermind > Ocelot, Set Your Soul Free, Dark and Down

Set 2: Sand, Everything’s Right, Lonely Trip, I Never Left Home > Carini

Encore: Strange Design ^[1], Backwards Down the Number Line^[1], Evolve ^[2], Rise/Come Together ^[3], A Life Beyond The Dream^[3]
[1] Trey solo acoustic.
[2] With James Casey on saxophone.
[3] With James Casey on additional vocals and saxophone.

October 5, 2021
New Orleans Legend Tony Hall Talks Funk, performing with Dave Matthews, Jewel, Bob Dylan and more

In 1989, New Orleans had its own gold lit resilience of funk around town. Many helped add to the consonant grooves inside legendary buildings turned nighttime studios. Every great musician in town was collaborating and famous artists were there to help feed in the rhythm. Tony Hall was part of this golden era and is still a staple in the New Orleans sound.

Hall had been grooving with the renowned Neville Brothers on St. Charles Avenue. Tony played the chilling bass line on their album Yellow Moon. The track “Healing Chant” off the album won best pop instrumental performance at the 32nd Grammy Awards in 1989.

Tony has gone on to work with bayou locals like The Meters, Dr. John, Aaron Neville, Harry Connick Jr. Trombone Shorty, and Marc Broussard.

He has been part of infamous studio sessions with Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Trey Anastasio, Dave Matthews, Willie Nelson, Joan Baez, Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, Jewel, Edie Brickell, Linda Ronstadt, Pretty Lights, Herbie Hancock and Maceo Parker.

Producer and musician Daniel Lanois felt these sounds in his soul. He assisted in some of these collaborations and on his own work. Tony covers bass for Lanois’ famous original composition “The Maker.” It has been honored with covers by Willie Nelson, Jerry Garcia Band and Dave Matthews Band with Victor Wooten.

Tim Reynolds said this summer of his old band mate Tony, “You know those guys when you’re playing a gig, he’ll look right at you? That’s him. He’s a bad ass.” This past spring Tony just released a new studio record with his band Dumpstaphunk for the first time in seven years. He took some time to talk about the timeline on these projects with NYS Music.

Matthew Romano: Tony, Thank you for taking the time to speak with us today about your past, present and future musical experiences.

Tony Hall: Thanks man, lets get at it.

MR: Daniel Lanois claimed Oh Mercy was a record you listen to at night because it was, “designed at night. Bob Dylan had a rule, we only recorded at night.” What did that session look like behind the scenes in a house turned studio in New Orleans?

TH: We would go in at about 4 in the evening and Dan had a lot of ideas of the songs so we went through a bunch of them. Then… when Bob came… It would all go out the window. He’d start a groove and we would follow him. Let’s just match whatever he was doing.

TH: It was all of us in a circle in a room, facing each other. Very long hours on this record. So many different versions of songs.

MR: Well how about the funkiest collaboration on the track Everything is Broken?

TH: It started with Bob playing his line and we just came in. Willie (Green) grooves and I jumped in on the spot (bass line humming).

Ivan Neville, Keith Richards, Tony Hall, Don Was

MR: Was Dylan just playing harp on that track for his solo?

TH: No, he’s on guitar for that as well. He played guitar on a lot of songs and piano too. Brian Stoltz played with all of us as well on guitar.

MR: Was that just a studio experience? Did you get to bring that on the road?

TH: Just a studio record. Never got to play it live.

TH: My experience working with Daniel Lanois came from him producing the Yellow Moon Recording, Bob Dylan’s Oh Mercy, and Emmylou Harris’ Wrecking Ball. I recorded on his solo album Arcadia. He had a completely different approach.

TH: He pulls everything you got in you…out. On “The Maker,” was me noodling and I kept adding parts. He even wanted to add a harmony part to one line. It has five different bass parts on that track

TH: I met Dave Matthews in the early 90s. The Neville Brothers and DMB did a show together. I saw him in 2001 at a Emmylou Harris show and he knew as me the guy from “The Maker” that his band went on to cover

TH: When we did the Dave Matthews solo record Some Devil in 2003 it felt so good. Brady and Trey all suggested we should be a band. “Hey let’s take this on tour.”

MR: How was it behind the scenes during that legendary studio collaboration with Brady Blade, Trey Anastasio, Ray Paczkowski, Dave and Tim Reynolds?

TH: Dave had all the songs written and we just came in and added our own parts to it. When you hire people to do a record, you have them bring what they do to the table, you know? So you can give them a lot of options. You play some stuff… like this? Sometimes the first thing is the one. “How about that?” No you did it already… (laughter)

TH: I had a lot of fun with that record. One of my favorite songs is “So Damn Lucky.” And the song “Too High.” I love the end. The groove on the end is killing. We even overdubbed The Seattle Symphony to it. The big line everyone is playing together is led by Dave on the guitar. It’s killing. Its a great record!

MR: Where does he come up with those unique sweet up and down chord progressions? Are they easy to jump on?

TH: That would be a question for him (laughter). Some of the chords are open tuning with a lot of different fingerings for it. But it’s cool as shit. It works well together.

MR: Then there was the Some Devil live tour that went to every major arena in America. Headlining sets at Bonnaroo and Vegoose Music Festivals. Even a Caribbean Cruise with Bob Weir special guesting on the boat. Who chose all those great covers ranging from Sly and the Family Stone, Chaka Kahn, Little Feat, Joe Walsh, The Band, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Wonder, Hendrix, Zeppelin and Stones?

TH: That was Dave and Trey’s call any given night. Ya know during the break sometimes (laughter). Let’s go do this…

MR: After meeting Trey Anastasio and Ray Paczkowski at this project you ended up in the studio with him for his Album Bar 17.

TH: The Trey thing, musically, was very talented. I didn’t know him before Some Devil. He had me come to Atlanta to do a session and sent me the songs to learn. But it wasn’t a session. It was an audition. Which is a cool way to audition somebody. Make them think it’s a session so if it doesn’t work you pay them and they just go. You don’t have to tell them they suck (laughter). But afterwards they said hey you got the gig. I’m like cool… what gig? (laughter)

Brady Blade, Tony Hall

TH: But the composition “Goodbye Head,” that song I listened to and it was a very long jam. I thought, “Oh, I got this,” and during rehearsals Trey’s like, “You have it down?” (of course). But I didn’t check the end of the tape where there was a whole ‘nother section. It got to the jam part and I just stopped. This tune gave me a run for my money. That song kicked my ass, I got to tell you that right now.

MR: Then you went on a US tour with Trey Anastasio as part of an ever changing cast on stage in 2005 and 2006. It had special guests like Stewart Copeland, Bill Kreutzmann, Jon Fishman, Skeeto Valdez and Jeff Sipe along the way on Drums. Yet It always had you on bass and Ray Paczkoswki on keys as a constant. There was even Raymond Weber from New Orleans with you holding the bottom end down on drums at one point.

Trey Anastasio, Stewart Copeland, Tony Hall

TH: Yea Raymond ended up in the band after Trey came to sit in with us for the Dumpstaphunk show at B.B. King’s in New York City. So we call some stuff I got him to do, “46 Days” and um, “Cayman Review?” Raymond killed it on “Cayman.” He was like, “Damn you hear that on the bell? That reminds me of New Orleans.”

TH: But our official live band release came from Original Boardwalk Hall Style in Atlantic City on New Year’s Eve 2006. That was the most cast with an 11-piece band. Yea, but I had a lot of fun playing with Trey. He would kick into a groove and then I’d pick up. He’s like, “OK this is your job, when it mellows out you take the way.” I think it was good for him to have someone who’s like, “Come on. Come on.”

TH: He was always adding songs though. Like that Frank Zappa “Peaches En Regalia.” By it being new at soundcheck, I would learn it that night. So afterwards in Albany, between eating, I’m making notes before the start of the set figuring it out (laughter).

MR: Heading Back to The New Orleans studios in 2017 you were a part of Trombone Shorty’s record that has the ultimate cover of Ernie K Does “Here Come the Girls.” Shorty is also on your new record this year.

TH: Yeah that’s nice. I think George (Porter) is on the original version. I’ll have to look it up.

TH: We have known Shorty since he was young. Coming up he’s always been extremely bad ass. In the beginning he used to do some shows with us and then did his own shit. Then blew up. He’s the man and puts on a hell of a show. Phenomenal player on the trumpet and trombone. It’s like nobody can touch him. But he also plays everything else like drums, keyboards and sings.

Joseph “Ziggy” Modeliste, George Porter Jr, John Mayer, Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, Tony Hall

MR: Speaking of horns you were on legendary sax player Maceo Parker’s album released last year recorded at an old New Orleans hotel turned studio.

TH: Yea at Goat’s studio down in the ward, who’s Maceo’s soundman. It was fun and great to be on a record with his original track MACEO. Then great covers by Dr. John on “Right Place Wrong Time” that Dumstaphunk started doing.

MR: The new Dumpstaphunk record you just released this year has some just straight funk instrumental tracks. Where did the “Dumpstamentals” come from?

TH : Some of those came up at soundcheck. Me and the drummer Deven Truscleir started jamming on some stuff and other people came in. Ian (Neville) always records those on his phone and so do I so we can revisit them. Ian came up with Backwash when checking his rig during warm up and things like that.

TH: We recorded a bunch of these songs and didn’t finish them lyric-wise. Vocal-wise we can always change. It goes kind of like vice versa. We’re all a band that can sing and play too, ya know? We did two of our favorite covers by Sly and the Family Stone for “In Time” and Buddy Miles’ “United Nations Stomp.”

MR: How about Buddy with Band of Gypsies? He also covered “Don’t Keep Me Wondering” into “Midnight Rider” by The Allman Brothers for his own record.

Tony Hall Beacon Theatre

TH: He also covered their song “Dreams.” I know those from Buddy and I found out later they were Allman Brothers songs. Just like “Down By the River,” I learned that from Buddy and then found out after it was a Neil Young song

TH: Yea Buddy’s the man. He’s one of my favorites. One of my mom’s favorites. She used to play it all the time. His live release is one of the best records. One of my top favorites.

MR: Last time Dumstaphunk played New York State was headlining the 2019 Blues Fest in downtown Syracuse. After ho urs you and Deven Trescleir on drums came for a special sit-in with the band at Funk n Waffles for a bass-leading cover of The Temptations “Standing on Shaky Ground.” Less than a month later Dumstaphunk was opening for The Rolling Stones at the Louisiana Superdome in front of 60K. Are you ready to get at it like that again in 2021?

TH: That was a great show, Most of the time when you’re an opening act people are just walking in doing your set or the place doesn’t fill up until your last song, but that show the crowd was there and it was a lot of our fans, the energy was high and we felt the love. It was our home town, it felt great!

MR: The Woodstock 99 documentary just released features your performance with Brady Blade and Jewell. Any memories of that infamous Sunday gig in Rome NY?

TH: We drove over night to the festival, I woke up on the bus at the site. I didn’t do much. I watched a few bands from the side stage. We had a good set. We stayed to watch the Red Hot Chilli Peppers show and left right before everything went down. The people from the documentary reached out about my experience there. I was only able to tell them what I’m telling you (laughter).

Tony Hall

August 10, 2021
20 Years Later: TAB’s ‘Octet’ formation Rolls through Jones Beach and SPAC

2001 was a formative year for the relatively new Trey Anastasio Band (TAB). Since sprouting roots a few years earlier, the band had already grown from a three-piece to a six-piece ensemble. Co-founders Tony Markellis (bass) and Russ Lawton (drums), along with Trey, were supplemented with the addition of a horn section consisting of Dave Grippo (saxophone), Jennifer Hartswick (trumpet) and Andy Moroz (trombone) for a short tour earlier in the year.

Come summer, the TAB outfit would add two more full-time members, rounding into an official octet. Another Giant Country Horn, Russel Remington (saxophone/flute) was added to the fray along with Ray Paczkowski, who still mans the keyboards for the band today. The addition of Paczkowski and a keyboard rig to the lineup was a clear game changer, bringing an extra layer of sound and funk that would seem irreplaceable today. Summer of 2001 would be the first time the TAB ‘Octet’ would hit the road, one that included a pair of choice NY gigs that helped close out the tour.

August 3, 2001 Jones Beach

Trey wastes no time getting this show up and running, with the wah pedal at the ready for a bouncy “Burlap Sack and Pumps” opener. It also features an extended saxophone solo from Dave “The Truth” Grippo that helps fuel the high intensity start. The crux of the first set is a 20-minute “Last Tube” that gets smoothed out nicely after some early feedback issues. Everyone gets a turn to solo on this one in a jam that slowly but steadily picks up steam throughout. Jennifer Hartswick’s enchanting harmonies shine through on “Flock of Words” before “Cayman Review,” a song that debuted only weeks ago, picks things back up. This early version is played a step or two slower than its contemporary one, but the funk is still very much evident, showing why it’s remained a staple of TAB setlists. A spirited “Moesha” later caps off a first set that, with the exception of “Words,” never comes to a full stop.

Much like “Last Tube” in the first, TAB’s second set at Jones Beach is heavily influenced by one song. “Money, Love and Change,” another new to TAB song only debuted a handful of shows ago, opens the set and doesn’t let up until well after 25 minutes later. The opening composed section sounds a little shaky as one would expect for a new song, but soon another Tony Markellis-led groove heaps fuel onto the improvisational fire and the jam is off and running. After a brief Trey/Ray duel on guitar and keys, the main theme re-emerges briefly but instead of coming to a close, the horn section leads a direct charge into “Plasma,” cementing a powerhouse start to this set. Newcomer Russ Remington shines when given the chance to lead the way on flute for a little while. Afterwards, Trey makes note of the venue’s new upper level of seats that wasn’t there the last time her played Jones Beach before launching into a scorching “Mr. Completely.”

sticker via PhanArt

After closing the second set with “Sand,” the tangible Phish vibe only grew stronger as bassist Mike Gordon came out and joined Trey for a three-song acoustic encore. With Phish still in the midst of their first self-imposed hiatus at this time, this helped to quell any unfounded rumors of the band’s early demise. The “internationally acclaimed movie director” (Gordon had recently released Outside Out) showed off his versatility and joined Trey on acoustic guitar for “Back on the Train” before switching back to bass and closing out the evening with a “Bathtub Gin” that had large swaths of the Jones Beach crown clapping and/or singing along at various points.

Take a listen to the full show here.

Trey Anastasio Band – Jones Beach Amphitheater – Wantagh, NY 8/3/01

Set 1: Burlap Sack and Pumps, Acting the Devil, Last Tube, Flock of Words, Cayman Review, Sidewalks of San Francisco, Moesha

Set 2: Money, Love and Change -> Plasma, Mr. Completely, At the Gazebo, Sand

Encore: Mountains in the Mist, Back on the Train, Bathtub Gin

Mike Gordon sat in for entire encore.

August 5, 2001 SPAC

After a quick dip into Massachusetts on August 4 for a gig at the Tweeter Center, TAB was back in NY two days later for the tour closer, this time Upstate and visiting another old friend, SPAC. With this still very much being the “early days,” a lot of the song pairings and sequences that were seen in Jones Beach would reappear here as the band’s musical repertoire was nowhere near where it is today. But much like snowflakes, no two TAB shows are completely alike.

The band drops “Last Tube” right away this evening as the opener. While it doesn’t quite reach the range of the Jones Beach version, it serves as more than an apt opener that has the band in peak form early and the Saratoga Springs crowd up and dancing immediately. Another sterling solo from Grippo and a rousing peak led by Anastasio again highlight this one. Then it’s right back into the still fledged “Cayman Review,” with Pazckowski moving nimbly between both the clav and organ. “Burlap Sack and Pumps” rounds out the opening trio, enabled by a pulsating Tony Markellis bass line that doesn’t quit. Although the order differed, the only new song in tonight’s first set from two nights prior is the calypso-infused “Alive Again” that appears later in the set, another (now) classic TAB song that was only first played earlier this summer.

Greg Haymes’ Times Union recap of TAB at SPAC

The second set at SPAC has a familiar start but does finally begin to offer a little variety. At this point of the tour, it’s evident that Trey knows which songs are the heavy hitters. Thus, the second stanza begins with a return to “Money, Love and Change.” Once more, it doesn’t quite reach the depths of the Jones Beach version, but Trey still uses the groove-filled jam that ensues as a vehicle to transition right into “Plasma” again.

The setlist then starts to offer a little variety, starting with an exquisite take on the TAB original “Drifting” where the harmony between Anastasio and Hartswick again reigns supreme. Another familiar tune to the Phish faithful emerges after this as the band doubles up on “tubes” for the evening and drops a pulsating mid-set “First Tube.” One of the gems of the entire show is TAB’s take on the soul classic “Ooh Child,” a rare polished cover that dates all the way back to the days of the original trio.

The show, and tour, is closed out in proper fashion with a set-ending “Push On ‘Til the Day” that follows along in the early TAB tradition of locking into an early groove supplied by the rhythm section of Markellis and Lawton and then expanding from there. With the entire horn section locked in as well, it’s a joyous sendoff and a fitting set closer. The instrumental “Mozambique” serves as as the encore, wrapping up a successful tour and two nights in NY for TAB.

You can listen to the full show here.

Trey Anastasio Band Saratoga Performing Arts Center – Saratoga Springs, NY 8/5/01

Set 1: Last Tube, Cayman Review, Burlap Sack and Pumps, Flock of Words, Alive Again, Moesha

Set 2: Money Love and Change -> Plasma, Drifting, First Tube > Every Story Ends in Stone, At the Barbecue, O-o-h Child, Push On ‘Til the Day

Encore: Mozambique

August 3, 2021
Trey Anastasio returns to The Beacon Theatre
Trey Anastasio headed south from Saratoga Springs for two nights of shows at the Beacon Theatre on Tuesday, June 22. The performances mimicked his Beacon Jams shows of Fall 2020, but now with the addition of a vaccinated crowd.

With a crowd hanging on every note, Anastasio repeated some songs from the Saratoga Shows, as well as played some tunes for the first time on this run, including “AC/DC Bag.” Highlights from SPAC were found with the Rescue Squad Strings and Jeff Tanski joining for “Fluffhead,” “Mercury,” “The Lizards,” “What’s The Use?,” and “Harry Hood,” among other compositions that left few dry eyes in the house.

Anastasio and crew return to the Upper West Side and the Beacon Theatre for one more show on Wednesday, June 23, with the show starting at 8pm.

Setlist: Trey Anastasio, Beacon Theatre, NYC – June 22, 2021

Set 1: Everything’s Right, AC/DC Bag > Backwards Down the Number Line, Fluffhead*, Brian and Robert*, Stash*, Ghost, Shade#, Mercury*, The Lizards*, Dirt#, Sand#, Wolfman’s Brother*, Blaze On, What’s the Use*, If I Could*, Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.*, Pebbles and Marbles*, Harry Hood*

Encore: More, First Tube*

* – with Rescue Squad Strings and Jeff Tanski
# – with Jeff Tanski

For the final performance of this five show run, Anastasio continued to do what he does best, wow audiences with acoustic renditions of classic Phish and TAB hits, with string arrangements. Check out the setlist and photo gallery below! Setlist via Phish.net

Setlist: Trey Anastasio, Beacon Theatre, NYC – June 23, 2021

Set 1: Theme From the Bottom [1], Sample in a Jar[1], Divided Sky [2], I Never Needed You Like This Before [3], Free[1], The Wedge[3], Water in the Sky[2], The Inlaw Josie Wales[2], Twist[1], Bouncing Around the Room[3], Drift While You’re Sleeping[2], 46 Days[1] > Steam[1], A Life Beyond The Dream[2], Split Open and Melt[3], Joy[2], Farmhouse[1], Chalk Dust Torture[1] -> Back on the Train[1] > Chalk Dust Torture[1], Slave to the Traffic Light[2], You Enjoy Myself[2]

Encore: Waste[1], Bathtub Gin[1], Brief Time[2], Tweezer Reprise[2]

[1] Trey on acoustic guitar.
[2] Trey on acoustic guitar; with the Rescue Squad Strings and Jeff Tanski on piano.
[3] Trey on acoustic guitar; with Jeff Tanski on piano.
June 23, 2021
Phish Step Into the Fleezer at Finger Lakes PAC: June 22, 1995

The last time Phish would ever play the venue known as the Finger Lakes Performing Arts Center took place 27 years ago today. This performance is also the birthplace of one of the more revered pieces of music in the band’s history. A super extended “Tweezer,” affectionately nicknamed as “Fleezer” due to the locale, highlights a three-song second set and still gets rave reviews to this day. The venue now goes by the name of CMAC Performing Arts Center. But the music Phish played their last time at Finger Lakes will, thankfully, last forever.

A raucous Finger Lakes crowd greets the band and only gets louder when the show starts with “Sample In A Jar” as the opener. Trey Anastasio’s guitar solo in its customary spot ramps up the early show energy even further. Phish sticks with material from Hoist, at this point still their most recent studio album, and follows up “Sample” with “Scent Of A Mule.” Anastasio and Page McConnell engage each other on guitar and piano, respectively, almost right away, leading to a quick but aggressive “Mule Duel” section.

Phish then breaks out the new “Ha Ha Ha,” a short number whose only lyrics also serve as the title which had been debuted barely a month ago. The “Divided Sky” that immediately follows is anything but a laughing matter, however. A rapt Canandaigua crowd soaks in every note of this classic song that’s played to perfection and serves as the first set highlight.

Anastasio and McConnell lock up again in another instrumental duet of sorts in a “Guelah Papyrus” that the entire band seems to toy around with at one point or another before “It’s Ice” gets deployed. Bassist Mike Gordon shines on this one, delivering a myriad of various rhythms and fills throughout. It also features a particularly loose and surprisingly extra spacey section in what’s a sign of things to come.

After slowing things down with the ballad “Strange Design,” Phish ends the opening set at Finger Lakes Performing Arts Center on a high note, beginning with an absolutely frenetic, high intensity “Maze.” And instead of ending the set with “Cavern,” an a capella rendition of “Sweet Adeline” is also thrown in for good measure.

All in all, it’s a fine first set, but kept pretty “close to the vest” in terms of free-form improvisation. Aside from snippets of “Mule” and “It’s Ice,” no song veered too far away from its regular structure. That would all change in a big way in the second set, courtesy of a jam for the ages.

The set starts out innocently enough with the new “Theme From The Bottom,” only the eighth one ever played and the first time it opened a second set. It’s a polished version that sees the full band in synch, creating a powerful sequence of music accentuated by another screaming Anastasio guitar solo. Instead of bringing it to a full stop at its conclusion, a feedback-heavy jam begins to develop.

This goes on for several minutes, with even more loops and audio madness being thrown into the proverbial soup. Drummer Jon Fishman gets prominently involved, varying tempos and styles throughout. All of this results in an early second set Grateful Dead-like “Space” section that sounds like it’s on speed. A familiar guitar riff slowly but steadily emerges as the jam pick up steam and, before long, the opening lyrics to “Tweezer” are ringing loud and true.

For the next 40-plus minutes, Phish treats the Finger Lakes Performing Arts Crowd to a version of this classic song that some still regard as one of the best of all time, hence the “Fleezer” label. Before the jam even ensues, Gordon and Fishman rev up the crowd by hamming up some of the lyrics. The band removes the shackles of any standard-sounding “Tweezer” early on and is soon knee deep in Type II improvisation. The jam goes on to visit a variety of styles and tempos, again thanks to the interplay of Fishman and Gordon. It’s got the band singing “My Generation” lyrics over an infectious, rockabilly portion of the jam (foreshadowing their upcoming Halloween cover of The Who’s Quadrophenia), pure ambience that devolves into more harrowing feedback-fueled chaos, Fishman on the vacuum, and “Rift” teases from Gordon. It’s a monumental piece of music that’s certainly worthy of a catchy nickname and a place in Phish lore.

It’s a “Tweezer” so epic that the only natural follow-up would be a “Reprise” of itself. That’s exactly what Phish does this evening, creating a set for the ages for the Finger Lakes crowd that’s short on song titles but long on jaw dropping rock and improv.

For an encore, the band went acoustic, with each member playing an acoustic guitar for “Acoustic Army,” an event strictly related to 1995 Phish. An electric, both literal and figurative, cover of The Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” then closes out the festivities for the evening, with another chapter of the band’s growing legacy now written.

Check out the rest of the show at PhishTracks.

Phish Finger Lakes Performing Arts Center – Canandaigua, NY 6/22/95

Set 1: Sample In A Jar, Scent Of A Mule, Ha Ha Ha > Divided Sky, Guelah Papyrus, It’s Ice, Strange Design, Maze, Cavern, Sweet Adeline

Set 2: Theme From The Bottom -> Jam -> Tweezer->Tweezer Reprise

E: Acoustic Army, While My Guitar Gently Weeps

June 22, 2021
Trey Anastasio Reopens SPAC with Rescue Squad Strings and Jeff Tanski
Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) was alive once again on June 18, as Trey Anastasio kicked off three nights of acoustic shows with some friends along for the ride.

On Friday night, Trey welcomed Beacon Jams stars the Rescue Squad Strings and Jeff Tanski for eleven songs during the show, while performing another eleven solo on acoustic guitar. The songs included Phish numbers, as well as one of Trey’s new quarantine home recordings, “Lost in the Pack.”

Trey told stories during the performance, asking the audience what they’d been up to since Mexico, the last Phish shows held in February 2020. Trey gave nod to HBO’s Succession Season 2 for best viewing this past year, as well as Marc Rebillet’s vaccine song.

The crowd, held to 30% capacity (due to live performance restrictions at the time of announcement) skewed slightly younger, with crowd pleasers “Everything’s Right,” “Turtle in the Clouds” and “Sigma Oasis” elating the audience, the latter especially with the line, “Take off your mask.”

Fans were treated to two lengthy compositions with the Rescue Squad Strings and Tanski with the early composition “Fluffhead” and the more recent “Mercury,” both wowing the crowd, the latter making its acoustic debut along with the Anastasio/Tansky duet of “Split Open and Melt.”

A show closing “First Tube” gave a nod to the late Tony Markellis, as Anastasio said, “With deepest love,” for the former TAB bassist and longtime resident of Saratoga Springs.

Trey Anastasio – Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC)- June 18, 2021

Setlist via Phish.net

Set 1: Wilson ^[1], Alive Again^[1], Stash ^[2], Water in the Sky^[2], Lost in the Pack^[1], Back on the Train^[1], Sample in a Jar^[1], Sigma Oasis^[1], Theme From the Bottom^[1], Shade ^[3], Fluffhead^[2], Mercury ^[4], The Inlaw Josie Wales^[2], Turtle in the Clouds^[1], Maze^[1], Snowflakes in the Sand^[1], Everything’s Right ^[5], Split Open and Melt ^[6], Joy^[2], Harry Hood^[2]

Encore: More^[1], First Tube^[4]
[1] Trey on acoustic guitar.
[2] Trey on acoustic guitar; with the Rescue Squad Strings and Jeff Tanski on piano.
[3] Trey on acoustic guitar; with Jeff Tanski on piano.
[4] Trey on acoustic guitar; with the Rescue Squad Strings and Jeff Tanski on piano. First acoustic performance.
[5] Trey on acoustic guitar. Started and stopped before being played in full.
[6] Trey on acoustic guitar; with Jeff Tanski on piano. First acoustic performance.

Saturday night found Trey and a full house at SPAC for round two. Phish bandmate Page McConnell stopped by late in the evening, surprising fans for a few songs.

Just before the encore, Trey thanked the audience, crew and friends and spoke about the late Tony Markellis.

Tony will always be a part of all of our lives. He of course, Saratoga resident and native. Page reminded me backstage of a fact that was quite true that I had forgotten. His absolute favorite song in the repertoire of all of this groups of friends who play together is this next song. He just loved this one. One of Page’s favorites too.
Trey Anastasio

And with that, “Sleeping Monkey” was played by Trey and Page, with the crowd letting out a laugh, and later singing the “home on the train” part in unison. For the final songs of the encore, Trey brought Jeff Tanski and the Rescue Squad Strings as Page stepped off, closing the night with “If I Could” and “Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.”

Trey Anastasio – Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC)- June 19, 2021

Setlist via LiveMusicBlog

Set 1: Set Your Soul Free, Blaze On, I Never Needed You Like This Before, Esther#, Brian And Robert*, Wolfman’s Brother*, Divided Sky*, Driver, When the Words Go Away, Twist, Foam#, What’s the Use*, Chalk Dust Torture, Sand#, Pebbles and Marbles*, Lifeboy*, Backwards Down the Number Line, Limb By Limb, Mountains in the Mist^, Sleep^, Waste^, Sleeping Monkey^

Encore: If I Could$, Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.

* – with Rescue Squad Strings + Jeff Tanski
# – with Jeff Tanski
^ – with Page McConnell
$ – with Rescue Squad Strings + Page McConnell

For the third and final night of acoustic performance at SPAC, Anastasio spent the longest day of the year focusing intently on playing and less time sharing stories. On the 17 year anniversary of one of Phish’s most notable SPAC performances, Anastasio gave the date fresh significance as acoustic debuts of “Reba,” “Drift While You’re Sleeping,” “You Enjoy Myself” and “Tweezer Reprise” were the specials of the day.

With the mantra of ‘Never Miss a Sunday’ show holding true through a pandemic, Trey kicked off the show with an unexpected Father’s Day opener in “Carini,” noting afterwards this was a Father’s Day song with the lyrics “he went across the street and called his dad,” the ends seemingly justifying the means.

A spirited acoustic version of “Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan” had a nice jam at end that worked its way into “Free” which had cheers throughout for “I feel the feeling I forgot.”

For the first acoustic debut of the night, “Reba” featured a duet with Jeff Tanski on piano, who added in a little ragtime style in the first third of the composition. The incredibly intricate song, one that Anastasio recently mentioned on Alive Again (Osiris Network) took the pair on a complex journey through one of Phish’s oldest fan-favorites. Anastasio noted afterwards that it was Tanski who helped him through the pandemic by playing together for 4-5 hours daily in a small practice space in New York City.

Welcoming back The Rescue Squad Strings – Katie Kresek and Maxim Moston on violin, Rachel Golub on viola, Anja Wood on cello – Anastasio dove into “Strange Design” and the debut of “Drift While You’re Sleeping,” the crowd moved by lyrics “It’s love, it’s love, it always was. And it is and it always will be love.”

Trey went solo for “Ghost” and “Farmhouse” before welcoming back Tanski for “Ghosts of the Forest” with aquarium-hued lighting and Anastasio hanging on the lyric “I’m drowning in my own mind” to the song’s morendo. The Strings returned for “Light” which used the blank canvas behind the stage to simulate a sunrise growing brighter as the song built towards climax.

“Bathtub Gin” and “NICU” had the audience singing along once again, followed by Tansky returning for two somber numbers in “Dirt” and “Miss You.” The Strings then came back again for the at-home composition from April 2020, “Till We Meet Again.” If there was any point of the evening where there was an interlude in the music, it was these previous few tunes, as the crowd would soon find out.

A solo version of “Tube” brought out big cheers for science, and with Tansky and the string section, fans were wowed with “The Lizards.” Debuting during the Beacon Jams in Fall 2020, the addition of strings to the fan-favorite had the song hitting a little different this evening. Paired with the “Slave to the Traffic Light” that followed, fans were blessed with two classic Phish songs plus strings in as intimate a setting as 30% capacity at SPAC could allow.

After a solo version of “Possum,” Trey read a sign saying “Play what makes you happy.” He obliged, playing “a little ditty that makes me happy,” that being “You Enjoy Myself.” The vocal jam afterwards was reminiscent of past performances with orchestras, such as at Carnegie Hall in 2009, with Anastasio standing in front of the canvas backdrop, his silhouette visible against orange and then blue light.

For the encore, Trey thanked everyone for three great nights, introduced the string section and Tansky, and moved into the Ghosts of the Forest ballad “Life Beyond a Dream.” The addition of strings to emotionally powerful songs from across his decades of performance stood out tonight, but the show closer, “Tweezer Reprise,” would be the icing on the evening as the first ever version with a string section, with Anastasio smiling ear to ear as the typical finale of Phish shows reigned supreme once again in the halls of SPAC.

Anastasio will perform two nights at The Beacon Theatre, June 22 and 23, the first shows with an audience at the famed venue since March 2020.

Trey Anastasio – Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC)- June 20, 2021

Setlist via Phish.net

Set 1: Carini ^[1], Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan^[1], Free^[1], Reba ^[2], Strange Design ^[3], Drift While You’re Sleeping ^[4], Ghost^[1], Farmhouse^[1], Ghosts of the Forest ^[5], Light^[3], Bathtub Gin^[1], NICU^[1], Dirt^[5], Miss You^[5], Till We Meet Again^[3], Tube^[1], The Lizards^[3], Slave to the Traffic Light^[3], Possum^[1], You Enjoy Myself^[4]

Encore: A Life Beyond The Dream^[3], Tweezer Reprise^[4]
[1] Trey on acoustic guitar.
[2] Trey on acoustic guitar; with Jeff Tanski on piano. First acoustic performance. No whistling.
[3] Trey on acoustic guitar; with the Rescue Squad Strings and Jeff Tanski on piano.
[4] Trey on acoustic guitar; with the Rescue Squad Strings and Jeff Tanski on piano. First acoustic performance.
[5] Trey on acoustic guitar; with Jeff Tanski on piano.
June 19, 2021
Trey Anastasio returns to Beacon Theatre, this time with a Live Audience

Trey Anastasio will return to the Beacon Theatre on June 22nd and 23rd for two solo acoustic performances, this time with a full capacity audience. The shows will mark the first time the Beacon has had a crowd since March 2020.

After 8 weeks of Beacon Jams in Fall 2020, which found Anastasio performing with TAB and assorted guests, including the Rescue Squad Strings, he returns this June for two nights solo. All guests over the age of 16 will need to be fully vaccinated for this event and provide proof upon entry.

Anastasio has already sold out three nights of solo shows at Saratoga Performing Arts Center over June 18-20.

photo by Jake Silco

Tickets for the shows will go on sale Thursday, May 27 at Noon ET, here. Note – there is no pre-sale for these shows.

Update – these shows are now both sold out. James Dolan, Executive Chairman and CEO of MSG Entertainment said the following in a statement:

Trey was the only artist to play live at The Beacon during the pandemic, so we’re honored that he’ll be the first artist back on our stage playing for a packed house. There’s no question people are eager to start gathering to once again experience events they love — and are more than willing to get vaccinated to do so. We’re focused on opening up all our venues to not just usher in the return of live entertainment, but of New York.
James Dolan

For anyone looking to request to purchase a taper ticket for the shows at the Beacon Theatre, please email tapertickets@gmail.com by 9pm ET on Wednesday, May 26th. Access to taper tickets is extremely limited and not guaranteed.

The Beacon Theatre venue vaccination policy and stipulations are as follows:

Guests will need to be fully vaccinated for Two Evenings with Trey Anastasio at the Beacon Theatre, meaning the event must be at least 14 days after your second dose of the Pfizer-BioNtech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine or at least 14 days after your single dose of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. The only exception is for children under the age of 16, who may provide proof of a negative antigen COVID-19 test, negative PCR COVID-19 test or full vaccination and are accompanied by a vaccinated adult. For more information, please visit beacontheatre.com/faqs.

May 26, 2021