Phish tour rolled on from Bethel to Hartford on Sunday, July 24, as thousands of fans flocked to Central CT with the mantra ‘Never Miss a Sunday Show’ proving true once again.
The first set began with “Cars Trucks Buses,’ a nod to the Traffic that surrounded the former Meadows Music Theatre. A surprise Big Boat track ‘Breath and Burning’ followed in the two-slot, taking more of a stroll that fans may have expected. The sustained energy from the next four tunes – “The Final Hurrah,” “Free,” “Yarmouth Road,” and “Plasma” – made way for thr highlight of the set, a 17 minute-plus “Sigma Oasis” that before closing with “Limb x Limb” and “Sand.”
Set two was a tale of two halves. The first half of “A Wave of Hope” > “A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing” > “Blaze On” clocked in at a combined 55 minutes, with the first two songs blasting off with heavy Type II improvisation and magnificent drumming from Jon Fishman who propelled the band through the jam. The second half of the set kept the energy going with “The Wedge,” “Farmhouse,” “Backwards Down the Number Line” all of which on paper may seem like a snoozfest but when the heat is set so high, a cool down is in order. Yet the heat was ramped up again to close the set with “Character Zero” and a rare “Tube” > “First Tube” encore.
Phish rolls into Jones Beach on Tuesday and Wednesday for the first time since 2013
Phishâs summer tour opening run at Xfinity Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts was a heater to get the band on the road again after a month or so off. The former “Great Woods” has seen many Phish shows – 19 as of Friday, July 15 – and drew a New England crowd and many more to get summer started.
On Thursday, Phish dove in right away with “Ghost” and a “Set Your Soul Free” wedged in between before playing “The Wedge.” The second set opened with an unfinished “Chalkdust Torture” that segued into “Plasma” and “Weekpaug Groove,” which made Friday night interesting when they opened the second set with “Mike’s Song.” A deep trio of “Prince Caspian” > “Backwards Down the Number Line” > “Bug” provided quality jams, with a big “Sand” to end the set.
Friday night, the band was on fire out of the gate with “46 Days,” a big “Everything’s Alright” moving into “Rift” and a “Maze” > “Bathtub Gin” > “Rock n Roll” segue that was a powerful end to the first frame. Set 2 started with “Mike’s Song” but when they finished up “I Am Hydrogen,” Trey Anastasio quickly moved into a heavy “Carini” which slowly gave birth to “Blaze On.” The non-stop segues continued with “Golden Age” > “The Howling” > “A Wave of Hope” > “Harry Hood” provided an equally energetic ending as Set 1. A three-song encore of “Bouncing Around the Room,” “NICU” and “Slave to the Traffic Light” closed the night as everyone headed north to Bangor, Maine for the next show.
Phish – The Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA – Thursday July 14
Soundcheck: Jam -> Plasma
Set 1: Ghost -> Set Your Soul Free -> Ghost, The Wedge, Mound, Mountains in the Mist, Back on the Train > Ruby Waves, I Been Around, Tube > About to Run
Set 2: Chalk Dust Torture[1] -> Plasma -> Weekapaug Groove -> Saw It Again -> Prince Caspian > Backwards Down the Number Line > Bug > Sand
Encore: Punch You in the Eye > Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.
[1] Unfinished; Chalk Dust Torture was unfinished. Trey teased Tweezer Reprise in Weekapaug.
Phish – The Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA – Friday, July 15
Soundcheck: Jam
Set 1: 46 Days, Water in the Sky, Everything’s Right -> Rift, Wolfman’s Brother, Maze > Bathtub Gin > Rock and Roll
Set 2: Mike’s Song > I Am Hydrogen > Carini -> Blaze On -> Golden Age > The Howling > A Wave of Hope > Harry Hood
Encore: Bouncing Around the Room, NICU > Slave to the Traffic Light
Bethel Woods Center For The Arts has updated their upcoming concerts for this summer, which was kicked off by The Who on May 28. Shows will run through September 3rd at the best outdoor concert venues in The Catskills.
Seated next to the 1969 Woodstock Festival, the modern amphitheater features covered seating for 5,000 and lawn seating for an additional 11,000.
Brad Paisley with special guests Tracy Lawrence & Tenille Townes –June 4 at 7:30 PM
Country music artist Brad Paisley, renowned in country music history for his talent and decorations in the genre is performing with special guests Tracy Lawrence & Tenille Townes at the Pavilion at Bethel Woods at 7:30 on June 4.
Celtic Woman (Pavilion-Only) — June 5 at 7:30 PM
The all-female Irish musical ensemble will perform at Bethel Woods for a special Pavilion-only performance at 7:30 on June 5.
Bill Burr (Slight Return) — June 17 at 8:00 PM
Grammy-nominated comedian Bill Burr, who is one of the top comedic voices of his generation achieving success in TV and film as well as on stage, is going to bring his performance to the Pavilion at Bethel Woods at 8:00 PM on June 17.
Thomas Rhett with Parker McCollum & Conner Smith — June 23 at 7:30 PM
Four-time Grammy Award nominee Thomas Rhett returns to the historic site for a Pavilion show this summer with Parker McCollum & Conner Smith.
Dead & Company — July 1 at 7:00 PM
Dead & Company consists of former Grateful Dead members and acclaimed musicians for a not-to-miss Pavilion show.
The Doobie Brothers 50th Anniversary Tour feat. Michael McDonald — July 2 at 7:00 PM
Boasting one of the most loyal fan bases in music, selling more than 48 million albums, and winning four GRAMMY Awards, The Doobie Brothers continue to write and record new material and tour the world.
Steely Dan with Dave Stryker Trio — July 3 at 7:30 PM
Experience all the hits from as part of Steely Dan’s “Earth After Hours” tour with special guest the Dave Stryker Trio at the Pavilion at Bethel Woods at 7:30 PM on July 3.
Josh Groban: Harmony Tour with Preservation Hall Jazz Band, also featuring Lucia Micarelli, and Eleri Ward — July 5 at 7:00 PM
Josh Groban with special guest Preservation Hall Jazz Band also featuring Lucia Micarelli and Eleri Ward perform at Bethel Woods for one not-to-miss evening.
Train: AM Gold Tour with special guests Jewel, Blues Traveler & Will Anderson — July 8 at 6:30 PM
Train with special guests Jewel, Blues Traveler & Will Anderson join forces on the Pavilion stage for an unforgettable evening of live music.
Chicago & Brian Wilson with Al Jardine & Blondie Chaplin — July 14 at 7:00 PM
Chicago, one of the longest-running and best-selling groups of all time, comes to Bethel Woods to perform hits spanning multiple generations.
OneRepublic with special guest NEEDTOBREATHE — July 15 at 7:00 PM
OneRepublic is comprised of Ryan Tedder, Brent Kutzle, Zach Filkins, Drew Brown, Eddie Fisher and Brian Willett. Along with NEEDTOBREATHE, they will perform at 7:00 PM on July 15.
Alanis Morissette with Garbage — July 19 at 7:00 PM
Canadian-American singer, songwriter, and actress Alanis Morissette is coming to the Pavilion at Bethel Woods at 7:00 PM on July 19 with Garbage for their “Jagged Little Pill” 25th anniversary tour.
Dave Matthews Band — July 20 at 7:30 PM
The American rock band Dave Matthews Band will criss-cross the state this summer, with a stop at Bethel Woods at 7:30 PM on July 19.
Phish — July 22, 23 at 7:30 PM
Phish will return to Bethel Woods for the second time in their history, the last being a memorable 2011 run of three shows.
Backstreet Boys — July 24 at 7:00 PM
The vocal harmony group Backstreet Boys are scheduled to resume their tour which was delayed due to the pandemic. Their third tour performance in July will be put on at the Pavilion at Bethel Woods at 7:00 P.M., July 24.
Norah Jones with special guest Regina Spektor — July 30 at 7:30 PM
Norah Jones performs with special guest Regina Spektor during this special Pavilion-only performance at 7:30 PM on July 30.
Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band — August 4 at 8:00 PM
Legendary singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett performs on the Pavilion stage with the famous The Coral Reefer Band at 8:00 PM on August 4.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone™ in Concert — August 6 at 7:30 PM
The Harry Potter film series is a once-in-a-lifetime cultural phenomenon that delights millions of fans around the world. The concert will brings back the fantastic memories of Harry Potter film series at the Pavilion at Bethel Woods at 7:30 PM on August 6.
Foreigner with Don Felder — August 7 at 7:00 PM
With 10 multi-platinum albums and 16 Top 30 hits, Foreigner is universally hailed as one of the most popular rock acts in the world with a formidable musical arsenal that continues to propel sold-out tours and album sales, now exceeding 80 million.
Outlaw Music Festival feat Willie Nelson — August 13 at 4:30 PM
Founded in partnership with the iconic and beloved Willie Nelson, the Outlaw Music Festival is North America’s largest touring music festival.
Backroads Blues Festival: Buddy Guy & Kenny Wayne Shepherd with special guest Christone “Kingfish” Ingram — August 14 at 6:00 PM
Blues rock great and five-time GRAMMY nominee Kenny Wayne Shepherd alongside blues legend Buddy Guy and young blues sensation, and recent Grammy winner Christone “Kingfish” Ingram come together for the Backroads Blues Festival.
Brandi Carlile with Allison Russell and Yola — August 19 at 7:00 PM
Phil Lesh & The Midnight Ramble Band — August 20 at 7:30 PM
Phil Lesh will be joined by The Midnight Ramble Band featuring Amy Helm, Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams, Jim Weider, Connor Kennedy, Tony Leone, Shawn Pelton, Brian Mitchell, Adam Minkoff, Steven Bernstein, Jay Collins, Erik Lawrence, Grahame Lesh.They will perform the Pavilion at Bethel Woods at 7:30 PM on August 20.
Santana with Earth, Wind & Fire — August 21 at 7:00 PM
Original Woodstock performer Santana returns to the historic site with Earth, Wind & Fire for a Pavilion performance not to miss.
Encanto: The Sing Along Film Concert — August 23 at 7:30 PM
Mirabel, the only ordinary Madrigal, discovers the magic surrounding their home is in danger, she may be her family’s last hope. Encanto received the Academy Award, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Producers Guild of America Award for Best Animated Feature.
The Beach Boys – Sixty Years of the Sounds of Summer with The Temptations — August 25 at 7:30 PM
Enjoy decades of timeless hits in just one night with The Beach Boys – Sixty Years of the Sounds of Summer and The Temptations at the Pavilion at Bethel Woods at 7:30PM on August 25.
Darius Rucker with Jameson Rodgers & Elvie Shane — September 3 at 7:00 PM
Multi-Platinum singer and rhythm guitarist Darius Rucker is joined by special guests Jameson Rodgers & Elvie Shane to perform at the Pavilion at Bethel Woods at 7:00 PM on September 3.
Today we celebrate the anniversary of the first Phish show ever held at New York City’s esteemed Radio City Music Hall. Fresh off the heels of a New Year’s Millennium celebration in the Everglades that made headlines worldwide, Phish was ready to take on the year 2000 with a Spring Tour of Japan on the books. But first, they would play a few gigs in New York City to dust off the cobwebs and help support their album Farmhouse which was released just days earlier. On this the first of a two-night run here, Phish would wind up playing about half of the new album’s songs while mixing in other classics in a show that certainly lived up to the anticipation surrounding it.
Phish seems to soak in the applause for a bit from a raucous Radio City Music Hall before starting the show with thunderous “First Tube” that seemed to move the ground itself. Mike Gordon’s constant, unwavering bass line dominates this one pulled from Farmhouse that continues to be a mainstay at shows to this day. A familiar first set face in “Wolfman’s Brother” gets played next, adding a veritable dose of funk to the revered music hall, with sound coming through in pristine fashion thanks to Radio City’s amazing acoustics.
An early show “Squirming Coil” then makes an appearance. The “Little Jimmy’s off to camp” line seems to get a noticeable roar of approval from the crowd, perhaps in respect to last summer’s legendary (and sweltering) Camp Oswego festival in Upstate New York. After a fairly brief Page McConnell closing piano solo, the opening to “Possum” emerge which reenergizes Radio City and then some with the floor once again seeming to have a discernable bounce to it, especially on the upper levels of the building. After a brief pause, the funk returns once more, this time courtesy of a bubbly “Moma Dance.”
Once “Moma” comes to a rolling stop, the opening chords to “Limb By Limb” ring out, a fellow Story Of The Ghost selection. “Limb” elicits one of the finer jams of the first set, one that slowly increases in fervor and intensity, with McConnell and Trey Anastasio on guitar musically sparring back and forth, before it closes with Jon Fishman alone on drums. “Character Zero” then wraps a bow around the much anticipated first Phish set at Radio City, a spirited and well-played one with fairly standard selection of songs for 2000.
The second set stays very much in that same vein, beginning with a “Gotta Jibboo” that produces the next standout moment of the evening. The band is instantly locked in on a blissful jam that takes off right away, aided by Anastasio’s signature digital delay loop running underneath it the entire time. This momentum carries squarely into the “Down With Disease” that comes next. The band rips through the composed section and jumps immediately into an aggressive high-octane jam that starts strong and never really lets up, with Fishman pushing both the tempo and the limits in a masterclass of drumming. Eventually, Trey reintroduces the digital delay loop with Page adding in some harrowing organ fills as the band takes their time crafting this one. It all adds up to a 20-minute “Disease” that’s the highlight of the show and one of the better ones ever played to date.
In a true case of juxtaposition, Phish lets the crowd catch their breath a little and trots out the introspective “Dirt,” yet another Farmhouse selection. This would actually begin a three-song run from the new album (and four of five including “Jibboo”) in the second set as “Twist” follows and brings with it a mellow, groove-infused jam that turns into near ambience.
This lays the foundation for “Piper” and its customary (at the time) slow build introduction. “Piper” goes from slow to lightening quick in a hurry, with Anastasio shredding out the main chords in rapid fashion with Fishman, once again, doing some otherworldly business on the drums. Instead of stretching “Piper” out further, it comes to a rather abrupt stop and Phish pivots to “Harry Hood,” much to the delight of the Radio City crowd.
Phish doesn’t mess around with “Hood” and delivers a splendidly euphoric version of one their signature songs, a slow build of emotion before cresting perfectly. A second set full of music and memorable jams could have easily ended right there with few complaints. But from the ashes of “Hood,” McConnell emerges alone on piano and begins “Wading In The Velvet Sea” to add another emotion-provoking song to the list. Afterwards, both he and Trey expressed their appreciation for being able to play at Radio Music Hall, where they had both been able to see the great Stevie Wonder perform, with Trey making some especially poignant and heartfelt remarks about the current state of Phish and the scene it has created.
With that said and done, the resurrected “Guyute” then closes out the second set in grand fashion. The “I hope this happens once again line” at its completion gets another extra round of applause from the crowd. For an encore, Phish trots out one last Farmhouse selection with the acoustic “The Inlaw Josie Wales” before “Loving Cup,” the lone cover song of the night, sends the Radio City crowd home glowing, eagerly anticipating what’s to follow in round two tomorrow.
Take a listen to the whole show below or song by song at PhishTracks.
Phish Radio City Music Hall – New York, NY 5/21/00
Set 1: First Tube, Wolfman’s Brother, The Squirming Coil, Possum, The Moma Dance > Limb By Limb > Character Zero
Set 2: Gotta Jibboo, Down With Disease > Dirt, Twist > Piper, Harry Hood > Wading In The Velvet Sea, Guyute
Saturday, April 23rd marked the fourth and final night of the rescheduled New Year’s Eve run for Phish at their unofficial East Coast headquarters, Madison Square Garden. The band left nothing to chance and delighted fans with one last show before Summer Tour commences in a few months.
The first set had a decidedly old school flavor to it, with a dash of music from the future thanks to a new Sci-Fi Soldier wrinkle that was brought into play. A classic “Fluffhead” opener went off without a hitch and was greeted loudly by the Garden crowd. Next, Phish brought out another signature tune in “Mike’s Song” and delivered a proper “Mike’s Groove” with the mesmerizing “I Am Hydrogen” placed in the middle.
In keeping with the old school flavor, “Simple” came out next, no doubt spurred on by the new mayor of New York CIty’s Twitter usage. As the “Simple” jam stretched out and started to become anything but that, vocals emerged from the band and a distinct “Egg In A Hole” jam developed, the first time it’s been played since the Vegas Halloween run of last year where it was first spawned. A late set “Divided Sky” was perfectly placed before the set closed out in raucous fashion with the arena rocker that is “First Tube.”
Phish’s last set of the run began with a scintillating “No Men’s In No Man’s Land” that spawned a sprawling jam. The set also featured a memorable “Piper” that once again seemed perfectly dropped into place and contained a discernable “Dave’s Energy Guide” jam or tease, depending on who you talk to. Page McConnell and Trey Anastasio each also got to feature some of their personal material as well thanks to the pulsating “I Always Wanted It This Way” and the introspective “Lonely Trip.” An unexpected encore pairing of “Wilson” > “David Bowie” brought one last taste of magic to the Garden before a euphoric “More” officially closed out the run.
Setlist via Phish.net
Set 1: Fluffhead, Mike’s Song > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove, Simple -> Egg in a Hole Jam -> Simple, Divided Sky, First Tube
Set 2: No Men In No Man’s Land -> Prince Caspian > Piper > Gotta Jibboo, I Always Wanted It This Way > Lonely Trip, Walls of the Cave
Encore: Wilson > David Bowie, More
This was the the rescheduled date for the show that had been postponed due to the Omicron variant of COVID-19 surge in New York City in December of 2021. Trey teased San-Ho-Zay in No Men in No Man’s Land, Dave’s Energy Guide in Piper, and In Memory of Elizabeth Reed in David Bowie.
Night three of Phish at Madison Square Garden not only brought with it three sets of music, but a whale of a chance to do “New Year’s” all over again. Friday night represented the NYE celebration of the rescheduled end of 2021 shows and revelers took full advantage, dressing up to nines and all but signing “Auld Lang Syne” on the way in.
Photo by Jake Silco
An “Everything’s Right” opener did nothing to curb the pre-show enthusiasm and had the MSG crowd rocking in unison from the get-go. A smooth segue into “Tube” only further enhanced the early show vibes. Another first set pairing of “555” > “Back On The Train” went off without a hitch, with a “Train” jam that slowly increased in both tempo and emotion. The Page McConnell-penned “Army Of One” gave the crowd a chance to catch their breath before Phish welcomed back “Axilla (Part II)” to the live setting after being resurrected last year. A rowdy “Bathtub Gin” was met with open arms before “Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S” closed out a raucous first set.
The second set was the “all gas, no brakes” portion of the evening with a string of segues that started with an ebullient “Set Your Soul Free” that made its way seamlessly into the “Light.” This was followed by a simmering “Fuego” before a quick trek into “What’s The Use?” gave the second stanza a chance to breathe. A “Backwards Down The Number Line” that Trey Anastasio dedicated to his daughter for her birthday brought yet another slow build and release jam in closing out the second set.
Prior to Set 3, the stage was cleared off entirely, and new, more compact drum and key rigs were brought to the stage, centered more than usual. The wide area around the stage that now surrounded the band was revealed to be a white sheet just prior to the 11:45pm start time. With the band’s return to the stage for “Free,” the stage lifted up, bringing with it the now-stretched sheet upon which projections would appear during an Earth Day-themed set. Five songs – “Free,” “A Wave of Hope,” “Waves,” “Sand” and “Split Open and Melt” – would play off their lyrics while water and laser projections lit up the stage from underneath.
Anastasio and company found themselves lifting up off the stage, with all found on the same level, so as to avoid a repeat of 2019 where Anastasio found himself stuck on his a platform, 30 feet above the stage. Much like in 2013 and 2015, the band moved the stage within the confines of The Garden, keeping the fans on their toes.
photo by Pete Mason
The Earth Day gag as a whole did not give a direct nod to this rescheduled New Year’s Eve show, but there were connections to the past that could be found within the production. The foam blowing during “Split Open and Melt” was a callback to 2002’s “Seven Below” foam party; the ‘rain’ during “Free” and “A Wave of Hope” was similar to 2016’s “Petrichor” production; the overall aquarium feel throwing back to 1993’s New Year’s Eve, and the overall water theme from 2017’s “Soul Planet.”
During “Waves,” drone-operated dolphins made an appearance, floating through the air, gyrating as they flipped and bounded through waves of smoke and fog. The famed Blue Whale from the Natural History Museum arose from Mike-side moments later, coasting through the water and providing a stunning visual effect for all 20,000 fans to behold. For 20-30 minutes, The Garden felt like The Ocean, with a blue hue accenting the stunning set.
As the stage descended at the end of “Split Open and Melt,” the sound of cracking ice could be heard, giving a subtle hint to the single song encore of “It’s Ice” that was yet to come. For the grand finale, a giant donut was raised behind the stage, reminding phans that even on Earth Day, the universe is a donut.
photo by Pete Mason
Setlist via Phish.net
Set 1: Everything’s Right > Tube, 555 > Back on the Train, Army of One, Axilla (Part II) > Bathtub Gin > Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.
Set 2: Set Your Soul Free > Light > Fuego > What’s the Use? > Backwards Down the Number Line
Set 3: Free, A Wave of Hope, Waves > Sand, Split Open and Melt
Encore: It’s Ice This was the rescheduled date for the show that had been postponed due to the Omicron variant of COVID-19 surge in New York City in December of 2021. Trey teased Happy Birthday in Set Your Soul Free and wished his daughter Bella a happy birthday in Backwards Down the Number Line. For the third set and encore, the stage was raised with a screen showing moving images in front of and below the band. During Waves, dolphins and a whale flew throughout the venue. Kelp descended from above the band during Split Open and Melt and fell to the stage after the song was over. Prior to It’s Ice, there was a prerecorded freezing sound as the image on the screen “froze.”
Every Phish fan knows the meaning of “the night before”. Tomorrow is a big show like Halloween or New Year’s Eve and the band drops an absolute scorcher of a show to get us pumped for the massive event to come.
Photo by Rene Huemer
After Wednesday’s slightly uneven and messy opener (still a really fun show – check out my review here), expectations were high for what was originally slated to be the 12/30/21 show. The last few December 30th Phish shows have included incredible moments like the legendary 35-minute Tweezer in 2019, the Glide II bustout and overall insane show in 2018, and a 27-minute Down with Disease in 2017 that stands as one of my favorite versions of the song.
4/21/22 established itself as “one of those nights” right from the jump, with Trey shouting out THE Suzy Greenberg for her first show as the crowd erupted with an insane burst of energy. Two strongly-played versions of 46 Days and Plasma followed the blazing opener with short but concise jams in each.
The first WOW-inducing moment of the night came next with a pretty clean reading of The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday, complete with the Avenu Malkenu sandwiched in between. After a quick check of the last two times this song was played (9/1/21, 7/14/19), I was then certain that the rest of the show would continue to be legendary.
The jamming began in the Wolfman’s Brother late in set 1, continuing its 2022 streak after the absurd 22-minute version played in Mexico in February. Sticking to the bouncy groove of the song, Page worked the Rhodes beautifully as Trey took the reins toward the end and erupted into a massive peak to end the song. The crowd fed off of and loved EVERY SECOND of it, and I truly began to understand why MSG is Phish’s home court and the best place to see them.
Continuing with a rare and well-executed Esther (another first for me!), the band closed the set with a powerful Ghost. Taking the now-traditional bliss modulation, Trey seemed to be heading for the end around the 14-minute mark, but the band egged him on and he assertively drove into a manic and rocking jam that almost hinted at Tweezer Reprise to close the song and set.
When the band walked onstage for the second set and ripping directly into Chalk Dust Torture, there was no doubt about this version going deep. As has been the trend for this run so far, Phish stuck to major-key themes throughout instead of the more Sci-Fi Soldier-ish weird jams that dominated 2021. Trey confidently soared through the driving and beautiful Chalk Dust before smoothly transitioning into Tweezer (see 8/7/15 for the last amazing second-set opening CDT -> Tweezer). Beginning the jam with a relaxed vibe, Phish really leaned into the groove, working in aspects and themes of both Your Pet Cat and the Free jam (at least to my ears). Mike then led the band into an absolutely perfect modulation to major key.
Here’s where the jam got crazy.
Trey continued to play the Your Pet Cat-like riff, but it took on different meaning in the gorgeous bliss soundscape. Page’s gentle Wurlitzer playing and Fish’s insistent drumbeat pushed the jam as Trey gently began to solo in an incredibly patient and gorgeous theme. Seeming to stretch for much longer than its 14 minute runtime, Tweezer was absolutely perfect and the crowd ate up every second, absolutely captivated by the beauty of what was being produced in front of us. There was one moment around the 13-minute mark where Trey sustained a long note overtop of a silky bed of electric piano that provoked a loud cheer from the crowd. Absolute madness.
As Tweezer faded, Fish dropped into the familiar 2001 drumbeat and Madison Square Garden erupted as over 20,000 people began to aggressively dance at the same time. Trey played some fantastic funky rhythm guitar as Page took advantage of his synths throughout the patient jam. After the get-down dance break of 2001, Phish ripped through an incendiary Maze > About to Run pairing before taking the first real breather of the set in The Mango Song.
When an absolutely spectacular Hood came next, most people (myself included) assumed that the set would end there. The band wasn’t done, however, and Trey emphatically ripped the opening riff to Character Zero.
As much as people like to hate on this song to close second sets, the crowd absolutely RAGED for this tune and sang along to every word. Led by Page shifting to clav, Zero got dark and filthy for a couple of minutes before Trey dropped into Tweezer for a minute before cleanly transitioning back to Zero to close the set.
Let that process for a minute. Character Zero -> Tweezer -> Character Zero to close the second set.
A great encore of power ballad A Life Beyond the Dream and the best three minutes in rock music (Tweezer Reprise) closed this legendary show with more incredible energy from both the band and crowd.
This band is nearly 40 years into their career and continues to blow minds in unexpected ways. Tonight we celebrate New Year’s Eve in April and I could not be more excited to see what Phish has in store for us across three sets.
Phish Madison Square Garden – New York, NY 4/21/22
Set 1: Suzy Greenburg > 46 Days, Plasma, The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday > Avnenu Malkenu > The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday, Wolfman’s Brother, Esther, Ghost
Set 2: Chalkdust Torture -> Tweezer > Also Sprach Zarathustra > Maze, About To Run, The Mango Song > Harry Hood, Character Zero -> Tweezer -> Character Zero
E: A Life Beyond The Dream, Tweezer Reprise
This was the rescheduled date for the show that had been postponed due to the Omicron variant of COVID-19 surge in New York City in December of 2021. Suzy Greenberg was dedicated to “the hero of the song,” Suzy Greenberg, who was attending her first Phish show. Chalk Dust Torture was unfinished. Trey teased Super Bad in 2001. Mike quoted Kung and Trey teased Plasma in Harry Hood. The conclusion of Character Zero contained a Third Stone from the Sun tease from Trey
For the first time in just over two years, Phish returned to the familiar stomping grounds of Madison Square Garden (MSG), kicking off a four night run postponed from late December 2021.
This was also the band’s first show on April 20 since 1994, and first show in April in the NYC Metro area since 1998, setting up a night full of potential, the rescheduling notwithstanding.
Wasting no time, Phish began the run with 19 minutes of “Carini,” that helped set the tone for the evening. Riding the early wave of energy, Phish parlayed this into a crowd favorite in “Possum” that helped shake the Garden to its core. A funked out, but unfinished, “Moma Dance” then found itself batting third in the lineup.
“Stash” and “Blaze On” satiated fans expecting cannabis-themed references for 4/20, with the former in usual mid-set placement and delivering a blistering jam.
“Sigma Oasis” opened Set 2 and gave way to 22 minutes of “Down with Disease”, an all too prescient combo of ‘take off your mask’ and ‘down with disease / three weeks in my bed. Somewhat surprisingly, Phish didn’t use the “Disease” jam as an immediate launchpad into something else and instead rounded back into completion.
“The Howling” seems to be one of the more popular selections from the band’s Sci-Fi Soldier experiment recently unleashed in Vegas last Halloween and made another appearance mid-second set. A clean segue into “Twist” followed which brought another momentous jam along with it before Phish throttled it back down again once more with ever poignant “Mountains In The Mist.”
To the delight and surprise of many, a late set “Reba” then emerged that yielded a mesmerizing, slow build jam that was rife with euphoria, getting a well deserved cheer from the Garden crowd. The newer Ghosts of the Forest tune “Drift While You’re Still Sleeping” then capped off the emotional second set.
In another surprise of sorts, a rolicking “Gumbo” started off the encore before Phish tapped into the feels once more with a “Slave To The Traffic Light” closer that hit just the right notes, ending the first night of the four-show run in grandiose fashion.
Setlist via Phish.net
Phish – MSG – NYC – April 20, 2022
Set 1: Carini > Possum, The Moma Dance[1] > Leaves, Strange Design, Stash, Blaze On
Set 2: Sigma Oasis > Down with Disease > The Howling -> Twist > Mountains in the Mist, Reba, Drift While You’re Sleeping
On Wednesday, March 5, 1997, Phish was the musical guest at The Ed Sullivan Theater on Broadway, performing “Character Zero” on the Late Show with David Letterman.
The band had just returned from a tour of Europe a few days prior, with Trey Anastasio and Jon Fishman both sporting a post-international tour/vacation beard.
Following the performance, Letterman came over to shake the band’s hands, saying “Nice to see you again” to which Anastasio replied, “Hope you got the ice cream,” referring to the new Ben and Jerry’s ice cream flavor, Phish Food, just released nationwide a month prior. A concert at the Flynn Theater in Burlington, VT on March 18, 1997, would officially release the flavor, including an appearance by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield just before the show began.
Guests on the show this evening included Chevy Chase and Mary McCormack from the ABC show Murder One.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7frkMAW6-g
One of the arena rock songs in the Phish repertoire, “Character Zero” typically is found as a set closer in recent years, putting an exclamation point on a show and extracting jubilation from fans in the song’s refrain.
I was taught a month ago To bide my time and take it slow But then I learned just yesterday To rush and never waste the day Well I’m convinced the whole day long That all I learn is always wrong And things are true that I forget But no one taught that to me yet
I ought to see the man Mulcahey
I was taught a month ago To bide my time and take it slow But then I learned just yesterday To rush and never waste the day Now I’m convinced the whole day long That all I learn is always wrong And things are true that I forget But no one taught that to me yet
