Phish Blazes On to Birmingham, AL for Two Nights: A Track-by-Track Review

By Andrew Pringle

This past weekend, jam band giants Phish played two astounding nights at Birmingham, AL’s newest 9,300-person capacity outdoor venue, The Coca-Cola Amphitheater. Currently in their fifth decade, the legendary Vermont band is still able to pull in enthusiastic crowds of their die-hard fans, commonly referred to as Phans, for multiple night runs, this particular weekend being no exception. 

Located on the north side of downtown Birmingham, The Coca-Cola Amphitheater is Alabama’s newest, state of the art live music venue. Equipped with an abundance of parking options, multiple food and drink points of purchase, and not a single bad view of the stage, the facility is designed to satisfy the expectations of concertgoers, and the surrounding area has the potential to expand as an entertainment district. Additionally, being managed by Live Nation, the venue will bring big acts to perform here. The only downside being that the place could use more restrooms, however, the current restrooms are designed to efficiently keep lines moving, keeping wait times low. 

Before starting the review, I feel the need to contextualize my history with Phish. For a good amount of my life, I knew of Phish, but didn’t know Phish. Sometime in high school, I acquired the CD of their 1992 album “A Picture of Nectar”, which had a handful of songs I found fascinating and came back to often. Around the time of my senior year of high school, I began to dip my toe in the waters of their live material, and little by little I began to find songs that really scratched my musical itch. Looking back, it was a pretty unusual introduction to the band, because despite being one of the largest and most successful live bands, Phish has never had a hit single, much, if any, radio play, and has never been considered mainstream. Regardless, I have stuck with them and continued to expand my knowledge of their music as well as the fan culture. I had the chance to see them play in Nashville, TN in October 2023, however I chose to prioritize studying for a quiz I had the next morning, which I barely passed by one point, and since then regretted not going to that show. Fortunately, I did get to see the Trey Anastasio Band (TAB) play in at Mempho Fest in 2024, which was a phenomenal set of Phish classics with top tier musicianship, second to Phish themselves. All this to say that finally getting to see Phish live was a big deal to me. 

Saturday, September 13^th, 2025

Set 1 (1:23:19)

Back on the Train (8:48)- At 7:25 PM CST, Phish took the stage and opened with this classic, which was actually my prediction for the opener and one of my five predictions for this show. Based on the lyrics I associate this song with the band returning to a city they had not played in several years. TAB opened their set at Mempho Fest 2024 in Memphis, TN with this song, having not played in Memphis since 2006, and Phish not playing there since 1999. However, the night before, they played Louisville, KY for the first time since 1996, so my theory could be wrong. Aside from the lyrics and themes, this song is great for an opener due to its straightforward structure and simplicity, yet the upbeat movement and jam allows the band to warm up and get the crowd on its feet and dancing. The jam allowed all four members of the quartet to shine and improvise with no dry spots. With the song being shorter, by Phish standards, they knew how to appropriately time the jam and when to hop back into the main chorus. 

Cities (16:10)- This Talking Heads cover was another one of my five predictions due to having a verse about the city of Birmingham, additionally, this song has been frequently covered by the band throughout the years. When Trey Anastasio sang the altered line “Lot of bridges in Birmingham”, the original being “Lot of rich people in Birmingham”, the crowd roared in cheer. Being a big Talking Heads fan, I have always felt indecisive about Phish’s rendition of the song, due to it usually being performed at a significantly slower tempo than the original, and what’s the point of Talking Heads song if it’s not irresistibly danceable? However, this time it worked for me. The slower tempo allows breathing room for the band to take the jam into a variety of directions. Shortly into the jam, the band locked in and began to build ideas off each other. About two-thirds of the way into the song, they transitioned into a Type II jam, which means they deviated from the song’s initial feel, tempo, key, mode, etc. and moved into fresh territories, however, they remained tightly in-sync with each other. At one point, bassist Mike Gordon ran his bas through one of his many mysterious effect pedals, creating a low arpeggiating effect. Eventually, the jam mellowed out and cooled off, while remaining to smoothly roll onwards. 

Sample in a Jar (5:47)- While the ambient loops of the previous song died out, Trey played the opening chords to this classic tune. A by-the-books rock song I have always associated with the sound of the classic rock band “The Who”, this song has somewhat ambiguous lyrics, yet not hard to sing along with. Unfortunately, I was not able to see this one because by that point, the allotted time for the photo pass had run out and per the band’s photo policy, I had to return my photo gear to my car outside of the amphitheater, however, I could still clearly hear the music from outside the venue. While this was one of the shorter songs of the night, it was as solid as they come, each member being on their A-game. 

Theme from the Bottom (10:34)- I was still occupied with returning my camera gear during this song; however, this has never been one of my favorites from them, so I was ok with not being present and fully engaged for it. Something about the dissonance of the piano progression and the bass line and the vocal melodies have never sat right in my head, but that’s just me. I know a lot of the die-hard fans love it, so who am I to complain? Nevertheless, the jam of this one is by far the biggest redeeming factor of the song. Quickly deviating from the sound of the song, the building improvisations showcase the real time interplay and communication between the band. This is also a good time to mention John Fishman’s drumming and impressive rhythmic precision, proving himself to be an unspoken legend in the drum community, purely based on the endurance of his left foot alone, keeping time with the hi-hats even in the lengthiest of jams. Shortly after a well-deserved crescendo, the band came back to the ground by going back to the repetitive “From the bottom, from the top” lyrics, letting the instruments fade out. 

Old Home Place (3:05)- By this point in the show I had comfortably made it back to my seat and was enjoying the show. I was quite surprised when they began playing this song, for one, it’s a cover of a somewhat obscure bluegrass song by The Dillards (I had to google that), and while it’s a song Phish has been playing for years, it’s become more and more rare over time. While I’m not sure exactly what the consensus amongst the fanbase is with this song, it was apparent that the crowd responded positively to it. Additionally, it is always nice to see the band play into different genres with their eclectic sound. It’s also worth mentioning that Mike Gordon sang lead vocals on this one. 

Bathtub Gin (23:23)- As soon as the first two chords rang out of Trey’s guitar, the crowd knew what they were in for. Bathtub Gin has been a staple of Phish’s catalogue for decades now and it continues to be a favorite amongst both old and new fans. I believe the brilliance of the song lies within its simplicity as a composition, yet the band finds ways to insert small and seemingly insignificant quirks into the performance that ultimately shape the texture and feel of the song. For me, the highlight of this song is always hearing keyboardist Page McConnell’s vicious solos, balancing the sound of a drunk person perfectly playing every wrong note on a piano while also being able to bounce back with choppy chords smoothly placed in the right places. It’s hard to explain and obviously seems contradictory, but he somehow pulls it off. As a whole, the song can feel like a collage of goofy ideas, from the stumbling rhythm to the lyrics, to Fishman’s use of distinct percussive instruments, to the crowd all yelling “and we love to take a bath!”, to the simple yet catchy chorus melody. Like Cities, the song’s tempo allows the band to take the jam wherever they please, which they never allow those opportunities to go to waste. I would consider this to be one of the band’s best cases of their ability to flow flawlessly into a jam, moving from the choppy rhythm seamlessly into a rolling team effort from all four members to create a unanimous sound. As opposed to shred solos, the band uses the jam to create a rhythmic vibe and feel, and little by little slowing things down, creating a deep and intimate connection between the band and audience. At around the 13-minute mark, McConnell introduced the slow swirling synths, adding a hypnotic layer to the already immersive sound. In addition to that, Gordon briefly used another trick up his sleeve type pedal, producing a sound comparative to E.T the Extra-Terrestrial, however it was short lived. At this point, Trey and Fishman are leading the jam, with Trey soloing guitar riff ideas to build off, while Fishman loosely noodles interesting beats on the drums without losing the core rhythm holding the jam together. Slowly but surely, the band builds their way back up to peaking with Trey returning to the main chorus melody. This was one of the standout jams of the weekend, and truthfully one of the finest representations of what makes Phish great at what they do; appearing on the surface as simple instrumental playing, yet each member independently creating new parts and building off the other members, creating a perpetual cycle of musical communication that continually reinvents itself.  

Runaway Jim (15:23)- The band ended the first set with yet another classic, a bouncing country tune with a heavy emphasis on the down beat, guaranteeing even the most stubborn heads to bob. Despite clocking in at over fifteen minutes, this one went by really fast for me. Maybe it was from coming off the monstrous Bathtub Gin, but the quick tempo carried this one from start to finish. While it’s easy to pay to Trey’s soloing during the jam, this was a prime example of firm the band’s rhythm section is with Gordon holding solid bass lines while Fishman acrobatically plays drums, all while continuing to improvise and evolve.

Set 1 Conclusion- By this point, the audience knew that this show would go down as one of the finest of recent years. Seven songs in 83 minutes is impressive, especially when each song predates the 21^st century. Not only was each member at the top of their game instrumentally, but Trey’s singing also along with the band’s vocal harmonies were on point, sounding better than they had in years prior. The astounding first set left myself and the rest of the crowd with a curious appetite, wondering how the band would be able to top themselves in the second half. 

Set 2 (1:30:57)

Sigma Oasis (21:02)- The band opened the second set with the night’s first of the recent songs by the band. Based around a smooth guitar riff mixing chords with hammer-ons and pull-offs, this feel-good song is driven by lyrics that were surprisingly written before the Covid-19 pandemic, featuring lines such as “So take off, take off, take off your mask. The fear’s an illusion, so don’t even ask.”, yet the song and studio album of the same name had a timely release of April 2^nd, 2020. This song, to me, is proof that in recent years Anastasio’s lyricism has been better than ever, prioritizing lyrics that feel relevant to everyday life as opposed to the silly nonsensical lyrics of Phish’s early song, which there is nothing wrong with, I just have to point out that I see a noticeable shift. As the band moved into the jam, they very quickly began to expand upon the ideas presented within the song with Trey traversing the notes of the G major scale, with the help of McConnell’s piano sounding out the chords and rhythm. Around the halfway point, McConnell introduces a stuttering synth sound that contributed an interesting texture to the mix. Near the end of the jam, Trey began messing around with his effect pedal that allowed his guitar signal to be reversed. As the instruments died down, a dark ambient sound filled the waves of sound, which led into the next song. 

Down with Disease (14:47)- The third correct prediction of my five, Down with Disease has been a favorite of mine since the first time I heard it. From its envelope filter heavy intro bass line to the precise rhythm, to the fun lyrics, this was a song I was dying to hear live. While it might not be their most compositionally complex song by any means, it feels as though they have had some trouble playing it recently with some performances having some pretty noticeable flubs. However, I’d consider this performance to be one of the most flawless I’ve heard, especially in this era of the band. The jam section wasted no time diving into Type II territories, moving to a slower, more laid-back area, but not letting down their guard. The band collectively morphed into a Pink Floyd sounding solo section that they let loosen up and come back to the ground, with Trey once again creating a looped and reversed guitar sound and Gordon using an electric drill to get a distinct tone from his bass. Without wasting time, they jumped straight into the next song. 

Life Saving Gun (18:03)- Another one of Phish’s newer songs, this rocker has a heavy chord riff from Trey, pushed further by McConnell’s quick hands on the CLAV-organ. The band made it through the main song like a breeze before embarking on the night’s next ambitious jam. Tightly knit-together by Fishman’s drum grooves, the band kept things toned down for a minute, remaining calm, before taking an unexpectedly dark and weird turn. The first signs being McConnell’s use of glitchy, digital synths, and Trey soloing in a minor key scale. It didn’t take long for the band to communally take the jam into the dark tunnel in which it was heading. While Fishman held the groove steady, McConnell started running the glitchy synths through an arpeggiator, which Trey responded by doing the same with his guitar running through a smorgasbord of pedal, causing the feedback and dissonance to drive each other into what could only be described as alien communication. I’m not sure what Mike was doing during this section, but whatever it was, he was doing it perfectly. Now would be a great time to talk about Phish’s lighting design. Led by Chris “CK5” Kuroda and commonly hailed by fans as being the fifth member of the band, the lights are yet another masterfully crafted layer of improv, being operated in real time to match the sonic movements of the music. Needless to say, the lights were going hypnotically berserk to match the crazy instrumental. Eventually, the band brought the beast of a jam to its knees and snapped things back into place, allowing the music to mellow out before moving on to the next song. 

Pillow Jets (9:17)- The fourth correct prediction of my five, the band went into this one with McConnell leading the intro with the calming sounds of his mellotron. This fun and light-hearted piece was a great choice to follow the absurdity of the previous jam. Additionally, the open-air venue lies only a few miles west of Birmingham’s local airport, meaning throughout the show, airplanes would fly overhead on their way into the airport, which evoked a delightful cheer from the crowd every time. Seeing the planes fly over, especially during Pillow Jets, was a magical memory I’ll forever remember from this show. For a majority of this song, the band allowed the audience to catch its breath but couldn’t help themselves from getting a little experimental near the end of the jam, messing around with unusual sounds, allowing their instruments to play themselves. When they finally decided to settle down, they slowed things down for the next song. 

Mountains in the Mist (7:11)- This soft deep-cut was yet another surprise, strategically bringing the energy down, feeling reminiscent of the Grateful Dead’s slower songs. I don’t have much to say about this one besides feeling comfortable, and how nice it was to hear Trey sing the line “I’m worn and bruised, but I am here at least”, a line I feel heavily resonates with the band members as well as the fans. 

Blaze On (7:32)- Yet another of the bands new-age songs, this uplifting song has been in constant rotation in the band’s live sets since its debut. While by no means one of their most instrumentally impressive songs, the song successfully makes its statement in the lyrics, a celebration of life even amidst the hardships of imperfection. The solo sections are always pleasant to the ears and gets the body moving. Also, the band very visibly enjoys playing this one. No complaints from me. 

Ghost (13:05)- The fifth and final of my predictions that were played, this timeless crowd-pleaser was an excellent choice to end the second set. Like previously stated with previous songs, the structure and feel of this song opens doors to infinite possibilities, causing this one to be fresh every time it’s performed. Not exaggerating, I could listen to this song be jammed for hours on end without being bored of the ever-interesting ideas brought forth by the band. This jam in particular had a great emphasis on solos building to peaks, utilizing tension and release. The satisfying snap back into the song perfectly came in at the right time, wowing the audience once again. When the song concluded, Trey thanked the audience and the band left the stage, but the audience was hungry for more. The good news is that everyone there knew what was to come. 

Set 2 Conclusion- Set 1 of the night set a pretty high bar for the band to surpass, but thankfully, the band was able to keep the energy up and powered through the second set. It’s worth mentioning that from Sigma Oasis all the way to Mountains in the Mist, the band played uninterrupted with no breaks between songs which is a daunting feat but was perfectly executed. I can’t for sure say which set I preferred more, but they work extremely well together as companions, which I find to be more important than one being better than the other. By the end of the set, I was excited for the encore because I genuinely had no idea what they were going to play, but it didn’t matter to me because I just wanted the party to keep going. 

Encore (10:38)

Shine A Light (4:37)- The encore began with a tasteful cover a The Rolling Stones’ gem, which Phish has performed sparsely since 2009. The cheerful song evokes the feeling of throwing an arm around the people around you and slowly rocking back and forth, a pleasant way to wind down an energetic show. 

Say it to Me S.A.N.T.O.S (6:01)- With one last trick up their sleeve, the band blasted into S.A.N.T.O.S, a rocking group effort by all four members. With a catchy chorus and the sing-along “Hi ho hi ho hi ho!”, this tune has found its place as one of the band’s most solid recent songs, always able to get the crowd going, even if it’s the final song of a three-hour show. The jam allowed Trey to shred one final solo and picked up the pace to the grand peak before going back to the chorus. Before ringing out the final note, Trey thanked the audience and expressed his excitement for the following night. 

Night 1 Conclusion- I could not have asked for a better first show, and while I do wish I could’ve taken advantage of opportunities to see them sooner, I’m glad this is what I ended up getting. Fans are already citing this to be one of, if not the best, show of the year. For me, the highlight of the show was the sprawling Bathtub Gin, along with all five of my predictions being correct. By the time I was leaving the venue, I was already anticipating my return the following night. 

Sunday, September 14^th, 2025

Set 1 (1:25:17)

Punch You in the Eye (12:53)- Taking the stage at approximately the same time as the night before, the band opened the night with this piece, a song that has evolved since its first performance dating back to their first decade. Beginning with a droning jam, the band used the time as a way to warm up, but despite that title, they were still firing on all cylinders. When they came back to the main form of the song, Trey introduced a riff that felt as if it should be a hype song played at every sporting event with a synchronized “Hey!” from the crowd. While not an initial part of Gamehendge, the lyrics have multiple references to characters and locations from the story. The verses have Trey quickly singing while the band tightly follows. The song also features two sections known as “The Landlady” in the styles of Latin and Mamba, in which Trey and Mike performed a synchronized side-stepping dance while Page leads on keys, followed by Trey ripping into another guitar solo, before hopping back into the main chorus one last time, then finishing the song with “The Landlady”.

Mike’s Song (14:02)- With only a fraction of a second of silence, Trey dove headfirst into the smooth riff of Mike’s Song. Per usual, this one is sung by Mike and features catchy melodies and the memorable line “You don’t want no nice guy”. The band breezed through the main song and entered the jam with their heads held high. In my humble opinion, this was one of the best jams of the weekend, generously moving around as a Type II jam, but never straying too far from where it started. Naturally, Fishman held things down on the drums with Gordon remaining in the pocket with him. Page’s use of organs added solid and soulful layers to the mix, while Trey provided tasty solos. The quartet hit the perfect cue of hitting the final minute of the song, before calmly moving into Ocelot.

Ocelot (10:40)- A nice change of pace, this tame song has become more and more obscure in the band’s catalogue in recent years. While some fans might put this one in the category of “Pee Break Songs”, it really does offer a nice feel to dance slowly to. The jam portions offer a chill feeling with interesting bass lines from Gordon that caught the attention of my ears. Likewise, Trey and Page soloing on their respected instruments mended well together. Before winding down, the jam did hit some great peaks, especially for a song that doesn’t require the band to play at full speed. They hit the chorus one final time before closing out the song. 

Kill Devil Falls (12:05)- Before Trey bent his guitar strings into the opening notes of this one, my friend who I stood with for the show was able to call this one purely based off Trey’s hand placement high on the fretboard. Like most of Phish’s modern songs, they don’t require a lot of proficiency for the band to play, however, the skill is utilized in the jam section. While I wouldn’t consider this to be one of the more exciting jams of the show, the band continued to keep the ball rolling without an ounce losing momentum. Winding down the song, Trey does offer one last solo which landed well, before reprising “Going back to Kill Devil Falls”.

Ginseng Sullivan (3:15)- Another bluegrass cover once again sung by Mike. As neat as I think they are, I can’t say that the bluegrass covers do much for me. I think it’s a good thing that the band approaches them with the spirit of bluegrass, but due to the length of the songs, I would love to see the band put a unique spin on them, considering both Phish and bluegrass are both known for having extended improvised solo sections. That being said, I have nothing against the band playing them and maybe one day it will click for me, and I’m very open to that, but for now I think the songs are alright. 

Halley’s Comet (5:48)- One of Phish’s most bizarre songs features Gordon singing an acapella bassline and features enigmatic lyrics such as “It’s Cadillac rainbows and lots of spaghetti, and I love meatballs so you better be ready”, and “How would you like to have your thick strawberry goo?” Beyond its silliness, it truly is a fun song with an abundance of motion, and while it does not contain a jam, it is used to set up the next song in the set. 

Weekapaug Groove (6:04)- It should have been no surprise to me that this one would be played in the same set as Mike’s Song due to both being a part of the “Mike’s Groove” suite. The structure of the song only contains three chords, the same as Mike’s Song, played repetitively, making for perfect foundation to solo over. This song has always been a special one to me, as it was probably my first foretaste of the band’s live material, so getting to hear it live was a real treat. While some might complain that it’s not nearly as fast as it used to be, the band still manages to twist it into something unique and funky. 

Stash (15:25)- Another definitive track by the band, this complex composition requires advanced dexterity from all four members, both in the speed and navigation of notes in the numerous scales utilized in the main section, not including the jams. In the more than thirty years of this song being consistently in the live rotation, it has remained a staple of their live sound due to its elaborate execution as well as utilizing crowd participation with its three claps (yes three, not four), singing the melodic “woah”, and singing the iconic “Maybe so, maybe not”. My same friend who called Kill Devil Falls before it began was also able to call this one before starting, seeing Trey’s left hand on the twelfth fret. I would consider the jam from this one to be another of the finest from the weekend, with Trey’s ability to move from line to line, crafting solo melodies and expanding upon the ideas, with Page chiming in, sometimes mimicking the melodies with his piano. At one point, Fishman played in double-time on the hi-hat cymbals. In the last few minutes of the jam, they retained the tempo but brought down the volume and stripped back the instruments. Mike used his odd E.T. effect pedal again, unfortunately like the previous time, did not last long. Slowly but surely, they allowed the instruments to cascade back into the mix before boldly returning to the main structure for the remainder of the song. By the time it ended I was sure that it was the end of the first set, but they had one more before the encore. 

Cavern (5:05)- With only five minutes, the band is straight to the point with this song. While not being an ambitious mega jam, it still has all the distinctive qualities of Phish. The unique syncopation of the instruments aligning with the drums creates an odd feeling but does not detract from being danceable. Also, the lyrics contain some of the most hilariously random rhymes which I can’t help but appreciate. In the limited time of the song, each member still manages to find ways flex their instrumental abilities. While it was unexpected for me, I can confidently say that it was a safe way to end the first set. 

Set 1 Conclusion- By the end of the first set, I would say that the band had not reached the same heights they did the night before, but that’s not to say things weren’t going well. There were still some very high highlights such as PYITE, Mike’s Song, Ocelot jam, and Stash; and overall, I was having a phenomenal time. Furthermore, I was looking forward to the second set because they had played none of my song predictions yet.

Set 2 (1:21:45)

A Wave of Hope (17:48)- Kicking off the second set, the band went with a (relatively) newer song that first debuted in 2021. Driven by a hooking guitar riff and inspiring, the band retained the energy from the first set and kept moving it forward. Without an ounce of shyness, they sailed through the main song structure and went straight into the jam. Keeping the pace on the drums, Fishman set the stage for the rest of the band to open their stride and glide. With Trey taking the mainstage, the other members followed along, accompanying him in the groove. Though the jam was well over ten minutes, it sure did fly by. Near the end, the instruments quieted down while Fishman picked up the pace, before coming to a gradual stop, paving the way for the next song. 

What’s Going Through Your Mind? (17:41)- The first and only of my correct predictions from the night, this song has become a favorite of the band’s newest songs. Originally performed by TAB, this tune utilizes a fascinating chord structure and some of Anastasio’s most honest and heartfelt lyrics, as well as a chorus that reminds me of the seagulls in Pixar’s Finding Nemo. An aspect of this song that I admire is the band’s willingness to take their time in the main song before transforming it into a jam. While they didn’t take the jam anywhere crazy, it was still a cozy and relaxed feeling. If you’d like to see the band go crazy with it, I’d recommend checking out their performance of the song at Madison Square Garden on New Years Eve 2024.

Mercury (15:23)- By this point, it was evident that this set was going to be full of Phish’s newer music. I wasn’t familiar with this song prior to the show so it took me a little bit to get the hang of it, yet I still listened intently. Admittedly, this was one of my less favorite moments of the show. There was still enough happening to keep me thoroughly intrigued, but I spent a lot of the song waiting to see what the band had in store for the jam. The jam itself had many subtleties that elevated it from an alright song to me telling myself “Wow I really love what they’re doing here!”, such as Page’s keys, to Fishman’s numerous variations of one of his most common beats, to Trey’s always reliable soloing. I haven’t mentioned this yet, but should clarify that yes, Trey Anastasio is capable of soloing for hours upon hours live without it ever feeling dull or phoned in, he always finds ways to make his playing sound fresh and fun. 

Golden Age (14:50)- Coming in from the last song’s jam, the band hopped into this cover, originally by TV On the Radio. Full transparency, this was another one that I’ve never considered a favorite, nor have I ever been into TV On the Radio; nothing against them, just haven’t given them the time. I don’t have much to say about this one aside from the jam being approached in the typical Phish fashion, however I don’t think they take any risks with it. It ended with the band lightly using dissonant sequences and loops similar to Life Saving Gun the night before, but without going anywhere crazy. 

What’s the Use? (7:57)- The drop into this song was unexpected, but well timed, landing perfectly. Derived from their album The Siket Disk, this instrumental, to me, embodies the feeling of breaking down, with every instrument adding a layer of emotion, most notably Trey’s simple yet effective guitar melody. With the first half resembling The Doors’ “The End”, it balances a feeling of existentialism and beauty, while gradually dying out. Taking a hopeful and mellow approach, the second half could perfectly fit into Pink Floyd’s catalogue. Bringing the song to a transcendent peak, they end it on a high note, all before snapping into one of the most iconic intros in rock and roll. 

Good Times, Bad Times (8:06)- Coming out of a slow song, this Led Zeppelin cover was a good surprise. From the get-go this song requires each member to be at the top of their game, to which they succeeded. Most notably Fishman nailing the meticulous drum parts, with the single pedal bass drum triplets clean enough to be on par with the original recording. Additionally, Trey’s vocals proved to be fitting, which can be a task given Robert Plant’s distinct vocals are known to be difficult to mimic. I must also applaud Trey for flawlessly executing the main guitar solos in both his identical tone and wailing feel. The main solo section was extended to a Type I jam where the quartet proved they still had some gas left in the tank, showing no signs of stopping. Some fans are even saying this was the bands best performance of this song in years. As for me, this was definitely a highlight of night two. Truth be told, I might not ever hear the original again without craving the craziness of this version. 

Set 2 Conclusion- While I had a lot of critiques to make about this set, I wouldn’t consider any of them to be complaints. Even in songs and places that didn’t have my highest interest, I never found it to be boring or uninteresting. In my opinion the strongest quality of this set was that the band never wasted the momentum that kept them going, and the set ended on an extremely high note. Highlights for me included What’s Going Through Your Mind?, What’s the Use?, and Good Times, Bad Times.  

Encore (19:54)

Fee (5:14)- An unexpected but welcome surprise for an encore, this early Phish song has become rarer in recent years, becoming more sought after by fans. With an uneasy but chill feel, the verses were sung through a megaphone by Trey, switching back to normal vocals for the upbeat chorus. Being a shorter song, the band kept this one straightforward, leaving the crowd curious for what was to come for the remainder of the encore. 

Twist (8:42)- Another odd choice for an encore song, this medium paced was a fine addition to the setlist yet felt rather out of place for being one of the final songs. Knowing the clock was running out of time, I was wondering to what heights they would take this one. To clear any confusion, I did really love this song live and the jam took some neat turns; I just think it caught everyone off-guard being one of the final songs. Also, I unfortunately mistimed yelling every “Woo!”, but that’s just me. 

More (5:58)- A good call for the final song of the encore and weekend, this 2016 Phish song has managed to age like wine, becoming more relevant since its origination (maybe that’s a bad thing). With lyrics about the world becoming crazier, the song questions there being more to life than pain and hardships, but despite the heavy subject matter, the song ultimately takes an optimistic stance. I can understand why the band saves it for the encore, reminding people as they return to their everyday lives that there is still love and joy left in the world and to not lose sight of it when it presents itself. Like the previous two songs, the band didn’t go in any crazy directions with this one, but it was still a great way to end a show. 

Night 2 Conclusion- The final songs of the weekend could best be described as unpredictable, but that’s not a bad thing. While any fan might choose other songs to end the show with, I’m not mad by any means. Simply put, I enjoyed it. 

Final Thoughts

Finally getting to see Phish was something I’ve been looking forward to for years now, and while I would’ve loved to have seen them sooner, I believe I caught the perfect shows for my first time. If you ask me, I prefer night one over night two, but they’re still neck and neck on being of the same quality. I should also shout out the band’s replay streaming service LivePhish, who includes free digital recordings of each show with proof of attendance, usually via ticket barcode. Being able to relisten to the shows was a massive help for writing this review. 

One final point I must make is that I attended both shows completely sober, which probably recontextualizes this whole review. Like most jam bands, Phish has the reputation of being a “drug band”, mainly due to the fanbase’s ties to psychedelics, but over the years both the band and parts of the fanbase have stressed the importance of sobriety, with Trey even founding the non-profit “Divided Sky Foundation”, a rehabilitation center and program based in Vermont. For more info, I’d recommend visiting their website at Dividedsky.org. 

Ultimately, I can definitively say that Phish is as good as their fans make them out to be, and I would encourage skeptics to give it a shot, especially with the band currently sounding as good as they have in years.  But I must also warn that it is as addictive as the fans claim, I’m only two shows in and I’m already highly anticipating the shows to come.