Phish turned the clock all the way back Wednesday night (July 22) at New York’s Madison Square Garden, opening its five-night stand with a show that doubled as a loving tribute to the band’s early years emerging from the Vermont club scene.
The concert marked Phish’s 92nd performance at the famed arena, and the quartet celebrated by performing a setlist made up entirely of songs from its 1992 repertoire. Nothing written after that era made the cut, transforming the night into a glorious, full-fledged nostalgia trip for longtime fans.
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The throwback spirit began even before the lights went down. In recent days, subscribers to the Phish Update email list received a message themed after Doniac Schvice, the DIY newsletter the band mailed to fans throughout much of the 1990s. Guitarist Trey Anastasio completed the illusion onstage in a quintessential ’90s look, sporting a sleeveless black shirt.
Set one kicked off with the long-dormant “Glide,” making its first appearance since 2021, before winding through early favorites such as “Runaway Jim,” “Foam,” “Axilla” and “Stash.” The biggest surprise came with a bustout of Foreigner’s “Cold as Ice,” which hadn’t been played since May 1992 — a gap of 1,468 shows.
That flowed into Syd Barrett’s “Love You,” another rarity absent since 2016, and Argent’s “Hold Your Head Up,” complete with dress-clad drummer Jon Fishman on vacuum and Anastasio delivering an over-the-top “GOOOAAALLL!” announcement. Fishman admitted at the mic that facing the MSG crowd was a “terrifying experience,” but he fronted the band with gusto, even jumping atop keyboardist Page McConnell’s grand piano for a triumphant salute.
The first set also featured an unusual “Reba” without its customary whistling ending before closing with an adventurous sequence of “Possum” into “David Bowie,” interrupted by the return of the long-shelved “The Vibration of Life” — last performed in 1996 — before circling back to finish “David Bowie.”
The second set stayed firmly rooted in the band’s formative years, opening with the classic “Mike’s Song” > “I Am Hydrogen” > “Weekapaug Groove” trilogy. Fans were also treated to the return of vintage stage antics, including the band’s trampolines during “Mike’s Song” and synchronized bicycle kicks while lying on the ground during “I Am Hydrogen.”
The evening was improbably highlighted by “Bouncing Around the Room,” which had never been “jammed” in a traditional Phish style until a recent gig in Indianapolis. Last night, its extended section stretched to 16 minutes, built on deep, psychedelic grooves and the foursome’s remarkable instrumental interplay.
The encore kept the nostalgia rolling with “The Horse” into “Silent in the Morning,” followed by a manic “Big Black Furry Creature from Mars,” during which bassist Mike Gordon stretched out on the stage as Anastasio extended his microphone stand to its full height for some final full-throated utterances.
Will the ’90s-specific set lists continue throughout the MSG visit? Find out when Phish returns to the stage tomorrow.
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