[We would like to thank Megan Glionna (@meganglionna) aka @the_megan_dance (X/twitter) for recapping last night's show. -Ed.]

Achievement means accomplishing something successfully using effort, skill or courage. Artistic achievement on a large scale for a long time requires so much, but more than anything it requires courage. The courage to try something new even when you have found what works. On the Helping Friendly Podcast this year we analyzed and ranked the Top 25 Phish Tours of all time and the recurring theme was the relentless pursuit of evolution, even in moments of wild, peaking success. This year’s New Year’s Eve gag was just that. Another push towards the future. Another courageous swing at-bat after a winning season. The pursuit of evolution is the defining feature of the Phish from Vermont. And why last night’s show was a triumph.

The curse of the overachiever might not be discussed often regarding Phish since the band has maintained its outsider status despite their decades-long success. But lately, people have been realizing our well-kept secret. Whether Drew Carey is raving about Phish’s Sphere performance or “Evolve” is making the rounds on your parent’s local radio station, the word is getting out. And of course, it is! A band in their 41st year that played risky shows with deep jams on the beach in Mexico, delivered performances at the Sphere that overshadow U2 and the legacy of the Grateful Dead, and played a wildly successful summer tour that ended with some of the best shows all year, it was bound to happen! So now the world is seeing what we have known all along. As the world around Phish grows so does our feeling of ownership and expectations that they deliver for “the real fans” during their annual New Year’s Eve run at Madison Square Garden.

12/28 was a warm-up show, but since then the run has been largely consistent and strong. We’re not going to debate whether 12/29 has come for the 12/30 crown here (check out The Helping Friendly Podcast for that lively debate, I have thoughts!), but 12/30 suffers from the curse of the overachiever. We expect a lot of the night which I refer to as “the holy night of Phish.” This year, New Year’s Eve also suffered from this curse. Last year Phish did something we didn’t know if they would ever do. Performing a Broadway production of Gamehendge was the gift everyone wanted but was afraid to ask for. And they did it! So, what do you do next?! This is like when you find the perfect birthday gift for your partner only to realize that you will never get them anything this great again. It’s an impossible position. But Phish is the band that gave us Fall 1997 after Fall 1995! This band knows how to deliver after giving the perfect gift. So that’s where we found ourselves last night.

The first set was filled with classic, playful Phish. “Bouncing Around the Room” was the filling in “Mike’s Groove” for the first time since 2016. At 12-and-a-half minutes, “Stash” had a dramatic jam with strong piano from Page, big rolling drums from Fishman and some crystal clear soloing from Trey (his tone has been impeccable during this run). “Split Open and Melt” was another highlight with a descent into a synth drenched darkness and a textured noise jam. “The Squirming Coil” closed the set and had to be played as a nod to the hanging coils twisting above the stage for the impending gag.

A super strong second set included a fantastic “My Friend My Friend.” Clocking in just under 20-minutes, this version has a sophisticated soundscape with a driving, haunting energy thanks to the masterful synth work from Page and the melodic bass lines that Mike has been dropping this year. The “Golden Age” jam is beautiful and has “No Quarter” vibes. For the first time ever a jam from this song melted into “What’s the Use.” It’s a lovely segue and the perfect call. Some old school Phish followed and “First Tube” sent everyone off on a high note to the second setbreak.

Set three opened with a tight “Character Zero” followed by the new song “Pillow Jets.” In its tenth outing, “Pillow Jets” fulfilled its dramatic potential as performers with wings, robes and golden masks came out and conjured thunder with their operatic singing. A giant golden mask appeared in pieces and slowly came together, hovering above the band. The newest song to debut this year, “What’s Going Through Your Mind” has already had a great year. Debuting during a fantastic sit-in with Billy Strings and opening the second set on night one of Mondegreen with a giant 25-minute jam, the rumor was this song might be the gag. I was expecting a Broadway-style interpretation of the narrative aspect of the song, but it turns out the song was a gateway to something some of us have wanted forever. Or at least since we started going to raves in 1997.

The song cracked open the EDM Phish portal that has always been a dream for my 19-year-old self who loved Phish but fell in love with dance music too and always wondered what that marriage would be like. Maybe it’s good they waited this long because it was a tremendous, joyful union. Using this song as a launching pad, the band performed a 15-minute remix with lyrics from many songs (“Blaze On,” “Bouncin’ Around the Room,” “Martian Monster,” “Wolfman’s Brother, “The Lizards” and “Halley’s Comet”) and a propulsive beat that only Mr. Jon Fishman could create. Rave dancers flanked the band and billowing sheets and coils floated above. Kuroda had rectangular screens suspended above the stage and the Phish rave was in full effect. This wildly successful gag was a perfect example of how this band has continued to create really fun parties while also being intellectual and interesting. The tension and release inherent in dance music is something Phish mastered long ago and hearing them use it to nose-dive into “Chalkdust Torture” after the remix was incredible.

The rest of the set hit all the right Phish notes: celebration (“Chalkdust Torture”), contemplation (“Slave to the Traffic Light”), rock and roll (“Life Saving Gun”) and joyful exuberance (“Say it to me SANTOS”). Cue the perfect encore. “Grind” is so silly but also incredibly meaningful in its simplicity and vulnerability. A tally of the days is what remains at the end, and hopefully our end is not soon. Dropping "Icculus," referencing what a great year it's been and connecting it to last year’s New Year’s gag was the ultimate Phish move. Trey said it wasn't planned but who knows. It was genius and moving and an incredible way to close off a phenomenal year of Phish.

Last year Phish looked to the past to give the fans something they’ve always wanted and acknowledge how far the band has come since their early Gamehendge days. This year they took their new songs and pushed themselves to incorporate a new style of music. Maybe Phish will incorporate more EDM into their music moving forward, and maybe they won’t. But that’s what keeps us coming back, an ever-present wondering of how this band will change and continue to push themselves into the future.

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