[We would like to thank Ian Zigel (@RipenessWasAll) aka @ianzigel for recapping last night's show. -Ed.]

Phish at Madison Square Garden on the last four nights of the year is an experience that needs no introduction. But humor me and I’ll try.

Madison Square Garden – affectionately known as MSG, YEMSG, The Gah-den, The Center of The Universe, The Round Room, The Garden of Earthly Delights, Phish Mecca, Harry’s House, Trey’s House, The World’s Greatest Arena, and so on – holds the record as Phish’s most played venue, with a tally set to reach 91 on 12/31/2025. Phish currently holds the 2^nd place record for artists that have performed the most concerts at MSG, and it’s only a matter of time before they claim the top spot from the first place holder.

In a community rife with differing opinions, I think we can all agree this place is a cornerstone of the Phish extended universe. A time capsule of formative memories for many a devotee, the mere *thought* of this place can spark a knowing smile up my face.

Walking into MSG instantly transports me back to my first Phish show, on this day in 2018. Twisting the kaleidoscope of joyful MSG memories, I see images of the floor shaking beneath my feat; of nights that left me awe struck, speechless, and scrambled when the lights came on after the encore; of spicy chicken sandwiches, photo ops, set break reunions, clambering up several flights of stairs for a poster, sustained “Harry Hood” notes and a chorus line of naked dudes.

Some of your recollection hallways may be adorned with jammed out “Lawn Boy”, Truck Sets, Whales, and debuted Prince covers. I always break out with goosebumps when I hear the voice of Annie Golden call out “the real story…. Of GAMEHENDGE.” A wise man once said, “nothing I see can be taken from me.”

Phish is a hobby well-suited for enthusiasts, for sincere freaks who find a distinct amusement in obsessing over and collecting small, silly details. When pieced together, they form a wonderful collage, participation in which, adds meaning to our lives. As an enthusiast, I experience my mind to be a prediction-making machine, quick to identify patterns and inclined to anticipate what comes next. At the same time, having too many expectations can beget disappointment.

Going to Phish shows is often a balancing act between rampant enthusiasm and letting go of any expectations – at least in practice. This is especially apparent when seeing Phish at Madison Square Garden, the place I have seen them perform the most times. I can’t help myself from noticing that, in general, the 12/28 show tends to be the “warm up show.” Fun, but eclipsed by the shows on the 29th-31st. I try my best to enter the experience with zero expectations, and with a focus on being present.

The band takes the stage at approximately 7:58. A “Buried Alive” opener is a harbinger of good things to come. The punchy instrumental warms up the band and crowd alike, and without missing a beat they launch into “AC/DC Bag.” CK5 shows off his iron grip on the MSG lighting arsenal as the band wades into some euphoric micro jamming. An unexpected “Roggae” winds up in the 3-spot. I note to myself that the band seems really relaxed, confident, even effortless in their playing.

After a quick breather, the energy picks right back up with the yee-haw coded “Rift.” Page’s solo is extra ferocious. After the line, “in silence contagious in moments like these,” Trey takes an extra breath, and the crowd eagerly fills in the silence with uproar. The silence in this case was not so contagious.

Next, we arrive at our first foray into deep improvisation of the night – “Wolfman’s Brother” gets the building moving and shaking. Page shines again, opening up a few portals with gooey synths, steering the jam into dark and psychedelic territory. From where I stand in section 117, the sound is mixed SO well. The "Wolfman’s" jam takes a turn for the blissy before a masterful transition into “Punch You in The Eye,” unexpected and delightful. They really stretch out the Punch intro, with inspired interplay of special effects and some especially cool sounds coming out of Mike’s rig. CK5 spins rainbow spirals on several axes and it feels like I can see the sound coalescing around the room.

“Sigma Oasis” breaks the streak of 1.0 era material, kicking off a mass exodus of bathroom-breakers. I stick around, hoping it jams a little. It does not. And that’s ok. A tasty and perfectly executed “Taste” follows. I again make a note to self that Page’s solo rocks extra hard tonight. Again, unexpectedly, Trey picks up his acoustic guitar and we’re treated with the elegant Farmhouse ballad “Sleep,” the first performance of this song in over 200 shows. Having moved to Brooklyn earlier this year, this feels fitting for my first MSG show after which I get to sleep in my own bed.

Trey puts his Languedoc back on and revs up the intro to “Run Like an Antelope.” The jam builds and builds and builds and builds to an enthralling peak, layered on top of a few false peaks. It gets so intense that it goes a bit off the rails. But Phish are consummate professionals and navigate through the flubs and back to the form with ease, such that the untrained ear may not even notice.

At set break I get an overpriced burger with onions and bacon and catch up with friends who I bump into in the concourse. I get a little carried away and can hear the muffled beginning of “Oblivion,” a song that has really grown on me this year. I quickly shuffle back to my seat and join my crew there. The song launches into a brief-but-pleasant major key jam before descending back into the main riff. “Down with Disease” takes the two spot, perhaps a call back to night two of SPAC earlier this year. The intro is flubbed, but this is quickly made up for with another dancy and blissful jam, accentuated by colorful effects choices from Page.

A flowy transition into “Simple” reignites the energy in the room, with a noticeable uproar for the mentions of skyscrapers. The ensuing jam is a little bluesier and darker, a nice contrast to the major key noodling that characterized the first two songs of the set. Fishman begins playing something mind blowing that I think is going to steer this jam into deeper waters, but it instead morphs into … a transition into “Gotta Jibboo?” An unexpected turn, but I’m not mad about it. "Jibboo" is short but sweet.

After a brief pause, we’re treated to another unique placement of a late 2nd set “Theme From the Bottom.” There have been some amazing and more experimental renditions of "Theme" in recent years, but tonight’s performance is one for the ages. From the signature "Theme" jam, an understated, dark groove develops into a churning, psychedelic, Pink Floyd-flavored tunnel of madness. Musical themes are patiently developed, with each band member taking turns throwing ideas into the strange brew and stretching past the 20-minute mark. Now we’re talking. The music bubbles up through a sludge of effects into major key territory again, eventually landing back into “Simple!” This is the crown jewel of the night. A very brief “Everything’s Right” closes the second set, a bit abruptly.

A short and sweet “Slave to The Traffic Light” serves as the night’s encore, also a bit abrupt. Taking cues from the band, I hug my friends and opt to go home and conserve energy for the next three nights.

I had a great time at this show, and I think the band played quite well overall. The "Wolfman’s" > "PYITE" segment and the "Theme" jam stand out as especially great moments worth many a re-listen. I enjoyed that this show was full of unpredictable moments, song selections, and setlist placements. I would argue this was one of the better 12/28 shows in recent years, if not the best. At the same time, I know that we are just getting started as we bring another year to a close here at MSG.

Life is mysterious, challenging, and mesmerizing at once – just when you’ve got it all figured out, the not knowing can really humble you. Phish’s continued effort to set up and subvert the expectations of their most engaged fans is delightful, because in doing so, they mirror the inherent beauty of that unpredictability back to us.

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