SPAC3 RECAP: DO TAKE ANOTHER STEP
[We would like to thank @zzyzx for providing this recap. -Ed.]
Like any good obsessive, I have multiple interests that rule my life. Among them are - obviously - Phish, but also the Seattle Mariners take up way too many of my brain cells.
Usually they interact in different worlds. I might occasionally check the score during a show and I've taken in a few random day baseball games on tour this year to see new stadiums, but they rarely overlap. There are two exceptions though.
The 1995 playoff series with the Yankees, the one that is largely felt responsible for getting the new stadium built and keeping the team in town, took place during a northwest fall tour. I missed Edgar's grand slam because I was in the parking lot of Spokane and I was completely oblivious to the most famous play in Mariners' history - Edgar Martinez's game winning double - because I was in Missoula. I got a score update from CK at the break, and assumed the Yankees would hold onto their then 4-2 lead and eliminate the M's.
The second happened yesterday in Schenectady. Mel had been up late and it was raining all day so I was just going to let her sleep in. While getting back from my dreary morning walk, I ran into some Mariners' fans in the lobby of all things. It hadn't clicked, but Ichiro's induction into the Hall of Fame was yesterday and it was a short trip to Cooperstown. I wouldn't get to see his speech, especially after rain delayed the ceremony, but I drove over there and saw the town get taken over by Mariners' fans.
SPAC2 RECAP - SAVED BY THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS
[We would like to thank @andrewrose for providing this recap. -Ed.]
“Awake, arise or be for ever fall’n.” - Milton, Paradise Lost.
Saturday night in Saratoga Springs! If you’re just tuning in, Phish kicked off their tour-closing run in the state capital area and hometown region on Friday night and, in the second set, unlocked a portal that’s been coalescing all year—or maybe since Mexico ’24—dropping a set so flawless and filled with space-hose that they chose to release it in its entirety on Youtube rather than the customary single highlight. After that performance, speculation abounded about what was in store for the bigger Saturday night crowd. Having left everything on the table the previous night, surely expectations were to be tempered. A jukebox Saturday night special, or maybe just something a little loose to conserve the energy for the tour closer on Sunday? They couldn’t possibly keep that up, and keep digging deeper down.. could they?
Well follow me now and you will not regret / A tale of the trip to Hell and back that our wandering minstrels did beget.
SPAC1 RECAP: LAWN OF THE DEAD
IT has been thirty years since summer 1995, when Phish performed highly and mind-blowingly improvisational versions of “Tweezer” at Salt Lake (18m), Mud Island (50m), NissanPav (20m, with “Johnny B. Goode”), Finger Lakes (45m), and Jones Beach (30m, with DEG), not to mention the Red Rocks “Mike’s Groove” (35m), Walnut Creek “Runaway Jim” (31m), Blossom “Mike’s” (20m), the Jones Beach “Bowie” (27m), the SPAC DWD (24m), the Great Woods Mike’s>Contact>Groove (35m) and “Stash” (18m), and the Sugarbush “Bowie” (31m, also with “Johnny B. Goode”).
Yet, as demonstrated last night at SPAC, and at times earlier this summer (including recently in the must-hear “Ether Edge” and the "Ruby Waves" from Forest Hills and the WGTYM in Chicago), Phish continues to improvise with breathtaking skill, ingenious creativity, and high-spirited soul.
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FOREST HILLS2 RECAP: PHISH GOES ELECTRIC
[We would like to again thank Alaina Stamatis (@Farmhose) for recapping last night’s show. Find her on the socials @fad_albert and at www.fadalbert.com --Ed.]
You could say I went to Forest Hills to get drunk and talk really loudly and a Phish concert broke out. I barely had a buzz on at 6:26pm when the band emerged at the famed Tennis-stadium-turned-summerstage and opened with “Free.” We’ve all seen this song open a show a hundred times, easily, so I saw no problem in shouting into my wife’s ear nonstop. I asked her if she knew that Bob Dylan played here in 1965 and before she could answer, I launched into a super detailed account of the show as it was remembered by the bassist who played with Dylan on that fateful date.
“It was Harvey Brooks! He played bass for Dylan at his first Forest Hills show and went on to lead an illustrious career as a studio bassist, appearing notably on Bitches Brew and the Doors’ the Soft Parade! He’s interviewed in that book by Ray Padgett!” I yelled as “Free” continued. “Anyway! So, Harvey Brooks says as soon as the drums came out people started booing, and then Dylan went electric and a handful of people stormed the stage! Dylan turned to Brooks and said, ‘Keep playing.’ There was a grass court down there and a small platform for a stage, not at all like what we see today! And a few guys got tackled trying to ruin the show, and one dude managed to reach the stage and pull Al Kooper’s stool out from under him! He was on keyboards!” My wife murmured something unintelligible and I crushed a can.
FOREST HILLS1 RECAP: GAME(HENDGE), SET(LIST)... PHISH
[We would like to thank Tedd Kanakaris (@teddkanakaris) for recapping last night’s show. Tedd is owner of Sandpiper Wealth, an advisory firm named after two great songs. He plays keyboards and tells stories about and for the Phish community on Instagram @teddkanakaris -Ed.]
There’s little Phish fans crave more than a first. A breakout tune. An unusually deep jam. A never-before-played venue. Whether that first is personal—your first “Fluffhead”—or a collective moment shared by 13,000, we live for those thresholds: new chapters written in real time. The band's debut at Forest Hills Stadium had that gravity. This is hallowed ground—once echoing with the grace of tennis legends and the screams of Beatlemania—now poised for our debut.
In the lead-up, anticipation buzzed with a curious mix of reverence and logistics. Could a venue landlocked in Tudor-style urban luxury—and boasting zero parking—deliver a proper Phish experience? Would the lack of a traditional lot dull our tribal pre-show rituals? Would the band tip their hat to Queens in some unexpected way? “Harpua” into something, anything, by the Ramones? As fans traded predictions online and in line, small but delightful details began to fill in the picture: Page McConnell, a secret Mets fan, would throw out the first pitch at Citi Field on Wednesday; Mr. and Mrs. Met would be on site, repping the right borough—but the wrong sport. It was also “Pollock day”, for those lucky enough to secure a print. And with a curfew looming at 10:00 PM sharp, an unusually early 6:00 PM (well, 6:30PM) start time commenced.
PHISH TO ROCK THE ICONIC FOREST HILLS STADIUM
[This article was originally published in The Queens Ledger on July 16, 2025, and is reprinted here by permission of the author, Michael Perlman, with help creating hypertext from Tedd Kanakaris. We thank them for suggesting it be reprinted here in advance of the Forest Hills shows. - Ed.]
Forest Hills history will be taken to new heights when Phish comes to town, to the delight of everyone from longtime fans to fans-in-the-making, traveling from far and near. The stage of the historic horseshoe, arched colonnade, eagle-adorned Forest Hills Stadium, which offers premier sightlines and acoustics, as well as a balance of intimacy and monumentality, awaits Phish’s footsteps. The band’s distinctive jams, musical improvisation, and memorable harmonies will take place in a rare surviving outdoor venue, where an audience’s chorus under a crisp blue sky often transitions to a brilliant sunset and starlit sky, casting a relationship with lighting and special effects. After-parties are bound to be held at nearby restaurants centered around Station Square and Austin Street.
A two-day extravaganza on July 22 and July 23 at 6 PM will signify Phish’s first concert in Queens, nicknamed “The World’s Borough.” Forest Hills will feel like a storied destination on their 30-gig “Summer Tour 2025,” which began on June 20 in Manchester, New Hampshire, and concludes on September 21 in Hampton, Virginia. The band consolidates multiple genres, spanning experimental rock, jazz fusion, alternative rock, progressive rock, bluegrass, country, funk, reggae, and psychedelic rock. The repertoire of no two shows is predictable.
CHICAGO3 RECAP: WHERE'S WEEKAPAUG?
A phenomenon hit children’s literature in the late 80s into the 90s called Where's Waldo? An illustration of a thin, bespectacled Waldo would be placed in a crowded scene: a circus, or ballgame or school function. The reader, probably in elementary school, could spend hours turning the pages trying to locate the man in the red and white striped sweater.
Phish played its own version of Where’s Waldo? Sunday night in Chicago. After dropping “Mike’s Song” as the fifth song of the opening set, and not following it up with “I Am Hydrogen” for the classic “Mike’s Groove”, the audience kept wondering “Where’s Weekapaug?”
CHICAGO 2 RECAP: CLOWNS AND ALIENS IN MICHAEL JORDAN’S HOUSE
[We would like to thank Doug Kaplan (@mrdougdoug) for recapping last night’s show. You can find Doug all over the world wide web, representing the record label he runs as @HausuMountain on just about every social media platform.]
After spending vacations upon vacations following this band all over the country, there’s nothing quite as luxurious as a local show. After an all-smiles kind of night on the floor last night, my wife and I are enjoying a relatively normal Saturday, hanging out with our toddler, reading her books, and going on a walk to see the woof woofs at the dog park when the sun comes out in the late afternoon. Our amazing nanny arrives at 5:00PM and we’re soon on our way to link back up with Phish’s 2025 summer tour–one which we’ve been closely following. We’ve been so particularly inspired by the masterful improvisation on display, the surprising song selections, the confidence and vulnerability, and the propulsive, muscular, athletic gait to it all. It’s really been working for us this summer.
It’s Saturday night, so you know it’s corn night again. What is corn night you may ask? Have you ever seen a group of between 4 and 40 people wearing corn shirts or corn-related regalia at the Phish show? Well, that’s us, and yes, it makes it very easy for us to find each other, and no we’re not from Indiana, but yes, we do love Deer Creek. Like many parts of the Phish experience, having this silly little tradition among friends instills a through line into our lives, connecting different nights in different cities throughout the years, helping us all construct the narrative of our lives, combatting against the way life can make all the years combine. Tonight is the 23rd official corn night in Phish history, and we all agree that it’s pure Phish corn magic that #23 is happening in MJ’s house. Let’s get ready to rumble
CHICAGO1 RECAP: "TRY NOT TO SUCK"
[We would like to thank @thewatchfulhosemaker for recapping last night’s show. Thewatchfulhosemaker plays in local Chicago bands, Lunar Ticks & Beat The Meatles, and started a festival in Irving Park called Indie Park Fest. -Ed.]
There are a couple great teams playing in Chicago this weekend. Besides the Chicago Cubs over at Wrigley Field, who are playing some pretty great baseball this year, there’s the Rock band, Phish from Vermont, who by all accounts are making some fine music in the 2025 season.
To start, if you’re not a baseball fan, I apologize, but growing up playing the game, I always felt that there were a ton of similarities to baseball and the Phish experience. If you are a baseball fan, then I apologize for any wrong stats, clunky or trite metaphors, or if you root for the White Sox.
There’s more than a few famous quotes where replacing “Baseball” with “Phish” doesn’t really feel too out of place.
MANN2 RECAP: BOY, MANN, MOM, SPLIT
[We would like to thank @unocrew for recapping last night’s show. -Ed.]
Hello everyone, thank you for taking the time to read my first official recap! After a 5 show run in 6 days I find myself with a short break before heading to Forest Hills next week.
Let’s first start off by taking a second to appreciate where we currently are - witnessing one of the greatest rock bands consistently throwing down heaters over four decades into their careers! If you had told me back in August 2004 I would be here typing a review with a gigantic smile on my face, I would never have believed you.
I feel The Mann is a great summer venue for Phish to play. From free parking, water stations, excellent sound and pleasant staff - it all makes for an enjoyable experience (despite the sweltering heat every run). This show will always be special to me. It is not because it is the 225th time seeing the band but because my 8 year old son is finally able to experience the joy along with me. The 8 year old (going on 18) is a big music lover and a seasoned pro when it comes to concerts. He has been asking to see Phish for a while now and it was just a matter of finding a family friendly venue for my wife and I to take him to.
Well, enough about me… let’s get down to the nitty gritty!
MANN1 RECAP, ENTER SANDMANN: THIS IS WHY WE KEEP COMING BACK
[We would like to thank Matt Hoffman (@tonapdivine) for recapping last night’s show. Matt is a music journalist and has written for Relix, JamBase, Live for Live Music, the Phish.net blog, and others. -Ed.]
[Author’s note: I apologize for the delay: life happens!]
In writing, as in life and most things, I strive to do the best I can with what I’ve got; fortunately, as the guy tasked with recapping last night’s Phish show, the first of two at the TD Pavilion at Philadelphia’s Mann Center, I’ve got plenty to discuss. And it’s not just the setlist, jams, and PhishStats (h/t zzyxx), though there is plenty to cover there; rather, over the years, my Phish experience, particularly at a hometown show, has come to be about much more. My intention in presenting my recap of this show–an instant legend btw–is to present my take through the lens of that experience, which has a lot to do with the people I’ve met along the way.
Those people consist of friends from childhood and college friends, former colleagues and new collaborators. Some I met through Phish; with others, the commonality arose later. You’ll definitely recognize some folks I’ve gotten to know as a music writer, and as a part of my contribution to the annals of Phishtory (*sorry), I thought it would be cool to share them. (With approval!) I’m also hoping that the patchwork quilt that is my phamily (*sorry) will serve as but one example of the weird and windy paths one’s Phish experience can take and what that looks like after thirty years. I also feel that my friends’ perspectives are the best things I can share in this recap, so without further ado.
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CHARLESTON3 RECAP: GAME, SET, MATCH AT THE QUEEN CITY
[We would like to thank Suzy (@suzydrano) and Kersten (@kerstenB) for recapping last night’s show. -Ed.]
We’ve come to the end of the rainbow, folks. Thank you to our supportive partners who took care of our homes, loved ones, pets, and business while we - Suzy and Kersten - celebrated our 50th year with this run of shows.
After three fabulous nights in Charleston, it is time to say our farewells. We Phish fans - clad in t-shirts referencing obscure lyrics or edgy bands, or floridly bright or ironic outfits - descended upon a population notable for their decorum, wearing finely pressed cotton prints and linen, walking designer dogs on leashes bearing bow ties. We roamed among the genteel in the scorching sun as we readied ourselves for the shows to come each day. The band members roamed alongside us, enjoying the second Sunday festivities as we prepared for this last night. And what a last night it was.
The “Gentleman’s Final” for Wimbledon was today, and it was an epic match between two astonishingly talented players. Jannik Sinner, who went on to win, dropped the first set to Carlos Alcaraz, but then never looked back and just kept getting stronger, ultimately dominating the match and emerging the victor.
We were Jannik Sinner tonight. The first set had some gems, but it was the second set and encore that made the show. Let us explain.
CHARLESTON2 RECAP: INTERVIEW WITH THE PHAMPIRE
[We would like to thank Jonah (@LizardwithaZ), for transcribing the following interview after finding a mysterious cassette tape on the streets of Charleston. -Ed.]
Click.
Voice 1: So you want to tell me about tonight, yes? About what you witnessed? What you heard?
Voice 2: What do you want to know? Do you want to know everything? All of it? What it’s like to be…me? To be my kind?
Voice 1: Yes. I’ve been searching for you. I’ve heard tales. Tales of the vampire who–
Voice 2: Phampire.
Voice 1: Pardon?
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CHARLESTON1 RECAP: DEVOTION TO DISEASE
[We would like to thank Jeremy Levine (@Franklin) for recapping last night’s show. -Ed.]
Good morning from the Days Inn half a mile from the North Charleston Coliseum, where the air conditioners clank mercilessly, the pool is non-operational, the carpet is torn up, the coffee is strong enough to cause cardiac arrest in a wildebeest, and there are mysterious brown spots on the walls. While the premises is better suited to a remake of No Country for Old Men than it is to a slow morning rehashing the previous evening’s improvisational rock engagement, sometimes we have to persevere in the name of content. The sun is shining, the wooks are rising, and a musical odyssey has to be wrangled into narrative form. (I did wake up this morning and say “ooh, can’t wait to read the recap,” and then realized...)
We begin outside the auditorium, approximately twenty minutes before show time. The venue’s exterior was organized like my backpack in eighth grade, i.e. not at all. Entrances were unmarked, security was overwhelmed, corridors were narrow. While I recognize that the city of Charleston proper has urban planning challenges because of its complex history, the preposterous inefficiencies of this far-from-downtown venue seem more like an unforced error, like following “Reba” with “Devotion To A Dream.” Despite my (somewhat reasonable) arrival time, I failed to make it inside and purchase a bottle of water by the time the lights went down. Get there early if you’re going tonight.
OSU COLUMBUS RECAP: TWENTY-FIVE YEARS LATER…I’M STILL UPSIDE DOWN
[We would like to thank Windi (@onthewindowsill) for recapping last night’s show. -Ed.]
While Phish comes to Ohio often, the last Columbus show was 25 years ago at Polaris Amphitheater; those who know, know. Like many others, I was very excited for the opportunity to see my favorite band without the expense of travel, hometown shows are the best. The day of on-sale my partner went for it the “old school way” along with seven other phans, and stood patiently at the box office window for 40 minutes awaiting it’s opening to procure our tickets. The whole process was seamless like it was the 1900’s – floors secured and took moments. I miss waiting in line for tickets -- it’s a vibe.
The morning of the show was filled with excitement and many texts—what’s the opener? Will they play a brief nod to honor the last show Jerry played with the Dead? My homie called a “So Many Roads” encore; while that would have been super RAD we all know that the band doesn’t always pick the low hanging fruits. My hope is always a “Party Time” opener, for obvious reasons. There are a few songs that I have been chasing for years that I would have loved for them to bust out, “All things reconsidered,” or “Dave’s Energy Guide.”
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