With the Olympics in Paris captivating the hearts and minds of the world, Phish came to Bethel Woods, the storied grounds of Woodstock, and delivered a gold medal performance.

They came play, starting with an inspired First Tube that set the tone for a night of non-stop action. NMINML was a monster, with speed that would make Sha'Carri Richardson envious. The jams in MFMF hurdled new horizons, jumping in and out of psychedelia. During Bug, Trey teased Norwegian Wood, a homage to the classic rock created on the field in 1969. 2001 delivered beats that let patrons bust out their best breakdancing moves, before closing the set with the crowd pleasing Character Zero, leaving everyone in attendance on the tips of their toes, eagerly anticipating what was in store for the second set.

And what a second set it was. When Phish reaches for the top as a team, they are a dominant force. It was a Tweezerfest, spinning through a fiery spectrum of sights and sounds, which included Mountain Jam teases, creating a jaw-dropping experience that awed all in attendance. Piper was lights out amazing, running at a world-record pace, before a well-placed Shine a Light singalong, creating a sense of joy and comrotery. Closing with CDT made everyone grateful for a night that will not be forgotten, living while they are young.

Bringing BBFCFM back into the rotation displayed the quirky vibes we expect from the band. But it didn’t end there. Gotta Jibbo gave the crowd a third wind, powering through a marathon performance. More had us questioning how it would be possible their could possibly be something more that what we had witnessed.

Phish plays good shows, they play bad shows. 8/9/24 at Bethel was a great show. I couldn’t be more excited for what we are in store for the rest of the weekend.