HOLY FUCKING SHIT. Three months later as I write this review (on 3/6/2026, the 17th anniversary of Phish returning after they said they'd never perform again), I'm still trying to comprehend what I saw on 12/31/2025 at MSG. Maybe one of the most incredible shows, spectacles, and combination of performance, presentation, and talent I've ever seen. Simply magical....

Our Portland, OR IRL non-Phish crew explored more of the city, catching drinks, top-tier food, and more initially in Brooklyn (Brooklyn Bridge, Dumbo, and the Transit Museum) and then moved more towards Chinatown (again, couldn't stay away) and then right before showtime had a drink at a speakeasy bullshit thing that after tip and tax, was $33 for my espresso martini. Lmao.

Got there early for 12/31, as who wouldn't. Soaked it in and took a bunch of photos of the venue. I particularly enjoyed the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals section where the Rangers finally got over the hump in dramatic fashion over Vancouver. I couldn't help but think that this is what Phish is doing in their own way, but year after year.

What a fucking show. Each set.. incredible. Not to step on the punchline here, but this is the best 12/31 show this side of the millennium. Usually, things get put on the backburner because of the shorter sets or because of the gag, but they figured out the formula here, even more so than last year (which was also mind-blowing). This is an unbelievable show. This was still such an incredible rush thinking about it now... they're playing so well, and it's a dream to see NYE in MSG... Special times are to await.

Free opener, always love it. I like when they do Free first because it's a nod to the fact that there is a Free opening song on the YouTube stream. BOAF next is standard, and I love Bouncing Around The Room, always welcome to me. It was the first Phish song I ever heard and what got me into the band. I feel like during this show they wanted to make sure they played all of the songs that they wanted to play (you can interpret that however you like). Stash came next, and it was pretty good, and then Waste is always a nice tune. I was thinking, slowdown this early? But then my questions were answered immediately because it was to prepare for this must-hear, incredible My Friend, My Friend. This is an otherworldly version. Nice A Life Beyond the Dream next, I like that song. KDF was cool and I love More, that is a great energy building tune with a good message, it was fun to sing along at full blast to that one. Always happy to get Monsters, one of my favorite Trey ballads and he ripped a great vocal performance and solo. Great Life Saving Gun to close. I really appreciated the way this set sort of went from old school to new school in an arc.

There hadn't been any hints or even red herrings of the NYE gag during the run, at least from what I can remember, so I was beside myself with enthusiasm as what was to come. Sometimes it is part of Set 3, sometimes it is part of Set 2. We will see, I suppose. Set 2 was another example of great cohesive play with the Sand > Fuego, which brought the place down, I fucking love a nice indoor Fuego. Great stuff. NMINML was quickly replaced by WGTYM - which I love that song so much, definitely one of the songs of the year and it just had to make an appearance here. YEM next was a hell of a surprise - mid set, I was intrigued. This was an incredible experience. I do not remember the Stayin Alive tease live, but that is so cool that it happened. I do remember so much energy in the arena and an extended jam. Looking back, it seems to be that they kind of performed a "full set" in the first three quarters of set 2 (ending with YEM) and then saved room for what would come next.

At this time, looking from Section 208 (so stage left, from the right hand view) there was a guy who started ringing a bell after YEM. Everyone was on edge because this was unusual and definitely signaled the start of something. The lighting was heavily blue and they began It's Ice. My mind initially went to panic mode as to why they would want to start the gag with It's Ice while the extended ICE situation with the fascist police is happening in the country outside of the venue. But we took a step back and embraced the moment and waited to see what would happen. It wasn't a huge surprise that It's Ice came after the milkman dude was walking around. Nice version, my second ever. I haven't watched the video of the set so my memory may be a bit foggy on the exact nature of the gag, but it was mind-blowing. Next up was some funk with the milkman hitting the bell and some recognizable licks from Trey. Cue me screaming my head off once I realized what song it was (Cream). One of my all time favorite Prince songs and something that has been ingrained in my head for at least a decade. This was simply unbelievable - I've always wanted Phish to play new songs, to play Prince songs, to play more new covers, and then.. I get to be there at the debut of Cream. Holy shit. This was a lot of fun and I hope they play this again! I was belting out the lyrics and it was just an amazing time. Someone pointed out the Ice > Cream bit and it finally made sense. Incredible set and there was still another one to go! Ice > Cream... is Cameron Winter going to show up?

Once we figured out the setbreak music was ice cream themed, that was just another fun layer of the gag. It remained to be seen if they would continue it, or if there would be something else for Set 3... Wild times. The molly that I was taking finally started to kick in and I was simply Enjoying Life. Harry Hood to start the set confirmed that things would be Hood/Ice Cream Themed and that was a really great version. Fantastic peak. This whole set is a must-hear. While this incredible diverse array of dancers and freezers and rockets occur, they did a ferocious hour-plus of melt-your-face music, nobody else like the boys from Vermont. Happy 2026 everyone! TWEEZER > PIPER. TWEEZER > PIPER. 50+ minutes of audio pornography. This cements this set as one of the great Phish 12/31 sets and continues to raise the bar on what they can pull off. Unbelievable. I will never forget just dancing and yelling throughout. S.A.N.T.O.S a great cap. I remember sitting down going what the fuck just happened. That is why you go to shows, of course.

I guessed they would continue the theme in the encore and they definitely did - loved the costumes. I did not recognize the acapella tune (who would?) but was nice to catch a debut with Sincere and the reference to Ice Cream there. The carton returned and I got my first Spock's Brain! Hell yeah! Of course Tweeprise to close and that was special. What a fucking show!! It took me a while to get out to the concourse because I was soaking it all in - maybe one of the best shows I've ever been to.

Phish's statement during this NYE gag was showing a reality where diversity is to be celebrated. They brought us all into the freezer together and showed off multi-cultural talents - the Spanish version of Tweezer and other dances was perhaps the most deliberate, especially while the current Republican administration targets Hispanics and other immigrants, Phish displayed a communal atmosphere where we build off one another, combining our talents to create an incredible fusion as a result. There was even a not-so-oblique moment where an individual wearing a red baseball hat emerged from the "freezer" from below the stage and was shouted down/made to retreat back down. If that wasn't a statement, I don't know what is. Sure, Phish may not be explicit in their stances (looking at the Wasserman connection) but they do manage to at least say something. I really enjoyed the message they put out here, and I don't think it was a coincidence for it to come when it did.

We can also talk about how impressive of a show this is. Three months on, with time to reflect, I feel like this is really unbelievable stuff. These guys are pushing 60+ and going balls to the wall, playing their longest MSG show ever, jamming for 50+ minutes in Set 3, and the production - they push themselves further every year. They had a message and they were on a mission. Gamehendge 12/31/2023 was an incredible show because they did Gamehendge. 12/31/2025 manages to hit similar highs with just pure jamming. I feel lucky to have been there and I feel lucky to live in the same world, timeline, and reality as Phish. They continue to thrill me so much - nothing else has for such a period of time. They are also playing so well right now. I have the luxury of writing this review after another Mexico blowout, a place that used to be a literal sandbox for material and the occasional bustout, now having turned into another place that they decide to burn down even on their so-called "off nights". Summer 2026 seems to bode well - I will be going to Dicks so I hope there are some amazing shows between now and then. But what a way to kick off 2026 - 4.0 Phish is another beast. 2021 was an amazing year, plus the catharsis of the return, but 2024 and 2025 may have even eclipsed those peaks, and certainly have reached a higher consistent plateau. It's an amazing time to be a Phish fan and I am going to attend as many shows as I can afford!

The party didn't stop for me. I went home, had a great time with friends, and then we stood out in the 25 degree cold for a good 3-4 hours just to see Zohran's inauguration. What a moment that was, for completely different reasons. Some highlights of the next few days of the NYC trip while I cooled down the jets were the Poster House museum, the KGB bar, meeting my twin sister who lives in Manhattan, having a wonderful shared dinner with strangers in Chinatown, a Fashion and Psychoanalysis exhibit at the Museum of Fashion, and finally a flight back on 1/3. What a fucking trip and what a fucking run. These guys.. They made it all worth it.

Anyways. A must hear show, at least the MF MF, LSG, Set 2, Set 3. This is what dreams are made of, seeing a 12/31 show like this. Worth flying across the country for. They're cooking inside the venues, but my hope is that 2026 and beyond bring a better world outside of the Phish realm. To many more!