A Wave of Hope History

A Wave of Hope

Originally Performed By	Trey Anastasio
Original Album	Lonely Trip (2020)
Appears On
Music/Lyrics	Anastasio
Vocals	Trey
Phish Debut	2021-08-07
Last Played	2025-09-20
Current Gap	1
Historian	TypeIIIJPD
Last Update	2025-10-13

History

From out of the chaos of a world gone mad an album appeared, a stripped-down one-man affair that Trey Anastasio recorded during the long months of isolation we all experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lonely Trip came at a time when it seemed like everyone was searching for ways to connect, introducing us to sixteen new songs full of introspection, longing, and hope.

The second track on this album emerges out of the dying final line of the opening track “Shaking Someone’s Outstretched Hand” where Trey sings “and everything will be all right," the first of many reminders on this album that even in the depths of our isolation there is hope for what is to come. And what comes is “A Wave of Hope,” a burst of energy with freshly evocative lyrics befitting the song’s title. As with many of the songs on this contemplative album “A Wave Of Hope” leans into the idea of escape, with the narrator eventually breaking free, a metaphor that carries forward into the song musically.

Trey Anastasio ”A Wave Of Hope” –The Beacon Theatre - 10/9/20. Video by Trey Anastasio

The initial live performance of the song would be during the first night of The Beacon Jams (10/09/2020) alongside four other songs from Lonely Trip that also premiered that night: “I Never Left Home,” “If I Could See The World," “When The Words Go Away," and “…And Flew Away”. From those humble beginnings it was unclear what the future for the song might hold. The rocking nature seemed to be set up for Phish to take on but it could’ve just as easily stayed in one of the many iterations of Trey’s side projects. Unlike the other songs debuted that evening “A Wave of Hope” was destined for a much bigger role in the band’s repertoire. Before moving on, it should be noted that both “I Never Left Home” and “…And Flew Away” have been performed by Phish though each one has graced the big stage only one time, 10/19/21 and 7/14/23, respectively.

Once the world returned to at least semi-normalcy and Phish began playing shows again in the summer of 2021, “A Wave of Hope” debuted, arriving somewhat sheepishly as a late first set bit of filler between “Roggae” and “Stash.” Had it never been performed by Phish again it is doubtful anyone would’ve missed it based on this performance. Later that year, however, Trey brought the song back out with TAB as the final song of an extended encore on 9/24/2021. This version is notable as the outro instrumental section begins to lengthen and each of the TAB Horns players gets a solo turn as the potential of the song begins to become more evident.

After a show opening version for 10/24/21 during the Phish Fall Tour “A Wave of Hope” next appeared during the rescheduled ‘New Year’s Eve’ show Phish performed at MSG on 4/22/22. This version is another short one that serves mostly as thematic connection to the water motif which brought forth the flying whale and dolphins that made this third set so memorable but if you listen to the tapes you can hear audible crowd swells that resulted when the falling water patterns around the stage began during the song.

On the ensuing Summer Tour “A Wave of Hope” took its place in the regular rotation – a place it has not relinquished since – appearing every two or three shows and being used not just as table setting but blossoming into a full jam vehicle when the muse moved them to take it there. This appetite for exploration started on 6/4/22, coincidentally at Ruoff Music Center (née Deer Creek) where it had debuted the prior year for Phish.

Now fully unleashed with wings unfolded and wrists untied, the song has the potential to show up almost anywhere in a show, with any band configuration, and often as a set-carrying platform for open improvisation. “A Wave of Hope” is akin to “Chalkdust Torture” in its versatility, acting as a shot of energy or setlist reset just as often as it anchors the jamming in a second set. It was natural the song would be included on the band’s 2024 release Evolve to open the second LP side, joining several other Trey songs on the record first released during the pandemic.

It is lauded highly enough in some corners that the song has gained the nickname “A Wave of HOSE” which is a nod to the concept brought to the members of Phish by Carlos Santana back when they were touring with and opening for him in the early 90s. The song has also earned a space in fan parlance as “WOPE” despite having the capacity to be abbreviated just fine as AWOH. Though it has been performed more times by Phish than any other configuration at this point, it could also be heard with TAB, the Trey Trio, or even at a Mike Gordon show as Mike has performed “A Wave of Hope” with his band three times during his Early Summer 2023 tour.

While the history of this song is still relatively short in relation to the band and many of the songs that make up its vast catalog there are already numerous notable versions that display where the song can take the band. Some of the heavy hitters include 7/24/22 (the first “highly recommended version” on the song’s jam chart), 11/18/22 (a rocking TAB version with Rick Mitarotonda and Peter Anspach from Goose joining in), 12/28/22 (listen for elements of Jeff Beck’s Freeway Jam), and the 35-minute juggernaut from 2/22/24. One can expect many more to grace this list as Phish continues to explore the potential “A Wave of Hope” offers.

Phish ”A Wave Of Hope” – 2/22/2024, Quintana Roo, MX. Video by Phish

Last significant update: 7/24/25