Monsters
| Originally Performed By | Trey Anastasio |
| Original Album | Evolve (2024) |
| Appears On |
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| Music | Anastasio |
| Lyrics By | Same |
| Vocals | Trey (lead), Mike, Page (backing) |
| Phish Debut | 2023-07-22 |
| Last Played | 2025-09-16 |
| Current Gap | 4 |
| Historian | Stacie Ledden ([[@sallymags]]) |
| Last Update | 2025-10-14 |
History
There are many ways Trey Anastasio has shown his deep affection for Colorado over the years. The state has held a special place in the band’s heart since their first cross-country tour. You can hear him talk about it first-hand during his solo performances at Macky Auditorium in Boulder, CO, 12/14/18 and 12/15/18, notable for the debuts of “Sigma Oasis” and “Sunset Days” and “Glide II” played for the first time by any member of Phish since May 16, 1995 (and busted out by the band a few weeks later, 12/30/18). Denver is home to one of the greatest Phish shows of all time - 11/17/97 - and Dicks Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, CO, currently takes the cake with the most consecutive touring years Phish has played one venue (13).
When you take all of that into consideration, it makes sense that Trey would consider Denver the perfect laboratory for a slew of new songs, 15 debuts in total, during the Trey Anastasio Trio run in June 2023. Many of these songs would eventually make up Evolve, the band’s 16th studio album released July 12, 2024, including “Monsters.”
The Trey Anastasio Trio shows were significant in several ways. They included three nights at Denver’s Mission Ballroom, June 9-11, 2023, where Trey Anastasio Band helped kick off the venue’s opening weekend in August 2019. This iteration of The Trey Anastasio Trio consisted of Dezron Douglas on bass and Jon Fishman on drums. Previous performances of The Trio included TAB members Tony Markellis and Russ Lawton, in Spring 1999 and 20 years later in Spring 2018.
Dezron Douglas replaced Tony Markellis as bassist for TAB in 2021 after Tony’s passing. While it had been two years since Dez had joined TAB, the Trio weekend was his to shine. And boy, man, god, shit, did he.
Similar to The Trio tour of 1999, where many of Farmhouse’s songs debuted, this was a test drive. There’s a special energy when fans all get to hear new music together at the same time, and the band can immediately see which songs the crowd responds to. There was an air of experimentation, a fun looseness, but also so much intention. Like watching Trey explore a baby song on the acoustic guitar knowing it will grow into a certified banger to blow minds and bounce off the walls of the world’s most famous arenas.
This iteration of the trio was made even more special with Fishman on drums, Phish’s heartbeat, to work through these debuts together–not to mention adding to the raucous vibes of the weekend.
“Monsters,” the eighth track on Evolve, debuted on Friday, June 9, 2023, along with album and live show favorites “Oblivion,” “The Well,” and “Ether Edge.” Phish debuted “Monsters” the following month at Star Lake Amphitheater on July 22, 2023.
Defined by its haunting vocals and scorching guitar solo, the listener is taken on an emotional journey of reflection and regret. As the song comes to its passionate crescendo, Trey belts the last lines: “I wake up in my bed; With monsters in my head.” Whether these monsters refer to Trey’s own past struggles with addiction, or if he’s telling someone else’s story, is yet to be determined. What’s obvious is that he plays the song with fervor and sincerity, and it’s been a welcome addition to the rotation.
9/16/2025 - Monsters (4K HDR) Alpharetta, GA. Video by PhishLast significant update: 10-13-25
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