After a scorching three nights in Alabama, Phish brought its spring 2022 tour to the Credit One Stadium in Charleston, SC, for a two-night midweek stand. The concerts serve as the midpoint along the run of eight shows; a Tuesday and Wednesday evening sandwiched between weekenders.
The band started the show with a break-out version of “Set Your Soul Free”, clocking in at 22 minutes to start the performance. Talk about a show opener. Wasting no time to explore, Phish quickly established the jam session with some tight-laced rock stylings before guitarist Trey Anastasio lifted off with an uplifting major-key melody. Keyboardist Page McConnell quickly followed suit, splitting his attention between the Wurlitzer with one hand and the Yamaha grand with the other. Soon, Trey turned the jam into darker, minor-key territory, as he and bassist Mike Gordon each added funky, synth-wah tones to their instruments. Drummer Jon Fishman then picked up the pace, whirling the whole session into an emphatic dance party led by Trey’s soaring melodies. Trey would eventually return to the song’s chorus for its conclusion.
Phish – “Set Your Soul Free” [Pro-Shot] – 5/31/22
It seems that Phish is making a habit of opening shows with long jam sessions. If this is the case, I want to go on the record by saying that they have my total support. Not that they need it or asked for it, but they have it.
Off and running, Phish continued the first set with the 2.0-era classic “Walls of the Cave”. This was a well-played version of the song that branched from the song’s final section into a fast-paced jam out before opening up into a beautiful, major key segment and, eventually, returning to the song’s descending chord riff to conclude the jam.
After two well-stretched songs to open the show, Phish kept things tight on the next song, “Sample In A Jar”. The fan-favorite sing-along was well played and is always appreciated in a setlist. Next was “Steam”, bringing a dose of funk to the first frame. The version had a short jam featuring some impressive, wailing guitar playing by Trey.
Phish – “Sample In A Jar” – 5/31/22
[Video: Josh Daniel]
The set continued with the Rift composition “My Friend, My Friend”. The band deftly worked through the song’s shifting time signatures and intricate melodies but skipped the traditional “Myfe” ending. Instead, Phish segued into the opening notes of “Sparkle”. This was an upbeat selection after “My Friend, My Friend”, keeping the fans smiling through the quick-tempo rocker.
“Ocelot” was next, providing another feel-good song selection to power the back half of set one. The band certainly did come out to play, stretching this “Ocelot” with a briefly mind-bending jam before looping back into the song’s written finale. Sigma Oasis ballad “Leaves” followed; the song was last played thematically at Phish’s 4/20 Madison Square Garden show.
After a short and heavy “Leaves” jam section, Phish introduced the final song of the first set: “The Squirming Coil”. Of course, this left Page with the responsibility of closing out the set by himself with a walk-off solo. Page is a masterful pianist, but it’s always a treat to hear him perform unaccompanied, and this was no exception. A great way to close out the first half of the show.
After the break, Phish resumed with a rousing take on “Axilla (Part II)”, which seems to have entirely supplanted its “Part I” counterpart in setlists after being brought off the shelf last summer at Shoreline Amphitheatre on August 31st. The rocking tune was an energetic opening to the set, but it was a masterpiece “2001” that set the crowd into full groove mode. “2001” never fails to deliver a funky good time, but this version had a little extra oomph on it, highlighted by an ethereal mid-song jam with light, echoing guitarwork. That is, until Fish dropped the beat back into the song’s progression and finale.
Phish – “Axilla (Part II)” [Pro-Shot] – 5/31/22
From “2001” the band pivoted into the 3.0 jam vehicle known as “Light”. The song’s playful verses gave way to a rock and roll jam session propelled by Gordo’s bass playing. As the band patiently played off one another to keep the jam flowing, it was Trey that cut through and drove the song to a melodic peak. As the band treaded water following this musical climax, Trey picked the opening chords to the ballad “Mountains of the Mist”.
The band settled into the slower “Mist” but quickly veered into a funk-laden rendition of the Mike Gordon song “Meat”. The groovy track featured an energetic jam session that eventually saw Fish and Page put down their instruments and watch the guitar-wielding duo of Trey and Mike jam unaccompanied. Page littered the jam with a repeating sample from the ’50s and ’60s era television program Leave it to Beaver, in which Mrs. Cleaver says “It’s gonna be awfully rough on the beaver I’m afraid.” It’s appeared in the past few shows, but it was a bit more audible during this humorous moment in a song called “Meat”.
Toward the end of the song, the band seamlessly pivoted on the final chord into an energetic “Golgi Apparatus”. An always-welcomed addition to a setlist, this “Golgi” was unique as Trey changed the lyric to “I saw you with a barcode in your hand.” This was a nod to the fact that ticket stubs are something of a relic in this era, with souvenir PTBMs shipping after the concert and possessing no actual venue access powers.
Again pivoting on a final chord, Phish broke into a momentous rendition of “Slave to the Traffic Light”. See the city, see the zoo. The version was standard, well played, and highlighted by some crisp arpeggiated guitar playing by Trey. Finally, it was “Cavern” that would close out the set. Though there were some missteps in the lyrics, the A Picture of Nectar tune ended the set on a high note and reminded fans to take care of their shoes, of course.
With plenty of time remaining for the encore, Phish jumped right back on stage and delivered extended cuts on both “46 Days” and “Tube”. This was a truly memorable encore moment as “46 Days” dove into dreamy, otherworldly territory powered by thick tones on the guitar and keys. “Tube”, too, was particularly spacey, getting into exploratory territory that was punctuated by delay pedal effects and atonal persuasions. Finally, Trey wrapped the jam up by leading the band into the song’s conclusion, singing: “It’s been so stupendous living in your tube. Thank you!” at the finale.
Yes. #phish
— DidTheyJamOutTube? (@TubeJamUpdate) June 1, 2022
All in all, a great Phish show on a Tuesday night in South Carolina. The band will return to the stage tonight, June 1st, for the second night at the Credit One Stadium. Check out the full setlist from the show below:
Setlist [via phish.net]: Phish | Credit One Stadium | Charleston, SC | 5/31/22
Set One: Set Your Soul Free, Walls of the Cave, Sample in a Jar, Steam, My Friend, My Friend [1] > Sparkle, Ocelot, Leaves, The Squirming Coil
Set Two: Axilla (Part II) > Also Sprach Zarathustra > Light > Mountains in the Mist, Meat, Golgi Apparatus [2] > Slave to the Traffic Light > Cavern
Encore: 46 Days > Tube
[1] No “Myfe” ending.
[2] Lyrics changed to “I saw you with a barcode in your hand.”
My Friend My Friend did not contain the “Myfe” ending. Mike sung part of Passing Through in Light. Golgi’s lyrics were changed to “I saw you with a barcode in your hand.” Trey and Fish teased Mr. Completely in 46 Days.
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