Phish returned to Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek in Raleigh, North Carolina for their first show at the outdoor amphitheater since 2018. Both sets demonstrated superb segues and expert jamming.
Friday’s first set concluded with the longest “Rise/Come Together” to date, more than doubling its previous record. And the evening ended with a four-song encore.
The concert began with the temperature at 92°F and “The Moma Dance” was chosen as the first set opener, marking the song’s 22nd time taking up the first song slot. The band took some time settling into “Moma” but by its end had found stable ground for a solid landing. Coming in the song two slot, setlist staple “Possum” fulfilled its usual role of reliably fun rocker.
Phish then slipped into “Steam” which seemed particularly fitting given the warm environment. Not long into the “Steam” jam, guitarist Trey Anastasio signaled a segue into “Stash” that seemingly came out of nowhere. The sweet segue led to an unfinished presentation of “Stash” and another seamless transition back to “Steam.”
Bassist Mike Gordon was charged with leading a quick jump into a cover of “Funky Bitch.” The setlist then saw two songs that appear back-to-back on Phish’s 1993 album, Rift, though presented in reverse order as “The Wedge” came in front of “Horn.”
Phish then called up the feel-good “Rise/Come Together,” which in its previous 18 appearances had never gone beyond eight minutes. The unexpectedly elongated jam that followed stretched past the 20-minute mark, going into full-on Type II territory for several exploratory turns. Early in the jam, Trey latched onto a melodic passage and continued pushing the theme as drummer Jon Fishman kept the improvisation progressing to new territory.
During the jam, Trey and keyboardist Page McConnell refrained from heavy effects and instead focused on flowing melodies. The foursome sounded like a band deep into a successful tour, each member listening intently and communicating confidently knowing each suggestion would be recognized and lead to promising results. An abrupt return to finish “Rise/Come Together” brought an end to the first set.
Read on after The Skinny for the rest of the recap and more.
The Skinny
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The Setlist | |
|---|---|
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The Venue | |
Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek [See upcoming shows] | |
20,600 | |
10 shows | |
The Music | |
8 songs | |
12 songs | |
20 songs | |
1998 | |
14.65 [Gap chart] | |
None | |
Big Black Furry Creature from Mars, Beneath a Sea of Stars Part 1, Shine A Light, Strange Design, Heavy Things, Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley | |
Heavy Things LTP 08/28/2021 (47 Show Gap) | |
Rise/Come Together 21:15 | |
Strange Design 3:12 | |
A Picture of Nectar – 1, Rift – 2, Billy Breathes – 1, The Story of the Ghost – 1, Farmhouse – 2, Joy – 1, Sigma Oasis – 1, Misc. – 8, Covers – 3 | |
The Rest | |
92° and Partly Cloudy at Showtime | |
Koa 2 | |
Starting off set two, Mike enthusiastically delivered the punk-ish “Big Black Furry Creature from Mars,” though it was without some of the usual onstage antics. Keeping the hard-hitters coming, “Carini” rang out across the amphitheater and brought about another impactful improvised segment. The band followed Trey as he sprayed notes and shepherded a path for the other three to follow. The guitarist steadied on a pattern he’s been fond of over the past two months and it sounded like a transition to a different song might be coming.
Instead, the tightening up exemplified the expert communication happening between the four musicians improvising together onstage. Trey continued asserting himself, pushing the instant-compositional feel for several more minutes. A somewhat unexpectedly early-in-the-set placement of the Billy Breathes sentimental breather “Waste” followed the menacing start to the second half.
The band then dialed up “Ruby Waves” and soon were into another improvisation steered by Trey’s urgent playing. The linear jam pushed forward behind Fish’s dynamic drumming and eventually veered into a spacey soundscape of ambient noises. Rising from the dissonance was another song from the Ghosts Of The Forest canon, “Beneath a Sea of Stars Part 1.” The tender tune was concisely delivered and was another chance for Fish, without being loud or fast, to showcase his deep skill set.
“Piper” emerged with energetic fervor and propelled an inviting jam that was held together by an all-hands-on-deck approach, as each person onstage had a hand in stirring the collective improvised pot. Mike shifted to a bubbly, funky filter and the others followed. At one point Trey started singing the lyrics to “Big Black Furry Creature From Mars,” and Mike responded with his part of the song. A few minutes later, Mike again chanted “BBFCFM” lyrics while the jam grew in intensity.
A pair of “light” songs filled in the rest of the second set. First came “Light,” which stayed largely within the confines of the Joy original. Next up was a cover of The Rolling Stones’ Exile On Main St. classic “Shine A Light,” which punctuated the second set.
A four-song encore was in store for fans at Walnut Creek (and those watching the livestream). Page was charged with kicking off the encore with “Strange Design.” Trey’s pre-song setup gave notice of the subsequent “Heavy Things.” A somewhat rough transition into “Sneakin’ Sally Through The Alley” kept the encore going, with the cover getting infused with a vocal jam. A lively visit to Gamehendge via “Wilson” was the fourth song of the elongated encore.
Phish tour continues Saturday as the band kicks off a two-show at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. Livestreams are available via LivePhish.com.
Phish From The Road Photos
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cgno7_1uurK/
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https://www.instagram.com/p/CgnK1A9u9yd/
Poster
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Phish Tour 2022: Jones Beach Night 2 – Setlist, Recap & The Skinny
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Phish Tour 2022: Jones Beach Night 1 – Setlist, Recap & The Skinny
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Phish Tour 2022: Hartford – Setlist, Recap & The Skinny
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Phish Tour 2022: Bethel Night 2 – Recap, Setlist & The Skinny
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Phish Tour 2022: Bethel Night 1 – Recap, Setlist & The Skinny
