Phish‘s eight-show Fall Tour 2023 started on Friday with their debut performance at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Last night’s concert, the first of three at the home of the NHL’s Nashville Predators, featured an improv-heavy second set highlighted by an adventurous “Oblivion.” Bassist Mike Gordon mentioned in an Instagram story that Friday’s gig was the band’s 2,000th show and while Phish didn’t acknowledge the milestone, the Average Song Vintage was “2000.”
The quartet went with “Julius” to begin the night marking just the fourth time the blues-rock number from 1994’s Hoist filled the opener slot since 2004. Keyboardist Page McConnell lit up his Yamaha C7 grand piano with an effusive solo before passing the baton to guitarist Trey Anastasio for a shred session. A potent run through “Back On The Train” kept the set on track before Anastasio welcomed fans to the show and expressed the band’s happiness to be in Music City. Drummer then showed off his latest sample of John Candy reciting “Who wants an orange whip? Orange whip? Orange whip? Three orange whips?” from the 1980 movie The Blues Brothers multiple times leading into and within the start of a particularly slow and groovy “The Moma Dance.”
A focus on first set staples from the ’90s rolled on with the year’s first “Axilla I,” making its second appearance since “Axilla (Part 2)” was revived at Shoreline in August of 2021. However, the band did include the outro jam typical of “(Part 2)” as Anastasio followed the “Don’t shine that thing in my face, man” lyric with “it’s the best of both worlds” and “you know this one and the other one.”
When Leo’s happy we’re all happy.
10/6/23, Nashville, TN#phish pic.twitter.com/9fhEhzd71y
— Phish Phashion (@PhishPhashion) October 7, 2023
Phish vamped on the “Axilla (Part 2)” outro chord progression for a few minutes and then launched into “Maze.” While Trey’s voice sounded raspy on Friday, especially as he sang the Rift cut, he was in mid-tour form instrumentally. Anastasio’s work was especially strong on the ensuing “Wolfman’s Brother,” which featured a bliss-laden peak complete with the “Dave’s Energy Guide” riff. Next, Clifton Chenier’s “My Soul” became the first cover played this tour. Bassist Mike Gordon then fronted the 2023 debut of “Destiny Unbound” before Phish closed out the set of nine songs premiered during the 1990s with a rousing “Character Zero.”
Read on after The Skinny for the rest of the recap and more.
The Skinny
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The Setlist | |
|---|---|
Set 1: Julius, Back on the Train, The Moma Dance > Axilla [1] > Maze, Wolfman’s Brother, My Soul, Destiny Unbound, Character Zero Set 2: Gotta Jibboo -> Oblivion, Torn and Frayed, Light -> Fuego -> Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S. Encore: Bouncing Around the Room > 46 Days > Run Like an Antelope Axilla contained the Axilla II ending. Trey teased Dave’s Energy Guide in Wolfman’s Brother. Torn and Frayed was played for the first time since August 27, 2021 (105 shows). | |
The Venue | |
Bridgestone Arena [See upcoming shows] | |
20,000 | |
The Music | |
9 songs | |
9 songs | |
18 songs | |
2000 | |
16.67 [Gap chart] | |
None | |
All | |
Torn And Frayed LTP 08/27/2021 (104 Show Gap) | |
Oblivion 22:01 | |
Bouncing Around The Room 3:42 | |
Lawn Boy – 2, Rift – 1, Hoist – 2, Billy Breathes – 1, The Story of the Ghost – 1, Farmhouse – 2, Round Room – 1, Joy – 1, Fuego – 1, Kasvot Växt – 1, Misc. – 3, Covers – 2 | |
The Rest | |
66°F and Clear at Showtime | |
Koa 1 | |
The quartet wasted little time painting outside the lines in the second set by delivering a Type-II “Gotta Jibboo” to open the frame. Phish quickly modulated to a beautiful major-key progression they built to a rolling boil. Anastasio hosed the audience with fierce and heavy licks ahead of a transition into the recently-debuted “Oblivion” to end the run of ’90s material. The must-hear “Oblivion” spanned over 20 minutes and continued to show the band’s predilection for using the new song as a launch pad for interstellar improvisation. Page moved between synth and electric piano while Trey reeled off one anthemic riff after another as Mike and Fish connected to provide a deep groove.
The subsequent cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Torn And Frayed” may have come in reference to Anastasio’s voice. Last played on August 27, 2021, the Exile On Main St. classic elicted smiles from the band as they sang “they’re a bag of nerves on first nights.” It was then back to the jamming via an exquisite “Light.” Both evil and pretty soundscapes were explored before Phish kicked into “Fuego.” Anastasio expertly used a delay effect to work soaring licks that had the feel of coming out of the guitar backwards into the “Fuego” improvisation and then ripcorded into a set-closing “Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.”
When Phish launched their 2023 Summer Tour in Huntsville, Alabama they treated fans to a five-song encore. While the encore of Friday’s show in Nashville wasn’t quite that long, it did feature three songs. Up first was oldie “Bouncing Around The Room.” Next came a straight-forward “46 Days.” The quartet then wrapped up the night with a well-played “Run Like An Antelope” featuring a tasty jam full of hot licks from Anastasio.
Phish returns to Bridgestone Arena on Saturday. Watch a livestream via LivePhish.com.
Phish From The Road Photos
https://www.instagram.com/p/CyExWM6JhiC/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CyExaWCJyXo/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CyEzA1rpvgz/
Posters
https://www.instagram.com/p/CyEEa57uZdV/
