On a crisp fall day full of anticipation for Phish’s return to Albany, a mist hung over the pre-show festivities with the news of the passing of Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh. The chatter of whether this would be noted or honored by Phish – when, and how – was debated by fans gathered around South Pearl from Beaver St. to Hudson Ave.
Those conversations were quickly put to rest with the opening notes of “Box of Rain,” Phish’s first ever performance of the Lesh and Robert Hunter penned tune, and the first time for the four members to cover the Grateful Dead in more than 26 years (not including Bob Weir’s 2016 Nashville sit-in)
And with that, the show was off and running. Following the emotional “Box of Rain,” Phish dropped “The Moma Dance” into a traditional second slot, followed by a boisterous “Free.” The flow was set early with this trio of tunes as the first three-night Phish run in Albany was underway.
A mellowing “Dirt” gave way to “Wolfman’s Brother,” which Lesh notably performed a stellar version with Phish in April 1999 at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco. “No Man in No Man’s Land” and a deep “Theme From the Bottom” filled in next, with “Steam” and “Sand” closing the first set.
The second set began just before 10pm with a nearly 10 minute “Blaze On” (9:59 to be exact), giving way to the one of the biggest jams of the night in “Piper,” with a “Carol of the Bells” tease in “Piper” bringing Christmas a little early to the Capital Region.
Segueing from a steady “Piper” jam into “Light,” the second set vehicle of “Tweezer” kept the improv-heavy set flowing, dipping into “The Wedge,” and a pair of songs perfect for Halloween, “The Howling” and “Monsters.” And while “Backwards Down the Numberline” could have closed the set, a fan on the rail very likely influenced the closing rocker found in “Carini.”
An encore that kept the show rolling close to midnight began with “Sleeping Monkey,” the first in more than two years. Just when you think they’d wrap things up with “Tweezer Reprise,” the opening riffs of “Ghost” appeared, pushing the expected encore into the realm of the unexpected, finally seguing into “Tweeprise,” just as Freddie Freeman ended Game 1 of the World Series with a grand slam. Not the ending Yankees fans wanted, but a celebration nonetheless for Phish fans in Albany or home on the couch.
Phish continues their run on Saturday night. Get the scoop on what to do before and after the shows here.
Setlist via Phish.net
Phish – MVP Arena, Albany, NY – Friday, October 25, 2024
Set 1: Box of Rain[1], The Moma Dance > Free, Dirt, Wolfman’s Brother, No Men In No Man’s Land, Theme From the Bottom, Steam, Sand
Set 2: Blaze On -> Piper -> Light -> Tweezer -> The Wedge, The Howling, Monsters, Backwards Down the Number Line > Carini
Encore: Sleeping Monkey > Ghost -> Tweezer Reprise
[1] Phish debut.
Box of Rain made its Phish debut after the passing of Phil Lesh earlier in the day. Carol of the Bells was teased in Piper. Mike teased the bass line from Shakedown Street in The Howling. This show was a benefit for Divided Sky Foundation.
Photos by Conor McMahon
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