Jam-rock heavyweight Phish kicked off its beloved New Year’s run at Madison Square Garden on December 28, 2024. The band showed little sign of rust, despite not having played since the October 2024 benefit run in Albany, NY. The setlist included not one, but five rarities, along with a robust helping of tasty jams.
The show began on a soggy and humid evening in Midtown Manhattan at the “World’s Most Famous Arena.” The temperature hovered around forty-seven degrees—much more pleasant than the typical below-freezing weather this time of year. Shortly after 8:15 p.m., the band took the stage, all smiles. They wasted no time, diving into a bright, twelve-minute “Simple.” This blues-rock jam had real teeth and was especially satisfying as a first-set opener. A ten-minute “Free” followed, with bassist Mike Gordon morphing into beast mode as he unleashed the funk early on. Starting a four-night run with two jams lasting over ten minutes each is never a bad sign.
“Farmhouse,” from Phish’s 2000 release of the same name, followed and brought a chill vibe. This did not last long, as the Vermont quartet dialed up the tempo substantially for the bluegrass-inspired “Poor Heart.” Multi-instrumentalist Page McConnell utilized his baby grand piano to elevate this short but sweet jam. “Poor Heart” was last played on July 18, 2023, in Wilmington, NC, and served as the evening’s first bust-out.
The band returned to its funky inclinations during “Tube.” McConnell switched to the clav as drummer Jon Fishman slayed the dynamic beats in this dance-inducing tune. A vibrant “Kill Devil Falls” flowed into the set next. Guitarist Trey Anastasio was on point as he led a prog-rock-inspired jam with his signature tone. “Driver,” a relative setlist rarity, popped up next. It was played for the third time in 2024, after having been out of rotation since 2021.
The band reached for the heavy-hitter “Reba” next, much to the fans’ delight. They nailed the composed section and settled into a delicious pocket of improvisation. Skipping the traditional whistling, they moved on to “Oblivion,” followed by a well-executed segue into “Antelope.” Anastasio delivered some face-melting tension and release during this classic tune, ending the first set on a high note.
The band returned for round two and hopped into “Get Back on the Train.” A breezy jam accompanied this Farmhouse tune. “Axilla (Part II)” elevated the energy considerably with its high-energy power chords. A ten-minute “Wave of Hope” brought another deep jam into the second set. Fishman drove the music forward with laser-focused percussion, showcasing plenty of ride-cymbal work.
Without stopping, the foursome moved into “Round Room,” which was last played on June 22, 2016, in St. Paul, MN. This bubbly tune was performed for only the seventh time in Phish’s history. There was no extended jam, but many fans appreciated simply hearing this setlist rarity.
The throwbacks continued with “I Always Wanted It This Way,” written and sung by McConnell. He created some stellar effects on the Moog synth before moving to the Wurlitzer—and then played both concurrently. It was certainly a delicious ten-minute, deep-set jam.
Another seamless transition floated the music into “Twist.” A delightful groove formed, eventually finding its way into “The Mango Song.” This show was teeming with sparsely played tunes, and this one was perhaps the sweetest. It was last played in Mexico on February 21, 2024; however, it was only the seventh time performed since 2020. Lady Luck certainly smiled on those in attendance.
The band put on their nice shades for “Blaze On,” as Fishman crushed this tune. McConnell returned to the baby grand for what felt like the set closer. However, as we’ve learned over the past forty years, they rarely do what we expect. In this case, the music continued into an upbeat “Cavern.” Once again, fans thought the set was ending, given the band’s tendency to close with this number. Instead, the music led into a clean “David Bowie,” which ended the set.
Phish returned to the stage for an encore and began with the mellow “Mountains in the Mist.” Seasoned fans confidently knew the show would not end on such a delicate note. Everyone was in for a huge treat when the band launched into “Fuck Your Face,” last played in Huntsville, AL, on July 11, 2023. Anastasio delivered face-melting guitar on this odd-time-signature tune, originally written by Gordon. The energy continued into “46 Days,” capping off what can only be described as a very solid YEMSG opener.
The band is back in action for round three tonight. A few tickets are available here. They will wrap up this joyous run and 2024 on December 31st. We can't wait to see what's in store for the New Year's gag. Tickets are sold out, but can be procured on the after-market ticket trading platform, Cash or Trade. For those who can't be in NYC, both shows will be streamed live. Visit this link for more details about the stream.
Check out more photos from the show!
Band: Phish
Date: Saturday, December 28, 2024
Location: Madison Square Garden
Set One: Simple, Free, Farmhouse, Poor Heart, Tube, Kill Devil Falls, Driver, Reba[1], Oblivion > Run Like an Antelope
Set Two: Back on the Train, Axilla (Part II) > A Wave of Hope > Round Room, I Always Wanted It This Way > Twist > The Mango Song > Blaze On > Cavern > David Bowie
Encore: Mountains in the Mist, Fuck Your Face > 46 Days
Notes: [1] No whistling.
Set list via phish.net
