Six nights of live performances certainly take a toll. However, there was no sign of breaking on the sixth of seven performances by Phish at Madison Square Garden on August 4, 2023. The jam rock squad from Vermont certainly brought the sweltering summer heat inside the Garden in the form of face-melting jams, rarely played originals, and tasty covers.
The show began on a racing note with the prog rock inspired "Buried Alive." The funk started early as the band quickly moved into the dance-inducing "Moma Dance." Bassist Mike Gordon dug into this tune with his signature bass thumps, while keyboardist Page McConnell held things down on the synth. The crowd was feeling the love early, and sending this right back to the band.
Guitarist Trey Anastasio put on a succinct clinic during Round Room's "46 Days," complete with rock star moves. The crowd once again responded part of the way through with spontaneous collective cheers as Anastasio hovered on a single note. The music flowed masterfully into a new tune written by Gordon, "Back in the Bubble." The radio friendly "Bouncing Around the Room" brought a few minutes of mellow albeit bouncy bliss. The energy surged once again during "Birds of a Feather."
The crowd joined the band for a full-on singalong during the classic 1.0 tune, "Halley's Comet." Anastasio cleverly changed the lyrics to the "central part of New York City," which happens to be where Madison Square Garden is located. Another stellar transition ensued into the melodic "Roggae," giving the fans a much-needed chill moment. This included a playful "We're off to see the Wizard" tease by Anastasio. The set ended with an affirmative bang during the uplifting "Antelope," as Drummer Jon Fishman delivered dashing beats while the crowd shifted into the high gear of their collective souls.
After a short break, the quartet returned for round two, which started with the vintage jam vehicle, "Mike's Song." This twenty-three-minute heater included notable space funk care of McConnell, as well as the coveted "Second Jam" that rarely graces set lists in the 3.0 and 4.0 eras. A smooth transition followed into a raging "Sand." This was short-lived, as the band seamlessly flowed into the Talking Heads' "Crosseyed and Painless." Fishman continued to push the envelope on the drum kit. This truly divine sequence ended on a more contemplative note with the heart-felt "A Life Beyond the Dream," from Anastasio's 2019 project, Ghosts of the Forest.
Fans were next treated to the first "Lizards" since Alpine Valley on August 12, 2022. This Gamehendge tune was music to the fans' ears, as they bopped around The Garden with delight. McConnell elevated the tune further with jazzy piano vibes. The band doubled down on songs less played, and ended the set with The Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." This beloved tune from the original Fab Four was last played at Deer Creek on June 5, 2022, and has only been played a mere eight times since 2010.
Phish returned to boisterous applause and obliged the crowd with a two-part encore. This started with "Weekapaug Groove," which effectively completed a very non-traditional "Mike's Groove." Typically, "Mike's Song" and "Weekapaug Groove" are separated by a song or two, versus an entire set this evening. Gordon's signature bass line helped everyone share in the groove. The band was clearly not quite finished, as they effortlessly segued into "Fluffhead," which only enraptured the fans even more. This show was very special from beginning to end, and I considered myself incredibly fortunate to have been there to photograph and document while representing Gratefulweb.com.
For more coverage from Phish's soon-to-be legendary seven-night run, hop on over to our review and photos from July 28, 2023. Also, check out more photos from August 4th, 2023!
Set One: Buried Alive, The Moma Dance, 46 Days > Back in the Bubble1, Bouncing Around the Room, Birds of a Feather, Halley’s Comet2 -> Roggae3, Run Like an Antelope
Set Two: Mike’s Song > Sand -> Crosseyed and Painless45 > A Life Beyond The Dream, The Lizards, While My Guitar Gently Weeps6
Encore: Weekapaug Groove > Fluffhead
Notes:
1. First time played
2. Lyrics changed to “central part of New York City.”
3. Trey teased We're Off to See the Wizard in Roggae
4. Trey teased Nellie Kane in Crosseyed
5. Talking Heads
6. The Beatles
