Jam rock titan Phish kicked off a mighty three-night run at the legendary field of dreams, the Ruoff Music Center (formerly known as Deer Creek Music Center), on August 2, 2024. This storied amphitheatre, surrounded by cornfields, has hosted notable performances by Phish and others, including the memorable July 11, 2000, show where the band flowed in and out of Led Zeppelin's "Moby Dick." This show was no exception, as the band delivered a "Down with Disease" fest along with a number of rarities.
The evening began with a fiery "Punch You in the Eye" opener, setting the tone for the night as the Vermont quartet showed they were ready to play ball. Guitarist Trey Anastasio and bassist Mike Gordon were all smiles during their early ceremonial dance. "Kill Devil Falls," from their 2009 release Joy, followed, and the band dropped into their sweet spot, delivering an early, deep jam.
A quick pair of tunes followed, starting with "Halfway to the Moon," sung by keyboardist Page McConnell. This was the first appearance of the Fuego tune on the Summer 2024 tour. A short but sweet "Heavy Things" ensued.
The new song "Life Saving Gun" was up next, and the band hit another home run with a thirteen-minute jam that featured plenty of percussive flair. They started to play "Shade" but quickly aborted, leading to some hilarious stage banter where Anastasio introduced drummer Jon Fishman as "percussion rinse." The band then returned to their original plan and played a melodic "Shade."
The songs kept flowing in the first set, with the rare "Scent of a Mule" up next. This bluegrass-inspired Phish original had not been played in seventy-four shows and was last performed at Dick's on September 1, 2023. The new tune "Pillow Jets" descended into a tasty, dark jam before transitioning into "Runaway Jim."
The set closed out with an electrifying rendition of "A Day in the Life" by The Beatles. This tune was last performed on December 3, 2019, at The Met in Philadelphia, PA, and had not been played in one hundred sixty-one shows. That's quite the bust-out in our books, ending the first set with vigor.
The rarities continued into the second set, as the band dropped the first "The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony" since July 30, 2022, at Merriweather Post Pavilion. The energy exploded once again as they skillfully transitioned into a raging "Axilla (Part II)." This evolved into a full-on "Down With Disease," teeming with tension and release. Anastasio unfurled a dark vibe on guitar as the jam moved through the depths, eventually returning squarely to "Down with Disease."
The jam vehicle of the evening appeared next in the form of a twenty-three-minute "Scents and Subtle Sounds," as the rain began to fall on the crowd. This did not stop the band from delivering a raucous, blues-rock jam that transported the fans to their happy places. As the song wound down, Anastasio seamlessly transitioned back into the outro of "Down with Disease," with the rest of the band following.
The mood became increasingly dark and melodic as the band segued into "What's the Use?" They then quickly shifted gears, rolling into the sunny and vibrant "Golden Age." The band paused briefly before diving back in with the disco-funk tune "I Always Wanted It This Way." This was the first time this Big Boat track was played in 2024, driven by McConnell on the synth. The band ended the set on a high note with another excursion into "Down With Disease."
The show wasn't over just yet, as the band returned for an encore with what might be the quintessential Phish song: "You Enjoy Myself." This seventeen-minute version was no slouch. During the vocal jam, Anastasio started singing the guitar chords for "Down with Disease," before picking up his guitar and leading the band into a third rendition of the "Down With Disease" outro.
Phish crushed night one at Ruoff Music Center and will be back in action tonight at the Noblesville, Indiana venue. As they say, never miss a Sunday show. Don't say we didn't warn you. Tickets are available for tonight's show via this link. Head over to Phish's tour page for more details about the rest of their smoking hot summer tour.
Check out more photos from the show! Also, view our prior coverage of the Phish Summer 2024 at Mansfield, Ma.
Set One: Punch You in the Eye, Kill Devil Falls, Halfway to the Moon, Heavy Things, Life Saving Gun, Shade > Scent of a Mule, Pillow Jets > Runaway Jim, A Day in the Life
Set Two: The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony > Axilla (Part II) > Down with Disease, Scents and Subtle Sounds -> Down with Disease[1] > What's the Use? > Golden Age, I Always Wanted It This Way -> Down with Disease[1]
Encore: You Enjoy Myself -> Down with Disease[1]
Notes: [1] Ending only.
