The Vermont jamband kings Phish made a special extended stop on 2026's summer tour at their home away from home, Madison Square Garden, offering up special shows dedicated to their past. The five shows, July 22, 24, 25, 27, and 29 were the band's 92nd, 93rd, 94th, 95th and 96th times playing "The World's Most Famous Arena".
In Phish's fun loving manner, they took the opportunity to play special shows with songs written on or before those years. The 7/22 show was dedicated to the band's 1992 self and so on. The combination of Phish playing as locked in as they have in years, with a focus on their early songs, was just too good to miss, so RtBE saddled up for all of them.
Each night we will discuss pluses and minuses, but overall this run was a very special, high quality offering from the band that will be held on par with the group's historic Baker's Dozen run nine years ago. There were very few negatives as each night was unique, energetic and worth attending as Phish continues to deliver in leaps and bounds for their fans.
Back in the pre internet tape trading days, Phish's New Year's Eve show from 1993 at the Centrum in Worcester, MA was one of the pinnacles in a collection. It was a radio broadcast, SBD quality that found the band playing their biggest show to date and really nailing it. Now the band officially releases the complete concert for all to enjoy, title New Year's Eve 1993, Live At Worcester Centrum.
For their annual four night NYE run at Madison Square Garden in NYC, Phish ended a sonically strong year with some solid playing. Each of the nights contained excellent jams and song selection, wrapping up with a blazing start to 2026.
The live show is a slippery thing. There are lots of variables at play, most having little to do with the performance itself. Does the venue have enough bathrooms? Is it going to rain? What day of the week is it on? Did I have a shitty day at work before hand? Did tickets cost waaay too much? All of this can alter one's opinion of a live show before the band even tunes up and with reason. However, when the stars align, there is no place RtBE would rather be than in the moment of magic occurring spontaneously from the stage.
Live Music Has No Equal!
Taken By The Fantastic Megan Donohue
While obviously we can't see every show that is out there, we try to get out often to catch live music. Sure there are a few left in the calendar year, but for now, here is a listing of the best concerts we were fortunate enough to have caught in 2025.
There are links to show reviews in the titles, also because who doesn't love arbitrary rankings, one show at the bottom took the top prize as RtBE's 2025 Favorite Live Show.
We search the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and post them to the site weekly, come back every seven days to help us celebrate Full Show Friday's. These shows are of varying quality and may not be here for long so enjoy them while you can...As always, please support the artist every which way, but especially by seeing them live (if they are still playing)...This week...Phish!
The Vermont jam legends Phish wrapped up the July section of their summer tour with a swing through New York and RtBE was able to catch four out of the five shows they played in the Empire State. While the band takes a short breather until September, it was clear from all in attendance that for a band that has been active for over 40 years, they still have a lot of gas left in the tank.
Another year wrapping up finds Phish returning to their annual holiday run at the world's most famous arena. RtBE went to 3 of the 4 show at Madison Square Garden, skipping New Years Eve, and has a few thoughts about them.
We are now heading into the new normal with live music. Live shows will need to be flexible and streaming is a great way to keep music going. Streams have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. We will highlight various shows/streams/virtual events for your viewing/listening pleasure. You can check out our weekly Full Show Friday series for concerts from the past and as always, please support the artists any which way you can.
Phish begins their yearly four night stand at Madison Square Garden tonight and if you can't be there, like RtBE will, you can catch it via webcast here.
Each year the music industry dips into the past to deliver box sets, live albums, re-masters and outtake collections to sell to the music loving masses (present company included). This look back will round up some of RtBE's favorite archival releases from the past year.
Usually these releases can fall into the money grab category, not really adding much outside of revenue for the label and (hopefully) the artist. Every now and then though some spectacular collections are unearthed and are worth any price.
RtBE includes live albums in this category, since they were recorded in the recent or distant past and thus fall into archival release status.
With the increase in vinyl, and enhanced Record Store Days to help smaller sellers, there are more and more archival releases each year. RtBE are sure to miss a lot of them, but the quality and abundance is exciting. Post your favorites, or any we may have missed, in the comments.
These were our favorite archival releases of 2024, click the link in the title for full reviews.
The Vermont based jamband titans Phish are known for their amazing live interplay, concerts that run the gamut of emotional experiences and top notch technical skills. What they have never been known for is crafting classic albums that non-fans can easily get into and enjoy. Their sixteenth studio album Evolve will do nothing to change that narrative.
For their only Fall shows in 2024, Phish set up shop at the MVP Arena (formerly The Knick, formerly The Pepsi, formerly The Times Union Center...) to play three nights in the Capital District as benefit shows for the newly opened Divided Sky Residential Recovery Program in Ludlow, Vermont. This is a project close to the bands heart and the fans came out in full force supporting the worthy cause.
RtBE have written about Phish a lot, but one show we have not mentioned is the June 19th 2004 monster of a night at the gorgeous Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga, NY.
It was the the first of a two night stand at the amphitheater in what would be their last summer tour for over five years. This era of Phish, between the hiatus and Coventry festival, is commonly known as Phish 2.0 and has many fans/detractors when it comes to the groups style during these years.
The newest archival release from Vermont jamband titans Phish comes from one of the best tours of their career as The Spectrum '97 captures two shows from Philadelphia on back to back nights from the Fall 1997 tour.
Once again the current jamband kings set up in their home away from home, Madison Square Garden, to play four nights in a row, closing out 2023 and welcoming 2024 in the world's most famous arena. RtBE attended the first and second nights (12/28 and 12/29) and greatly enjoyed both, with one of them truly standing out.
First up was Thursday night 12/28 as the anticipation ran high with the band having done a solid summer run earlier in the year at the same venue. Things would take a few songs to truly get going for the Vermont quartet (Trey Anastasio, Mike Gordon, Page McConnell and Jon Fishman) as they opened with a fairly tame "No Men In No Man's Land" before some crunchy keyboard work from McConnell on "Halley's Comet" that was engaging. After that fine tune though the band played it pretty close to the vest for the first set with short versions of "Sample in a Jar", "Runaway Jim", and "Bouncing Around the Room" before Fishman picked up the slamming pace on "Axilla (Part II)".
The group seemed more energized and dropped an upbeat blues burner on the Son Seals cover "Funky Bitch", but the set, and overall show highlight, arrived next when the group really dug into "Bathtub Gin". The almost eighteen minute outing saw the band open up with jams for the first time mixing warbling spacey playing with metallic crashing and soaring intensity as Gordon and Fishman's interplay kept things exciting throughout while McConnell and Trey added sonic accents.
Unfortunately a bland take on "Ghost" followed (whatever happened to the funk during this song?) while the band brought the set full circle with "No Men In No Man's Land" quotes. After a long break Phish returned with newer crowd favorite "The Howling" before the longest jam of the night "A Wave of Hope" sprawled out. A winding effort that mixed blissful Phish with a few darker moments, sounding a touch like The Allman Brothers at times, the extended playing was fine but never truly revelatory.
Better was a well placed "Rift" and the funky wah-wah work from Anastasio on "Mike's Song" that highlighted the second set with excellent energy. While "Simple" never reached the heights it has in the past, the set ending "Blaze On" showcased an energetic and solid jam to close. Surprisingly, the band had a lot left in the tank, and delivered a long, four song encore that could have ended after each tune. The ballad like "Mercy", the delicate beauty of "Squirming Coil" or the upbeat funk of "Weekapaug Groove" but it was "Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S." that ended what was more of a mini-set than an encore.
While the 28th was OK overall (Phish.net has it rated at 4.03 out of 5 which seems fair, if a touch high) it was a mere warm up for the Friday night show, which instantly had a more pumped up feel from the crowd and the band themselves. Trey was literally hoping around with excitement and acknowledging/waving to each side of the crowd before a note was played.
The music opened with a strong, rocking version of "Free" before moving effortlessly to get the funk flowing for "The Moma Dance" leading to a guitar ripping "Maze" which wrapped up a top notch trio to open the night and kick up the energy levels for all in the sold out house.
While the whole opening set was moving, the highlight just might have been this dynamite version of "Stash" that gracefully traversed through jazzy sections while Fishman dominated on the drums and cymbals. Two personal favorite songs "Get Back On The Train" and "Theme From The Bottom" were well done, while one of the bands better ballads, "Mountains In The Mist", was smooth. The set should have probably ended after a rocking "46 Days" but the outfit tacked on a tame version of "Drift While You're Sleeping" to conclude a stout run of tunes.
The second set found the group truly stretching out, using a mix of darker playing with brilliant peaks, resulting in the best set RtBE has caught from the band since The Baker's Dozen.
"Chalkdust Torture" kicked things off and after a short spin of the song proper, the band blasted off into the unknown with Gordon pushing the bass forward as spacey blissful jamming mixed with freaky passages as the weird, heavy, bizarre fully came out in this jam from the masters of improv. They weren't finished though as the newer jam vehicle "Oblivion" was another excellent extended outing, complete with deep bass, cymbal crashes, stuttering exchanges, and dark/bright juxtapositions while "What's the Use?" was a gorgeous, majestic, mid-set break.
Those three tunes were excellent examples of the band at it's current peak, but they were not done. "My Friend, My Friend" was huge with crazy riffing from Trey and massive drumming around distorted ominous noise/funk slamming, which echoed around MSG. Fans were clearly stoked when the weirdness coalesced directly into the dance party "Sand", yet this interesting version displayed more varied, squirrely jamming from Trey and Page as opposed to the hardcore funky throw down's of yesteryear.
The classic rock wailing of "About To Run" was a solid, more direct effort, but the band really let it all hang out for this version of "Harry Hood" which closed the second set. A dynamite rendition from all involved as the band linked up and delivered a classic take on this warhorse tune; the last few times RtBE has caught Hood, it has been just OK, this one makes us remember why it is such a great jam from the band as it grew, soaring to a huge release.
After a brief spin through "Lonely Trip" the band sent the Friday night crowd out on a rocking high with a blasting version of "Carini" to wrap an incredibly strong show from Phish. As always the band put in the effort and lit up MSG like no other touring act currently can, it was a joy to get see these two great nights of music from the group.
The second of two "garden parties" thrown by the Tedeschi Trucks Band took place last Friday night at Madison Square Garden as the rock and soul group pulled into town, playing the World's Most Famous Arena for the first time in their long career. The group brought some special guests along to commemorate the special evening, which lived up to the billing, as the sold out crowd braved epic flooding earlier in the day all throughout NYC to attend.
Opening the event was Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real as their southern based soulful rock was an excellent compliment as fans filled in early to catch their set. The group reached their zenith with a fluid extended take on "Find Yourself" but no Lady Gaga duet emerge on this night, while "Set Me Down On A Cloud" showcased organ work and a soaring guitar while the finale of "Something Real" displayed bluesy southern rock with lap steel guitar.
The 12 piece Tedeschi Trucks Band took to the stage next as the large rock/blues/soul revue got it going with "Anyhow". The slower soul opener was spearheaded by Susan as she sang lead and delivered a ripping lead solo before the cool "Playing With My Emotions" which had a huge build from Derek as the band swelled behind his riffs. "Ain't That Something" was highlighted by the horns, specifically the trombone solo, while the first extended jams of the night occurred next as "Part Of Me" with a slow intro from Trucks, a soulful groove which highlighted the backing vocals, before a extended drum duel and sax solo.
Mike Mattison then stepped up to the front of the stage to take on lead vocals for the groups cover of The Rolling Stones "Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)" which was revved up and well received. The band then stretched out again as "I Am The Moon" and "Pasaquan" flowed into each other and ranged all over the sonic map lead by Trucks, who delivered a huge crescendo to end these instrumental excursions.
The first special guest came out with just Susan Tedeschi as Nora Jones played electro-keys and sang a simple duet, a cover of John Hiatt's "Have a Little Faith in Me", before the full band returned to pump out a rocking cover of Tom Petty's "You Wreck Me" which was a mid set highlight.
The smooth soul of "Midnight in Harlem" gave the band a spacey, swirling excursion that focused on the sax before the energy picked up for the stomping "Made Up My Mind". The group then moved the night into various covers and all of them were played with grace and energy as John Prine's "Angel of Montgomery" was expertly sung by Tedeschi, who also dropped in a short "Sugaree" tease before Trey Anastasio was introduced.
Trey split lead vocals with Susan as the outfit delivered a killer take on The Who's "The Seeker" which featured a three way guitar vamping to end which was invigorating. The group then delivered back to back Derek and the Dominoes covers with Trey leading "Bell Bottom Blues" and Lukas Nelson joining for "Layla" which was mammoth as four guitarists kept the song soaring around piano break and horns; an apt set closer to a large night of tunes.
Things were not over yet though as Susan and Lukas started the encore off with another duet, this time a cover of Leon Russell's "A Song For You" which was heartfelt. After "Soul Sweet Song" the party kicked up with an extended Sly and The Family Stone medley which touched on "Sing A Simple Song" and " I Want To Take You Higher" as all the guests joined and the rock/soul/funk banged out with abandon.
Before the encore, the band advertised a return to the Beacon Theater for March of 2024, that location is their usual NYC haunt, and this unique Garden Party was a break from the norm which turned out to be a well organized and played event; a reward for a very trying (and wet) day for New Yorkers.
We are now heading into the new normal with live music during the Covid-19 and beyond era. Live shows will need to be flexible and live streaming is a great way to keep music going. Streams have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. Things are (hopefully) improving on the pandemic front but live streams will be an option for artists during the foreseeable future. We will highlight various shows/streams/virtual events for your viewing and listening pleasure and as a way to help out the artists. You can check out our weekly Full Show Friday series for concerts from the past and as always, please support the artists any which way you can.
Today is: Phish Live from SPAC Tomorrow and Saturday.
Phish is playing two fundraising show up in Saratoga, NY this weekend and you can stream them both over at Livephish.com. Please donate if you can.
To get in the mood, here is some recent live Phish.
RtBE was lucky enough to attend 4 of the 7 shows Phish played recently at MSG. The band is clearly in love with the venue and the venue loves them, as sell out crowds and a joyous atmosphere is felt by all any time the Vermont jamband legends come to town. Each night, Saturday July 29th, Sunday July 30th, Tuesday August 1st and Saturday August 5th were enjoyable shows with highs and lows as the band continue to play with a free wheeling abandon that is intoxicating.
Back in December we did a top ten list of the New Years Run. To celebrate the four shows we caught at MSG this summer, here are four points we would like to expand upon. RtBE has lots more thoughts on the band, but for now these will be the four we touch on and they may overlap a bit.
1) "There've been times when I wander..."
As we stated after the New Years Run (point #8) the group still likes to let it all hang out and "jam", maybe more than they ever have. This run however it seemed that certain jams/exploratory operations missed their mark as well. This is a pleasant fact though as the band truly plays without a net and not everything always works.
The final nights "Tweezer" moments were more OK than world beating, the elongated "Sample In a Jar" would have packed more of a punch with a tighter version and the thirty odd minute "Fuego" took about half of that run time to really get going to these ears. Much better was the pumping "Kill Devil Falls > Golden Age" combo and a great "Light" which had real energetic moments. "2001" seemed to be ready to take off when they abruptly shifted gears into Jon Fishman silliness with "Cracklin Rosie", that is the epitome of Phish.
2) "And the light is growing brighter now..."
Kuroda. CK5 is just simply amazing. Watching the band from three distinct vantage points in the Garden (the first two nights were the same seats) allows one to just marvel at the work Kuroda does. The light program works with the band to create such special visuals that are almost as intoxicating as the music.
None of the shows we caught we full on burners the whole night, the band were trying out too many things for everything to click, however, each first set seemed to shine brighter than the second set every night we saw.
The best was the old school jaunt of Sunday which didn't have a song written after '94. Each song was excellent and worth hearing, yet none truly exploded. Tuesday may have had the better highpoints as "Wolfman's Brother" and "The Walrus" were top notch while "Timber (Jerry)" was the best version I can remember hearing live.
The final Saturday started amazingly with "Loving Cup" a blissful "Divided Sky" and "Prince Caspian" which was the highlight of the whole night. The first Saturday's climax was also at the start as "Get Back On The Train" > "Down With Disease" were electric while "Moondog Matinee" closed strong.
The second sets lent themselves to a bit too much wandering at times as mentioned, but the band was ready to go each night at MSG from the first notes.
4) "And many subtle sounds..."
Speaking of the venue, it needs to be noted that the arena sound at MSG is truly phenomenal. Kudos to Phish team and the Garden itself as speakers are everywhere. RtBE sat in the 100's 200' and 300's and each location was perfect when it comes to the audio quality at the Garden for Phish.
There is a clear love affair between venue, the fans, and band, odds are everyone will be back in December and RtBE will be back to partake in the flow as well.
For the first time RtBE decided to join the Vermont foursome for all four shows on their annual NYE run at Madison Square Garden.
Dating back to 1997 RtBE has been to at least one show of the NYE run at MSG each time Phish has played the venue, but have never done the full four shows. So 2022 was the year all were witnessed in person from Section 224, Row 4, Seats 7 and 8.
Beautiful views from the middle of Madison Square Garden for four nights of adventurous rock and roll from Trey Anastasio, Mike Gordon, Page McConnell and Jon Fishman. The band was in much better form from the last time we caught them, 4/20/22 and below are the Top Ten moments of the run to these eyes and ears.
So let's take a second to celebrate this record, the second 'official' live release from the jamband legends. Phish followed in the Grateful Dead's tradition of allowing fans to trade tapes of all of their live shows, so there were thousands of hours of live music already circulating from the band. Their most popular official album was A Live One released only three years earlier in 1995.
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