Oysterhead Performs At SweetWater 420 Fest

Supergroup Oysterhead closed out the main stage action at the 2022 SweetWater 420 Fest in Atlanta on Sunday night. The trio featuring Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio, Primus bassist Les Claypool and The Police drummer Stewart Copeland played 10 of the 13 tracks featured on their lone album, 2001’s The Grand Pecking Order, and performed the Phish classic “First Tube” at Centennial Olympic Park.

Anastasio, Claypool and Copeland last joined forces at The Peach Music Festival on July 3, 2021. Oysterhead replicated their Peach Fest setlist in Atlanta. The band was initially formed for a performance at New Orleans’ Saenger Theatre on May 4, 2000 and went on to record and tour behind The Grand Pecking Order in 2001. After reuniting to play Bonnaroo in 2006, Oysterhead was set to tour in 2020 including an appearance at SweetWater 420 Fest. However, the pandemic led to the group canceling their touring plans and postponing their 420 Fest concert until last night.

The three-piece took the SweetWater Stage with a “Mr. Oysterhead” opener. “What are you doing, man?” Claypool said to Anastasio towards the end of the opening song. “I haven’t seen you in like 10 years,” Trey responded before Les pointed out the guitarist’s impressive fashion choices. “Let’s just reflect a little bit, doesn’t this feel fucking good,” Claypool added. “So good, it feels so good,” Trey noted and then the bassist quipped, “I’m slightly erect, I think … slippery between the ears.” The group followed the fun banter by finishing “Mr. Oysterhead.”

 Photo by Ian Rawn

Copeland propelled the adventurous versions of “Oz Is Ever Floating” and “Rubberneck Lions” that followed. Anastasio worked teases of “Hey, Ho, Nobody Home” and the Odd Couple theme into the latter. The ensuing “Little Faces” saw the guitarist and bassist utilize wild tones and gave way to the trippy “The Grand Pecking Order.” More banter came during “Polka Dot Rose” as Trey joked they’ve only played four gigs in 20 years and Les shouted out Copeland as “Stew Daddy back there on the drums.”

“First Tube” was the ultimate song of Oysterhead’s main set and started with a bit of the Primus classic “Southbound Pachyderm.” Oysterhead ended the main set with an expansive “Owner Of The World” and capped what for now stands as their lone performance of 2022 with a “Pseudo Suicide” encore. Anastasio took an opportunity before the encore to point out that when he was in high school Stewart Copeland was the greatest drummer in the world and still is.

Watch fan-shot video footage from Oysterhead at SweetWater 420 Fest below:

Photos by Ian Rawn

Setlist (via Phish.net)

Set: Mr. Oysterhead, Oz is Ever Floating, Rubberneck Lions, Little Faces, The Grand Pecking Order, Polka Dot Rose, Army’s On Ecstasy, Shadow of a Man, First Tube, Owner of the World

Encore: Pseudo Suicide

This performance was part of Sweetwater 420 Fest. Trey teased Hey, Ho, Nobody Home and the Odd Couple theme in Rubberneck Lions.