Phish Performs Adventurous ‘Bathtub Gin’ In Nashville On Fall Tour 2018

This year marks 25 years since Phish’s historic Fall Tour 1995. In recognition of that noteworthy tour and to make up for the lack of shows this fall, JamBase presents a daily retrospective highlighting a noteworthy moment from a Phish fall tour concert that took place on that date over the past 25 years (read a note on Fall 1997 here). The 25 Years Of Phish Fall Tour series runs each day between the start of Phish Fall Tour 1995 on September 27 through that tour’s finale on December 17.

Phish concluded a two-night stand at Ascend Amphitheater in Nashville on this date during Fall Tour 2018. The show, one of five to take place on October 24 over the past 25 years, was highlighted by a memorable 18+ minute “Bathtub Gin” that ended the first set.

Nashville was the lone outdoor stop on the band’s 14-date Fall Tour 2018. Phish opened with an expansive “Soul Planet” that foreshadowed what would go down during the “Gin.” A run of staples “2001,” “555,” “Farmhouse” and “Halfway To The Moon” followed ahead of a rare mid-first set “Waste.” A scorching “My Friend, My Friend” gave way to an equally intense “Maze.” The set-closing “Bathtub Gin” started innocently enough but the quartet soon began painting outside the lines.

A signature of Fall 2018 Phish jams were their eqalitarian qualities. Each member of the band contributed to making the Nashville “Gin” special in a way that only comes from performing together for 35 years. The first jam space Phish explored was blissful terrain featuring keyboardist Page McConnell on electric piano, bassist Mike Gordon driving the improv and guitarist Trey Anastasio stringing together powerful riffs. All the while, drummer Jon Fishman provided a steady yet impactful beat.

Gordon pushed a move back into a minor key as Phish eeked evil sounds out of their instruments that contrasted with the pretty trip through blissville played a few minutes earlier. Page, Trey and Mike took turns leading the jam with Anastasio at one point landing on the main theme of “Bathtub Gin,” which generally signals the end of the song. However, on this night, Phish continued jamming and connected on an anthemic progression they rode dirty. Key changes came frequently before the band built up a head of steam to end “Gin” with a strong climax.

The second set was a six-song affair bookended by 14-minute versions of “Down With Disease” and “Harry Hood.” A cover of Talking Heads’ “Crosseyed & Painless” followed “Disease” and gave way to an intro-less “Scents And Subtle Sounds.” Next up was “No Men In No Man’s Land” before a short romp through Stevie Wonder’s “Boogie On Reggae Woman.” Phish ended the frame with “Hood” and said farewell with a “Run Like An Antelope” encore featuring “Crosseyed” teases and quotes.

Phish presented a free livestream of their October 24, 2018 concert. Watch the whole show below queued up to the start of the memorable “Bathtub Gin”: