Mellow In Mexico: Phish Eases Into Riviera Maya 2025 With Expanded Opening Show

Phish kicked off their eighth Phish: Riviera Maya excursion Wednesday night with the first of four two-set concerts at Moon Palace in Cancún, Mexico. This destination event blends live improvisation with the energy of an intimate beachfront crowd. In previous years, opening night featured a single “welcome set” followed by three days of two-set shows. This year, with 12.5% more Phish, everyone wins.

Set against the Caribbean Sea, the band wasted no time, launching into a blistering “Sand” – a fitting nod to the beachside setting. The Farmhouse track, which has become the most-played song of the 4.0 era with 40 performances in 173 shows, was a strong opener, locking in a deep groove from the start. “Theme From the Bottom” followed, unfolding into a bright, soaring crescendo before shifting into a chunky, churning beat, driven by Jon Fishman’s drumming, before easing off.

Next up was “Free” (Billy Breathes, 1996), and by this point many were wondering: was this water-themed set? Songs about the sea just hit differently on the beach. During the 2016 event, Phish leaned into the theme with “A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing,” “Prince Caspian,” and “Drowned,” capping it off with Led Zeppelin’s “The Ocean” for the final encore. While plenty of fans were literally “dancing in the sea” this time around, Mike Gordon’s bass breakdown during “Free” added a unique harmonic twist before the jam took off.

Gordon then led the band through “Mull,” a tune he debuted with Phish in 2021 and recorded for his 2023 solo album, Flying Games. Quirky lyrics and a laid-back groove — classic Mike — served as a quick palate cleanser as the band veered away from any notion of a water theme (though with a taco reference, it still felt “on brand”).

Things picked up with “Kill Devil Falls,” tapping into a dancey, high-energy vibe reminiscent of their New Year’s Eve gag set. Anastasio and Page McConnell layered tones and effects over Fishman’s locked-in groove, while Gordon’s bass lines created some frisson with the rest of the band before the jam resolved crisply.

A fairly standard — but still funky — “Ghost” kept the momentum going before the set took a turn toward the new with “Evolve,” the title track from their 2024 album. Lighthearted yet contemplative, it carries the same breezy, pop-inflected spirit as “Heavy Things,” but with a sense of wonder and introspection that’s been a hallmark of Trey Anastasio’s songwriting.

Closing the first set, “Run Like an Antelope” provided the first real jolt of intensity, a welcome high-energy closer to an otherwise fairly relaxed opening parry.

Read on after The Skinny for the rest of the recap and more.

Want more Phish stats?

Visit JamBase’s The Skinny Hub

More Skinny

After a quick setbreak, Phish returned with “Set Your Soul Free.” Chris Kuroda’s lights swirled along with the woozy, exploratory jam, which set a fluid, open-ended tone for the second frame. The first cover of the run came next: Talking Heads’ “Cities,” its lyrics about searching for the perfect place taking on a tongue-in-cheek meaning in far-off Cancún. This version saw the jam take a little walk — more of a laid-back seaside stroll than a full-blown excursion — mirroring the casual beach vibe. The tempo leaned slower than usual, making it looser and bluesier rather than the punchy, staccato version heard on the Heads’ 1979, Fear of Music. “Cities” meandered into a fun groove before, somewhat inelegantly, giving way to “Light” (Joy, 2009).

The song began with its characteristic uplifting melody, and the jam hinted at an Allman Brothers-esque bluesy feel. Yet, as the improvisation deepened, the band seemed momentarily caught off guard when Anastasio signaled the transition back to the refrain rather than letting things develop further. Instead of sorting out the jam, they forged ahead into “Mike’s Song,” kicking off the “Mike’s Groove” sequence.

Like “Light,” this “Mike’s Song” leaned into blues-rock territory, with Gordon’s deep, growling bass tones setting a gritty foundation for a brief but brooding passage. Without missing a beat, the band transitioned into “I Am Hydrogen,” its serene, melodic interlude serving as a contrast before diving headfirst into an unusually slow “Weekapaug Groove” to close the classic 1.0 sequence.

From there, “Twist” settled into a laid-back, funky rhythm, giving McConnell and Anastasio room for playful exchanges. The crowd latched onto the moment, punctuating the groove with “Woo!”s, egged on by a raspy-voiced Anastasio.

To wrap up the second set, “Backwards Down the Number Line” brought a celebratory, sentimental close to the night. While a predictable set-ender, its feel-good energy landed well with the crowd.

For the first encore song, Phish kept things lighthearted with “My Sweet One,” a bluegrass bust-out from 1990’s Lawn Boy. Anastasio chanted “Leo, Leo, Leo, Leo!” to McConnell, pushing him into a rollicking piano solo. It marked only the second “My Sweet One” encore since 1994 and, at just a couple minutes, made for a quick but fun lead-in to the final song.

Closing the night was “Carini,” which injected some grit into an otherwise fairly mellow show. The jam swelled into a chaotic, electric peak, with Anastasio playfully singing “Corinna” early on.

While the setlist offered a mix of classics, newer material and a couple of surprises, the show itself felt safe. The playing and vocals were fairly solid, but several jams that could have gone deeper ultimately didn’t. There were moments – particularly “Twist” and “Carini” – that showed flashes of something more, but overall, it felt like a warm-up rather than a statement.

That being said, Phish has three more nights to ramp things up. If history is any indicator, things could get significantly weirder as the weekend unfolds.

Tune in on Thursday for night two from Cancún. Livestreams are available via LivePhish.com.

https://www.instagram.com/jambase/p/DFdrSkvzuBp/

Posters

Phish From The Road Photos