Phish Turns In 4-Song Second Set, Debuts ‘Dancing In Midair’ Night 2 In Mexico

Phish continued their Riviera Maya 2026 run at the Moon Palace in Cancún, Mexico on Thursday. The band turned in a four-song second set and launched the encore with yet another debut, after unveiling “Fling Your Head” one day prior, this time a track off guitarist Trey Anastasio and keyboardist Page McConnell‘s 2023 album January.

The quartet kicked off night two in Mexico with a spicy “Gumbo,” along with a succinct opening salvo from Anastasio before things took a funky turn with keyboardist Page McConnell hopping on his clavinet. The song came to end without Page’s usual piano vamp.

“NICU” bounded into the Moon Palace next, where Leo was given his time to shine after the “Gumbo” snub. The waves of “Prince Caspian” rolled into the beachside venue in the third song slot.

Trey tagged the tune with a blissy affair, which bassist Mike Gordon laced with bubbling octaves and drummer Jon Fishman kept the cymbals flashy. Anastasio then steered the band into darker waters with Page conjuring growls on the Moog One.

As the jam dissipated, Trey slid into the opening guitar strains of “Oblivion.” The quartet jumped into a snappy groove which they explored in minor and major keys coming together on a sweet motif before finding their way back into “Oblivion.”

Anastasio then picked up the acoustic guitar. “We’re so happy to be here everybody,” Trey said. “Hi, you look so beautiful. Thank you for having us on the beach.”

He added: “I’m gonna tell you our secret. We have a secret joke button between the four of us. And I’m not gonna tell you what the joke was.” Fish then mentioned Rodney Dangerfield and said they have “Auto Dangerfield.”

After Trey mentioned a joke and then didn’t share it with everyone, the band floated through The excellent Story Of A Ghost cut “Brian and Robert.”

After “Brian and Robert,” Trey revealed what was funny, the infamous “Prison Joke.” “Was anyone here when Fish told The Prison Joke?” Trey asked. While someone in the audience claimed to have been at the show from The Cave at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota on April 11, 1991, Fish said: “Good they’re all gone.”

A big grin remained on Trey’s face as he began working his way through the intro to “Stash” and on into a languid jam that saw the guitarist incrementally turning up the heat before culminating in a flanged out peak and back into the “Stash” coda.

The calypso of “Ya Mar” breezed into the Moon Palace next. The Cyril Ferguson cover featured Mike on lead vocals and another turn from Leo on the Hammond organ. The Gamehendge number “McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters” followed. The masterful composition contrasted nicely with Kasvot Växt rocker “Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.” and a smokeshow from Trey to wrap the first set.

“A Wave Of Hope” crashed onto the beach initiating set two. The improv got off to a galloping start before Fish chopped up the beat with Gordon bottoming out and Page moving to his washy Fender Rhodes electric piano. Trey then looped a lick as the jam flattened out into soundscape territory textured by Page’s Yamaha synth and Rhodes, Trey cycling through effects until he found swampier ground.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeOxfkEs6TQ

“Ruby Waves” triumphantly emerged from the sludge. The improv saw Fish keeping the steady beat as Anastasio worked on his volume pedal before coalescing the band with right-hand work, which he once again looped as Page brought witch cauldron sounds from the Moog. Mike jumped around the neck of the Serek five-string as the band rolled into full-tilt boogie that just as quickly bloomed into an airy grove full of space and room to breathe.

A beat bristling with toms spiced things up again with Trey following suit, whipping the jam to a boil with aggressive forays on the Languedoc. The band came together again in a frenetic pace and ascending motif that went headfirst into a full-on freak-out, which gave way to a filthy flaunting of what makes Phish so great: just nasty stuff. Mike got the drill out to add the demented cherry on top.

Always a welcome respite from the madness, “Lonely Trip” landed in the ballad slot of the second frame. The song, dripping with maritime metaphors, also fits well with the seafaring theme of set two.

The quartet then chucked themselves into the lyrically dense “What’s Going Through Your Mind,” which has gained a reputation as something of a heater. Following the composition, the band returned to the bawdy funk, McConnell up on the clav once again as Anastasio wailed on the six-string, to bring the second set to a close.

The band then chose the encore for the Phish debut of “Dancing In Midair,” from Trey Anastasio and Page McConnell’s duo album January. Following the ballad, the vintage “Run Like An Antelope” sealed the show.

Phish: Riviera Maya 2026 continues tonight. Livestreams of all four Phish performances in Mexico are available to purchase through LivePhish and nugs.

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