Phish Shares New Year’s Eve 2018 – 2019 Gag: Pro-Shot Video

Phish concluded 2018 and started 2019 with a New Year’s Eve concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The band shared pro-shot video of the “gag” that marked the end of the year and the beginning of a new one including “Mercury” > “Auld Lang Syne” > “Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.”

JamBase’s Andy Kahn described the “gag” in his recap of Monday’s show:

After a setbreak that featured space-themed music on the PA, Phish returned to the stage at 11:43 p.m. for the third and final set of the night. Trey and Mike were wearing metallic space suits and had wireless microphones. Like the Kasvot Växt set, Trey was playing a wireless white Fender Stratocaster and Mike was playing a wireless white bass (which appeared to have a GoPro camera attached). “Mercury” was selected to usher in the new year, as the band incorporated acrobatic dancers who emerged during the “The tomb of the red queen is painted in Vermilion” lyric section. Confetti fell from the ceiling as the 10 dancers were raised on harnesses above the stage. Soon it was revealed they were partly supported by nets, coinciding with the lyrics “but the net’s unbreakable, don’t worry about falling.” The dancers continued to hover above the band, eventually, some of the hanging lights joined in and began to move up and down while emitting bursts of haze.

A computerized voice announced 30 seconds until midnight and then led a countdown to the traditional playing of “Auld Lang Syne” as the calendar turned to 2019 and metallic balloons and streamers blanketed The Garden. Trey and Mike were then attached to harnesses before the band launched into the Kasvot Växt anthem “Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.” When they hit the “This is what space smells like (dangling in thin air)” chorus the pair was lifted into the air, appearing to float over the stage. They landed back on stage for the conclusion of the song, taking advantage of being wireless by roaming around and playing to the crowd positioned behind them.

Watch how Phish rang in 2019: