Phish Anchors Night 2 At Madison Square Garden With Masterful 37-Minute ‘Ruby Waves’

There is nothing better than when a band feels they have something to prove. Whether or not a band like Phish, who is ending their 41st year as a band, feels this way anymore, it was clear last night that they had a plan to deliver from the get-go. After a “warm-up show” on Saturday, the band seemed intent on delivering a strong show from the moment they stepped on stage just after 8 p.m. ET.

The crowd greeted the band with the unmatched energy that Madison Square Garden Phish crowds are known for and the show opened with tight versions of the anthemic “Sample In A Jar” and the Gamehendge classic “AC/DC Bag.” In a short but inspired jam during “AC/DC Bag,” guitarist Trey Anastasio used his effects pedal and delivered a clean drop back into the song.

“The Moma Dance” followed and its extended intro flirted with its instrumental predecessor, “Black Eyed Katy.” Anastasio spent most of this intro dancing and watching bassist Mike Gordon play melodically. The crowd roared as the longtime band members smiled at each other, demonstrating the friendship and respect this band is built upon.

The technically challenging “Rift” preceded “Prince Caspian,” which was an interesting setlist call midway through the first set. This “Caspian” was the first indication that last night’s show might have some serious improvisation in store. Keyboardist Page McConnell played piano in lockstep with Anastasio and Jon Fishman added rolling drums to keep the jam fluid. The song stretched to over 13 minutes with Anastasio’s growly effect pedal and swelling organ work from McConnell building a dramatic soundscape, allowing the audience to get lost in the first jam of the evening.

“Monsters” was played for the 7th time last night and the newer song allowed Anastasio an excuse to shred in his extended solo. From a new song to a song that has been around since 1990, “Runaway Jim” has been known to go deep and this one seemed poised for lift off with an off-kilter, distortion of the chords plunging the band immediately into interesting territory. Only 10 minutes and 46 seconds long the jam played with noisy chaos on top of the galloping “Jim” melody with lighting designer Chris Kuroda elevating the jam by spinning and flashing the light rig. McConnell built tension on piano and the band responded in kind with an anxious build.

Whether or not the band knew it was the 30th anniversary of their legendary performance of “David Bowie” in Providence on December 29, 1994, they certainly seemed to be tapping into some of its risk-taking and wild creativity during this brief but inspired “Runaway Jim.”

The band closed the set with two heavy hitters, “You Enjoy Myself” and “Ghost.” “YEM” saw the band taking their time and stretching sections out, with an especially great funk section and an extended solo from Gordon. Gordon has had a banner year, adding depth and taking the lead in jams.

“Ghost” was hot and fiery and ended the set with some classic “hose” from Anastasio. Those tuning in at home were treated to part two of Gordon’s bass rig tour. These videos are a great feature that adds to the experience of streaming the show from the couch.

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

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As great as set one was, it was overshadowed by a dominating and powerful set two. Opening with the classic jam vehicle “Bathtub Gin” tricked the crowd into thinking it was going to go the distance (more nice melodic playing by Gordon!), but Anastasio had other plans and cut the interesting jam short, instead segueing into “Ruby Waves.”

The song debuted in 2019 and out of the 39 times played 18 versions have included notable improvisation. This monster version clocks in at 37 minutes 50 seconds and is a textbook example of a narrative, exploratory jam that moves between sections effortlessly. It is also the longest jam the band has ever played at Madison Square Garden, surpassing the legendary December 30, 2019 Tweezer.

The jam built to a sunny peak early on and then melted into a gorgeous ambient section. My co-hosts on the Helping Friendly Podcast taught me this is called a “yards after catch” situation. The band teased “Frankie Says” in this beautiful section that climbed into a dark and crushing movement that gradually faded into beauty once again. The funk section that followed was so locked in, it felt like a sophisticated nod to their 1997 sound. The textured, crunchy funk groove was a perfect example of how the band can use sounds from their past but modernize them with synths and effects to add intrigue.

2024 has been an exercise in developing a new sound when you have such a long history of sonic exploration and this section of the jam is a perfect example of how this is being done well. Anastasio likes to return to the refrain, so they did that before winding down this masterpiece that fans will be listening to for years.

Anastasio played the ballad “Waste” acoustically at MSG last month with Dave Matthews for the excellent Soulshine concert to benefit hurricane-affected areas in North Carolina and Florida. Last night it was a nice breather after the momentous “Ruby Waves.”

A charged-up “Fuego” followed, reminding the crowd of when the band closed their first festival in nine years with a big encore “Fuego” jam while getting shut down early for weather. A perfectly placed, big energy “Crosseyed and Painless” closed the set with a bang. Anastasio soared in his extended solo and left everyone in the arena breathless.

Ending at just over 72 minutes, the band chose to play an efficient set with no extra fat and came back onstage with a thoughtful, crowd-pleasing encore. Phish covered Jimi Hendrix’s “Bold as Love,” which was last played on September 4, 2021 (149 shows ago), and the energy was through the roof as Anastasio ripped some Hendrix and thanked the crowd.

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Phish’s 2024 New Year’s run at MSG includes shows tonight and tomorrow (New Year’s Eve). Livestreams are available via LivePhish.com.

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