Phish Brings More Bust Outs To Night 2 At United Center

Phish returned to the United Center for the second of three nights in their 2023 Fall Tour closing run. The second night in Chicago saw more bust outs and an adventurous second set.

“Runaway Jim” got night two underway, sparkling with Page McConnell’s piano over Trey Anastasio’s descending guitar lines and sustained notes. Despite being 119 years old, Jim’s trip was short. Chilling Thrilling’s “Martian Monster” came next, full of funky clavinet and swirling pinball machine effects, Page scratching out the samples, fittingly into “Sample In A Jar.”

The 11-minute excursion began with the band finding a groove anchored by Page’s Wurlizter electric piano as drummer Jon Fishman rang the ride cymbal and Trey got into a happy cycle. Bassist Mike Gordon threw on a squishy effect as McConnell worked some country thirds. The band jumped seamlessly back into the “Sample” progression, a bit flanged from Trey ahead of the conclusion with a wash of Hammond B3 organ.

It was then time to hop on the scale for “Weigh,” last played August 31, 2021 at the Bay Area’s Shoreline Amphitheater. Perhaps a little jazz for a sunny day that saw an annular eclipse. The quartet kept Chicago on their toes with “Corrina,” the sweet Taj Mahal tune almost edging out “Weigh,” the former not played in 103 shows compared to the Mike Rift rarity which last appeared 108 excursions ago.

Next, Phish slid into “Tube” and got right into the funk. Page moved to the Fender Rhodes for a washy run ahead of some echoing roaming from Anastasio, firing back into a minor key with McConnell running all over the baby grand.

Anastasio clicked on the video game tone as Page paced on the piano ahead of a smooth drop into the rollicking riffage in the home of the electrified blues. “Tube” then rolled into “46 Days.” The jam saw Mike and Trey linking up on an ascending riff. Anastasio found a thermal and circled upward, entering a segment that had a “Chest Fever” feel to it, an exploration that returned after the final chorus.

“NICU” bounced up next ahead of McConnell’s “Most Events Aren’t Planned.” The song appears on Vida Blue’s 2002 self-titled album and the Chicago play marked the first after Page’s Vida Blue bandmate drummer Russell Batiste passed away. McConnell began the joyous jam with crunchy clav and then soared on the piano while Anastasio bubbled underneath. The quartet executed the chromatic changes flawlessly. A “Cavern” yawned and stretched next. The band had a bit of fun jumping into the song’s final chorus, full of slap bass from Gordo. “More” then moved everyone into setbreak.

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

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A slightly wobbly “Chalk Dust Torture” launched the second frame. Following a fiery lead into the jam, things settled down on a bed of Wurly from McConnell, then piano, laced with a romp on the toms from Fish and percolating bass notes. Interesting intervals rolled out of the Languedoc, peppered with piano ahead of snappy work from Anastasio, bright staccato, cascading into Page and Trey linking up on a jovial line. The guitarist corralled the band into a minor key before a jump into “Oblivion,” Anastasio leading the band through the fresh tune.

A spooky synth line from Page on the Moog led the quartet back into the chorus. After a swirl around the tub, the progression came roaring back with spicy notes from Trey. Falling in the third slot of the second set, “Split Open and Melt” bloomed out of “Oblivion.” The band began the explorations with a driving then syncopated groove sizzling with open hi-hat from Fish and under the bridge bass bombs from Gordon.

A spread out soundscape followed, a pool of howls and hopping piano rolled into zips and zaps that chased each other around the arena — a yawping tumbledown ramshackle rolling into “SOAM’s” final hits. Industrial ending. “What’s The Use” then filtered through the haze. Things cooled down, a rim shot the only sound through the United Center. Sweeping Yamaha synth saturated the soaring Siket Disc song. “Everything’s Right” wrapped the revelry, a tight back beat from Fish holding down intricacy from Trey and Page. Rolling bass notes layered into a lattice of sound, draped with baby grand. Playful notes from the melodic players, lines intersecting. Anastasio unfurled a flow back into “Everything’s Right.”

At the risk of sounding subjective, not to mention hyperbolic, there’s never a more welcome sound than the opening strains of “No Quarter.” A fierce kerrang from Trey rolled the band into the John Paul Jones Houses of The Holy standout. Trey lit the lamp for the middle section, dogs of doom all howl and moan — Page’s vocal typically outstanding on the Led Zeppelin favorite. “Fluffhead” rolled into the room next. The classic has seen more opening slots of late, with the last second set closer coming during the Baker’s Dozen. The version traversed various terrains, notably the coda which saw Trey letting loose.

Phish dropped the stirring “A Life Beyond The Dream” into the arena to engage the encore. A swinging “Character Zero” wrapped night two at United Center. Phish concludes their 2023 Fall Tour tomorrow in Chicago. Livestream the show on LivePhish.com.

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