Phish Plays Surprise Show For Letterman Atop NYC’s Ed Sullivan Theater In 2004
By Scott Bernstein Jun 21, 2016 • 1:55 pm PDT
Twelve years ago today Phish performed on the marquee of the historic Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City for a surprise set put together by The Late Show With David Letterman. Phish fans and thousands of those passing by the Midtown Manhattan venue were treated to a seven-song performance that included two takes on the same tune.
Now, bear in mind this impromptu performance came as part of the quartet’s “Farewell Tour” as less than a month prior guitarist Trey Anastasio issued a letter stating Phish would part ways for good after their Coventry festival in August. The foursome had just finished playing four nights in a row to kick off the tour with two shows in Brooklyn (June 17 – 18) followed by a pair of gigs in Saratoga Springs, New York. On June 21, as I was riding home from Saratoga Springs, my cell phone came alive with texts and calls that Phish would play on the marquee for anyone who could make it. Here’s how the announcement was made late in the evening on June 20, 2004:
As soon as I got off the subway I caught a glimpse of Phish’s gear set up on the marquee. It was a surreal scene as the crowd continued to grow leading up to the foursome climbing out a window and onto the marquee. They began their set with an intro-less “Scents & Subtle Sounds” and wound up playing it a second time to make sure the version that aired on The Late Show With David Letterman was just right.
From there, Phish rolled through concise versions of “Also Sprach Zarathrustra” (aka 2001), “Wilson,” “Chalk Dust Torture,” “Tweezer” and “Tweezer Reprise.” Last week we told you about the longest version of “Tweezer” in Phish history, but the take laid down a top the Ed Sullivan Theater’s marquee is among the shortest. However, this was bonus Phish as nearly everyone watching didn’t wake up that morning expecting to see a free show.
Here’s footage of most of the set:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dlYEGQbZbAWatch what aired on The Late Show With David Letterman:
Set 1: Scents and Subtle Sounds [1], Scents and Subtle Sounds [2], Also Sprach Zarathustra [3], Wilson > Chalk Dust Torture > Tweezer > Tweezer Reprise
Phish performed on top of the theater's second-floor marquee at West 53rd Street and Broadway. The soundcheck earlier that day included an instrumental jam similar to Quantegy. The first Scents was taped for The Late Show with David Letterman and aired that night. Then Phish waited as Paul Shaffer and his band (from inside the theater) played an instrumental version of The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. The remainder of Phish's performance was for the benefit of a few hundred fans assembled on the sidewalk across the street. Neither version of Scents contained the intro. This version of 2001 contained only one “verse.”
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