Mothership Reconnection: Phish Makes Triumphant Hampton Coliseum Return

Phish made their triumphant return to Hampton Coliseum last night as the final stop on the eight-show coda to their 2025 Summer Tour. This was the band’s 22nd performance at the storied venue (just surpassing the Grateful Dead’s 21 performances) but their first visit back since 2018. Hampton Coliseum, or the “Mothership,” has been home to some excellent shows, but for Phish fans, it will always be known as the venue where they played their first shows when they reunited in March 2009.

That first show in March 2009 was cathartic, as the band’s previous, less-than-stellar performance in Coventry, Vermont in 2004 left the fanbase defeated. From 2000 until 2009, Phish endured a hiatus, a short reunion, then a complete breakup and during that time one song was never played. That song, “Fluffhead,” opened the reunion show on March 6, 2009. It hadn’t been played for 70 shows and was a statement about the health of the four musicians and their ability and desire to deliver for themselves and their fans.

Opening last night’s show with “Fluffhead” was a historic nod to that moment and the roar inside the general admission venue when the opening chords rang out let the band know the fans were right there inside that moment with them. The challenging composition was played beautifully, and the emotional peak rang out with the crystal clear tone that guitarist Trey Anastasio has been displaying all year.

The rocker “46 Days” was first played at Hampton in 2003 and delivered slot two momentum as drummer Jon Fishman played deep, rolling drums under Anastasio’s warm, sustained notes. “My Friend, My Friend” was swelling and dramatic, and keyboardist Page McConnell’s atmospheric synths melted the 16-minute jam into the galloping chords of their fourth studio album’s title track, “Rift.” This song leaves no room for error, but Phish was up to the challenge, playing it with a tight fervor.

“Gumbo,” debuted in 1990, gave them a platform to show off the melodic playing that has been their calling card this summer. After a huge bliss peak, they landed expertly into the backroom piano riff, and Anastasio smiled at his longtime friend and bandmate McConnell as he deftly led into its conclusion.

“Pebbles and Marbles” off Round Room was played for the 33rd time last night, followed by a 107-show bust out McConnell’s “Army Of One.” Off the Undermind album, this was also played during the reunion shows in Hampton in 2009 and showed us that McConnell’s voice, like fine wine, only gets better with age.

The trend of older songs continued with “Yamar” and “The Wedge.” The latter was the third selection off Rift played in the first set. The classic closer, “Walls of the Cave,” concluded a set with songs that all debuted in the 1.0 or 2.0 eras, with an average vintage of 1994.

The second set opened with another “bust out,” The Apples in Stereo cover, “Energy.” Phish debuted this cover in 2013 and last night was its 10th appearance in a Phish setlist. It was last played during their summer residency at Madison Square Garden in 2023. The 13-minute version developed into a contemplative, softly layered jam that was a nice warm-up before the main event.

“Tweezer” hasn’t been played on this tour, so fans were eagerly awaiting its arrival. Last night’s performance did not disappoint with bassist Mike Gordon playing crisply, allowing Anastasio the freedom to play melodically over the top. After a repetitive groove section, a dark, agitated jam followed as Anastasio used looping to create a hypnotic segment that hinted at a 1999 sound.

As the jam simmered down, the foursome found the patient, introspective space they have been finding regularly this summer. Fishman has been playing authoritatively over the last five shows and the others built on top of his intensity to a triumphant, white light peak that had the crowd roaring at the conclusion of the 27-minute jam. Although “Tweezer” is 35 years old this year, it continues to be a source of endless inspiration for the group.

From the old to the new(er), “Ruby Waves” off Anastasio’s Ghosts of the Forest album was the first song played that was less than 20 years old. Debuting with Phish in 2019, “Ruby Waves” jams almost 50% of the time it is played, so expectations run high every time the opening notes are played. Last night’s version crossed the 14-minute mark and flirted briefly with stop-start jamming.

Anastasio again let his looping lay a groundwork, playing chords on top as the jam lost its grip on melody. A segue into “No Men in No Man’s Land” followed, and the song influenced by Anastasio’s time covering The Grateful Dead for the “Fare Thee Well” shows, kept its main influence close to the chest until segueing back into “Tweezer.”

The quartet leaned into a “Dancing In the Streets” vibe with Anastasio employing the Mu-Tron envelope filter and McConnell playing the piano with gusto. A five-minute foray into “Tweezer” also allowed Anastasio a chance for some pretty noodling on top of McConnell’s modern synths.

The cooldown ballad, “Waste,” was followed by the perfect set two closer, The Velvet Underground’s “Rock And Roll.” This was the fifth song of the night that was also played at Phish’s second-to-last show at Saratoga Springs this summer, six shows prior. The group has been keeping a tighter rotation in their setlist lately, with last night’s two “bust outs” the exception.

Phish continued their trend of longer encores, playing three songs to close out the show. “Prince Caspian,” making only its second appearance in the encore slot, was last played as an encore in London in 1997. “Bug” has been played in the encore in its last six appearances and packs a good emotional punch at the end of a show.

Trey told the crowd, “It’s so good to be back here, man,” and the band closed their highly anticipated return to the Mothership with the centerpiece of the best show of the year (possibly of the era) “Tweezer Reprise.”

Phish returns for night two at Hampton Coliseum tonight.

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