From ‘Tyranny Of The Wall’ To ‘Dark Puddle’: Trey Anastasio Talks Phish Sphere Evolution With GQ

Trey Anastasio spoke with GQ Magazine about Phish's recent run at the Las Vegas Sphere. The focus of the article was how the band’s lighting designers Chris Kuroda and Andrew Giffin harnessed the Sphere’s technological power and bent its will to suit the band.

Phish was the second band to play Sphere in April 2024 following U2‘s inaugural residency. Trey Anastasio, Page McConnell, Mike Gordon and Jon Fishman delivered just four shows with completely unique visuals each night over the initial run.

This year, Phish stepped up to nine shows over the course of three weekends. Trying to do unique visuals each night would have been a herculean effort. Instead, Kuroda and Giffin were able to upload their wizardry into a new program developed by Montreal’s Moment Factory and Norwegian firm Myreze, which allowed them to control a virtual light rig styled after the one they would use at a “normal” Phish show.

In this way, Phish was able to avoid what Trey called “the tyranny of the wall.”

“We have cracked the code of content,” Anastasio told GQ. “We didn’t feel like we were playing any differently, and that was the goal.”

The brave new world the band and LD’s stepped into wasn’t without a quid pro quo with the technology, encapsulated by a moment during one of the biggest jams of the run on “Fuego.” At one point the screen went completely black so that the program built specifically so that the LDs could do their thing, something Kuroda felt was missing from the first run.

“It was a little frustrating, but I tried to embrace the role I had been given — keep the band lit, keep the band color-coded to what was going on on the screens,” Kuroda told GQ of his first go round with Phish at Sphere. “When it was over, everyone thought it was great for what it was. But felt like it was lacking a feeling of Phish, lacking a feeling of what I bring.”

Back to the blackout, what Trey called “a dark puddle,” sparking a viral debate among Phish fans about what “Fuego” and ensuing jam should be called. Rather than see the “dark puddle” as a necessary evil, the band embraced it.

“They were all like, ‘Oh, we love playing in the dark,” Anastasio recalled of their reaction. “If we had our way, we’d do a whole show in the dark. You know, it’s fun.”

Visist GQ to read the full article written by Grayson Haver Currin.

Phish kicks off summer tour on July 7 in Madison, Wisconsin. Scroll on for tour dates and JamBase’s complete coverage of Phish Sphere 2026.