Phish Breaks Out Rare ‘Have Mercy’ Cover & Delivers More Record-Breaking Jams At Merriweather Post Pavilion

Phish pulled into Columbia, Maryland on Saturday for their first of two consecutive gigs at Merriweather Post Pavilion. The Vermont-based quartet continued a hot streak of the Washington D.C. area shed by loading the concert with otherworldly improvisation. Night one at Merriweather also featured unusual song placements and the biggest bustout of the tour.

At this point in the summer, it’s more surprising when Phish doesn’t stretch out a song. Saturday produced two more record-length versions, as both “Contact” and “Life Saving Gun” became the longest performances of each song to date.

The foursome rolled out their first-ever “What’s Going Through Your Mind” opener to kick off the Merriweather run. After inclement weather delayed doors, the opening lyric of “The storm had passed by quickly, as the evening got its start” was fitting. Phish wasted little time leaving the song’s structure behind, with a blissful jam that was short and sweet. Guitarist Trey Anastasio wore an Aragorn’s Studio t-shirt for the second night in a row, as he gears up for ’90s Week at Madison Square Garden.

Bassist Mike Gordon then lit into the first “Contact” since July 27, 2024 — a span of 95 shows. The gap between the two previous versions of the Junta classic was also 95 shows. Phish extended “Contact,” delivering the longest version of the song in its 38-year history at 9 minutes and 59 seconds. “Contact” didn’t stray far from the typical form of Anastasio’s solo, as the jam was more a lengthy Type I workout than true Type II exploration.

Phish kept the focus on Junta with their signature song, “You Enjoy Myself.” Anastasio impressively traded melodies with keyboardist Page McConnell on clavinet throughout the stellar “YEM.” The guitarist continued soloing to accompany a “vocal jam” that saw the rest of his bandmates follow by returning to their instruments briefly ahead of a drop into “Axilla (Part II).”

The performance of the Hoist cut birthed a killer jam that alternated between light and dark tones. Drummer Jon Fishman gave a masterclass in dynamics during the free-flowing improvisation, as he kept the jam moving. Anastasio mixed fierce rhythmic work with angular leads before Phish unfurled the beloved “McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters.”

“McGrupp” seemed like the obvious vehicle for another marathon improvisation. Instead, Phish used Page McConnell’s piano solo as the launching pad for their first “Have Mercy” in more than six years. The Mighty Diamonds cover was last played 241 shows prior on February 22, 2020, marking “Have Mercy” as the biggest bustout of the tour yet.

“Shade” filled the ballad slot to give the quartet and fans a breather. Phish then called upon faithful companion “Runaway Jim” to close the set. If “McGrupp” wasn’t the jam vehicle many expected, “Runaway Jim” certainly was. The Vermonters kept the pace fast as they built to a massive, bliss-laden peak used to lay the groundwork for a transition into evil territory. Anastasio kept the fretboard fireworks coming throughout, egged on by the in-pocket play of Gordon and Fishman.

Exactly 30 minutes after leaving the stage, Phish returned to get the second set underway with “Life Saving Gun.” The sun had fully set, giving LD Chris Kuroda the chance to show off his light rig while the band worked through one of the most interesting jams of the tour. Phish was in full-on exploration mode for over 20 minutes. The longest “Life Saving Gun” yet was a true Team Phish effort rather than a showcase for Trey, though there was plenty of shredding. Mike and Fish locked in on a groove, while Page added layers of synth. Eventually, the foursome moved into an ambient soundscape, with Trey using the quietness to start “Gotta Jibboo.”

Just when it seemed Phish would color between the lines on “Gotta Jibboo,” the band shifted into deliciously weird Type II territory. The detour proved brief, as the band quickly made a turn for “Ether Edge.” Fans of dark and evil Phish jams will love the improvisation spawned from the Evolve cut. The band flexed the telepathic interplay that comes from 43 years together before Anastasio led a transition into the beautiful Hoist ballad “Lifeboy.”

After the cool down, a funky groove soon yielded a cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Boogie On Reggae Woman.” A syncopated breakdown, egging on the woo, prefaced a slick transition into the first second set “Free” in the last 16 plays of the Billy Breathes single. While the foursome didn’t crack open “Free,” they sent the crowd into a frenzy with a potent peak to end the frame.

Phish went back to Evolve, their most recent studio album, for “Monsters” to open the encore. Hoist was also represented in the setlist for the third time during the encore by the tender “If I Could” that followed. “If I Could” and fellow Hoist ballad “Lifeboy” hadn’t been played in the same show since 1994. The foursome went on to send fans home happy with a “Run Like An Antelope” finale.

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Phish Summer Tour 2026 continues tonight with the second of two shows at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. Livestreams of Phish Summer Tour 2026 shows are available with a LivePhish With subscription.

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