Rocket City: Phish Debuts ‘Oblivion’ & Plays Epic Encore At Summer Tour Opener In Huntsville – Setlist, Recap & The Skinny

Phish launched their 23-date Summer Tour 2023 on Tuesday night in Huntsville, Alabama. The quartet’s debut performance at The Orion Amphitheater featured the Phish premiere of “Oblivion,” a few space-themed numbers in “Rocket City,” a well-jammed “Down With Disease” and a five-song encore that included the beloved “Icculus” among its highlights.

The band took the stage for their first of two nights at the year-old 8,000-capacity Orion with a fiery “Blaze On.” Phish locked into a tight progression they built to a rolling boil. Guitarist Trey Anastasio was all smiles and couldn’t contain his excitement. “Alright, man, thank you for being here. I’m so happy summer tour has started,” Trey exclaimed along with a strong yell. He then introduced “Martian Monster” by informing the crowd, “If you’re a PhD this one is for you.”

Phish toyed with the Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House instrumental as they took their time moving through the song. Keyboardist Page McConnell hit extra triggers on his Nord Stage 3 digital piano, while drummer Jon Fishman showed off some of the new samples at his disposal. The band then lit into “The Moma Dance.” Anastasio, Fishman and McConnell were dialed in from the start. Bassist Mike Gordon needed a few songs to key in on his tone. Trey and Page exchanged ferocious riffs during the “Moma” solo before Gordon stepped up to the mic to engage “Halley’s Comet.”

McConnell and Anastasio added accents to their “Halley’s” vocals, once more displaying their enthusiasm to be back on the road. Unfortunately, the trip to the “central part of town” was a quick one as Phish finished the Richard “Nancy” Wright-penned song sans jam. Instead, Trey kicked off “46 Days” and the band swiftly painted outside the lines. Anastasio utilized a thick tone in setting up the rhythm. The guitarist then went with a more distorted sound as he lead his bandmates on a ride to a potent climax. More staples followed via well-played versions of “Back On The Train” and “555.”

Phish went on to perform their signature song, “You Enjoy Myself.” Forty years into their career, the four-piece expertly and passionately tore through the complex composition. Anastasio strung together one angular lick after another for his solo while McConnell vamped on electric piano, Fishman rode the ride cymbal and Gordon grooved. Mike and Fish then dueled to lead into the vocal jam. Lighting Designer Chris Kuroda put his latest and greatest rig to the test as the band improvised with their voices.

A post-vocal jam excursion was not to be as instead the quartet wrapped the first set of tour with the high-energy “Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.” The tune featuring a refrain of “this is what space smells like” was a fitting choice for a city that has hosted NASA’s largest facility, the Marshall Space Flight Center, since 1960. Anastasio altered the lyrics at one point to note, “we are hydrogen.”

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

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When the band came back to the stage, Fish took up position at the Marimba Lumina. He played a few samples, sat down at the drum set and began “Also Sprach Zarathustra,” aka “2001.” The space theme was again in effect as Phish patiently worked through Deodato’s disco-tinged interpretation of the tone poem written by Richard Strauss in 1896. “2001” was used exclusively as a set opener for its first year and 36 plays in the group’s history. However, until last night, “2001” hadn’t kicked off a second set since New Year’s Eve 2016.

Phish used “2001” as a launch pad to “Down With Disease” in Huntsville. Mike Gordon played the Hoist cut’s distinctive intro on his new Serek bass, debuted this past spring. Anastasio and McConnell volleyed opportunities leading the jam before Gordon fronted a key shift into blissful territory. Trey honed in on a melody akin to Bob Seger’s “Mainstreet” and alternated the pattern to give birth to a euphoric peak. The quartet spent a few majestic moments cresting the jam with Anastasio shredding at full tilt.

Just as “Disease” lost steam “Twist” started. Fish provided a greatest hits collection of samples including sounds from Leave It To Beaver, a cow mooing and a breathy “Ahhhh” over the introduction of the Farmhouse gem. Phish briskly segued out of the typical bluesy space into another major-key excursion as they blew past the “Twist” boundaries. McConnell on Wurlitzer traded licks with Anastasio as the rhythm section connected on a deep groove. The interstellar improvisation was short-lived as Trey ripcorded back into the conclusion of “Twist.”

Fish then provided the rat-ta-tat signaling it was time for “Maze.” Both Trey and Page feasted on their solos in mid-tour form during the fan-favorite off 1993’s Rift. Next, the quartet took it down a notch with the gentle and lilting “Lonely Trip,” the title track from Anastasio’s pandemic-influenced 2020 solo album.

The ensuing “Oblivion” marked the initial Phish debut of the summer. Written by Trey Anastasio with longtime collaborator Tom Marshall, “Oblivion” was premiered by the Trey Anastasio Trio at Denver's Mission Ballroom on June 9 and then was performed by the Trey Anastasio Band last Friday in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Phish played “Oblivion” during their tech rehearsal at The Orion on Monday. The song showed promise as a jam vehicle on Tuesday with a tasty improvisation in which Page toured his rig while Trey gave a tone clinic.

After trotting out the new song, Phish followed with the tried-and-trusted fan-favorite “Chalk Dust Torture” to close the frame. The 500th known version of the A Picture Of Nectar rocker was a straightforward affair until the band tacked on a potent “Tweezer Reprise”-esque jam to the end and Anastasio sang the final verse at a high register.

“Meatstick” initiated an encore that continued with the oldie “Makisupa Policeman,” — complete with Trey rapping about smoking herb — and Mike helming “Fuck Your Face.” Yet the biggest treat followed as Phish dusted off “Icculus” for just the seventh time since 1995. Anastasio riffed on all the PhDs in Huntsville, the city’s history of space exploration and noted Gordon and Fishman were engineering students at the University of Vermont before imploring fans to read the Helping Friendly Book. The quartet romped through “Character Zero” to conclude the five-song encore and eventful night in Rocket City. Phish left the stage exactly at 11 p.m. hitting the curfew on the nose.

Phish returns to The Orion Amphitheater tonight. Watch livestreams of Wednesday’s show and the rest of Summer Tour 2023 via LivePhish.com.

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