Phish Brings ‘Evolve’ To ‘Tonight Show’ & Transforms Aerosmith Cover With Jimmy Fallon + The Roots

Phish returned to The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Thursday. The Vermont-based quartet helped open the episode by joining host Jimmy Fallon and members of house band The Roots for an a capella Aerosmith cover and ended the episode by performing “Evolve.”

“Evolve” is the title track to Phish's new album. Co-produced by Vance Powell and Bryce Goggin, the 12-track follow-up to 2020’s Sigma Oasis arrived today on JEMP Records.

When last night’s installment of the NBC late-night television program started, the four members of Phish were seen entering an elevator at 30 Rock which already held Fallon, Questlove and Black Thought. The seven men broke into “Phish In An Elevator,” an a capella rendition of Aerosmith’s 1989 single. The skit served as the cold open.

Phish are no strangers to unconventional Aerosmith covers. Drummer Jon Fishman led the group through “Cryin'” on September 29, 1995 at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. Fish not only sang lead vocals but fit in a vacuum cleaner solo while guitarist Trey Anastasio jumped behind the kit. While Phish nailed the lyrics to “Love Phish In An Elevator,” Fishman struggled with the words on the “Cryin'” one-timer — played in honor of financial manager Burt Goldstein — despite having a sheet with the lyrics laid out before him at the Greek.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mof-L1BNz8A&pp=ygUMcGhpc2ggZmFsbG9u

“Evolve” on Fallon spanned nearly six minutes. Though not the 20-minute jam for which the band is known, it was still one of the longest performances on The Tonight Show this year.

Phish debuted “Evolve” live on August 4, 2021 in Nashville. Thirteen additional live versions followed with the latest played during the band’s last of four shows at Sphere in Las Vegas.

Watch Phish perform “Evolve” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyNpEcNbZM4

Phish hits the road one week from today — Friday, July 19 — at Xfinity Center near Boston. The band will play three shows at the Mansfield, Massachusetts shed to get their summer tour underway.