Phish Tour Continues In Nashville: Night 2 – Setlist & Recap

Phish wrapped this tour’s two-night stand at Ascend Amphitheater in Nashville on Wednesday night. After Tuesday’s standout opening show at the lone outdoor stop on the band’s 2018 Fall Tour, the follow-up made for another memorable night in Music City.

Set one began with “Soul Planet,” an original by guitarist Trey Anastasio that not only opened the show but opened into an expansive, groovy jam. Toward the end of the tight excursion, Trey shouted the lyric “screaming through space!” and a few measures later brought the song to a rousing end. Trey’s unexpected early set one call for drummer Jon Fishman to kick into the disco beat of “2001” was met with the guitarist again shouting “screaming through space” at various points of the intergalactic instrumental. Next came Mike Gordon’s turn to steer a run through his bluesy burner “555.” Anastasio then delivered the sentimental “Farmhouse” locking into a swaying outro with keyboardist Page McConnell.

With the Hunter’s Moon shining full above, Page got his first chance to sing lead on a subsequent rendering of “Halfway To The Moon.” Another reflective moment came in the form of the tender ballad “Waste,” which was making just its second opening set appearance since 1999. A pair of Rift classics were paired back-to-back, first up was a scorching “My Friend, My Friend” that was trailed by an equally feisty “Maze” driven by Page’s intense organ playing and Trey’s responsive soloing. The final song of the set was “Bathtub Gin.” Out of the frequent jam conveyor was an adventurous, multi-layered improvisation that sailed along for several minutes of contemplative interplay. Eventually, the foursome propelled forward in tempo and volume, rising to a powerful climax before hitting on the familiar “Gin” melody to close out set one.

Phish’s final outdoor set of 2018 started with Trey singing about barefoot children dancing on his lawn as “Down With Disease” brought an end to setbreak. Picking up where they left off prior to intermission, the foursome swiftly cooked up a cohesive jam. Fish skipped the beat along as Trey and Page sent cascading notes out over Mike’s wide vocabulary of textures and tones. Culminating in a haunting wash of sound, Trey then counted out “Crosseyed & Painless.” Fish went from singing lead on the Talking Heads cover to laying the groundwork for a fast-moving start to the ensuing improv. He later pulled back the pace while Page and Mike manipulated a variety synth sounds as the jam dissolved in form.

Out of the void Trey fired up “Scents And Subtle Sounds,” marking the rarity’s third performance of the year which makes 2018 the most it’s been played in a year since 2004. A chuckling Trey quoted a portion of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Run Through The Jungle” and a few passages later teased “Crosseyed & Painless,” continuing the teasing trend by playing a bit of “Party Time” all within “Scents.” The quartet then focused in as Mike and Page exchanged funky, chunky licks while Fish and Trey dotted along in unison.

Page stayed on Clavinet for the transition into “No Men In No Man’s Land,” which saw an enthusiastic Anastasio bobbing along in delight while championing on his band mates with shouts of encouraging approval. The four climbed out of the funk with a hard rocking turn bolstered by Trey’s screaming guitar work and Page’s deft piano playing. At the risk of using “funky” too much, it’s hard to describe Stevie Wonder’s classic “Boogie On Reggae Woman” accurately without the descriptor and its “under the stars above” lyrics made it a fitting selection.

There’d be no room for filler in what was to be the second straight six-song second set, as the longtime favorite “Harry Hood” came after the cover. “Hood” developed a dark and brooding middle section that oscillated with astute control between the foursome who carefully directed their collective path to the song’s satisfying, roaring peak. The band returned for the encore, “Run Like An Antelope,” and the old-timer closed out the show with more “Crosseyed & Painless” quotes during a frenzied build of tension enhanced by lighting director Chris Kuroda moving the rig wildly above the band.

Phish heads to the Chicago area Friday for the first of three shows in Rosemont, Illinois. Webcasts from Allstate Arena are available via LivePhish.com.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0jfBKAPz_4

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