This Is 40: Phish Plays Memorable Milestone Show At Dick's (2024)

There’s a certain feeling you get when you witness absolute greatness at a Phish concert – and last night at Dick’s had that feeling in spades. After a first night that featured a duo of incredible jams in “Sigma Oasis” and “Pillow Jets,” the band returned to the stage on Friday and knocked one out of the park, laying down one of the best sets and jams of the year.

The energy was locked and loaded from the first notes of the opening “Back On The Train,” the soccer stadium noticeably more packed both on the field and in the stands than on Thursday. Guitarist Trey Anastasio built to numerous peaks on the rollicking number, getting all of us primed for what was to come.

“Wolfman’s Brother” continued to set the tone with the first improv of the night, Phish locking in on a laid-back funk motif with some subtle Clavinet work from keyboardist Page McConnell. Bassist Mike Gordon suggested a major-key modulation, continuing the trend of extended exploration within “Wolfman’s” that has been such an excellent part of 2024 Phish.

On Thursday, Anastasio re-introduced the DM2000 delay effect to his rig, a hallmark of his 1.0 toolkit (think funk siren) that has been missing since paring down his pedalboard in 2022. He’s clearly been excited to have it back, and the textural loops circling in the background of the “Wolfman’s” jam added depth to the already-great improv.

McConnell’s switch to Rhodes buoyed the bright jam into full Type II space, sticking to thick chords while Anastasio picked out joyful melodies. As the intensity grew, Anastasio switched from purely major-key soloing to some excellent tension-building, McConnell matching him on piano for a brief spell as they infused some unease into the space.

Coming down from the peak, Anastasio let the rest of the band take the lead for a bit – once again, McConnell’s chordal work sticking out – as they began to build to a second peak, this time with a cool keyboard-led motif as opposed to guitar. After some building in this zone, the guitarist took the lead once more with some fretboard fireworks and sustain to bring it home, concluding the 14-minute excursion with a bang and smooth re-entry.

A slinky “Hey Stranger” was tapped next and saw Anastasio give his bass synth pedal a workout, threatening as always to break free of the song’s structure but never quite getting there – I have faith that the jammed-out version of this song is not far off on the horizon.

My first “Guelah Papyrus” was next up and broke a 105-show gap, appearing for the first time since July 22, 2022. The band executed the composition with practiced ease as they have been doing so well this year.

Locking in on a fast-paced “No Men in No Man’s Land” next, the relatively short 11-minute version got going to some spaces quickly, McConnell leading the way with some incredible piano work and utilizing a double of Wurlitzer and piano to create a cool, different feel. Layering sounds around the seven-minute mark, the band worked in perfect tandem and pushed forward, synths beginning to take over the space as drummer Jon Fishman utilized some half-time motifs to keep the jam going.

Reaching an intensely psychedelic peak, my only real complaint about last night’s show was that “NMINML” only lasted 11 minutes – it seemed as though there was a lot of gas left in the tank improvisationally.

Moving on with “Steam,” fans were treated to a rare and extended version – much like Thursday’s “Ocelot,” the song never escaped its boundaries but contained some impressive guitar work from Anastasio. Hitting peak after peak rather than being content with a shorter version, McConnell’s soaring organ work filling the space as Anastasio leaned into some rock-god Whammy trilling and siren-like bends to bring it to an explosive conclusion.

A nice run through “Evolve” led into the 100-show bust out of “Strange Design,” offering a breather before the first set concluded with “Run Like an Antelope” – and not your average modern-era version, getting into what can definitely be referred to as “extra mustard” across an extended peaking section and perfect drop into the funk.

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

With the energy and flow of the first set being top-tier, I was poised for a jam of epic proportions going into the second frame, and Phish delivered a six-song bonanza containing two astounding pieces of improvisation, excellent flow, and consistent energy throughout.

Coming out with “Chalk Dust Torture,” it’s always easy to tell when they’re ready to take this one out for a walk because Anastasio will pull them back in for the final chorus in under five minutes in his eagerness to get to the second jam.

The improv began in earnest with some B3 textures from McConnell as Anastasio put down some loops, coloring the space as Gordon stepped forward and steered the quartet into Type II territory with some dark and synth-heavy playing. Layer after layer came forth from the stage, bringing cacophony with it thanks to Fish’s insistent cymbal hits – reaching a level of connection and improvisation that normally happens much later in a jam than at the seven-minute mark.

Coming up for air but sticking to a minor mode, Anastasio unleashed flurries of melody atop Fish’s fast groove, but this was not to last as the drummer and guitarist locked in on a pivot to half-time along with McConnell’s switch to low-end Moog One synthesizer work.

Anastasio began utilizing some hypnotically repeating motifs for a bit before Fish kicked the pace back into the earlier faster speed, inspiring the band to bring the intensity down to a low rumble. Gordon colored with effect bends as Anastasio responded with wildly curved notes of his own, continuing to layer in mesmerizing loops.

With McConnell and Anastasio both focusing more on textures, Fish and Gordon both took the opportunity to lead the jam for a while, the rhythm section’s prominence adding a new and exciting dimension to the music. Anastasio switched to choppy delay work as McConnell added bloops of Moog, pushing forward with incredible purpose and momentum.

Dialing back some of the aggression of the jam, McConnell and Anastasio quieted and began to mimic each other’s riffs, Gordon offering deep counterpoints with his continued digital tones. The bassist then locked in with Anastasio for the next vein of jamming, taking a more grounded approach than the effects-heavy themes of the first half of “Chalk Dust.”

With McConnell’s switch to piano just after the 15-minute mark, it seemed as though they were headed for a huge major-key peak – but the band had other ideas and instead locked in on a repeating lick that kept them firmly in the minor territory. “Hey-hole” jamming ensued with each of the four musicians onstage throwing their own variation into the mix, continuing to push forward as the energy refused to abate even a little bit.

Cooling again after this burst of energy, McConnell utilized some low-register piano riffs that resembled “Midnight Rider” briefly before Anastasio took the band into some Allman Brothers territory, hinting at “Mountain Jam” as Phish finally hit some brighter territory.

Fish engaged in some dizzying fills and hinted at some stop/start motifs but kept drumming throughout, leaving no room for the crowd to get involved in some “woo” action. The contemplative space seemed to leave room for a descent into the ambient wind-down heard in Thursday’s “Pillow Jets,” and McConnell’s floaty synth and Wurli work informed that push as well.

This was not to be the case, however, as Phish clearly had a desire to keep the energy going and build their way to an epic peak. Hitting into some stop/start action again, Anastasio and McConnell toyed with a riff before the guitarist returned to rhythm work, the speedy chords contrasting nicely with McConnell’s more mellow synth playing.

The duo of piano and Moog that ensued next sounded absolutely gorgeous, the emphasis on a mellow, happy space acting as a wonderful palate cleanser after the chaos of the early jam. From there, it was clear Anastasio had his sights set on a peak and began to build some joyful melodies.

You could feel other audience members inside Dick’s last night were on the same wavelength as the band, captivated in a way that only this kind of top-tier Phish can do. The intensity quickly ramped up thanks to Anastasio’s deft arpeggio work, the guitarist again using loops to create texture and extra dimensions to the sound as McConnell tore up the ivories on his piano.

Disabling the effects, Anastasio climbed peak after peak with massive leads and sustain as Fish kicked into double-time – exploding into a final chorus of “Chalk Dust” to cap an unforgettable 27 minutes.

Without missing a beat, the band continued the second set with “Sand,” and what this jam lacks in length it more than makes up for with no shortage of “holy sh*t” moments. Anastasio utilized his DM2000 for late 1.0-style siren loops as Gordon’s prominent bass held down the low end. This is “Sand” in its purest form – a rock-steady rhythm section that allows McConnell and Anastasio to paint an open canvas over top.

Fish began to copy some of Anastasio’s rhythm licks as McConnell stuck to subtle Clav chords, spacing out to near silence – once again holding the crowd’s attention perfectly. Breaking from the “Sand” beat, Fish hit into some off-kilter time as the band built tension in a jaw-dropping deep space.

My jaw was on the floor during this jam, in awe of how quickly they reached these crazy spaces before coalescing back into the song’s groove, Anastasio continuing to lay into sirens and loops while McConnell floated atop a dreamy synthscape, showing remarkable patience and commitment to quieter dynamics.

Gordon came back in with the “Sand” bassline – but in a higher register than normal and with more tension – and Fish toyed with the intensity of his beat, bringing it smoothly into an exuberant Type I peak. McConnell’s piano work underneath the strong lead guitar was especially remarkable here, the keyboardist full of creativity and confidence in a way the whole band gets when they’re on fire.

Tapping “Ruby Waves” next, the second tentpole jam of the night began in a floaty Moog-heavy space, Anastasio once again taking a backseat to the early part of the improv with some filter-delay work. This was a night for darker jamming and the band stuck to an exploratory mood, beginning to head back into the cacophonous zone from early in “Chalk Dust.”

McConnell’s entry on Rhodes gave a lifeline to sanity from the weird noises being produced by Anastasio, who quickly adapted to the change in mood and began to let loose psychedelic leads drenched in reverb. Fish’s ever-expanding beat followed dizzying patterns as the intensity increased, reaching a high-energy zone that seemed to teeter on the edge of switching into a happy major key.

Anastasio completed the first peak and locked in with Fish on a faster tempo for a spell before the drummer and Gordon found an exit ramp to complete “Ruby Waves.” Luckily, this was not the night for a nine-minute ripcord and Anastasio pushed through into the next section with some ascending licks reminiscent of the Grateful Dead’s “Let it Grow.”

It’s continuously amazing to me how adept Anastasio is at switching between rhythm and lead roles – hearing him pass the leadership role in the jam to McConnell and then begin to build riffs and melodies off of the keyboardist’s exemplary piano work is just mind-blowing. This kind of music was on full display in “Ruby Waves” as the two musicians locked in on repeating riff after repeating riff, showcasing the mind-meld of musicians playing together for over 40 years.

Fish got in on the action and pushed the tempo even further as Anastasio began to get a little bit dissonant with the jam’s hook, toying with bringing it dark and then fully committing to dissonance as the speed continued to increase. Ascending and descending wildly around each other, this is controlled chaos and Phish at its best – every member holding on for dear life as the wheels threaten to fall off at any moment.

Of all the places I expected this jam to go next, a bluegrassy chug was not at all on my radar, but Page and then Fish made that pivot while Anastasio and Gordon continued to whip up thick clouds of noise before the keyboardist got back in on the action, now in a slower and haze-filled black hole of evil Phish.

The jam threatened to wind down there, but Fish kicked back into a more propulsive groove (“Ruby Waves” fill to boot) that inspired Gordon to step forward with the next big riff. Anastasio went wild with Whammy work and then darker rock riffing overtop the distorted bass.

A final burst of evil cacophony led to a synth-drenched ending to “Ruby Waves,” fading into nothing from which emerged the perfect landing pad in “What’s The Use?,” a song I am always ecstatic to hear after a huge second-set jam.

Allowing a few minutes of contemplative pause and reflection on what had come before, “WTU” led into a raucous “Possum,” a song that easily could have closed the set on a high note with its pure fun energy. In 2024, Phish has rarely been content to take the easy way out and often will add an extra song or two onto a set because of how happy they are to be playing together.

Last night’s second set was another example of this as Anastasio called for “Everything’s Right,” acting as a closer for the fifth consecutive time this summer. While some of the versions have been shorter and an exclamation point on a set rather than an opportunity to explore more territory, last night’s eschewed that and instead dove back into space with some minimalist grooving atop McConnell’s Wurli work.

Anastasio searched via wah pedal, letting melodies flow out into the Colorado air before modulating to major and giving a warm, cathartic jam that was the polar opposite of the tension and darkness-filled “Chalk Dust” and “Ruby Waves” improv. Soaring guitar lines and emotional melodies linked up with McConnell’s bright piano as the band hit several peaks and even took an extra turn around after the “na na na” reprise.

After such a mind-blowing second set and show, it could have been expected to see a quick encore like on Thursday – a “Slave” or even “More” for one more blast of energy. Instead, Phish delivered a 30-minute affair that began with the 78-show return of “Fee,” appearing for the first time since Mexico 2023.

From there, the crowd absolutely went ballistic for the opening to “You Enjoy Myself,” forever the quintessential Phish song and one that gets fans excited like no other. Once again, they had the opportunity to play your normal, everyday “YEM” to close the show, which would have been phenomenal. Instead, Phish played a 27-minute rendition of the song that stands among the best of the modern era. The initial peak didn’t feel rushed like some versions, and they headed into the bass and drums segment riding an amazing wave of energy.

While a vocal jam in the encore can sometimes be a signal to get a head start on traffic, those who stuck around were rewarded by a reprise of the jam segment – Anastasio led back into the funk with some vamping and quiet sirens as McConnell funked up some Clav.

Over the course of the next five minutes, the quartet made their joy and excitement clear with a sustained “YEM” peak, concluding with one last “Wash Uffizi drive me to Firenze” and a massive roar from the crowd as they walked off stage just before midnight.

Walking out of the 40th Phish show at Dick’s last night, fans in attendance were abuzz with excitement at the show we had just witnessed and the fact that there are still two nights to go. With some seriously top-tier jamming in both shows so far, tonight and Sunday are poised to close out a monumental summer for the band with a pair of Colorado blowouts – do not miss a note of what’s to come.

Phish returns to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park for shows tonight, Saturday, August 31 and tomorrow, Sunday, September 1. Livestreams of the entire Dick’s run are available via LivePhish.com.

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