On the Road Again Night 13 Phish

Photo by Dino Perrucci

Phish'southward Baker Dozen stand at New York's Madison Square Garden was a celebrated outcome beyond the board—for the ring, for their fans and for the venue, who enshrined The Vermont Quartet with a banner on the run's final night. As Jon Fishman pointed out during the residency's penultimate show, they'd been toying with the Baker'due south Dozen idea for two decades and, though once deemed economically and musically unfeasible, Phish pulled off a stunt that managed to reenergize their always analytical fanbase: 13 shows, 26 sets, 237 songs, no repeats.

Whereas some bands slow downwardly with historic period, with the Bakery's Dozen Phish plant a new way to excite and ignite their audience. They busted out long-forgotten embrace tunes, introduced new, wild song interpretations that fit most night'southward donut themes, and even worked a number of side-project selections and once-forgotten studio experiments into the live Phish catalog.

Throughout, Phish besides reminded fans new and old that, 34 years into their career, they are withal capable of crafting classic, open up-ended jams and, when given the fourth dimension and space to get comfortable, they are the well-nigh artistic touring act of their day. While only time volition tell how the Bakery'due south Dozen impacts Phish's side by side phase, here's a look at what went down during their celebrated 13-night run.

JULY 21: Coconut DONUT

"Coconuts and chloroform…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Tweezer"> "Seven Beneath" and "Everything'due south Right"> "Slave to the Traffic Light"> "Suzy Greenberg"

DEBUTS: Inferior Senior'southward "Shake Your Coconuts;" Harry Nilsson's "Coconut"

BUSTOUTS: "Pigtail," final performed on July 9, 2022 (39 shows); David Bowie's "Moonage Daydream," final performed on Oct. 31, 2022 (13 shows, second operation ever)

Recap: The energy in Madison Square Garden was palpable as the lights went down on night i of the Baker's Dozen. A "Shake Your Coconuts" debut fit the testify's theme, but information technology was the back-to-back performances of "Reba," "Moonage Daydream" and "Walls of the Cavern" that put the eager audience into a frenzied land. Clearly, Phish had a game plan when they rolled into MSG; a just-as-stiff set two opened with an amped-up "Tweezer"> "Seven Below" jam. Afterward, they wrapped things upwardly neatly with an a cappella debut of Harry Nilsson's "Coconut" and a final encore of Led Zeppelin's "Good Times Bad Times."

July 22: STRAWBERRY DONUT

"Strawberry fields forever…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Split Open and Cook"> "Down With Affliction (Reprise)"> "Shine a Calorie-free"

DEBUTS: The Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever" (a cappella); Shuggie Otis' "Strawberry Letter of the alphabet 23"

BUSTOUTS: "All of These Dreams," last played on Oct. 26, 2010 (251 shows)

RECAP: Night two'south theme was strawberry, simply "Downwardly With Affliction" was the real star. The Phish mainstay opened the second set, and then segued into a debut of "Strawberry Number 23." Fans thought "Disease" would become unfinished just it was somewhen completed subsequently a rocking "Split Open and Melt." This initial rehashing of the Hoist staple would foreshadow a slew of reprises throughout the Baker's Dozen. Later, Phish served up a helping of Frank Zappa and Talking Heads ("Peaches En Regalia"> "Cities") earlier catastrophe the nighttime with a joyous "My Sweet I." "Peaches" tied up a loose stop, also, as Otis actually played bass on the classic Zappa track.

JULY 23: Reddish VELVET DONUT

"I've been wading in the velvet sea…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Theme From the Bottom"> "It'due south Ice"> "More than" and "Wolfman'southward Brother"> "Twist"

DEBUTS: The Velvet Underground's "Sunday Morning"

BUSTOUTS: The Velvet Underground'southward "Sweet Jane," last played on June 29, 2012 (193 shows)

RECAP: For Red Velvet night, lighting designer Chris Kuroda bathed Madison Square Garden in red light and the group dotted the setlist with Velvet Clandestine songs. The evening'south all-time gag arrived early. As Trey Anastasio slid backside the drum kit, Fishman emerged in full Cosmic regalia—complete with holy h2o—to anoint his crowd while singing The Velvet Underground'southward "Dominicus Morning."

JULY 25: JAM-FILLED DONUT

"Nosotros're jammin'… I want to jam it with you…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Backyard Boy" and "Crosseyed and Painless"

DEBUTS: "End of Session" (recorded for 1998'due south Story of the Ghost and never performed alive)

Recap: Information technology was clear from the first few notes of "Sample in a Jar," traditionally ane of Phish's most tightly woven songs, that they were going to fully comprehend the evening'southward jam theme. And, in turn, the group pulled off many fans' dreams, offer a five-song showtime prepare and a vii-song 2nd set that showed their ability to stretch seemingly every song into the ether. Their thirty-minute "Lawn Boy" (including a testify-catastrophe reprise) will potentially go downward every bit one of Phish's greatest improvisational moments. If some jaded fans were on the contend about Phish's ability to make information technology through
13 shows without repeats, then the psychedelic "Crosseyed and Painless" and an appearance of the deep cut "End of Session" immediately proved naysayers incorrect and set things into overdrive.

JULY 26: POWDERED DONUT

"Shelter me from the powder and the finger…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Tube" and "Carini"> "Mr. Completely"> "1999" DEBUTS: Fleet Foxes' "White Wintertime Hymnal" (a cappella); Neil Immature'southward "Powderfinger"

BUSTOUTS: Prince'south "1999," last played on December. 31, 1998 (524 shows); "Pebbles and Marbles," last played on Aug. iii, 2022 (106 shows)

RECAP: While the unexpected a cappella Fleet Foxes cover scored Phish some credibility in indie-rock circles that oftentimes overlook the band, it was their decision to revive Prince'southward "1999" as a funk-jam vehicle after nearly 20 years that really excited the crowd. The now seldom-played, tender limerick "Pebbles and Marbles" and a debut comprehend of Neil Young'south grungy "Powderfinger" also displayed the ring'southward sonic dexterity.

JULY 28: DOUBLE CHOCOLATE DONUT

"Take a chocolate donut and grab your breath…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Chalk Grit Torture" and "You Sexy Affair"> "Mercury"> "You Sexy Thing"

DEBUTS: Tay Zonday's "Chocolate Rain" (a cappella); Hot Chocolate's "You lot Sexy Matter"

BUSTOUTS: "Weigh," last played on Aug. ix, 2022 (74 shows); "The Oh Kee Pah Ceremony," previously never played at MSG; "Destiny Unbound," previously never played at MSG

Recap: Phish turned up the disco vibes on Double Chocolate Night past debuting Hot Chocolate's "You lot Sexy Thing" and and so tossing in a mid-song "Mercury" for good measure. Earlier, the band showed off their bathroom humour with an a cappella version of the viral hit "Chocolate Rain" as well as a rocking "Ass Handed." They closed the nighttime with a lyrically adapted "Fee"—many longtime fans' introduction to Phish—and their a cappella version of "Space Oddity."

JULY 29: CINNAMON DONUT

"Chasing the moonlight, my cinnamon daughter…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Blaze On" and "Alumni Blues"> "Letter of the alphabet to Jimmy Folio"> "Alumni Blues"

BUSTOUTS: Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl," last played on July 31, 1997 (629 shows)

Recap: Saturday shows are e'er a political party, and this night was no different. A raucous fix one led into a stretched out "Blaze On" that lasted upwards of 23 minutes. It also had adapted lyrics to fit the ongoing donut theme. ("Yous got i life, glaze on!") A cover of "I Am the Walrus" and a jammed out "Alumni Blues"— once the holy grail of bustouts—gave the 2d set extra heft. Phish's first take on "Cinnamon Girl" since 1997 proved that no song was off limits and that their thematic tunes didn't necessarily have to go far at the beginning of the show.

JULY 30: JIMMIES DONUT

"The universe is a donut…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Drowned"> "A Song I Heard the Sea Sing" and "Harpua"

DEBUTS: Jimi Hendrix's "The Wind Cries Mary"

BUSTOUTS: "Esther," "Colonel Forbin's Ascent," "Fly Famous Mockingbird," all terminal played on Aug. 9, 2022 (76 shows)

RECAP: For fans of Phish's storysong narratives and compositional epics, this night proved the "never miss a Sunday testify" aphorism to be true, thanks to appearances by seldom played, simply beloved early numbers like "The Curtain With," "Esther," "Colonel Forbin's Ascent" and "Fly Famous Mockingbird" in the beginning set alone. Set two contrasted a beautiful, extended "A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing," a contender for the weekend's best jam, with a skit involving the donut-similar topography of the universe during the band's most surefire special-night signifier, "Harpua."

AUG. 1: MAPLE DONUT

"O Canada…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Swept Abroad"> "Steep," and "Possum"

DEBUTS: "O Canada" and Scott Joplin'due south "Maple Leaf Rag"

BUSTOUTS: "Swept Away"> "Steep," terminal played on July viii, 2012 (192 shows); David Bowie'due south "Stone 'north' Roll Suicide," last played on Oct. 31, 2022 (21 shows, second performance ever)

RECAP: Maple night kicked off with an impromptu ode to the "Great White North," an instrumental version of the country's national anthem "O Canada." Kuroda also illuminated the Canadian flag in Madison Square's rafters, and the crowd responded with thanks that filled the arena. Every bit the show moved on, the theme popped upward now and again within the lyrics of "Saccharide Shack" and "Leaves" equally well every bit a "Maple Leafage Rag" piano interlude in the middle of "Guelah Papyrus." This evening may accept featured 1 of the run'southward silliest themes, but the music was serious on Jerry Garcia's birthday, with an elongated "Swept Away"> "Steep" and a surprisingly improvised "Possum" to end the 2d set. The bear witness wrapped upward with the ring'southward second-e'er performance of David Bowie's "Stone 'northward' Roll Suicide."

AUG. 2: DONUT HOLES

"You gotta go on the devil mode down in the hole…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Meat"> "Maze"

DEBUTS: Tom Waits' "Way Downwards in the Hole;" "O Holy Night"

BUSTOUTS: Norman Blake's "Ginseng Sullivan," last played on Aug. 7, 2022 (80 shows); "Meat," last played on July 9, 2022 (48 shows)

Epitomize: Phish accept an old-school original chosen "In A Hole," yet they stacked their Donut Hole setlist with left-field covers. The quartet opened the dark with Tom Look'due south bluesy "Way Down in the Hole" and followed it with a agglomeration of less obvious repertoire material ("Ginseng Sullivan," "Meat"), unexpected surprises ("O Holy Night") and prolonged, spacey jams that included the longest "Sense of taste" in history (over xviii minutes). A second ready arc starting with "Mike'due south Song" and ending with "Weekapaug Groove" rounded out another solid performance.

AUG. 4: LEMON POPPY DONUT

"Sucking on a lemon…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Dial You in the Heart"> "Party Time," "Everything in Its Right Identify" and "Fluffhead"

DEBUTS: Blind Lemon Jefferson'southward "See That My Grave Is Kept Make clean;" Radiohead's "Everything in Its Right Place"

BUSTOUTS: "Big Black Hirsuite Beast From Mars," last played on July 20, 2022 (43 shows); "Dinner and a Movie," last played on July 21, 2013 (164 shows); "Dem Bones," terminal played on June 29, 2022 (55 shows, third performance always)

RECAP: In a run that was punctuated by unexpected nods to other artists, Phish's version of Radiohead'southward "Everything in Its Right Place" may accept been the nigh staggering debut of The Bakery's Dozen. The Kid A track came halfway through the band'due south second prepare, and its "sucking on a lemon" lyric was quoted throughout the ensuing space jam that ebbed and flowed through "What's the Utilise?" and "Scents and Subtle Sounds." A triumphant "Prince Caspian" and a set-catastrophe, hair-raising "Fluffhead" brought the set up to a climax.

AUG. 5: BOSTON CREAM DONUT

"Tomorrow'southward donut will be Kansas-Metallica flavored…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Sunshine of Your Feeling" and "Ghost"

DEBUTS: "Sunshine of Your Feeling"

BUSTOUTS: "Frost," concluding played on July 17, 2013 (168 shows, second performance e'er); Bob Marley and The Wailers' "Soul Shakedown Party," terminal played on July 3, 2022 (53 shows); "Uncle Pen," final played on July xvi, 2022 (47 shows)

RECAP: Originally, many fans thought Boston Cream would be the most predictable dark of the Baker's Dozen. Later on all, it was the flavor that Page McConnell referenced in a 2007 Relix interview, stating, in theory, that information technology would include covers of Boston and Foam. Withal, what fans did non look was a Boston/ Cream mash-up featuring portions of "Sunshine of Your Love," "More Than a Feeling," "Foreplay/Longtime" and "White Room" swirled together and executed with stunning precision. With the addition of a second-prepare "The Lizards" and "Quinn the Eskimo," Boston Cream night became i of the loftier watermarks for the entire Baker'due south Dozen.

AUG. 6: GLAZED DONUT

"The life I love is making music with my friends…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Simple"> "Rise/ Come up Together"> "Starman" and "On the Road Once again"> "Lawn Boy Reprise"> "Tweezer Reprise"

DEBUTS: Vida Bluish's "Most Events Aren't Planned"

BUSTOUTS: "I Been Around," concluding played on July 27, 2022 (119 shows); Jimi Hendrix's "Izabella," last played on July 31, 1998 (574 shows); Willie Nelson'due south "On the Route Again," last played on Aug. 31, 2013 (155 shows)

Recap: Dozens of hopeful, ticketless fans lingered outside of Madison Square Garden in the hours leading up to Phish's 13th and concluding performance. The sold-out prove was emotional to say the least, and while the outset set had a number of great peaks, including "Saw Information technology Over again," "Issues" and some animated guitar from Anastasio during "Izabella," the fivesong second prepare was where Phish reached new heights. A 25-minute "Unproblematic" was a sign of skillful things to come up, and the reappearance of David Bowie'southward "Starman" likewise as the run's long-awaited "You lot Savour Myself" kept the energy soaring always upward. After a venue-broad sing-along of "Loving Cup," Phish was honored with their ain banner, which swayed higher up the ring during their encore of "On the Road Again" and will permanently live in the rafters of Madison Square Garden. All four members were visibly emotional during the song, aware of the significance of the moment. Finally, Phish brought things full circle with a "Lawn Boy" reprise, before a celebratory, all-consuming functioning of "Tweezer Reprise" drew the Bakery'south Dozen to a close.

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Source: https://relix.com/articles/detail/revisiting_phishs_bakers_dozen/