The banquet table of Phish 2023 overflows with riches, and on any given night, the band treats the audience to an ample feast. Last night at MSG was no different, and indeed, represented well the moment we have reached. All the familiar components were there, with Phish digging into a thick jam from the jump. “Ghost” is strong throughout, but the real magic for me was around the 9:30 and 11:50 minute marks when Trey hands the reins to Page, who in turn, pushes the band further, and the adventure takes another turn. The resulting ensemble jam is magical, and Trey caps it with many beautiful solos (check around 13:00+). Some Allman’s-like quote aroound 15:00 too seemed to echo the earnestness of the song (check out Timber around 7:10 for similar mood/lines). The fact that the band remains cognizant of their musical space enough to bring us back to the main theme (totally unnecssary by that point) but a reminder of how on top of the game they are.

The next set of tunes was a relentless storm of great Phish played in the venue where they are probably most comfortable. Phish is a great band to see anywhere, but MSG is Mecca. The sound is loud but also very clear. The light show is otherworldly. I remember watching traces of purple lights (reminiscent of the outside of a flying saucer—work with me here—and then those lights would trace smaller circles on the floor, illuminaing small groups, or sometimes individual faces. I wish I had the discourse for this—I’m sure someone out there knows what I mean—but man, the combination of THAT (age of) sound and the alien light show… it was a lot. I’m kind of glad I was in the seats, if you know what I mean, not that I was in my seat much (“Shade”, which was lovely.)

Well, so much for the play-by-play, but by now, you probably know the score. The metaphor I have for the band at this point is they are basically pummelling us to the floor, song by song, and when we dare to get off the mat, they laugh and knock us down again, only that it is actually fun, and that’s not much of a metaphor, except that I felt outmatched. I mean, the playing is so hot, but it’s nothing—ha ha ha—extraordinary. Just a taste of Phish 2023.

Let me see what else we got. Checks notes. Kuroda is manufacturing stars during “Timber Ho! (Jerry—happy birthday, Jerry!—the Mule). It’s when the lights go black in the type II weirdness, and it happens in that space between Mike and Fish. Looked just like the Orion Nebula. Really hard to stop from laughing, especially when I tried to explain it to my giggling cohorts. Not sure why the formation of stars is funny. It’s serious business. We are all stardust, right?

So. Phish. Yes. “Funky Bitch” was hot. I said that.

Should we talk about “Broken into Pieces”? This was its debut and my impression was that it felt a little timid, especially compared to the “Oblivion” and “the Well” (quoted in Wolfman last night) treatment. The song had a great close, though, and I’m excited about what might transpire. I’m a fan of all the new songs and ready to hear more, especially if the band squeezes the jams out of them. The future is long gone we are expanding. Let’s fuckiiiiiiiing go! ;-) Paint the sky orange.

I need to discuss Trey’s vocals, what he has done with them this tour especially. My view was that it was very hit-and-miss, but I have come round in my (yet another-sorry!) opinion. I feel the earnestness that he gets out of the lyrics by digging deeper adds a lot to the song. He sounds like he is testifyiing now. You hear it in Wolfman’s and Sample, but it comes through even more in KDF (we’ll get there) and others. His singing pulls more from the heart now, and it’s ok if it’s not so mellifluous. Good tradeoff and a smart choice, and he will only get better.

Speaking of jams, Wolfman’s was funky and juicy. They really milked this gem, and again, the lights got so surreal here. The “Well” comes in around 7 minutes mark (there is a build up first). Around 11 minutes or so, the weirdness begins, with Page adding piano, keys, and clavinet. Mike’s bass always shines and this tour especially he sounds really good. Fish is incredible (of course), and I love that he recognizes Taylor Swift’s absolute dominion. She doesn’t stop playing in thunderstorms and doesn’t give five fucks about a curfew. Dad bands still have a lot to learn, but I digress. In any case, this Wolfman’s is pretty sick, but could have been more. “I am the Walrus” was a treat (aside from “Broken into Pieces” and “Shade” my only first of the evening), and the audience played a part in the singalong.

My disappointment for the second set “Sample” opener was pretty stupid, and I already knew better. It was clear from the get-go that someone had left the rockets on, so we were headed up and out again. There is a lot going on, including “On Broadway” quotes (starts around 5:40 through 7:00) and some Santanaesque riffing before KDF kicks in, but the point is Sample was a great jam vehicle. Nothing weird like the SOAM of Friday night, just groovy great jamming ensemble play and expert gamesmanship—really playing to the audience in their most comfortable space. There is an especially blissful jam around the 8:45 mark that builds into a riff I can’t recognize (someone help here?) around 9:15 and again 10:15. By 12:30 after more interesting grooving, I’m convinced they are going to find some way to get back into the main theme of Sample, just to make a point, but they play it down until the jam is mined through and through. Not really grokking the ripcord complaint by some posters. This jam crushes especially in the last two minutes, but they are also ready to go forward, and KDF was a great choice.

Kill Devil Falls is anthemic rock and duh a testimonial, so Trey’s new vocal approach works especially well here. Sober Trey is scary af competent (a good model for everyone to work harder on our art, tbh), and his journey (as sung through the song) is somehow heart-wrenching and refreshing. Until I do it again… The singing and playing is visceral, slicing through the madness with surgical precision. It’s not a long jam, but it’s melodic and tight, especially from 9:30 on. The truth is we didn’t get anything like Friday’s eerie SOAM (“Walrus” ending was weird, but still a full rung down in the STRANGE scale).

Golden Age continued the heat. Again, the lights, the showmanship, the crowd in the palm of their hand and every motion they make amplfied 1000000 times over. Don’t you ever falter.

Shade was pretty, sung from the heart, and man… I was so grateful to sit down for a spell.

The rest of the set was a dance party, “Sally” and ’Twist”. Yeah, dance you motherfuckers. Take that and that. Relentless.

YEM was icing on the cake. Second one of the summer. Ok, yeah, the vocal jam was trippy af, but you know that, right?

Encore with an especially fun Wilson (yes, reader, I am still hoarse), Sanity (my first since the Omni and that’s been a while), and the band not wanting to quit (no rules!) played a sick Bowie and even a Character Zero to help get us home.

Thank you, Phish.

I gave the show 5 stars, same as Friday's. 8.5 out of 10. It could have been weirder, but otherwise, top-shelf stuff. I'm kind of old but definitely not jaded. Phish since early 90s. My first show at MSG was Mar 9, 1981.