Trey Anastasio closed out his first tour with 70 Volt Parade Saturday by jamming with a pair of old friends and offering a brief cameo himself. During an opening set by Particle, the guitarist emerged for a version of Richard Strauss Also Sprach Zarathustra, re-arranged by Deodato in the 1970s and covered by Phish for a good portion of the last decade. Adding a novel twist to the oft-covered song, Deodato himself also appeared onstage, marking the Anastasios first collaboration with the noted keyboardist and arranger. Particles Steve Molitz will appear again with Deodato at the end of the month during New Yorks annual MoogFest.
Deep into his second-set, Anastasio also invited Trey Anastasio Band alumnus Jen Hartswick onstage for versions of his Night Speaks to a Woman and Led Zeppelins Black Dog. Perhaps the weekends most buzzed-about collaboration followed as Anastasio offered three acoustic songs with Mike Gordon, consisting of Hank Williams Jr.s Old Habits and Phishs Back on the Train and Waste. Gordon remained onstage while 70 Volt Parade-plugged in, adding the low-end to Wolfmans Brother and the Beatles I Am the Walrus.
For years, Anastasio has shown his affection for the Beatles, covering the Fab Fours White Album with Phish during Halloween 1994 and adding both Walrus and Let it Bes Dig a Pony to his current repertoire. Friday night, Anastasio continued with his parade of Beatles offerings by presenting the medley from the second side of Abbey Road during his encore, running from Mean Mr. Mustard through The End.