Phish rehearses at the DCU Center. Photo via “@Phish_FTR”:https://twitter.com/Phish_FTR/status/210486639833788416/photo/1

Phish returned to Worcester, MA’s DCU Center last night to open their 2012 summer tour. With news of the band members practicing behind closed doors for at least a week leading up to the tour opener, expectations were (once again) set quite high following the critical reception of their New Year’s run at Madison Square Garden in December.

Featuring a number of notable bustouts, the first set saw the return of “Buried Alive” (having last appeared last on July 2, 2011 at Merriweather Post Pavilion), The Rolling Stones’ “Torn and Frayed” (last performed on July 1, 2011 at Super Ball IX), the quirky Undermind song “Nothing” (last performed on June 24, 2010 in Camden, NJ) and the Page McConnell ballad “Beauty of a Broken Heart” (last performed on December 28, 2009 in Miami, FL).

In the second set, Phish turned over to their improvisational side with jammed-out versions of “Carini,” “Ghost” and “Boogie On Reggae Woman.” Another bust-out also appeared in the form of the tender Hoist ballad “If I Could,” which was played for the first time in 102 shows, having last appeared on November 21, 2009 in Cincinnati, OH. The show closed out with the unexpected reprise of “Buried Alive” to bookend the performance.

Phish returns to the DCU Center in Worcester, MA tonight before heading down south to Bonnaroo on Sunday.

Here’s a look at last night’s setlist via Phish.net

Thursday, June 7, DCU Center, Worcester, MA

Set I: Buried Alive > Runaway Jim* > Torn and Frayed, Funky Bitch, The Moma Dance > Rift, Nothing, Ocelot, Beauty of a Broken Heart, Possum^, Rocky Top

Set II: Carini > Taste&, Ghost > Boogie On Reggae Woman > If I Could$, Quinn the Eskimo > Harry Hood > Cavern > Buried Alive Reprise

Enc: Loving Cup

(*)Buried Alive tease
(^)Beauty of a Broken Heart tease &Norwegian Wood tease ($)Last time played 11/21/09