Phish closed their run at San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium last night with a first set that will go down in the band’s history as they broke out twelve tour debuts in the opening set, some of which hadn’t been performed in many years.
The show started with one of those aforementioned bustouts as the first “Demand” since New Year’s Eve 2009 opened the show. This marks just the second performance of the tune in the band’s modern era and 16th of Phish’s career. From there, the group opted for the tour debut of “The Curtain With” (played previously in Mexico) before launching into the first “Alumni Blues” segment since the band’s Bill Graham run in 2013.
Complete with the “Letter to Jimmy Page” interlude, “Alumni” quickly gave way to the first “Fuck Your Face” since 2014 before one of the biggest bustouts of the year in the Beatles’ “Cry Baby Cry,” the first since November 21, 1998 (496 shows).
Things somewhat returned to normal after that as “Sing Monica” made its first appearance since 2014 and was dedicated to producer Bob Ezrin, who Trey Anastasio remarked was in attendance. Many reports on Twitter suggested that the guitarist also revealed that their new album with Ezrin is also completed.
After the newer tune, Phish took the crowd to Gamehendge with “McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters,” its first play since August 15, 2015 before the group nodded to their famed Chilling, Thrilling set in Las Vegas by reviving “The Very Long Fuse” for the first time since August 9, 2015. Jon Fishman then got a chance to shine on a playful “Big Black Furry Creature from Mars,” the first since August 15, 2015 before James Gang’s “Walk Away” returned to the set, having been absent since October 29, 2013. “Sanity” rounded out the debut streak with its first appearance since August 9, 2015 before “David Bowie” brought the thrilling set to a close.
In the second set, the band restored normalcy opening with the new, funky number “No Men in No Man’s Land” before a “Mike’s Groove” segment that included “Fee,” (there were several signs for the song throughout the venue) as well as “Seven Below,” “Waiting All Night,” “Gotta Jibboo” and the newer “Miss You” before “Weekapaug Groove” arrived.
The set closed with rocking standards in “Oh Kee Pa Ceremony,” “Suzy Greenberg” and “Julius” before the encore pairing of “Wading in the Velvet Sea” and “Character Zero.”
Phish returns to the stage tomorrow night in Inglewood, CA.
Here’s a look at the setlist:
Phish
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA
Set I: Demand, The Curtain With, Alumni Blues > Letter to Jimmy Page > Alumni Blues > Fuck Your Face, Cry Baby Cry, Sing Monica > McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters, The Very Long Fuse > Big Black Furry Creature from Mars, Walk Away > Sanity->David Bowie
Set II: No Men in No Man’s Land > Mike’s Song > Fee > Seven Below > Waiting All night > Gotta Jibboo, Miss You, Weekapaug Groove, Oh Kee Pa Ceremony > Suzy Greenberg > Julius
Enc: Wading in the Velvet Sea > Character Zero
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