_Peter Wallace_

Following a summer filled with historic Baker’s Dozen performances, Phish returned to Madison Square Garden last night for the first of a four-night run.

New Year’s Eve will mark the band’s seventeenth show at MSG this year, and the band added to the “17 in 17” mythos last night by serving up 17 songs over two sets.

Phish took the stage a little before 8:15 p.m. with standard show opener “AC/DC Bag,” before they hit their stride on an exciting “Wolfman’s Brother.” After “Roggae,” set one peaked with a rocking “Tube” and a “Back On The Train” jam that led into a very well-placed and well-played “Your Pet Cat.” The Vermont Quartet then wrapped up the first half with the Gordon/Murawski-penned “Waking Up Dead” and “Theme From The Bottom.”

Phish got the crowd fired up for set two with a “Wilson” opener. The good vibes continued with a funkified “No Men In No Man’s Land” that that showed off Chris Kuroda’s continued prowess as a lighting designer and led the band into their first type-2 jam. “NMNML” slowly cranked down and bled into a “Twist” with “Woo’s” echoing every corner of the arena. After a fun “Everything’s Right” jam and a cinematic “Also Sprach Zarathustra,” Phish ended set two with their beloved composition “Harry Hood.”

Encores of “The Wedge” and “Slave To The Traffic Light” solidified 12/28/2017 as a fun-filled, high-energy show. It was a night punctuated by excellent improvisations, and the energy at Madison Square Garden was palpable as 20,000 fans cheered for Phish’s triumphant return to New York.

Phish will return to the stage tonight.

Here’s a look at the set list:

Phish
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

SET 1: AC/DC Bag, Wolfman’s Brother, Roggae, Tube > Bouncing Around the Room, Back on the Train, Your Pet Cat, Waking Up Dead > Theme From the Bottom

SET 2: Wilson > No Men In No Man’s Land > Twist > Everything’s Right > Also Sprach Zarathustra > Harry Hood

ENCORE: The Wedge, Slave to the Traffic Light

Via Phish.net