_Chris Cottrell and Trey Anastasio backstage at Red Rocks, 2001. via Trey Anastasio’s Facebook Page_

Trey Anastasio, Tony Markellis and Russ Lawton closed out the Spring leg of their trio tour on April 29, performing a special benefit concert for the WaterWheel Cancer Fund, in memory of Anastasio’s lifelong friend Chris Cottrell.

“Chris’s fingerprints can be found on the world of Phish and TAB,” Anastasio wrote following Cottrell’s January 2018 passing. In a living example of the power of music, the Trio’s April 29th benefit gave Anastasio and company the chance to remember their friend in communal celebration.

After a lively set one, bookended by an opening “Blaze On” and a closing “Sand,” the show’s second half slowly sank into Anastasio’s more introspective material. Ending set two with “Push On ‘Til The Day” was a particularly important choice, considering the evening’s focus on Cottrell.

“The song ‘Push on till the day’ is packed with references to our countless adventures together,” Anastasio wrote in his tribute letter to Cottrell.

The most emotional moment of the show came during the encore, when Anastasio took the stage for a version of “Miss You.” The song was originally written about the passing of Anastasio’s sister, but has since grown to be about loss in whatever form it takes.

However, the guitarist ended things on a hopeful note, with Phish’s newest tune “Soul Planet,” full of themes like unity and love.

In other news, the Trio’s April 28 show saw Anastasio switching things up by opening with an acoustic “Theme From The Bottom,” which was also a tour debut. Additionally, the Saturday performance featured trio debuts of “Sometime After Sunset,” “Spin,” “Bounce” and “The Architect.”

For the full setlists from April 28 and 29 – as well as a pro-shot video of Saturday’s “Mr. Completely”> “Plasma”> “Mr. Completely” jam – see below:

Trey Anastasio Trio
April 28, 2018
The Civic Theater, New Orleans

Set I: Theme From The Bottom*, Cayman Review, Undermind, The Way I Feel, Sometime After Sunset, Frost, Stealing Time From The Faulty Plan, Spin, Steam, Bounce

Set II: Set Your Soul Free > Sand, Drifting, Bug, Mr. Completely > Plasma > Mr. Completely, The Architect, Tuesday

Enc: More^, Push On ‘Til The Day

Notes: ^Solo acoustic

Trey Anastasio Trio
“Sustain” in memory of Chris Cottrell
April 29, 2018
Terminal West, Atlanta

Set I: Blaze On, Party Time, Heavy Things, Everything’s Right, Camel Walk, Ghost, Back on the Train, Sand

Set II: First Tube, No Men in No Man’s Land, Prince Caspian, Twist, Gotta Jibboo, Windora Bug, 46 Days, Show of Life, Push On ‘Til the Day

Enc: Miss You, Soul Planet