Phish returned to the Atlanta-area for the first time in seven years for a performance at Alpharetta, GA’s Verizon Wireless at Encore Park. Last night’s show was the band’s first at the new outdoor amphitheatre, which is several thousand seats smaller than the nearby Lakewood Amphitheatre where the group has played during its last few Atlanta visits. Though Phish’s July 3 performance did not feature any bust outs, the band’s first set included a slew of rarer songs, including “Destiny Unbound,” “Sanity,” “My Sweet One” and “McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters.”

For the third Saturday this tour, Phish opened its set with an extended version of Velvet Underground’s “Rock & Roll.” The Vermont Quartet’s second set also included a bass-heavy “Harry Hood” and an improvisational “Tweezer,” this summer’s unofficial anthem. Phish will return to tonight.

7/3/2010, Verizon Wireless at Encore Park, Alpharetta, GA

Set I: Character Zero, Destiny Unbound, Rift, McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters, Bathtub Gin, Mountains In The Mist, NICU, Gumbo, My Sweet One, Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan, Strange Design, Sanity, Run Like an Antelope

Set II: Rock & Roll > Prince Caspian > Tweezer >Slave to the Traffic Light, Bouncing Around the Room, Possum, Backwards Down the Number Line, Harry Hood, Loving Cup

E: Sleeping Monkey, Tweezer Reprise