One of this weekend’s official posters by Tyler Stout

Phish returned to Commerce City, CO’s Dick’s Sporting Goods Park for their second-annual Labor Day Weekend run at the venue. Last year, the Vermont Quartet opened their three-night Dick’s run with a show consisting entirely of songs which start with the letter ‘s.’ Last night, the band constructed a setlist where the first letters of the first 12 songs on their setlist spelled ‘fuck your face,” the name of the ’80s Phish song the band brought back in 2010. Then, the group busted into “Fuck Your Face” itself to close their second set. Encores of “Grind” and a playful “Meatsick” brought the night to a close.

The group busted out some rarer covers along the way, too. Just two songs into their set, Phish brought back the bluegrass ditty “Uncle Pen” for the first time since October 16, 2010. During their second set, they also revived their take on The Rolling Stones’ “Emotional Rescue” for the first time since their famed Las Vegas show on September 30, 2000 (Phish has only covered the song five times since it debuted in 1997).

Phish clearly enjoy playing the outdoor Colorado venue, and Page McConnell said as much before the band jumped into “You Enjoy Myself.” The phrase “love Dick’s” became a running gag during Phish’s “You Enjoy Myself” vocal jam. Trey Anastasio also wished WaterWheel Foundation’s Matthew Beck “happy birthday” before the group’s second set. The night featured several extended jams as well, with “Carini,” “Undermind,” “Runaway Jim” and “Chalkdust Torture” all stretching out at various points.

Phish will return to Dick’s this evening.

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

Friday, August 31, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO

Set 1: First Tube, Uncle Pen, Carini, Kill Devil Falls > You Enjoy Myself [1], Ocelot [2], Undermind

Set 2: Runaway Jim [3] > Farmhouse > Alaska, Chalk Dust Torture [3] > Emotional Rescue > Fuck Your Face [4]

E: Grind, Meatstick [5]

[1] “We all love Dick’s” vocal jam theme.
[2] Crosseyed and Painless tease.
[3] Unfinished.
[4] Emotional Rescue quote.
[5] Japanese Lyrics.

Notes: The first letters of the songs of this show spelled out “Fuck Your Face” before Fuck Your Face itself was played. Before You Enjoy Myself, Page said, “We’re so happy to be here, we love this place, we really do…We love Dick’s”. Trey and the band then led the crowd in a “We Love Dick’s” chant. During the You Enjoy Myself vocal jam, “We Love Dick’s” theme emerged with such lines as, “Page loves Dick’s, Mike loves Dick’s, Trey loves Dick’s, the band loves Dick’s”. Ocelot included a Crosseyed and Painless tease. Prior to the second set, Trey wished Matty from the Waterwheel table a Happy Birthday. Runaway Jim and Chalk Dust were unfinished. Emotional Rescue was played for the first time since September 30, 2000 (236 shows). Fuck Your Face contained an Emotional Rescue quote.