Photo by Jake Silco via @TreyAnastasio on Twitter

Trey Anastasio sat on a wooden chair and smiled at full-capacity Beacon Theatre on Wednesday, June 23. It was the second night of his two-night run in New York City – his first run of shows in the Big Apple with live applause, cheers, and whistles since the pandemic began.

Anastasio opened with “Theme From the Bottom,” and by the first meter of one could feel the energy in the room swell.

He continued to play on his own with “Sample in a Jar” and soon after he welcomed the Rescue Squad Strings and pianist Jeff Tanski to add some extra oomph to the highly-composed “Divided Sky.”

Tanski stuck around for the following “I Never Needed You Like This Before,” a tune Anastasio wrote during his prolific time during NYC’s lockdown – the track later appeared on his surprise solo release Lonely Trip.

Anastasio then played “Free,” into “The Wedge” again backed by Tanski. The Rescue Squad Strings then joined the two on “Water in the Sky” and “The Inlaw Josie Wales.” The cheers and harmonies carried the show on.

Also, at one point during the show, Anastasio noted at that other than their wives, he and Tanski have spent the most time with one another during the pandemic, writing and rehearsing music at a frantic pace.

Soon thereafter, Anastasio played the second-ever fully acoustic performance of “Drift While You’re Sleeping.”

As many fans know, crowd participation was a given at The Beacon, with a highpoint being an audience-led sing-along of Bob Marley’s “No Woman No Cry” at the tail-end of “Farmhouse.”

Anastasio then played a few tracks on his own and closed the set with his new acoustic rendition of “You Enjoy Myself,” an arrangement he debuted just a few nights prior at SPAC.

After a brief break, Anastasio closed the night with a four-song encore: “Waste” led into “Bathtub Gin”, into “Brief Time”, and Anastasio ended the night with the second-ever acoustic performance of “Tweezer Reprise.” 

Check out the full setlist via Phish.net below:

Trey Anastasio
June 23, 2021
Beacon Theatre, New York City

Theme From the Bottom [1], Sample in a Jar[1], Divided Sky [2], I Never Needed You Like This Before [3], Free[1], The Wedge[3], Water in the Sky[2], The Inlaw Josie Wales[2], Twist[1], Bouncing Around the Room[3], Drift While You’re Sleeping[2], 46 Days[1] > Steam[1], A Life Beyond The Dream[2], Split Open and Melt[3], Joy[2], Farmhouse[1], Chalk Dust Torture[1] -> Back on the Train[1] > Chalk Dust Torture[1], Slave to the Traffic Light[2], You Enjoy Myself[2]

Enc: Waste[1], Bathtub Gin[1], Brief Time[2], Tweezer Reprise[2]

[1] Trey on acoustic guitar.
[2] Trey on acoustic guitar; with the Rescue Squad Strings and Jeff Tanski on piano.
[3] Trey on acoustic guitar; with Jeff Tanski on piano.