With a lemonade-out-of-lemons lineup that excluded their horn section and subbed drummer Russ Lawton for Phish percussionist Jon Fishman, Trey Anastasio Band took the stage in Pittsburgh on Sept. 29 for a jammy show at Stage AE.
The band’s lineup changes happened on the fly this week, as Lawton broke the news of his COVID status on Sept. 28 – just hours before Anastasio’s show in Columbus, Ohio – and trumpeter Jennifer Hartswick revealed her diagnosis on Sept. 25, leading the horn section to be scrapped completely.
The Sept. 29 show with Fishman included a four-song set one. Highlights included an opening “46 Days” a 30+ minute “Blaze On” and 10+ minute takes on “Undermind” and “Ghost.”
Set two kept the momentum rolling forward with a 19+ minute “Party Time.” From there, the band moved through “Ocelot,” “Gotta Jibboo,” “Plasma” and “Lonely Trip,” before Anastasio led the group in one of his pandemic-era favorites, “I Never Needed You Like This Before,” to close the set.
The band’s encore included and almost 11-minute “Twist” and a rousing “First Tube,” with Anastasio hoisting his guitar overhead in defiance of his band’s recent setbacks.
Fishman will remain on tour with T.A.B. through their Sunday Radio City gig.
Check out the full setlist below and check out a clip of “First Tube” (via YouTuber bkndnroll1) below:
Trey Anastasio Band
Sept. 29, 2021
Stage AE, Pittsburgh
Set I: 46 Days, Blaze On, Undermind, Ghost
Set II: Party Time, Ocelot, Gotta Jibboo, Plasma, Lonely Trip, I Never Needed You Like This Before
Enc: Twist, First Tube
Notes:
No horns, Jon Fishman on drums
10 Comments comments associated with this post
Cgaar
October 2, 2021 at 12:24 amI saw their show in Asheville. The music was great but it lacked the brass. BUT how can, after insisting the entire audience be vaccinated, the band get sick if they are vaccinated? Did they all have breakthrough cases or is there a double standard going on here?
michael vignale
October 1, 2021 at 10:03 amFirst set looks like heater and the clip of first tube I m probably right chill yall peace
Vincent
September 30, 2021 at 3:51 pmTrey knows the show must go on no matter how many of his band get covid (remember sheep 99.2% survival rate for those under 70 years of age) so thanks for that HUGE JIBBOO!
fluffnut
September 30, 2021 at 4:51 pm99.2% = 8 people out of 1000 will die.
that’s pretty high still
Vincent
September 30, 2021 at 5:02 pm…but we are talking about Trey’s audience what are the chances of catching the vid at his show? Fairly slim I would think…taking that number as a percentage vs the survival rate, Trey should indeed keep the tour going. Fluffnut stay home if you are still afraid of the virus…
Ron
October 1, 2021 at 1:31 amThe whole scene is so political now.
If you don’t want to go, stay home, don’t get vaccinated-no one is forcing you there.
If you see the light you’ll always be welcome
Dick Hurtz
September 30, 2021 at 3:17 pmYou sound like a whiny little bitch. The writeup was just fine, and I’ve been seeing Phish live since 1992.
frederick ferrara
October 4, 2021 at 7:09 pmGreat then I’d think you’d realize that fish isn’t the bands percussionist.
frederick ferrara
September 30, 2021 at 12:28 pmFor the love of God how hard is it to find someone to write who actually knows the most basic shit about wtf he’s writing about?
JimK
September 30, 2021 at 11:12 pmI thought you were talking about whoever writes Phish songs.