Photo by Rene Huemer

Last night, Phish kicked off their Spring + Summer Tour 2022 at The Wharf Amphitheater in Orange Beach, Ala. The show marked the first of three scheduled for The Warf Amphitheater and the first time Phish has performed there since Aug. 1, 2014.

Phish started their Memorial Day Weekend run with the unexpected opener “Twist,” marking the first time they’ve used it to start a show since 1997. The track allowed the group, comprised of Trey Anastasio, Mike Gordon, Page McConnell and Jon Fishman, to stretch their improvisational muscles for 13-minutes. From there, the band jammed into “Halley’s Comet” which segued into “Sand” though no flying dolphins or whales made any appearances. Next, the band busted out “The Hold Home Place,” Gordon handled vocals on the track which hasn’t been performed since 2019 and only eight times since 2004.

“Martian Monster,” “Dog’s Stole Things” and “Halfway To The Moon” followed. Next, Phish dug their heels in for “Stash” which featured masterful interplay between Anastasio and McConnell and unity with the rest of the band. Phish then slowed things down for “Shade” before cranking things up for “I Never Needed You Like This Before.” They closed the first set with an improvisational heavy but true to form arrangement of “Bathtub Gin.”

Phish kicked the second half of the show off with a slow funk version of “Llama.” After the groove found its pace Phish segued in a 17-minute “Soul Planet.” The non-stop jam then segued into a rare song from Phish’s 1999 outtakes LP The Siket Disc, “Quadrophonic Toppling.” Phish had only once played the song once before yesterday evening’s show: A midnight to dawn set at Big Cypress, Fla. on New Year’s Eve 1999.

The song then morphed back into “Soul Planet” which featured samples of “Ghost.” They continued to jam and segued into “Scents and Subtle Sounds” then “Chalk Dust Torture.” They closed the set with “Chalk Dust Torture” which turned into another 17-minute jam followed by a cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Loving Up.”

After thanking the crowd and taking a moment Phish returned to the stage for an encore. They delivered a smooth and meditative performance of “Waste” which had “Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.” tacked on to it to close the show.

Phish will continue their three-night run at The Wharf Amphitheater tonight.

Phish
The Wharf Amphitheater – Orange Beach, Ala.
May 27, 2022

Soundcheck: Jam, Lonely Trip, The Final Hurrah, Gumbo

Set I: Twist > Halley’s Comet > Sand, The Old Home Place, Martian Monster, Dogs Stole Things, Halfway to the Moon, Stash, Shade, I Never Needed You Like This Before, Bathtub Gin

Set II: Llama, Soul Planet -> Quadrophonic Toppling -> Soul Planet > Ghost -> Scents and Subtle Sounds -> Chalk Dust Torture, Loving Cup

ENCORE: Waste, Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.