Photo Credit: Dean Budnick

Last night at Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park in Wilmington, N.C., Phish continued their summer tour. The band opened up night one of two on stage with a bust out of “Happy Birthday to You,” performed for longtime friend and artist of many Phish-adjacent imagery Jim Pollock. The last time the group played the celebratory number was on June 25, 2016, marking the end of a 251-show gap. In addition to the bust out, Phish debuted the title track off of Trey Anastasio’s 2022 LP, mercy, during the second set. 

After commencing the night with the aforementioned celebratory bust out, they added in a complete run-through of “Simple,” which merged into an ensuing “Camel Walk.” The musicians paused momentarily and picked back up on “Gotta Jibboo.” They followed with takes on “Steam,” “Poor Heart,” and “Cavern” prior to a soaring rendition of “Divided Sky,” made special with Page McConnell’s lively click of the keys. “Casual Enlightenment” arrived next. The band last played the number on Oct. 20, 2021, at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore. The Vermont-foursome added in “Shade” and ended the first set on “Drift While You’re Asleep.”

Upon their return for the second half of the night, Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon teased in “Timber (Jerry the Mule)” with “Light,” which ran into an 18-minute “A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing.” The jam eventually merged back into “Light.” Next, the band locked into a “mercy,” marking the first time this group had performed the Anastasio original. To follow, they added a pairing of “Twenty Years Later” > “Backwards Down the Number Line,” the latter saw a lyrical change to once again beckon to Pollock, with the addition of his first name. Phish continued their jam on “Bug” into a set ending “Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.”

The night’s encore consisted of “The Howling” into “Suzy Greenburg,” the latter contained “The 9th Cube” teases from Anastasio and McConnell. After last night’s concert, the band will again take the stage at Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park tonight, for the final show at the Wilmington, N.C. venue, during this tour. 

Watch all of Phish’s Summer Tour from the comfort of home via LivePhish in 4K or HD + 48 hours of unlimited replay here.

Scroll down to view last night’s setlist via phish.net.

Phish 

Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park – Wilmington, N.C. 

July 19, 2023 

Set 1: Happy Birthday to You, Simple > Camel Walk, Gotta Jibboo, Steam, Poor Heart, Cavern, Divided Sky, Casual Enlightenment, Shade, Drift While You’re Sleeping

Set 2: Timber (Jerry the Mule) > A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing > Light > mercy+, Twenty Years Later > Backwards Down the Number Line > Bug > Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.

Enc.: The Howling > Suzy Greenberg

Notes: 

+ Debut