Photo by René Huemer via Phish’s Facebook page

Phish closed out their two-show run at Columbia, MD’s cherished venue Merriweather Post Pavilion last night with another highly exploratory evening. The concert kicked with an early segue, as the Vermont Quartet moved from a 7-minute “Undermind” into a 10-minute “Back on the Train.” From there, the musicians offered the event’s first big surprise, not only busting out the Jon Fishman-penned ditty “Ass Handed” for the first time since July 22, 2023 but also stretching the song, which often clocks in at under two minutes, toward the 17-minute mark. Phish have made it a point to jam out some of their usually more compact tunes this summer and, after “Ass Handed,” they worked up two more segues to close their first set, moving from “The Moma Dance” into “Fast Enough for You” and then from “NICU” into “Oblivion” and, finally, “Possum.”

However, last night’s concert will likely be remembered for its second set. After returning to the stage, Phish launched into an over 39-minute take on “Carini,” the longest they have stretched the song out since its 1997 debut. According to Phish.net, it was also the 14th longest version of any song the group has delivered during their 40-plus year history. The ensemble briefly paused at the end of the tune, but they then kicked into “No Men In No Man’s Land” and played through “Beneath a Sea of Stars Part 1,” a 14-minute “Ruby Waves” and “Backwards Down the Number Line,” before bringing the set to a close. A cover of The Beatles’ “I am the Walrus” that led into “First Tube” served as the evening’s encore.

Saturday’s Merriweather Post Pavilion concert also contained some notable moments. After inclement weather caused the band to push doors back before the show, they opened their first set with “What’s Going Through Your Mind,” a number that begins with the fitting line, “The storm had passed by quickly, as the evening got its start.” From there, they dusted off “Contact”—a tune that is usually placed later on in their shows and clocked in at almost 10-minutes on this night—for the first time since July 26, 2024, and kicked off another extended sequence with an early set “You Enjoy Myself.” That epic segued right into the now-fully revived 1994 Hoist nugget “Axilla (Part II),” a jammed out start to “McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters,” their first cover of The Mighty Diamonds’ “Have Mercy” since February 22, 2020,” the ending of “McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters” and, finally, “Shade.” An extended “Runaway Jim” brought the first set to a close. (Also of note, the concert fell on the anniversary of the second night of 1999’s Camp Oswego, which Phish nodded to a night before during “Fuego.” “Have Mercy” was also revived at that festival after a five-year, 336-show break.)

Phish’s second set was full of choice improvisational moments, too. They opened the sequence with a 24-minute Life Saving Gun” that transitioned into a 12-minute “Gotta Jibboo” and a deep jam that surfaced as a 14-minute “Ether Edge,” before bringing the segment to a close with the Hoist ballad “Lifeboy.” A final run from Stevie Wonder’s “Boogie On Reggae Woman” into the Billy Breathes single “Free” closed the set.

For their encore, Phish mixed things up once again, returning to the stage for the dark “Monsters” and then offering their third track from Hoist of the night, “If I Could,” as they inch toward ’90s week at New York’s Madison Square Garden. A rocking “Run Like an Antelope” served as the night’s final selection.

Phish will perform at Syracuse, NY’s Lakeview Amphitheater tomorrow.

Here’s a look at this weekend’s shows via Phish.net

Saturday, July 18, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD

Set I: What’s Going Through Your Mind, Contact, You Enjoy Myself > Axilla (Part II) -> McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters -> Have Mercy > McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters > Shade, Runaway Jim

Set II: Life Saving Gun > Gotta Jibboo -> Ether Edge > Lifeboy, Boogie On Reggae Woman > Free

E: Monsters, If I Could, Run Like an Antelope

Have Mercy was performed for the first time since February 22, 2020 (241 shows). Page teased Happy Birthday at the end of Runaway Jim.

Sunday, July 19, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD

Set I: Undermind > Back on the Train, Ass Handed, The Moma Dance > Fast Enough for You, NICU > Oblivion > Possum

Set II: Carini, No Men In No Man’s Land > Beneath a Sea of Stars Part 1 > Ruby Waves > Backwards Down the Number Line

E: I Am the Walrus > First Tube

Ass Handed was performed for the first time since July 22, 2023 (138 shows). Trey teased Let It Grow in Carini and A Love Supreme and Strawberry Letter 23 in Ruby Waves.