On December 28, 2025, Phish began their highly anticipated four-night New Year’s run at Madison Square Garden with a performance that leaned heavily into fan-favorite staples, surprise revivals, musical fluidity, and a potent second set that echoed the band’s uniquely unhinged chemistry. Known for their creative peaks during these end-of-year residencies, Phish’s December 28th show didn’t just meet expectations—it gleefully danced past them.
This opening night at “The World’s Most Famous Arena” wasn’t about bombast or concept-heavy weirdness. Instead, the band seemed intent on grounding the crowd in the familiar while still stretching out sonically in all the right places. The show flowed like a reminder: Phish is always capable of reinvention, even while revisiting their most cherished repertoire.
SET ONE: A Balancing Act of Comfort and Crescendo
The night opened gently but deliberately with “Simple,” a song that has become something of a barometer for Phish’s mood on a given night. Here, it was warm and exploratory without being indulgent. The lyrics—”We’ve got it simple ‘cause we’ve got a band”—were sung with a bit of extra gusto, a fitting welcome to the MSG faithful who’d come from all corners of the country to celebrate another year of Phish.
“Free” came next, offering the night’s first real stretch as Mike Gordon leaned into his thick, rubbery bass lines, laying the foundation for a jam that swirled into minor-key terrain before snapping back with a triumphant Page McConnell organ build. It was tight, funky, and signaled that the band wasn’t just easing into the run—they were locked in from the start.
“Farmhouse” followed, offering a tender moment of repose. Trey Anastasio’s vocals were relaxed but sincere, and though it’s a divisive song among hardcore heads, the Garden crowd welcomed it like a familiar old friend.
From there, things shifted gears. “Poor Heart” brought the bluegrass thunder, with Fishman pounding away like a freight train while Trey’s solo danced in the rafters. Then came a thick, extra-funky “Tube,” whose crisp clavinet work and propulsive groove sparked the first genuine dance explosion of the night. Rather than meander, the band kept it concise and fiery.
“Kill Devil Falls” kept the momentum rolling with a soaring jam that built on Trey’s ascending riff-work and a tension-release payoff that sent the Garden into a frenzy. “Driver” cooled things down—introspective and quietly emotional—showcasing how this band can shift tones on a dime.
Then came “Reba.” The crowd erupted, as always, and while the jam was patient, delicate, and majestic, this particular rendition was notable for skipping the traditional whistling ending. No matter—the Garden didn’t need it. They were already lost in the glow of a perfectly executed build and release.
After “Oblivion,” the band pivoted into “Run Like an Antelope,” and here they reminded everyone exactly why MSG is sacred ground. The tempo was brisk, and the jam grew increasingly frenzied, feeding off the crowd’s energy before bursting into a cathartic peak. It was a vintage “Antelope,” and a perfect exclamation point to end the first set.
SET TWO: Momentum, Madness, and Mastery
If the first set was a well-structured warm-up filled with high points, the second was a masterclass in pacing and momentum. From the opening notes of “Back on the Train,” the audience sensed a shift. The version wasn’t especially long, but it was tight, clean, and soulful, setting the table for the sonic feast to come.
The segue into “Axilla (Part II)” ramped up the adrenaline. The crowd fed off the darker tone and snarling energy of the song’s back half, a section that has become a welcome live staple since its revival in recent years.
The first true jam vehicle of the set, “A Wave of Hope,” saw the band stretch their legs for real. What began as an uplifting anthem soon dissolved into murky textures and psychedelic swells. Page and Trey passed melodic ideas back and forth, each taking turns steering the jam into shimmering, ambient territory. It was exploratory, and at times haunting, but never lost its forward drive.
Phish followed that deep dive with a surprise bust-out: “Round Room.” Not played since 2016, the song arrived with zero warning, and the crowd reacted with audible disbelief. While it’s not the most jammed-out tune, its presence alone made for a highlight. Trey’s solo was soulful and wistful, and the band seemed to relish the moment of unexpected nostalgia.
Next came “I Always Wanted It This Way,” an otherworldly electro-Phish jam launched by Page’s synth-heavy vocals. The song morphed into an effects-laden dreamscape before giving way to “Twist,” where Trey slipped in a brief tease of War’s “Spill the Wine,” much to the delight of attentive listeners.
“The Mango Song” then emerged as a crisp palate cleanser, evoking a collective cheer with its playful lyrics and tight execution. Though it didn’t evolve into an extended jam, it was performed with polish and energy. The segue into “Blaze On” kicked off a tightly packed closing stretch that didn’t let up. Trey led the way with joyfully melodic riffing as the jam bopped along effortlessly into “Cavern,” which the band nailed with gusto.
Then came “David Bowie.” And oh, what a “Bowie” it was. Angular, dramatic, and ferociously played, this version pulsed with electricity. The tension built steadily and relentlessly, with Fishman anchoring the jam with precise drumming while Trey spun off high-octane runs. It was the kind of closer that made fans shake their heads in awe as the band nailed every twist and turn.
ENCORE: Reverent, Ridiculous, Rocking
The encore was as quintessentially Phish as it gets—unexpected, weird, and a bit of a party.
“Mountains in the Mist” opened the final segment with serene beauty. Trey’s vocals were heartfelt, and the lyrics resonated deeply as a reflective moment after the chaos of the second set. But the sentimentality didn’t last long.
From the mist emerged “Fuck Your Face,” a chaotic 38-second blast of punk-rock absurdity that only Phish could pull off with such conviction. The Garden exploded with laughter and cheers—it was pure MSG energy.
The encore wrapped with a fiery “46 Days,” one of the most reliable closers in the band’s arsenal. Trey dug deep, slashing through the solo with a fiery tone that left MSG fully spent, satisfied, and buzzing.
Reflections on Night One: A Promising Launchpad
The December 28 show was everything a New Year’s run opener should be: packed with surprises, expertly paced, emotionally varied, and loaded with musical muscle. It was a show that balanced old-school tightness with modern jamming instincts, never straying too far from structure but always hinting at the band’s capacity to blast off.
The highlights were numerous: the graceful surprise of “Round Room,” the psychedelic churn of “Wave of Hope,” the stormy “David Bowie,” and the Reba jam that shimmered with nostalgia. The setlist didn’t rely on wild gimmicks or deep teases—it relied on tight playing, strong song selection, and a crowd that knew every beat and lyric by heart.
As the first night of a four-show run, it felt like a declaration. Phish came to MSG not just to play another year-end stand, but to reaffirm why these New York shows matter. There’s a reason fans brave holiday travel, high ticket prices, and the bitter NYC cold to be here. Nights like this are why.
Phish’s 2025 New Year’s run was off to a dazzling start—and with three more shows to go, the only question left was: how much deeper would they go?
SET 1: Simple, Free, Farmhouse, Poor Heart, Tube, Kill Devil Falls, Driver, Reba[1], Oblivion > Run Like an Antelope
SET 2: Back on the Train, Axilla (Part II) > A Wave of Hope > Round Room, I Always Wanted It This Way > Twist > The Mango Song > Blaze On > Cavern > David Bowie
ENCORE: Mountains in the Mist, Fuck Your Face > 46 Days