Phish Rocks Fenway Park

Sunday evening started like any other evening game at Boston’s Fenway Park. The sold-out crowd respectfully removed hats as four musicians clad in Red Sox jerseys approached the pitcher’s mound to sing the “Star Spangled Banner.” That’s where the similarities end. The Boston Red Sox – away on a three-game road trip – were nowhere to be found. And the four singers – Trey Anastasio, Jon Fishman, Mike Gordon, and Page McConnell, better known as Phish – made their way to a giant stage in the outfield before the storied Green Monster for their first-ever performance at Fenway.

The May 31st show was historic not just because it was the band’s first visit to Fenway; other than three reunion concerts this March in Hampton, Virginia, it was the first night of Phish’s first tour since their “final” show in Coventry, Vermont in August 2004. The air was full of anticipation as concert-goers filed past posters of Ted Williams and David Ortiz. Would fans receive them well after nearly five years off? Would the concert be characterized by long sets and extended jams like pre-Coventry Phish shows? And, simply, would the performance live up to legendary Phish spectacles of yore?

The answers: yes, yes, and yes. From the first words of the national anthem and the first set opener “Sample In a Jar,” the crowd cheered appreciatively and enthusiastically. Meanwhile, if it was long jams you came for, you found them in the second set when the band played 7 songs – averaging 12 minutes per song. As to whether the show lived up to the good ol’ days, well, according to this writer, it did. Both the band and the audience were dancing, smiling, and engaged. The band played for nearly 4 hours, taking a short break halfway through. They introduced three never-played-before numbers, including “Time Turns Elastic” from Anastasio’s new solo album. They dusted off old classics like “You Enjoy Myself” and “David Bowie” – but, on the other hand, having toured unflaggingly for over 20 years and playing all of their songs hundreds of times, it didn’t really seem like there was much dust or rust to wipe off despite the hiatus.

There were some noticeable differences between Sunday’s performance and past Phish shows. One was in the appearance of the crowd. You didn’t need quilted pants and dreadlocks to fit in with Sunday’s crowd. Clean T-shirts, khaki shorts, and Red Sox caps seemed the attire of the day, and the clean-cut, clean-shaven – the operative word here seems to be “clean” – appearances weren’t really reminiscent of Phish days gone past. Also, the band didn’t say any words addressing the audience – no thanks for coming, or we’ll be back after a short break. Band members did take moments to share words and grins with each other, but didn’t openly address the crowd.

Still, the interaction between performer and audience that makes a Phish show a Phish show were evident. Members of the audience knew every word to every song except for the very newest and sang along enthusiastically. And take, for example, a moment early in the show when the sun came out and a rainbow replaced the rain that had doused the crowd just moments before showtime. Looking around at the crowd gathered at one of America’s most storied ballparks, Anastasio flashed a giant grin and played the first few notes to “Take Me Out the Ballgame.” Phish fans, take note: the boys of summer are back.