Trey Anastasio is a Jedi

Being a bachelor this week, I had the rare opportunity of enjoying the webcast(s) of the Phish shows at the nTelos Pavilion in Portsmouth, VA and enjoy being on couch tour from the comfort of my home.... 

The first set on 06/19 was fairly straightforward with a great extended jam during "Bathtub Gin." Things took a strange and often hilarious turn after the band took center stage for "I Didn't Know,"when Trey encouraged Fishman to tuck his dress into his underwear.  The 'tucking' incident set up a crazy second set that included many 'tucking' references and a 'tucking contest' late in the evening during "Lengthwise."  Sometime during the 'tucking contest' Trey emerged with a lightsaber from the crowd, channeled his inner-Jimmy Page and the band ripped into a blistering version of "Maze" complete with tapped harmonics with the Jedi's weapon of choice.


While Tuesday night's show will not be remembered for the "perfect setlist" or even the tightest the band has played in the 3.0 era, it was a lot of fun to witness and the reason I love this band so very much!

-Will Fisher, The Showbiz Kids

Setlist courtesy of Phish.net:

Set 1: Sample in a Jar, Party Time[1], Simple > Axilla, Tube, Kill Devil Falls, Water in the Sky > Horn, Babylon Baby, Bathtub Gin > Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan, I Didn't Know[2] > Run Like an Antelope[3]

Set 2: Back on the Train > Rift, Split Open and Melt[4] > The Mango Song > Backwards Down the Number Line[5], Limb By Limb, Shine a Light, Lengthwise[6] -> Maze[7], Cavern > Fire[8]

Encore: Mexican Cousin > Slave to the Traffic Light

[1] Carl "Geerz" Gerhard on trumpet.

[2] Trey requested that Fish tuck in his shirt; Fish complied.

[3] Alternate lyrics: "Tuck, tuck, tuck, tuck" and "Tuck in your dress man, you're out of control!"

[4] Alternate lyric: "Split open and tuck!"

[5] DEG tease from Trey.

[6] Alternate lyrics "When you're tucked, I sleep lengthwise."

[7] Included Trey playing his guitar with his light saber.

[8] Alternate lyric: "Let the Tucker take over!"

Notes: Carl "Geerz" Gerhard sat in on trumpet for Party Time. Trey introduced Gerhard as having come to the School of Phish in 1991 and talked about Gerhard's teaching career in the Armed Services. Trey acknowledged the crowd's request by playing Tube. During I Didn't Know, Trey said that they took Fishman on the road in 1983 and he went to the Phish School of Music, adding that he was now the executive officer of the "Air Force." Trey said he didn't think Fishman should be representing the vacuum cleaners without tucking in his shirt (a.k.a. Fish's dress) and asked him to do so (Fishman complied). Antelope included alternate lyrics "Been you to tuck in your dress, man?" "Tuck, tuck, tuck, tuck" and "Tuck in your dress man, you're out of control!" Trey also said that for 30 years, Fish has been leaving his dress un-tucked and told everybody to tuck in their dresses. Mike, Trey, and Page tucked in their shirts before the set break bow. Split Open and Melt included the alternate lyrics "Split open and tuck!" Backwards Down the Number Line contained a DEG tease from Trey. Lengthwise contained alternate lyrics "When you're tucked, I sleep lengthwise," Trey wielding a light saber, and an invitation for audience members to appear on stage and tuck. The audience was subsequently called out by Fishman and Trey, in part being told "You suck at tucking" over the Maze intro. Maze included Trey playing his guitar with his light saber. Fire contained the alternate lyrics "Let the Tucker take over!" Mike and Trey sported sombreros for Mexican Cousin.