Phish Golf To Benefit Fire Victims
The upcoming 10th Annual Runaway Open charity golf tournament will benefit Pasadena Rosebud Academy, a tuition-free, non-sectarian charter school serving Black and Hispanic K-8 students for 18 years, that burned down in January and is slowly rebuilding.
Recent wildfires in Southern California - principally the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire - completely destroyed a dozen schools. The Eaton Fire alone burned 9,000 buildings and 14,000 acres, killed 17 people, and destroyed three charter schools, each of which faces significant challenges. Some of those are receiving significant support, but Rosebud Academy is still struggling to meet it's initial GoFundMe request.
The Runaway Open's previous nine events have taken place in Nevada and Colorado. This year's event will be in the Burbank area, in conjunction with Phish's upcoming three performances at the Hollywood Bowl, and will take place at DeBell Golf Club, a lush and lovely escape from the city that's nonetheless only about 8 miles from the venue. We hope to see you there, and ask that you share the link (mbird.org/10RO) anywhere you can. We also invite interest from any businesses willing to donate any funds as a sponsor, or able to donate items for the gift bags or raffle.
SET 1: Backwards Down the Number Line [1], Free[1], Brian and Robert[1], Lost in the Pack[1], Turtle in the Clouds[1], Chalk Dust Torture[1], Water in the Sky[1], Corinna [2], Tube[1], Snowflakes in the Sand[1], Waste[1], NICU[1] > Cavern[1], Lifeboy[1], A Life Beyond The Dream[1], Divided Sky [3], Secret Smile[3], It's Ice[3], Dirt[3], Rift[3], Billy Breathes[3], You Enjoy Myself[3]
ENCORE: A Little More Time[1], Wilson[1], Fluffhead[3]
This entire show was performed by Trey solo acoustic except for Divided Sky through You Enjoy Myself and Fluffhead (all of which featured Jeff Tanski on piano) and featured the first Trey acoustic performance of Corinna.
SET 1: Theme From the Bottom [1], Blaze On[1], Evolve[1], Strange Design[1], All of These Dreams[1], What's Going Through Your Mind[1], Twist[1], Sample in a Jar[1], Gumbo[1], Maze[1], Kill Devil Falls[1], Let Me Lie[1], The Inlaw Josie Wales[1], Miss You[1], Mountains in the Mist[1], The Wedge[1], More[1], Possum [2], My Problem Right There[1], Reba [3], Guelah Papyrus [4], If I Could[4], Petrichor[4], Stash[4]
ENCORE: Bathtub Gin[1] > Carini[1], Slave to the Traffic Light[4], Tweezer Reprise[4]
This entire show was performed by Trey solo acoustic except for Reba through Stash, Slave to the Traffic Light, and Tweezer Reprise (all of which featured Jeff Tanski on piano). Trey quoted Don’t Come Around Here No More after Blaze On. In a nod to a story from earlier in the evening, Trey added "Jon Fishman" to the Possum lyrics. Reba did not contain whistling.
SET 1: If Again [1], Sample in a Jar[1], Back on the Train[1], Brian and Robert[1], Limb By Limb[1], Steam[1], Lost in the Pack[1], Waste[1], Farmhouse[1], Wolfman's Brother[1], Dirt[1], Driver[1], Backwards Down the Number Line[1] > Down with Disease[1] > The Lizards[1], More[1], Divided Sky [2], Horn[2], Ghosts of the Forest[2], Wading in the Velvet Sea[2], What's the Use?[2], Bouncing Around the Room[2], Harry Hood[2]
ENCORE: 6 1/2 Minutes [1], Fluffhead[2], Wilson[2]
This entire show was performed by Trey solo acoustic except for Divided Sky through Harry Hood, Fluffhead, and Wilson (all of which featured Jeff Tanski on piano).
SET 1: If I Could See the World [1], Theme From the Bottom [2], Evolve[2], Water in the Sky[2], The Inlaw Josie Wales[2], Twist[2], Roll Like a River[2], Blaze On[2], Snowflakes in the Sand[2], Heavy Things[2], Strange Design[2], Summer of '89[2], Turtle in the Clouds[2], AC/DC Bag[2] > Possum[2], Waste[2], Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.[2], Pebbles and Marbles [3], Petrichor[3], Bug[3], Sand[3], Drift While You're Sleeping[3]
ENCORE: Bathtub Gin[2], Chalk Dust Torture[2], You Enjoy Myself[3]
This entire show was performed by Trey solo acoustic except for Pebbles and Marbles through Drift While You're Sleeping and You Enjoy Myself (all of which featured Jeff Tanski on piano) and featured the first Trey acoustic performance of If I Could See the World. Trey teased San-Ho-Zay in Chalk Dust Torture.
The 10th Annual Runaway Open Is On!
This year's charity golf tournament by the Mockingbird Foundation will be April 27 at the woodsy DeBell Golf Club in Burbank, less than 9 miles from the Hollywood Bowl.
As always, we'll play a modified shamble, with coffee to start, a schwag bag at check-in, lunch and a drink ticket on the turn, and an on-going raffle throughout. This year, the outing will be straight tee times (7-10am) to accomodate player prefences from hitting at 7 to sleeping until 9.
Registration is now open, we hope to see many of you there, and we hope those who can't come might at least share the link with others: https://donate.mbird.org/event.jsp?event=30 (This shortcut works everywhere but Facebook: mbird.org/10RO) Early-bird registration pricing ends March 15th.
PHISH TRIBUTE BAND REPRISE TO PLAY BROOKLYN BOWL SATURDAY MARCH 8
[Phish cover band Reprise is playing Brooklyn Bowl for the first time on Saturday, March 8, reprising 12/30/97, and I wanted to "interview" Reprise's co-manager, RJ Bee, for the first time as well. RJ not only volunteers to help run this blog, but also co-founded Osiris Media in 2018 with Tom Marshall and the Helping Friendly Podcast in 2013 with Brian Brinkman, Megan Glionna and Jonathan Hart. -Charlie]
CD: When was your first show?
RJ: The Palace, 10/28/95!
CD: Noob. No seriously when was your first show?
RJ: Hey man, I was born in the 70s! Doesn't that make me a vet? But seriously I was 16 and wish I had seen them earlier, so as not to have perma-noob status.
CD: When did you first hear about Reprise? Who are they and when did they begin playing? Is there a list online of what shows they've performed to date?
RJ: Tom and I asked Cal Kehoe (guitarist for Reprise) to bring together a group of musicians to create a set of Phish Fall '97 music for our Undermine Fall '97 live event. This was at Ardmore Music Hall, a few minutes from my house, and Cal brought Chris DeAngelis (bass), Adrian Tramontano (drums), and Kiran Edwards (keys) to play. Keyboardist Scott Chasolen, our vocalist / keys player now, sat in on that gig.
Icymi: Phish Announces Summer Tour 2025
PHISH announced their summer tour earlier this week. They will be playing 23 dates beginning with three shows at the SNHU Arena in Manchester, NH, Friday, June 20 through Sunday, June 22, and concluding with three shows at SPAC on July 25-27. As you have undoubtedly heard by now, there will be no shows at Dick's over Labor Day weekend, but there will be three shows at Folsom Field in Boulder over the July 4 holiday weekend. The Phish ticket request period is open until this Monday at noon et. Public onsale begins Friday, February 28 at 10am et.
Summer Terr Dates
June 20, 21, 22 SNHU Arena, Manchester, NH
June 24 Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh, PA
June 27 + 28 Moody Center, Austin, TX
July 3, 4, 5 Folsom Field, Boulder, CO
July 9 Schottenstein Center, Columbus, OH
July 11, 12, 13 North Charleston Coliseum, North Charleston, SC
July 15 + 16 TD Pavilion at the Mann, Philadelphia, PA
July 18, 19, 20 United Center, Chicago, IL
July 22 + 23 Forest Hills Stadium, Forest Hills, NY
July 25, 26, 27 Broadview Stage at SPAC, Saratoga Springs, NY
REMEMBERING HARRIS WITTELS
Legendary comedian, writer, producer, actor and Phish fan Harris Wittels died ten years ago today.
An In Memoriam piece about Harris written by Nathan Rabin was published on this blog ten years ago, and we encourage you to read it. Much love to Harris's friends and family members.
MEXICO4 RECAP: WHEN THE STARS ALIGN
[We would like to thank Matt Schrag aka @kipmat for recapping last night's show, and for doing so well in the Phish Trivia event at the lobby bar on Frday. -Ed.]
Backstory: on Wednesday, Charlie Dirksen sent an email to the recap mailing list, saying there was still a need for someone to volunteer to recap Saturday’s show for the phish.net blog. I responded to Charlie’s email the following afternoon, letting him know that I was in Mexico for the run, and would be available to write the recap for Saturday’s show. I carried on with our getaway vacation for two days; then I happened to check my email before I entered the venue for Saturday’s show, and saw a response from Charlie which essentially said, “You’re on, thank you!” And then midway through the first set, my lower legs and feet decided they’d had enough of dancing on sand that’s been pounded flat from three nights of raging. So there I was, at a Phish show, in a tropical paradise far away from home, and all I felt like doing is sitting down on the ground and typing into my phone. What a n00b.
That’s why I’m your late sub recapper for Mexico N4. Caveat emptor: please disregard anything in this recap that might sound less than enthusiastic. Believe me when I say that I’m happy and feel lucky to have been here for this show.
Phish took the stage shortly before sunset, and there are few songs that evoke the warmth of a daytime show like "Bathtub Gin." This version was patient and pleasant, not too adventurous, but a happy acknowledgment that we really were all here, together. The celebratory vibe continued with "Soul Shakedown Party," not played since the beach shows at Atlantic City in 2021, and a complete surprise to anyone who had not caught Tuesday’s soundcheck. This version managed to stretch into a nice jam, with Trey and Mike showing off their various effects, although not in a dub reggae style, just messing around.
MEXICO3 RECAP: WORST VACATION EVER: A VERMONT COLLEGE PARTY CULT TAKE OVER DURING MY TRIP TO CANCUN. 1/5 STARS - TRIPADVISOR.COM
[We would like to thank Tim Davis, Pinnacle Ventures - Room 2296 for recapping last night's show. -Ed.]
I don’t ever do this- but my stay at the Moon Palace Resort this weekend was one of the WORST experiences of my life. My idea of a relaxing vacation does not include dreadlocks, drugs or 5000 dissociating hippies dancing outside of my hotel room until 4 in the morning. Here’s how the perfect week can be completely destroyed by a band from Vermont, and their cult-like followers.
MEXICO2 RECAP: WE CAN FEEL GOOD ABOUT RED WORMS
While last night might have been Phish’s first January 30th performance in their career, this is Phish’s 8th year playing Mexico and their 5th at the Moon Palace, playing here every year since 2020 other than the 2021 Covid break. Perhaps due to that repetition, this year’s attendance has felt lighter.
The Moon Palace is divided into 3 areas: Sunrise, Nizuc, and the more exclusive Grand that is walled off from the rest of the resort. While past years have had so much interest that Phish have had overflow attendees staying in the other local Palace resorts (Beach Palace, Sun Palace) and shuttled in, this year didn’t have that. Not only that, but there have been reports both anecdotal and via observation that people who had Nizuc reservations have been largely moved to Sunrise. Between my morning runs around the property where the balcony decorations drop off dramatically once you dip south of Sunrise, the massive increase of people without the Phish wristbands, and the direct report of at least one person to me that they’ve been moved, there does seem to be truth to this. The crowd does feels smaller this year and that has pros and cons.
MEXICO1 RECAP: GROOVE WITH A TWIST
[This recap is courtesy of user @KellyNicu, thank you Kelly! -Ed.]
Trey welcomed us to another beautiful first night in Mexico with a simple hello and a modest nod to the crowd before launching into the appropriately chosen “Sand," which was certainly as tight as ever. They continued with a couple more beachy songs, “Theme From the Bottom” and and “Free."
New Mbird.org Website
We're thrilled to be launching a completely redesigned website for the all-volunteer Mockingbird Foundation, thanks to the immense and amazing efforts of Marc Oldham, plus a radical custom plugin from Kathleen Glackin that makes exploring past grants both a breeze and a joy. Dive in, dig in, and dig it!
GOING TO MEXICO?
[We'd like to thank user @PaulJ (Paul Jakus) for this post. —Ed.]
While going through the raw show ratings data file a few weeks ago, I noticed an interesting pattern: fewer .Netters rate shows in Mexico than they do shows in the U.S.
I’d aggregated the number of ratings by week, and then graphed these totals over time:
Phish Announces Spring 2025 Tour
PHISH will be playing an eight-show West Coast Spring Tour in April: two shows at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on April 18 and 19, a show in Portland, OR, on four twenty at the Moda Center (their first Portland show since Portland Meadows more than 25 years ago), two shows at the Bill Graham Civic Aud in SF on April 22 and 23, and then THREE (3) shows at the Hollywood Bowl on April 25, 26 and 27.
The Phishtickets request period is underway now at https://tickets.phish.com and ends on Monday, Feb. 3, at noon et. Public onsale begins Friday, Feb. 7 at 1pm et, 10am pt, and ends at 1:01pm et, 10:01am pt.
"In conjunction with their return to the Hollywood Bowl, Phish will donate $300,000 to support relief and rebuilding efforts for communities affected by the devastating Southern California wildfires through the band’s non-profit The WaterWheel Foundation."
For more information, visit https://phish.com/news/phish-2025-spring-tour-announced/.
THE 9 & 30 CLUB?
Nine days ago, the all-volunteer Mockingbird Foundation announced its 30th set of unsolicited Tour Grants.
Nine days from now, initial funding inquiries close for Mockingbird's 30th round of competitive grants.
Nine months from now, Mockingbird begins its 30th year, having started in October 1996 discussions.
And, if you round up (to include the 4/20 Fuego), there were nine Phish jams in 2024 that were 30 minutes or longer. It's as if.. they knew today was coming!
2024 MSG4 RECAP: EVOLUTION: THE ULTIMATE PHISH REMIX
[We would like to thank Megan Glionna (@meganglionna) aka @the_megan_dance (X/twitter) for recapping last night's show. -Ed.]
Achievement means accomplishing something successfully using effort, skill or courage. Artistic achievement on a large scale for a long time requires so much, but more than anything it requires courage. The courage to try something new even when you have found what works. On the Helping Friendly Podcast this year we analyzed and ranked the Top 25 Phish Tours of all time and the recurring theme was the relentless pursuit of evolution, even in moments of wild, peaking success. This year’s New Year’s Eve gag was just that. Another push towards the future. Another courageous swing at-bat after a winning season. The pursuit of evolution is the defining feature of the Phish from Vermont. And why last night’s show was a triumph.
2024 MSG3 RECAP: THE THIRTIETH AT THIRTY
[We would like to thank @Jeremy8698 for writing this recap. -Ed.]
The 12/30 slot of a YEMSG run annually begs an interesting hypothesis: Will the band meet the exalted expectations of its demanding phans? The question is one asked at every show but, on this night, where the band has usually stretched its legs for jam-chartered versions of epic songs, odd bust-outs, and extra spicy playing, it takes on a heightened level of giddiness.
An English Horn For Albany
In celebration of Phish’s upcoming 3-show run in Albany (October 25, 26, & 27), the all-volunteer and fan-run Mockingbird Foundation has announced that it is sending an unsolicited $3,000 Tour Grant to the City School District of Albany's Fine Arts Department, for purchase of an English Horn and related supplies, such as reeds.
This is Mockingbird's 219th Tour Grant, and the 29th instance of unsolicited Tour Grants, an effort that now totals $291,000, which is 11% of all disbursements made by the foundation. These grants are part of a long-standing effort to help support music education in the local communities which have welcomed and hosted the Phish community for the band's performances.
Phish.net
The Mockingbird Foundation