This was my eighth Phish show and my first New Year’s Eve show, and words can’t fully capture the experience, but I’ll do my best to convey it. Holy cow, what an unforgettable night! I arrived at Grand Central a little behind schedule, but no matter, I still made it to MSG in time for the start of the first set. Rumors had been swirling beforehand about whether Gamehendge would happen. The band hadn’t played any of the songs yet on this run, and whispers of people acting in a “performance” only fueled the speculation. But nothing was certain.

From my vantage point behind the stage, I arrived just in time for Everything’s Right, and off we went. The first set was rock solid, with standout versions of Reba and Taste that set the tone perfectly. The energy in the room was electric, everyone could feel something extraordinary was about to happen. The second set opened with Down with Disease, a pretty standard move, nothing unusual here. But then, wait… did I hear an “Oom Pa Pa”? Yes, it was Harpua, and suddenly it hit: Gamehendge is happening. That moment is one I’ll never forget.

The entire second set was pure magic and adrenaline. The stage transformed into a rhombus, and the story unfolded. Lizards emerged to dance, Tela flew through the air, and Colonel Forbin embarked on his perilous journey to save the lizards from Wilson. The Sloth attempted to serve justice to Wilson. Battles and Llamas raged on. The AC/DC Bag in this set was particularly meaty and an absolute highlight. Ending with Divided Sky, the set was pure musical bliss from start to finish. Set break flew by as everyone buzzed about what we had just witnessed.

The third set opened with McGrupp, and the highlight had to be the famous mockingbird soaring through the arena during The Famous Mockingbird—an absolutely unforgettable moment. As the clock struck midnight, it was officially New Year’s Eve, and the Gamehendge saga reached its fiery conclusion with Split Open and Melt. A strong You Enjoy Myself followed, and the encore capped off this legendary show perfectly.

This was, without a doubt, the best Phish show I’ve attended and quite possibly the greatest concert I’ve ever experienced. It’s the musical high I’ll be chasing for the rest of my life, the closest thing to a perfect Phish show I’ve ever witnessed. Thank you, Phish, and this incredible community for an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime New Year’s Eve experience and the perfect first year of Phish. This show was one for the ages.