FRIDAY 07/31/2026 FENWAY PARK Boston, MA Photos by A Rood Photography
Phish just finished one of their most epic runs in Madison Square Garden with a five show bonanza featuring nothing but material from the 1990s and before. That show capped off with a 1996 showcase, so there was wonderment in Boston as to whether or not the trend would continue. I had bet on a 30 min Pillowjets myself.
So when the show started with a spirited Carini I got curious and checked out the stats to see that song premiered in 1997? During Carini I was listening hard, and heard what I thought were suggestions of upcoming covers of Boston (Longtime) and Cream (Sunshine of Your Love) but I think now that just was my imagination running wild and reliving some Baker’s Dozens memories.
Thoughts of a 1997 concept were finished with the night’s second song Everything’s Right which is a song from 2017. This kind of took the pressure off as it was a quick answer that no, this would not be a continuation of the 1990s shows that had fans riveted in New York City.
The rest of the first set was super solid with a run of four songs that are Phish classics: Back on the Train, Free, Kill Devil Falls, Harry Hood. The Free in particular was very tight and made me reminiscent of the tour I did in 1995. At one point Trey expressed to the crowd how thankful and happy they were to be at Fenway, and asked us to imagine hitting a baseball from home plate over the iconic green monster.
The second set erased any notion of an old school set list with the What’s Going Through Your Mind opener which was jammy and led into Fuego. The big surprise of the night was the first Melt the Guns in over 2000 shows, last played by the band at Nectar’s in 1987. That song is an XTC cover, and featured a turn with Trey on his percussion mini kit, which Trey used several times throughout the show.
Set two closed with a jazzy, groovy Run Like an Antelope. After a short departure from the stage the band returned for a sweet and contemplative A Life Beyond the Dream. Thankfully they didn’t end with such tender energy, bringing the audience up for a spirited Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S. Hi Ho Hi Ho Hi Ho, indeed…
SETLIST: Soundcheck: My Soul, Funky Bitch
SET 1: Carini, Everything’s Right[1] -> Back on the Train, Free, Kill Devil Falls, Harry Hood
SET 2: What’s Going Through Your Mind[2] > Fuego > Melt the Guns[2], A Wave of Hope[2] > Golden Age -> Run Like an Antelope
ENCORE: A Life Beyond The Dream, Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.
[1] Unfinished.
[2] Trey on mini drum kit.
Trey teased Martian Monster in Free. Everything’s Right was unfinished. What’s Going Through Your Mind, the first Melt the Guns since April 29, 1987 (2,051 shows), and A Wave of Hope featured Trey on mini drum kit.
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