It’s Saturday, the 20th of April, and the eyes of the music world are on Las Vegas, Nevada, because Phish are here to play at Sphere. It’s the most cutting-edge new venue in the world, and the rock ‘n’ roll troubadours from Vermont are only the second band to play it, following U2‘s opening 40-show residency. With what’s billed as the world’s largest LED screen practically surrounding the entire $2.3 billion domed arena, artists and audiences can be immersed in a panorama of psychedelic eye candy. The concept seems to promise to take the concert experience to a more multi-dimensional realm, along with state-of-the-art sound from every seat in the house.
Phish are only playing four shows, though, so ticket demand has reached unprecedented heights due to the hype surrounding Sphere and the fact that these are the only shows west of Denver on Phish’s current schedule for 2024. There’s a World Series/NBA Finals type of vibe with the aftermarket ticket prices and anticipation of playoff-level performances. Many who would typically be all-in for the whole run say they’re ready to be content if they can get in for one or two nights.
Can rock music still impact society in an era where commodification reigns? Some skeptics will claim that day is past, yet many true believers will still testify. The power of “three chords and the truth” remains ever-potent as a cultural catalyst, as U2’s Bono once suggested. Phish have been altering lives for more than four decades with their uncanny talent for jamming into uncharted sonic landscapes. These jams can generate uplifting emotions listeners didn’t even realize existed, making the quartet a metaphysical phenomenon unto themselves.
Phish have also been cranking out excellent new material over the past decade with a spiritual vibe that helps point the way toward a better future. Isn’t that what made the rock ‘n’ roll counterculture so compelling in the 1960s, so much so that the movement frightened Uncle Sam into a vicious crackdown on the New Left? John Lennon nailed it in 1968 when he honestly wondered what the world’s leaders were trying to accomplish, and his question remains as relevant as ever here in this foul year of our lord 2024.
There’s a welcoming retro-futuristic vibe from when fans enter Sphere to be greeted by a statue of Gort, the extraterrestrial robot from the 1951 sci-fi classic The Day the Earth Stood Still. A plaque describes Gort as “an early yet impressive interpretation of how science would affect humanity in the future…” The film still resonates in zeitgeisty fashion, with Gort and his ET cohort Klaatu coming to Earth to warn us that the more evolved galactic community isn’t going to tolerate humanity developing atomic-powered spaceships to bring our warmongering ways to other worlds that have evolved past the concept of war.
NASA sent a golden record into space on the Voyager mission in the 1970s with recordings of seminal sounds from human history, including Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” to represent American rock ‘n’ roll. Sticking with a musical message probably remains humanity’s best bet for winning over Earth’s ET visitors. The members of Phish even served as human vehicles for ET superheroes known as the “Sci Fi Soldiers”, who traveled back in time from the year 4680 to Las Vegas on Halloween 2021. The Sci Fi Soldiers used music to alter how people think and thus saved the world from a looming environmental disaster on that momentous evening.
If Earth’s current visitors want to glimpse where humanity’s musical and artistic development is headed, catching Phish at Sphere might be the ticket. Seeing Phish in Vegas has always felt like chasing down the American Dream and catching it for a weekend, with the band upping the ante on nearly every visit to town since their sensational 1996 debut at the Aladdin. Phish’s legendary Vegas runs typically leave fans feeling like anything is possible and that we, the people, can still rise to defeat the forces of Old and Evil.
The first night’s show on Thursday received mixed reviews from the webcast audience since the webcast didn’t do a great job of displaying the venue’s uniquely immersive visuals. Those present gave the show high marks, though, with most observers liking Friday’s show even better. The webcast did a better job of using wider shots to capture the visuals. Meanwhile, Phish seemed to grow more comfortable with Sphere as attendees raved about moments such as the immersive underwater world conjured on “Theme from the Bottom”. However, the consensus seems to be that no webcast can capture the experience of seeing a show at Sphere.
A surprise treat appears with Sierra Nevada Brewing’s ”Foam” pilsner available at the bar, an auspicious sign since the beer made its debut appearance at Phish’s Festival 8 event in Indio, California, in 2009. “Set Your Soul Free” kicks off the show with a welcoming vibe as Anastasio sings, “We’re all here together in a spirit family.” Phish rock out on “Tube” and “Stash”, with the visuals presented coming from more of an abstract psychedelia.
The set shifts into a higher dimension on “Pillow Jets”, a new tune debuted in 2023. Phish soon catche a solid groove on the melodic mid-tempo number while fans gaze in awe as immersive visuals appear in the form of a psychedelic forest that seems like it could be from another planet. It’s like the stage is traversing a trail through the forest, leading fans on a “Choose Your Own Adventure” trip through a magical landscape that grows increasingly alluring with changes in colors and more trees morphing in and out like fireworks.
An obscure new song seems to be growing into a fan favorite before our eyes here at Sphere. It’s not just due to the dazzling imagery, though, but also because Phish are really connecting on a gorgeous jam as guitarist Trey Anastasio and keyboardist Page McConnell weave seamless melodies to get the group’s “hose” flowing. It’s a genuinely sensational moment, but it’s Phish’s ability to rise to the moment with their fluid jamming that really makes it work like magic.
The bluesy “Steam” features some steamy visuals and a coveted “Manteca” tease from Anastasio and bassist Mike Gordon that could bring the house down if they wanted to follow through. But one senses that they almost feel like doing so would be too easy. “Mountains of the Mist” is one of Phish’s ballads that nearly everyone seems to appreciate, with a misty mountain range appearing here to enhance the contemplative, mystical vibe.
Another creative triumph occurs when images of characters drawn by longtime band artist Jim Pollock for the Live Phish archival release series are used as the backdrop for a hot jam on “Taste”. The images build on top of each other, forming what seems like a sonic temple carved with Pollock hieroglyphics and Phish playing inside it like shamans.
The “Pillow Jets” jam is the talk of the set break, a unanimous peak moment that suggests Phish are still just scratching the surface of Sphere’s immense creative potential. In an interview with the Associated Press, Anastasio indicated that adding more shows on this run was briefly considered since the tickets sold out so fast. However, they concluded that doing so would be too challenging for the band’s creative team to make each show unique due to the amount of time and energy needed to fashion different visuals for each song. The “Pillow Jets” forest jam reveals this truth while also hinting at that greater future potential.
The second set opens dazzlingly as “Sigma Oasis” is accompanied by a colorful cloudscape. It feels like the audience has suddenly been teleported to the Cloud City of Bespin, where Han Solo pilots the Millenium Falcon to seek aid from Lando Calrissian in The Empire Strikes Back. The effect is nothing short of intoxicating, with Anastasio singing, “You’re finally weightless, so take to the air, Sigma Oasis, you’re already there…” It’s easy to feel like one is floating here, with Sphere’s tiered seating that gives everyone a clear sightline and sense of being up above the clouds.
Phish build the energy with a deep jam on “Fuego”, a fierce rocker that receives some extra gas on the grill here. Drummer Jon Fishman puts on a masterclass as the quartet shift modes through an adventurous jam that moves into a groovier realm, with silhouettes of the members appearing as shadow figures in a fiery landscape. They are really cooking now on one of the deepest forays ever on “Fuego”, clocking in around 29 glorious minutes.
There have been no covers until “Golden Age” from TV on the Radio appears, an inspiring song that Phish has made their own since 2011. The lyrics about a golden age of miracles and sound feel fitting here, with Sphere representing a step forward in modern technology. During “Twist”, multi-colored letters tumble through red circles to provide fitting imagery for a song with lyrics about “moving letters all around and substituting every sound”. A funky jam is enhanced by sparkly colors morphing in and out, providing a very psychedelic backdrop.
“I Am Hydrogen” is a surprise treat as a melodic interlude that normally serves as a bridge between two other songs played on Thursday, but it appears by itself here apparently for the first time since 1987. This time it’s a prelude to more rocking out on the classic “Chalkdust Torture” and “Say It to Me S.A.N.T.O.S.”, a song debuted in Vegas on Halloween 2018 that’s since been elevated to climactic status.
“A Life Beyond the Dream” provides a heartfelt ballad of spiritual encouragement before Phish crank it all the way back up on “Tweezer Reprise”. That concludes the fan favorite that had puzzled a number of fans on Thursday who didn’t grasp why Phish were using cars as a visual theme for a song that can best be summed up as a “jam vehicle”. Here, they seem to drive the point home by using flying cars that look like the ones piloted by the Men in Black.
The Rolling Stones’ “Jumping Jack Flash” plays on the PA as the lights come up, revealing the loose theme for the run with tonight’s “gas” show following “solid” on Thursday and “liquid” on Friday. Exiting Sphere, there’s a triumphant playoff atmosphere with boisterous fans coming down the escalators cheering in unison, similar to how sports fans enthusiastically exit an arena or stadium after a big postseason victory. Phish have scored a big win in the big game.
Sunday, 21 April
Twenty-four hours later, Phish are heavily favored to sweep the four-game series. The funky “Plasma” opens the show to set the thematic tone, followed by a heartwarming performance of the new single “Evolve”. Like “Pillow Jets”, the upbeat tune has been played just a handful of times but receives a tight performance here with a beautiful luminescent backdrop. It feels fitting with how the concert experience is evolving at Sphere, as Phish take “Evolve” for a soul-soothing ride that feels transcendent in its simplicity thanks to the infectious melodies and big-picture lyrics.
Longtime fan favorite “Ghost” is enhanced with unique visuals in the form of three giant robots that hover over the stage. Soon, there’s just one robot who looks like The Iron Giant, and he seems mesmerized by the Phish, with Gordon getting the groove flowing. The classic “Divided Sky” receives majestic visuals with fluffy clouds that make it feel like being outside. Is Sphere also cranking the air conditioning during songs like “Divided Sky” to create a breeze effect? Maybe so, maybe not. Either way, the air in the venue is clean and crisp, a most welcome upgrade from the thin, smokey air fans had to tolerate to the detriment of their health at the band’s most recent Vegas runs at the now-outdated MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Phish save plenty of energy for the weekend’s final set, going large for Sunday Funday. The new “Oblivion” features a rocking jam and linear visual patterns that make it seem like the band is working through some kind of scientific equation. Then it’s off to the races on “Down with Disease”, the anthemic jam vehicle that received a glorious 23-minute jam to open the new millennium at Phish’s legendary show before 80,000 revelers on 31 December 1999 at the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation in the Everglades. This Sphere performance becomes a keeper, too, with cascading psychedelic shapes and colors enhancing an extended jam of triumphant sonic bliss that clocks in at 34 minutes, which seems to go by much quicker.
The contemplative “Beneath a Sea of Stars” brings the tempo down, but it’s another magic moment with a projection of a sky full of stars that again makes it feel like being outside. When Trey sings, “We’re all here together, and we’re free of time, dancing in a dream beneath a sea of stars,” it’s like visiting a heavenly realm with angelic jazzy jamming. The vibe surges again with the cosmic funk of “2001”, a sonic slam dunk that ignites the audience under a groove for a get-down of intergalactic proportions. It’s an iconic jam that could seemingly unite worlds if only all lifeforms in all lifestyles could receive the message on the same wavelength. Colorful visuals enhance the cosmic dance party, making it feel like Phish are connecting with the universe.
Phish at Sphere is like a sonic jackpot with all the bells and whistles that keep paying out: a 22-minute jam on “Light” with alluring psychedelia, which makes the song seem like it was destined for Sphere; a sizzling “Piper” with the band throwing down hard as the circular jam peaks for a soaring climax; and an electrifying “First Tube” accompanied by a mesmerizing vortex visual. It’s like a wormhole that seems to open a portal to another dimension, where mastery of the tone sciences generates peace and harmony for all as the cosmic cowboys ride off into the sunset.
Phish receive a rousing ovation at the end of the nearly two-hour second set, one of their longest in recent memory. “More” is a fitting choice in the encore slot, with lyrics about “vibrating with love and light” describing the entire weekend at Sphere. The anthemic song also speaks to the rock ‘n’ roll counterculture’s ongoing efforts since the 1960s to generate a higher vibration to help transcend a “world gone mad, because there must be something more than this…” It goes back to that sentiment John Lennon expressed in 1968, wondering what the world’s governments think they’re trying to do with all the endless warfare, insane nuclear sword rattling, and greedy resource hoarding that plague Earth due to humanity’s insufficient spiritual evolution.
“More” generates a triumphant peak moment that often ends Phish shows, but it’s Vegas, so the band double down with their classic “Slave to the Traffic Light” for one more heady jam. Anastasio speaks of hoping they can return to Sphere, and there’s little doubt this will occur, with the rumor mill already buzzing for a 2025 Halloween run.
It will be tough for any group to top what Phish have done here at Sphere. However, Dead & Company are coming in next with no shortage of psychedelic icons and imagery at their fingertips as the original pioneers of the psychedelic rock counterculture. Whether pop stars and bands that play the same set every night can deliver the same level of immersive performances remains to be seen. Still, the possibilities are endless for any arena-level artist with the ambition to take their show to the next level.