Phish Surprises Fans With Rare Cover Songs
Phish fans have come to expect the unexpected from
their beloved Vermont foursome, and Saturday night, the packed
crowd at Wisconsin’s Alpine Valley Music Theater
received a pair of truly rare treats.
Walking onstage around 9 p.m. (EDT), the funky bunch, led by a
smiling Trey Anastasio, broke into a rapid-fire
version of Led Zeppelin’s “Ramble On,” a first for
Phish. Many in the audience danced and sang along in amazement, but
little did they know that song wouldn’t be the final surprise of
the night.
After playing two full sets of favorites like “Mike’s Song,”
“Esther,” “Tweezer,” “Wilson,” “Fluffhead” and “Chalkdust Torture,”
Phish re-emerged for a well-deserved encore. Once again tossing the
eager crowd a bone, Mike Gordon threw his bass
into overdrive as fans recognized the familiar licks of
Jane’s Addiction‘s “Been Caught Stealing,” another
Phish first.
In addition, JAMTV and
the Rolling Stone Network brought the show to
Phish fans worldwide through the only live webcast on this tour.
More than 20,000 fans logged on from as close as Chicago and as far
away as Australia and France to catch three hours of streaming
audio and video.
Phish is currently in the middle of its annual summer tour,
which will conclude with a two-day free-for-all at the
Lemonwheel on Aug. 15 and 16 in Limestone, Maine.
The band also just announced dates for its fall tour. That run will
begin on Oct. 29 in Los Angeles and will include a two-night
Halloween fiesta at the Thomas & Mack center
in Las Vegas and a three-night stint at the UIC
Pavilion in Chicago Nov. 7-9. For complete fall tour dates
and mail order information, head to the official Phish website.