Phish in Hampton


Phish in Hampton was a series of three consecutive Phish shows played in the Hampton Coliseum on March 6, 7, and 8th of 2009. These shows marked the first time the band had played together since their breakup in August 2004. It was estimated that just under 14,000 were in attendance at each of the three shows. Phish keyboardist, Page McConnell, commented on the excitement from the audience by saying, "The crowd was so loud I could not hear myself." Also, drummer, Jon Fishman, said, "Our band had driven itself into a ditch. We had to establish credibility with people again."

Background

, founded in Burlington, VT by Trey Anastasio, Page McConnell, Mike Gordon, and Jon Fishman, is a jam band known for its extensive jamming and musical fusion of different genres. Previous to the three shows played in Hampton, Phish hadn't performed live together since August 2004 at their concert festival Coventry located in Coventry, VT. Previous to the Coventry Festival, Phish had announced plans to break up. This proved to be temporary once Phish launched its reunion announcements in October 2008. It was said that the band decided to break up because they were "exhausted by touring and the strain of Anastasio's substance abuse." However, during the band's break, Trey's consistent problems with drugs and alcohol harmed him worse than he had expected. On December 16, 2006 Trey Anastasio was pulled over at 3:30 AM one night in Whitehall, NY for failing to keep right. He was found in possession of heroin and bottles of prescription painkillers bearing someone else's name and was sentenced to 14 months in the Washington County, New York drug court. After his time spent in drug court, Trey came out clean from drugs and alcohol. Then in 2008, the band decided to start organizing a series of reunion shows in Hampton.

Set lists

March 6, 2009

  1. Fluffhead
  2. Divided Sky
  3. Chalk Dust Torture
  4. Sample in a Jar
  5. Stash
  6. I Didn't Know
  7. The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony
  8. Suzy Greenberg
  9. Farmhouse
  10. NICU
  11. Horn
  12. Rift
  13. Train Song
  14. Water in the Sky
  15. The Squirming Coil
  16. David Bowie
  17. Backwards Down the Number Line
  18. Tweezer
  19. Taste
  20. Possum
  21. Theme From the Bottom
  22. First Tube
  23. Harry Hood
  24. Waste
  25. You Enjoy Myself
  26. Grind
  27. Bouncing Around the Room
  28. Loving Cup

    March 7, 2009

  29. Back on the Train
  30. Runaway Jim
  31. Brian and Robert
  32. Split Open and Melt
  33. Heavy Things
  34. Punch You in the Eye
  35. Gumbo
  36. Reba
  37. Mexican Cousin
  38. It's Ice
  39. Halley's Comet
  40. Beauty of a Broken Heart
  41. Guelah Papyrus
  42. Lawn Boy
  43. Run Like an Antelope
  44. Rock and Roll
  45. Limb by Limb
  46. Ghost
  47. Piper
  48. Birds of a Feather
  49. Wolfman's Brother
  50. Prince Caspian
  51. Mike's Song
  52. I Am Hydrogen
  53. Weekapaug Groove
  54. Character Zero
  55. A Day in the Life

    March 8, 2009

  56. Sanity
  57. Wilson
  58. Foam
  59. Bathtub Gin
  60. Undermind
  61. AC/DC Bag
  62. My Friend, My Friend
  63. Scent of a Mule
  64. All of These Dreams
  65. Maze
  66. She Thinks I Still Care
  67. Army of One
  68. Tube
  69. Cars Trucks Buses
  70. Free
  71. Frankenstein
  72. Down with Disease
  73. Seven Below
  74. The Horse
  75. Silent in the Morning
  76. Twist
  77. 2001
  78. The Moma Dance
  79. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
  80. Wading in the Velvet Sea
  81. Slave to the Traffic Light
  82. Happy Birthday to You
  83. Contact
  84. Bug
  85. Tweezer Reprise

    ''Joy''

Along with coordinating the three Hampton shows, Phish recorded its "comeback album", Joy, during April and May 2009, which showed all phans that they were back for good. Although Joy was not released until September 2009, Phish introduced the song "Backwards Down the Number Line", Joy's first track, by opening the second set on March 6 with it. The album received moderate reviews. Billboard magazine ranked Joy as an 83/100. Also, AllMusic gave the band's newest album 3 out of 5 stars.