The dueling drummers settled into some rich riffs before latching onto the surprising “Undermind.” As the song descended from its summit, the band’s swift crew rolled out an extra drumset and out came a be-goggled Billy Kreutzmann, the rhythmic backbone of the Grateful Dead.

“YEM” wasn’t the over-the-top, epic blast of years past, but it was just as stately and elegantly funky. It’s a deliberate and sometimes dramatic tact for Anastasio and - as we saw Sunday night - it’s allowing him to burrow into places he’s never been. It’s a new Trey Anastasio that’s pioneering that patient, sublime approach, taking his time and really listening to what Gordon, McConnell and drummer Jon Fishman can build. The band seemed happy to just play with patience, waiting for something shiny to appear in their intricate probing of each tune.

The first set reflected the theme of the previous night’s show, with the band playing tight and - aside from “Reba” - keeping the off-piste meandering to a minimum. The dozen-tune first set was crowded with variety, with a tender ballad “Waste,” and two recent compositions, Page McConnell’s stirringly sad “Beauty of a Broken Heart” and Mike Gordon’s “Sugar Shack” sandwiching a stomping “Sample in a Jar.” The new bluesy “Kill Devil Falls” closed a dense first set with an intricate stroll that showed a band willing to mine its newest creations for unknown treasures. The first-set “Reba” went places never before seen. Surprises like that ruled the night, with the most ornate, challenging jamming emerging in the strangest corners. And just like Saturday’s “Rock and Roll,” the typically staid “Boogie” became a flume for a rich jam that eventually carried zero similarities to Stevie Wonder’s poppy funk. With the pressure waning, Phish seemed relaxed and poised for down-and-dirty exploration as they tore into “Boogie on Reggae Woman” to start the second set, its third consecutive second-half kick-off cover. Phish capped its now officially historic four-night stand at Red Rocks Sunday with a flourishing, monster second set that served as a fitting kicker for a run that revealed a newer, stronger and more curious than ever band. Trey Anastasio and Phish wrapped up their epic Red Rocks series with a jam-heavy series of songs that threw a few curve balls at the crowd. Wednesday, September 6th 2023 Home Page Close Menu

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