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Phish

Phish is an American rock band that formed in Burlington, Vermont, in 1983. The band is known for musical improvisation, extended jams, blending of genres, and a dedicated fan base. The band consists of guitarist Trey Anastasio, bassist Mike Gordon, drummer Jon Fishman, and keyboardist Page McConnell, all of whom perform vocals, with Anastasio being the primary lead vocalist.

The band was formed by Anastasio, Gordon, Fishman and guitarist Jeff Holdsworth, who were joined by McConnell in 1985. Holdsworth departed the band in 1986, and the lineup has remained stable since. Phish began to perform outside of New England in the late 1980s and experienced a rise in popularity in the mid 1990s. In October 2000, the band began a two-year hiatus that ended in December 2002, but they disbanded again in August 2004. Phish reunited officially in October 2008 for subsequent reunion shows in March 2009 and since then have resumed performing regularly. All four members pursued solo careers or performed with side-projects and these projects have continued even after the band has reunited.

Phish's music blends elements of a wide variety of genres, including funk, progressive rock, psychedelic rock, folk, country, jazz, blues, bluegrass, and pop. The band is part of a movement of improvisational rock groups, inspired by the Grateful Dead and colloquially known as "jam bands", that gained considerable popularity as touring concert acts in the 1990s. Phish has developed a large and dedicated following by word of mouth, the exchange of live recordings, and selling over 8 million albums and DVDs in the United States.

Phish were signed to major label Elektra Records from 1991 to 2005, when the band formed their own independent label, JEMP Records, to release archival CD and DVD sets. The label's first release was Phish: New Year's Eve 1995 – Live at Madison Square Garden, which was released in conjunction with Rhino Records in December 2005. The label subsequently released several other archival live box sets, including band's new studio albums since its reunion as an active band.

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In Pictures

Phish offer Tahoe Evacuees Phish Haven at Shoreline Amphitheatre

Read "Phish offer Tahoe Evacuees Phish Haven at Shoreline Amphitheatre" reviewed by Ming Poon


A collection of photos from Phish at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA on August 31, 2021. Featuring Trey Anastasio, Jon Fishman, Mike Gordon and Page McConnell.Phish played two nights at Shoreline Amphitheater, in place of cancelled shows originally scheduled for South Lake Tahoe, due to the Caldor fire. The shows were filled with rarely played songs, long jams, deep bass grooves, blissful solos and tributes to fire fighters and those displaced from the fire. The late venue ...

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Album Review

Phish: The Baker's Dozen: Live at Madison Square Garden

Read "The Baker's Dozen: Live at Madison Square Garden" reviewed by Doug Collette


Phish's The Baker's Dozen: Live at Madison Square Garden lives up to its title even if, in both design and content, it bears scant resemblance to its all-encompassing limited-edition counterpart. Containing thirteen performances specifically chosen by the members of the group from the 2017 residency at the famed venue, its only add-on is a twenty-eight page book of images mostly resplendent with the crisp hues on the covers of the clam-shell box. This three compact disc set is a companion ...

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Extended Analysis

Phish: St. Louis '93

Read "Phish: St. Louis '93" reviewed by Doug Collette


The pastel color scheme on the front and back covers of Phish St. Louis '93 is quietly evocative of the six CD's of music enclosed in the slim slip case, but no more or less than the deeper tones on the individual sleeves and the discs themselves that mirror the intensity of the playing at its peaks on these two shows four months apart almost twenty- five years ago. Recorded in stereo from the soundboard by Paul Languedoc ...

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Extended Analysis

Phish: Amsterdam

Read "Phish: Amsterdam" reviewed by Doug Collette


Delving in sequence into this eight CD set of the shows recorded in February and July of 1997, it sounds like the band really takes flight during “Timber" from the initial show. But Phish shows from throughout their history inevitably exhibit a relativity of momentum, the dynamics of which are dependent upon, but not limited by, context. Because after the good-natured and relaxed greeting the quartet offers with “Soul Shakedown Party," it's not long before they make a ...

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Live Review

Phish at Saratoga Performing Arts Center

Read "Phish at Saratoga Performing Arts Center" reviewed by Doug Collette


Phish Saratoga Performing Arts Center Saratoga Springs, New York July 3-5, 2014 If there is one overriding impression to glean from Phish's summer 2014 run at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, it's that the band is equally proud of and inspired by the material on Fuego (Jemp/ATO, 2014). Not only was every song on the record played over the course of the three-night run (with the exception of keyboardist Page ...

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Live Review

Phish at Madison Square Garden

Read "Phish at Madison Square Garden" reviewed by Doug Collette


Phish Madison Square Garden New York, NY December 31, 2013 Above and beyond the secret language of their community, Phish have long been masters at making statements without coming right out and saying what they mean, largely because of the mutual faith long ago instituted between the band and their fans. The recognition of their 30th anniversary together offered at the end of their 2013-14 New Year's Run at Madison Square Garden ...

5
Album Review

Phish: Niagara Falls

Read "Niagara Falls" reviewed by Doug Collette


When Phish played the Niagara Falls Convention Center on December 7th 1995, it'd be fair to say the band was hitting its stride with its art and its audience. Having played together for a dozen years at this point and cultivated a loyal and increasingly large coterie of followers, arguably as idiosyncratic as the Vermont-based group itself, the quirks that endeared Phish to their original followers--like the barbershop acapella chestnut “Hello My Baby"-- were morphing into more broad eccentricities (the ...

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Opinion

The Early Beginnings of Direct-to-Fan: How Grateful Dead and Phish Made It Happen

The Early Beginnings of Direct-to-Fan: How Grateful Dead and Phish Made It Happen

Source: HypeBot

By Virginie Berger (@virberg), founder and general manager of the creative and development agency DBTH. To cut to the chase and get at the heart of the matter, the biggest apparent challenge that I can identify for direct-to-fan is that the music industry is broken and no one has yet discovered a practical model that will allow the typical independent, DIY musician to make money. But let's not forget either that artists without a label and who are well-surrounded, and know how to ...

Career

The Business of Phish: Building a Tribe

The Business of Phish: Building a Tribe

Source: HypeBot

A recent post on the Priceonomics Blog looked at “The Business of Phish" with a focus on the early years of Phish's steady development and the eventual emergence of Phish as an improvisationally-oriented jamband and touring phenomenon. Along the way they hit three touchstone concepts of contemporary tech and marketing that are well-illustrated by musicians at work. Rohin Dhar, whose wife is a fan of Phish, wrote about their business side for Priceonomics and, in the process, reveals how closely ...

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Performance / Tour

Steve Kimock: Phish After-Party 12/28

Steve Kimock: Phish After-Party 12/28

Source: JamBase

LINE-UP TO FEATURE KIMOCK, BOBBY VEGA, BERNIE WORRELL, AND JOHN MORGAN KIMOCK On December 28, Steve Kimock and his band will host A Phish After-Party at the Hiro Ballroom in NYC (11pm doors / 12am show). The band feature bassist Bobby Vega, keyboardist Bernie Worrell and Steve's son, drummer John Morgan Kimock. CEG Presents will also host 8 other acts as Phish after-parties, including Marco Benevento at Highline Ballroom, 7 Walkers at Sullivan Hall, Yellow Dubmarine: Performing Abbey Dub other ...

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Performance / Tour

Phish Add Summer Dates

Phish Add Summer Dates

Source: JamBase

NEW DATES INCLUDE FIRST-EVER HOLLYWOOD BOWL CONCERT, FIRST SHOWS IN LAKE TAHOE, TWO NIGHTS AT THE GORGE IN GEORGE, WA, THREE NIGHTS AT CHICAGO'S UIC PAVILION Phish announced additional dates to their 2011 Summer Tour, including the band's first-ever concert at the Hollywood Bowl (and their first Los Angeles appearance since 2003), and their first shows in Lake Tahoe. The band will also play in San Francisco at the Outside Land's Music Festival in Golden Gate Park, two consecutive nights ...

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Performance / Tour

Phish | Halloween 2010 | Review | Pics

Phish | Halloween 2010 | Review | Pics

Source: JamBase

Words by: B. Getz | Images by: Dave Vann Phish :: 10.29.10-10.31.10 :: Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall :: Atlantic City, NJ Pop over here to see the full gallery of pictures from the Halloween run! Like a whirlwind of ocean and sand, the tidal wave that is Phish 3.0 stormed into Atlantic City for a Halloween weekend to close their fall tour. Halloween runs are always an event for the band and its minions; this would be no different as ...

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Performance / Tour

Phish: NYE in NYC Warm up in Worcester

Phish: NYE in NYC Warm up in Worcester

Source: JamBase

RING IN NEW YEAR WITH 3 NIGHTS AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN At the end of December, Phish returns to the road for a five-show Holiday/NYE Run, beginning with two nights in Worcester and ending with three nights at Madison Square Garden in New York. Not only will the New York City run include a three-set New Year's Eve show but, for the first time in Phish History, the band will perform on January 1st. PHISH NEW YEAR'S RUN 2010-2011 12/27 ...

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Video / DVD

Phish: Coral Sky Live DVD

Phish: Coral Sky Live DVD

Source: JamBase

DVD COMMEMORATES NOVEMBER, 2 1996 CORAL SKY AMPITHEATER PERFORMANCE On November 2, 1996, Phish performed at Coral Sky Amphitheater in West Palm Beach, FL; the only outdoor shed show of the Fall Tour. On October 19, JEMP Records will release Coral Sky, a brand new 2-DVD set capturing the complete performance. They were joined by percussionist Karl Perazzo (Santana), whose contribution helped extend and build upon the magic of Halloween, adding polyrhythms that explored new space within Phish's music. The ...

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Music Industry

Phish Fans Donate $1 Million for Charity

Phish Fans Donate $1 Million for Charity

Source: JamBase

THE MIMI FISHMAN FOUNDATION AND THE MOCKINGBIRD FOUNDATION RAISE A COMBINED $1 MILLION FOR CHARITY Two organizations founded and operated by fans of Phish announced that they have raised and distributed a combined $1,000,000 for charity. The joint announcement was made by The Mimi Fishman Foundation, which raises funds through online auctions, and The Mockingbird Foundation, which publishes historical information about Phish in print and online. Both organizations are operated on an all-volunteer basis, with no salaries, paid staff, or ...

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Performance / Tour

Phish: Fall Tour 2010

Phish: Fall Tour 2010

Source: JamBase

OCTOBER RUN BEGINS AT AUSTIN CITY LIMITS; ONLINE TICKET REQUESTS AVAILABLE NOW; FREE MP3 DOWNLOAD OF EACH SHOW AT LIVEPHISH.COM Phish have announced they will be hitting the road for a string of October dates, starting with their appearance at Austin City Limits on October 8. From there, the band will play the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, CO for three nights, followed by multi-date stints in Charleston, Amherst, and Atlantic City. In between, they'll also hit Augusta, Utica, Providence, and ...

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Video / DVD

Sat Eye Candy: Phish Influences

Sat Eye Candy: Phish Influences

Source: JamBase

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ONE OF THE BEST ROCK DRUMMERS OF ALL TIME

Phish is a band that wears its influences on its sleeve. In their hearty embrace of cover tunes and even in the explicit name checking of artists in their originals. With all eyes on the Greek in Berkeley and the unfolding summer tour, we offer a selection of roots sources for this venerable band touched upon during the current road trip.

This one clearly makes Phish happy because ...

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

The Baker's Dozen:...

Self Produced
2019

buy

Phish: St. Louis '93

Jemp Records
2017

buy

Phish: Amsterdam

Jemp Records
2015

buy

Junta

Jemp Records
2013

buy

Niagara Falls

Jemp Records
2013

buy

Phish: Ventura

Jemp Records
2013

buy

Videos

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