Jam‑rock titans Phish returned to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center for the twenty‑fourth time in their career on July 25, 2025, kicking off a three‑night run at the storied venue. The band has decades of jam‑filled history at the lush, tree‑covered site they first played nearly thirty‑three years ago, and they did not disappoint. Their performance included a mix of electric originals spanning their repertoire, along with a trio of cherished covers that delighted fans in the rustic Saratoga Springs, N.Y., venue.
The stellar first set began with a rip‑roaring “First Tube” that featured guitarist Trey Anastasio doing his signature dance while showcasing his brand‑new guitar, Koa 1.5, from luthier Paul Languedoc. Hailed as the spiritual successor to the original Koa 1—sharing nearly the same Hawaiian koa wood and construction—the Koa 1.5 continues the lineage central to Anastasio’s tone. It also uniquely reproduces the sounds Anastasio emits when he holds the guitar overhead.
A twenty‑minute “Bathtub Gin” showed fans the band was ready to play ball with a melodic, inventive jam that included teases of “Manteca” and “There Is a Mountain.” Keyboardist Page McConnell elevated “Devotion to a Dream” elegantly. Then came “The Well,” from Phish’s 2024 release Evolve. Anastasio brought tasty peaks during this eight‑minute version—every tree certainly contained a star in Saratoga Spa State Park.
“Birds of a Feather” followed, featuring drummer Jon Fishman’s intense beats driving this high‑energy tune while McConnell and Anastasio swirled together on piano and guitar. The funk‑driven “Strawberry Letter 23,” by the Brothers Johnson, hopped into the mix with a short but sweet rendition that sent the crowd soaring.
The excitement continued as McConnell stepped from behind his massive setup of keyboards, organs, and baby grand piano to sing “Lawn Boy.” The song was last played on July 31, 2024, in St. Louis, Mo., a forty‑eight‑show gap. Bassist Mike Gordon led the tune as McConnell engaged the crowd, referring to Gordon as “Cactus,” while Anastasio dubbed McConnell “The Chairman of the Mound.”
“The Old Home Place,” by Back Porch Bluegrass, was next and featured vocals from Gordon with Fishman firmly behind the wheel. The boys switched gears, easing into a funky lead‑in to perhaps the best version yet of “Hey Stranger.” Lighting director Chris Kuroda drenched the stage in delicious green, pink, and purple hues. Gordon’s solid bass paired with McConnell’s synth layers until the latter dialed up the funk on clavinet, creating an outstanding musical matrix—unquestionably the highlight of set one. The set ended as the band unfurled “Walls of the Cave” from Round Room.
The band returned for set two and continued pushing innovative jams, starting with a seventeen‑minute “Set Your Soul Free” that featured more bass bombs from Gordon and a steady beat from Fishman. McConnell dialed up the synth as the music took an ominous turn, while Kuroda’s overhead lights added a cool visual angle.
Eventually, this gave way to a light and fluffy jam that artfully segued into a face melting "Chalk Dust Torture." Light and dark were in opposition as Anastasio shined brightly on the guitar, while the bass-line went dark. This gave way to a more uplifting groove with Fishman driving resonant beats that became jazzy at times.
The music flowed into a perfectly placed “Beneath a Sea of Stars Part 1.” This Ghosts of the Forest tune reminded everyone how lucky we are to be here together—and that the weather’s fine. Gordon firmly set the pace for this beautiful song, which transitioned into “Piper.” The twelve‑minute jam soared to new heights, Fishman crushing on the drums, complemented by rainbow lights from Kuroda.
The special second set ended with “Everything’s Right,” as all four members fired on all cylinders. Fishman’s relentless beats complemented a blues‑tinged guitar jam by Anastasio that kept fans dancing until the music stopped.
For the double encore, the band began with the Rolling Stones’ “Loving Cup,” then sent the crowd home uplifted with “Run Like an Antelope.”
The first part of Phish's epic summer tour has ended, but they will not be away for long. They will return on September 12 in Louisville, KY for an appearance at the Bourbon & Beyond Festival. Next, they head to Birmingham, AL for a two night stand on September 13-14. This is followed by two nights in Alpharetta, GA on September 16-17. The boys will close this Southern run at Hampton Coliseum, aka "The Mothership," in Hampton, VA, which is sold out. They recently announced Riviera Maya 2026 that occurs in January 2026, which should bring excitement to those who are ready to plan their winter getaway with the band. Head on over to Phish's tour page for more details about these upcoming dates.
Check out more photos from the show! Also, view our prior coverage of the Phish 2025 summer tour in Boulder, CO (night one, night three) and Forest Hills, NY (photos, review).
Band: Phish
Date: July 25, 2025
Venue: Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Location: Saratoga Springs, NY
Set One:First Tube, Bathtub Gin, Devotion To a Dream, The Well, Birds of a Feather, Strawberry Letter 23, Lawn Boy, The Old Home Place, Hey Stranger, Walls of the Cave
Set Two:Set Your Soul Free > Chalk Dust Torture > Beneath a Sea of Stars Part 1 > Piper > Everything's Right
Encore: Loving Cup > Run Like an Antelope
Notes: Following Lawn Boy, Trey introduced Page as "The Chairman of the Mound."
