The song “Ghost” has long been a fan-favorite of Phish fans, and many will argue that the version performed on May 22nd, 2000 is one of the best of all time. Coming towards the end of a six-song second set at Radio City Music Hall, this type of jam is striking at the reason that fans get into Phish. The band draws you in with the sing-song lyrics, then kicks into gear with some jamming. In this particular version, it’s Mike Gordon and Page McConnell that take the lead in the initial jam, a slow-building funk jam with some cosmic synth accentuation. Spacey cow funk at its finest.

If it ended there, it would nonetheless be a satisfying jam. When Trey Anastasio turns on the heat about 15 minutes in, all bets are off. Anastasio is shredding until there’s no tomorrow, starting off with a pentatonic groove before riffing on some new progressions and taking the group in new directions. It’s some disco funk, somehow both ambient and energizing at once. 

Give the major jam session a full listen below, courtesy of astavely56.

Setlist: Phish at Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY – 05/22/2000

Set 1: My Soul, Chalk Dust Torture, Billy Breathes, Heavy Things, Back on the Train, Split Open and Melt, Sparkle > Horn, Bathtub Gin

Set 2: Bouncing Around the Room > David Bowie, Sand, The Mango Song, Ghost > Rock and Roll

Encore: Bug > Golgi Apparatus