Today marks the eighth anniversary of the start of Magnaball, Phish‘s 10th major festival, held at Watkins Glen International Raceway in Watkins Glen, NY. The weekend was a resounding success, from the stellar playing to the top-notch jams to the overwhelmingly positive and grateful sense of community that permeated the grounds. We still fondly remember it like it was yesterday—even after the band’s planned return to Watkins Glen in 2018 didn’t exactly go as planned.

Magnaball day one featured a number of highlights, from the Phish festival-adjusted revival of “Mock Song” (“Clifford, Super, Magnaball… I’ve known them all“) to a crowd-sung “Happy Birthday” for Trey Anastasio‘s daughter, Eliza Anastasio. However, the undoubted highlight of Magnaball’s first day was the 23-minute “Bathtub Gin” that closed the evening’s first set. After this Gin, an improvisational gem that easily stands among the best of the era, it was clear to all in attendance that Magnaball was going to be a weekend to remember.

You can watch a 4k video of the Magnaball “Bathtub Gin” below:

Phish – “Bathtub Gin” – 8/21/15

[Video: notmkdevo]

Setlist: Phish | Magnaball | Watkins Glen International Raceway | Watkins Glen, NY | 8/21/15

Set One: Simple > The Dogs > The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday > Avenu Malkenu > The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday, Free, The Wedge, Mock Song, Roggae > Rift, Bathtub Gin

Set Two: Chalk Dust Torture > Ghost -> Rock and Roll > Harry Hood ->Waste > No Men In No Man’s Land -> Slave to the Traffic Light

Encore: Farmhouse, First Tube

Notes: This show was webcast via LivePhish and was the first show of the Magnaball festival. TMWSIY and Avenu Malkenu were played for the first time since July 4, 2012 (124 shows). After Free, Trey asked the crowd to sing Happy Birthday to his daughter, Eliza, who briefly joined him onstage. Mock Song was played for the first time since July 12, 2003 (320 shows), and featured a lyric change to “Clifford, Super, Magnaball.” CDT and Ghost both contained What’s the Use? teases. Hood contained a CTB tease from Mike.