Just two weeks after their coveted run at Madison Square Garden, the beloved jam band Phish headed South for their second annual trip to Riviera Maya, Mexico. Heading into their only scheduled shows of 2017, Phish performed a strong opening night for the fans who made the trip down to Mexico.
The band opened with their anthemic “Free”, as the lofty track encapsulated the freedom of the beachfront performances. The band continued with a nature-esque theme through the early part of the set, as they played Mike Gordon’s “Yarmouth Road” before bringing out “Sand” and the “Theme From The Bottom,” Phish then veered into their first cover of the night, “Funky Bitch,” before rocking out on tunes like “Undermind” and “NICU”. They continued the set with the relative-rarity, “Horn,” before closing out the first set with an all-out funk rager in “Wolfman’s Brother.” All the while, drummer Jon Fishman donned a “luchador” Mexican fighter mask that matched his well-known blue-and-red donut pattern, only bringing up the energy for the exciting performance.
Watch “Free” below, courtesy of LivePhish.
As to be expected, Phish let loose with a jam-heavy second set that focused on improvisational work from all four band members. They opened the set with the thematically appropriate “A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing,” a number that waded into minor-key dissonant melodies before cruising into the funky rock rhythm of “The Wedge.” With the backdrop of palm trees in lieu of the band’s recent LED displays, songs like “The Wedge” truly found their place on the beach in Mexico.
Watch “A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing” below, courtesy of LivePhish.
The set continued with “Fuego,” a true highlight of the performance. This version of “Fuego” veered quickly into exploratory territory, as Phish worked into a melodic and uplifting jam session that was highlighted by Page McConnell‘s light touch on the keys. This was an all-time version of “Fuego,” approaching 20 minutes and veering heavily into uncharted waters.
Phish ultimately reeled in the second set with a familiar “Prince Caspian,” keeping the melodic and lofty energy high throughout the lighthearted number. They continued to deliver some great jamming within the song “Twist,” which included a tease of the popular, and all-too-appropriate song, “Tequila.” Trey Anastasio worked out the melody, seemingly on the fly, but kept locked in the groove throughout the duration of the “Twist.”
As the “Twist” jam continued to build, Trey gradually shifted the song into another great tune, “Seven Below.” The mellow vibes of “Seven Below” kept fans on their toes, before the band brought the set back into a classic from their catalog, “Golgi Apparatus.” The song was absent from the recent MSG run, and certainly brought smiles to the faces of those in attendance. They closed out the set with the absolute rock energy of “Run Like An Antelope,” a perfect ending to a great, flowing set of music.
The encore saw the band bring out another rarity, “Contact,” a fun song from the Junta days. Finally, they ended the show with a ballad, choosing “Bug” as the last song of the encore. Though a slower song, Phish milked “Bug” for all that it’s worth, ending the night with an uplifting jam to send the fans home smiling.
Phish will return to Riviera Maya for two more shows during this exciting run. Check out the Phish.net setlist, below, as well as a full gallery from photographer Chad Smith.
Setlist: Phish | Barcelo Maya Beach | Riviera Maya, Mexico | 1/13/16
Set 1: Free, Yarmouth Road, Sand, Theme From the Bottom > Funky Bitch, Undermind, NICU, Horn, Wolfman’s Brother
Set 2: A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing > The Wedge > Fuego > Prince Caspian > Twist > Seven Below > Golgi Apparatus > Run Like an Antelope
Encore: Contact, Bug
