Here’s the (usual) Phish summertime formula: Fun first set with lots of songs, tour debuts, and the occasional bust-out. Big second set with deep, rolling jams and higher highs. Last night in Chicago, IL at the United Center, the band followed the playbook.
They opened the second of three nights in the Windy City with a tight, chugging “Life Saving Gun”—its first time in the leadoff slot—and it ripped for 14 minutes. It begged to go deeper, but true to the first set blueprint, Trey eventually reeled it back in, wrapping a strong opener that promised a tone the rest of the set didn’t quite deliver on.
A slow, swampy “Steam” followed, making its first appearance in 2025. Relaxed and easy, this jam grooved effortlessly until a slick transition back into the tune.
Landing in the third slot was an old favorite that doesn’t pop up more than once a tour. This pass through “McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters” (formerly “Skippy the Wondermouse”) was a little rusty, but welcome nonetheless.
Retired since 2018, you can’t call “The Line” a bust-out, even with a 258-show gap since they last played it. But even the surprise didn’t keep the Fuego track from taking a little, ahem, steam out of the first set.
The tour debuts kept rolling with the increasingly rare “Seven Below” and the laid back “Ocelot”. The “Seven Below” jam got interesting quickly and stayed that way for its short journey. This version had potential, but eight minutes was all they gave it.
“Ya Mar” was a little bit of feel-good before another 2025 debut, the mellow ballad “Mountains in the Mist” and a filler “Golgi Apparatus”.
Vida Blue’s “Most Events Aren’t Planned” closed the frame.
It wasn’t one of the most ambitious or inspired first sets the band has ever played, but thankfully they had other events planned for the second set.
Did they open the second set with “Tube” for the first time since 10/30/10? Yes. Did they jam “Tube”? Also yes. Right out of the gate, Jon Fishman locked into the familiar groove going and the band never let up. A change to the major key halfway through cracked it open and that’s when things really took off, and they soared to the bluesy, rocking refrain. Clocking in at 15 minutes, this version noticeably raised the temperature in the room.
Unlike the first set, “Tube” set an intention and established momentum, and the rest of the set flowed from it.
Maybe this is why they call it the Second City.
Next, the dark “A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing” made its 2025 debut. Still riding the energy from “Tube”, the band pivoted early to a major key, launching into a buoyant jam that hinted at “Fuego”. But that brightness dissolved quickly, giving way to the dark, buzzy murk that’s become a defining theme of this summer tour. Loops, synths, and pads, oh my. But Trey had other plans, and eventually guitar-heroed them out of the darkness and they barreled their way to one of the highest peaks of the night.
The baton was passed to “Down with Disease”, and it delivered on the promise it always makes the moment Mike Gordon drops those first bass notes. Before closing it out, the band slipped in a playful callback to the first set’s “Seven Below”—a fun nod to one of the early highlights—before officially wrapping it up.
“Pillow Jets” dipped its toe back into the dark summer murk and served a nice connector to “Also Sprach Zarathustra”. “2001” did what it does, which is never miss.
“Chalk Dust Torture” brought the crowd to a rolling boil and put a raging exclamation point on a set that had absolutely no let-up. All killer, no philler. The perfect Yang to the first sets Yin.
But they weren’t done, and went on to drop one of the strongest encores of the summer. After an 88-show gap, the Beatles classic “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” would’ve been plenty to send any crowd home more than satisfied. But why not tack on “First Tube” to whip the room into one last frenzy?
The band certainly seems to like playing in Chicago, and they have one more night in the air conditioned United Center before getting back outdoors in Queens, NY on Tuesday. Find tickets here.
You can stream or download audio of this show—and every Phish show dating back to 2003—via LivePhish here. LivePhish is also offering nightly pay-per-view webcasts of Phish’s ongoing summer tour. Order your LivePhish webcasts for night two in Philly here. [Editor’s note: Live For Live Music is a LivePhish affiliate. Ordering a webcast/download or subscribing to LivePhish+ via the links on this page helps support our work covering Phish and the rest of the live music world. Thanks for reading!]
Phish – “Life Saving Gun” – 7/19/25
Phish – “Tube” – 7/19/25
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Setlist [via Phish.net]: Phish | United Center | Chicago, IL | 7/19/25
Set 1: Life Saving Gun > Steam, McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters, The Line, Seven Below, Ocelot, Ya Mar, Mountains in the Mist, Golgi Apparatus, Most Events Aren’t Planned
Set 2: Tube, A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing > Down with Disease -> Seven Below > Down with Disease, Pillow Jets > Also Sprach Zarathustra > Chalk Dust Torture
Encore: While My Guitar Gently Weeps, First Tube
Notes:
The Line was performed for the first time since October 21, 2018 (259 shows). The first set’s Seven Below did not contain lyrics and was played as an instrumental, whereas the Seven Below in the second set included a verse. A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing was unfinished. Trey teased Dave’s Energy Guide in the first Down with Disease.