Phish returned to the beach in Riviera Maya, Mexico on Thursday for the second night of its annual south-of-the-border sojourn. Clearly back in the tropical flow on their waterside stage at Moon Palace, Trey Anastasio, Jon Fishman, Mike Gordon, and Page McConnell worked in a number of songs referencing “waves” including a deep-sea “A Wave of Hope” -> “Ruby Waves” voyage that comprised roughly 50 minutes of the show’s four-song second set.
The night got started with “Gumbo” (“He’s planning a family vacation, but he just can’t go”) before the band “swam with the cactus(sss)” into “NICU”, floated upon the waves of “Prince Caspian”, and splashed in the greasy, grungey oil of “Oblivion” (a standout, extended version just shy of 18 minutes in length).
Phish – “Gumbo” [Pro-Shot] – 1/29/26
After Anastasio grabbed his acoustic guitar for a sentimental “Brian and Robert”, he made an obscure request to Fishman through spurts of laughter: “I want to hear the Prison Joke.”
A bit more laughter followed before Anastasio polled the crowd: “I always wonder this. Seriously, I have to see if anybody puts their hand up. Was anyone there the night that Fish told the Prison Joke?”
“Good,” Fishman said when the crowd remained silent (aside from one fibbing fan, who quickly got called out from the stage). “Good, you’re all gone. Anyone there that was there to witness it… is no longer here…”
“I was!” Trey chimed in. “I was there. One of the greatest moments of my life.”
For anyone who’s curious (I was), “The Prison Joke,” per phish.net, is the raunchy John Fox comedy bit that Fishman recounted—poorly—during a “Hold Your Head Up” encore at The Cave at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota on April 11th, 1991. Yeah… I don’t know, man. Buddies messing with each other on vacation, I guess.
On with the show—a beach-appropriate run through calypso cover “Ya Mar” came next, followed by a take on “McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters” from the shores of the Baltic Caribbean Sea. A blast through “Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.” finally sent the show to intermission.
The second set wound up featuring just four songs in all, with the band letting the aforementioned wave songs—”A Wave of Hope” and “Ruby Waves”—steer their pursuits into one gurgling, droning motif after another. It was all really interesting stuff—particularly the back half of “Ruby Waves” when the wave became a natural disaster-level tsunami thanks to some classic Trey sustain, then crashed onto the sand in a sinister cacophony.
Phish – “A Wave of Hope” [Pro-Shot] –1/29/26
“Lonely Trip” was simple and sentimental and powerful as always, its nautical imagery aligning nicely with the “waves” motif. You may be tempted to call this one a “breather” after the two vast jams that preceded it, but damn if this wasn’t one of the most tender and memorable moments of the night. As always. I don’t know, man, I just really love that song.
The quiet interlude didn’t last for long. While “waves” were going through Phish’s mind on Thursday, what’s going through mine today is the harrowing set-closer that followed: “What’s Going Through Your Mind”, one of the improv MVPs of recent years, was the most explosive, unhinged jam of the bunch—the perfect exclamation mark on a remarkable set.
For the encore, the band returned with its second song debut in as many days, “Dancing in Midair”, the saccharine ballad that appeared on the 2023 Page/Trey duo album January but had yet to make it to the Phish stage, then sent sandy fans back to the pool for late-night festivities around the resort.
Side note: I’m writing this from my apartment in the frozen tundra of Brooklyn. Someone drink a margarita and jump in the pool for me.
Scroll down to view the full setlist and a selection of photos from night two of Phish: Riviera Maya 2026. Stream or download the full audio recording of the show via LivePhish here. Subscribe to LivePhish+ here for unlimited audio streaming access to this show and every show Phish has played for decades.
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Setlist [via phish.net]: Phish | Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico | 1/28/26
Set One: Gumbo, NICU > Prince Caspian > Oblivion, Brian and Robert [1], Stash [2], Ya Mar, McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters > Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.
Set Two: A Wave of Hope -> Ruby Waves > Lonely Trip, What’s Going Through Your Mind
Encore: Dancing in Midair [3], Run Like an Antelope
[1] Trey Anastasio on acoustic guitar.
[2] Featuring Jon Fishman prison joke.
[3] Live debut; from Page McConnell & Trey Anastasio January duo album.
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