It’s not just a show, it’s an unforgettable experience each and every time you see Phish perform.
From the great state of Vermont rose a band that would forever change how we listen, feel, absorb and express our thoughts through music. Phish is known for their extended jams, their unbelievable improvisations on stage and their loyal followers. Phish fans are considered to be the nicest people on the planet and will go to the ends of the earth to see them perform. A Phish show is more of an experience than it is a show, each time differing from the last even if they play the same song, which is extremely rare for Phish to play the same song twice in 2 shows, it is completely different. Their ability to improvise in front of tens of thousands of viewers and hardcore fans is something that most people don’t understand. It is magical to see what they do with music, blending every style of music from rock to jazz to psychedelic rock to folk to reggae to classical all within one performance, maybe even the same song! Phish is the type of band that you have to go see live to understand why they have such a large following and to see their true talents. These guys are super-musicians and will go down as one of the greatest bands of all time when they are done touring, so if you ever get the chance to see Phish I would strongly advise you to go see them for they will change your life dramatically. Check out their Phish’s Facebook Page and website to see when they will be touring next and for all the latest news and shenanigans that they have to offer!
Phish was formed in 1983 by legendary guitarist Trey Anastasio, bass player Mike Gordon and drummer Jon Fishman. Trey was born as Ernest Joseph Anastasio III on September 30th, 1964 as an American guitarist, composer and vocalist. Trey is what we like to call a Warlock of a guitar player with guitar riffs and licks that’ll have you humming the tune for the next 5 days guaranteed. Trey’s musicianship is far beyond many well-known guitarists and is very underrated for what he does. In an interview with Trey in the Phish Movie called “IT”, a Phish music festival where phish performs 3 days and nights in a row, Trey states that it is all about listening and channeling the music. He is a channel for the music as he feels where it needs to go and how the crowd is reacting to the music, as the lead guitarist, Trey controls the emotions of every individual watching. He will bring you from the depths of hell to a tropical paradise to a raging party in less than 30 seconds, his guitar licks will have you standing their with your head tilted to the side not knowing what is happening. But Trey can not do what he does without his fans and his bandmates.
Bass player Mike Gordon was born as Michael Eliot Gordon on June 3rd, 1965 in Sudbury, Massachusetts. Gordon is expert Bass player who is proficient at the piano, guitar, harmonica and percussion. Mike met Trey and Jon Fishman while attending college at the University of Vermont where Phish was created. Mike’s bass lines will have you bouncin round the room for days as he is the glue that holds everything together and without him Phish would not be what they are today. Mike is the most consistent out of all the members in the band as he KILLS it every show with sub drops that’ll throw you back ten feet. Mike is also a vocalist in Phish with an awesome voice to either front a song or remain as a backup singer, this guy can do it all! Gordon is one of the best bass players of all time and will continue to make a name for himself and Phish as time goes on and people see the true talents that lie within this jam band.
Keyboardist and songwriter, Page Samuel McConnel, was born on May 17th, 1963 as a multi-instrumentalist that became part of Phish in 1985. McConnel was born in Philadelphia, PA and by the age of 4 he was well on his way to becoming one of the greatest keyboardist to ever live. His chord progressions and beautiful tones fill in the empty space of every Phish song allowing there to be a beautiful background ambiance or really in your face funk melodies. Page also has a great voice which can either be utilized as a front man voice or a background voice to create harmonies that fill arena’s with beautiful melodies by the entire band. Page is the secret weapon in Phish as he can hold back and allow Trey to speak or Page might decide to speak up himself and play the sickest keyboard solo on the planet!
You may ask yourself why the band’s name is Phish, well it is because of Jon Fishman. Fishman is an unbelievable drummer who keeps it all together during a Phish show, for he is the backbone of it all. Jon was born February 19th, 1965 in Philadelphia, PA who was then adopted and raised in Syracuse, NY. Jon started out on the drums at a very early age who was inspired by the greatest drummer of all time, Jon Bonham of Led Zeppelin. His technicality behind the drums is impeccable and his ability to keep time with all the crazy jams boggles the minds of all. He will purposely throw off the beat but still remain conscience of where he is within the phrase of the song. Jon is the most experimental of all the band members and is definitely the weirdest of them all as he wears a muumuu dress at every show. Trey says that if he was ever to go see a Phish show that he would watch Fishman the whole time because he is all over his drum kit at all times doing the most ridiculous beats that many drummers have a hard time playing.
Backwards Down the Number Line is the name of this tune which is one of their most famous songs and favorite by many Phish fans. This video does not do the live performance justice but gives you a taste of what it is like. The light show that Phish puts on adds another dimension to the show as you are visually and emotionally stimulated throughout the entire show. This song has vocals from every member and shows how their jams work and how Trey channels the music throughout the entire 14 minutes. A beautiful song with beautiful lyrics that may help you one day get through a rough patch in your life. Enjoy!
