SPILL LIVE REVIEW: PHISH @ BUDWEISER STAGE, TORONTO

PHISH

@ BUDWEISER STAGE, TORONTO

JUNE 18, 2019

Freshly rested from a weekend of sets at Bonnaroo Music Festival, Phish returned to Toronto tonight on their Phish Summer Tour 2019, and first Canadian show in six years.

Getting down to the nitty-gritty with the classic “AC/DC Bag”, the night kicked off with electricity. Rolling into “555”, John Fishman and Mike Gordon laid the foundation for funk with intricate drumming and a face-scrunching bassline that got the crowd swaying. Paired with Page McConnell’s keys plus Trey Anastasio’s snakey guitar licks and syrupy vocal hooks, it made for a perfect transition into crowd favourite “Stash”.

Keeping up with their stash claps, the crowd bobbed along the surface with “The Wedge”. Treating us to a long overdue performance, Phish premiered a live debut of “Ruby Waves” from Trey Anastasio’s new album Ghost of the Forest. They would revisit this album to cap off the show with the encore track “Drift While You’re Sleeping”. Jumping into “You Enjoy Myself”, the trampolines came out for Anastasio and Gordon to bounce then an otherworldly vocal jam descended first into madness, then into set break.

What a fun, uplifting and joyful night at Budweiser Stage. It was a balmy summer evening and the backdrop of the city came alive at sunset to compliment Chris Kuroda’s pretty lights. Clearly, the love and the loyalty rolls deep with Phish fans; many of whom got right back on the road south to Blossom Music Centre amphitheatre in Cuyahoga, Ohio the following night. It might be “46 Days” until we can feel our faces after the all the guitar shredding, shining lights and smiling from ear-to-ear.

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(Main Photo Credit: @genesee_n_me)