The 2025 Phish touring schedule stood as a monumental year for the Vermont quartet, characterized by a massive summer trek, significant festival appearances, and the traditional year-end residency at Madison Square Garden. Spanning from late June through the final moments of December, the year provided a wealth of improvisational deep dives, rare bustouts, and the kind of thematic theatricality that has defined the band for over four decades. From the humid nights in North Charleston to the "spaceship" energy of Hampton Coliseum, 2025 saw the band pushing their improvisational boundaries into new, deconstructed territories.

Summer Tour Framework and Early Season Highlights

The Summer Tour of 2025 officially ignited in late June and carried through late September, weaving through a mix of outdoor amphitheaters and major city arenas. The early leg of the tour established a high baseline for "Type II" jamming—improvisation that departs entirely from the song's original structure—particularly during the southern runs.

Deep Jams and Rare Treats in North Charleston

The three-night run at North Charleston Coliseum from July 11 to July 13 served as an early tour benchmark. Fans who traveled to South Carolina were treated to a setlist construction that balanced heavy-hitting staples with long-dormant covers.

On July 12, the first set delivered a massive surprise with "Jesus Just Left Chicago," a ZZ Top cover that had not been performed since December 2019. This set the tone for a night of technical precision, featuring a flawless "Divided Sky" and a "Bathtub Gin" that explored melodic, major-key spaces. The second set of this night was a masterclass in flow, opening with the "Mike’s Groove" trio (Mike’s Song > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove) and concluding with a thunderous Beatles cover of "I Am the Walrus." The encore, "Carolina," was another significant historical marker, appearing for the first time since late 2019.

The following night, July 13, is widely cited by the community for its massive "Tweezer." Clocking in at nearly thirty minutes, this version of the band's premier jamming vehicle touched on dark, ambient textures before peaking with a triumphant, soaring guitar solo from Trey Anastasio. The addition of "Meatstick" and "Turtle in the Clouds" in the encore provided the playful, choreographed elements that fans relish.

The United Center Residency in Chicago

Mid-July saw Phish take over Chicago's United Center for a three-night stand from July 18 to July 20. These shows were notable for their "bustouts"—songs that have gone unplayed for hundreds of shows.

On July 18, the band performed "On Your Way Down," an Allen Toussaint cover that had been absent from the setlist for 522 shows, dating back to 2011. This first set also featured "Bathtub Gin" laden with teases, including "Entrance of the Gladiators" and "Tequila." The second set's transition from "Light" into "Backwards Down the Number Line" was a poignant moment, dedicated to long-time Phish poster artist Jim Pollock.

July 19 featured one of the standout improvisational moments of the year: a version of "Tube" that many fans labeled as one of the longest and most exploratory in the song's history. The second set utilized a "sandwich" structure, with "Down with Disease" wrapping around "Seven Below," creating a continuous 40-minute block of music that never lost momentum.

Mid-Summer Peaks and Amphitheater Atmosphere

As the tour moved toward the Northeast, the venues transitioned to historic amphitheaters, bringing a different acoustic and social energy to the performances.

Forest Hills and the New York Energy

The two-night run at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens (July 22-23) highlighted the band's ability to play with their environment. On July 22, the first set was a high-energy sprint featuring "The Moma Dance," "Sigma Oasis," and "Wolfman’s Brother." A standout moment occurred in the second set during "What’s Going Through Your Mind," a song originally from the Trey Anastasio Band, which Phish has fully adopted into their rotating repertoire. The night ended with an unexpected cover of Ozzy Osbourne's "Mama, I'm Coming Home," a nod to the heavy metal history often teased by the band.

The July 23 show featured a "Cities" with modified lyrics referencing the early start time necessitated by local noise ordinances. The encore was particularly celebratory, with Page McConnell being introduced as the "relief pitcher" following his real-life first pitch at a New York Mets game earlier that day.

Saratoga Springs and the Broadview Stage

The end of July brought the band to the Broadview Stage at SPAC in Saratoga Springs, New York. SPAC has long been a holy ground for Phish fans, and the 2025 three-night run lived up to the reputation. The July 25 opener featured a rare Set 1 "First Tube," usually reserved for high-octane closers or encores. The second set focused on a heavy, driving "Fuego" and a soulful "Story of the Ghost," demonstrating the band's ability to pivot between arena rock and funk-inflected grooves.

The Late Summer Expansion and Festival Circuit

After a brief hiatus, the band returned for a series of late-summer dates that included the Bourbon & Beyond Festival and a highly anticipated return to Alpharetta, Georgia.

Bourbon and Beyond Festival Highlights

Performing on September 12 at the Highland Festival Grounds in Louisville, Kentucky, Phish delivered a "festival-style" setlist designed to appeal to both die-hard fans and general festival-goers. The two-set performance included crowd-pleasers like "Possum" and "Character Zero," but didn't skimp on the improvisation, offering a deep "Carini" and a rhythmic "2001" (Also Sprach Zarathustra) that turned the festival grounds into a massive dance floor.

Ameris Bank Amphitheatre in Alpharetta

The September 17 show in Alpharetta is remembered for its intricate second set. The band opened with "Carini," transitioned into "Light," and then remarkably drifted back into "Carini," creating a thematic loop that kept the audience guessing. The inclusion of "The Lizards" and "You Enjoy Myself" in the same set provided a dose of classic Phish composition that showcased their technical prowess.

The Hampton Coliseum Summer Finale

The summer tour concluded with a legendary three-night run at Hampton Coliseum in Virginia (September 19-21). Hampton, often called "The Mothership" by fans, is famous for its general admission floor and the unique collective energy it fosters.

The September 19 show opened with "Fluffhead," a symbolic choice that often signals a significant performance. The highlight of the night was a "Tweezer" that segued into "Ruby Waves" and "No Men In No Man’s Land" before circling back into a thick, funk-laden "Tweezer" jam. This specific jam was noted for its "Type II" deconstruction, where the music seemed to break apart and rebuild itself every few minutes.

On September 20, the band leaned into their blues and funk influences, opening the first set with an extended "Boogie On Reggae Woman." The second set was characterized by a "sit and stare" vibe, where the improvisation was more contemplative and patient. A fifteen-minute "Beneath a Sea of Stars Part 1" featured free-form jazz elements that sounded alien and futuristic, a style that Trey Anastasio has been increasingly exploring in 2025.

The final night of summer, September 21, closed the chapter with a emotional "Harry Hood" encore. The setlist featured a rare "I Am Hydrogen" sandwiched between "Mike’s Song" and "Weekapaug Groove," a traditional transition that the band occasionally omits in favor of more experimental segues.

The Madison Square Garden New Year's Residency

Phish returned to their "home" at Madison Square Garden for a four-night run from December 28 to December 31. This run is often the pinnacle of the Phish year, featuring the most complex musical interplay and the famous New Year's Eve "gag."

December 28 through December 30: Building Momentum

The first three nights at MSG were designed to clear the deck of the band's massive catalog. December 29 was particularly notable for the performance of "Quadrophonic Toppling," a song that had not been played in 172 shows. The second set featured a seamless flow from "Mike’s Song" into "The Final Hurrah" and back into "Weekapaug Groove," with teases of "Blaze On" and "Sand" peppered throughout.

On December 30, the band performed several "unfinished" versions of songs, including "The Moma Dance" and "Ruby Waves," where they abandoned the song's ending to segue into the next piece. This created a sense of "total improvisation" where the boundaries between songs disappeared.

December 31: The Ice Cream Gag

The 2025 New Year's Eve show will go down in history for its "Ice Cream" theme. During the second set, the band introduced an "Ice Cream Man" on a cowbell during "It’s Ice." This evolved into the Phish debut of the song "Cream" (by Prince).

The third set, which traditionally begins just before midnight, saw the stage transformed. Dancers dressed as milk cartons appeared during "Harry Hood," eventually being "discarded" through a giant freezer prop labeled "It’s Ice Cream." During the performance of "2001," giant ice cream props were brought onto the stage, and Jon Fishman (the drummer) descended into the freezer, only to be replaced by a "fake" Fishman holding a giant popsicle.

The musical highlight of the midnight set was a multilingual version of "Tweezer," where dancers from past New Year's Eve gags returned to the stage to sing lyrics in multiple languages. The encore saw the band members wearing ice cream man outfits for a performance of "Spock’s Brain"—a major bustout played for the first time in 238 shows.

2025 Jamming Trends and Musical Evolution

In 2025, Phish’s improvisational style leaned heavily into "Deconstructionist Jamming." Unlike the "Bliss Jams" of previous years—which often followed a predictable path toward a soaring, major-key peak—the 2025 jams were more patient and textural.

  • Synthesizer Integration: Page McConnell expanded his use of vintage synthesizers and Moog effects, creating "underwater" and "outer space" textures that allowed the band to move away from traditional blues-rock structures.
  • Rhythmic Flexibility: Jon Fishman and Mike Gordon developed a "rubato" style of jamming in 2025, where the tempo would fluctuate intentionally, allowing Trey Anastasio to play "outside" the beat.
  • The "Slow Build": Many of the 2025 highlights, such as the Hampton "Beneath a Sea of Stars" and the Chicago "Tube," featured ten-minute periods of quiet, minimalist playing before the band collectively decided to ramp up the energy.

Frequently Asked Questions About Phish 2025 Setlists

What were the biggest bustouts of Phish 2025?

The most significant bustouts of the year included "On Your Way Down" (522 shows), "Spock’s Brain" (238 shows), "Sleep" (231 shows), and "Quadrophonic Toppling" (172 shows). These rarities are often the highlight for long-time fans who track the statistics of every performance.

Which 2025 show is considered the best for jamming?

While subjective, many fans point to the July 13 North Charleston show for its 30-minute "Tweezer" and the September 19 Hampton show for its experimental "Type II" transitions. The July 19 Chicago show also ranks highly for its expansive "Tube" and "Down with Disease."

What was the theme for Phish New Year's Eve 2025?

The theme was "Ice Cream." It featured an onstage freezer, milk carton dancers, a cover of Prince’s "Cream," and a multilingual "Tweezer." The band concluded the night by performing in ice cream man uniforms.

How many shows did Phish play in 2025?

Including the Summer Tour, festival appearances, and the MSG residency, Phish performed over 40 shows in 2025. This was one of their more active years in the "4.0" era.

Summary of the 2025 Phish Experience

The 2025 touring year proved that Phish remains a vital, evolving force in live music. By balancing the nostalgia of venues like Hampton Coliseum with the cutting-edge experimentation of their "Ice Cream" MSG gag, they provided a comprehensive experience for both new listeners and "vets." The setlists of 2025 were characterized by a willingness to let jams breathe and a renewed interest in the deep corners of their catalog. As the band moved toward their 2026 Mexico residency, the 2025 shows stood as a testament to their enduring creativity and their unique ability to turn a rock concert into a surrealist piece of performance art.