Trey Anastasio & NSO: Find Our Way Back Home
The East Coast heatwave in June 2024 brought on one of the hottest Virginia summers we’ve ever felt, but a brief respite came just in time as Trey Anastasio teamed up with the National Symphony Orchestra during a breezy night at Wolf Trap National Park’s Filene Center.
The immaculate wooden pavilion that wraps around the stage is a sight to behold all on its own, and the trees of the surrounding national park make this naturalistic venue the perfect place to house a night as majestic as this one. This night also marks Trey’s first orchestral show since 2017, and excitement filled the fresh air for a return of this rare performance.
Anyone coming in expecting a Phish show would be surely disappointed. This feels much more like a night at the opera. Especially as I take my spot towards the back of the lawn, where patrons are allowed to bring their own coolers for personalized picnics; something unheard of in most venues. Tonight, people sip on wine glasses with sides of cheese next to others who grabbed beer and a burger from the concession stands — cultures colliding in every way.
After days of peaks in the upper 90s, we were treated to a relatively relaxing mid-80s by show time, with a steady breeze keeping things cool during a show that was sure to have some peaks of its own.
First Came the Light
A bell tolls at 8 o’clock on the nose, signaling the extensive list of players to take their places, led by conductor Edwin Outwater. 10 minutes later, Trey strolled onto the stage with his trademark excitement all over his face.
“First Tube” kicked off the proceedings, as it has for most of Trey’s other orchestral shows, and for good reason. The reliable instrumental makes a brilliant opener in this setting, with Trey’s simple but captivating riff being held up with grand horns and strings swirling all around. Right from the start, it’s clear this night will be special.
“Water in the Sky” was another welcome classic. Trey grabbed the acoustic guitar for a straightforward yet excellent performance. “Evolve” then made its orchestra debut. The title track of their latest album is a worthy addition to the Phish set, and its grand storytelling made an inspired choice to bring into the orchestral fold.
As the opening chords of “The Divided Sky” rung out, the orange hues of the setting sun drenched the air all around. The swell of chimes and horns perfectly punctuate this song’s inherent majesty. The largely instrumental sequence captures the essence of Phish fandom, with its uplifting progressions and deep-rooted meaning as the place of paradise in the saga of Gamehendge.
Few Phish compositions could be better suited for this presentation. Even as the large orchestra quietly moved about the serene soundscape, the crowd was tuned in with acute attention, barely making a peep until the customary pause sent the whole house into an uproar that brought tears to my eyes — and I’m sure to a few others as well.
We’re then treated to another orchestra debut with “Mercy”, and just like “Evolve” this song works wonderfully as an orchestral piece. To my ears, Trey hasn’t sounded this great on the mic in quite some time. The tender performance from the talented symphony seemed to bring out the best in his vocal performance.
In some amazing cases, the audience can become one of the night’s instruments, and tonight we were perfectly in tune for the set closing “Stash”. For much of the first set, instead of dancing and singing, the audience was largely quiet and dialed in (minus a stray chomper here and there), creating immersive moments of musical bliss during the dynamic performances.
However, “Stash” begs for audience participation. Not only were we perfectly timed for the clapping section, but when Trey reached the halfway point of the song without Page or Mike to back him up with the offset harmony, the crowd stepped in without missing a beat.
Listening back to the audience tape of this moment sends goosebumps down my spine. Trey giggled at the spontaneous moment of connectivity, and so did the crowd a bit before roaring back each “maybe so, maybe not” in perfect time and pitch. As the orchestra moved into the final section, the crowd popped to acknowledge the hive mind moment, and the closing notes brought an emphatic first set to an end.
Then Came the Sound
By the time the short intermission ended, the sun had completely set and we were all ready and waiting to see what was in store. Trey surprised us out of the gate with the orchestra debut of “Harry Hood” with him on acoustic.
This one felt like an extension of the excellent Hood from the Beacon Jams. The closing section soared through the heavens and was the perfect place to fold in the blissful sounds of the orchestra; coming to an end without the customary “feel good” finale, but we were all still feeling plenty good after that set opener.
We finally reached the point in the evening for a Trey orchestral opus. Like the cool breeze all around, the opening notes of “Petrichor” swirled from the stage to bring our night at the opera full circle (or donut, if you will). The 15-minute journey demonstrates perfect unison between Trey’s lead guitar playing and the densely layered symphonic surroundings — a musical storybook with epic proportions. Perhaps the finest example of the unison on display tonight.
For a more traditional song approach, “More” provided a heartfelt moment and a personal highlight. Not only did it translate wonderfully to this presentation, but the meaning of the lyrics hit home in the best of ways, making me shed even more tears and filling me with gratitude to witness such a show. Through this music, I’ve indeed found so much more to life — and I’m so grateful for it.
As the opening notes of “What’s the Use?” rang out next, a group of people sat near me who seemingly couldn’t have cared less about what was unfolding on stage. The quiet depths of this song were somewhat tarnished by their loud conversation as they carried on and watched a soccer game on their phone.
At this moment, when I’m prone to be annoyed by such inattentiveness, it struck me: what really is the use? This performance couldn’t have been more beautiful as the massive band fabricated a space that made it feel like the whole forest was floating. This group was missing out. They had no idea what was happening right in front of them. I began to feel sorry for them instead of angry, but again, what’s the use of that? I’ll just float here, feeling happy.
The final reward was still waiting. The crowd boomed as the opening of “You Enjoy Myself” signaled the next big sequence. A musical marvel even at a Phish show, the orchestral YEM steps up the majesty with its sweeping arrangement and a unique moment of levity when a lone trumpet stood in for the start of the vocals.
Trey stood out on center stage alone for the vocal jam. In place of the often abstract musical mosaic that makes up Phish’s YEM vocal jam, for this performance Trey opted for a simpler but far more regal vocal display, showcasing some of the best singing he’s ever performed. A powerful exclamation point at the end of a transformative second set.
For the encore, “The Outlaw Josie Wales” made its traditional appearance with the orchestra, and the western-tinged ballad is always welcome in this arrangement. We finally reached the night’s finale as “The Lizards” signaled a return to the land of Gamehendge.
The song’s narrative portion got the Lizards in attendance up and dancing, as always. In the home stretch, the song’s grand finale created the perfect soundscape for the symphony to shine over Trey’s dreamy tones. We all came together for one more celebratory moment, just as the inhabitants of Gamehendge celebrated their lives of bliss, except it’s right here, in this world.
Worlds That Can Never Slow Down
And so came to an end one of the most wondrous nights of music I’ve been lucky enough to attend. Trey offered another performance of this set five nights later with the Boston Pops at the also beautiful Tanglewood venue. A night surely just as excellent as this one.
The joy on Trey’s face throughout the evening proved he was enjoying the experience just as much as the rest of us in the audience. These performances were a gift in every sense of the word — just an incredibly moving experience of music, unity, and natural beauty.
Trey’s orchestra shows are not uploaded to LivePhish, but we can always rely on the tapers. Check out the audience recording on the Archive to hear this one (FYI — the second mix in the playlist is far superior).
With Phish’s Summer Tour right around the corner from this performance, 2024 is poised to stand out as a peak year for the band and the fans.
I’m attending Mondegreen next! I’ll be covering my first Phish festival right here on Gonzo Jams and I can’t wait to see this year’s momentum keep on rolling!
