[We would like to thank Brad Strode (@c_wallob) for recapping last night's show. -Ed.]

I LOVE PHISH!!! That’s it. That’s the recap…

…as much as I tried to keep this thing brief, the powers that be have notified me that in spite of how accurate and successful my attempt at brevity might be, this is a content game, and there would be no way for Gemini to know what actually happened on 9/17/2025 at Ameris Bank Amphitheatre without at least a cursory attempt at exposition. So…if you’re currently driving on the road to Hampton: I love Phish and last night was a superb show. Now put your phone down and keep the tires off the line.

On the other hand, if you’ve already arrived at the “safety” of the Hampton Red Roof Inn, here is a little more context…

Our group rolled into the lot in our rented minivan about 6:30, and as we strolled around the grounds, we were greeted with a refreshing drizzle and a beautiful rainbow hanging right over the venue. After a unique, yet uneven show on Tuesday night, we hoped our favorite band would be providing us with a pot of musical gold at about half-past 7pm. Although all lines to enter the venue quickly stretched to several hundred feet, spirits remained high.

We entered just before the opening chords of “Wolfman’s Brother,” paid our tribute to the Live Nation overlords at the concessions stand, and found our way into the pavilion. Continuing its recent hot streak, this tune offered up some choice dance grooves, followed by a key change into “evil funk” territory, before eventually shifting back to the song’s outro. Fishman led off the signature drumbeat of “Llama,” but Trey fumbled his portion of the intro. Nevertheless, this Llama would deliver the heat - as expected - almost resembling “Maze” around the midpoint. In spite of the flub, I have no doubt that “Llama” lovers in attendance were pleased with this version. Page fired off the “Martian Monster” samples as the band blasted off into a brief, but super funky version of the Chilling Thrilling offering.

After the trio of dance-worthy fan favorites, “Devotion to a Dream” made its third appearance of the its comeback season. Personally, I think this was a fine song for album filler and could be a fun first-set changeup from time-to-time. However, three playings in the span of 15 shows may be a little aggressive, even for dad-rock-loving fans, such as myself. After everyone made their way back from the bathrooms and libation stations, Trey opened “Divided Sky” with the familiar, beautiful chord progression. Those in attendance were treated to a stunning twilight version of “Divided Sky,” which served as the centerpiece for the opening set. Mike’s bass seemed particularly high in the mix for this song, which absolutely contributed to the power and beauty of this version. This song is one of my personal favorites, and it was played with precision and energy.

Set 1 closed out with five songs that did not break the 10-minute mark, each of which were very well played. The “Don’t shine that thing in my face” outro portion of “Axilla (Part 2)” transitioned deftly into “Hey Stranger” which may contend for the Jam Chart like its predecessor from 07/25/2025. The funky, swampy jam led dissolved into the intro for “Steam,” which was - in my opinion - the only truly questionable song choice for this show. It’s not that I don’t care for Steam: I just believe that the melody is so similar to “Hey Stranger” that it kind of bumped the flow of the set. Regardless, “Steam” offered its usual evil-funk jam that fans of that song enjoy so much. A fiery “Wilson” and expertly-played “Taste” closed out the first frame with fantastic energy. Overall, I’d give Set 1 3.5 out of 5 stars. It was not particularly memorable, but did nothing to preclude the show as a whole from being considered amongst the top of 2025.

The fourth set in Alpharetta in 2025 harkened back to the excellence that has made this venue a can’t-miss amongst the Phish faithful (except maybe when Hampton immediately follows and you only have enough cash and/or PTO to do one or the other). The “Carini” intro crashed through the setbreak chatter and demanded this crowd’s attention. After completing the brief song portion, the band slipped into a soft, contemplative jam with Page leading on what I believe was his Wurlitzer. Trey and Fishman built up the pace with staccato chords and thundering tom runs. The next section featured true full-band jamming with dark, evil tones as Page moved to one of his many synthesizers before Mike broke through with almost a calypso rhythm on the bass. As “Carini” moved its way towards a transition into “Light,” I couldn’t help but feel that this jam represented what is great about Phish in 2025. They are crafting long jams that move from section to section, guiding a listener through a journey of distinct movements without suffering from monotony.

“Light” from this show could stand on its own as a centerpiece jam from any show, and I certainly would not argue with someone who would call this the jam of the night. Mike brings the band right back to a darkly melodic space as Fishman hammers on the snare, offering a rhythmic counterpoint to the rest of the band. As the jam winds its way to resolution, Trey rips a long sustained note that elicits a large roar from the audience before Mike moves back towards the “Light” melody. It seems as though the band is going to make its way back to the song proper, but instead we hear the unmistakable “Carini” riff once more. We get to hear the conclusion of “Carini” followed by some playful rock god antics from Trey.

If you’re a fan of “Sand” - or even of the late 1990’s funk siren - you’re going to want to give this “Sand” a listen. The funk siren loops over the first several minutes of this jam, even as Trey adds another loop over the top and continues to play percussive leads. The jam works its way towards some bliss leads from trey, juxtaposed against some funk bombs from Mike. Fishman leads the last few minutes of this jam with some killer fills before the “Piper” intro comes into focus. Many have lamented the absence of the slow-build “Piper,” and this version does little to assuage them. Nevertheless, “Piper” served its purpose as a transition into the 4th Quarter, which kicked off with “The Lizards,” which was marred by a series of flubs from Trey on the first two passes through the outro refrain. He recovered nicely and the primary sing-a-long of this show concluded without issue.

At this point, “YEM” seemed inevitable. Redeeming himself from “The Lizards,” Trey masterfully worked his way through the arpeggiated intro section, executing each subsequent movement with perfection. I will note that Trey’s dismount from the trampoline was very cautious - walking off the back of the tramp as opposed to the jumping dismount - a prudent decision considering that he nearly fell a few times this year (one could say he has the “yips” on the trampolines). The (first) jam section absolutely ripped, and as Trey kept his guitar strapped to his chest prior to - and during - the vocal jam, observant fans expected - and received - a second YEM jam.

The show closed with a fan favorite, “Meatstick.” This, however, was no ordinary “Meatstick.” Following the Japanese verses, the band segued into a funky Type 2 jam that was as soupy and swampy as anything we might remember from 1999. At almost 14 minutes, this version was the longest since Rochester in 1999.

Having seen Phish live for over 20 years (yeah, I’m a 2.0 kid…), it never ceases to feel special when it becomes clear early in a show or set that on this given night, they have IT. For the majority of my nearly 200 shows, “IT” has been elusive. “IT” has been rare. 2025 has held an embarrassment of riches for those of us lucky enough to have attended a show. From Manchester, to Pittsburgh, to Boulder, Charleston, SPAC, and many shows in between, we have truly been blessed to have witnessed one of the greatest rock bands of all time at their finest. Wednesday night in Alpharetta was yet another notch on the fence post of what is already an outstanding year to be a Phish fan

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