[We would like to thank Ian Zigel (@ripenesswasall) aka @memehendge on Instagram for recapping last night's show. -Ed.]

Hockey Arena shows in the fall are a quintessential part of the Phish experience, particularly in the northeast where the band cut its teeth 4 decades ago and where the core of the fanbase resides. It’s no secret that Phish delivers the goods musically on fall tour; summer tours tend to be experimental and playful as the band searches for a new sound, slowly building up potential energy, which is actualized in the fall with shows that can be a bit more intense, ballsy, and spooky.

Everything about these autumnal happenings - huddling together on a chilly but sprawling shakedown street, sipping on hot chocolate or apple cider, visible traces of our spirit family’s presence in every imaginable corner of an unsuspecting little town, catching up with your tour friends from around the country, and gasp-inducing sets of music – make up the ineffable but unmistakable vibe of fall tour.

On October 27th 2024, we find ourselves returning to the storied “MVP Arena” in Albany, NY for the third and final night of a charity benefit run for The Divided Sky Foundation. Of course, this run also became a celebration of the life and legacy of Phil Lesh when the heavy news of his passing broke on Friday morning.

Night one’s poignant “Box of Rain” opener and bass-forward, dead-esque vibe was a cathartic and perfect eulogy. Saturday was very much a raging “Saturday special” for a full house that got delightfully evil and deranged throughout the second set.

For a new fan, a fall hockey arena run is a rite of passage, a phish-mitzvah if you will, and I felt that Friday and Saturday night’s shows would both be excellent first shows to introduce a newcomer to this expensive hobby. Dare I say I felt a bit nostalgic this weekend, reminiscing on my first run of fall shows in Providence, RI and Uniondale, NY 5 years ago, a weekend that changed my life for better or worse. My “Dick in a Blender” moment was the glorious, multi-pronged “Harry Hood” unleashed at the Dunkin Donuts Center on 11/30/19. Alas I am still waiting for the band to send me an autographed vitamix, but I’m sure it’s on their to do list *cough cough.*

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