Cream

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History

The third set on New Year’s Eve has long served as Phish’s playground for high-concept spectacle and absurdity. Subtle clues to the midnight reveal often surface earlier in the night, on December 31, 2025, those hints arrived late in the second set following a relatively workmanlike opening. The pairing of “It’s Ice” into “Cream” proved to be more than just clever sequencing. It was a deliberate breadcrumb trail leading to a third set populated by oversized milk cartons, dancing psychedelic cows, and a parade of characters and motifs from the band's NYE past, all anchored by a vintage “It’s Ice Cream” icebox, that served as the literal and symbolic centerpiece of the midnight shenanigans.

The Original Cream

Originally recorded for Diamonds and Pearls (1991), Prince’s “Cream” distills funk down to its barest essentials: swagger, confidence, and a knowing wink. Prince famously claimed in a 2004 interview on MTV that he wrote the song while standing in front of a mirror, a literal pep talk to himself. This theme of self-reflection mirrored Phish’s own look back at their 40-year legacy during the evening’s festivities.

The track was a pivotal moment for Prince, serving as a high-profile showcase for his then-new backing band, the New Power Generation. Interestingly, for a guitar virtuoso of his caliber, the song contains a rare admission of limitation: Prince actually sampled Bonnie Raitt for the song’s signature slide guitar. After attempting to master her specific "blue note" feel during a session at Paisley Park, he opted to use her recording instead, acknowledging he couldn't replicate her unique touch. Driven by a "lazy" but locked-in tempo, “Cream” became his fifth No. 1 hit, succeeding not through excess, but through supreme self-assurance.

The Phish Cream

While Phish is known for fully absorbing covers into their own improvisational language, they sometimes choose to honor a song’s original essence. Their debut of “Cream” was a faithful rendition that prioritized "the pocket" over flash.

The performance took place at Madison Square Garden, a venue synonymous with Phish. Prince himself had performed “Cream” on that same stage, most notably during his “Welcome 2 America” run in 2011 sandwiched after “Raspberry Beret” and “Purple Rain” and before “Cool”, when the song appeared deep in a career-spanning set. Like Phish’s marathon New Year’s Eve show of 2025, Prince’s show featured four sets of encores including dozens of songs.

Their New Year’s reign at MSG stands second to none and will never be matched, with only Billy Joel having played Madison Square Garden more times overall. Closing the second set, “Cream” initially read as a cool, understated breather. Its minimalism stood in deliberate contrast to the elaborate production looming in Set III. The appearance of a milkman, clad in a Harry Hood–esque white jumpsuit emblazoned with an “It’s Ice Cream” patch–a reference to the limited-edition "It's Ice...Cream" flavor by Ben & Jerry’s, which features caramel malt ice cream, almond toffee pieces, fudge fish, and a caramel swirl–serenading the crowd with a cowbell was the "aha!" moment for the crowd, signaling that the gag was officially underway. It didn’t take Sherlock Holmes to deduce “Harry Hood” would be the central song of set three.

Even without the thematic tie-in, completed by the giving away of pints of the signature “Phish food” Ben & Jerry’s flavor after the show, the cover was a perfectly placed closer. Phish leaned into Prince’s playbook: fewer notes, but deeper funk. Rather than stretching the jam outward, they played it tight, ending the set not with a soaring peak, but with a smirk. It functioned as a palate cleanser sharpening the room's anticipation for the next set.

You got the horn so why don't you blow it?
Come on and blow it
You're so fine
You're filthy cute and baby you know it
Cream—get on top
Cream—you will cop

Time will tell if the 12/31/25 performance remains a "one-and-done" rarity designed solely to facilitate the gag. Or, it may become one of those playful tools Phish keeps in their back pocket, waiting for the right night, the right room, and the right wink to bring it back to the stage.

Last significant update: 1/1/2026

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