Phish eased into the first set tonight during night two of their Mexico run as the group worked in breezy, tame offerings of tunes before ramping up the energy later on. 

Among the highlights, a notable opening “The Curtain With” making just its third appearance since 2014 and it showed, as the quartet stumbled through some of the changes before settling into the “With” section nicely. The Big Boat tune “Breath and Burning” was as appropriate a selection as it gets, referencing dancing on the beach at seemingly every turn. 

From there, the mood mellowed considerably as “Poor Heart” gave way to a steady dose of patient, down-tempo Phish as Page McConnell led the band on “Halfway to the Moon” before Fuego‘s “The Line” led into Big Boat‘s obscure, Mike Gordon-led “Waking Up Dead.” 

After the meat of the set took a slow turn, the energy would soon return with a “Tube” that veered from its standard modern-era form, albeit briefly. Trey Anastasio experimented with some different, darker riffs to accent Page McConnell’s funk-driven playing as the stage lights were turned off, illuminating the palm trees that live behind the stage. The Rift standout “Fast Enough for You” proved to be a pleasant surprise, notching just one play in 2016 before “Ocelot” gave way to the set’s centerpiece, an extensive “Chalk Dust Torture” that saw the band dip their toes in the improvisational water for the first time as Anastasio grabbed control of the jam, taking it deep before returning to the song’s finale. 

Set two will commence shortly. The show is available to watch via LivePhish.

Here’s a look at the setlist:

Phish
Riviera Maya, Mexico

Set I: The Curtain With, AC/DC Bag,  Breath and Burning, Poor Heart, Halfway to the Moon, The Line, Waking Up Dead, Tube Fast Enough for You, Ocelot Chalk Dust Torture