The 2025 touring season remains etched in the collective memory of the community as a year where Phish pushed the boundaries of temporal limits and improvisational bravery. From the brief but potent Spring West Coast run to the sprawling, marathon-heavy Summer Tour, the Phish setlists 2025 tell a story of a band that, four decades into their career, is still remarkably uninterested in playing it safe. Analyzing the data from these shows reveals a deliberate shift toward ultra-long-form jamming, some of the rarest bust-outs in the modern era, and a renewed focus on the newer material from the Evolve era.

The Spring Awakening: Hollywood Bowl and the West Coast

The short Spring Tour of 2025 provided a necessary prelude to the summer's insanity. Spanning eight shows across Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, the focus was on tight execution and a "mixed bag" approach. However, the final night at the Hollywood Bowl on April 27, 2025, hinted at the improvisational depth that would later define the year.

The first set featured a classic Phish flow, opening with "The Landlady" and moving through staples like "Cavern" and "Llama." The highlights of this run were often found in the transitions. The segue from "Hey Stranger" into "Timber (Jerry the Mule)" showed a band that was already locked in. The second set of the Hollywood Bowl finale was a masterpiece of setlist construction: a massive "You Enjoy Myself" that gave way to "Twist," followed by a haunting "Lifeboy" to provide the necessary emotional breath. While the jams hadn't yet reached the 40-minute marks seen in the summer, the groundwork for 2025's "Type II" exploration was firmly laid here.

Manchester: The Summer Tour's Opening Statement

When Phish arrived at the SNHU Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire, on June 20, 2025, few expected the level of improvisation that would occur on the second night. June 21, 2025, is a date that will be cited by setlist nerds for decades. This show featured the first major "monster jam" of the year—a 40-minute sequence consisting of "Carini" followed by "A Wave of Hope."

The "Carini" was a masterclass in darkness and light. It began with the characteristic "evil" Phish minor-key exploration before transitioning into a blissful, major-key progression that seemed to hover in the arena's rafters. The transition into "A Wave of Hope" was seamless. This wasn't just a segue; it was a conversation. The band utilized the full range of their 2025 sonic palette, including Trey’s modular synth effects and Page’s heavy use of the clavinet and grand piano. This show also delivered a three-song encore of "Bold as Love," "David Bowie," and "Wilson," reminding fans that the band could still lean into their classic rock and Gamehendge roots at any moment.

Pittsburgh and the 42-Minute Galaxy

If Manchester was the opening statement, Pittsburgh’s Petersen Events Center on June 24, 2025, was the moment the tour went into another dimension. This single-night indoor stop during a sweltering summer was physically taxing for fans but musically rewarding. The second set opened with a 20-minute "You Enjoy Myself," which was immediately followed by a 42-minute version of "What’s Going Through Your Mind."

Originally a Trey Anastasio Band song, "What’s Going Through Your Mind" has become the ultimate vehicle for 2025 Phish. This version in Pittsburgh touched on everything from Allman Brothers-style melodic peaks to spooky, sparse soundscapes that felt more like an alien invasion than a rock concert. Jon Fishman’s stamina during this sequence was nothing short of legendary, maintaining a relentless, skipping beat that allowed the other three members to orbit around him in a dense, psychedelic jam. The fact that they followed this hour of music with a stately "Prince Caspian" and a high-energy "Blaze On" speaks to the band's conditioning in 2025.

The Chicago Takeover: United Center Runs

Chicago has always been a Phish stronghold, and the three-night run at the United Center (July 18–20, 2025) solidified this bond. The Chicago setlists were notable for their deep cuts and "bust-outs."

On July 18, the band performed "On Your Way Down," an Allen Toussaint cover that hadn't been played since August 6, 2011—a gap of 522 shows. This kind of deep-catalog diving became a hallmark of the 2025 tour. The following night, July 19, featured a version of "Tube" that many fans consider one of the longest and most exploratory versions ever played, clocking in at a length that challenged the song’s usual short-and-funky reputation.

The final night in Chicago (July 20) focused on flow and teases. The first set’s "Reba" (played without the whistling ending) was an early peak, while the second set featured a "The Lizards" with a "Speed Racer" theme tease. The encore was a rare "Fee," with Trey singing through his signature megaphone, followed by a high-octane "Weekapaug Groove" and the ubiquitous "Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S."

Statistical Highlights: The 2025 Bust-Out List

Part of the thrill of tracking Phish setlists 2025 was the sheer number of "LTP" (Last Time Played) rarities. The band seemed intent on dusting off songs that had been shelved for years, perhaps as a tribute to their own longevity. Here are some of the most significant bust-outs from the year:

  • "On Your Way Down": July 18, Chicago (522 show gap).
  • "The Line": July 19, Chicago (First time since Oct 21, 2018).
  • "Jesus Just Left Chicago": July 12, North Charleston (First time since Dec 3, 2019).
  • "Carolina": July 12, North Charleston (First time since Dec 6, 2019).
  • "Paul & Silas": June 24, Pittsburgh (First time since 2016).
  • "Spanish Moon": July 11, North Charleston (A rare Little Feat cover that always electrifies the crowd).

These selections show a band that is actively engaged with its own history, willing to reach back into the 90s and 2010s to surprise the "stat-trackers" in the audience.

The Charleston and Forest Hills Dynamics

The Southern leg of the tour, particularly the three nights in North Charleston (July 11–13, 2025), brought its own unique flavor. The July 13 show is remembered for a 30-minute "Tweezer" that served as the centerpiece of the second set. This version of "Tweezer" didn't rely on speed; instead, it was a patient, textural exploration that saw Mike Gordon using his effects pedals to create a subterranean rumble that vibrated the entire coliseum.

Moving back North to Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, NY (July 22–23, 2025), the band dealt with early start times and local noise ordinances by packing their sets with high-intensity jams. The July 22 show featured a first set with "I Am the Walrus" and a second set anchored by a "Carini" into "Tweezer" segue. During the second night at Forest Hills (July 23), Page McConnell was introduced as the "relief pitcher" during "Rocky Top," a nod to his throwing out the first pitch for the New York Mets earlier that day. This kind of humor and local engagement is what keeps the Phish tour experience feeling personal despite the massive venue sizes.

SPAC: The Saratoga Springs Tradition

No Phish summer is complete without a run at the Broadview Stage at SPAC. The 2025 run (July 25–27) saw the band returning to one of their most beloved venues. The opening night on July 25 was high-energy, featuring a first set "Bathtub Gin" that saw Trey and Page engaging in a frantic call-and-response. The second set’s "The Story of the Ghost" was a highlight, with Chris Kuroda’s lighting rig performing its own dance above the crowd. SPAC remains a place where the band feels comfortable taking risks, and the 2025 shows there were no exception, blending the newer "Evolve" material like "The Well" with 1.0 classics.

Festival Appearances and the Late Summer Push

As the tour wound down in September, Phish made a notable appearance at the Bourbon & Beyond festival in Louisville, Kentucky (September 12, 2025). Festival sets are notoriously difficult for jam bands, as they often have to cater to a more general audience. However, Phish stayed true to their 2025 form, delivering a set that included "The Moma Dance," "Free," and a second set "Chalk Dust Torture" into "Light" that proved they weren't going to water down their sound for the festival circuit.

The following night in Birmingham, Alabama (September 13, 2025), was a return to the "Phans-only" atmosphere. This show featured a particularly inspired "Sigma Oasis" and an unfinished "Down with Disease" that bled into "Life Saving Gun." The use of Page and Trey’s collaborative material in the Phish setting has been one of the most successful developments of the 2024–2025 era.

The Hampton Finale: Returning to the Mothership

The 2025 Summer Tour concluded with a three-night run at the legendary Hampton Coliseum (September 19–21, 2025). Ending a tour at the "Mothership" is a statement of intent. The setlist from September 20, 2025, serves as a perfect microcosm of the year.

Set one was a balance of funk and precision: "Boogie On Reggae Woman," "Undermind," and a beautiful "Esther" that showcased the band's ability to navigate complex compositions. Set two was a continuous flow of music, starting with "Everything’s Right" and moving into a massive "Simple." The "Simple" featured a "Beneath a Sea of Stars Part 1" interlude, a move that has become a fan-favorite for its ambient, ethereal beauty. They closed the run with "Suzy Greenberg" and "Julius," leaving the crowd in a state of high-energy euphoria.

Jam Style and Sonic Evolution in 2025

Looking at the Phish setlists 2025 as a whole, several musical trends emerge. The most prominent is the "Slow-Fast" jam. The band has mastered the art of starting a jam in a deep, ambient space and slowly building the tension over 20+ minutes until it erupts into a high-speed, peak-shredding finale.

Another trend is the integration of Trey's newer gear. His use of the "Koa 1.5" guitar and a revamped effects rack has given him a cleaner, more sustain-heavy tone that allows him to hold notes for what feels like an eternity, especially during songs like "Harry Hood" or "Slave to the Traffic Light." Page McConnell has also leaned more heavily into his synth collection, providing the "alien" textures that defined the Pittsburgh and Manchester jams.

Furthermore, the "segue" has returned to the forefront. In the mid-2010s, Phish sets were often more "stop-and-start." In 2025, the band was much more likely to use the > (segue) or -> (seamless transition). This created sets that felt like single, continuous pieces of music rather than a collection of individual songs. This is best exemplified by the July 19 Chicago second set, where "Down with Disease" was split into two parts with "Seven Below" and "Pillow Jets" sandwiched in between.

The Legacy of 2025

When we look back at this year from our vantage point in 2026, the 2025 tour stands as a testament to the band’s refusal to become a "heritage act." While many of their peers are content to play the hits exactly as they were recorded in 1994, Phish spent 2025 playing 40-minute versions of new songs and reworking their classics into unrecognizable shapes.

The Phish setlists 2025 aren't just lists of songs; they are maps of a band exploring the outer reaches of what a four-piece rock ensemble can achieve. Whether you were on the rail in Manchester or watching the stream from your couch during the Hampton run, the sense of unpredictability was palpable. In the world of Phish, that unpredictability is the highest currency, and in 2025, the band was wealthier than ever.

For those looking to dive into the recordings, the Manchester "Carini," the Pittsburgh "What's Going Through Your Mind," and the Chicago "Tube" are the essential starting points. They represent the gold standard of 2025 improvisation and serve as a reminder that the best Phish jam might always be the one that’s about to happen tomorrow.