JACKSON, Wyo. — Phish’s Trey Anastasio made his highly anticipated Wyoming debut last night at the Center Theater, a show that sold out in just minutes. At a capacity of around 500, this is the smallest venue on the current tour by a long shot. Billed as An Acoustic Evening, Anastasio was joined by keyboardist Jeff Tanski for most of the three-hour and 15-minute set. The energy was palpable inside and outside the venue, with an impressively respectful audience that was keen on when to engage and when to listen.
The acoustic duo lineup is an infrequent format for Trey, and a special offering to the enthusiastic, die-hard collective of Phish fans. From seasoned singer-songwriter material (“Driver,” “Brian & Robert”), old-school sing-a-longs (“Sample in a Jar,” “Wilson,” “If I Could”) to intricate, longform compositions that require razor edge precision (“Fluffhead,” “Petrichor,” “Harry Hood,” “Divided Sky,” “Slave to the Traffic Light”), this set offered something for fans of all Phish eras. (Arguably, there are four distinct eras in Phish lore, from 1983-present.)
High-level dexterity and compositional prowess was on full display for Anastasio —intricately supported by Tanski, a highly accomplished Broadway music director and arranger. Tanski and Anastasio have been collaborating since 2013, including 2019’s Ghosts of the Forest, 2020’s The Beacon Jams virtual residency, and for Anastasio’s Broadway musical Hands on a Hardbody. Anastasio’s singular compositional style often relies on contrapuntal arranging, and the complex weaving of melodies and harmony are specifically designed for four voices and/or four instruments (as in Phish, a quartet). Many of the quintessential launchpad jam songs in Phish were aptly abbreviated for the duo format, with improvisation sections often minimized, yet favoring instrumental and vocal form.
The audience was hip to participation moments, even singing background vocal parts in key spots. Other times, you could hear a pin drop in the room, allowing a single guitar note to dissipate into the back of the theater in total silence. My Friend, seeing and hearing these songs stripped-back was pure Joy, like Pebbles & Marbles on my mind, or a Divided Sky on the peak of a blue moon. Well done, sirs.
5/31/26 Center Theater, Center for the Arts, Jackson WY (incomplete and not in order)
Sample in a Jar
AC/DC Bag
Lost in the Pack
If I Could
Brian & Robert
Driver
Pebbles & Marbles
Limb by Limb
Slave to the Traffic Light
Divided Sky
Bathtub Gin
My Friend, My Friend
What’s Going Through Your Mind?
Sand
Petrichor
Frost
Joy
What’s the Use
Wilson
Fluffhead
Harry Hood
