#the trey anastasio band

[krispyweiss]

Trey Anastasio: A Phish Looks at 60

Most people, if they’d been in a rock band for 40 years and established themselves as a musical hero to many and an all-around good guy to most, might feel like a fish out of water when turning 60.

Trey Anastasio does not feel like a Phish out of water. On the prospect of turning 60 - which happens today, Sept. 30, 2024 - the guitarist, singer and songwriter recently told Rolling Stone magazine: “I really like it.

“It’s like something really amazing is happening, where I’m not part of the scramble anymore,” he said.

“It gives me the opportunity to observe, and enjoy. It’s a beautiful feeling. And it’s a different stage of life where you want to share what you’ve learned with people, and just be quiet on the side of things.”

So to be clear, being the face of Phish, fronting his own eponymous band, playing solo, bouncing around to various side projects and establishing a drug-treatment center is what Anastasio considers to be “quiet.”

Dude clearly is not mellowing with age. And may that trend continue.

9/30/24

[balleralbumcovers]

EPIC ALBUM COVER #71

Oysterhead - The Grand Pecking Order

Released: 2001 (Elektra, Asylum)

Jam band, psychedelic rock, jazz fusion

[borntomecassidy78]

responding to last night's phish show in the most normal way i know how

[jennywilbury]

Look at me, out on a school night 🥳

[funkygroovejam]

Guess Method; Rathskeller; 09/20. Mighty fun time I might say, mighty fun indeed. Guess Method, like always, bringing out the funky groove jam in me; and Miss Julia, like always, bringing to the atmosphere her sweet and spicy, exhilaratingly hypnotic energy.

Perhaps I shouldn't have stood right in front of the fire all night, because I can still smell the smoke on me. I smell like chourico. Mmmmm, I loooove chourico. I have two packages in the fridge for football sunday fundays.

I'd like to thank Widespread Panic's Live at Myrtle Beach for beautifully assisting me on my ride home. Damn, those back roads are all sorts of dark. I'm very glad it wasn't raining. I utterly hate driving home in the dark rain. I think Trey Anastasio should make a funky groove jam album called Take Me Home Trey. It will be the perfect drive-home-from-a-concert album. And I'd like to thank Kilrwales for telling me, way back when, about Widespread Panic. If you are still out there Kilrwales, many thanks. Maybe I'll bump into you at one of their shows.

[horseshoehate]

Phish Degrees of Separation

a/n: this is my first Phish & Community fan fiction. there may be another one coming at a later date, I haven't decided yet.

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As the study group walked around campus, they noticed some new faces. Jeff's attention was immediately drawn to a group of hippies setting up a tent near the quad. "Hey, Britta," he said, "you think they're Phish fans?"

Britta rolled her eyes. "You know Jeff, just because they're hippies doesn't mean they like Phish."

"Actually, I do like Phish," a voice from behind them said. They turn to see Trey Anastasio, Mike Gordon, Jon Fishman, and Page McConnell, all wearing Greendale Community College t-shirts.

"Wait, you guys are Phish!" Britta exclaimed.

"That's us," Trey replied with a smile.

"They're fish?" Troy said to himself, "They look human to me!"

The study group was ecstatic to meet the band and invited them to their study room to hang out. As they settled in, Jeff couldn't help but be skeptical. "So, what brings you guys to Greendale?"

"Well, we wanted to go back to school and get our degrees," Mike explained. "And we heard Greendale has a pretty relaxed admissions policy."

"Plus, we wanted to get away from all the crazy fans," Fishman added. "It's nice to be in a place where people don't constantly ask us to play our most famous song, You Enjoy Myself. I don't know about the rest of the guys, but boy, was I getting tired of it!"

"But don't you guys already have degrees from Goddard College?" Abed asked

"Well, now that's a funny story," Page started, "we actually all misplaced our degrees and the registrar refuses to reissue them on account of the constant flood of Phish fan mail they get sent. Admittedly, some of it is jarringly inappropriate."

"You all misplaced your degrees?" Jeff asked in shock.

"Weeeeeeelllllll," Mike said, "not to point fingers or anything, but the reason we lost them is that, during a particularly heated jam session, Fish's drumsticks broke and so he grabbed the nearest items to use as makeshift sticks to play out the song. They happened to be our degrees. He accidentally flung them out of an open window and into a nearby pond."

Fishman added sadly, "Despite our best efforts to retrieve them, our degrees sank to the bottom of the pond, never to be seen again."

"And so we enrolled here, at Greendale." said Page.

Still squinting in disbelief, Jeff asked "Well, if you're such great musicians with some massive cult following, why do you need degrees anyways?"

Sighing, Trey explained, "Well, the state council of Vermont passed a new law requiring all musicians based in the state performing in public venues to hold at least an associate's degree in music theory or performance, in order to improve the overall quality of live music in the area. We would have faced fines out the wazoo!"

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Abed, Annie, and Troy offered to help Phish navigate Greendale's bureaucracy to get their degrees. They started by going to the Dean's office to ask for a waiver of certain requirements.

The Dean, delighted to have famous musicians on campus, agreed to help them. The band thanked him, but the Dean's stipulation was yet to be announced.

"A-ha! Well, I've just gotten the numbers and enrollment is up 200% since it was announced on Leonard's Twitter that you were attending here." the Dean said.

"Oh, that's great. I'm glad we could help." Trey said with a soft smile.

"Not as happy as I am that we don't actually have to stay here." said Mike under his breath.

"About that," said the Dean.

Mike narrowed his eyes.

"I'm going to need one more thing from all of you actually." the Dean said, pausing, "I need you all to live on campus for the rest of the semester and live like Greendale students."

Immediately, the band began protesting.

"Now, now, I'm still offering you all degrees by the end of this semester, but you just need to make Greendale seem fun and exciting to be at! I want you all attending classes and participating in activities. I need you to become part of the student body and endear youselves to the students. No if's, and's, or but's!." the Dean said with finality, "This is the greatest recruitment tool I've ever been given as a dean, and I won't have it taken away from me!"

The band quickly became a fixture around campus, often jamming in the quad or playing impromptu shows in the cafeteria. The entire student body was enamored with their laid-back attitude and unique musical style. Slowly, the band became just another part of Greendale's colorful tapestry.

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One day, a college student named Max was walking to class when he saw Mike Gordon walking towards him. Max was a huge Phish fan and was ecstatic to meet one of his musical idols. He approached Mike and nervously said, "Hey man, I love your music! Can I get a picture with you?"

Mike smiled and agreed, he was always very generous to his fans. But as Max fumbled to get his phone out, he accidentally dropped it and it shattered on the ground. Max was devastated. But Mike just laughed and said, "Don't worry about it, man. I've got something even better."

Mike then proceeded to pull out a tiny keychain that played the bass line from "Down With Disease" whenever you pressed the button. He clicked it and placed it in Max's hands. Max was stunned and left speechless.

As Mike walked away, he hummed to himself, oblivious to Max's disappointment.

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One day, a student named Dave was walking to class when he saw Jon Fishman walking towards him. Dave was a huge Phish fan and couldn't believe his eyes. Fish approached him and said, "Hey man, do you have the time?"

Dave, trying to play it cool, responded, "Uh, yeah, it's 11:36."

Fish nodded and thanked him, then walked away.

Dave was thrilled and couldn't believe what had just happened. He went to his class, but couldn't focus on anything else. From that day on, Dave thought about that everywhere he went and every time someone asked him the time, he would tell the story of how Jon Fishman himself had also once asked him the time also.

Years later, Dave would see Fish again at a Phish concert and tried to thank him for the interaction, but Fish didn't remember him at all, and just stared blankly when Dave brought it up. Oh well, at least he still had his memory of the time that Jon Fishman asked him what time it was.

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One day, Brett was walking around campus when he saw Trey Anastasio walking towards him. Brett, being a huge Phish fan, was starstruck and didn't know what to say. As Trey got closer, Brett blurted out, "Hey Trey, I love your music! Can you play 'You Enjoy Myself' for me right now?" After all, Trey did have a guitar with him, so it wasn't that unusual of a request, right?

Trey smiled and said, "Sure thing!" as he set down his guitar, revealing it to be made entirely of cardboard. It was now apparent that this was some sort of project for one of his classes. He then proceeded to beatbox and make weird mouth noises for a few seconds, causing Brett to look on in confusion.

He looked at Trey, bewildered, as he continued to beatbox. He didn't know what to do or say, so he just stood there awkwardly. Trey didn't seem to notice or care that Brett was so uncomfortable, and just kept on with his beatboxing.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Trey finished his impromptu performance and looked up at Brett. "How was that?" he asked, grinning expectantly and awaiting Brett's approval.

Brett didn't know how to respond, so he just awkwardly said, "Uh, yeah, that was... great."

Trey laughed and said, "Thanks, man! I'm always happy to please a fan!"

And with that, he picked up his cardboard guitar and walked off, leaving Brett standing there, still in shock at what had just happened.

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One day in the cafeteria, a student named Jake was standing behind Page McConnell in line at the campus deli. Page was trying to order a sandwich, but he seemed to be struggling with the menu.

"Uh, can I get the, fuckin', uh, turkey club with uh, no, tomato?" Page fumbled.

The deli worker said cheerily, "Sure thing. Would you like any dressing on that?"

Page looked panicked, as if this was an entirely unexpected question, and he said, "Uh, what kind of dressing do you have?"

The deli worker replied, "We have mayo, mustard, or ranch."

Page thought for a moment, and said "Hmm, I don't know. What do you think, man?" and he turned to Jake.

Jake (caught off guard) blurted out, "Uh, I don't know, man. Maybe try the ranch?"

Page, horrified that somebody would suggest ranch, turned to the deli worker and said, "Yeah, okay, I'll go with the mustard."

Jake immediately felt burning shame as his face turned red. He had made a grave error and now Page would never ask him for sandwich advice again.

The deli worker said, "Okay, coming right up!"

As they waited for their sandwiches, Page consciously avoided Jake's eye line. After Page recieved his sandwich, he walked to his table. His sandwich was immensely disappointing.

"I guess I should have gone with the ranch." he sighed.

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On Halloween night, the band invited the study group, along with a few other select friends, to a secret Phish show to be played on Greendale's campus. The group was excited to see their new friends in action, but became hesitant when they realized the show is being held in the abandoned Greendale Asylum.

As they made their way through the dark, creepy halls, they heard strange noises and see unsettling sights. Suddenly, a figure jumped out from behind a corner, causing everyone to scream in terror. It was just the Dean, dressed as Jon Fishman for the Halloween show. Relieved but still a little shaken, the group settled in for the concert.

It was an exciting and heady concert, but halfway through the second set, as the band launched into an evil rendition of "David Bowie," things start to get even weirder. The walls began to shake, and the floor started to tilt. Suddenly, the band was sucked into a strange, swirling vortex and transported to an alternate dimension.

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In this new dimension, everything was just a little bit off. For instance, instead of coffee, the locals drank a beverage called "mud juice" made from dirt and water. They also noticed that all the stop signs were actually green. Additionally, there were no televisions or computers, but everyone spent their free time listening to radio dramas and playing board games. Even though the differences seemed bizarre to the band, the locals didn't seem to find anything unusual about their way of life. It was all very foreign and surreal to the band, but the strangest difference of all was the absence of jam bands.

They soon realized that in this dimension, music is still a big part of life, but jam bands simply didn't exist. No long, improvised jams or extended guitar solos. Instead, every song is a tightly controlled four minutes or less, and this rule is strictly enforced.

As the group explored this bizarre new world, they come across a street performer playing a guitar. They asked him to play some Phish, but he looked at them like they were crazy. "I've never heard of them," he says. "But I can play you some nice, short tunes if you'd like!"

Turning away from the man, Page says in a hushed tone, "Well guys, this may be our scariest Halloween show yet!"

[the-birth-of-art]

TAB, 10/29/22: The Chicago Theatre, Chicago, IL

[pagan-stitches]

Catherine McGann

Trey Anastasio (Phish), New York City, April, 1994

[thebowerypresents]

Trey Anastasio Makes Sweet Music with His Other Band at Brooklyn Steel on Wednesday Night

Trey Anastasio and Classic TAB – Brooklyn Steel – May 22, 2024

Trey Anastasio, the lead guitarist from Phish, has been playing shows under his own name for almost exactly 25 years. His main side-project started as a trio and then added horns in various configurations. The lineup and the fact that the repertoire largely avoided overlaps meant that Anastasio’s solo work could largely avoid comparisons with the main band. Over the years, the distinctions in the song lists have blurred significantly and with the most recent “Classic TAB” lineup consisting of an identical guitar-bass-keys-drums, it’s more inviting than ever to make those one-to-one comparisons. But playing the second of three packed nights at Brooklyn Steel, Anastasio and his band showed they are their own thing with a distinct sound and their own chemistry.

The band, featuring Dezron Douglas on bass, Ray Paczkowski on keys and Russ Lawton on drums, brings a jazz mindset to the jamband world. Douglas particularly made his presence felt, driving jams in “The Way I Feel” and “Cayman Review” early and creating space for the guitar and keys to explore. Phish songs like “Prince Caspian” and “Ocelot,” in the second set, exposed the quartet to “the book was better” notions, but TAB made each their own. The array of keyboards employed by Paczkowski to flavor “Ocelot” was revelatory and Lawton infused “Prince Caspian” with a fun shuffle that the rest of the band was happy to swing along to. 

While there were plenty of awe-inspiring guitar solos, Anastasio soaring, probing and grooving to the audience’s delight, the band was at their best when they democratized the jamming, the guitarist elevating his bandmates to equals on extended explorations out of “The Endless Dream,” “Hey Stranger,” “Oblivion” and “Life Saving Gun.” In these jams, each member layered his own improvised riffs to match the others, creating a distinctive “Trey Anastasio Band” sound that was sonically textured almost like pieces of electronica while staying eminently danceable. Like with his main band, Anastasio is an unprecedented multiple decades into the TAB project and still flowing with new ideas with a talented quartet poised to make them happen. —A. Stein | @Neddyo

Photos courtesy of Adela Loconte | www.adelaloconte.com

[theghostpinesmusic]

Phish burnt down the Nassau Coliseum twenty-five years ago today. RIP.

(Yes, the video's only in 144p. It was taken in 1998.)

[krispyweiss]

Song Review: James Casey - “New Bloom”

James Casey’s omnivorous musical tendencies are all over “New Bloom.”

The sax man, who plays with the Trey Anastasio Band and Phil Lesh & Friends, melds smooth jazz and trip-hop with ocean sounds and disco strings on this mostly instrumental track. And just as the groove starts to dig a deep trench, it gives way to a symphonic interlude and Casey speak-singing:

No matter what problems come your way/you’ve got today/and no matter what happens today/you’ll be OK - poignant words inspired by Casey’s battle with colon cancer.

The track previews his full-length debut, the Kaua’i Project, an eight-track album based around “beats recorded on a 15-month stay in Hawaii, and the personal journey that followed,” per a statement. The Project serves as the followup to Casey’s 2022 holiday EP A Little Something for Everyone.

There’s no release date for the LP.

Grade card: James Casey - “New Bloom” - C

3/22/23

[slrmagazine]

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band And Noah Kahan To Headline Sea.Hear.Now 2024

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band And Noah Kahan To Headline Sea.Hear.Now 2024. #seahearnow @seahearnow

Sea.Hear.Now will bring Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band to the beaches of Asbury Park, NJ for a historic headline performance on Sunday, September 15, along with another first-time headliner set from Noah Kahan on Saturday, September 14. The Gaslight Anthem, Trey Anastasio Band, The Black Crowes, Norah Jones, 311, The Revivalists, Kool & The Gang, The Hives and more will also perform at the…

[borntomecassidy78]

this is is exactly what reba by phish is about

[kiralou02]

Phish 2010

[dixiefunk]

Trey Anastasio - You Enjoy Myself - Remix for The Beacon Jams

[horseshoehate]

a/n: Here is part 4 of my Phish/Harry Potter/Lord of the Rings fan fiction

sorry it took so long to release! hope you enjoy!

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The festival was underway and Gandalf watched from the sidelines, his hands steady, but his mind beset with worry. He knew what he had to do, but he also knew it would not be easy.

As the sun began to set and the sky took on a blood orange color, its violent hue seeping into every crevice of the river's valley, Phish finally took the stage, and with them was heard thunderous applause.

The band members took to their instruments and stepped up to their usual positions, pausing for a moment to look out at the massive crowd of elves, dwarves, men, and hobbits. Then the first notes of "Buried Alive" rang out and Phish began their frantic driving melody.

Gandalf knew in his heart that this could mean only one thing: this was another part of Sauron's plan to turn the hearts of every being in Middle Earth. He knew that he must act before Evil Trey used his jams to corrupt the crowd, though he also knew that he must wait for the most pivotal moment of the show in order to undo all of the damage that may have been done to the crowd thus far.

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Flashing his VIP pass, Gandalf was able to make it all the way to the side stage, where a bewictched guitar tech handed him Trey's trusty Blonde No. 1, the original Mar Mar.

As the second set opener, Cities, ended, Gandalf stepped out onto the stage. Seeing him approach, Mike quickly realized what was happening and announced to the crowd, "Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to our friend Gandalf the Grey. He's gonna play a few tunes with us tonight!"

Evil Trey looked furiously at Mike, but allowed it to continue. He knew what Gandalf was up to, but knew that he was a powerful enough guitarist to rebuff any attempts to undo the awesome evil magic that had been bestowed to him by Voldemort and refined by Sauron.

Gandalf smiled to the crowd and took his place between Trey and Mike. Gandalf, known for his mastery of the lute, was only slightly out of his element on this Languedoc.

The band then slipped into an uptempo Tweezer, with Evil Trey and Gandalf take turns keeping the Tweezer main theme, each biding their time.

As the band steered into the jam section, Evil Trey and Gandalf turned to face each other, the other members giving them space as the two begin dueling.

The audience is stunned as the two guitarists trade lick after lick, their fingers moving faster than the eye can see. Gandalf played with a fiery passion, his notes piercing the air like bolts of lightning. Evil Trey responded with a cold, calculated precision, his playing as sharp and deadly as a sword.

The music was unlike anything the crowd had ever heard before. It was powerful and magical, and, for a moment, it seemed to be working. Evil Trey's eyes began to clear, and he stumbled back, shaking his head as if trying to clear it. As he played, the power of music coursed through the air, fueling the forces of good and weakening the grip of evil upon Evil Trey's mind.

But the forces of Sauron were strong and not to be underestimated. Fueled by hatred and armed with Evil Mar Mar, it now seemed as though Evil Trey has the upper hand. His playing was so powerful that it threatened to overwhelm Gandalf, and it was all the wizard could do to keep up. But Gandalf was not one to give up easily, and he redoubled his efforts, pouring his heart and soul into the music.

The crowd was on the edge of their seats as the guitar duel reached its climax. Gandalf and Evil Trey played faster and faster, their fingers a blur as they raced up and down the fretboards. Finally, with a mighty flourish, Gandalf played a thunderous chord that shattered the curse that had been holding Evil Trey in its grip, ending the song in the same motion, shouting "Begone foul spirits, you shall not enter this mortal's mind again!"

Evil Trey stumbled back, falling to the ground. He went completely limp. As the rest of the band ran towards him, he lifted head in a daze, waking up fully from his trance for the first time in a long time.

"Welcome back, my friend." Gandalf said warmly as Page helped Trey to his feet. Fishman helped him backstage, where Elrond produced a magical revilatizing exiler and gave it to Trey.

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30,000 Phish fans stood in utter silence for what felt like years as they waited for their favorite band to come back out. Finally, they saw Trey slowly amble out, pale but smiling at them. He gave a quick wave and picked up his guitar, though opting for the original Mar Mar this time.

As the other members got into place (Gandalf choosing to stand off stage and watch), Trey moved to the microphone and took a deep breath, surveying the eager crowd. He then began singing a moving version The Squirming Coil.

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After the band finished playing, Trey retired to the House of Elrond to seek Elvish medicine. The rest of the band would stay behind with him while he rested for a few weeks.

Approaching the Evil Mar Mar, which had been left lying on the ground next to Trey's rig, Gandalf reached down to pick it up. As he did, a horrid vision took his mind and he saw flashes of the wicked Eye of Sauron. He knew it best not to touch the instrument directly and wrapped it in cloth before carrying it to be inspected by Elrond.

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Looking it over with an apprehensive eye, Elrond concluded his inspection by saying, "Yes, there is dark, powerful magic within this, indeed."

"What are we to do with it? No mortal can wield it, it would corrupt the heart and mind of any who dared try." Gandalf asked worriedly.

"In the fires of Mt. Doom it was crafted and only there can it be uncrafted." Elrond said.

"How can that be?" Asked an elf, "It is but a wooden instrument. It is of the forest!"

"It was made with the expertise of a dark craftsman that even I know not the true making of this instrument. It was embued with such mythic evil, that using any tools that we here possess would never work. Only in the fiery chasm of Mt. Doom can this otherworldly magic be unmade." Elrond said with displeasure. "Though wood it may be, there is powerful magic at hand to protect this instrument."

Gandalf nodded, understanding the weight of the situation. "Then it must be taken to Mount Doom. But who among us can bear this burden?"

A hush fell over the room as the band members and the fellowship exchanged glances. It was clear that this task required someone with strength, resilience, and a deep connection to the music. The presence of the Evil Mar Mar was not to be taken lightly.

Finally, Trey stepped forward, his eyes filled with determination. "I will take the instrument to Mordor," he said, his voice steady, "Though I do not know the way. I have been through the depths of darkness and emerged stronger. I have felt the power of this instrument and I know what it can do. It is my responsibility to see it destroyed."

The fellowship exchanged solemn nods, recognizing the sacrifice Trey was making. Just as they were about to bid Trey farewell on his perilous quest, a voice broke the silence. It was Mike, the band's bassist, stepping forward with unwavering determination.

"Trey, my oldest friend, you shall not bear this burden alone," Mike declared. "We have traveled this musical journey together, and I cannot stand idly by while you face such darkness. I offer what I can to you on this quest, myself and my bass."

Trey's eyes welled with gratitude as he nodded. "Thank you, Mike. Your funky grooves and unwavering spirit give me strength."

Not to be outdone, Page, the band's keyboardist, stepped forward next, his fingers itching to weave smooth melodies into the very fabric of the quest. "Trey, Mike, I can't let you embark on this dangerous journey without me. Together, our harmonies will carry us through the darkest of times. I offer you my keys."

With a smile, Trey embraced Page. "Page, your musical prowess and ability to light up any stage with your melodies will be invaluable."

Just then, Fishman, the band's drummer, took a step forward, his drumsticks twirling in his hands. "If you think I'm going to miss out on an adventure like this, you're mistaken," he said, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Besides, someone has to keep the rhythm of this journey alive."

Trey chuckled and clapped Fishman on the back. "Fish, your beats are the heartbeat of our band. I wouldn't embark on this quest without your infectious energy and impeccable timing."

Gandalf, his eyes filled with a mixture of admiration and pride, beheld the band members stepping forward, one by one, offering themselves for the daunting task at hand. In their unwavering commitment and the unbreakable bond that bound them together, he glimpsed the true essence of Phish's power. "Truly," Gandalf mused softly, his voice carrying the weight of profound realization, "the might of Phish lies not solely within their captivating music, but within the unspoken harmony that resonates between their souls."

And thus, the Fellowship of the Mar Mar was formed.