Phish

Probably no other band around today is more about the live experience than Phish.

As the undisputed kings of the jam-band movement that began in the ’80s and exploded in the ’90s with bands like Widespread Panic, Blues Traveler, and The Spin Doctors, they defined a style that was song-based but also about improvisation and the magic of the moment. When they brought their creative collision of rock, jazz, funk, folk, and country influences to a quickly expanding grassroots fan base in the ’80s, a movement was born — one in which the music was constantly developing before the audience’s eyes and ears. Trey Anastasio’s guitar, Page McConnell’s keyboards, Mike Gordon’s bass, and Jon Fishman’s drums engage in a four-part conversation that’s constantly evolving. Whether the band is playing tunes off classic Phish releases like ‘Billy Breathes’ and ‘The Story of the Ghost,’ or performing one of their famous Halloween shows where they cover another artist’s album in its entirety, like The Who’s ‘Quadrophenia’ or Talking Heads’ ‘Remain in Light,’ Phish is always in flux. While headlining festivals like Bonnaroo, or hosting their own, like The Clifford Ball and Magnaball, or keeping an event all to themselves, the band maintains an unbreakable connection with their huge, hardcore audience of Phish Heads.