By Marlene McTigue
Capital Region Independent Media
On the afternoon of Friday, Oct. 25, as fans began to gather for Phish’s highly anticipated three-night run at Albany’s MVP Arena, a somber ripple passed through the crowd: news spread that Phil Lesh, the beloved bassist for the Grateful Dead, had died.
For the thousands of fans awaiting a weekend of music and celebration (the bands only fall shows and the first at the 51 South Pearl since 2018), Lesh’s passing introduced a heavy-hearted uncertainty—would the weekend still be joyous, or would Lesh’s death cast a pall?
Outside on Shakedown—the vibrant collection of vendors, musicians and revelers who traditionally gather around Phish shows—conversations and stories about Lesh could be heard along with speculation about how the band might pay tribute.
For Phish fans, gathering early for shows in the lots around the venue is a part of the celebration. Old friends meet up and spend the hours together in anticipation of what the night could bring. On Oct. 25th, there was trepidation.
“It’s true people were bummed but once we got inside and the show began that all changed, ” said longtime Phish fan Jerome who made the trip down from Loon Lake for the weekend.
He was right. As Phish took the stage on Friday, the opening chords of “Box of Rain”—one of Lesh’s signature songs with the Grateful Dead—spread like a balm over the crowd. Jerome felt the band struck the exact chord needed.
“When they played ‘Box of Rain’ at that moment, it was the exact right thing to do,” he said. “They didn’t have to do that, that was our moment to grieve for Phil together and then when it was over, we were ready to move on to what turned out to be a great show and a great weekend of excellent music and musicianship.”
The relationship between Phish and Albany’s Capital District is one that has deep roots, going back decades. Since their first performance at Albany’s Pauly’s Hotel in 1989, the band, formed just a few years earlier in Burlington, Vermont, has made regular stops in the region, playing many shows at what is now known as the MVP Arena, Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) and the Glens Falls Civic Center. Early on they played The Palace, Skidmore and Union colleges, even Aiko’s on Caroline Street in Saratoga in 1990, all the while adding to their growing and devoted fan base along the way.
Fans say many of these performances have included unforgettable moments that are mythic in Phish lore. Many suggest there is a special relationship between Phish and the Capital Region. Fans recall with enthusiasm the band’s 1994 Halloween show in Glens Falls, where they played the Beatles’ “White Album” in its entirety during the now-legendary performance.
Then there was the Phil (Lesh) and Friends show in Glens Falls where the band’s lead singer and guitarist, Trey Anastasio, showed up fresh from a recent brush with the law and subsequent house arrest. Anastasio joined the group for two full sets filled of Dead tunes with references to being in jail or running from law. During “Bertha,” as Anastasio sang “test me, test me why don’t you arrest me?” the entire arena broke out in laughter and Anastasio himself could barely keep his laughter contained.
“We laughed so hard that night,” said Jerome. “It was just one more of many unforgettable experiences.”
“I remember so many Father’s Day shows at SPAC where the guys brought their kids or their dads on stage,” recalled Jerome, “and Father’s Day shows where I brought my own kids! Those are memories we won’t forget.”
Beyond the music, this year’s Albany run had a greater purpose, with proceeds from the shows and merchandise going to the Divided Sky Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by Anastasio to support addiction recovery.
The foundation’s Divided Sky Residential Recovery Program, based in Ludlow, Vermont, offers a nurturing environment for those beginning their recovery journey, with partial scholarships available to those in need, according to organizers.
“These benefit shows allow Divided Sky to continue its mission, making recovery accessible for all,” Anastasio said, highlighting the importance of community and healing as core values of Phish’s mission.
The run made an estimated $4 million for the organization.
The irony of the prevalence of illicit drugs out on Shakedown before and after each show wasn’t lost on anyone, including one fan who said, “This is the most nitrous (oxide) vendors I’ve seen in my 30 years of attending shows.”
Indeed, it was a strange juxtaposition to see scores of fully geared-up Albany County Sheriff’s deputies thronging Pearl Street as just around the corner, on Hudson Avenue, literally just feet away, the sound of nitrous balloons being filled made a constant hiss.
“I guess nitrous is legal now,” one fan quipped as he strode by.
It wasn’t all blind eyes turned though as Sheriff Craig Apple’s office did report, on the Monday morning after the shows, that over the course of the weekend they seized 274 grams of psilocybin, 381 grams of ketamine, 103 grams of cocaine, 173 Xanax, 1380 hits of LSD, and 58 MDMA.
“It’s really just part of the scene,” said Jerome. “And really, it just underscores the need for programs like Trey’s (Divided Sky).”
From the opening tribute to Lesh to the Sunday night four-song encore and the weekend’s focus on supporting a worthy cause, Phish’s three-night Albany run was a testament to the enduring connection between the band and their Capital Region fans.
Their performances were a reminder that music can be so much more than just sound; it’s a bridge connecting people across generations, a balm in times of loss and, as Phish has shown, a vehicle for positive change.
Phish and New York’s Capital Region are intertwined, and this year’s shows underscored a relationship that is cherished by many.
