Phish Conclude Summer Tour 2025 at Hampton Coliseum, Following Deadly Stabbing Outside Venue

Photo credit: Dave Vann

On Friday, September 19, one person was killed and two more were injured in a stabbing that occurred outside Phish’s concert at Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, Va. Local police responded to the incident, which reportedly began around 9:30 p.m. when an argument broke out and escalated into a deadly altercation, resulting in the death of one individual and the hospitalization of another, the third sustained non-life threatening injuries. Following the concert, Phish shared a statement on social media addressing their incident and expressing their sadness. 

Phish’s statement read: “During last night’s show, a tragic incident took place in the parking lot outside Hampton Coliseum. There was an altercation behind one of the tents in the unofficial vending area in which someone lost their life and two other people were injured. We don’t have more information than what has been reported by the police, who called it an isolated incident, but what we do know is upsetting enough. We are deeply saddened by this and our hearts go out to all of those affected.” 

After expressing sorrow over the events that transpired, the jam veterans were still scheduled to take the stage and perform for the sold-out audience on Saturday, September 20. Coming off the heaviness of the night prior, their second stand was more tame than the opener and, as a result, lighter on jams. Unlike the previous night, Saturday featured a relatively standard two-set performance, which began with “Boogie On Reggae Woman,” a concert opener that had emerged only the second time ever, following its initial appearance on Jan. 15, 2017. 

The initial frame of music presented Page McConnell’s organ solo on “Undermine,” which led into a strong rendition of “Bouncing Around the Room.” The relatively tight start relaxed, allowing for improvisation on the well-received “Birds of a Feather.” The interplay between Trey Anastasio and McConnell provided the changes to take the song beyond Type I territory, setting the band up for the 2025 reentry of “Esther.” Follow up, “Funky Bitch” built momentum over time, and dropped into “Ether Edge,” before David Bowie’s “Moonage Daydream” brought out some of the best moments of the night. 

Set two was a nearly nonstop sequence of material. “Everything’s Right” ignited funky interplay that pulsed into the opening riffs of “Simple,” which transformed into a layered jam that turned into “A Wave of Hope.” Anasasio’s call back to “Simple” provided another melodic shift, which accounted for the onset of “Beneath a Sea of Stars Part I.” The latter was full of effects and allowed the band to get weird, and its explorative quality mustered the entry for “Gotta Jibbo.” 

“Suzy Greenberg” and “Julius” provided a jubilant end to the second set, before Anstasio allowed his fretboard to speak during the night’s encore, “Izabella” and “Possum.” Ultimately, Sunday night resulted in the band’s third and final dose of Hampton Coliseum magic. The show arrived as the band’s 24th total performance at the venue and final appearance on their Summer Tour, a point that was seemingly evoked during “First Tube” follow-up, “Twenty Years Later.” 

Last night’s concert continued with a sing-along of “AC/DC Bag,” before stepping back in time via “Foam,” which was trailed by Anastasio putting his new Dumbell amp to use on “Life Saving Gun.” A spacey siege of “Roggae” made the arrival of “Also Sprach Zarathustra” feel like the opening of a dancehall and inspired movement. A fan-made sign requesting “Meat” seemingly resulted in its inclusion in the setlist. 

McConnell initiated the onset of “Split Open and Melt,” which was jazzier and felt a bit more open than other renditions. Before submitting set one, Phish provided a brief take on “Golgi Apparatus,” which sank into “Most Events Aren’t Planned.” The final frame of Phish’s Summer Tour led with “Mike’s Song,” which built up energy before the atmospheric tilt of “I Am Hydrogen.” “Weekapaug Grove” incited another dance party, before a newer number to enter the band’s archive, “What’s Going Through Your Mind.”

Without stopping, Phish picked up “Scents and Subtle Sounds,” which served as the night’s high point, considering its adventurous and extensive nature, which pushed into 20 minutes of instrumental repartee. “Lonely Trip” put water on the coals, cooling in temperature and still sizzling into “Ghost.” The latter felt fixed to the band’s 2013 Hampton rendition, characterized by key builds and an inquisitive effect. Set two closed after “Chalk Dust Torture,” which found Anastasio teasing in “First Tube,” the song that opened the concert. 

For the final moves, Phish submitted an encore that consisted of “A Life Beyond The Dream” and “Harry Hood.” For the latest on Phish and their forthcoming performance schedule, visit the band’s official website. 

Read Phish’s official statement below.

Phish 

Hampton Coliseum – Hampton, Va.

Sept. 20, 2025

Set I: Boogie On Reggae Woman, Undermind, Bouncing Around the Room > Birds of a Feather, Esther, Funky Bitch, It’s Ice > Ether Edge, Moonage Daydream

Set II: Everything’s Right -> Simple > A Wave of Hope -> Simple > Beneath a Sea of Stars Part 1 > Gotta Jibboo, Suzy Greenberg > Julius

Enc.: Izabella > Possum

Phish 

Hampton Coliseum – Hampton, Va.

Sept. 21, 2025

Set I: First Tube, Twenty Years Later, AC/DC Bag > Foam, Life Saving Gun, Roggae, Also Sprach Zarathustra > Meat, Split Open and Melt, Golgi Apparatus > Most Events Aren’t Planned

Set II: Mike’s Song > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove, What’s Going Through Your Mind -> Scents and Subtle Sounds > Lonely Trip, Ghost > Chalk Dust Torture

Enc.: A Life Beyond The Dream > Harry Hood

Notes:

Trey Anastasio teased First Tube in Chalk Dust Torture