Phish Launch New Year’s Eve Series with “Sleep” Resurrection and 24-Minute “Theme from the Bottom”

Phish, photo by Dave Vann

Phish returned to Madison Square Garden last night, Dec. 28, to set off their long-awaited 2025 New Year’s Eve residency. The foundational jamband’s 88th engagement at the World’s Most Famous Arena set high expectations for their 18th annual year-end run, showing a band rejuvenated after a spell away from the stage and prepared to cap off another year of musical achievement with four very special performances.

Phish launched into their 2025 MSG series with “Buried Alive,” the frenetic setlist staple that often signals an electrifying show ahead when deployed in the opening slot. The Vermont quartet rode this fevered energy into a radiant 10-minute take on “AC/DC Bag,” followed by a take on The Story of the Ghost fan-favorite “Roggae” that featured a riff on “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” from frontman Trey Anastasio. A tight “Rift” led the band into an explosive four-track medley of an unfinished “Wolfman’s Brother,” “Punch You In the Eye,” “Sigma Oasis” and “Taste,” collectively stretching past 40 minutes of uninterrupted interplay.

Anastasio donned his acoustic guitar to take a beat with the Farmhouse rarity “Sleep,” performed for the first time since November 2019 and only the 19th time since its 1998 debut; the easeful interlude primed the group for a raucous and joyful 14-minute first frame finale of “Run Like an Antelope.”

Phish’s second set at The Garden began with the Evolve standout “Oblivion,” which grew from a slow and scenic introduction to a pulse-pounding anthem over the course of 12 minutes. The band built to an exhilarating pace to slip seamlessly into “Down with Disease,” which in turn cascaded into particularly punchy and powerful versions of “Simple” and “Gotta Jiboo” through two perfect segues.

The second set’s only pause preceded its jam centerpiece: a sprawling 24-minute “Theme from the Bottom” that navigated murky, dark depths of minor-key improvisation and shot up to atmospheric peaks. For a quick pivot, the band touched on a “Simple” reprise, then moved to a blissful 10-minute set-closer of “Everything’s Right.” For one last blast of energy and an alluring taste of the thrills still to come in their New Year’s Eve run, Phish capped off night one with “Slave to the Traffic Light.”

Phish will return to The Garden tonight and continue their residency with two further shows through Dec. 31, which will bring their total count of MSG performances to 91. Find tickets and more information at phish.com, and stream the NYE series via livephish.com or nugs.net.

Read on for the full setlist from Sunday night.

Phish

Madison Square Garden

12/28/25

Set I: Buried Alive > AC/DC Bag, Roggae, Rift, Wolfman’s Brother+ > Punch You in the Eye > Sigma Oasis > Taste, Sleep^, Run Like an Antelope

Set II: Oblivion > Down with Disease+ -> Simple -> Gotta Jibboo, Theme From the Bottom+ -> Simple > Everything’s Right

Encore: Slave to the Traffic Light

Notes:

+ Unfinished.

^ Trey on acoustic guitar.

Trey teased Norwegian Wood in Roggae. Wolfman’s Brother, Down with Disease, and Theme From the Bottom were unfinished. Sleep featured Trey on acoustic guitar and was performed for the first time since November 29, 2019 (231 shows).

Setlist via phish.net