It doesn’t happen often—an artist returning to a venue after three decades—but when Trey Anastasio walked onto the Symphony Hall stage in Springfield, MA, it was electric. His last performance there was in 1992 with Phish, and in the 33 years since, fans had been waiting. What unfolded was a solo acoustic set that felt intimate, expansive, surprising, and ultimately—like a warm conversation held in song.
Full Setlist
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Sample in a Jar
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Lost in the Pack
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Free
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Evolve
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I Got You Babe (Sonny & Cher cover; lyrics changed to “I’ve got you for long romantic walks, I’ve got you at Love Rocks”) – live debut
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Mountains in the Mist
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Sigma Oasis
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Wolfman’s Brother (with “The Howling” quote)
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The Inlaw Josie Wales
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Water in the Sky
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Everything’s Right
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Heavy Things
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Driver
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Limb by Limb
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Snowflakes in the Sand (Trey Anastasio Band)
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Sunset Days
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Twist
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Backwards Down the Number Line
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Petrichor (first Trey acoustic performance; with Jeff Tanski on piano)
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Secret Smile (with Jeff Tanski on piano)
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Pebbles and Marbles (with Jeff Tanski on piano)
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Stash (with Jeff Tanski on piano)
Encore
23. Strange Design
24. Possum
25. Harry Hood (with Jeff Tanski on piano)
The Energy
Stepping onto a stage he hadn’t graced since 1992, Trey carried both reverence and ease. The venue was hushed, expectant, as he kicked things off with “Sample in a Jar”. The first notes of the acoustic guitar struck like a familiar handshake, grounding the space in warmth.
As he moved into “Lost in the Pack” and “Free,” Trey’s voice felt both buoyant and grounded—loose with memories but precise in execution. These early selections set an emotional foundation. By the time he launched into “Evolve,” you could feel the crowd leaning in, collectively riding each fingerpicked phrase.
Highlights & Crowd Moments
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“I Got You Babe” was pure delight. Hearing Trey’s playful lyric tweak—“I’ve got you at Love Rocks”—was a moment of real-time unrehearsed connection. The audience roared with approval, like he’d just winked at everyone at once.
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“Wolfman’s Brother,” a deep Phish cut, was enriched by a sly reference to The Howling. The crowd responded with howls of their own, laughter trailing into applause. It was the kind of moment that can only happen live.
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After a string of Phish-heavy favorites, Trey transitioned to “Snowflakes in the Sand” and “Sunset Days,” framing them as solo spotlight moments. The introspection of “Snowflakes” glowed against the mahogany tones of the hall, and “Sunset Days” felt elegant—beautiful in both words and delivery.
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The appearance of Jeff Tanski on piano was a late-show pivot that elevated the emotional arc. “Petrichor” and “Secret Smile” became exquisite duets, the piano underscoring Trey’s storytelling in delicate harmony. By “Stash,” the duo built tension and release in ways that sent chills through the room.
The Vibe
The show wasn’t a spectacle—it was a living room collab, only with 2,000 people listening. Trey’s warmth felt personal, as though he was leading a communal memory session rather than a concert. He joked about how the internet wasn’t around in 1992 and asked if anyone from that show was in the seats tonight. A few cheers rose, soft but insistent, like distant echoes.
The lighting was minimal, spotlighting Trey’s silhouette and leaving the rest of the space softly in shadow—a quiet frame for his guitar figure. There was no flair or extravagant production, just sound, silence, and atmosphere.
Tiny Quibbles
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If one point could be made, it’s that the acoustic guitar’s lower register was occasionally lost in the venue’s resonance. A hint more clarity in the mix would have made each low strum pop.
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A couple mid-set transitions lagged slightly in pacing—moments of atmospheric drift that could’ve used a quick tempo uptick. But perhaps that reflective breathing room was intentional.
Final Thoughts
Trey Anastasio at Symphony Hall wasn’t just a concert—it was a milestone. It was a return, a reconnection, a reckoning with time. His solo acoustic approach stripped things down to essentials—melody, lyric, intimacy—and it worked wonders.
He honored his past without clinging to it, introduced new textures (Jeff Tanski’s keys) without losing simplicity, and made sure every moment felt lived-in and genuine.
It wasn’t about flash. It wasn’t even about nostalgia. It was a conversation held in chords, with millions of stories whispered between the lines.
This is live music at its core: honest, unpredictable, resonant. And no matter how many times you see Trey perform, a show like this reminds you why you keep coming back—because magic like this only happens when it’s real.