The Catskill Mountains have long been fertile ground for musical experimentation, and Woodstock, New York, carries an almost mythical reputation in American music history. From the legendary festival of 1969 to decades of musicians recording and performing in the region, the town has always been a magnet for creative energy.
So it felt perfectly fitting that Mike Gordon, bassist for Phish and longtime solo explorer of jam-funk and experimental rock, opened his March 2026 tour with a packed performance at the intimate Bearsville Theater in Woodstock.
The show had the feeling of a relaxed but adventurous tour opener—packed with live debuts, unexpected covers, and the kind of loose improvisation that Gordon fans have come to expect. Over two sets and an encore, the band stretched across funk, rock, reggae, and jam-band territory, turning the cozy Catskills venue into a swirling mix of groove and experimentation.
A Perfect Setting for a Jam Night
Bearsville Theater is the kind of venue where music feels personal. The room is intimate, the acoustics are warm, and the audience is close enough to the stage to feel every rhythmic shift and melodic turn.
For a musician like Mike Gordon, who thrives on musical interaction and spontaneity, the venue seemed like the perfect place to launch a new run of shows.
From the moment he stepped onstage, Gordon appeared relaxed and energized. His bass tone immediately filled the room with that unmistakable warm thump that Phish fans know so well.
Rather than blasting out of the gate with a high-energy opener, Gordon eased the crowd into the evening with “Tilting.” The song unfolded gradually, giving the band time to settle into the groove while Gordon explored playful melodic bass lines.
It was a smooth, inviting start to the night.
A Surprise Classic
Early in the set, the crowd received its first big surprise when Gordon launched into “You Really Got Me,” the iconic garage-rock anthem by The Kinks.
The audience recognized the riff instantly, and cheers erupted across the theater. Instead of treating the song as a straight cover, Gordon and his band twisted the arrangement into their own funky jam style.
The familiar riff remained intact, but the rhythm section stretched and bent the groove while the band injected subtle improvisational detours.
It was a fun and unexpected moment that perfectly captured Gordon’s playful approach to live performance.
Debuts and Deep Grooves
The night continued with “Sad and Lonesome,” a live debut that leaned into a slower, bluesy atmosphere. Gordon’s bass carried much of the emotional weight of the song, weaving through the arrangement while the band built a smoky groove around him.
From there the show shifted back toward upbeat territory with “Connected,” a funky track that immediately got the Bearsville crowd dancing.
Gordon has always had a knack for bass-driven grooves that feel both quirky and irresistibly rhythmic, and the audience responded by turning the small theater into a full-blown jam-band dance floor.
Marco Benevento Joins the Party
Midway through the first set, the energy jumped even higher when Marco Benevento walked onstage to join the band on keyboards.
A longtime figure in the jam and improvisational music scene, Benevento instantly added another layer of creativity to the performance.
The collaboration began with “Peel,” where Benevento’s swirling keyboard lines added psychedelic texture to Gordon’s bass-heavy groove.
The musical chemistry was obvious.
The band followed that with “Spanish Moon,” the funky Little Feat classic. Benevento’s organ work turned the track into a swampy funk celebration, with the rhythm section locking into a groove that felt both loose and perfectly synchronized.
But the highlight of the set might have been “Mull.”
With Benevento still onstage, the song became an expansive jam vehicle. Piano runs bounced against Gordon’s bass riffs while the band pushed the song far beyond its original structure.
It was one of those moments where the music seemed to take on a life of its own.
By the time the first set wrapped up, the audience was fully locked into the show’s adventurous spirit.
Set Two Begins With New Material
The second set opened with “Fling Your Head,” another live debut that showcased Gordon’s offbeat songwriting style.
The song had a quirky rhythmic feel, with unexpected accents that kept listeners guessing where the groove might land next.
Next came “Convince Me,” yet another debut that leaned more toward soulful funk. The rhythm section settled into a deep groove while Gordon’s bass lines danced around the beat.
Then came a moment that sent longtime Phish fans into cheers.
The band launched into “Meat.”
Originally a Phish song known for its funky rhythmic structure, the tune felt right at home in Gordon’s solo setting. Without the usual Phish arrangement, the band was able to stretch the groove into new territory.
Funk, Jam, and Cosmic Exploration
The show continued with “Happy Friends,” a Greyboy Allstars cover making its first appearance in Gordon’s live repertoire.
The song’s funk roots translated perfectly into Gordon’s jam-band format, giving the band plenty of room to stretch.
Then came one of the evening’s most exploratory moments with “Universe Is Calling.”
Another debut, the song quickly expanded into a swirling jam that seemed to drift through multiple musical moods.
At times the band leaned toward jazz textures, while at other moments the groove turned psychedelic.
Yet through it all, Gordon’s bass remained the gravitational center holding everything together.
Reggae and a Heavy Jam
Later in the set, the band shifted styles again with “Pomp and Pride,” the reggae classic originally recorded by Toots & The Maytals.
The relaxed island rhythm gave the audience a moment to sway and breathe before the band shifted back toward heavier territory.
That heavier moment arrived when the band dropped into “Carini.”
The Phish classic brought a darker, heavier edge to the night. Gordon’s bass tone rumbled through the theater as the band attacked the song with gritty intensity.
The jam built slowly before erupting into a powerful climax that had the crowd roaring.
It was a massive way to close the second set.
Encore: A Woodstock Tribute
For the encore, Gordon returned with a smile and delivered a fitting tribute to the town’s musical history.
The band launched into “The Shape I’m In,” the classic song by The Band.
The choice felt perfect for Woodstock, where The Band recorded and performed throughout their legendary career.
The crowd sang along enthusiastically as Gordon and the band delivered a joyful, celebratory version of the song.
It was the kind of encore that left everyone smiling.
Final Thoughts
Tour-opening shows sometimes feel tentative as musicians settle into the rhythm of a new run of performances.
But Mike Gordon’s March 2026 show in Woodstock felt anything but tentative.
Between the numerous live debuts, the surprise covers, Marco Benevento’s guest appearance, and the unexpected Phish songs, the night felt like a celebration of musical curiosity.
That curiosity has always been Gordon’s greatest strength as a performer.
He’s never content to simply repeat the same setlist or play songs exactly the same way every night. Instead, he treats each show as an opportunity to experiment.
In a town like Woodstock—where musical creativity has always thrived—that approach felt perfectly at home.
By the time the final notes faded, the crowd left Bearsville Theater knowing they had witnessed the beginning of what promised to be a very interesting tour.
Setlist – Mike Gordon
Bearsville Theater – Woodstock, NY
March 2026
Set 1
Tilting
You Really Got Me (The Kinks cover)
Sad and Lonesome
Connected
Peel (with Marco Benevento)
Spanish Moon (Little Feat cover, with Marco Benevento)
Mull (with Marco Benevento)
Set 2
Fling Your Head
Convince Me
Meat (Phish song)
Happy Friends (The Greyboy Allstars cover)
Universe Is Calling
Pomp and Pride (Toots & The Maytals cover)
Guilty Pleasures
Carini (Phish song)
Encore
The Shape I’m In (The Band cover)