Review: Phish at Merriweather Post Pavilion on July 18 & 19

Last Saturday, July 18, and Sunday, July 19, Phish returned to Merriweather Post Pavilion for their 25th appearance as part of their 2026 Summer Tour, continuing their decades-long relationship with the venue. 

Long before the gates opened, fans were camped out across the grass as clouds of smoke drifted over the crowds. Between card games, beers clinking, and old friends embracing, the pre-show gathering felt less like waiting for a concert and more like a reunion. It was hard to miss the generational mix–parents introducing their kids to the band, twenty-somethings chasing the road life they never got to live the first time around, and seasoned fans who looked right at home. 

As the amphitheater and lawn filled, so did the anticipation. Beach balls and bubbles floated overhead before cheers erupted as Phish took the stage. Staying true to tradition, the quartet skipped an opening act and launched straight into the first of two sets with “What’s Going Through Your Mind,” a song originally penned in the 1980s and finally completed in the 2020s.

The first set built steadily towards a sprawling “Runaway Jim,” with songs stretching well beyond their studio lengths as the band leaned into the improvisational jams that have defined their live shows for decades. The crowd erupted once again during the band’s signature trampoline routine in “You Enjoy Myself.” After fans settled in for a second set highlight by “Gotta Jibboo,” the marathon performance showed no signs of slowing. When the band exited the stage, few fans moved an inch, knowing the night wasn’t over. Phish returned for an encore of “Monsters,” “If I Could,” and a triumphant “Run Like an Antelope,” bringing the nearly three-and-a-half hour long performance to a fitting close.

For Phish fans, the music is only part of the experience. The sense of community, spontaneity, and shared tradition was on full display, reminding everyone why the band’s live shows continue to inspire generations of devoted followers. 

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Kelsey Perriello is a senior in the college studying Economics and Government.