I walked out of my last Trey Anastasio Band concert in 2014 telling myself I’d probably never go out of my way to see Trey’s side act ever again. Stale, if any, improvisation; recycled setlists; and unimpressive new songs had become the only way to honestly describe TAB following the 2.0 era of Phish. I loved Trey but I didn’t feel the need to spend money or time seeking out a performance which has clearly become dad rock. The flash in the pan that was TAB was in the past but I didn’t care because Phish was back and doing great.
TAB hit their peak in 2001 and 2002. The guitar was hot, the band was explosive and experimental, and the jams were monstrous—immediately coming to mind are the Bonnaroo ‘02 Night Speaks To A Woman and the Alpine Valley ‘01 Burlap Sack & Pumps with John Medeski. Trey was a maestro molding the improvisation of his big-band epics like putty in his hands in front of tens of thousands on a nightly basis. His shows were wild. Perhaps we were overly eager to love the music with Phish being on hiatus but, looking back, the music holds up.
Between 2003 and 10/09/2020 there is nothing TAB did which I care to ever listen to again. When Trey announced the idea of taking up residency at the Beacon for a number of Fridays in a row it didn’t even cross my mind as a possibility I would tune in. Maybe that’s an indictment upon my fandom more than anything, I accept that. Friends started sharing links to the streams mentioning how impressive the shows were. One Friday I caved. The music was great. There was Tony, sitting in his chair, not moving an inch aside from his fingers. There was Ray. “Does he age at all”, I pondered. There was Cyro, also seemingly un-aged, smashing all his crazy instruments once again. It was familiar and fun. Trey sounded great. Trey’s playing in TAB struck me as incredibly crass over the last decade, but not this night. I enjoyed the show and I really enjoyed the experience of getting an intimate live show while also comfortable in my living room. I didn’t return to it immediately. I missed a few of Fridays. What really opened my eyes to this recharged TAB was relistening to the sixth-week show. The You Enjoy Myself opener was stunning. It wasn’t stunning with an adjusted expectation that it was TAB playing a Phish song. It was stunning. Period. Trey was nailing the parts with a fantastic tone. The band’s rhythm had spring, it was tight, and the percussion added a spicy twist. The Rescue Squad Strings added the classical sounding depth which is typically only enjoyed when YEM is played in an orchestral arrangement, only this time it was over a lively, real version of the song. The backup singers smoothed out the edges beautifully in a treatment I don’t think YEM has ever received. Then the jam. It was a Phish-caliber jam. It was even better than what I would have expected from TAB in 01-02. I loved it.
The core of TAB provided the solid bedrock of playing and the strings and singers elevated the entire affair. Trey’s tone and confidence seems to be stronger than ever with regular sprints up his fret-board for band peaks (something he had trouble with in early 3.0 and hardly existent in TAB after 2003). When Moma Dance started it, again, sounded Phish caliber. This isn’t to say it sounded like Phish, it’s to highlight that the quality wasn’t askew like it often is when Trey takes Phish out of water and tries to convert a song into another band’s style. The wah was heavy and exciting out of the gates and how amazing it sounded with the singers! And Light, with singers, with strings? Wow. They played a lot of great songs, Phish or otherwise that night which encouraged me to listen to the shows played earlier in the residency. In fact, they bust out the first Quantegy (a personal favorite) for the first time in 15 years earlier in the residency! While I’m gushing, the Camel Walk from the last show might have, seriously, been one of the best versions I’ve ever heard. Again, this isn’t good for not-Phish playing a Phish song, these versions are good period. Don’t miss the Night Speaks to a Woman either. You get a great song and then silence, no cheers. It’s like being able to witness soundcheck concerts.
The improv is back and the improv is unique. Trey is having fun and is ferocious on his axe. This iteration of TAB is not striving to be what it was twenty years earlier nor is it trying to be Phish. This TAB is striving for something new and greater. If it took Covid to do this for TAB, I can’t imagine what it might do for Phish. I’ll definitely seek out Trey’s shows once again, assuming we are ever able to again.
The Trey Anastasio Band plays one more show at the Beacon the Friday after Thanksgiving. Don’t miss it. You’ll need dance off the food anyhow.
Remember to subscribe to get future issues straight to your inbox!