Phish Revive State-Naming “Carolina,” ZZ Top’s “Jesus Just Left Chicago” and The Beatles’ “I Am The Walrus” During Night Two in North Charleston
Photo Credit: Dean Budnick
On Saturday night, July 12, Phish returned to North Charleston, S.C., for their second staging in a series total of three as a part of their ongoing Summer Tour. Friday’s arrival represented the group’s first gig in The Palmetto State since 2022. The lapse in regional appearances bolstered a wave of anticipation, met with a peppering of rarities, and expansive “Down with Disease,” which clocked in at 34 minutes. The Vermont quartet’s second night at North Charleston Coliseum contained a similar trend of bust-outs that benefited from a potent exchange of energy between crowd and band.
Last night’s return to the North Charleston Coliseum represented the band’s 10th performance at this location since their first concert at the 13,000+ capacity venue on November 18, 1999. From the jump, Phish harnessed themselves to the vivid lyrical conjurings of “The Moma Dance.” The 1998 Story of the Ghost feature set up the 3.0 fixture, “NICU.” The group positioned ZZ Top’s “Jesus Just Left Chicago” in the concert’s third slot to the bewilderment of knowing audience members who considered the impending nature of their three-night Windy City stand on July 18-20. The cover was revived for the first time since the group’s December 3, 2019, concert at the Met in Philadelphia, effectively concluding a 208-show performance gap.
“Divided Sky” sprawled past 14 minutes, and set up the band’s entry into rarity “Destiny Unbound.” During the latter, Trey Anastasio teased The Spencer Davis Group’s original “I’m a Man.” Notably, during Phish’s latest appearance in Austin, Texas, Anastasio provided a similar segue in chords on “Weekapaug Groove.” Ultimately, the band used what remained of set one for the Evolve feature, “Monsters,” “Plasma,” and a frame closing, “Bathtub Gin.”
A lethal sequence of “Mike’s Song,” “I Am Hydrogen,” and “Weekapaug” ignited the onset of the second frame. Without pause, the amalgamated trio clocked in at around 24 minutes. The initial bundle of songs prepared concert-goers for an over 19-minute treatment of “Mercury,” paired with an over 12-minute “Soul Planet.” As a set, the two songs emerged as an extemporized celebration of the cosmos, performed underneath a looming Waning Gibbous, at 96% capacity, which followed peak illumination after July 10’s Buck Moon.
Phish kept “Joy” at a cool six minutes, followed by a well-received “Harry Hood.” Before closing their second set, the group covered The Beatles’ “I Am The Walrus,” a rare inclusion, with only seven prior plays to last night’s arrival, stemming from the band’s 2010 debut. Before Saturday’s position on the setlist, Phish hadn’t returned to the Magical Mystery Tour feature since October 11, 2023, when it was also used as a set two closer.
The state-naming “Carolina” opened the evening’s encore, and effectively ended a 208-show performance gap, last played during their December 6, 2019, appearance on the same stage. Considering its performance history, heavy ‘90s era rotations, and a subsequent slowdown, that only accounted for 2003’s inclusion at Greensboro Coliseum, 2016’s MSG return, and the 2019 rendition, which came before last night’s return, it took the title as one of the night’s and perhaps run’s best moments. For their final song, Phish delivered “Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.”
The band returns to North Charleston Coliseum tonight for their third and final performance during this concert cycle. For those interested in expanding their capacity for musical intake and appreciation, The Charleston Pour House is offering Relix-hosted pre- and post-concert entertainment. Read more.
Phish
North Charleston Coliseum – North Charleston, S.C.
July 12, 2025
Set I: The Moma Dance, NICU, Jesus Just Left Chicago, Divided Sky, Destiny Unbound, Monsters, Plasma, Bathtub Gin
Set II: Mike’s Song > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove, Mercury > Soul Planet, Joy, Harry Hood, I Am the Walrus
Enc.: Carolina, Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.
Notes via phish.net:
“Jesus Just Left Chicago” was performed for the first time since December 3, 2019 (208 shows). Trey teased “I’m a Man in Destiny Unbound.” “Carolina” was performed for the first time since December 6, 2019 (206 shows).
