Trey Anastasio’s acoustic tour rolled into Grand Rapids, MI’s Frederik Meijer Gardens Amphitheater last night, and it turned out to be the place to be this Wednesday night. As he has throughout his current “evening with” shows, Anastasio offered an extended single set, with his close collaborator Jeff Tanski adding piano accompaniment at various points during the night. The concert kicked off with Phish classics “Taste,” “Waste” and “Stash” and, a bit later, Anastasio honored a request and performed “Esther,” the Junta story-song he revived in an acoustic format earlier this run. 

However, the night’s first big surprise took place a little later when Michigan-native Billy Strings emerged to join Anastasio for “Back on the Train,” a number he covers with his own band and that he performed with the Phish guitarist during their first live collaboration, which took place at New York’s Pier 17 in 2022. While Strings has shared the stage with Anastasio a handful of times, including rare back-to-back sit ins with Phish in 2024, yesterday’s concert was particularly notable since the rising jamgrass guitarist has been off the road since breaking his leg skateboarding before the encore of a show in Virginia in April–he was forced to postpone some dates and has only made a few public appearances recently, including a sit in with Primus when they performed in Michigan.

Following “Back on the Train,” which Anastasio first played live on his inaugural acoustic tour in 1999, Strings led the Phish frontman through his own “Gild the Lily,” before Tanski returned to the stage to join the two guitarists for “Water in the Sky.” From there things jumped around a bit: Strings helped Anastasio through Hot Rize’s “Nellie Kane”–a staple in both the Billy Strings and Phish repertories that Anastasio had yet to perform at one of his acoustic concerts–and then they moved on to Jeff Holdsworth’s enduring Phish number “Possum,” Strings’ “Love and Regret,” a version of the Phish Hoist staple “Wolfman’s Brother” and the newer original “What’s Going Through Your Mind.” The latter tune was a particularly apt selection since Strings joined Phish for their first spin on the cut during his 2024 guest appearance, after the well-received jam-vehicle got its sea legs with the Trey Anastasio Band.

The sit ins didn’t stop there. At the start of his encore, Anastasio brought back Stings, Tanski and another Michigan resident, Jovi, for “Bug.” The now 11-year-old Jovi first entered Anastasio’s orbit when she held up a sign asking to sing “Bug” at the same venue with the guitarist in 2022, and Phish guitarist quickly obliged. (Last night, she emerged with a “Bug Reprise?” sign.) Finally, at the end of the encore, Anastasio and Strings closed the night with an acoustic take on “First Tube” that also spotlighted Tanski. 

Anastasio will perform at Toronto’s Massey Hall tomorrow. 

Here’s a look at last night’s setlist via Setlist.fm

Wednesday, June 17, Frederik Meijer Gardens Amphitheater, Grand Rapids, MI

Taste (with Jeff Tanski)
Waste (with Jeff Tanski)
Stash (with Jeff Tanski)
Lost in the Pack 
Bathtub Gin
Sample in a Jar
Chalk Dust Torture
Esther (with Jeff Tanski) 
Rift (with Jeff Tanski)
The Divided Sky (with Jeff Tanski)
Joy (with Jeff Tanski)
Simeon (with Jeff Tanski)
Petrichor (with Jeff Tanski)
Back on the Train (with Billy Strings)
Gild the Lily (with Billy Strings)
Water in the Sky (with Billy Strings) (also with Jeff Tanski)
Nellie Kane (with Billy Strings)
Possum (with Billy Strings)
Love and Regret (with Billy Strings)
Wolfman’s Brother (with Billy Strings) (also with Jeff Tanski)
What’s Going Through Your Mind (with Billy Strings)

Encore:
Bug (with Billy Strings) (also with Jeff Tanski and audience member Jovi who also sang it on request with Trey in 2022)
First Tube (with Billy Strings) (also with Jeff Tanski on piano)