Trey Anastasio & The Colorado Symphony 2.28.12

Boettcher Concert Hall
Denver, Co

Words & Photos By Nicholas Stock

We began our once in a lifetime concert experience hopping into Ro and Scotties tour van. We parked close and hit up Rock Bottom Brewery for some pre-show provisions. It was a great dinner with friends and an excellent way to start the night. We went our separate ways at the entrance as we all had seats spread throughout the 2,634 seat Boettcher Concert Hall. The majority of the crowd opted to dress for the occasion. Wooks, hippies and fans that would normally wear tie-dye donned top hats and sports coats. It most definitely felt like an event as the crowd streamed in. The room was a 360-degree experience with the audience surrounding the 60 plus person orchestra. We were warned to restrain from photography, taking video, excessive cheering and to respect the hall prior to Trey coming to the front of the stage. Despite the warnings and the notice that they were recording the show the crowd couldn’t help themselves from whooping it up from time to time. The audience was like a shook up beer can ready to explode. Trey eased into the show with a smooth "First Tube."



SET I: First Tube, Water In The Sky, Divided Sky, Brian and Robert, Goodbye Head, Guyute, Let Me Lie, Stash

SET II: Time Turns Elastic, If I Could, You Enjoy Myself

ENCORE: Golden Slumbers> Carry That Weight> The End, The Inlaw Josie Wales


While Trey focused his setlist on his more orchestrated Phish songs, he did have a microphone and sang a number of songs throughout the evening. The first of which was a beautiful "Water In The Sky." Alternating between his acoustic and electric guitar many times within the same song, Trey was on point all night long. It was obvious that he was restraining himself at times from his solo driven shows with Phish. "The Divided Sky" was a high point in a night chocked full of them. Seeing some of my favorite songs performed with a massive orchestra was simply mesmerizing. I found my head bouncing around the stage, there was just so much to see that I was dizzy by the end of the first set. Trey took to the vocals for "Brian and Robert" and the TAB tune "Goodbye Head." The "Guyute" was simply incredible and taken to a place that I never would have expected to see live. The way that Trey wove his licks into the sound of the symphony was breathtaking. The "Let Me Lie" was a nice touch but the "Stash" was the excuse the crowd needed to explode. Disregarding the caution not to cheer the prerequisite claps made their way into the mix before it became a massive sing along on the, “Maybe So, Maybe Not” section.

During the short intermission the crowd rushed out to the smoking section and makeshift bars set up around the viewer. One bartender commented that they have never had a service like this, ever. After a short twenty-minute break everyone returned to their seats and promptly got TTE’d. This is by far the longest and the best "Time Turns Elastic," which really only seemed off during the vocal parts. It was great to see this song performed as it was truly intended and finally made sense. They moved the second set along with a short but magnificent "If I Could." The show seemed very string heavy with the woodwinds and brass section only chiming in occasionally. They got their chance to truly shine during "You Enjoy Myself." The "YEM" contained a fake out where Trey would usually say "boy," there was a long trombone hit. It was huge punctuation mark on a great night out. The encore consisted of a Beatles Mash Up before he closed with a moving "Inlaw Josie Wales." After the show we left quickly heading back to Fort Collins for Leftover Salmon.

www.trey.com