Trey Anastasio and the National Symphony Orchestra performed together on a picturesque evening at the Filene Center Wolf Trap on June 25th, 2024.  Perhaps the only thing as beautiful as the venue's lush green lawn nestled in a national park was the intricate, resounding, and uplifting music by Trey Anastasio and nearly all of the NSO's ninety-six musicians.  

The evening would be a confluence of genres as Trey Anastasio, the magnetic frontman of Phish, would draw from over two decades of performing alongside classical musicians and orchestras to reimagine classic Phish songs and transform them into compositions that no one would have imagined or thought possible.

Anastasio is no stranger to working with orchestras, and as we look back down the number line, we see the twenty-plus years of Anastasio's virtuosic orchestral performances dating back to his 2000 collaboration with Troy Peters, director of the Vermont Youth Orchestra, and subsequent appearances at Carnegie Hall with the New York Philharmonic until a full-on symphonic tour in 2012 where he shared the stages with orchestras in Atlanta, Denver, Los Angeles, and Pittsburgh. Anastasio's symphony appearances throughout his career have been rare and speckled through his many performances - however, each has been highly cherished, usually sold out, and treasured by everyone in attendance.

At this Wolf Trap performance, The National Symphony Orchestra was nothing short of magical under the direction of conductor Edwin Outwater. For two hours, the Outwater and the NSO would reimagine and transform Phish songs into masterful orchestral arrangements that would echo deep into the woods of Vienna, Virginia, as Harry Hood found himself drawn into the musical canvas and palate of John Williams.  The audience was symphonically transported to the Land of Nod somewhere over the rainbow, and their troubles melted away like lemon drops as The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday walked beside Indiana Jones.  

One did not have to be a Phish or Anastasio fan to enjoy the evening's performance, as each song was reimagined to stand on its own as an orchestral masterpiece. Of course, having a beaming Trey Anastasio on stage alongside the NSO made for a truly unforgettable evening at Wolf Trap. After the performance, we would talk with classic music fans who had no prior Trey Anastasio knowledge but expressed their delight at the evening's performance.

At 8PM the NSO would take their places and filled the full breadth of Wolf Trap's enormous stage.  Soon after, Anastasio took to the stage as the audience erupted into applause and a standing ovation.  Wasting no time, the first recognizable "First Tube" notes filled the night's crisp air. This distinctive guitar-driven instrumental song allowed the symphony to fill the stage with a driving rhythm until erupting into a crescendo of symphonic sound. 

With a quick smile and acknowledgment of the audience, Anastasio switched to his acoustic guitar to perform a delicate "Water In The Sky." As Anastasio delicately delivered this poignant song, singing its introspective lyrics, the NSO added a lush and grandiose dimension to this moving song with delicate layers of brass, percussion, strings, and woodwinds.  

The evening would include three orchestral debuts, including the title track "Evolve" from Phish's forthcoming album. "Evolve" was introduced in 2020 as part of Anastasio's pandemic Beacon Theatre performances.  This powerful song filled the stage with added dimensions to the orchestra as you could feel the energy and "lungs" of the orchestra fully open and expand upon the stage.  This new song allowed longtime orchestral collaborator Don Hart the opportunity to arrange a new song and, as we would see later on, to rearrange some of his previous compositions.

Next, one of the most beloved and cherished Phish songs, "Divided Sky," would appear on stage. The NSO delicately orchestrates a dramatic backdrop for Anastasio's guitar playing that enhanced the song's intricate introduction, resoundingly delivering him to the song's eagerly anticipated pause.  After an extended pause, Anastasio delivered a series of tender and staccato re-introductions to the song along the backdrop of the symphony. The fusion of guitar-driven music and symphonic energy provided a musical backdrop that made the audience swoon and erupt in sounds of exuberance. One would almost hear Anastasio play against a backdrop of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" or a sweeping Indiana Jones title theme. In one magical moment, the lone voice of a first-chair violin rose from the orchestra as the sweeping orchestral tapestry briefly parted to make way for this lone voice, which then closed once again to fill the venue with sparkle and delight. Acknowledging the power of this song, Anastasio introduced the conductor to the audience as the orchestra rose to salute the crowd, and the audience gave them a much-deserved standing ovation. 

The second debut of the evening was "Mercy" from Anastasio's 2022 solo acoustic album. Already poignant and tender, the song shined in contrast to the resilient orchestral backdrop.

Concluding the first set was another beloved Phish staple, "Stash." This song is always enjoyed and rife with audience participation and energy. In any orchestral performance, juxtaposing an entire symphony and spirited audience participation always makes this song memorable.

After an unexpected but brief intermission, Anastasio and the NSO returned for the third symphonic premiere of the night - the ever-beloved Phish classic "Harry Hood." While many can feel good, good about Hood, this evening, the audience proved to be truly ecstatic about Mr. Miner and Harry Hood. The new arrangement dramatically enriched the song with a complex intertwining of instruments. The orchestral arrangement elevated the piece, as one section after another of the orchestra surged like a tsunami crashing ashore with sonic delight. The resounding and soaring orchestral pieces uplifted the song to its final conclusion, where fans erupted in joyful and unified, "You can feel good, good about Hood." The audience's euphoria was palpable as glow stick wars memories of performances past danced in concert-goers' heads with the delight of sugarplum fairies.

After a huge standing ovation, Anastasio and the NSO embarked on Anastasio's greatest symphonic opus, "Petrichor." In its original form, Anastasio intended the song to be a classically inspired, long-form composition. This song always lends itself to an orchestral appearance by Anastasio as he performs an electric guitar concerto as a wave after wave of orchestral pieces washed over the audience. Witnessing a Petrichor live with an accompanying orchestra is unequaled life except for the memorable 2016 New Year's Eve performance.

Piggybacking on the waves of joy, Anastasio performed the ever-inspirational and upbeat "More." With such a beautiful and inspiring song sung with an orchestral backdrop, the audience once again radiated with joy as more emotional glowsticks resonated at Wolf Trap.   In a world where "Phan's plan and Trey smiles as he throws you a curveball," Anastasio changed the atmosphere of the performance with the gravitas of "What's The Use?" In an instant, the scores of musicians tugged at our heartstrings, bringing profound emotions that only this song and its rich orchestration can evoke.

The second set would end with the illustrious and ever-powerful "You Enjoy Myself," a cornerstone of Phish's live performances for decades. The song is a multi-faceted, exhilarating song with several distinct sections - each with its own intricacies and personalities. The symphony and Anastasio would spend most of the next nineteen minutes punctuating each section of the masterpiece with their own unique emotion and personality. Laughter would erupt after a traditional crescendo of "Boy, Man, God, Shit" was not delivered in the scheduled time but instead replaced with a delayed trombone evoking the words. Anastasio would continue with a musical dialogue between himself and the symphony, much akin to his call-and-response interplay with Page McConnel or Mike Gordan at a Phish performance. Right before the end of Y.E.M., Anastasio would put down his guitar and improvise a solo vocal arrangement with the orchestra in tow.

After an impressive second set, Anastasio left the stage and returned a few minutes later for a perfect encore consisting of "The Inlaw Josie Wales" and "The Lizards."  The evening ended with a joyful dance through the gates of Gamehenge as the now seldom-performed 'Lizards' made its appearance.  Standing, dancing, and joyously celebrating an evening as the audience rose to dance throughout the venue. '.  Josie Wales, the audience erupted into jubilation for the evening's eternal joy and never-ending splendor.  

It cannot be understated how massive the National Symphony Orchestra's undertaking was to learn and perfectly deliver the arrangements performed this evening.  Moreso, performing ten-minute-plus songs such as "Divided Sky","Harry Hood," "Petrichor," and "You Enjoy Myself" in a single evening, let alone in two hours. For this reason and many more, Anastasio took several opportunities throughout the evening to introduce and thank both Outwater and the National Symphony Orchestra. While Anastasio's symphony performances are rarely released, many would agree that for "Divided Sky", "Harry Hood", and "What's The Use" alone, this evening's performance would be a cherished release.   This was a night of celebration of both the music of Anastasio and the National Symphony Orchestra and a pairing we hope is not another eleven years in the making.

In the meantime, if you are a fan of The National Symphony Orchestra, join them when they celebrate David Bowie with "BLACKSTAR Symphony: The Music of David Bowie" on Friday, June 28th, and Saturday, June 29th,  and once again with Beck on Saturday, July 27th.

Please see the following link for a full list of NSO performances at Wolf Trap.