Hours after the death of Phil Lesh, Phish opened the first night of their fall tour with a poignant rendition of “Box of Rain,” the bassist’s most enduring Grateful Dead song, at their concert in Albany, New York.
While the performance marked the first time that Phish has covered “Box of Rain,” guitarist Trey Anastasio previously played the American Beauty standout alongside Lesh at one of the Grateful Dead’s Fare Thee Well concerts in Chicago in 2015:
Earlier in the day, Anastasio penned a tribute to Lesh , who he’s shared the stage with on a handful of occasions over the past 25 years. “Phil was more than a revolutionary, groundbreaking bass player—he transformed how I thought about music as a teenager,” he wrote. “I have countless memories of standing in awe, listening to his winding, eloquent bass lines blending seamlessly with Jerry and Bobby’s guitars, Brent Mydland’s keys, and the thunderous drums of Billy and Mickey. I’m so grateful for those beautiful memories.”