Trey Anastasio Continues Multi-Ensemble Spectacle At Night 2 Of Beacon Jams 5th Anniversary Run

By Scott Bernstein Nov 30, 2025 • 9:20 am PST

Trey Anastasio returned to New York City’s Beacon Theatre on Saturday for the second of three benefit concerts commemorating the fifth anniversary of the Beacon Jams. Anastasio picked gems from his solo projects and Phish repertoire to perform in various configurations with the rest of the Trey Anastasio Band, Rescue Squad string quartet and pianist Jeff Tanski.

The original Beacon Jams concerts were a series of eight livestreamed shows broadcast from an empty Beacon Theatre in the fall of 2020 at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Donations made during the run helped establish the Divided Sky treatment center in Ludlow, Vermont via the Divided Sky Foundation. Anastasio has earmarked proceeds from this weekend’s shows to the same cause.

Trey Anastasio and TAB bandmates drummer Russ Lawton, keyboardist Ray Paczkowski, percussionist Cyro Baptista, bassist Dezron Douglas, trumpeter Jennifer Hartswick, trombonist Natalie Cressman and saxophonist Kenneth Whalum came out of the gates with a “Speak To Me” opener. The guitarist followed the Paper Wheels track with the rousing instrumental “Olivia,” pop-tinged “Pigtail” and an expansive “Set Your Soul Free.”

The Rescue Squad (Rachel Golub, Katie Kresek, Maxim Moston and Anja Wood) and Jeff Tanski made their first appearance of the night on the ensuing complex composition “Petrichor.” The multi-section song had its TAB public debut, with the strings and horns adding the symphonic elements showcased during Anastasio’s orchestral shows.

Tanski, the strings and horns then vacated the stage to leave Anastasio, Lawton, Paczkowski, Baptista and Douglas to perform a nasty version of the Ghosts Of The Forest tune “About To Run.” Trey went full-on Hendrix in shredding throughout the bombastic number. Next up was a horn and strings-fueled take on Evolve, the title track from Phish’s 2024 studio album. Tanski then reemerged to accompany Trey and the Rescue Squad on the gorgeous instrumental “The Inlaw Josie Wales” before Anastasio teamed with the Rescue Squad on “Water In The Sky.” After TAB and the strings performed “Valentine,” the eight-piece outfit closed out the first set with a typically intense “Sand.”

One of the highlight of the night came at the start of the second set as TAB laid waste to the Phish classic “Wolfman’s Brother.” Both Douglas and Whalum, the two members of TAB installed over the five years since the Beacon Jams, shone on the first version of the Hoist standout with horns played publicly at the venue since the Giant Country Horns joined Phish on April 15, 1994. Anastasio then went back to Evolve for the fierce “Oblivion.”

Another memorable moment in an evening filled with them followed when Anastasio strapped on his acoustic for “Pebbles & Marbles.” The TAB horns, Tanski and Rescue Squad backed the Phish guitarist on the first half of the Round Room track before Anastasio grabbed his electric and the rest of TAB filed out to end the song in triumphant fashion.

The next section of the second set saw the Trey Anastasio Band work through fiery renditions of “A Wave Of Hope,” “Twist” and “Last Tube.” Trey then brought out the strings for an emotional “In Long Lines” ahead of a TAB-only run featuring the shimmering “Shine,” potent “Money Love & Change,” the recently debuted “Simeon” and a powerful “Ghost” to close the frame.

Anastasio went solo acoustic to start the encore with “Snowflakes In The Sand.” The strings then accompanied TAB on the poignant “Brian & Robert” and crowd-pleasing “Say It To Me Santos” to end the night.

Trey Anastasio closes out TAB’s fall tour and the Beacon Jams fifth anniversary run tonight. Watch a free free livestream via nugs and LivePhish.