Phish - Moma Dance LIVE In Brooklyn (REACTION!) 

Phish has actually sold out MSG 64 times... the 13 times you referenced was just for one run of shows in 2017. They played a 13 night residency, 237 songs with no repeats, and each night had a different donut theme (glazed, jam-filled, chocolate, etc.). Also, love how you cracked up when the drummer started singing... his name is Jon Fishman, and he is truly the heart and soul of the band. He doesn't usually sing, but when he does you know things are about to get real... not to mention that he busts out the occasional vacuum solo like a boss, lol

Whoever picked Moma Dance as the first Phish song on Lost in Vegas, congratulations on winning the raffle. Your lifetime supply of kind veggie burritos awaits.

Phish is arguably the greatest live band of all time, in that probably no other single band has more people show up just to see them. All those people? Just there to see Phish. They had the biggest show on Earth on NYE 1999 (an 8-hour set for 85,000 people). It's a cult following to be sure. Phish will never get a "real" singer, and it's probably better that way. For one thing, Phish are those four guys. They've played together since the 80s and there will almost certainly never be another member of the band. They're like the Beatles in that way. Also, fans find the shaky vocals to be charming. You're right to compare them to "progressive" rock, which has one major flaw: prog can tend toward the pretentious. In the 70s you had bands like Yes acting like they were doing high art instead of rock and roll. Phish's musicianship is stunning and their act can be a bit conceptual at times, so in a way the shaky singing is like an inside joke that keeps the music from getting too serious. It gives them a dorm-geek vibe that undercuts the magnitude of their rock stardom. It's something their fans really appreciate.

Never heard of Phish, but the instrumentation was insane in this!! Def could play their hearts and souls out!💯💯🔥🔥🔥🔥

13 sold out shows at MSG in a row and they didn't repeat a song. Thank you for doing this. Never thought I'd see LiV do a phish reaction.

As someone who has been attending Phish shows since 1995, I approve of this video!! Serious rabbit hole if you want to dig deep

I love Phish. Any band that can play Waiting for Columbus (Little Feat) in its entirety will forever have my love and respect.

Trey is one of the best guitarists off all time. And his tone is SO sweet.

I can't believe that you reviewed Phish! Thank you!!! 💃💃💃💃💃

Phans love their singing because they are humbly presenting their true selves. Nothing more, nothing less, and its perfect despite their obvious imperfections. As with all great art, it represents life.

Hey guys! Phish is playing here in Las Vegas four nights at the MGM for Halloween… on Halloween they wear a musical costume and cover a famous album. You should go to a show.

To answer your question, they never have opening acts, they sell out their own festivals in remote parts of the country with 80,000 to see just them.

Funny when you say you'd be turning up... This is EVERY PHISH SHOW! We're used to them killing it every night

Phish does it all alone. They don’t have opening acts, they almost never play festivals besides their own. They’ve hosted multiple festivals in remote locations where 75k Phish fans traveled to see just them. I’ve done it myself 128 times since the late 90s PS- I wonder if they are aware that a JayZ joined Phish onstage the following night at Brooklyn? Had a blast at these shows

You don’t listen to Phish for the vocals. Those guys are 4 of the best at their instruments of all time. You listen to Phish because of their ability to take you on journey with the music and their improvisational skills. They’re having a conversation between each other with their music. When they take you into the void in the middle of song and then bring you back it’s like nothing else. Their tension and release capabilities are unrivaled. Go see a show. You can’t understand until you experience it in person. Eat some mushrooms and lose yourself there. Listen to a Harry Hood. Start dipping your toes into some evil Phish, like when they take Carini into the dark world. Next thing you know you’ll have been seeing them for decades and hundreds of times like the rest of us. Been following them since 1998 myself.

Phish fan here - saw this reposted over on the Phish Reddit. You definitely make good points on the vocals. They are rough. Also, Fishman (the drummer) probably has the most glaringly bad voice out of the whole band, and this song just happens to feature him heavily. Glad y'all took the time to listen!

Guessing from your reaction that you might not be completely aware, but this particular performance has never been played like this before and will never be played like this again. As with virtually all of their music, each performance is a unique, spontaneous, improvised work of art. And each night they do it all over again with different songs.

Sand by Phish is unreal, speaking as a bass player 🤘

Enjoyed the candid reaction. Live Phish is highly improvisational. Vocals are secondary to the experience, although Trey (guitarist) and Page (keyboards) actually can sing. Other old school "jambands" to check out: moe., Widespread Panic, String Cheese Incident.

Everyone that listens to Phish basically does this: quits job, travels with band to all shows, repeat next year.

Never thought I’d see you guys do phish. Awesome guys, really happy to see this reaction

Finally getting to the hippie jam bands

That peak of the jam is absolutely what we love about the band. Speaking as somebody for whom Phish have been my favourite band for nearing 3 years

What a day! you guys opened up Pandora’s box with phish. Keep on rocking 🤘🏻🤘🏻

2004 was a challenging and ultimately sad year in the history of Phish

First time viewer long time dead head. Having learned a lot of phish history and set lists (from my laptop lol) I’m diving into my first phish concerts this tour. I don’t think I can dance enough for how much phish slaps though.

Haha, throughly enjoy watching reaction videos of Phish, I've been a fan for 20+ years...I'd say after the 6 minute mark or so they've completely left Moma Dance behind and are creating spontaneously in the moment...and you are so spot on in your alien description, I too often describe deep Phish jams as being extraterrestrial sounding...and yes, their vocals can be super sketchy sometimes, especially the drummers! I also want to point out that this was in 2003 and its well documented that their were substance abuse problems within the band and the vocals suffered big time as a result during this period...today they all tour & perform sober and I personally think their vocals are better now than they've ever been... again, I always enjoy watching people react to Phish for the first time positively...thx!

Phish best live band in the world

I wish you'd reacted to one of their more progressive songs instead like You Enjoy Myself or Guyute.

Stoked to see you guys opening up to Phish. Much love for this band. Keep listening and after a while you won’t care when the singing is bad

I've been waiting for three years for you guys to get around to Phish. Greatest Band in America. Would recommend studio version of Julius for some (shorter) enjoyment.

a little mushroom or acid or mdma and cool fall evening and Phish. Its an experience to behold.

Oh my God you did phish

If you guys get a chance to see them live, it can be a life changing experience, it really is meant to be experienced live and in person.

That new Dave🔥🔥

phish songs are always a journey you never know where your gonna end up. their vocals are quirky kind of like their music. however they can pull off some decent vocals in the right elements. but they are a jam band. so its alot of jamming out. i always loved their music. to me i enjoy them the most when i am at the gym (oddly), driving long trips in the car, or live. (they are extra fun if you pop a few mushrooms and enjoy the musical trip)

If your eyes are open during Phish, you're doing it wrong

To enjoy Fishman's singing you need to be Phamily. It's like when your favorite drunk uncle does karaoke, we all know he's bad but we love him and love the rare occasion he sings lead on a song.

My favorite part about Phish not being the strongest vocal band is that they ALL sing lol. They leaned into it obviously.

I listened to this on the ride home and laughed like a psycho in the car when the vocals started. Also when you said Phish Trance, more like a Timothy Leary trance. Those folks are hippie flippin’, candy trippin’ or just plain ol’ wiggin’ balls 😂

I’ve been watching your videos for a long time and have always wanted you to do phish. Certainly an acquired taste but keep going. You’ll thank me later.

OK, so you've probably had this said many times already, but to elaborate and explain a bit. Phish fans know what the studio track sounds like already, they have the "good vocals" running in the background of their heads when these songs are being played live, so we don't mind so much and make allowances for vocal quality issues in live performances. Obviously the live shows are awesome, and "you get it"...but maybe listening to the studio track first, followed by the live track... EDIT: Maybe a track from the produced A Live One album rather than a random show.

My first introduction to phish was seeing Trey Anastasia open for Tom petty back in 2006 there were more people there to see him opening then there were for Tom petty. I’ve been hooked ever since.

This was a nice surprise, Phish was a favourite band of mine in my youth, kinda lost track of them later. Seeing them here is really coming out of nowhere and completely unexpected. If you like to here them in a studio album situation, I'd suggest "You enjoy myself" or "Divided Sky" from "Junta" - those songs are out of this world beautiful harmonically. Phish don't sing in a soul power kinda way, they are true storytellers! As an example of that listen to "Esther".

More Phish! Their vocals sound much better in studio (Naturally).

Stoked you guys are finally getting to phish. It’s an amazing rabbit hole of music to dive into. I highly recommend checking out tweezer>prince caspian from magnaball festival 2015. Mind glowingly awesome jams and it really gives you a look at how the crowd gets down. Not a single person seated during a phish show. Enjoy the ride!

I was 10 rows deep dead center for this one. Awesome experience. This goes into an absolutely brilliant version of their song “Free”. Mind boggling 1-2 combo. Also, no one listens to phish for the vocals ;)

The point of listening to phish music is to feel, for me. They build tension, make you uncomfortable even, to follow up with release and bliss. They carry on jokes and gags entirely to long to make you uncomfortable, make you laugh almost childlike…then hit you deep in your feels and make a grown man cry. It is all about feeling the music. The trick is to surrender to the flow! Thanks for getting into Phish, my favorite band. I check y’all’s channel out off and on over the last couple years. Cool to see y’all listen to The Phish, from Vermont.

I would recommend, for a first listen to Phish, the live version of You Enjoy Myself in 1995 (at the Boston Garden?). Their singing is best for me when it is more an offshoot/ integration with/ elaboration of the funk/jazz/jam-folk-rock instrumental sound. You Enjoy Myself personifies this for me 😊

Guys… JAY-Z played with PHISH the night before as they played here two nights in a row…. JayZ sang and Phish played behind him.. “Big Pimpin’” and “99 problems”. Everyone who is a good musician knows Phish or has played with them.. BB King, Santana and many many others have played at phish show with them.. Them boys GOOD!

Phish does 3-4 hour shows with no opening act. Great light shows. Traveling fans usually bebopping and balloons everywhere. I have seen them do everything from Greatful Dead to Stevie Wonder to Pink Floyd. Try 2001 lol. Phenomenal improvisation. Seen them do the same song in 4 minute, 12 minute and 25 minute versions. There are no versions on RU-vid that are the same. None. ENJOY!! 😉

When I first heard Phish, I hated that shat so much. But then a few friends took me to a show and I was hooked. Now my favorite non metal band.

4:40 It was 13 shows in a row, but over the course of about 3 weeks, broken up into groups, each of 4 or so nights. It was called the "Baker's Dozen," in August of 2017.

Gentlemen, there is one thing ALL Phish fans will tell you should these boys come to a town near you… NEVER miss a Sunday show.

Just stumbled upon this, extremely articulate reaction. Loved the Tool comparison at the outro jam section. Well done fellas

Living in Vegas you probably saw billboards around Halloween. They usually play at mgm Friday Saturday Sunday Halloween weekend. Amazing band been to over 20 shows and can’t wait to go to the next one. I’ve been to 6 of the 13 shows in MSG

Dave we’re all alone in this together

Phish….gentlemen your video was spot on, kudos. Some of us are more jaded about the group after enduring harmonized vocalizations sounds back and forth, there awful fans, endlessly long songs and just everything else. So it was good to hear your review.

Found Phish in 95 and never looked back. Rift turned my world upside down. I try to catch a few shows a year. I'm around the 60 mark and this last fall tour of 2021 was their best for me since 1996 (Phish at the Aladdin in Vegas 96, my all time favorite show). Thanks for the reaction!

I followed Phish through several states and a couple of countries and recognize the slow dancing... It was early and the Music=MDMA had yet to kick in. Phish is amazing.

If learning the intricacies of Phish requires the equivalent of walking across America, then congrats…you’ve taken one single step. Of the 800+ shows I’ve heard, this may be the most cringe-y vocal I’ve come across. Their album vocals are fantastic. Take a poll. Try another tune. Can’t believe you even brought this band to the channel. You’ve got my vote for President.

I appreciate you watching Phish. I've been following them around for years and they're addicting. Take care!

Really wish whoever suggested this would have started them with a song with Page or Trey on vocals

Love that you guys did a Phish reaction! Seeing them live and the energy is really what it’s all about. For a reaction video that holds your attention probably best to do something straight forward. First tube is a great song for that in my opinion

Porcupine Tree "Arriving Somewhere". Don't think about it, just do it...please

Phish Fans have Groove endurance, be cause you know you're in it for a long run!

"Just hire a vocalist" pure gold.

The section referred to as “having purpose” was completely improvised. Basically everything after the guitar/vocal thing was a jam and never happened the same way again.

Good radio friendly Phish: Waste, Julius, Down With Disease Good ‘Phish’ Phish songs Mike’s Song or Weekepaug Groove is what I’d recommend.

I was in attendance. It was POURING during the better part of the first set. I have a bunch a videos from this show uploaded on my other RU-vid profile.

Rest assured that the audience knows exactly what they’re hearing.

The songs where Fish (the drummer) sings lead vocals, it’s almost a wink wink inside joke, they and everyone know that Fish isn’t really a singer, but he’s one of the greatest drummers in the world

This is not the song I'd pick to introduce to someone who's never heard Phish. It's kinda a lazy joke song they use to warm up lol.

I don't know if somebody already commented about this but that Wawa sound was played by the guitar player and he recorded it on his looping pedal and then he would just loop it over and over and then play something else on the guitar and he could change the speed of it and the pitch and put it in reverse

Grrrrrrrrreat Choice!

This is why I love this channel. Friend of mine is a huge Phish head n had me react to them. My reaction/ review was identical to u guys reaction "Hire a vocalist"😂

You guys gottttta react to Dave's second album "We're all alone in this together" or atleast give it a listen, hard to believe he dropped an album as good if not better than Psychodrama. Wordplay, storytelling, flow all immaculate.

Love you guys

ayeeee royce and lupe dissin each other!! where y'all at!!! :))) we need a serious breakdown

Thanks for doing Phish! Love you guys. And speaking of Bluegrass...I just discovered the group Gangstagrass, and their songs Barnburning and Never go Home ...blew my mind. I would Love to see a reaction from you guys to this obscure group that has a crazy genre mix of Bluegrass and Rap

YES! PHISH! Lol I only have a couple of their albums, but they’re the sort of band everyone should be exposed to just because they’re so unusual.

***Hey fellas Tremonti "IF not for you" playlist guarantee****

The crowd is doing everything you said you thought they should be doing, trust me! I’ve been part of that crowd many many times! My last show was Raleigh of his summer and they opened with MomA Dance and I lost my shit! If you want an instrumental react to YEM or Divided Sky it’ll be worth it!

Trust me everyone is grooving to this. Dancing and having an awesome time! Glad you guy’s are diggin’ it!!!

Excellent to see you guys finally take the leap. These dudes changed my life in 2003, and the rest is history. Hoping to catch them in a few months. Tour is going to rage.

I love seeing you guys jam out to Phish! The crowd isnt reacting because this is what phish does. Every show they come with these grooves! Hence the huge crowds. They usually play alone to massive crowds. The drummer doesn't usually sing. However the regular singer isnt the best either!

Bouncing Around the Room is a catchy short song. My intro to Phish about 25 years ago.

Grateful Dead - Fire on the mountain (Live at Winterland 1978) you guys will love it!

They're playing in your neck of the woods Halloween weekend. They do a musical costume on Halloween night where they cover an album in its entirety.

MORE PHISH!!!!! run like an antelope or punch you in the eye, or squirming coil

TWO STEP from listener supported by DAVE MATTHEWS

As far as the ending part with drummer…. It’s not about the vocal it’s about the feeling… I think it’s there to encourage everyone to join in.. everything with phish is about feeling and they love feeling silly

You guy's should check out some instrumentalists like Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Eric Johnson .....

WE NEED THAT VINCE STAPLES REACTION. ALBUM + LA LEAKERS FREESTYLE!!!! Too fire

That’s really a cool story your sponsor told; I’m glad you included the little interview with him at the beginning. There are lots of happy Patreon members today, too. I’m with you on this though; started off pretty good and I didn’t really like anything that happened after the singing started.

trust me brother that crowd knows exactly what they're hearing

At around the 27:00 mark if you listen to Trey (guitarist) he’s play a reverse effect which is totally different. His tone is coming out backwards from what he’s actually played on the guitar.

The part they're trying to put to word esp the one during the actual songs 12:30. This part is the SECRET SAUCE part of the show that's really the real show that we are seeking & want them to just skip to every night. lol. We like it when they stop making sense. same as it ever was

You guys crack me up.

‘The end’ by The Doors!!!