Skip to main content
THE JAM ARCHIVE
DEEP ARCHIVE / artist / RESEARCH DOSSIER

Phish

Phish’s own concert archive and LivePhish releases make it possible to distinguish performed material, archival recordings, and fan annotations. Performance-specific notes matter more than generalized claims about legendary jams.

← All research dossiersOriginal archive record →Explore Family Tree →

1983 onward · The setlist as a map · Last editorial source review 2026-10-29

Source-backed, not exhaustive. This is a curated selection of facts and unresolved research questions. Source links show the supporting publication; they are not proof that an external page has stayed unchanged since our last review. Artist rosters are historical or explicitly date-stamped. We do not host recordings.

7 documented research notes

  1. 1983
    formation

    Phish began around the University of Vermont in 1983 after Trey Anastasio sought fellow musicians.

    official FAQ and band history ↗
  2. 1983
    lineup

    Jon Fishman, Mike Gordon and Jeff Holdsworth were among the early participants.

    official FAQ and band history ↗
  3. 1985
    lineup

    Keyboardist Page McConnell joined in 1985; Holdsworth departed soon afterward.

    official FAQ and band history ↗
  4. 1995
    performance

    Phish performed a three-set New Year’s Eve concert at Madison Square Garden on December 31, 1995.

    December 31, 1995 official concert record ↗
  5. 1995
    recording

    The 1995 New Year’s Eve album credits Paul Languedoc as recording engineer.

    New Year’s Eve 1995 album credits ↗
  6. 2015
    performance

    The August 22 Magnaball event included three conventional sets and a separate Drive-In Jam.

    August 22, 2015 official concert record ↗
  7. 2015
    notation

    The Phish.net entry documents transitions and an additional Mind Left Body Jam within Cities.

    August 22, 2015 curated notes ↗

Questions still open

Source bibliography · 5 references