Phish frontman brings a sharp crew to get Toronto dancing.
Best known for his work with perennial Vermont jam band, Phish, guitarist and vocalist Trey Anastasio began leading his namesake band back in 1998, which featured drummer Russ Lawton and bassist Tony Markellis. Over the years and through Phish’s three-year hiatus, Trey continued to modulate the lineup of TAB by adding percussionists, keyboardists and rotating horn sections. The most consistent Trey Anastasio Band included Lawton, keyboardist Ray Paczkowski, Cyro Baptista on percussion, Dezron Douglas (who replaced bassist Markelis after he died in 2021), Natalie Cressman on trombone, vocals and Jennifer Hartswick playing trumpet and stunning crowds with her powerful vocals. However, since his Fall 2023 tour, Anastasio has been touring with his lean Classic TAB, stripping it down to himself, Douglas, Lawton and Paczkowski. It was this ensemble that made their way to the stage at History in Toronto on May 18th, their first appearance since 2017.
Walking out to loud cheers, Anastasio waved to the crowd as he beamed a thousand-watt smile, clearly taken by the response. Launching into Cayman Review from his second solo, self-titled album. The first set featured faves from the Phish catalog, including Wolfman’s Brother, Water In The Sky (played softly with Trey on acoustic guitar), Twist and Alaska. The second set had TAB locked into some special grooves, especially during the Phish song, The Moma Dance.
Trey Anastasio and Classic TAB close out their spring tour tomorrow in Brooklyn before playing the Boston Calling festival on May 25. More info here.
Aron Harris
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