2.22.25 About To Run at Day Block Brewing
The Phish tribute played the Ghosts of the Forest album in its entirety.
About To Run, Art Hoffman’s superb Phish/Trey Anastasio Band tribute, made their triumphant return to Day Block Brewing in downtown Minneapolis Saturday night, taking on the 2019 Trey Anastasio produced project Ghosts Of The Forest. The ensemble, put together by Trey included the late Tony Markellis on bass and keyboardist Ray Paczkowski, both of Trey Anastasio Band, as well as two backup singers and two additional keyboard players. Jon Fishman of Phish played drums. Many of the songs on the album have been successfully incorporated in Phish’s repertoire, including one of my favorite songs of the modern era, Ruby Waves. That song has now been played by Phish 35 times according to PhantasyTour, including the dazzling version from Alpine Valley 7.14.19 that clocked in at 38 minutes. (Watch it on youtube!) Other songs that have made the leap from GOTF to Phish are the atmospheric title track, Drift While You’re Sleeping, the closing track Beneath A Sea Of Stars, the lovely In Long Lines, and About To Run, the namesake of Saturday’s band.
The evening was split into three sets, the first two of which covered GOTF. Art H, who sang lead and played bass, was joined as always by the talented Mr. Art Begley on guitar, Mark ‘Munchie’ Collins on drums and Berek Awend on keys. Newcomers to About To Run Beth Supple and Amanda Lane Awend elegantly handled back-up vocals throughout the first two sets and on If I Could, the heavenly ballad that features one of my favorite singers, Alison Krauss, on the studio version. Like Trey, Hoffman has a knack for selecting dynamite musicians to collaborate with.
The lights and fog machines added a degree of psychedelia to Day Block’s tasteful second level event space, which was filled with Phans including several young children who seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely. Keep an eye for the next time this collective tackles more Phish material and I’ll see you there!
The view of Downtown from Day Block’s 2nd level patio is always cool:
