Phish plays Purple Rain live for first time since 2012

musicJul 26, 202621278

Phish played Prince's Purple Rain at Madison Square Garden on July 25, 2026, the song's first performance by the band since July 4, 2012. The appearance was a bust-out: Purple Rain had been played 32 times by Phish since 1993 and the gap amounted to 536 shows. Jon Fishman sang the number while wearing a purple dress described as Fresh Plum with Bloom by Lisa Simpson; Trey Anastasio followed with a prominent, genuine guitar solo and impassioned backup singing. The encore placement surprised some fans who only tuned in for the encore, and setlisting notes link the performance into the show's extended second-set Tweezer sequence. Musically the jam featured metric shifting, with Fishman alternating between 4/4, 6/8 and 12/8 while keeping the eighth-note pulse, a passage listeners praised as some of the band's most adventurous metric jamming. Reaction among attendees was split, with some calling Fishman's take oddly moving and others describing it as goofy, while many celebrated Trey finally soloing the song after years of fan hopes. Purple Rain was one of four 2026 debuts at the show, alongside Back in the U.S.S.R., Highway to Hell and Catapult.

Drew but 7/25/26 Tweezer (all six of them)

@drewphish.bsky.social

No exaggeration, that post-Cavern jam Tweezer segment was some of the coolest extended metric jamming that I've ever heard the band do. I was dumbstruck. Fishman alternating between 4/4, 6/8 and 12/8 with the 8th staying the same for all of it. And switching over and over and over again. #phish

9045d ago

Josh Sternberg23

my 8yo sitting next to me goes, 'why does it sound like slow blues then fast blues then slow blues again' lol

Ward Q. Normal (he/him)5

I was in heaven. Yeah more of that.

I Think Therefore I YEM4

I thought my post was well timed. I really thought of you in that moment.

Seth2

That jam. That jam!!! Cant wait to hear it again

Jen❤️⭕️2

I can’t wait to listen back. What a night of amazing music.

JDG

@cottonmather.bsky.social

So was that the first Phish Purple Rain with a genuine guitar solo? Certainly the first with such polished, impassioned backup sing by Trey! 💅 The performance wound up straddling the line between respectful joke and earnest tribute.

2944d ago

Elisa Allechant10

The fact that the band has learned to sing has made these 90s shows that much better than the actual 90s

Mr. Completely7

I just hope everyone who enjoyed that has also listened to Prince perform one of his extended live versions, or takes the time now. Not to make a point, but bc it's a shame to miss out. Here's a totally random mid length one, they range up to over 18m film what I've seen youtu.be/vf68808dMtI?...

ROCK!3

It was way better than the one I saw in 1993. I can tell you that

Ridge Seeker2

Trey’s guitar solo was beautiful. And Fishman was giving it all on vocals! Loved it!

bulldog

@harpua.bsky.social

TREY GETTING TO SOLO PURPLE RAIN AFTER ALL THESE YEARS... I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT!! SO GOOD

1945d ago

Scott Marks

@bizarchive.bsky.social

Added to 7/25/26's 2nd Tweezer at @phish.net: Mind Left Body Jam tease from @trey.com (2:39) #phish

1944d ago

benz, step, & tom do MSG

@zzbenz.bsky.social

me not watching the show until the encore: oh fishmans dress is purple! band: [plays purple rain]

2045d ago

𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙘𝙖𝙗𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧

@secretcabdrivre.bsky.social

There were four 2026 debuts tonight Back in the U.S.S.R. Highway to Hell Catapult Purple Rain 2026 song count: 208 #phish #MSG #N3 #CoventryMusic

1145d ago

Phish Phashion

@phishphashion.bsky.social

Purple Reign King Fish in first-time-seen Fresh Plum with Bloom dress by Lisa Simpson. 7/25/26, NY, NY See more of Lisa’s work at www.instagram.com/lisasimpsonmakes #phish @lisasimpsonmakes.bsky.social

1045d ago

Helping Friendly Bot

@helpingfriendly.xor.blue

This is Purple Rain by Prince, last played 2012-07-04 (536 shows ago). A bust-out! Phish have played this song 32 times since 1993-07-16.

945d ago

⏱📋David Steinberg⏱📋

@zzyzx.bsky.social

Thought 1 for Sunday morning: Last night ended well earlier than the other two MSG shows which means that we did lose a bit of music to the blackout. I'm fine with that since it kind of adds to the legend of 94 Night but I do wonder if there was another bustout in the scrapped songs. #phish (1/4)

1045d ago

⏱📋David Steinberg⏱📋3

Or maybe that was the Guyute? Thought 2 for Sunday morning: Unfeeling Alaska Air has my flight returning this afternoon on time instead of being on a 2 day delay, but in the same way that 92-94 was about me seeing as much as possible, 1995 was about me not being able to attend very many shows. 2/4

wattznext2

My guess is that Highway to Hell was supposed to end S1, and if there were any other major bust outs they missed, they woulda played em in the encore

frostellicus2

Yeah! I’m sure phish scrapped I’m Blue, I’m Lonesome, It’s Ice, Mule, and If I Could, which, coincidentally, are my #pick5 choices that didn’t hit!

Atleast I’m Enjoying The Ride

@guyforgetghost.bsky.social

Set II: Highway to Hell(4), DWD(14)> Tweezer(19)>DWD(1)>Tweezer(3)>Sample(3)> Tweezer(5), Lifeboy(6), Julius(8), Tweezer(2)> Catapult(8)>Cavern(9)>Tweezer(11), Coil(9) #Phish (9:21-11:03pm EST) 102 mins N3 @ #YEMSG

345d ago

Think of London

@injest.bsky.social

Purple Rain at my first show. Free Bird, too, for that matter

845d ago

Attendance Bias Podcast

@attendancebias.bsky.social

Which song from Quadrophenia are we hoping for tomorrow? Smart money is on “Drowned” but “5:15” would go a LONG way. #phish Harpua>Dr. Jimmy? Love Reign O’er Me?

644d ago