Trey Anastasio: Trey 08/02/2008 Official Audio Newport, RI
One of the most surprising names to appear on the 2008 Newport Folk Festival roster was Phish’s guitarist and primary songwriter, Trey Anastasio. Within the context of Phish, Anastasio concentrated on his electric guitar technique, drawing on rock, funk, country and jazz influences within a highly improvisational context. Following the 1995 death of one of Anastasio’s primary influences, Jerry Garcia, and the subsequent demise of the Grateful Dead, Phish experienced a huge surge in their following. Within a brief time, Phish found themselves the new torchbearers of the jamband scene, with legions of devoted fans following their every move. The increasingly complicated logistics of touring that inevitably followed would eventually take its toll, leading to a two-year hiatus between 2000 and 2002, and finally to the announcement of their breakup in 2004.
