Outside the Landmark Theatre, the rain came down on a temperate night, as fans assembled and prepared for Trey Anastasio Band’s return to the 97-year old downtown Syracuse venue. Inside, fans were left marveling not just at the band on the stage but also the ornate restoration work that has brought the 1928 building back to its original splendor.
Complete with a new marquee, the $1.5 million renovation was funded by a state grant and private donors; for those making a return visit to the Landmark, the investment made it feel like you were walking into a brand new venue.
Back in 2001, Phish fans walked into the Landmark Theatre to a brand new band – with Phish on hiatus, Trey Anastasio Band was the first chance fans had to see Big Red and his new group. The show on February 22, 2001 featured Tony Markellis on bass, Russ Lawton on drums – the pair who formed the original Trey Band Trio – and a horn section of saxophonist Dave Grippo, trombonist Andy Moroz, and on trumpet, Jennifer Hartswick. This new band is now nearly a quarter of a century old, even if the lineup has changed slightly over the years.
For their third ever performance at the Landmark Theatre, Anastasio was joined this evening by original TAB members Lawton, Cressman and Hartswick, plus bassist Dezron Douglas, keyboardist Ray Paczkowski, percussionist Cyro Baptista and tenor saxophonist/vocalist Kenneth Whalum.
Incredible chemistry between all musicians made for tight playing from the get go, with Anastasio and the octet sharing the spotlight equitably, no one just along for the ride, whether on stage or in the audience.
To start the night, “Cayman Review,” one of the oldest TAB originals was a strong out of the gate, while a fresh rendition of Phish’s “The Moma Dance” made for an early highlight, as the intro vocals were reinterpreted, offering added accentuation on the original. Throw in a blistering sax solo from Whalum and this “Moma” was, if not a cover, a true variant of the original.
The relevant “Tuesday” followed, with “Alive Again” harkening back to 2002 self-titled album that has served as the roux for all TAB shows since.
After some banter about Moses-Dewitt, local legend Jon Fishman, and Anastasio asked the crowd if anyone went to his dad, Dr. Fishman, to get their teeth fixed (a few enthusiastic hands shot up – Dr. Fishman worked locally as a dentist and taught Orthodontics at University of Rochester). Just a typical conversation mid-set when you’re feeling comfortable with the audience.
Band intros followed, with Anastasio sharing with the crowd that Cressman was currently 37 weeks pregnant, which brought great cheers then, as well as for her solos throughout the night.
“Real You,” which has all the markings of Trey’s next jam-pop single, popped off next, and seems to be one that TAB has nailed down after four initial performances on this tour so far. The set would close out with “Sand” (always great with horns) “Liquid Time” (mesmerizing, and only available on TAB tour) “Oblivion” (jam free version) and the most successful TAB single, “Shine,” a four song combo that kept the packed house dancing at their seats until the last note.
Set two began with “Set Your Soul Free,” which started out as a TAB song and has since worked its way over to Phish tour, finding breathing room in jams since 2018. This TAB version took “SYSF” for a nice 10 minute excursion, setting the stage for a boffo “Blaze On.” Somewhere in the 22+ minutes of his unexpected heavy-hitter, an “Eyes of the World” jam surfaced, with another solid sax solo from Whalum as the icing. Tripling down, classic TAB jam vehicle “Last Tube” appeared for a modest (by Last Tube standards) 13 minutes, the full band harmony coming together without hesitation.
“Spin” brought out the gritty 1970s psychedelic rock element of the song’s darker second half, followed by “Valentine” and its upbeat vocals, vibe and resplendent horns. “Monsters,” originally a TAB song now found on Phish tour, was unique and more at home this evening thanks to added vocals and horns. To close the set, “Ghost,” a true Phish jam-vehicle, did what it does best and brought forth a 15-minute jam that built to a frenzy with the crowd and Anastasio and Co. sharing mutual elation.
Ahead of the encore, Anastasio mentioned two band members who were not present this evening, the late Tony Markellis and James Casey, both of whom were uniquely beneficial to the Trey band sound. and received cheers and elation from the fans.
The crowd was then able to hear why new song “Simeon” is already a fan favorite, while at the end, Anastasio gave a big, smirking grin to the audience as he poised himself for the guitar intro of “Carini,” changing course quickly and leaving the audience stuffed with plenty of Phish and jam to satisfy through the holidays.
Anastasio and Co. head to the Beacon Theatre for three sold out shows this weekend. Stream them all in true Beacon Jams spirit.
Listen to the soundboard here.
Setlist via Phish.net
Trey Anastasio – Landmark Theatre, Syracuse, NY – Tuesday, November 25, 2025
Set 1: Cayman Review, The Moma Dance, Tuesday, Alive Again, Real You, Sand, Liquid Time, Oblivion, Shine
Set 2: Set Your Soul Free, Blaze On, Last Tube, Spin, Valentine, Monsters, Ghost
Encore: Simeon, Carini
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