The music of Phish isn’t really that much like the Grateful Dead, the band the jammy quartet is most often compared to. But Phish is like the Dead in that it has rabid and die-hard fans whose fierce devotion can sometimes serve as a barrier for first-timers or casual listeners.
Fans aside, the music will keep you on your toes. Phish has a quirky sense of humor and an eclecticism that can induce musical whiplash. They can go from spongy, wide-open sonic explorations into something that might sound like barbershop quartet harmonies or theme music for a late-night talk show.
Phish can be cartoonish and spastic one minute and meditatively strange the next. And the band is known for its left-field deep-cut covers as well. The band has been at it for more than 30 years, so it has earned its status as an institution.
Phish’s 2014 release “Fuego” marked a new phase for the band, with the songs written in a more collaborative fashion, which probably better reflects the band’s strengths as a unit. Phish is one of the few bands that can practically guarantee the unexpected. The show will be a spectacle even if you think you’re ready for anything.
Phish plays Xfinity Theatre, 61 Savitt Way, Hartford, Saturday, July 9, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $45 to $65. livenation.com.
