Entertainment news and discussion on TalkFuse.
Phish Set 2,051-Show Bustout Record With XTC Cover
Phish performed XTC’s “Melt The Guns” at Boston’s Fenway Park on 31 July, ending a 2,051-show absence and setting the band’s longest-ever “bustout” record. The performance matters to fans because it surpassed a record Phish had only set the previous week, highlighting the group’s unusually deep and changeable live repertoire.
The song, originally from XTC’s 1982 album English Settlement, had last been played by Phish on 29 April 1987. Their Fenway rendition reportedly lasted about 15 minutes, with guitarist Trey Anastasio playing percussion during the middle section; it overtook the 1,469-show gap before the band’s recent cover of Foreigner’s “Cold As Ice” at Madison Square Garden.
In short
- Phish revived an XTC song after 2,051 shows.
- The performance set the band’s longest bustout record.
- It reportedly lasted around 15 minutes.
Explained simply
Phish are an American rock band known for long live performances and for changing their set lists from show to show. Their concerts often include songs they have not played in years, which fans call “bustouts”.
“Melt The Guns” was released by British band XTC on their 1982 album English Settlement. Phish had last performed it in 1987, so its return made it the longest gap between performances of a song in the band’s history.
The record matters to Phish fans because it reflects the breadth of the band’s live repertoire and how rarely some songs recur. The previous mark had been set with a cover of Foreigner’s “Cold As Ice”.