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See Phish Bust Out XTC’s ‘Melt the Guns’ for First Time Since 1987
Phish played XTC’s anti-gun song ‘Melt the Guns’ at Fenway Park in Boston, marking its first live performance by the band since 1987. The rendition, expanded into a 15-minute jam, became Phish’s longest-ever gap between performances of a song and reflects the group’s recent focus on reviving rarely played material.
The previous performance was on 29 April 1987, meaning the song returned after 2,051 shows. It surpassed the record set in July, when Phish played Foreigner’s ‘Cold as Ice’ for the first time in 1,468 shows; the band had also recently revived songs during a five-night Madison Square Garden run themed around 1992–96. Their summer tour continues with another Fenway show before concluding with three Labour Day weekend concerts in Denver.
In short
- Phish revived ‘Melt the Guns’ after 2,051 shows.
- The performance set the band’s longest song hiatus record.
- The band is revisiting deep cuts on its summer tour.
Explained simply
Phish are an American rock band known for long, improvised live performances and a devoted concert-going following. Formed in Vermont in the 1980s, the group often changes its setlists and can turn songs by other artists into extended jams.
XTC were an English rock band whose music mixed pop melodies with pointed social themes. ‘Melt the Guns’, released in 1982, is a song opposing gun violence, and Phish first included it in its live repertoire during its early years.
For many Phish fans, gaps between performances are closely tracked because songs can disappear from setlists for years or decades. Bringing back seldom-played material is therefore notable, especially when the band reshapes it through improvisation on stage.