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Phish was an American rock band started in the University of Vermont, running from 1983 to 2004. They were noted for their extended jam sessions and musical improvisation. It featured Trey Anastasio, Mike Gordon, Jon Fishman from the start, and Page McConnell joining in 1985.Former members include Jeff Holdsworth (1983–1986) and Marc Daubert (1984–1985). The group performed a wide variety of genres, including rock, jazz, bluegrass, and funk.

Their first gig was a Halloween dance in the basement of the ROTC dormitory at UVM, but they performed as "Blackwood Convention". The first time they were billed under the name "Phish" was their second gig, a few days later in the basement of Slade Hall. For a senior project at Goddard College, Anastasio penned The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday, a nine-song concept album. Since then, the band has been very earnest, sometimes locking themselves into rooms for hours playing. The band steadily increased in popularity, eventually starting to headline in amphitheaters by 1993. In 2000, the band took a hiatus, surprising people with no Halloween shows, nor a summer festival. Two years later, they started playing again, until their last concert on August 15, 2004 in Coventry, Vermont. (more)