LINKHENDGEPHISH, SUNDAY 12/31/2023
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
New York, NY
SET 1: Everything's Right, Tube, Ether Edge > Reba, Taste, Ruby Waves, A Life Beyond The Dream, Character Zero
SET 2: Down with Disease, Harpua > The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday > The Lizards > Punch You in the Eye > AC/DC Bag > Tela > Llama > Wilson > The Sloth > Divided Sky
SET 3: McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters > Colonel Forbin's Ascent > Fly Famous Mockingbird > Auld Lang Syne > Split Open and Melt, You Enjoy Myself > Loving Cup > Possum
ENCORE: Cavern > First Tube > Tweezer Reprise
Tube contained teases of the theme to The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Harpua was unfinished. During the Harpua narration, a bed appeared from beneath the front of the stage, with an actor playing Jimmy and a puppet version of Poster Nutbag. Trey talked about some of the Harpuas of the past 40 years, then interrupted the song before the "I want a dog" lyric. Trey said Jimmy had lacked a strong female influence over the years, and introduced actress Annie Golden as Jimmy's grandmother. While consoling Jimmy, she told him it was time to tell the truth about the owner of Harpua. After telling Jimmy that the old man had given the puppet to Esther and helped Reba make liquid meat, a book was brought forth, and a glowing rhombus rose to frame the entire stage. The band then began the first performance of the Gamehendge saga since July 8, 1994, with Golden and Trey providing the narration and performers acting out the parts of Colonel Forbin, Rutherford, the AC/DC Bag, Tela, Errand Wolfe, and the Sloth. The Multibeast and McGrupp were also performed by puppets. Tela performed acrobatics on wires during her song, with Jo Lampert (as Errand Wolfe) providing additional vocals during Wilson. Colonel Forbin ascended the rhombus during Colonel Forbin's Ascent, and a large Famous Mockingbird puppet flew over the crowd during Fly Famous Mockingbird, which also featured Annie Golden on additional vocals. Before Melt, Trey asked Jimmy's grandmother if she knew that the mountain was a volcano, and the Lizards reappeared to dance to the ensuing Melt jam, eventually leaving the stage one by one as the rhombus was lowered again.
