Runaway Gin Performs Phish’s Debut Album ‘Junta’ at Charleston Pour House 22nd Anniversary Celebration

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Runaway Gin Performs Phish’s Debut Album ‘Junta’ at Charleston Pour House 22nd Anniversary Celebration
Published: September 4, 2024

Runaway Gin’s ‘A Phishstory’, August 31st 2024 at Charleston Pour House.

On Saturday, August 31st, while Phish lit it up at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Denver, on the other side of the country Runaway Gin, the world’s most prolific Phish Tribute celebrated legendary venue the Charleston Pour House’s 22nd Anniversary with a monumental performance titled: A Phishstory. 

The show included a full take on Phish’s 1989 debut album Junta. Nestled within was one of Phish’s most sought after songs: “Harpua“. Synchronistically, Phish performed the opening two tracks of Junta in sequence as the encore to their Denver concert the night before. 

The improvised multi-part “Harpua” narrative was lead by frontman Andy Greenberg welding a Paul Languedoc guitar with custom bow and arrow inlays made for him by Trey Anastasio‘s legendary guitar builder. With live actors and immersive collaborative projections on a screen behind the band patrons were treated to a two hour opening set by the Charleston based tribute, who are celebrating 10 years of creating dream Phish shows in 2024. 

Runaway Gin “Harpua” Story (8/31/24)

“Harpua” detailed the story of Jimi whose best friend Billy comes over while Jimi’s parents go out to Dinner and a Movie. Billy brings over a joint he got from his older brother and they browse through a case of tapes. After the boys smoke they put on Phish’s debut tape, which was fully recounted by Runaway Gin, complete with narrative detours. Jimi and Billy even join the band during “You Enjoy Myself” jumping as well as joining in on the vocal jam. At the close of the set Jimi’s parents leave dinner to find their car has been towed as Jimi and Billy finish listening to Junta closer “Contact”.

During setbreak Jimi’s parents wait at the tow lot for their car, finally receiving it as Set 2 begins and a storm rolls in. Jimi’s cat Poster Nutbag sneaks outside to encounter Harpua and is chased into the road as Jimi’s parents arrive back home and run over the beloved cat.

“Harpua” concludes and Runaway Gin fires up a spirited “Possum” complete with “Harpua” teases and “Poster” replacing the usual chorus refrain. Next up “Runaway Jim” continued the dog theme with even more “Harpua” teases.

A highly explorative “Ghost” further laments Poster Nutbag’s passing. Next Runaway Gin busted out “Axilla Pt. 1” for the first time since 2020 and closed the set with compositional masterpiece “The Squirming Coil” featuring a band walk off, leaving Jennifer Reiser to close out the set with a piano solo. For their encore Runaway Gin took on psychedelic classic “Split Open and Melt” as Phish played the same song in Denver nearly 2000 miles away.

Follow Runaway Gin for forthcoming fully mixed and mastered audio of A Phishstory which will be released on all streaming platforms next Wednesday, September the 11th.

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