Taper's Choice Plays Phish Covering Radiohead in Chicago

The band staged a unique musical tribute during their Halloween Taper's Ball at Garcia's.

Updated on Oct. 31, 2026 in Alternative

Graphic editorial illustration in electric blue and purple, featuring a floating guitar silhouette and abstract sound waves, evoking a musical tribute.
Taper's Choice performed a three-set Halloween show in Chicago, featuring a unique tribute set that combined Phish-themed costumes with Radiohead’s Kid A. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Taper's Choice performed three sets at their Halloween Taper's Ball in Chicago on October 30, 2026. The band dressed as Phish for their second set, which consisted of covers from the Radiohead album Kid A.

Why it matters

The performance highlights a creative trend in the jam band scene where artists combine thematic costumes with ambitious musical reinterpretations of legacy albums.

The band completed three sets during the Halloween showcase, featuring ten songs from the Radiohead album Kid A during their second performance block.

The players

Taper's Choice

Taper's Choice is a jam band known for their improvisational style and thematic concert events.

Phish

Phish is a prominent American rock band recognized for their dedicated fan base and complex live performances.

Radiohead

Radiohead is an influential English rock band known for experimenting with various musical genres and soundscapes.

The details

Taper's Choice arrived at the stage dressed as members of the band Phish to execute their Kid A tribute. During their third set of original music, the group performed songs including Lick the Toad, Doner Wrap, and California 99, while also teasing Phish's song Wolfman's Brother during their track Vegan in the '90s.

Timeline

  1. October 30, 2026: Taper's Choice performed at Garcia's in Chicago.

  2. December 10, 2026: Taper's Choice begins a Northeast tour in Boston.

Industry Dynamics

This performance follows the pattern set by Phish's musical costume tradition, where bands choose an album to perform in its entirety on Halloween. Such tributes demonstrate the ongoing influence of major jam bands on the creative strategies of emerging acts in the alternative music space.

Fans in the Northeast can purchase tickets for the upcoming tour dates beginning in December at The Sinclair. Attendees of the Halloween show experienced a one-time thematic event that sets expectations for the band's future improvisational style.

The takeaway

Themed performances like this allow bands to demonstrate their technical range while engaging their audience through nostalgia. Fans should watch for setlist surprises at future dates as the band transitions into their winter tour schedule.

What happens next

Taper's Choice will launch their upcoming Northeast tour on December 10, 2026, at The Sinclair in Boston.

Further reading

Explore more performances in the Alternative music scene.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Relix Media.

Live Poll

Do you enjoy when bands perform thematic tribute sets during their concerts?