Charlie's Salty Swimmers

Charlie’s Salty Swimmers may sound like an inside joke — and honestly, that’s part of the fun. This loose, shape-shifting side project features members of the Dude of Life Band and is led by Steve Pollak, better known throughout the jam world as The Dude of Life — a songwriter, performer, longtime Trey Anastasio collaborator, and genuine piece of Phish history. Pollak’s connection to Phish goes all the way back to the beginning. He and Anastasio played together as teenagers in Space Antelope before Phish existed, and Pollak went on to co-write lyrics and melodies for some of the band’s most beloved songs, including “Fluffhead,” “Run Like an Antelope,” “Suzy Greenberg,” “Sanity,” “Slave to the Traffic Light,” and “Dinner and a Movie.” MINT Talent Group His own musical catalog has plenty of history behind it, too. The Dude of Life’s debut album, Crimes of the Mind, was recorded with Phish as his backing band and released by Elektra Records in 1994 — with Trey Anastasio, Page McConnell, Mike Gordon, and Jon Fishman all appearing on the record. Phish Over the years, The Dude of Life has remained one of the more wonderfully eccentric figures orbiting the Phish universe: part songwriter, part frontman, part cult character, and always willing to take the music somewhere a little unexpected. Which brings us to Charlie’s Salty Swimmers. Think of the Swimmers as the Dude of Life Band’s loose, incognito side hustle — a chance for longtime collaborators to step outside the usual frame, lean into the groove, and let the set go wherever the night wants to take it. The music is rooted in the same psychedelic, quirky, improvisational spirit associated with The Dude of Life, but with even more room for spontaneity. Expect songs to stretch, covers to take strange turns, grooves to settle in, and the musicians to follow whatever idea catches fire in the moment. There’s plenty of Phish-adjacent DNA in the room, but this isn’t a tribute show. It’s something much looser and more personal: a group of musicians with deep chemistry having fun, taking chances, and letting the audience in on the joke. Expect deep grooves, left-of-center takes, familiar musical fingerprints, plenty of improvisation, and absolutely no guarantee of where the next song might end up when Charlie’s Salty Swimmers hit the 12N stage. 🐊🎸🍺🎶 Learn more about The Dude of Life: The Dude of Life — Official Website Follow / listen: Dude of Life Band — Facebook, Instagram & streaming links The Dude of Life & Phish — Crimes of the Mind