What began as essentially a goof – a chance to throw down some familiar dancy beats and jam for whoever felt like listening - ultimately lit a spark under the off-the-radar powder keg of Phish fans in the Portland, Oregon music scene.
 
More time was spent talking about the possibility of putting a Phish tribute together than actually practicing, prior to their first performance at local basement pub The Goodfoot Lounge, in February of 2012. Expectations for attendance were moderate at best, yet before the band played the first note, there was a line out the door, culminating in a jam-filled celebration of the music of Phish to an over-capacity crowd!
 
The demand for a repeat was high, and Shafty was born. If there's a motive, it's to recreate the energy of a Phish show, with the attitude of playful band-audience interaction at the forefront and sharp musical skill acting as a behind-the-scenes glue to hold it all together.
 
Classic Phish gimmicks are in full force: trampolines, megaphones, choreographed dances, vacuum cleaner solos, instrument switching, and the secret language are alive and well at a Shafty show.  
 
The band's songlist evolves along side Phish's growing catalog. Now at over 300 songs performed, the repertoire includes brand new Phish material such as Turtle in the Clouds, Say it to Me SANTOS,  Mercury, The Howling and more!   A notable  "Story of the Ghostbusters" mashup made news on JamBase.com, and the usual hijinks of slicing, dicing, and unpredictably rearranging songs continues. 

It is not uncommon for the band to perform weeklies at The Goodfoot Lounge, where they'll perform for weeks on end without repeating a single Phish tune, thus providing a fresh concert experience for the diehards who attend week by week, while adding new material. These weeklies have helped create the telepathic musical chemistry between the band members, as well as providing the motivation to learn as many songs as possible to please the fanbase.

The band looks forward to larger venues in 2023, including historic Portland venues the Aladdin Theater, as well as the Crystal Ballroom, and plans regular returns to Seattle and other regional locales!