@JesusFreak said:

@FACTSAREUSELESS said:

@JMart said:

I agree that not every song has to be jammed out. That would make a pretty tedious show. There are room for songs. And phish doesn't have anything left to prove other than to themselves, so they can do what they want. But the opening slot of a night set at festival is prime jamming time, so I have to say I'm a little disappointed. And, IMO, the subsequent 46 days jam wasn't that good at all.

I'm not trying to be a hater. I really do love this band. I just think there's a lot of grade inflation going on here. IT doesn't happen every night. A show can be just raging and not have IT. To keep loudly saying IT was there is wishful thinking, disingenuous, and devalues when IT actually does show up. I've seen tons of great shows, but I can count on two hands the number of IT ones. This show wasn't one of them. That's all.

Couldn't disagree with you more, my friend. Don't think there's any grade inflation. I have no problem criticizing these guys when I feel they deserve it (see my post from MB1 for evidence), but they have been sizzling with IT since Shoreline. It's been appearing the whole tour. There's an energy and buzz around this tour that is palpable. It started with Fare Thee Well and its just continued. Think you need to Get Back On the Train.

I would even go one show further and say that they've been sizzling with IT since Bend2. That 2nd set from Bend2 is pretty wonderful.

I have no qualms with your assessment. Shoreline seems to be the consensus among the masses for when this tour started to heat up. That's why I used it as the benchmark. But I agree, I really enjoyed the Bend shows, which were delightfully off-center and unique.