sweet jeezus i hope so! (storage jam as the new musical compass). i've been having pretty much the same discussion with folks about a re-evolution of phish in 3.0 along the lines of the history of 1.0 that being said, it's definitely not a perfect mold but is useful in describing some of the trends we've been seeing. i gave the 91~=09 and 92~=10 last year but it didn't exactly feel right specifically because this is the cutting edge of new creation as we speak; the same as it was whenever the moment was "now." i guess thats sort of the point here, if we could encapsulate the present or future with a trend it would no longer be a free existence. phish is not deterministically inclined to any sort of trends (just as no one person is) and any preconceptions of what the music should be ultimately is detrimental to what it could be.
i also think it's interesting that some of the best jams have come from non-standard platforms like soundchecks or the storage experiment. it seems to me that the band is truly the most free when there are minimal to no expectations on the qualities of the art they are creating, and thus are able to transcend the thousands of people that are experiencing the music. the mere fact that we are there changes the path or exploration that the band goes on similar to the scientific idea that there can be no observation without alteration. the mere fact that one is recording the data means it will change.
another point is the dichotomy in expectations of the fan base: the dreaded vet vs. noob polarization. for however many people there are that want them to jam like its 1.0 there are just as many people that are not in it for the more exploratory jamming. this boggles my mind (haha, bias) but a look at any comment thread will back this up. i don't mean to overstate the idea that phish is affected by the expectation of its fanbase, but rather that *because* the fans are so different in their experience of a show, phish is just going to go out and do what they do. there certainly isn't a consensus on us wanting them to jam more and, ironically, i think this is a good thing because it doesn't make us seem demanding or ungrateful and thus not worth the trouble of playing to (or dropping a 30 min yem, ahem, fingers crossed).
the last thing (i swear!) is the danger of assuming that the band is on an ever-upward ascent to become the ideal phish they can be. ok, hyperbolic, but still the building and building of expectations for each tour to be better than the one before creates the space for deep disappointment when one's expectations are not met. i'm the guiltiest fan i know of this pitfall. as hard as it is to do you gotta go in there with ZERO expectations or even aspirations. i had given up the idea that i was ever going to see phish do a 20+ min jam (in a fit of unbearable and ungrateful bitchiness) and went to pine knob to hear whatever "greatest hits" phish would play with my arms crossed and a little bitch expression on my bitch face. phish school'd.