@chlakdsut said:

. . . The only thing I can attribute to it is us Phish fans not being OK with anything other than what we want to hear. I say "we" because I've been guilty of it many times. However, I'm just as satisfied with a show with incredibly tight playing and couple 15 minute jams, tightly played with beautiful peaks, as I am with a 30 minute stretched out version of a song. Frankly, I don't care how long the jam is as long as it's locked in and takes me to the musical place where Phish tends to. To say the band wasn't communicating well etc. this tour to me just says that you're disconnected from the energy the band is trying to deliver on stage. I thought they were incredibly connected, on point, and high energy.

I'm not sure this is an entirely accurate assessment of the negativity surrounding this summer. I'd say that most fans that have been to a certain number of shows (lets say >40-50) don't really have much they "want" to hear at a Phish show that would render them disappointed if they didn't hear. Likely after 40-50 shows you've heard essentially all of the major Phish tunes with a bunch of rarities, which I'm sure you know cause you've been to a ton of shows. I think the negativity (though I actually like to call it more of an open discussion, since there's so much fluffing and circle-jerking going on these days) stems from the fact that there weren't many big jams to hang your hat on this summer. Hell, there weren't many shows in which there were a "couple of 15 minute jams" this summer, as you alluded to in your response. And as far as the energy that you're speaking of? Sure there's always 'energy,' it's a rock and roll concert. But look at all of the 2nd sets this summer that a) lacked jams and b) had stretches of songs that took the energy out of the crowd completely.

I know I'm not alone when I say that the reason I go and see 10-15 shows a year isn't to get my 30th Character Zero or AC/DC Bag. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love those tunes, and expect to get a handful when I see that many shows, but what actually drives me to take a week of vacation and fly across the country to see them 7 times in 8 days is the excitement of hearing some good ol' fashion Phish improv. One can argue the different merits of making a Phish show great, but there is absolutely no argument that this summer lacked the jamming that we've come to expect over the last 20+ years. And I think it's fair to 'expect' some form of jamming from Phish in 10 shows...they're a jam band, and it's their jamming that made them popular.

Perhaps add on the fact that many of their new songs are even more bubble-gum/downers than those on Joy and Fuego, despite Gordo saying it was 'all meat,' and you have fans that are not entirely pumped on this summer's run of shows.

It's ok that people have negative opinions of Phish. I'm a firm believer that disliking parts of Phish is an essential part of loving Phish.

Much love, and can't wait to see y'all in the Fall!