So let me try to break this down. The first set was struggling hard. It wasn't that Phish wasn't playing well. What they played was beautifully executed. It's just that their new material does not appeal to me. It seems that several of their new songs are centered around vocals and harmony, which as we all know, are just not there. Phish is not a vocally driven band. The new debut song is a doo-wop number. And from my understanding, doo-wop bands were formed by arranging very tight vocal harmonies, with instrumentation as an auxiliary agent to the music. Without tight and pristine harmonies, you've got half a song - half a genre. Other songs, like Sugar Shack, were flat as well. Not sure if they even have potential to grow into better tunes. We'll see. There were certainly some first set highlights that gave me hope that this evening would provide some rich and vibrant Phish that I know and love. Stash was an elaborate delivery of depth and darkness. 46 days was right on time, with some (much needed) heavy and gritty blues.

The second set was incredible. Holy chit man. Some of the best Phish I have ever seen. The Slave was reminiscent of 96 and 97 years. Definitely the highlight of the show for me. So much energy. Tweezer was nasty and dirty with some far reaching jams. The Reprise was ridiculous, dancin fools abound. GTBT was a great way to end an intensely climactic evening of great music. The second set alone is worth downloading the soundboard. Cheers!