Phish continued their trek through the western states Tuesday night by musically blazing the night away in Tahoe. As a sold-out show that was available for pay-per-view live streaming, Phish picked up where they left at the Gorge and recovered from their Hollywood Bowl issues of complete jamming and thoughtless turns. Opening with the quirky 'Party Time', the band released a quick torrent of oldies such as 'The Oh Kee Pah Ceremony', 'AC/DC Bag', the cover of 'Mellow Mood', and 'Rift'. The highlight of the first set is unquestionably the far-from-standard 'Punch You In the Eye', rare 'Meat' (cook that shit!), and a great low to high 'David Bowie', a tune that almost brought Nevada to near silence. After an awkward pause of uncertainty, Fishman drove the band into an uneasy 'Bouncing Around the Room' but the foursome made it work and fit in 'Horn' and 'Water in the Sky' before capping it all off with '46 Days'.

After welcoming phans back from break and a rather weird mid-stream game show for folks afar, Phish started up with the first second set 'Gotta Jibboo' opener since April 6th, 2004 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. As they tore through the second set, arguably one of the most psychedelically impressive improvisational moments of August, one could not help but feel the nod to late Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia who we all were celebrating the 16th anniversary of his death. After the highlight nugget of 'Light', the Jerry tribute seemed even more sensible as 'Chalk Dust Torture', 'Slave to the Traffic Light', and 'Free' were all played flawlessly and serenely. If one could not feel the tension - yet little release - flowing last night, then listen again as some of the more delicately woven jams of summer finally made it through as shining examples of Phish 3.0. When Gordon told Trey to keep 'Free' down low, Trey obliged instead of making it the classic rock force it has become after the nostalgic late 90s. A particularly awing moment came when the lights revealed Page would since a new cover song. While the signs pointed at another Jerry tribute, other signs pointed up to the sky - at the Rocket Man. Like an awkward birthday gift, it was the thought that counts but the band needs more practice if they ever want to pull it off again. Saved by a good, peakless, 'Harry Hood', the set took a direction for the interesting as it was capped by an enormous 'Walls of the Cave' The duel encore of 'Bug' and 'The Squirming Coil' was as appropriate as ever, leaving fans in the midsummer Nevada desert heat begging for more.

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