I think because STL was a sleeper and this show is considered the marquee (prior to Dick's), the details aren't considered as closely. I think there is a general consensus among the Leg 2 shows (at least among those that attend/listen carefully/download) that the best shows pre-Dick's are BGCA3, STL, and Long Beach (but without a truly inspiring Rock and Roll, where would Long Beach be?). I am not here to scrutinize. Robert Fripp once explained the clear distinction when attending a show between "listening" and "hearing" the music. He said it is the difference between being alive or not- listening is a careful attention to the music, hearing is putting yourself on "auto-pilot" and not actively using your brain during the "musical event." With this explained, I would like to make clear that this is a defense of the STL sleeper show. Ranking is biased based on individual desires, predispositions, and personal experience/knowledge. So I wish not to rank, but to make a comparison outside of any hierarchy. STL was in my humble, but attentive perspective, the most focused and tightest show musically of the entire second leg. I heard a raw energy there unlike any other, as if Phish was neutral energy-wise stepping on the stage, and after the first set, they were running off with a youthful buzz. The second set was a tribute to what mature, 3.0 phish is truly capable of, that which no other band is today- deep musical cohesion and precision. I believe the band was surprised by IT in STL. Again, this is just a review of STL; which I felt inclined to report, because I have not listened to such a tight show since Deer Creek 1. I would also say that Alpine 1 and 2 are highly underrated for variables different than the usual ones. Anyway, whatever this special IT is, I believe it catches Trey, Mike, Page, and Fish off guard. Check out STL, particularly after things get hot- approximately after Ocelot. Try to listen to things that are intangible compared to the usual variables (such as: how many bustouts?, type II jams?, gimicks, etc) - listen for IT in STL.