I really had the feeling that Phish were playing to the LivePhish crowd. I'm sure people at The Gorge felt the band was connecting with them as well, but I felt as if they were at a live broadcast of a TV show like Conan. They were there, having a great time, but the real party was all of us viewers out in TV land.

Really, though, the best experience was at the Gorge. I don't doubt that, but watching this shit on my laptop was ecstacy once again.

I was laying on my couch at 2 am eating Chinese leftovers, ice cream, ...loved the look on Page's face as he sang Beauty of a Broken Heart. I don't normally watch Phish, I just listen, so seeing this dude's face as he sang really made a lot connect for me. His emotion greatly exceeds his ability to express it, and for that reason, you gotta see him perform. He seems so happy, humble, and a little stage shy.

It was as if I could see the bandmates practicing in living rooms in the 80's. All of that intimacy was still there on stage, and trey had this odd semi-childlike way of moving his body. Although he doesn't show it at every show, the dude is just as much of a freakshow as Prince.

Friday night was a late one for me, and I didn't have the same energy I did then. I was amazed that the guys were able to bring it so completely. Even though I wasn't absolutely tripping on what they were playing like I was back on Friday night, I was still as engaged with what I saw on my laptop as if I was bingewatching The Wire.

During the show, I realized that I'll be busy every night after Tuesday's show in NV. I may be able to catch Wednesday with a bit of luck, but I doubt it. Even though I've only seen one show in person this year, I feel like I've really toured with the band. This is the first tour I've been able to listen to every show, and I feel I understand so much more about how the band works. I also understand why they'd want to take August off after the CA shows until Dick's.

Jesus, playing night after night must be so exhausting. This winter, when they're not touring, I want to go back and see how long they've played good shows consecutively. Hitting it out of the park more than 3 nights in a row is a godlike feat. I feel like I've traveled with them, much as I've felt with home teams in sports I've watched night after night.

The band has sounded fresh every show this tour. They seem to be playing what they want, when they want. I imagine their off time surrounded by their kids and wives doing healthy things. They have truly embraced DadRock.

I had this feeling last night that seeing the Gorge shows was like seeing The Sex Pistols first bunch of shows in England. The legend goes that every person that saw a Pistols show went to form their own successful band. I felt like picking up a guitar for the first time in years---not to emulate the virtuosic musical stylings of Phish, but just to have fun with music---which is exactly what I saw them doing during Fluffhead.

Even though I've heard the song hundreds of times, it's never made as much sense to me as it did last night. The guys know the lyrics are beyond stupid, but they stick with them. Trey really does look like the kid from Midnight Kitchen performing for his mom. The lyrics are the way the band steps out of the supreme high clouds of perfection and interfaces with us mere mortals. I believe they are some of the greatest musicians alive, and despite their brilliance, the years of non-stop action movie quality rock, at the end is still old Fluffhead. It's quite sweet.