I'm not usually one to post a brief review, but in case you're only tuning in now, or scouring reviews in posterity digging through the absolute embarrassment of riches in the spice-wielding worm-riding sci-fi back to the future incarnation that is PHISH 2021, I highly recommend making time for this YEM, at the very least (you may as well stick around for the fantastic Moma Dance and the rest of the show, too). I don't know what happened to these guys, which vaccines they got, or if there was some opening of the Lions Gate in late July or what, but from Deer Creek on they've been pulling off jams and extending songs, often early in the first set, like it was 1997. I'm not here necessarily to draw comparisons even if that is one, but that's the only time I can remember, save maybe the imposed context of the Baker's Dozen, that they were this likely to take a random song (NICU? Camel Walk? Axilla?) pull a big left turn and land it in a giant satisfying jam. I've still only made my way through a fraction of Fall, and not all of it works (except Carini; in 2021 Carini always works), but wow are they having fun, kicking ass, taking names, and Destroying America All Over Again.

Anyway, this YEM? A close buddy of mine, after hearing it, who was front row on 12/9/95, messaged me saying he thought it might be the best version they've played since 1995. "Better than the top three I've seen live?" I replied. "11/28/97, 2/28/03 and 8/6/17?" He suggested yes. I've only listened a couple a times, and everybody gets a little crazy sometimes, especially these days. But I'll tell ya folks... he may just be right. ????