I dug kicking things off with that BACK ON THE TRAIN opener. Talk about setting the tone! Had the whole venue grooving from the get-go. It's the perfect tune to ease you into the Phish experience—not too demanding, just the right amount of funk to get those feet tapping. And let's be real, in a country where trains are becoming as rare as a FORBIN'S appearance, this tune hits differently.

Now, we can't ignore the lingering influence of Billy Strings here. Sure, some of you diehards might be shouting, PHISH played bluegrass before Billy was born! But there's no denying that his recent sit-in has left its mark on the band's sound.

When SAMPLE IN A JAR kicked in, it was clear we were in for one of those classic Saturday night shows—you know, the kind that's perfect for the casual fans. Nothing wrong with that, phans! Sometimes you just need to groove without overthinking it.

But then came HEY STRANGER, and oh boy, did things take a turn. This tune has been showing so much potential lately, but tonight? It felt like they accidentally unplugged it halfway through. Trey seemed a bit distracted, and the energy dipped faster than a glow stick the morning after.

However, don't lose hope, because the back half of this set? Pure fire. DINNER AND A MOVIE was an unexpected treat that had us all grinning from ear to ear. The execution was flawless—clearly, there's some new practicing commitments paying off!

SAND. This is where things really started to lock in. Sure, it wasn't a face-melting, time-bending version, but it served its purpose as a solid mid-set jam. And in the context of this tour? Even a "standard" version is miles ahead of what we've seen in recent years.

GUMBO and WEIGH in the same set? For some of us, that's like hitting the Phish lottery! While it might not have been the heaping bowl of gumbo we were craving (more like a tempting sample cup), it was still a tasty morsel that left us wanting more.

Let's talk about that GUMBO, shall we? While it might not have been the heaping bowl we were all hoping for, Page McConnell turned it into a gourmet appetizer. His janky, barrelhouse piano work was like a secret spice that elevated the entire dish. Fish was solid as always, but this was Page's time to shine, and boy, did he bring the heat! It's giving SLIP STICH 97.

And speaking of Page, MAZE was basically his personal playground. Trey literally stepped back, hopping off his platform with a grin that said, "Watch this wizard work!" It was one of those magical Phish moments where we're all just fans, mesmerized by the Chairman of the Boards doing his thing.

Now, let's address the elephant in the first set room—Mike's WEIGH. I know, I know, Mike's songs can be divisive, but hear me out. Tonight, it worked. That skanky, swanky backbeat was tighter than a drum, and the quirky lyrics? Well, as someone once said on Marc Maron's show, Phish's silly lyrics are there to make the complex music more digestible. It's like a funky, jazzy groove wrapped in a dad joke—pure Phish magic.

Now we get to dive deep into the sonic wonderland that was the last 26 minutes of the first set and that mind-bending DOWN WITH DISEASE > WAVES > TWIST sequence. Buckle up, because this is where Phish really flexed their improvisational muscles!

Let's start with CITIES. From the moment they launched into this Talking Heads cover, you could feel the energy in the room shift. Trey's guitar work took on a distinctly Southern flavor, channeling the spirit of Duane Allman with every bend and slide. About 5 minutes in, Mike locked into a groove so funky it could make a statue dance. Page, not to be outdone, layered in some thick, syrupy organ tones that transported us straight to the Fillmore East circa 1971.

The real magic happened around the 8-minute mark when the band collectively decided to take a hard left turn into uncharted territory. Fishman's drumming became more fluid, almost jazz-like, providing the perfect foundation for Trey to unleash a series of ascending runs that seemed to defy gravity. This wasn't just Phish playing the Allmans; this was Phish reimagining what the Allmans could sound like in an alternate universe.

As for WILSON, let me tell you, phans, hearing those opening chords after that mind-bending CITIES was like coming home after a long, strange trip. The crowd's response was electric, with the WILSON chant practically shaking the rafters. Trey's guitar work here was particularly noteworthy, blending the song's trademark aggressive riffing with hints of the melodic exploration we'd just witnessed in CITIES. It was the perfect palate cleanser, setting us up for the sonic feast that was to come in Set Two.

It smokes; DOWN WITH DISEASE > WAVES > TWIST sequence. Holy smokes, phans! This wasn't just a jam; this was a journey through the cosmos of Phish's collective musical consciousness.

DISEASE kicked off with its trademark high-energy intro, but around the 5-minute mark, things started to get interesting. Trey found a melodic theme that seemed to materialize out of thin air, and the rest of the band latched onto it like a liferaft in a sea of possibilities. Page's piano work here was particularly sublime, providing a sparkling counterpoint to Trey's soaring leads.

At about 12 minutes in, the jam took a decidedly darker turn. Mike's bass became more prominent, laying down a thick, syrupy foundation that allowed Trey and Page to venture into more experimental territory. The interplay between all four members here was nothing short of telepathic.

The transition into WAVES was so smooth you could've missed it if you blinked. The band didn't stretch this one out like that legendary Bethlehem soundcheck, but the brevity allowed for a tightness and focus that was breathtaking. Page's synth work here created an aquatic atmosphere that perfectly complemented the song's lyrical themes.

And then, just when we thought we had a handle on where this jam was going, they seamlessly segued into TWIST. This version started off with its typical funky groove but quickly veered into uncharted waters. Around the 5-minute mark, Trey hit upon a riff that seemed to open a portal to another dimension. The rest of the band followed suit, and for the next few minutes, we were treated to some of the most adventurous, boundary-pushing improvisation I've heard this tour.

In the end, this sequence was a showcase of Phish's improvisational prowess, creating ADHD'd yet cohesive musical narratives on the fly. Each song flowed into the next with a purpose, creating a sonic journey that left us all slack-jawed in amazement.

For the next few minutes, we were treated to some of the most adventurous, boundary-pushing improvisation this tour has seen. It was Phish at their most fearless, venturing into sonic territories that lesser bands wouldn't dare to explore.

But the real surprise of the night came with KILL DEVIL FALLS. Just when we thought we had a handle on where this musical journey was taking us, the band took a hard left turn into what I can only describe as Allmanland. For a solid three or four minutes, they channeled the spirit of the Allman Brothers so convincingly, I was half expecting to see Dickey Betts materialize on stage.

Trey's guitar work here was nothing short of revelatory. He managed to capture the essence of that classic Southern rock sound while still infusing it with his own unique flair. The dual guitar harmonies we've come to expect from Allman Brothers tunes? Trey somehow managed to imply them all on his own, creating a rich, layered sound that filled every corner of the venue.

Mike and Fish locked into a groove that was tighter than a drum, providing the perfect foundation for this blues-rock exploration. And Page? His organ work during this section was so spot-on, you'd swear Gregg Allman himself was smiling down on us.

This jam went to places I'm still trying to process. It was like watching musical alchemists at work, transforming a relatively straightforward rocker into a vehicle for deep, soulful exploration. The way they seamlessly blended their own unique sound with these classic rock influences was nothing short of magical.

If this is what Phish is bringing to the table mid-tour, I can only imagine what they're saving for MONDAGREEN. The adventure continues, phans, and it's only getting better from here!

First set - Cities is definitely worth a listen, but not much else (though it's always fun to hear Dinner and a Movie and Weigh). I was hoping that they might take Sample into Type 2 territory as they did here in 2022, but it stayed strictly within its usual boundaries.

Second set - there was some real potential here with the DWD -> Waves, but unfortunately they were not hearkening back to the great Waves soundcheck jam from the 2011 Bethel run. KDF was fine, and it was a nice change of pace to hear Tweeprise in the second set closing spot rather than its usual appearance at the end of the encore, but that's about it.

YMMV, but given the overall amazing quality of this Summer 2024 Tour, a bit of a disappointing evening.

Love Bethel Woods and tonight was a very just solid show... lots of songs, no crazy long jams, but they had a bunch of strong smaller jams and had some fun surprises mixed in which is always welcomed...
1st set highlights; Sand, very good Sand , Dinner and a Movie, because it's Dinner and a Movie and it's a really fun classic song they don't play too often, personally only have gotten 2 since 95, Halley's Comet and Cities are always welcomed and it wasn't the best/craziest Antelope but I always love getting an Antelope so I'll add that to the highlights ⭕
2nd Set might not have been as good as the first imo, which usually isn't the case... 2nd Set highlights; Down W Disease, again, not super long but very good nonetheless, Kill Devil Falls had prob the longest jam, def went off for a while before formally ending it, really didn't expect the Ghost or a Tweprise tonight so they were welcomed, very fun... And then the encore, Velvet Sea? Sure why not and then Runaway Jim? Damn, wish they opened w it but still great to get regardless, def unexpected as an encore
Overall I'd say overall it was 7.1/10

another great show! we could only hit nights 1 and 2 but i walked out completely satisfied and yet again mindblown by our favorite band. got there early and went in the woodstock museum which was awesome! then screwed around in the lot and scored some baklava at shakedown which was booming. muddy fun! i called Dinner as an opener and eventually got it, though not as an opener. anyway, we rented them lawn chairs and created a formation and settled in as the band came on and rocked Train. it was still pretty bright out and the sun set midway through the set, but it was nice to get some daytime tunes. Sample and Hey Stranger continued with great energy and dancing, and Trey crushing the solos. Stranger really got off the ground. this weekend i’ve been less shy about dancing, it’s been so much more fun to just let the music take over and move with the vibrations. watching the whole lawn get down in synchronicity was a trip. Dinner followed, with many pats on the back for my call, and they played it pretty tightly. i’m glad they still play this one every once in a while. Halley’s was fun with a nice nod to the comet/shower thing that night, still don’t know really what it’s called but it was fun to watch nonetheless. Sand rocked the house with some powerful Type 1 shredding, and they took Gumbo into a fuller full band jam, and ended together, rather than Page solo. super fun and groovy. Maze brought the phuckin house down with Page and Trey absolutely destroying the jam. the lights were awesome. Weigh was completely unexpected and well played. Cities was super fun and the jam really got a bit out there, for a mostly songy show, this was a pretty sweet jam. and then to close with a poweful Antelope that just kept peaking. went on a funnel cake run and got back just in time to hear Wilson, which i remember a few of us called earlier that day. at the end of Wilson, Mike turned on the DWD effect and they went into space, and i immediately called Disease as soon as I saw Mike punching the bass in the way he does to get the feedback. the Disease jam was out of this world, swiftly exploring various modal locations and keeping the energy high. eventually it quieted down with a seamless segue into Waves, which was brief but well played and always welcome. Twist was also pretty kickass with some bluesy goodness in the solo, but ended pretty quickly to yield to an unexpected KDF (which some of us had been discussing at setbreak, not expecting a performance). another wildly jammed out KDF for the books followed. i’m terrible at describing jams and i don’t really take notes, but just listen to it. Sea of Stars was the absolute perfect breather and such a beautiful moment with that sea of people dancing in a dream with all of us together. Number Line had an incredibly high energy Type 1 ending jam that i 100% thought would close the set, then they went into Ghost unexpectedly, even with it being so late in the night. everyone thought it was SANTOS until Trey sang, it’s funny how those two sound so similar. the jam was pretty fiery and i heard trey teasing Tweeprise well before the segue, but indeed they played a killer Tweeprise to close the set, which nobody expected. Wading in the encore slot was perfect and another contemplative beautiful moment with ALL MY FRIENDS (go backwards down the number line…). I was convinced they’d play Rocky Top after Jim since “it’s just not a closer!” but they slayed Jim and ended the show super well. what a night. always so glad to get down and connect with my fellow heads, and can’t wait to do it again. i’ll be couch touring night 3 and Monde Thur and Sun, although we’re seeing Gizz in lieu of Monde. have a great time everyone and rock on

Let me start with the second set. No danger, no grit, all middling vibe, no direction, completely predictable, no dynamics. Of course twist was fun and those 2 minutes in KDF were cool. Reprise salvaged nothing (which is saying something) and Sea>Jim was completely forgettable.

As for the first set, Sand was fun, Cities was super cool, Sample classic and Dinner and a Movie a nice bust out. Fishman was on top of it early and often and those moments with Mike and Page punching above their class were great.

Overall, great venue, disappointing show.