People are taking this way tooo seriously. They're a band. A progressive rock band. Sometimes they don't improvise that much. They've always been different in that regard. It's a shame that if Phish can't reinvent the wheel, improvise to people's expected(somewhat childish) standards or pull a gag out of their proverbial hats every night, fans will dissect every song choice and what was wrong with it, before they begin their inevitable walk down memory lane and comparing said show to a thousand shows from the past. Oh well. This has all been wonderful but now I'm on my way.
I give this review a 4.4. It was sufficient but not as complete of a review as the one I gave in the fall of 1998.

On the way into the show last night, we ran into a family of mutual friends from New Hampshire. They had three kids, the oldest was 5 year old. She was sporting a Winter Queen shirt and Melt sunglasses. She was super excited to go to the show. Her younger brother was wearing a Sleeping Monkey shirt and I gave them both cookies on the way into the show. Unbelievably, Phish played ALL three songs for Ryan's kids! Thanks Phish for making one family's dream come true!

A BRIEF HISTORY OF PHISH AT DICK'S SPORTING GOODS PARK: I jumped on the Phish train for good right after the first Dick's run, and I remember the fanbase having almost nothing but good things to say about it (especially 9/4/11, still one of the finest shows of the modern era). Coincidentally or not, that run had come on the heels of Superball, the last festival prior to this year, and one that hadn't really lit the world on fire (though that's a debate for another day). With the band eschewing festivals, the Dick's run sort of became a de facto festival, which raised its profile for a lot of people; after the defining 2012 Dick's run, now the expectations were not just for a big festival atmosphere, but for quality music as well. I pre-ordered the Dick's 2013 run; after the three days, I have yet to pre-order any shows since. Expectations are this fanbase's worst enemy.

CUT TO: Summer 2015. With the announcement of Magnaball, Dick's recedes into the background; now it's just a 3-day run that happens to fall after Magnaball, not dissimilar to if they'd decided to go back to Randall's Island or the UIC Pavilion or some such. Then Magnaball happens, and suddenly the Dick's run becomes even *more* anticlimactic (cf. > 1 uncharitable thread on the forum to that very effect). Of course there is Dick's hype, as there always is, but I can't imagine anyone would think it's on the same level as even last year, let alone 2013.

Which brings us to these shows, three shows that (other than the 3rd one, mostly) will need serious historical reevaluation once the smoke fully clears from this tour (shoot, some of the reviews of the first two nights damn near put this run at NYE 2011-disaster levels). For instance, Set 1 is more or less a Set 1, no different from others played even in this tour (everyone quibbles with Set 1 song selection, and everyone wishes they'd jam more in Set 1, so those criticisms kinda slide by me nowadays). But you are surely missing out if you do not give that Melt a listen; it's nasty, deep, full of Trey effects (a plus or minus depending on the listener, I suppose), and the finest of the year. It sounds a bit Drive-In adjacent, actually. More on that later. Oh, yes - if you can't find it in your heart to hear another absolutely stunning Roggae, that's on you.

Set 2: ASIHTOS kicks off the set, and then comes my favorite CDT of the year (kinda funny how all of Trey's fidgeting or weird looks or whatever don't translate when you have the tape, and you can just hear the music). Page pushes for major key, but instead of heading that way Trey starts cranking out some effects-laden filth while Page stays on electric piano, until Page finally wins out and Trey switches to a new key as Mike neatly holds everything down. The jam heads towards Upbeat Blissful Hose (Trey's solo is a bit Devotion to a Dream-ish) as Mike gets off the meatball and Fish picks up the pace. They enter a zone that sounds like Hard to Handle (!), Page hammering away on the grand piano, then the jam turns hazy and Lil' Punkin enters the mix. Things get dark and it sounds like they're teasing Mike's Song (the ending, at least), but instead Trey pulls out the opening riff to Twist, patiently waits for the band to catch up (as opposed to just going ahead Magnaball Rock & Roll style), and we get a very nice segue.

Twist doesn't really break out like it has all summer, but instead it dies away into a more contemplative zone as Mike goes to the envelope filter, then gives way to Mercury. I think Mercury is great, myself - it's their 3.0 version of a composed monolith like Fluffhead or The Curtain - and it's played very tightly (as one would hope, given all the work they put into it during soundcheck). Then comes another big highlight in a marvelous Light, one that really goes to Drive-In Jam spaces and delves into gruesome, cavernous darkness (Page playing some carnival-esque organ lines helps add to the atmosphere). Wingsuit > R&R closes things out in fine energetic fashion, and an extended encore really hits home (two fun Sleeping Monkeys in a row!).

Final thoughts: a thoroughly underrated show, to say the least. CDT through Light is well worth your time, as is that opening set Melt.

Bonus final thought: to @Philbombs77 and anyone else thinking to give the fanbase a lecture on what they can and cannot do, you may want to think twice about trying to big-up yourself by anecdotally bringing up a conversation with other Phish fans, fans that undoubtedly love this band as much as you profess to do. You may not get scolded for your sanctimony, but you will definitely look like a bit of a jerk.

I'm a little surprised these shows aren't getting more love. I thought both were solid, very enjoyable shows with a great vibe, writ large w the 3x encores. Very solid playing and song selection throughout, and each with big fat nuggets, even if overall mega liftoff was not achieved. Kinda like MPP2, a pretty solid show that doesn't quite measure up to the tsunami that preceded it.

A night like tonight, where they--and especially Trey--just can't quite lock into their best founts of creativity, the band and I can fall back on something to love, which is a catalog of beloved originals and rousing covers of other greats.

And while the show had but a fraction of last night's improvisational chutzpah, there were a number of highlights worth mentioning. First, a successful tweak was that both set closers tonight achieved their desired arc. I can't wait to hear character zero's closing moments again, extra mustard indeed! Same with the standard high-energy Rock and Roll. This as compared to last night's Antelope and Walls neither of which geared up the way they each often can. But tonights fiery closers and the generous encore did strike me as comping dessert and some drinks for the realization that the dinner and service didn't quite nail it, despite best efforts.

Also of note, check out the beautifully executed groundbreaking new song, Mercury--an improvement still on its first two renditions--and as others have noted the segue into Twist. And check out the end of Light: the other guys were feeling it and just wouldn't let Trey out of it! It's moments like that when you recognize the care and lighthearted support these guys extend each other in their musical conversations.

And finally, to weigh in on this great topic of whether "even an average for show is a great show." Phish inspires me. And by that I mean they give me so much to bring back to the rest of my world. Their work ethic, their creativity, their off days, their risk-taking, their brilliant moments, their flubs, their recoveries ... I like watching THEM *work through it.*

But then, of course, I do so love it when it fully arrives. Maybe Sunday night ...

When watching the Summer tour unfold from my couch, I was excited to see the thoughtful set list construction, the wonderful first sets, and the spot-on playing and jamming. I'm not sure I would call this one of the best tours ever, but it's been damn good - above average for sure and a strong rival to fall '13. As a side note, I echo the sentiments of some that, in this day and age, people are prone to hyperbole proclaiming every new great moment the "best ever" song version or show or phestival or tour. Don't worry, this phenomenon is not unique to the phish universe, just watch ESPN for ten seconds.

With that said, my concern prior to coming to these shows was the layoff; much like the last two years at Dick's. I contend that the layoff of (in this year's case) nearly two weeks, would create separation from the great strides and wonderful moments of the Summer tour. And it looks like my fears were realized. Trey has been off, though the others have been beasts, and the bustouts weaved in to the regular rotation along with the soaring heights are absent. In short, it feels like the Summer tour ended at Magnaball and we have an outlier here that has similar characteristics to tour openers - scattered great moments, hints at greatness, and the struggle to find solid footing. Much like the GD, when Jerry struggled the band suffered, and that is what we are witnessing this weekend.

Am I pissed I came to these shows? Hell no! My kids and I have been having a great time, surrounded by cool people to share in the groove. Were there some high points? Yup. But the rote setlists (minus the encores) and Treys obvious frustration with being unable to bring a musical idea to fruition are hindering these shows from soaring. It's all good, I'm glad they are out there every night giving us their all, and contributing to a wonderful Labor Day weekend with friends and phamily. Never miss a Sunday show ...

So far, Dick's '15 has been a disappointment. Friday and Saturday shared similar qualities. Each first set began with a couple of tightly played funk pieces to get the ball rolling (Tube/Ghost and NMINML/Martian Monster) and peaked with a blistering rendition in the middle of the set (Gin/Melt) that whipped the crowd into a frenzied euphoria. Aside from that, both first sets were competent, but rather tame.

Both shows also produced solid third quarters, catalyzed by the pairing of two jam vehicles. The Blaze On > Golden Age was adroitly executed, but despite half an hour of exploration, there was no real point of culmination. A laudable attempt, but nothing memorable. Chalk Dust > Twist was the second set meat last night and, again, there wasn't any real "Aha!" moment that sticks to your ribs.

Finally, the fourth quarter of both shows suffered immensely due to poor song selection and somewhat rote execution. Inspiration was lacking.

On a related note, I will not qualify my thoughts with the ubiquitous, yet absurd, notion that: "An average Phish show is better than almost any other great (fill in the blank band/show)." I know I will be met with resistance and scolded for my sanctimony, but that's okay. I've seen this bizarre attempt at mitigation so often in the past couple of years, it almost seems like a perfunctory defense mechanism. On Friday, I chatted with a 30-something couple who, collectively, had 100+ shows under their belt, and the dude espoused the same tripe while his girlfriend nodded in assent. "Yeah - I mean tonight wasn't amazing. Killer Gin and pretty sweet Blaze On, but an okay Phish show is still better than pretty much anything else out there." If you think an average Phish show, like last night or Friday, is musically superior to great performances from bands who make a living on the road, you need to diversify your musical experiences. Mini-sermon...over.

I'm really hoping tonight will make up for Friday and Saturday, especially since there will be no Fall '15 tour.

I was just in front of the soundboard for this show. From the opening notes this show hit me just like I wanted. I danced like a person possessed the first 3 songs. Then came the bluesy number, a bouncy one, then another melodic blues/funk song followed by a beautiful cool down tune in Winterqueen. Then came the psychedelia. I was in full orbit at this point. Shaking and moving my soul to every sound they were making. My ears were so in tune with each sound that when LxL and Roggae played it was the perfect call to a great flowing set. The bass work by Mike in the beginning of lxl is some of the best I've heard.

I re-listened to the 2nd set last night and can't believe more people are not talking about it. Steady dancey rhythms all the way through Light. Light took me to the cosmos and the peaks the Trey hit in Wingsuit lifted my soul through a wormhole of sacred geometry. After R&R I was sweaty and so happy to be in this place.

Encore: 3 songs. A trippy Day in the Life and a Hood in the middle???

I loved this show. Thank you Phish! Thank you Phanners!

I know, at length, but the work pre-tour has resulted in a rarefied, refined sort of patience that lends itself so well to tunes like Limb and Roggae. And if you want to get a room moving this day and age*, tough to beat No Men and Martian Monster.

More to like from Dust and Twist (what we've come to expect), with Mercury showing a lot of promise. It's been getting checked, and, like Scabbard, I look forward to its development (revisit the Alpine version; it's cool). I can see the song going really dark and deep; a clear Fuego influence, but maybe some more modulating to some additional minor mode playing, ala Carini. The break into Light is nice and illustrates more great and concerted set list construction.

Who knows. In a summer of dime segues and euphoric Tweezers, it doesn't seem too much to ask this evening.

Perhaps with a late Mu Tron Mango for good measure.

*A Foam

and [the year] would all be so crystal clear

First set opened with two great songs I had never seen and was hoping to. Easily the highlight of a decent, fun set. The funk in Martian Monster is deep and delicious!

Set two is dominated by the chalkdust>twist jam. They did it again, you beautiful bastards! The segue into Twist was quick and came out of nowhere. The Light is also worth mentioning.

Fun show.
Ready for the tour closer tonight!
(and what a tour it's been!)

I really thought "No Man's" was going to get the treatment at Dicks but unfortunately no such luck. Honestly this might have been one of, if not the most lackluster version all tour.

Melt still needs work. It sounded like it had potential at the start of the jam and I'm glad they're nailing the composed sections again, but Trey needs to stop it with the disorganized "whale call" shit. I love this song so much, please fix it guys!

Going out of order here but Winterqueen was really nice thank god, highlight of the set. Of course they played Roggae towards the end of this ill fated first act. They can do no wrong with this bad boy they've got it so down (listen to this summers 7/25 Forum version).

Character Zero seemed like forced energy but I'm just glad it wasn't used as an encore again.

The continuity of the 2nd set was pretty solid, albeit with only one ->. Good thing Twist took the back seat to CDT too (duration wise). Is it just me or has Twist been used as the marquee jam too many times this summer? Great segue between the two nonetheless and in the tradition of Dicks, great CDT jam.

Mercury was awesome at this show (as it damn well should have been, I heard it twice while playing frisbee in the practice fields). I'd even go as far to say that its jam chart worthy. I was at Bend and Alpine (and I played frisbee in the practice fields) so I've heard every Mercury and they definitely keep getting better. Trey sounds perfect at the end of this version though. Beautiful dark soloing, I loved it so much live and I've replayed it a ton. This will be a nifty segue song for sure, as it seems like its already easy for them to get in and out of without stopping. I had it stuck in my head for the remainder of the weekend.

Another great 2nd set Wingsuit. Say what you want about this slow song but I love it and the little jam at the end sounded great on that Dicks dance floor.

I rocked out to Rock and Roll and the nice 3 song encore after, but the main thing I took from this show is the fact that Mercury's rising.

So much negativity on these reviews first set was solid. Funky opening. nicu always delivers. Melt limb roggae zero sequence is awesome.

2nd set is exploratory phish taking risks, Mercury is obviously the centerpiece still being re worked, and is a slightly darker piece, as a result the set as a whole is darker, Asihtos was awesome grittiness. Chalkdust was all over the place in a good way for me and the transition into twist was tight. Twist was shortened for Mercury so I can see why the jam ended. Light had a good jam with dark elements too. wing suit and rock and roll brought us back from space for a stellar encore.

Decided to review this show just based on mental recollection from being there almost 7 years later. I will relisten to this show at some point but for now, this is all memory and taking a look at the setlist for the first time in years.

This was, of course, the second night of the run. I went way too hard the first day and then passed out in the tent for about the next 12 hours after the show on Friday, was super tired after a long week. We hung out a bit more and looking back at the experience, compared to the Gorge 2021 which was my next Phish camping experience, I should have been way more social in the campground, I remember everyone else having a ton of fun and while I certainly did too, I kind of just hung out back at the tent the whole time. I was still figuring out a lot of things about myself at the time (including tolerance levels) and I'm pretty sure at least one of the days I got super baked and then just sort of clamshelled the rest of the day LOL.

Anyways, all that aside, we were ready again to hit the stage for Night 2, with high expectations after a pretty decent first night. It wasn't amazing but it was a great experience for sure, so I was personally hyped as well. I got drunk but not as drunk as the first night, learning to moderate myself a bit. For this night we had GA stand seats but my buddy and I both bribed the usher with 20-dollar bills next to our tickets and sure enough received the pit wristband. I was pretty ballsy at that age (17) looking back haha.

This is the night that I remember the least of honestly, both because it wasn't extremely notable in any way nor did I keep moderating myself (I smoked wayyy too much in the pit lol). We were about 20-25 rows back on the right hand side, so we had a great spot. I remember the NMINML opener and was tracking the first letter of the sets just like in Night 1. This didn't appear to spell anything either, so I just focused on enjoying myself and the music. The NMINML was a bit overshadowed by the NMINML opener/second song the next year (2016) but at the time I was happy to hear it, caught the debut in Bend about 2 months before. I remember the Martian Monster, was hoping to get some Chilling Thrilling stuff and that scratched the itch. NICU was great. Bouncing and 555 I recall harkening back to my first show (Eugene 2014) where they both appeared. Winterqueen was another Bend 2015 debut and it was tremendous, the highlight of the show so far. Crowd went crazy of course at the "prince of music on guitar" lyric and the solo was tremendous. Split Open and Melt was pretty out there, that was the jamming that I had been looking for, some nasty, dissonant stuff. Limb > Roggae> Zero continued the set, I don't remember any of them but everything before Zero was pretty mellow, that seemed to be the set theme.

Was very excited for Set 2, and this may be up there with Night 3 for best set of the run. I was super hyped to hear Chalk Dust and that was a great rendition with a good segue into Twist. I remember both of those and then a great Mercury, which I remember hearing they soundchecked and then was sort of expecting it. This may be the best Mercury as of the show date in 2015, and maybe one of the better ones that they've ever done. Chalk and Mercury slapepd. I don't remember the Light but the Wingsuit was kinda the slowdown there and I was really excited for Rock and Roll, they had some good cover choices for this run.

Encore I don't really remember outside of the Hood > Day in the Life, but Sleeping Monkey is always good. Hood was a surprise choice, I was definitely surprised it was in the encore. It always delivers as well. I definitely got a bit spooked by the wild music and lights in A Day in the Life.

Also side note some girl shit herself on the pit in this night or the one after and people put glowsticks in the poop mound so that others wouldn't step in it.. Lol the things that stick out 7 years later.

This show was better than the night before, they were more composed and patient, and this S2 is the proper set of the run IMO. Good stuff!

Highlights:

S1: Winterqueen

S2: CDT -> Twist > Mercury

E: Hood

Just the first set. I highly advise you just avoid it. The band is not letting themselves go in this first set by any measure. Very controlled song lengths, mediocre execution and IMO terrible song selection. I'm going with the rogue theory that the gimmick is a puzzle and the song choices are associated with the gimmick and not associated with what pairs well with what.
Second set and encore, it's almost like a different band.

In reviewing what has been written, and in agreeing in total with assessment regarding the average nature of the first couple nights, I've been trying to discern what might emerge tonight, it seems like a SAND is likely. So I ran through 9/2/12 to bring about some karma and whatnot.

Sorry if this has been pointed out before - or if I'm way off - but check out the six-minute mark.... And then at later points throughout.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_r0btgnmFQ />
Doesn't it sound like one Martian Monster.... Particularly the really, really tight 10/31 version?

@AbeVigoda pointed out that 8/29/14's SIMPLE seems to 'contain' NMINML.

wonder what else is at play....

Bits and pieces, but no meaty movements. The first night, Gin started to lift off under psychedelic thrust, but the trip was, alas, short. Bouncing Around the Room had some magic brewing in there last night.

Second set seemed a train wreck carried by lights, loops, and Mike and Page. Trey could not get dialed into CDT, fidgeting around with his glasses, scalp, arms, and effects pedals. It was painful to watch. Twist and Light, such beautiful launchpads at Shoreline, were left on the vine here. Twist was just sort of abandoned.

Everybody has bad nights, mine just aren't in front of 20,000 phans. We love you, Trey, and hope you guys are mostly having fun and go out on a sweet note tonight.