When I saw that TAB was playing in Missoula, where I spent 3.5 years attending college 20 years ago I was overjoyed. I live about 5 hours away in Central Idaho, and it's a gorgeous drive through the mountains to get from where I am to Missoula. I loaded up the wife in the car, and away we went. We got there quite early, as I was unsure of how many fans would show up. We were about the first 15 people to be in line, and we sat in some quasi shade until they opened the gates. As we were waiting at the front of the line, I told my wife (who isn't the biggest phish phan, but enjoys TAB more) that we were riding rail since it would be crazy not to. I rushed down to the stage area, and managed to get some space right on the rail right in front of Cyro which was very pleasing.

Finally it's showtime and out they come and immediately launch into a great Cayman Review. There were a lot of very strong moments in that first set, but it seemed to me that Trey was struggling a bit to make his guitar do what he wanted it to do. He had some moments of frustration, and I have rarely seen him fight that hard. By no means am I saying that it wasn't good, because it was great, but he definitely was having to work. The Alive Again was great, the Sand was unreal, and set ended on a high note with M,L&C.

Second set started with a blissed out Sweet Dreams Melinda, and as the set progressed any issues Trey was having in the first set had melted away. He was locked in the remainder of the show, and from Night Speaks on the show was blazing. The sparse crowd was having a blast, and the headz were bobbing. Ocelot was a high point, as was Clint Eastwood, which my wife looked over at me and asked 'isn't this that cartoon band song?' (She's the cutest.) The First Tube was mind melting, and the crowd was in peak orgasmic bliss as he was lifting his guitar to the sky for that bitchin feedback at the end. Rise/CT isn't my favorite, but is fine, and then they crushed Gotta Jibboo to end the show. Everyone was stoked heading out to the parking lot and the show was just great.

It's interesting to see someone as talented as Trey have to work to make it happen, as we all think of him as generally infallible. It's nice to know he's human just like the rest of us.