At 3.8 as I'm writing this, I think this show is almost criminally underrated. Well, criminally might be too far, but how about freaking severely.

The first set is obviously anchored by a fantastic Sneakin' Sally that really heads on out and grooves, and has an Eminence Front flavor at one point. Spectacular Sally, but that's not all, as the set opens with a tremendous 20 minute S&SS which releases into a solid Theme. Throw in a tasty Seven Below and you've got a powerhouse first set.

The DwD to open set II is just as great as the S&SS to open set I, and it lands brilliantly in Squirming Coil. Makisupa-> Buffalo Bill brings the lulz, and Antelope is flat-out BLISTERING. Thunderhead (much like Billy Breathes) is one of those songs that I didn't really care for when I first heard it, but since have come to love, and here it is paired expertly with a powerful, set-closing Slave. You could add Waste to the list of songs that has grown on me a lot over the years, so I don't mind the encore at all.

For a 2003 show, there's not even all that much slop, aside from a somewhat butchered Rift. This show is 4 stars at *minimum*, and I personally enjoyed it quite a bit more than the previous night. Even though I think 4 stars or slightly above is a good rating for this one, I'm giving it a 5 to help boost it to where I think it should be.

(Published in the second edition of The Phish Companion...)

A look inside the mind of an eighteen year old at his first Phish show:
What awaits me inside the gates of the amphitheater in Raleigh? Stories of the greatest audio/visual show on earth echo in my head as I present my ticket to the out of place looking security officer, a middle aged woman who looks like she has seen enough dreadlocks and smelled enough weed for a lifetime. Slowly we make our way to the section on our ticket, weaving in and out of the throngs of people gyrating to the recorded sounds of the pre-show music. Finally we make our way to Section 9, Row U, seat 27, and behold the stage.
At first, it strikes me as not what I had expected, looking like a normal stage in the waning hours of the day. But all I needed to see to know that it was far from normal was the neon day glo Phish... well Phish fish, I guess...on the drum set to know that this was something different.
7:30. Half an hour to show time. I sit in the Section 9, Row U, Seat 27, shirtless, basking in the steadily disappearing sunrays. And as the sun disappears, I see a face I have only seen in photographs, then another, another and one more. These four faces I have been waiting to see take their places behind their instruments, beginning to strum to make sure everything is exactly perfect. Then, before I know it, I am lost in ethereal sound. The guitar blends perfectly with the bass blends perfectly with the drums blends perfectly with the keyboards...perfectly.
Before I know it I am lost in a “Divided Sky” that is not as good as some versions I have heard, but at the same time is perfect, because I am actually seeing the movements on the frets of the guitar, seeing the sweat drip off the faces of the musicians as they pour their heart and soul into making our evening...perfect. A “Llama” that makes me want to scream it is so good. Then lights, and I sit in Section 9, Row U, seat 27 and bask shirtless and oblivious in the neon glow of the false lights overhead. I slip in and out of reality, finally wrested back to the only reality that matters, the thumping bass of “Ghost” opening the second set. I don't remember which song it was when I looked back at the seemingly innumerable masses gathered together and saw a sea of fire emitting from their hands, lighters held high. The world I was living in ended with a single man symphony as the piano played a beautiful ending to a song with a very peculiar name. Left alone on stage at the end of “The Squirming Coil”, the genius behind the ivory keys sent me and the thousands who populated Phish's sea of fire into a place very few are able to go...a perfect utopia.

The fun bits are fun, but if nothing else, please hear the Sally and Scents from this middling-to-swell show.

I drove back and fourth from Dayton Oh (about a 2 hour drive) to Deer Creek all 3 nights because of work. Being that the concerts were a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, I could not get off work or get anyone to cover for me. Getting 4 hours of sleep each night sucked but I stuck it out. That Thursday at work, I was a zombie. Ever been too tired to fall asleep. That was me Thursday night. I recovered by that weekend. Looking back though, it was well worth it. Fantastic three nights of Phish. Loved all three shows. This venue is the best to see Phish live; by far.

(Published in the second edition of The Phish Companion...)

After managing to catch all 21 shows this summer, looking back on them, they seem like one big blur…with a really boring drive through Kansas somewhere in the middle. However, there were several personal highlights for me: 1) the overwhelming amount of "Holy Shit!"s and "O My God!"s being tossed around at the Star Lake show, 2) the blistering "Wolfman's” -> “Jesus Left Chicago" from the Gorge ( I mean chills people), 3) the entire Utah show, and 4) Deer Creek in general.
By the third night of Deer Creek, I felt like part of the walking wounded. I was so happy to be seeing my third show in a row at the same venue (plus two at Alpine right before taboot!). Anyway, this night's show wasn't the best one they played all tour, but has some exceptional moments nonetheless. It started off with "Scents and Subtle Sounds," which was a standard in the rotation this summer, followed by one of my favorites, "Theme From the Bottom." "Theme" soared as usual and was followed by "Rift," which always gets a show moving by picking up the pace. Next was "Sample in a Jar," followed by my personal highlight of the show: the triumphant post-hiatus return of "Sneakin' Sally." This is one of the best covers Phish does. All I remember is Mike going nuts and my tired, ragged body digging down for that little extra to get me groovin'.
Set II opened with a great version of "Down with Disease." As much as I may complain, I really don't think I get tired of this one. Then came my long, lost love that I had been waiting for all summer (and thought I would get at the Gorge): "The Squirming Coil." Page should be my uncle, that guy is the man! "Antelope" was complete with a dedication to Antelope Greg (hope all works out brother), and this “Antelope” ripped. Maybe it was Greg's presence, who knows. . The set closed out with "Thunderhead" and "Slave," which was the perfect closing curtain on three memorable nights at the Creek.

i had visions of them petering out tonight, ala deer creek 2000's 3rd night, but hopes were still high that they would close this run out in style.

scents and subtle sounds: i really like this song in '03, and i could not stand the rearrangement/cutting out the cool intro. anyway, this one had a really nice multi textured 20 minute funky jam. it had some real nice "remain in light" style playing. after thoroughly exploring scents, they dip into...

theme: very good take on theme. trey sounded sharp here.

rift: blah

sample: blah... alright, they need to play something hot next....

sneaking sally: yep, that'll work! this is one of the best sally's ever. it explores a lot of the same ground explored in the gumbo from the previous night, and everyone who was at the previous nights show, was more than willing to dip back into that realm. good collective effort on this dark murky funk jam.

billy breathes: nice cool down. good take of this one

seven below: this was more first time seeing this one, and i really dug it. i would not be completely sold until the alpine version the next summer. this one was short and sweet before kicking out...

cavern: always a popular set closer. it didn't matter what they played after sneaking sally!

set 2:

dwd: a fairly predictable opener, but they tacked on a very interesting fast paced, very layered jam to this one. they rode that out for about 20 minutes with page displaying some hot licks here before petering out and going into...

squirming coil: very cool placement for this song. i liked it 2 songs deep in the set. good take of this classic with the typically nice page solo at the end

makisupa policeman: i really liked the whole sneaking the "dear creek" into the "key word" slot. funny stuff!
this worked right into....

buffalo bill: gotta love buffalo bill. it's an easy tack on to makisupa, so hell, why not throw those deer creek buffalo bills around!

run like an antelope: antelope was dedicated to some dude named greg. well, if greg is an antelope fan, then he must have been a happy camper. this was a very fiery version with trey really steering the ship on this one.

thunder head: blah

slave to the traffic light: very good version of page, and it worked very well out of thunder head. unlike antelope, page seemed to be taking the helm on this triumphant slave. great way to end a great run.

enc:

waste: hmmm.... not my favorite, oh well

over all:
they came out and played 2 strong sets here tonight. all in all, i would say this was my least favorite of the 3 nights at deer creek, but that does not mean this is a subpar show. there's just so much to hear on this run, that's its a really tough call. some could say this was the best based solely on the sneaking sally and i could not argue with them.

highlights:
set1:
scents>theme, sneaking sally

set 2:

dwd>coil, makisupa, antelope, slave

I just wanted to clarify "The lyrics to Makisupa referenced writing a letter to Max Creek" -- Trey said "wrote a letter to my friends Max Creek...it started DEER CREEK" referencing the former name of this venue, the name by which everyone still knows it, regardless of their current corporate sponsor.

i so remember Antelope Greg !!! the dude was always at the front and dancing like crazy!! i was wondering if anyone else remebered that guy!!

Being that I drove over here back to back shows, (didn't drive the first night to Indy thank GOD) and only getting 8 hours sleep in the last two nights wasn't all that great. My wife came over with me since I had come solo the night before and she didn't want me to do that again. She's really not into Phish at all. She's seen them two other times and really doesn't like the atmosphere or the people at all. Anyway, being that I put a review on here before, I won't put much more into it. The first I loved. The four songs that stand out were Theme from the Bottom, Rift, Sample in a Jar and Sneaking Sally through the Alley which were all great. That was the first time seeing them do Sneaking Sally. I love that tune and wanted to hear ever since I heard it from a New Years Eve show from NY. Anyway, they ended the first set with Cavern. The first three songs of the second set did me well. DWD, The Squirming Coil and Makisupa Policeman were all great. Then came a weird one, Buffalo Bill. Then came another favorite of mine Run like an Antelope. At this point, my wife went out in the concourse area to take a break. Near the end, I also went out there which was a big mistake on my part. When I sat down, I was through. After three nights of Phish and driving, I was done. She said she was alright and I could go back in there, I said no. It had taken a toll on me at this point. I sat out there for the last two songs and slowly decided to walk to the vehicle. I love Slave to the Traffic Light and decided to hear all of it before heading out to the lot. I didn't worry about missing Waste when I heard them start the tune. I drank an ice tea out in the vehicle before heading home. I will never drive back and fourth between Dayton to Indianapolis ever again. It took a major toll on me. Hopefully in the future, I will stay in a hotel before driving back and fourth, or miss the shows all together. I said I wouldn't say that much more, and I did. Oh well, great three day run, and hope to do it again in the future, but staying at a hotel will be a must!

Hey all, I was at this show (great show btw), but I think they closed with Wading in the Velvet Sea, not Waste - this was my last show for the summer tour (started in KC), I remember it pretty well.

Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley is sooooo dirty....5 stars Sally....Mike's bass is orgasmic at about 6 min in....gotta love those 2003 moments of bliss

Trey speaks a BIT too extemporaneously during the Makisupa keyword. Horrible pun. Um.. anyway. Wasn't a huge fan of this show, although like ANY show by our ichthyoid hosts, it had its moments!