[We would like to thank Jonah (@LizardwithaZ) for recapping last night's show. -Ed.]

Friends, last night Phish played a show in Alpharetta, Georgia. Yes, this has happened before. Yes, it will happen again. Tomorrow night, in fact.

But for the first time, your pal @LizardwithaZ (find me in the forum) scored a pit ticket and early entry. So it was that I found myself in line, number 225 to be exact, to get a premium spot as close as I’ll probably ever be to the rail, ending up in the second row right in front of Page.

Let me tell you, being that close is a different experience than anything I’ve experienced as a Phish fan to date. Were the vibes good? Yes. Was there drama? Also yes. Were there babies? You know it.

Of course two hours is a long time to wait for a show to start, but I passed the time by talking about the Georgia-Tennessee football game with a fellow dawg (as well as a Tennessee fan who happened to be right with us), talking with show neighbors about how old and broken down our bodies are, and getting total strangers to hold my spot so that I could go get a beverage and then go find some friends up on the lawn to hug before the show.

To say that the vibes in the pit were immaculate at that point would not be an exaggeration. It felt like a family, with everyone content to watch out for each other. At one point a woman went to walk out of the pit and noticed that I had an empty cup and water can, and offered to take them out for me. Ideal pit behavior, ideal vibes.

But as showtime approached, things changed quickly. Out of nowhere, a shouting match broke out between two guys near me.

Here’s the tea. It seems that there was an issue related to dancing area, and things got heated. Swear words were used. Vibes started sinking. I feared that this would taint things for me.

But then, a miracle. An intervention from an outside party, and the two gentlemen coming together and apologizing, restoring the vibes, mere moments before our favorite band walked on stage.

And how would this band of ours open up yet another Alpharetta run? Would the vibes be spoiled from this near-disaster? How about a rollicking “Buried Alive” to heal the chasm? For the third straight run in Georgia, the crowd-favorite instrumental opened a show, and this is probably my favorite version I’ve seen. Being able to see Trey’s smile as he held the sustain and pumped up the crowd was a special moment.

Almost immediately, they jumped into “AC/DC Bag,” and I think we were all wondering if they would jam this version or not, but we got a perfectly well-played standard version instead. The vibes were vibing in the pit, and the dance moves were unleashing.

A moment of surprise then, as an atypically-placed “Slave to the Traffic Light” started up. “Slave” is one of those songs that holds a pretty special place for me. It’s a song that feels like home every time they play it. While there was nothing extraordinary about this particular version, both the placement and intent that they played it with felt wonderful.

Nearly every show that I’ve been to has had a moment. You know what I’m talking about. The notes start up and you think for half a second, “wait, what’s happening?” And then the realization hits.

That moment last night came with Fishman starting up the iconic drum opening to “Peaches en Regalia.” As a long-time Zappa fan, I’m not ashamed to admit that seeing my first “Peaches” brought tears to my eyes. Around me, I saw excited looks and celebrations, and Trey mostly nailed the composition.

But let’s be so for real right now: One of the main reasons we come to these shows is for the jams, and we hadn’t seen the jams yet. At least, not until “Tube.”

That’s right, the song that inevitably opens a time vortex (was this version 4 minutes long, or 20 minutes long?) did its job once again, providing a Page-led funkfest that led into a power-rock section before returning to remind us that none of us actually know what a “plorb” is. If you know, please answer in the comments.

I personally don’t love “555,” but I don’t mind hearing Mike sing, and so that placement worked for me. The following “My Soul,” my first seen since Big Cypress, was also an acceptable choice, providing a shot of energy.

So look. There’s a little bit of drama around “Reba” that I’ve sensed lately. I’m not a guy who cares whether they whistle or not, but there is some debate in the community about whether an ideal “Reba” needs whistling or not. The only thing I care about is whether or not the crowd talks during a “Reba” jam. There was no whistling last night for those keeping score, but from where I was, there was also no talking during a very well-played “Reba” jam.

With Trey ready to play rock god again, Fishman’s intro to “Maze” started up next, and as usual, the heat was there for a standard version.

After a ton of dancing, and not a lot of sitting, I was not mad when “Horn” started, another ‘first since Cypress’ for me, providing a nice mellowing out of the set. The mellowing would continue with “The Squirming Coil,” and it was truly a treat to be right in front of Page as he played a wonderful outro.

After a fairly short set break, the lights went down and the band came back on, opening the second set with “Oblivion.”

I will be honest, friends: I was not fully present for this jam. This is where the vibes went south. Over to my right, a yelling match broke out in the middle of the jam. There appeared to be some sort of an issue between a guy without a shirt and a girl. Security came over to intervene, eventually removing the girl. I don’t know what happened, but the whole thing lasted several minutes, with the jam providing an odd soundtrack to the drama. If you’ve ever listened to the audience recording of the IT “Waves,” it was almost as though I were seeing a version of that in real time.

Thankfully, the issue was resolved before the surprising selection of “David Bowie” in the two-spot. While it certainly won’t enter the echelon of the great “Bowie’s” of the ‘90s, this one had some juice, doing some extra exploration.

But the centerpiece of this night would prove to be the next song. “Fuego” seems to go big every time out lately, and last night’s version was no exception, ranging all over the place. An absolute smoke-show of an ending half, this is must-hear Phish, and while some might disagree, I found the landing pad of “Leaves” to be exceptional.

It was during this section of the show that I saw a woman with a baby in the pit. And let me tell you, this baby was asleep.

During “Leaves.”

Never did I think I would see a baby in the pit, and even more astonishing was this baby, with its headphones on, peacefully slumbering through a great show. Some fans just don’t have an appreciation for the finer things.

Out of the lingering notes of “Leaves,” another injection of energy emerged as “Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley” slinked in before “The Howling” forced its way into the conversation. An exploratory version of this song, which may equal or even surpass the previous best-played version, brought on a dance party around me.

Now here’s where things might turn for many. I know, I know. Fourth quarter.

Many in the audience may feel that this particular fourth quarter was a stumble with a standard “Backwards Down the Number Line” and “Drift While You’re Sleeping” to end the set. Would I have liked it more if Phish had played “The Lizards,” a song I’ve never seen live and have been chasing for years? Well, obviously.

But like that song tells us, the trick is to surrender to the flow.

Rather than seeing bored and sad faces, I looked around and saw joy and exuberance. I saw people belting out “all my friends” and “love will carry us through.” But the thing that really made my experience was the dad who brought his daughter, maybe seven or eight years old, near the front around that time. The people on the rail in front of me noticed, and invited them up to take a spot right up front. The wonder on this kid’s face melted my heart, and I got more enjoyment out of that two-song ending than I probably would have otherwise, but as they say, your mileage may vary.

A quick note about encore breaks: You’re supposed to cheer during the encore break. Last night’s pit was an embarrassment on this front. The cheering stopped while the band was still on stage and making their way off.

People: earn your encore. Cheer. Don’t stop. I tried to get it going a couple of times and couldn’t. I thought right up close that it would be better, and that people would really show their appreciation for this band that provides for us night after night, but I guess we’re spoiled.

Be better for night 2 in Alpharetta, folks.

The encore itself was perfectly acceptable, with “Monsters” giving Trey a chance to shred both on his guitar and vocally and an upbeat “Run Like an Antelope” to close things out in high-energy fashion.

Thus ends my time (almost) on the rail. It’s an experience I recommend at least once for every fan. Getting to see these guys up close, seeing those minor little details (like Trey deftly plucking a hair off of his microphone in the middle of a song, or Mike struggling to get his water cup’s straw to work, or even the cameraman near Page who frequently balanced his camera on his head) was a fantastic perspective to get.

This band keeps on giving to us. The only thing we can do is give back. Keep on being good show neighbors down in the pit, and everywhere else in the venue. When we, as the audience, put good energy out into the universe, I believe we get repaid in full. So go out there and bring your good vibes wherever you are in whatever venue you’re in to every show you go to.

Be good to each other.

And for crying out loud, don’t let your babies sleep through “Leaves.”

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