In case you missed it: Part 1 (HM and #50 - #41)

And now, part two! A few quick comments at the top:

1. Thank you all for the comments (and the politeness)! I’m glad to know there’re folks that are enjoying reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it out.

2. As @ucpete mentioned in the comments to the last blog entry, we’re talking “my favorite” 3.0 sets, not “the best” 3.0 sets, and the reason that distinction is important is because the term “the best” (at least, IMO), is something that is a) impossible to quantify and b) really doesn’t exist when we’re talking about something as subjective as art (de gustibus non est disputandum, or to put it another way, “ya likes what ya likes”). As long as we’re all on board with that and nobody’s feelings are getting hurt, I think everything should be gravy.

But just to make sure we’re all on the same page:

DISCLAIMER: All of this is just one man's very subjective opinion. Feel free to discuss, disagree (gently), and point out anything I may have missed or ignored in the comments. Vive la différence!

NUMBERS 40-31

40. 8/5/11 II, The Gorge, George, WA

“Rock & Roll” -> “Meatstick” -> “Boogie On Reggae Woman” would brighten up just about any set they’ve ever played. Throw something else in there to recommend, and we’re looking at about 15-20 higher spots.

39. 12/31/10 II, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Much like a set we'll get to in a couple spots, a set that’s business in the front and party in the back (or is that like a mullet? I can’t remember). This one would have been much higher circa July 2011 or so. How can you not giggle at the “crab in my shoemouth” vocal jam?

38. 8/21/15 II, Magnaball, Watkins Glen, NY

Not Just The “Bathtub Gin”: The 8/21/15 Story. We need more Phrygian mode!

37. 6/3/11 II, DTE Music Theater, Clarkston, MI

This one would have been much higher circa July 2011, too. Phish has practically turned playing uplifting jams into a science these days, but the “Disease” here still manages to stand out. Really good “Bowie,” too, if you’re of the inclination that they still can play a good “Bowie” these days (now, playing a classic “Bowie,” that's another debate).

36. 8/4/15 II, Ascend Amphitheater, Nashville, TN

Here’s all you need to know about this killer set – the first “Mike’s Song” with a second jam in over a decade, and it was damn near overshadowed (some would omit the "damn near") by the uber-dark “Weekapaug Groove” that closed the set. An absolutely superb “Mike's”/”Paug” duo, probably the finest since 2000 - not that that's a particularly high bar to leap - and one of the most exciting sequences of the year.

35. 7/27/13 II, The Gorge, George, WA

I wrote a good deal about this set here. Random thought: I used to quibble about “Fluffhead” in the 4th quarter, and now I’m sad they haven’t played it in a while, so it’s always possible to see changes in your fandom.

34. 11/1/14 II, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV

A slightly more refined version of 7/27/13 II, which is why I hold it a tiny bit higher in my heart. It’s hard not to love that roar from the crowd when “The Dogs” comes hurtling out of “Light’s” jam, as you can tell they’re still in love with the Halloween costume. The only Halloween 2014-related crowd roar I love more came about two months later.

33. 8/22/15 III, Magnaball, Watkins Glen, NY

This could have been a total throwaway after…well, we’ll get to that, but they still came out and played a killer set of music nevertheless. “Light” and “Blaze On,” in particular, really stand out, but don’t skip that “Mind Left Body”-inflected “Cities,” either.

32. 7/3/11 I, Superball IX, Watkins Glen, NY

A truly charming mix of giddy nostalgia (“Forbin’s” > “Mockingbird”!), strong jamming (for any set), crazy surprises (that “Wilson” > “Mound” duo!), and a grand “Reba” -> “Bowie” to top it off. If only the rest of Superball (“Storage Jam” excluded) had had this much quality to it…

31. 7/24/15 II, Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View, CA

Summer 2015 had only just started, and here they were playing a show of absolutely sterling quality, headlined by a truly killer “Twist” > “Light” duo. Expectations were raised pretty high out of the gate. The wildest thing is that the band actually met them.

Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment below, and look forward to Part 3 on Friday, March 18!

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Welcome to the 215th edition of Phish.Net's Mystery Jam Monday. The winner will receive TWO MP3 codes good for free downloads of any two shows, courtesy of our friends at LivePhish.com / Nugs.Net. To win, be the first person to identify the song and date of the mystery jam clip. Each person gets one guess per day, with the second “day” starting after I post the hint. A hint will be posted on Tuesday if necessary, with the answer to follow on Wednesday. Good luck!

Tuesday hint (11:49 AM ET): You may need to go a camera to figure this one out.

Answer: Congratulations to first-time winner, @TwiceBitten, who takes home two codes for reading right through my hint and identifying the 7/15/94 David Bowie from (Nikon at) Jones Beach Amphitheater on Long Island.

Note: When the MJM started nearly six years ago, @lumpblockclod was able to post a mix of more popular and more obscure jams, and would post much longer clips, sometimes upwards of three minutes. The MJM was great fun becaue it relied on folks' musical memory to win, or searching through their local music archives for things they may've recognized, or maybe they'd pull a few shows from The Spreadsheet if they thought they were going down the right path. This was still the case when @bl002e took over too, but during his tenure, three years ago this week, PhishTracks came out... and it changed the game forever. Now we're firmly planted in the Phish.in' / PhishTracks era, where everyone has every jam at their fingertips, and scanning through dozens and dozens of jams per hour is not only possible, it's routine for many. For that reason, I may be moving the goalposts back a bit in future MJMs. It'll still be the same game at the same time each week, but I'm going to experiment with some new ideas to keep it fresh and make it challenging. First, as a reminder, I am reserving the right to reuse jams that have been used in previous MJMs -- I won't post the exact same clip from a previous MJM, but you may hear a different section of a previously-used jam. Second, I may post multi-part clips, or multiple, shorter segments from the same jam or the same show. Or I may post clips from different shows and ask folks to find what they have in common. I will keep the fundamental objective of the game intact, and it'll still be fun, but I do think we're in a good position to switch things up a bit in the near future. That said, tune in next week for MJM216!

Way back in the heady days of October 2014 (before the Chilling Thrilling Sounds set, the Miami "Disease," Magnaball, and the Mexico run), I put together a list of my favorite sets from the modern era, which can be found here. I’ve updated it a few times since then, and was ready to post the latest version on the forum, but since I’m now technically part of the .net team as a jam chart contributor, I’ve decided to give back to the website that’s given me so much, and am instead putting this latest update on the blog. So here they are: my 50 favorite sets of 3.0, and 11 honorable mentions, presented ten at a time over a series of five blog posts. Up first, the honorable mentions and sets #50 - #41. Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: All of this is just one man's very subjective opinion. Feel free to discuss, disagree (gently), and point out anything I may have missed or ignored in the comments. Vive la différence!

HONORABLE MENTIONS

HM: 9/6/15 Encore, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO

From a jamming perspective, easily the least impressive set (or, well, “set”) here. But from a pure fun, pure humor, and pure emotion perspective? One of the highlights of the whole darn era. And besides, who doesn’t like a good "Keyboard Army"?

HM: 7/12/14 II, Randall’s Island, New York, NY

One of those sets that functions far better as a sum of its parts than it does when taken individually. While the "Carini," "Ghost," and "Harry Hood" from this show are all quite good, there are versions of each that I like more in 2014. But when you put them together, threaded expertly with some “breather” tunes (if one can call "Rock & Roll" a “breather”), into one six-song set of music? Baby, you’ve got a stew going. A sleeper favorite of mine for sure.

HM: 7/30/14 II, nTelos Pavilion, Portsmouth, VA

Ah, forgot about this one, didn’t you? One of the funkiest sets of the modern era, headlined by the third (and the nastiest) of the big July 2014 "Fuegos," but also featuring an actually exciting "Meatstick" and a "Piper" that moves from gruesome to blissful with 3.0’s usual ease. A high-class show from Summer 2014, albeit one sucked under the current of some better-known Summer 2014 shows.

HM: 6/7/12 II, DCU Center, Worcester, MA

One of the era's finest tour openers; maybe a bit left back in the shuffle thanks to the last three years, but still featuring a potent and exciting "Carini" -> "Taste" > "Ghost" > "Boogie On" > "If I Could" run that showed off how much the band had improved to that point. I’m fairly sure people will think I’m underrating this one, and to be honest, I’m not sure that I’m not.

HM: 1/17/16 II, Barcelo Maya Beach, Riviera Maya, MX

The Mexico run has inspired more than enough debate as it is, but I think there’s very little debate on this puppy being the highlight of the three shows, with a "Disease" and "Crosseyed" that both settle into icy late-90s type grooves. A set forever known as the "Shipwreck" set, and a possible portent of a new direction for the band.

HM: 8/7/10 II, William Randolph Hearst Theater, Berkeley, CA

If anyone remembers this set today, they’ll remember it for the monster "Light" (segued into, even!), but it’s put together very well and the "Hood" and "Suzy" are true highlights. One of the top shows of Summer 2010.

HM: 9/5/15 II, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO

I go very hard in the paint for this show, so it pains me to have it here. Dick’s 2015 is often boiled down to its final night, but a set featuring a run of the quality of "CDT" -> "Twist" > "Mercury" > "Light" should not be ignored. "Light," in particular, is the first sign that the "Drive-In Jam" had stuck with the band (we’ll get to another one soon enough).

HM: 10/31/14 III, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV

You can’t blame the band too much for both tiredness and sloppiness after what had come earlier that night, but they still managed a neat "Golden Age," cool segue into "Heavy Things" from "Tweezer," and an absolutely killer "Sand" -> "Tweezer Reprise" to close. A worthy end to one of *those* shows.

HM: 12/28/12 II, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

This "Tweezer" managed to hold the title of “Consensus Best 'Tweezer' of 3.0” for 7 months, but a six-song second set, especially one that features both "Fluffhead" and a very fine "David Bowie," shouldn’t be remembered just for that.

HM: 8/23/15 II, Magnaball, Watkins Glen, NY

Given how many sets in this era mainly gain respect for big jams, for a set whose highlight arguably isn’t its biggest jam (the "Disease") to show up here means that it’s got a lot to sell. And between the big segues, the laugh-out-loud fun of the "Twist," and that gorgeous "What’s The Use?," there’s a lot to sell for sure. Oh, by the way, we definitely haven't seen the last of this run.

HM: 8/9/15 II, Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI

The hardest omission for me; I think it says a lot about 3.0’s top-end quality that a set this good just barely misses my main list. But make no mistake, that "Waves" -> "Tweezer" and "Mike’s Song" triptych is really damn choice. We most definitely haven't seen the last of August 2015, as well.

And now, without further ado, the bottom ten of my top 50 favorite sets of 3.0!

NUMBERS 50-41

50. 6/17/11 II, Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Charlotte, NC

As noted in a previous incarnation of this list, almost a history of Phish in reverse – 3.0 punching bag "Number Line," big late-90s jam vehicles with (a stellar) "Rock & Roll" and (pretty good) "Ghost," then the early-90s with "Reba," "Icculus," Fish singing, and "YEM." Just a fun set all around.

49. 12/30/15 II, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

I think people are still bummed about "Ghost" being used as a new song sandwich, but that only really means so much when you’ve got that ridiculous "Gin," multi-part "CDT," and "Paug" -> "WTU?" -> "Paug" to deal with. Don't miss out on the "Waves," either. One of those sets that just bounces from strength to strength.

48. 10/17/14 II, Matthew Knight Arena, Eugene, OR

My favorite tour opener of the era. A truly underrated show, distinguished by another superb "Crosseyed" that led into a lovely Type II "Harry Hood" (one of many from "Hood’s" banner year of 2014), but also featuring a cool "Carini" -> "Plasma" double shot and nifty Type 1.5 "Twist."

47. 10/30/10 II, Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ

Who doesn’t like songs about hobbits and the bedding of fair maidens?

46. 10/26/13 II, DCU Arena, Worcester, MA

The first set from the legendary Fall 2013 tour, probably the pick for 3.0’s finest tour until last year. Most people would consider the big-time "Drowned" as the highlight, but I’ve always been partial to that hip-hop inflected "Light" that serves as its sidecar.

45. 6/27/10 II, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD

The first of a few sets appearing on this list that were played at Merriweather Post Pavilion, which has really established itself as a must-see venue in 3.0 (odd that they’re not returning for 2016), as well as the first of a few sets played at MPP that feature great segues (hint, hint). Who doesn’t love a good teasefest?

44. 7/31/09 II, Red Rocks, Morrison, CO

It’s a bummer that they haven’t been to Red Rocks since, because I consider that run to be the moment where Phish shook off enough rust to begin the upward trend of 3.0. "Drowned" -> "C&P" is a heck of a beast, and "Fluffhead" gets taken for something of a ride, to boot. You can write off a decent amount of 2009, but this (and a few other shows) should convince you to not write off all of 2009.

43. 8/7/15 II, Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH

The "Ghost" and "Hood" from this show are both quite sharp, and getting "The Lizards" mid-set is a heck of a treat. But the reputation for this show lies almost entirely in "Chalk Dust Torture" -> "Tweezer," a highlight from a year positively swimming in highlights. A Fall 2013-style set, played in Summer 2015.

42. 6/4/11 II, Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH

Funny how this pairing worked out. A true highlight of June 2011 (a somewhat rocky month, to say the least), with some great moments – "Steam’s" debut, an upbeat dance party out of "Sally," a really sweet "Hood" / "Have Mercy" sandwich. Hopefully this show will get more attention in the future.

41. 9/1/12 II, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO

Another set that I think people will say I grievously underrated, to which I say “well, I don’t *love* the "Light," and if you don’t *love* something like the 7/13/14 "CDT," you probably won’t think that set’s all that great, either.” The "Light" IS really good, though, as are the "Caspian" and "Golden Age," so it might just be me.

Go ahead and leave a comment below, and stay tuned for #40 - #31, coming Wednesday, March 16th!

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Welcome to the 214th edition of the Mystery Jam Monday. My good friend Pete had to run off to Florida last minute, and asked me to step into the void. Unfortunately I don't think Pete will be catching the Orlando Stash on this trip, but perhaps he can introduce his kids to the Chilling Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House, since I'm pretty sure the original 1964 record album was published by Disney Records. Anyway have fun Pete, and good luck everyone: The winner will receive an MP3 code good for a free download of any show, courtesy of our friends at LivePhish.com / Nugs.Net. To win, be the first person to identify the song and date of the mystery jam clip. Each person gets one guess per day, with the second “day” starting after I post the hint. A hint will be posted on Tuesday if necessary, with the answer to follow on Wednesday. Enjoy!

Update March 8: And... the referee throws out the yellow flag. We have a couple of technical defaults at play here. The MJM Jury has deliberated, and decided that the fairest course is to call MJM 214 a draw and double the prize for MJM 215. At issue are 1) @sirhotpants correctly guessing the right song, but incorrect version, and then posting a giveaway hint to all others after realizing his mistake; 2) @VanNicky75 picked up on @sirhotpants's clue, but technically, he had already submitted his guess for the day (Tahoe Tweezer, which, while it may have been in jest, is a guess nonetheless). Pete and I are NOT counting this as a win for the blog, as the 8/21/87 McGrupp was correctly identified by the users. But it's not being counted as a loss either. It's simply not being counted. Next week's winner will receive two free download codes.

Guys and Gals - We just want to remind you all of a couple of fairly simple rules: 1) you get one guess per day; day 2 begins AFTER a hint is posted; and 2) if you figure out the answer after you make a guess, please don't spoil it by posting something that gives the answer away to others, like the case this week. That's it. MJM 215 will be back as usual next week. Thanks again to Pete for letting me host. I had fun watching many you try to tree a Possum that wasn't there.

Welcome to the 213th edition of Phish.Net's Mystery Jam Monday. The winner will receive an MP3 code good for a free download of any show, courtesy of our friends at LivePhish.com / Nugs.Net. To win, be the first person to identify the song and date of the mystery jam clip. Each person gets one guess per day, with the second “day” starting after I post the hint. A hint will be posted on Tuesday if necessary, with the answer to follow on Wednesday. Good luck!

Answer: Congrats to first-time winner @12_29_97_4eva, who quickly identified the 8/11/09 BDTNL from Toyota Park in Bridgeview, IL, and takes home a code for a free download of any show from LivePhish. Who knows, maybe he'll choose the best show from the 1997 NYE run, 12/30/97! Tune in next Monday at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET for MJM214 – write it down, just don't miss an MJM.

Welcome to the 212th edition of Phish.Net's Mystery Jam Monday. The winner will receive an MP3 code good for a free download of any show, courtesy of our friends at LivePhish.com / Nugs.Net. To win, be the first person to identify the song and date of the mystery jam clip. Each person gets one guess per day, with the second “day” starting after I post the hint. A hint will be posted on Tuesday if necessary, with the answer to follow on Wednesday. Good luck!

Answer: In case you haven't been paying attention, we have another MJM savant on our hands: @schvice is taking the game by storm in winning four of the past seventeen, and is now more than halfway to emeritus status. But don't be fooled: he doesn't just have a good ear and a solid memory, he works at it, scanning dozens of jams to find the needle in the haystack. That's what it takes to win in the PhishTracks / Phish.in' age of the MJM. This week he correctly identified the 9/24/00 Cities from the Target Center in Minneapolis, a jam you don't often hear mentioned in "awesome jam" discussions, but a jam that deserves 19+ minutes of your attention nonetheless. With the tour opener in St. Paul this year, don't be surprised to see Kevin Shapiro (@shapsio) throw this beauty on Live Bait Vol. 12!

Natalie Cressman (part of the Trey Anastasio Band) and Mike Bono have graciously written and recorded a song about music education for the Mockingbird Foundation, for which we are extremely grateful and which we are excited to debut. Hear the track on Soundcloud, or via the following frame. Lyrics follow below the fold.

TEACH ME

I never knew quite how to turn the noise around
To cast a meaning glow, to paint with sound

Help me spin the trials of my heart into good
Into potent tunes, easily understood

To speak my mind without a word
Cascades of sound you've never heard
To sing my story clear as a bird
All I need is you to teach me

Tones with truth reach past any one tongue
Felt and repeated by everyone

Shape and build me up note by note
Bring my ear to blossom with all you wrote

I'll speak my mind without a word
Cascades of sound you've never heard
I'll sing my story clear as a bird
All I need is you to teach me

Standing on your shoulders I see
All that was out of reach

What you give, all you pass on,
Bring journeys that never cease

I'll speak my mind without a word
Cascades of sound you've never heard
I'll sing my story clear as a bird
All I need is you to teach me

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Welcome to the 211th edition of Phish.Net's Mystery Jam Monday. The winner will receive an MP3 code good for a free download of any show, courtesy of our friends at LivePhish.com / Nugs.Net. To win, be the first person to identify the song and date of the mystery jam clip. Each person gets one guess per day, with the second “day” starting after I post the hint. A hint will be posted on Tuesday if necessary, with the answer to follow on Wednesday. Good luck!

Tuesday Hint:

Answer: It came down to the wire, but in the end @mickeyjoe86 was able to identify the 7/27/03 Prince Caspian as this week's mystery clip and will take home a code for a free show download. The Blog takes some solace in knowing that every time Phish plays Prince Caspian, dozens of you will now think of that random fleet-footed ballplayer whose cards I had as a kid and whose name popped into my head the first time (and every time since) I heard the lyrics to Prince Caspian. Oooooooooddibe McDowell'd again! Alas, the Blog does not like getting Fuckerpants'd by the users, so the Blog will be back next week with another deep cut (and hopefully, another hint) for MJM212.

Pretty much anyone who was in New York City on 2/12/06 remembers that day. The vast majority of NYC’s 8+ million inhabitants probably remember the record setting blizzard that dumped nearly 27 inches of snow in Central Park. For the 2,800 lucky souls who spent the evening a few blocks west at the Beacon Theater, the blizzard is only the second most memorable part of that day. More memorable is the outstanding Phil & Friends show with Trey sitting in for the entire show in place of Barry Sless.

I was lucky enough to be tipped off that morning that Trey would be sitting in. Somehow, great seats were still available on Ticketmaster. After pulling an Orchestra Row M, I set off to make the journey from the East Village to the Upper West Side.

Most folks in attendance were probably expecting a “snow” song to kick things off, but instead the band got right down to business with a nice run through of “Help” > “Slip” > “Franklin’s.” While this version doesn’t hold a candle to the Warfield ‘99 version with Page and Trey (the “Franklin’s,” in particular, is a bit ragged), it was still a great way to get things started. After an enjoyable version of The Band’s “Up on Cripple Creek,” we got the real meat of the first set. Typically, it’s a bad sign when the trio of “They Love Each Other” -> “Cold Rain & Snow” -> “Loose Lucy” form the highlights of a set. Not the case here, though. “TLEO” is downright hosey. Trey’s first solo veered into “I Know You Rider” territory, while the jam out of the final verse headed into a version of “Cold Rain & Snow” that simply did not need vocals.

After “Loose Lucy” we got one of the real treats of the set, a stunning version of “Buckets of Rain,” the last track from arguably Dylan’s greatest album, Blood on the Tracks, featuring Trey and Joan Osborne delivering tandem vocals and Larry Campbell on mandolin. A second consecutive Dylan cover in "All Along the Watchtower" closed the set.

Set II opens with a typically great version of "St. Stephen" (although check out the 6/30/06 version to hear Trey really launch this tune into the stratosphere). Next up is a Ryan Adams cover, "What Sin Replaces Love." At the time it seemed odd placement for this quiet song, but Phil knew what the rest of us didn't: the next hour was going to be straight psychedelic fire.

"Cryptical Envelopment" started up and the musical ideas flow like wine. At times Trey takes the lead, other times the jam is driven by Phil, still others Trey and Larry trade licks. Is that a "Cosmic Charley" jam? Over 22 minutes, the jam ebbs and flows but never bores, finally resolving into "Dark Star." Before long, "Dark Star" threatens to turn spacey when things take an unexpected turn as Larry Campbell picks up the violin -- during "DARK STAR." It completely works, though, and soon Trey is locked into Larry's violin. Phil steers the band into a unique version "The Other One" proper interspersed with fiery leads from Trey and Larry's continued fiddle work. The second verse of "Dark Star" is next and Larry finally returns to his guitar as he and Trey put the finishing touches on this 55-minute excursion.

No rest for the wicked, though, as "Eyes of the World" follows, one of the songs conspicuously absent from the '99 Phil & Phriends shows. "Eyes" is a fairly short version, sadly without the '73-'74 coda. Next up is "GDTRFB," a song that was hinted at during the preceding "Dark Star" / "Other One" madness. A perfunctory "Gimme Shelter" closed out the set. "Wolfman's Brother" appeared in the encore slot, the fourth (and, to date, final) time Phil has performed the song with a member of Phish. A bonus "In the Midnight Hour" sent everyone home happy.

The natural impulse, for Phish nerds anyway, is to compare this show to the other Phil & Friends shows with Trey. This is one case where I wouldn't make those comparisons. First off, those April '99 shows were magical. Most shows, including most Phish and Dead shows will pale in comparison. Second, this show was simply different. It doesn't have the same telepathic peaks that Kimock/Anastasio hit repeatedly over the Warfield run, nor does it have Page McConnell on piano. But what it does have is plenty: "Cold Rain & Snow" with Trey's guitar on lead vocals, a delicate "Buckets of Rain" and, of course, 55 minutes of Rolling Thunder with a fiddle.

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Welcome to the 210th edition of Phish.Net's Mystery Jam Monday. The winner will receive an MP3 code good for a free download of any show, courtesy of our friends at LivePhish.com / Nugs.Net. To win, be the first person to identify the song and date of the mystery jam clip. Each person gets one guess per day, with the second “day” starting after I post the hint. A hint will be posted on Tuesday if necessary, with the answer to follow on Wednesday. Good luck!

Answer: Sometimes on Monday evening, the Blog gets excited that folks are way off base with their guesses, and scrambles to think of a hint. This... was not one of those weeks. By identifying the 10/30/85 Skippy the Wondermouse a mere 17 minutes after the clip was posted and before anyone could even muster a guess, @highhat goes back-to-back, earning his second code in less than a week. Do we have another MJM savant on our hands, or did he just catch lightning in a bottle? Find out Monday, on the next episode of MJM...

This guest post is written by Michael Mastroianni, user SimpleMike.

We’re into 2016, between tours and with plenty of time to reflect on the music we’ve enjoyed for the past 7 years. Instead of focusing on the great jams of the “3.0 era,” we turn our attention to the data in hopes of revealing what has become the band’s unspoken preferences of what to play and when.

The following analysis is restricted to the 285 shows between 2009 and 2015, since I think these years essentially comprise modern Phish and, in all probability, patterns prior to 2009 would be different and less relevant to make current predictions than those in the present, so-called “3.0 era.”

Set Bias

Are there certain songs Phish prefers to play during set 1? Similarly, are there certain songs Phish usually reserves for set 2? The graphs below show the top 20 songs by number of plays where the dominating set represents at least 80% of the shows in which the song was played. In other words, the graph for set 2 shows the top 20 songs with a set 2 bias, i.e., songs that were played in set 2 in at least 80% of the shows they were played in. "Tweezer," for example, was played in 80 of the 285 shows (28% of the shows). Only 10 of these were played during set 1.

It is interesting that “Divided Sky,” “Funky Bitch,” “Lawn Boy,” “Gumbo,” “Poor Heart,” “Ya Mar,” “Foam,” “Train Song,” “Alumni Blues,” “My Sweet One,” “Brian and Robert,” “Beauty of a Broken Heart,” “Vultures” and “Crowd Control” have only been played in Set 1 since 2009. Similarly, “Piper,” “Golden Age,” “Crosseyed and Painless,” “Waves” and “Drowned” have only been played in Set 2 since 2009. (Note, however, that I have excluded encores and any third sets.)

Transitions

What are the most common song transitions? I restricted my analysis to only include sets 1 and 2, and to consider one song following another within the same set as a “transition.” I also only examined transitions that occurred in at least 6 shows. The graph below shows these top transitions in descending order:

Some transitions are no surprise to see, of course, but it did surprise me that “Harry Hood” has led into “Cavern” so frequently. Similarly, “Down with Disease” into (or followed by) “Free” isn’t something I would have anticipated to have occurred in so many shows.

I visually examined a heat map of the “transitions” and their frequencies and there were virtually no patterns to be found. With the exception of the “transitions” shown in the graph above, there were mostly just a scattering of equally frequent events. This shows that Phish truly finds a way to make these happen on the fly. They do not pick certain songs that are easier to transition between seamlessly.

Predicting Songs During the Show

You have almost certainly been at a show and wondered, if they play song X, then what song (Y) will I most likely hear later on in the show? If I hear “grind, grind, grind, grind, grind, grind, grind, bum bum bum …” then will I hear my favorite song “You Enjoy Myself” in the same show? It turns out that the answer is “most of the time.” I calculated every probability for every pair of songs played from 2009 to 2015 and collected the most relevant for you.

In the table below, “Likelihood” is the chance that the second song listed in each row in the “Implication” column will be played during the show at some point before or after the performance of the first song listed in the “Implication” column (e.g., the actual timing of the song’s appearance in the show is not considered, which is why you’ll see that “Tweezer Reprise” implies that “Tweezer” will be played, even though “Tweezer Reprise” would never precede “Tweezer” in the show). “% of Shows With Antecedent” is the portion of shows during the 2009-2015 period in which the first song was played (ie. “Weekapaug Groove” was played in 27% of the shows and “Mike’s Song” was played in every one of these shows). The higher this percentage, the more likely the information in this table will be relevant to you at a future show, so keep it handy. The lower this percentage, the more likely that the information is coincidental (However, note that 4% here is at least 10 shows):

Other Useful Observations

The following also applies to shows between 2009 and 2015:

Most frequent set 1 openers: “AC/DC Bag,” “Kill Devil Falls,” “Chalk Dust Torture,” “Sample in a Jar,” “Runaway Jim,” “Crowd Control”

Most frequent set 1 closers: “Run Like an Antelope,” “David Bowie,” “Character Zero,” “Walls of the Cave,” “Suzy Greenberg”

Most frequent set 2 openers: “Down with Disease,” “Rock and Roll,” “Chalk Dust Torture,” “Carini,” “Crosseyed and Painless,” “Golden Age,” “Mike’s Song,” “Drowned,” “Backwards Down the Number Line,” “Tweezer.”

Most frequent set 2 closers: “You Enjoy Myself,” “Run Like an Antelope,” “Slave to the Traffic Light,” “Character Zero,” “Weekapaug Groove,” “Harry Hood”

Most frequent encore songs: “Tweezer Reprise,” “Loving Cup,” “Character Zero,” “Good Times Bad Times,” “First Tube,” “Sleeping Monkey,” “Suzy Greenberg,” “Show of Life,” “Julius,” “A Day in the Life”

Closing

It would appear, from all of the juicy results above, that we can make some solid predictions at our next show. It is true. I calculated the results in the Predicting Songs During the Show section above halfway through Saturday’s (1/16/16) show and correctly predicted not only that “Harry Hood” would close the second set, but that “Character Zero” would be the encore.

Despite some successful predictions, the most glaring property of the data was the chaos within it. This study looked at 285 shows. Among these 285 shows there were 99 unique set 1 openers, 60 unique set 1 closers, 68 unique set 2 openers, 52 unique set 2 closers and 102 unique songs played in encores. Phish evidently makes an effort to surprise us with the opening song of each show. Furthermore, 57% of the shows contained a song that was only played in 1 or 2 shows throughout all 7 years. Hats off to our favorite band for making every show special!

Good luck calling songs at your next show, but don’t blame me when they open with “Mexican Cousin.”

Happy touring,
Michael Mastroianni

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Welcome to the 209th edition of Phish.Net's Mystery Jam Monday. The winner will receive an MP3 code good for a free download of any show, courtesy of our friends at LivePhish.com / Nugs.Net. To win, be the first person to identify the song and date of the mystery jam clip. Each person gets one guess per day, with the second “day” starting after I post the hint. A hint will be posted on Tuesday if necessary, with the answer to follow on Wednesday. Good luck!

Clue (11:30 AM ET): A ten song second set? Well, it certainly ended on a high note!

Answer: A moral victory for the blog this week, making it to the second day, but first time winner @highhat takes home a code good for a free show download from LivePhish.com. Tune in next week for MJM210!

[Editor's Note, SP] – For the third consecutive year, the phish.net working group has set out to rank the top ten shows of the year (with MSG - but not Mexico - being included as part of the 2015 "year" despite bleeding into 2016). I think we’re past the part where we talk about the merits of ranking shows. We are past that, right? Ok, good!

Just how good was 2015? Summer tour sits alongside fall ‘13, as the consensus choices for best tours of 3.0, (though fall ‘13 was a mere twelve shows, albeit twelve incredibly strong shows). It's been argued that Magnaball is one of the greatest Phish festivals ever… at least the best since IT or, for those of you with 2.0 animus, Big Cypress. Similarly, setting aside fall ‘13, you probably have to go back to summer ‘03 to find a tour as strong as summer ‘15 and, for the 2.0 haters, maybe summer ‘99? Is that even possible? Phish just wrapped up their 32nd year and they're still playing shows that can be mentioned in the same breath as those from their “prime?” Yes, it's a good time to be a Phish fan. Generous numbers of webcasts make it possible for fans to experience growing numbers of shows in real time. The band just wrapped up a dream run on the freaking beach in Mexico. Most importantly, the music is as great as ever. Fellow Phish fans, the state of our union is strong!

And now, we rank. Much like last year, we had a clear top four (and, unlike last year, a unanimous #1). After the top four, things got a little more muddled. All of these shows feature at least one tentpole jam; but it seemed like shows with the strongest jams and best supporting cast in the second set had weakest first sets (and vice-versa). Before we start, though, a word about shows #11-14. MSG4 1/2/16, MPP1 8/15/15, Magna3 8/23/15 and Alpine2 8/9/15 are all stellar shows. In fact, looking back to 2014, it wouldn’t be surprising if each of these shows would have found a home in that year’s top ten. Alas, hard decisions had to be made. So enough with the participation trophies and let’s move onto the Best of 2015...

10. 8/4/15 Ascend Amphitheater, Nashville, TN - Drew Hitz
Official LivePhish Soundboard * Audience Recording

The brand new Ascend Amphitheater in Nashville had been open less than a week when Phish performed there in early August. Reports were that the venue was very intimate (only 6,800 capacity), had phenomenal acoustics (it was designed primarily as the summer home for the Nashville Symphony Orchestra) and had incredible views of the Nashville skyline and the famous bridges over the Cumberland River. Both the venue and Phish's performance exceeded all expectations.

The first set was well played, but the reason this show made our top ten list is because of the “Mike's Groove” in the second set. Backstage before the show, Trey was reminded of the second jam in “Mike's Song” and asked if he wanted to "break Twitter tonight" by playing it for the first time in 15 years. Trey responded with a smile and said "I'd love to," and the rest is history.

“Mike’s Song” – 8/4/15, Nashville, TN (video via LazyLightning55a)

The stellar “Mike's Song” is followed by one of the better version of “Piper” in 3.0. That was followed by the only “Crosseyed and Painless” of 2015 which segued masterfully into a phenomenal “Weekapaug Groove.” Within the first two minutes this “Weekapaug” featured “Crosseyed” teases, as well as Trey uncharacteristically slowing the whole thing way down while laughing through the lyrics. This laid back dance party eventually gave way to a full blown type II heavy metal section that set the place off. This fourteen-minute version closed with the triumphant return of the “Weekapaug” theme featuring more “Crosseyed” teases and a “Slave” encore to end the show.

Coming 20 years after the famous Mud Island “Tweezer,” this show proved the old Phish adage that you should never miss a weekday show in Tennessee next to a river.

9. 8/7/15 Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH - Martin Acaster
Official LivePhish Soundboard * Audience Recording

When we are ranking Phish performances, we all have our own criteria for what makes a given show great. My criteria are pretty straightforward. If I was there, it is automatically going to be considered one of the best shows ever! I feel that first sets are just as important as second sets. I like when Phish plays songs that I like. I like when they play those songs really well. I enjoy when they drop unexpected teases in strange new places. I love when they remind me why they are the world’s most accomplished cover band. “Tweezer” and its glorious “Reprise” is the greatest thing that happened in the history of rock and roll. Any “Tweezer”... all the “Tweezers”... and their respective “Reprises” are life-affirming experiences. I really dislike Phish playing shitty bluegrass. Given these ranking criteria, you can better understand my overrating of the 2015 gig at Blossom – I had it as the #2 show of the year on my ballot. However, without this highly subjective grade inflation, the most impactful show of the year (and I wasn’t even there) likely wouldn’t even have made the top ten for 2015, thereby rendering this exercise essentially worthless. Seriously, this show changed the course of history, people!

The opening sequence of “A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing” through “Roses are Free” is just about as solid a start to a first set as you could expect. “ASIHTOS” is absolutely manhandled by Fishman, Page drops a “Low Spark of High Heeled Boys” vibe all over it, and Trey’s solo ties a nice “Slipknot!” on the running rigging. Fishman’s techno-triphammer assault continues through “My Sweet One” which is keyed by some tasty Page funky-tonk. The already high energy level is ramped up into the crunchy flange fest of “Wilson.” Love the tone there, Trey. With “Timber (Jerry)” we are now at four consecutive songs I like that have been played really well. This set is crackling with life so far. I love Ween. I was sad when Ween broke up. This performance of “Roses are Free” though itself fairly pedestrian helped to get the band back together! Thereby making this the most impactful Phish show of the year… regardless of what follows.

It is therefore fitting that the trio of songs that ensue inarguably represent the low point of the show. “Rift” in particular is a total Trey’n wreck, but if you ignore the flubby fingers and concentrate on the sick beats from Fish you will get through it. “Ginseng Sullivan” is a personal nightmare… but over soon enough. Yes, I love this show even though it contains Phish playing a shitty bluegrass song. “Moma Dance” is unfairly but almost universally reviled in certain fan echo chambers. However, this “Moma” is atypically slow and funky with a mild “Tweeprise” flavor. and considering the version that was recently played in Mexico may represent the inflection point in the trajectory of both the song and the first set of this show. “Wingsuit” soars skyward with a patient Floydian fire, “It’s Ice” brings a funky “For The Love of Money” tease, and “Bathtub Gin” has a volcanic peak to send us into halftime with a comfortable lead.

”It’s Ice” – 8/7/15, Cuyahoga Falls, OH (video via Bobby Scharff)

The second set of this show does not let up on the gas, ever. Solid song selection and flow from start to finish. When the mid-set “breather” slot is occupied by “Makisupa Policeman.” you know The Boys took the stage looking to kick some ass. The “Chalk Dust Torture” opener is pumped and jacked and the jam eventually veers down the road to “Paradise City.” With the recent announcement of the Axl and Slash reconciliation, this obviously helped to get the band back together! Thereby making this the most impactful Phish show of the year… regardless of what follows. Naturally, what follows is the best “Tweezer” of the year. Dark, angry, yet melodious. Picture Slipknot playing “Fuck Your Face” while Lexy Panterra twerks in front of the Fountains of Bellagio. Fully satisfied already, the rest of the show is pure gravy. “Lizards” is not perfect… but who cares… it is a treasured gift every time it appears. “Makisupa” reveals that Trey likes to don a cape while he hits the strawberry bubble gum goop he puts in his vape. “Ghost” is another Fishman drum clinic. He is unquestionably the recipient of my 2015 MVP vote. “Harry Hood” goes all Rutherford the Brave’s “Energy Guide” and ignites the smouldering “Tweezer Reprise” set closer. Having flipped the order on a typical “Good Times Bad Times” > “Tweeprise” encore, the “GTBT” proves to be the shreddiest of the two songs on this particular evening, and Fishman once again serves notice that if Page, Plant, and Jones ever want to get the band back together! He is more than capable of taking Bonzo’s throne behind the kit.

M-V-P, M-V-P, M-V-P, M-V-P!

8. 9/6/15 Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO - David “Zzyzx” Steinberg
Official LivePhish Soundboard * Audience Recording

Beloved Phish shows come in three forms: those that have bustouts, those that have great jams, and those that have antics. The final Dick's show of 2015 started out with the former – the first stand-alone performance of “The Landlady” since 1994. While parts of the song are played in the middle of “Punch You in the Eye,” this is song is a common stats clogger for many – I have received many a complaint to have that song removed from their most commonly played but not seen list – and while the song isn't played well, it served as a sign that this show might not be business as usual.

While the rest of the first set is interesting with an unusual mid set “Seven Below” > “Caspian,” “Saw it Again” randomly popping up in the middle, and a rare “Birdwatcher” towards the end, the second set is where things start to cook. “Down with Disease” goes into a euphoric jam, one of those beautiful jams where a theme gets developed and builds. While nothing else in the set touches that peak, the glory of that moment seemed to infect the rest of the evening. Everything else is played with just a little extra energy. The jams are short, but they’re all joyous, one of these sets that is perfect for a run, or that first nice day of spring.

”Once in a Lifetime” – 9/6/15, Commerce City, CO (video via LazyLightning55a)

Due to a late start and a long set break, Phish were bumping the curfew when the encore started. So when they started up the “Tweezer Reprise,” everyone figured the show was over. However, the band didn’t leave the stage; instead there was an Ooom Pah Pah. “Harpua” is always a fan favorite, but this one was especially fun, one that weaved in and out rare songs (including two that hadn’t been played since the mid-‘90s) and ending with a one time cover of “United We Stand,” as Trey talked about how much he appreciated the scene we have built. When the news started to circulate that this encore was spelling out “THANK YOU,” there was nothing but stunned smiles to be seen.

This isn’t a Phish show for those who prefer the dark psychedelic nights. Rather, this is a concert of the light, one that works to remind us that the world is indeed filled with amazing moments. You’re welcome, Trey. You’re quite welcome.

7. 12/30/15 Madison Square Garden, New York, NY - Dan Mielcarz
Official LivePhish Soundboard * Audience Recording

An obligatory “Sample” opener feels obligatory. “Free” opens up a bit (but only a bit) more than usual, with a chill little jam featuring some great interplay between Mike and Trey. “Simple” includes some fun fills by Trey, and the classic MSG cheer at the skyscraper line and then the short jam morphs into “Back on the Train.” A long discussion between songs leads to “Waiting All Night,” a great song off Fuego, but not exactly a dance party. “555” has some vocal detractors, of which I am sometimes one, but this version brings a little extra in a dark type-I jam. “Roggae” follows, and a raging solo by Trey made this the highlight of the first set. “Dogs” and “46 Days” close out a fun, but completely ordinary first set.

There was a time when a set two opening “Chalk Dust” would be a mere prelude to the real jamming vehicle to follow. But not anymore – what an amazing time to be alive! Interestingly this jam starts out with a descending phrase from Trey that seemed like the tune might end up being a straightforward type-I version, but instead quickly launches into a driving funky jam. Trey latches onto a hunk of melody that is close to but not quite “Third Stone from the Sun.” This is no mere Trey wankfest, though, but a jam where you could listen four times in a row, focusing on each band member, because they were each at the absolute top of their games. The jam progresses through several distinct sections, with Trey’s guitar tone going from porno funk to mutron to distorted hard rock, Page switching from clavinet to piano, and Mike dropping meatballs to the great joy of the 20,000 in the house. Towards the end of the jam, the band heads into a triumphant major key section before following some delay loop noise on a slide into “Ghost.”

This first half of the “Ghost” sandwich is notable only for its short length, leaving the crowd to think “that’s it?” and then “what the heck is this?” as the debut of “Can’t Always Listen” played out. A simple AAB 12 bar blues, with some heartfelt nods to Grateful Dead riffs, “Can’t Always Listen” will hopefully find a happier home in a setlist, as opposed to its slightly jarring debut. The “Ghost” reprise contains some more interesting jamming, and a silky segue into a straightforward but uptempo “Waves.” As the chill spacey “Waves” outro fades out, the opening notes of “Bathtub Gin” take its place. And what a “Gin” – an ecstatic, breathtaking hose jam that nearly reaches Great Went heights. A surprising fourth quarter “Mike’s Song” is next, with only a single jam, yet a good enough one to get the entire arena bouncing, which perhaps led to the unusually placed “Bouncing Around the Room.” At the show I figured on a standard but fun “Weekapaug” to close the set. It certainly starts off that way, but then an uptempo tease then segue into “What’s The Use?” happens. The dynamic range on this “WTU” is just astounding – and for a rock band playing in the world's greatest arena it is otherworldly. The quiet part will give you chills, and the crescendo will blow your mind. I’m so happy to have this song back in regular rotation. The resolution on the final chord and launch back into “Weekapaug” is epic. The “Zero” encore gets a zero from me, but after that second set, they were playing with house money.

”Weekapaug Groove” -> “What’s the Use?” -> “Weekapaug Groove” – 12/30/15, New York, NY (video via Phish)

Given the strength of the second set, why isn't this show ranked higher? First sets matter, and even though I pointed out a couple interesting parts, there is really nothing there to truly recommend. And while the awesome moments in the second set were indeed awesome, they don't quite reach the rarefied air of some of the jams in the shows ranked above this one. But if you love set two and think it was one of the best sets of the year, I won't argue.

6. 7/31/15 Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood, Atlanta, GA - Dan Purcell
Official LivePhish Soundboard * Audience Recording

Never let it be said that the jaded vets of phish.net are unable to see beyond superficial setlist deficiencies, like the fact that this consistently stellar show opens with a generic "Prince Caspian" and closes with an unremarkable "Character Zero." Forget about it; if that kind of thing bothers you, just hit the skip button and start with song number two, 2015's Rookie of the Year "No Men in No Man's Land." This show doesn't quite hit the peaks of our top four, but there is barely a down moment in the three hours between the Prince sinking below the waves and the inevitable arrival of the Man Mulcahy. It's so consistently productive that one breathless recapper temporarily lost his mind and anointed it the best Phish show since Big Cypress or something.

Comparisons aside, there's a lot to love here. Some members of our panel rejected the glorious, patient, "Manteca"-flavored "Kill Devil Falls" as a true, set-making tent-pole jam, but while it might never achieve the soul-vibrating peak of the Magnaball "Bathtub Gin" or "Tweezerpants," it still spits hot fire for 20 solid minutes. (For my nickel, Jon Fishman can play that "Manteca" beat all damn night.) But whatever, this second set can't stop and won't stop. "KDF" finally yields to 2015's longest and most productive exploration of 2014's Rookie of the Year, "Martian Monster," providing further proof that, when Phish switches instruments, that usually means it's a good show. No flies on the ensuing "Twist," either, which segues into a good, exploratory "Back on the Train" and then into an unusual (and above-average) fourth-quarter "Reba."

“Martian Monster” – 7/31/15, Atlanta, GA (video via LazyLightning55a)

If you want to argue that 2015 was the best year of the band's 3.0 era, the best support for that position would be the return of productive first sets and the high percentage of all-action, no-letup fourth quarters. This raging Friday night in humid north Georgia could be your Exhibit A on both scores. Nobody talks about it anymore in light of the stunning Magnaball and very good MSG versions, but this was the night when the band finally remembered how to chug unself-consciously from the jug of "Bathtub Gin." Never before in 230-some performances had Phish closed a second set with "Gin," and this one brings arena-rock thunder worthy of a vintage "Antelope" or "Bowie." Likewise, the first set's three-hole gives us a wonderful "Ghost" that shreds its way into your heart and closes with a hot old-school "Mike's Groove." Until the band reviews, practices, and nails the charts for the "Mike's Song" second jam in F major that @tweezer is currently preparing, the end of the first set is probably the best place for this warhorse. The "Mike's" intro turns what could have been a tempo battle between Trey and Fish into a hilarious, stop-time quasi-reggae fakeout that is quintessential Phish, and the concluding jam is intense and steamy. Even normally standard tunes like "The Moma Dance" acquit themselves well. It may not have mustered the height quite cracked our top five, but it was as wide as anything we heard from Phish in 2015.

5. 7/24/15 Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA - Phillip Zerbo
Official LivePhish Soundboard * Audience Recording

The 7/24/15 Shoreline show is a remarkable and yet curious gig – it was the best of times, and it was the worst of times. As was the case with the show ranked immediately below, here was a show that opened with “The Line” and closed with “Character Zero” yet still made the 2015 top ten! Obviously a lot of great music must have happened in the middle, though it didn’t happen early. The first set was plagued by a lack of flow and uninspired play, with nothing to recommend for subsequent listening outside of the “Reba,” and even that is a stretch. Even songs that usually sparkle (“Undermind”) or that were stretched out a bit (“Kill Devil Falls,” “46 Days”) fell flat.

When the band opened the second set with only the second performance of the then-brand new “Blaze On,” there was little hint that the situation would quickly improve. But improve it most certainly did, and in a hurry. After dispensing with the song proper, the jam out of “Blaze On” was pure fire. Trey soared early on with inspired and active leads, with Fishman driving the steam engine. About ten minutes in they returned to the song’s chorus to seemingly signal the end, but instead of wrapping up they tacked on another four minutes of swirling exploration let by Trey and Page, finally setting up “Twist.” Phish was clearly intent on going deep, as they shed the confines of “Twist” early – within four minutes of the opening notes, the song proper was a distant memory. The early part of the jam was edgy with tension, before briefly hinting at the “Twist” theme about nine minutes in. As was the case with “Blaze On,” instead of resolving to the song’s conclusion, Page let the way to major key bliss and sent the jam sailing into delightfully familiar and sunny territory, building to a soaring pinnacle.

”Twist” -> “Light” – 7/24/15, Mountain View, CA (video via Phish)

A solid half hour of glorious improvisation under their belt, this set had already more than wiped clean any disappointment from the first set. But Phish was far from done, as the opening notes of “Light” signified that this thrill ride did not require a pit stop. The “Light” takes a little longer to shine than did “Blaze On” and “Twist,” but by the seven-minute mark they had found their stride, coalescing around the most thrilling jam segment of the show. The collective flow of ideas in this set and the “Light” in particular was seemingly endless. “Joy” doesn’t always flow well in a second set, but it was a perfect interlude in this spot, after the joy ride of the first three songs that stretched over 45 minutes. Plenty of modern day Phish shows have a spectacular third quarter, but then tend to protect the lead and go into cruise control and coast to the end. This performance would definitely not follow that script. Instead, “Harry Hood” put pedal to metal with an invigorating, exploratory 15+ minute sprint to the finish. A completely unnecessary “Cavern” was tacked on, but the blowout win was solidly in hand.

Shoreline was an uneven performance to be sure, but when it contains a power hour of artistic greatness with four legitimate top tier jams in a single set, we can all walk away feeling good. Even with the dead weight of the first set, Shoreline is well-deserving of top-five 2015 status.

4. 8/21/15 Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, NY - Dan Purcell
Official LivePhish Soundboard * Audience Recording

It had been a long, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time since Phish had truly rocked our worlds at a festival, in a musical sense. Both Festival 8 in the California desert and Super Ball IX in upstate New York had glorious weather, carefully manicured festival grounds, and infinite delights to pass the time while the band wasn't playing, but the music was not exceptional Phish. And the festival before that was so star-crossed that many fans won't even speak its name. Before this summer, you had to go back to IT in 2003 for a Phish festival that pretty much everyone would agree delivered Phish music at the absolute highest level.

That changed in a hurry on the opening night of Magnaball, and over the course of that weekend the band's tenth festival quickly earned its place on a short list of its very best. The big development of summer 2015 was the resurgence of first sets, and this show almost certainly had the best first set of the year. The "Bathtub Gin" closer seemed like it was about to falter about eight minutes in, only to be served a massive dose of rocket fuel by Jon Fishman, who proceeded to lead the band through the greatest version of that song in over a decade. And "Gin" was just the capstone on a set that was excellent from the get-go. Not just a "Simple" opener, but a "Simple" opener that jammed, pleasantly, melodically, circuitously, making clear the band realized they had all night. Rarities abounded, with "Simple" leading into "The Dogs" and the "TMWSIY" > "Avenu" > "TMWSIY" sequence I am fated never to see live. But the most welcome bustout was only the second instance ever of Mike Gordon's whimsical, fragile, and always welcome "Mock Song." This version sported a special verse calling out Phish festivals past and present, but hopefully that's not a sign that the song will go back on the shelf for another twelve years.

”Bathtub Gin” – 8/21/15, Watkins Glen, NY (video via LazyLightning55a)

The second set is better, as per usual, but not by much. The "Chalk Dust Torture" opener doesn't quite approach the great versions from the song's summer 2014 revival, but it is consistently captivating, first flirting with "Twist" and then (in a recurring theme that weekend) with "What's the Use?" before settling into a garden-variety (i.e., funky, nasty, ass-shaking) "Ghost." Eventually the "Ghost" groove morphed into "Rock and Roll" via a slightly clumsy segue (GSAC 6/29/00 it wasn't), and after throwing down hard "Rock and Roll" dwindled into the signature tom-tom roll that begins "Harry Hood." Does that sound any good? Other than "Waste," which should never be played by anyone, the set is notable for consistent, interesting, exploratory jamming without a down moment. The band even segued one of its newest songs, the incredibly promising Nawlins boogie "No Men in No Man's Land," into one of its oldest, the always-welcome set closing "Slave to the Traffic Light," with its chord progression that conjures the rising sun. A double encore sent the fans back to their tents, or yurts, or luxury condos, happy and sated. They'd need to conserve their energy for the next night's marathon.

3. 12/31/15 Madison Square Garden, New York, NY - Jeremy D. Goodwin
Official LivePhish Soundboard * Audience Recording

One of the great takeaways from 2015 is the return of a creatively vital New Year's Run. Though this annual fixture on the tour calendar has featured ever-more focus on creative and entertaining spectacle, and it's always draped in a feel-good, reunion vibe, musically speaking the shows have tended to be more anticlimactic than exclamatory in 3.0, even as the overall baseline for great shows has gotten more impressive. So it's a great treat to see two shows from the 2015-16 New Year's Run on this top ten list, with the other two shows at least in the top 20 dicussion as well.

12/31/15 was cruising along as a pleasant but low-stakes endeavor when things suddenly shifted gears in the second set. Midway through the set, “Kill Devil Falls” emerged in an extended version. Though sludgy and not terribly interesting, it at least signaled that the band was willing to work outside the box. This bled into a standard but fiery “Piper,” and then a standout “Twist” to close the set. “Twist” offered a head-fake toward wrapping up before stepping back out for some more action; it featured the sort of soaring, simple guitar phrase that Trey put at the center of many memorable jams in 2015.

”No Men in No Man’s Land” > Auld Lang Syne” > “Blaze On” – 12/31/15, New York, NY (video via Phish)

The third set showcased the two most joyous Phish debuts in some time. It opened with a 21-minute “No Man In No Man’s Land,” performed (mostly) at a provisional stage near the back of the floor, and its last ten minutes represent some of the more experimental music Phish has played in a proper set in some time; for several minutes it is a cousin to the “Drive-In Jam” from Magnaball. Following a brisk “Auld Lang Syne,” a standout “Blaze On” marched fans into 2016, with a very active lead guitar part from Trey throughout its upbeat jam. Next came a short “Carini” and a focused “David Bowie” that had a touch of the 1992-era fire, closing out the suite of great music that had begun in the second set with “Kill Devil Falls.” Though bookended with essentially low-calorie material, this impressive chunk of music gives 12/31 a solid place among the year’s top shows.

2. 8/12/15 The Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA - Chris Glushko
Official LivePhish Soundboard * Audience Recording

Five song second set. Nothing bad ever comes from hearing those four words. The five song second set is a statement. It’s the band playing at the top of their game, and knowing it.

The first set is solid, but far from spectacular. However looking back now, there is definite foreshadowing of something special to come in set two – the “Martian Monster” jam in “Free,” a rare extended “Cities,” one of the best jams you’ll ever hear in the middle of “It’s Ice,” and Trey… um… losing his shit during “Character Zero.”

The second set begins with an excellent and rare set-opening “Bathtub Gin” that contains a spectacular flurry of notes through Trey’s favorite toy of 2015, the Mu-Tron envelope filter. If you are familiar with this “Gin,” one can only assume you’ve replayed this moment several hundred times by now. The “No Men in No Man’s Land” that followed is the clear best version of summer 2015, containing three separate peaks. “Twist,” the show’s centerpiece, embodies one of the many ways Phish was different in 2015 compared to 2014. During several sections of the jam, any band member could have ended it. But all four patiently held out for new ideas, and the result is a 20-minute masterpiece that should make every fan’s top jams of 2015 list. “Scents and Subtle Sounds” is played with its proper intro for the first time since 2011’s Super Ball and contains the finest improv in any version since the song’s glory days of 2003-04. To close, a heartfelt type-I “Harry Hood” and old-fashioned “Loving Cup” encore.

”Scents and Subtle Sounds” – 8/12/15, Philadelphia, PA (video via Phish)

For many jaded vets, describing the best Phish sets of the last several years often required a “for 3.0” caveat… until August 12, 2015. The second set from this night requires no such designation, making its way into the record books as one of Phish’s finest sets from any era.

1. 8/22/15 Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, NY - Steve Paolini
Official LivePhish Soundboard * Audience Recording

This one was unanimous. It’s rare for Phish fans to uniformly agree on a favorite show, but here we are. Every single one of the phish.net editors who participated in this exercise felt this was the best show of the year and, I’m guessing none of us felt it was particularly close. It’s pretty amazing and maybe even more so, given that the afternoon first set is devoid of anything that warrants a second listen. Harsh? Maybe. But true. And, ultimately irrelevant, as Phish was poised to unleash two of the strongest sets of the year.

The big question with three set shows is, are they going to play two “first sets” or two “second sets”? BITD™, this was never really a concern, but by 2013, it proceeded quickly from concern to trend to norm. Second sets from 7/2/11, 12/31/11, 12/31/12 and even 7/20/13 all failed to distinguish themselves. NYE 2014 reversed the trend but when the set opening “Wolfman’s” and “Halley’s” each stuck to their 3.0 form one couldn’t help but wonder, was this going to be another first set in second set’s clothing? An exploratory, if serene, “46 Days” put those fears to rest. A quick trip down the number line and “Tweezer” effectively announces that there’s no need to worry, we’re deep into second set country. Similar to the “46 Days,” this version starts out almost airy and boundaryless. This is music befitting of the open field in which it is being played. The jam patiently builds to major key bliss before turning spacey and then, oh goddamn it, Trey, seriously? “Prince Caspian”? Now? “Caspian” follows its usual course but then, instead of ending… well, Little Lord Caspian straps on his big boy pants and becomes a man. The cathartic jam that follows could just as easily be called “Tweezer” as “Caspian.” It’s a true mashup… known to many as “Tweezerpants.” It will also be known to many – and rightfully so – as the best jam of summer tour.

”Tweezerpants” – 8/22/15, Watkins Glen, NY (video via notmkdevo)

The gravy set begins with a mood setting (as in “we mean business”) “Meatstick” before shifting gears to “Blaze On.” The new song does not disappoint in this high-profile slot, offering up still more atmospheric, introspective, yet completely engaging improvisation. The end of the “Blaze On” jam actually hints at the storage jamming from four years prior, before smoothly shifting gears into “Possum.” “Cities” is next and features a “Mind Left Body Jam” in addition to its usual funky fare. “Light” provides yet another extended jam and at this point, the only question is whether this is the best or merely the second best show of the year? There’s arguably more to love here than in the exquisite 8/12/15 Mann show, though certainly more filler. I probably come out on the side of “Tweezerpants” and Magnaball, but reasonable minds can differ. But then this happens:

”Drive In Jam” – 8/22/15, Watkins Glen, NY (video via LazyLightning55a)

Game, set, match, Magnaball. Someday we may be brave and/or stupid enough to attempt to rank best shows of all-time. 8/22/15 will be part of that conversation.

Phish.net: Best of 2014
Phish.net: Best of 2013
Phish.net: Best of 1997

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The following story, by Jennifer Hersey Cleveland, is reprinted from the Orleans County Record (and online there but behind a paywall) by permission of Executive Editor Dana Gray:

"Filmmakers Seek Locals For Phish Documentary"

It was one of the longest traffic jams in history, backed up for miles after thousands of Phish fans abandoned their vehicles to hike to the former Newport State Airport in Coventry for what was billed as the band’s farewell concert.

But the fans, stuck for days on Interstate 91 and surrounding roads, found comfort in the locals who fed them, provided fuel and shelter, and gave them rides into the show.

That was 11 years ago, and now, filmmakers Alex Daltas of Los Angeles and Lawrence Shapiro of Denver want to capture that giving spirit in a documentary called “Jam.”

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