@mikh2wg said:

Wow, one night in Alpharetta and everyone forgets 2010. Providence? Merriweather Post? Guyutica?

Why would you think, based on one review, that anyone "forgets 2010?" First, 2010 was uneven at best, but did indeed include many great shows, including those that you mention? Fall '10 was generally a very, very good tour (lets not forget Augusta and Manchester in that mix). I'm not sure where either the OP or anyone in this thread is saying anything to the contrary.

<snip>

Are they always successful? No. But that's what happens when you are always moving forward.The standard for Phish should not be, "is this like Hampton 97?" It should be "have I seen them do this before?"

Well, that presumes that they are "always moving forward," and I suppose that is what is really at issue, as opposed to the assumption that you make, that they are in fact always doing so. Are they? Hard to say. But to assume that because one asks that question that they want Phish music "to be like Hampton '97" misses the point entirely. As soon as someone says "oh, gee, I want to play like they did at Hampton '97" then you'll have a point, otherwise you aren't reading for content, you are reading for straw men.

Your points are appreciated, I hear what you are saying in the abstract. I'm quite sure, there will be many commenters in here, AFTER the high quality Charlotte show, saying "oh, well, not a nostalgia act NOW, are they?" :-) And no, in *Charlotte*, they showed much better. Which is awesome! I only wanted to point out, in defense of the OP, that this review was in reference to one show. The commenters here are drawing from *different shows* that were not Alpharetta2. Apples, oranges.

Phish is a great band (duh!). The folks bothering to comment here obviously love the art they produce. To my eyes, that comes through clear as day in the vast majority of the comments. Part of loving a complex, rich, diverse artistic phenomenon involves all sorts of emotions and characterizations from admiration, awe, indifference, confusion, appreciation, etc. So when you read these posts and comments, my only advice would be to READ them, presume neutral at worst and positive at best intentions, and THINK about what is being said, instead of lurching toward the first available preconception of some "position" that you can most easily "refute."

Hope that makes some sense. This whole thread demonstrates why I'm simultaneously thrilled, fascinated, and confused both by Phish, and Phish fans. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why the whole endeavor is so compelling.

Cheers.