Sometimes it appears to me that we go too far in trying to deconstruct any connection between these two bands. There are many more similarities in their dynamics than there are differences. We can talk about their differences all day, but when you compare them to Brittany Spears, or the Boston Philharmonic, or Metallica, you start to realize why many people have an appreciation for both bands. If we fail in this comparison, its when we shorten the list to two. There are many bands out there with a following (definition: people are willing to take large chunks of time out of their lives to watch you play all over the country). The scene that you see at a Phish show is similar to the scene at a Dead show, but throw in Allman's, Widespread, etc. and you will come up with a list of bands that all fit into this broad category.