@NigelTufnel said:

Why don't they do it anymore (or on a consistent basis, at least)? Good question. I would love to know the answer. We all have our theories, but the band believing it to be a sign of poor musicianship is ludicrous.

I know what your'e saying. But.

As I recall, back when the band was reassembling in early '09, one of them (presumably motormouth Trey) said in an interview that they were all on the same page about wanting to be the 'best' version of Phish they could -- the smoothly-practiced mid-90s prog machine, rather than the spacy dance band they became.

Admittedly it's a very specific sense of 'musicianship' in question here, but that's what I remember.