@nichobert said:

I guess I'm back to bungled after getting my thoughts out, mainly because it went from "could have easily been a hyper ambitious yet energetic yet perfectly nailed segue to go on the all timers list" - opening myself up to scorn here, but a Disco Biscuits type of segue. Say what you want about them, they're fantastic at making a chord change right at the crescendo of a jam which suddenly reveals another song. It's a huge part of their power over their fans. That moment of cathartic release combined with "oh shit The next song is starting!!" Is a doozy. Their whole career may be thanks to the power of those moments.

I think that you are spot-on with this assessment. The Biscuits have definitely perfected segues from the peak of one song into a peak of another song with flawless execution, especially the Biscuits of 2001-2005 when Sammy was still drumming and they weren't as over the top techno as they have been the last few years, (when they play at all...).

Anyway, I love that Phish is keeping it real this tour by making risky, musical decisions on stage and inventing segues to glue unlikely songs together. For instance, I was at Jones Beach for Cities> The Wedge, which was top notch. I expect more of the same and better as they head out west. I feel like they got to practice and experiment with some ideas in the east and will have a polished product by the time they hit California and Colorado.