@JOgden said:

It's time. It's time for people to levy some objective comments about Phish and the recent spat of shows. I know it's blasphemous in the minds of some that not only drink the Kool-Aid, but live on it, to talk about the band objectively, but it has to be done. I wasn't @ the Toronto show last night, but I'm glad I wasn't. The whole point of seeing this band over and over and over is getting a new show everytime - and that's simply not happening anymore. You can call me a "hater" (whatever that means) or a "setlist snob" but you can't deny that we're dealing with the same batch of songs at this point. DwD, BDTNL, Possum, Bowie, Tweezer/Tweezer Reprise, Chalkdust, Rock & Roll, Free, Piper, Golden Age, Twist, Loving Cup - there's every second set/encore in the last two years. SPAC was a huge disappointment and frankly - so was Chicago. Gone are the mixed up setlists, improv'd music, and fun jams that made this band a joy to watch. Yes they sound good and are having fun, and that's wonderful for them on a personal level, but the fans have been left with the short stick lately and if you can't admit the rotation is an issue, you probably are incapable of thinking independently about Phish.

Not to dismiss your comments because your perspective is shared by many, but Phish is more creative on their most average day than Dead were any time after 1974. Check the Dead's set lists from 1977 on and you'll find the same basic song rotation over and over again. Repeats constantly. Tired jamming that went nowhere but the predictable place. The Dead would add a few new covers every year (usually Dylan tunes) and routinely leave huge portions of their catalog untouched for entire tours. It took the formation of Phil & Friends and Ratdog to resurrect some of the tunes. I agree with some of the frustration regarding the tight song rotation, but it really is only an issue for those of us who follow them show by show and tour by tour. Someone who sees them once a year is not going to be disappointed. They're playing is tight and there is a lot of variation within the songs that gets hidden in the setlist. I, for one, will echo the sentiments expressed above by saying that I'd rather have a tightly played song that is a repeat of last night, than a "bust out" that flops and is cover-your-eyes-awful.