@FACTSAREUSELESS said: [quote]Okay, let's face it. I'm willing to state the obvious. The band started to peak at the Gorge with two incredible shows. Not as much as two years ago , good not great shows at the Gorge this year where as that Rock and Roll is Epic top 10. I would argue that they peaked at Dick's last year and have yet to surpass that high water mark.
I agree that Tahoe was a peak of this summer. I don't think Tahowheezer was all that strong, quite a lot of low energy noodling that really doesn't justify 37 minutes. The ending crescendo is great but .... It pales in comparison to the density of 10 different jams in last years Dick's Light all seamlessly trans versed musically complex with zero noodling. The Tahoe shows of two years ago were the eggs of the west coast ( I think Fishman was physically ill cause he was off in a big way one night)
Phish's batting average for high level shows (especially out west) is at an all time high . While Friday's show suffered from the disjointed nature of the spelling nonsense, Saturday was the funky dance party throw down that I needed.Start to finish. the entire show was a monstrous funk groove. On Sunday Meat at under 5 minutes proves that they don't need to play long to get to incredible music.Listen to Ice again , gets my vote for best version ever, extremely tight without being boring.The whole second set was unique and had great flow. That Piper was extremely fast and became something totally different than usual in the jam.Then in Weekapaug they bring back the funk groove from the previous night showing how masterfully they can shift gears to whole different levels instantly. 37 minutes of noodling Tweezer in Tahoe is still weak sauce compared to the density of music from Dick's Light last year where they found 10 distinct sections of complexity, with no searching .Long does not equal good. The amazing thing about 3.0 is that they can get so far out so fast. I was at Nectar's in 88 and 89. I've seen the whole trajectory of this band. The scene has more caring, sharing, beautiful people at Dick's that any I've been a part of( Telluride and The Gorge are a close second). It does not matter what song they are playing. Phish finds the jamminess in all . Even that Backwards Down the Number Line second set closer Saturday achieved brilliance.

The three week layoff killed their momentum and they came out flat this past weekend.
After Friday night I was concerned about this as a possiblity but Saturday was funky flow city.