@melt_the_tek9 said:

I have yet to hear this show, but based on the set list and vast reviews of all songs, including the Stash, Mike's suite, Ghostpaugh and Hood, it seems like all other songs are just "meh." Doesn't make sense to me; it looks like any old good fashioned Phish show to me! First set looks like the jam on paper, as the tweets rolled in, we said to ourselves "this show is the heat, great song selection for a pumped up first set!" I've seen sets roll in that I said, "well not a barn burner but they're doing a first set..." but this whole show looks good.

My question now is: if these few songs were the only "good" things about the show, that is based solely on the jammed out/major improvisation songs. If that's the case, then 75% of all Phish shows suck then, considering Bouncing and Waiting all Night aren't major "jam" vehicles. I appreciate these opinions and I totally get it, but lets look at reality here: Phish is not, and has never in their career (minus some rare occasions in 1997) played only major jam songs for the entire show. That means songs in the first set are worthless filler on the way to the typical Stash or Wolfman's or Reba or Sky that we hear in the first set and always comment as being "the saving grace of the first set, before (place those songs here), the set was dragging."

Playing that many new, good songs in the first set looked like a major game changer to us. Probably the most original and different first set since...2009 when Joy came out and we had new, unpredictable songs in the first set to change the pacing and vibe/feel?

Great commentary. Wish everyone in the community "got it" like you do.