@AlbanyYEM said:

Just a random theory here....the thread about which was more important (10-31-13 or 14) to Phish's career arc got me thinking.

...

IF Phish decides to stick with these instrumentals, I think they've unlocked the door to a whole new method of delivering creativity. The Lengthwise/Twist/Manteca craziness seemed to me to be a natural extension of the kinds of possibilities this style of thinking about setlist construction provides. I can't wait to see if this stuff sticks around for good and I'm thinking it will.

I think we've already seen a bit of that new form of playing going on in the third set of 10.31, and further into nights 2&3 of Vegas. It's almost as though they're going meta in a sense of taking jams from the previous 2 years, working them into a structure, and using that structure to form new exploration touchstones from. I wish this tour was continuing to be able to see it play out until the New Years. I only hope that they continue to refine it and actually practice into December or Miami will feel like a regression.