@raidcehlalred said:

given Llama's history, i'd argue that Llama, in its original format, is the biggest bustout by far; much more interesting than Landlady (don't get me wrong, that was cool, too

I didn't think of the Landlady as much as a bust-out as a sly nod by Trey to how badly he fucked this up in the Magna PYITE. If that hadn't happened, I don't think the Landlady would have made that appearance. Funny that he couldn't get it right the second time, either.

and OIAL was cool, but having been at 31/96, it almost hurt to hear.... again: not that it mattered, but are you going to listen to that version often?

. . .

This show was awesome. But to go crazy over a Keyboard Army or something - which is cool enough - (fyi: this would destroy a show's rating in some 95 or 97 shows) is to miss the point. What impact would a Kung have had; or, more interestingly, a KDF.... Would one less 'bustout' mean anything?

I think you're missing the point with bust-outs. What's fun about them isn't necessarily the music in a vacuum, unless it's Fluffhead after a decade or something. Bust-outs are fun because they're part of what a lot of us love about Phish (alongside the musicianship, the songs, the jams, the party, etc. etc.) - their ability to surprise and delight us over and over again. Just when you think you know what they're up to, they throw something new at you. I don't laugh out loud at the sheer creativity and balls of any band, especially during a song at a show, but Phish. It's not that Keyboard Kavalry is amazing music or that OIAL was played perfectly. It's that we haven't seen them in 20ish years, which means a lot of younger fans have only heard about them. OIAL is a great song with some cool Phish history. Keyboard Kavalry is just fun to see and watch. Yes, it was way better in that spot (of a minute or 2) than many other things would have been, if for no other reason than its rarity and the spectacle itself. Harpua is a doorway to gags for the band, and when they really have fun with it, you get something like the Dick's 3 encore. If SOME of why you like Phish isn't about the fun they have in delighting us in many ways - some of which are lighthearted - then I have to think you're missing the point. Yes, the music comes first, always. But Phish is about more than just the music. At this stage, they really seem to appreciate their history with us as much as we do. The Harpua encore celebrated the bond the band feels with us after a long ride that keeps on going. They seem as happy on stage as I can ever remember. They're crushing it night after night. They're overflowing with new music and creative risks, and a seeming rededication to making our experience one huge delight. Everything isn't about replay value. I understand that people (myself included) appreciate a way to pick out what's worth repeated listening by reading reviews. But listening to a show and being at a show are two different experiences. Some people review more with an eye to one than the other. Personally, I don't care if the Dick's OIAL is worth hearing again on its musical merits. I will listen again and again because that show is phenomenal and the encore as a whole was a jaw-on-the-floor laugh/dance riot that I will enjoy every time.

Besides, I've seen Kung and KDF. I'd never seen The Landlady, Harpua, After Midnight, NO2, Keyboard Kavalry, OIAL, or United We Stand (obviously). I win!