To the previous poster who claimed this show is no way special. What this show has that many (most?) of the summer '97 shows lack, at least in spots, is flow.

While there isn't a single song that can lay claim to being an all time great, the yang is that every song is played somewhere between well and great. It's not like anyone's off at all. There are no flubs here.

Ghost>Taste, Reba, Foam, and Slave were all closer to great. PYITE, Crossroads, Wilson, Mike's, Simple were just good.

Scent was incredible from up close, pungent from afar.

Slave was perfectly placed. It managed to capture the energy of the whole night, then build it back up into an excited, celebratory Weekapaug. (during which Trey took the time to point out how much fun the place is, 2nd time playing there)

But back to flow: The opening song of each set was a perfect stage setter. The goodness of Wilson as a second set opener requires no explanation. (breaking into a surprising Foam makes it all the better)

Theme on the other hand has always struck me as a strange, low energy opener. But at Alpine Valley? It was perfect. 40,000 very happy fans piled high, kinda sunk into the show just before the sun went down. The mellow opening, complete with pauses practically begs you to look around and smile while acclimating to beat. There was that x10,000 in the pavilion. The song itself was played very well. The people were happy.

So was it the greatest show ever? Of course not. But it's certainly special amongst many good and some mediocre summer '97 Phishing.