my previous review was just from a 'been there point of view'. I've been listening to every show of 96 . I just arrived at this seminal show in phish history after listening to an amazing show in Buffalo.

The Spangled banner opener after the acapella ending the show previous is pretty cool to note. The crowd is going berserk lol Sample gets a loud approval. Great Arena rock opener.

cars Trucks and Buses is an aptly named song for the venue and calms everyone down but keeps the energy going. Page kills it and Trey's rhythm guitar brings the crowd to another frenzy.

The Sloth gives the band a chance to get rock god isn . they fill the grade well. I remember walking to my seat outside in the walkways and hearing them pump this crazy sound like arena champs! this is the only times they played the Garden outside of NYE runs. this was special. obviously it's the Garden... ( F U Billy Joel!!!) the energy was palpable.
Then they Bless us with an early bomb : Divided Sky!!

so unexpected this early. And Trey was up to the task. perfect execution. clear and decisive music. during the trey solo/break down/silent note hold the crowd is going crazy. It's like the band is playing in a 500 see theatre. so awesome. To say they start flying would be an understatement. Trey immediately goes to low ovate and falls into the massive groove of the band. Fish is playing out of his mind. they stay on the theme but that's fine for a first set Divided. the crowd loved it.
Character Zero gives Trey more work room. a new song that was fa who written with large venues in mind. And with Trey's patience growing the whole band's sound was growing, tighter funkier. Fish is just an ever growing animal.

Ginseng is an awesome song. calmed things down but still energy is high for a monster song. Stash is delivered.
Even through an little flub we get the goods in the jam. Solid type II jam salting 2 minutes after they start the jam. the crowd is greeted with sick ights in recognition of the space we just left. and we scream!! this is Trey and fish and page and mike 'lite werk'. 'easy" lol they leave stash somewhere in hell's kitchen and go into another galaxy lol
They come back six minutes later and Fish sand Trey play with us pushing and pulling the theme. Page's chords are monstrous. the peak is made by Trey and Fish though. they are geniuses... all of them

Waste is a sneakingly psychedelic song that almost took me over the edge this night. Trey's guitar sounds like a crying leviathan. awesome version here. Trey can sing too lol

Possum!! Trey goes straight after it and Page's chords fill the Garden. It's a good Phish time in the big city!!! true gets type II but Mike is content following in theme which is fine. This is a blazing version of the song. Great ending to a solid raucous triply rocking' first set! Knowing they were going to be playing 3 more sets here was an awesome feeling.

Wilson was a perfect second set opener. Loud and got the crowd participating.
When you hear chalkdust start you know we in for a ride..Trey once again plays type II and Mike keeps the gaRDEN vibrating in theme and its awesome again lol Fish is flying and we get crazy. must listen.
stander wolf man's follows.
The Reba makes the show a 3.5 at this point They play it beautifully...
Train song is welcomed. The boys have been werkin' !!

MAze!! after hearing what they had done to Stash , you have to be salivating to hear why the'll do to this monster jam vehicle. Trey is out front from the get then Page's solo comes. He is patient like a creeping molasses . eventually answering awesome chords from Trey. Trey gets Mike to go type II fully lol it's a blast. things went hairy in my mind . trey and mike got us out n a limb toying with us. but it's so much fun the 'hose moment at the end is spectacular and deserved by all crowd band crew included. tHe show could have ended here and people would have been happy

Instead they pull out a solid cover Life on Mars played and sang perfect into a good time riff of Simple . when they scream 'we got skyscrapers' the crowd gets it lol never noticed how it fit for nyc more than any other city lol
This riff is so money though. they could rock it for days Trey decides to get on his kit.
The Bowie is special