What's ultimately sad about this show and this tour is that a show like last night's gets a 4.3 and a show like Brooklyn '04 gets a 4.0, as if that show is even in the same planetary system (if not universe) as this one.

Chalk it up to 3.0 v 2.0 as you like, but all that means is 2.0 > 3.0. I think people are afraid to admit a band in decline. But that's just a fact of life. Michael Jordan doesn't play in the nba anymore and that's the way it is. Phish will always be a good time (I hope), but the phish community in fighting over any negative critique of the playing or the band is like arguing over whether tiger's golf game is what it used to be.

Doing so doesn't diminish the incredible legendary accomplishments, and I fully appreciate the yearning for the past, but at some point you just need to call a spade a spade and accept reality. The reviewer of this show does that, and that's why it's a good and honest review (though not nearly as bling as this post, admittedly).