"Yet without reading other reviews i know there will be a stampede to "redeem" this show......"

I agree KingDisco. Its hilarious, the way certain people reflexively defend a bad show. I personally think its directly related to how much more expensive tickets are than they used to be. Between increased face value and the explosion of the secondary ticket market, going to a show can often be a huge expense now. People (not just Phish fans but everyone) have a really hard time admitting to a lost or "sunken cost." Devoting a lot of money (and a lot of time) to an event increases your expectations enormously and it's really difficult to admit to oneself that you didn't get your money's worth.

I try to listen to every show of a tour, though I always read the setlists and reviews first to see if it's worthwhile. Just looking at this setlist I think one can tell the show was a dud. Definitely happens often these days