Though I loved this whole show, this review is focused solely on the Melt.

Where the Star Spangled Banner the night before might have been a moment of coming together, Melt tore a massive whole into the end of 2016. New Years shows should be a joyous celebration of what was and what will be, but they should also provide catharsis for the negativity that has accumulated during the year. This year has been a tough one for many, not just those who are upset about the political future of our country. The great artists and leaders we've lost alone is enough to make 2016 one for the record books of lousy years.

The Melt jam at this show confronted the negative energy of the year, coaxed it out into the open and let us all face the darkness. Just as the song's title suggests, Melt can break open a hard exterior, the shell that protects our innermost joys and sorrows, and melt pain and pleasure into one. No matter who we are or what we believe, I think we all needed the collective release.

Phish exorcised the demons of 2016 with the dark, discordant tones a superb Melt that truly defines and is defined by its time and place.