IT is elusive, as Charlie Dirksen might say. Some shows just don't have IT. Sometimes you get a mid-first-set Lawn Boy or a mid-second-set Heavy Things that kills a set's momentum, or a Prince Caspian set-closer, or a Bug set-closer, or way too many mid-tempo head-bobbing ditties and not enough jams. Sometimes you get a Fluffhead where a Tweezer should be. Sometimes Mike has amp problems that make his bass sound distorted, or Trey completely boffs the heavy metal section of Harry Hood, or some dude runs onto the stage and throws off the band's concentration during the middle of the encore. Some shows are like that.

This is not that show.

IT might appear, at first glance, that this show would be like that. But from the first notes of Trey's solo in Stealing Time, the Phish from Vermont have come to your town to BLOW YOUR MIND, and have a blast while doing it. This show is a good candidate for a "Just Jams" mix, as every time the band stumbles during the composed part of a song, they come back with some strong jamming. The collective improv in Seven Below and Harry Hood is up there with the best of this tour, Leo gets his licks in during Taste, Fluffhead, and Mule, and the New, Improved Big Red carries the load like a government mule during Jibboo, Caspian, Possum, and Julius.

I've been listening through the shows from Summer 2009, and I can assure you that the four shows preceding 6/6/09 are not as good as this show. And yet, this show currently has the third-lowest rating of all the shows from 2009. I might presume that the show was attended by a cadre of JadedVets(tm) that stood in the pavillion with their arms folded, rolling their eyes at the lack of bustouts and groaning when the band makes a mistake... except that I hear nothing but loud, delirious cheering and applause on the recordings. I must therefore conclude that this show is significantly underrated, and when you are getting tired of Fall '95 or Summer '15, you should call 6/6/09 Great Woods.

"Hey, how you doin' there? Yeah, do a little dance for us... Let's hear it for That Guy, right there! Hey, That Guy! There he is... That Guy! He's getting thrown out, and he's going to miss the next song... BUT WE LOVE HIM!"