Stop me if you've heard this one before, but: there are times I worry that the magic that I experienced last night at the tip top of section 120 in MSG was not real. The sweating and the dancing and Megan and her indomitable spirit and patience with my exuberance. That upon closer examination the center will not hold, at least not without a great deal of further willing, but--we got that motherfucker on tape.

Listening back, this show gives me all of the feels, and by that I mean not just the party vibes, which were magnificent and multitudinous, but also the somber, the searching, the vulnerability/openness to whatever might bubble up next, let's-just-see-and-oh-look-it-fucking-paid-off feels.
I will admit I have not been at this very long, but this was a near perfect show for me. They were loose, we were loose, they were playing their asses off, we were dancing our asses off. I agree with the other takes here about this show having an overarching theme or resonance around friendship and trust.

It's a strange thing to fixate on, but one thing that's exemplary of this show's status as an all-timer for me is the way a couple of clunky starts were recovered from (Jiboo, and..something else). It takes some kind of patience and steadfastness to not panic in those moments, to wait and see. The yes, and of improvisational music.

And I will say it paid off in spades. The On Broadway teases were as fucking natural as you like, as was the absurd SYSF > Jibboo > SYSF > Jibboo.

Upon review, it is tempting to say that night one really ended with Piper--by that point I had given everything, Kuroda's lights had washed over my face and...such release, wow. We had worked for it all night, but on arriving (as with so much last night), it felt...effortless.

But we weren't quite done. What followed appears in your program as Drowned, but after (what must be the night's last) lengthy spacey meandering(s), is that Disease I hear? Just what exactly is happening right now? Disease Drowned and Guy Forget (still working out what that is exactly) all swirled into one awesome thing. I even thought I heard a No Men's quote in there somewhere. Now here is Fishman with his (let's be honest, to these ears, not always 100% welcome) comic relief. Except this time it _is_ welcome, and it is earnest in its absurdity in the best Fishman sort of way.

Fun fact: Fishman is Elvis if Elvis spent 35 years behind the skins with the most interesting rock outfit ever assembled. And had enlightened knowledge of self that allowed him to rock while not taking himself_too seriously.

But there must be limitations to rock music. Or at least limitations to evenings, which cannot (and should not) go on forever, not least on a first night.

Sometimes I think Trey reaches for Character Zero when he wants [generic high energy end to set/encore]. As in...a little lazy and harder rock than suits this particular reviewer's taste. However something interesting happened with this Character Zero. Around the first chorus, it seemed like Trey felt more present than I have noted in the past (especially after the silliness immediately preceding) . Which I took as an invitation for me to be more present in turn. Composed verses were dispatched and jam was (appropriately, evening and irony wise) not rushed.

So there you have it. Being a part of this show felt so fucking wonderful, and I have carried forth good feelings from MSG with me into the wider world. Thank you to band and fans.