Carini was great! Nice long jam. Much better the second half of the jam but once they found a pocket it was very nice indeed! Possum got the crowd fired up even more. Not my favorite tune but this was a good one. The Moma Dance was better than usual and a bit longer more like a old Katy version without lyrics it reminded me of 1997 Katy's. Then the first set fell apart for me. I love the song Leaves it is beautiful but it was played with nerves and Trey flubbed both lyrics and guitar licks. The obvious weed reference was nice though. However I must say the boys missed a big opportunity to play like the 30 minute Lawn Boy 7-24-2017 they could have played an epic long funky 30 minute Makisupa Policeman. A Cop that never "leaves" your house would have been hilarious like the cop in Magnolia that falls in love w a hippy phish fan and hears that loud music and is just in a trance ever since. Just saying the boys if they do not play that on what is the mimic of NYE I will be confused disappointed and it just shows that Phish is not putting the effort into the setlist placement and choices as much as they are their playing. Because all in all they still got it musically but Trey was a bit rusty like Torn and Frayed lyrics imply a bag or bucket of nerves on first nights. Strange Design was also kind of sloppy from Paige like nervous anxious playing and Paige is rarely like that but hearing Trey on Leaves maybe threw him off too. But then they were back w a great Stash. I dont like Stash but this one had that extra sauce not because it was Type II or anything like that but it had this FUNKY baseline and this great Fishman groove backing it. That is the highlight of set 1 for me. Carini and Stash and that is also an appropriate 4/20 song a Stash like a drug stash yes we get it. Then the most obvious reference the Set 1 Closer Blaze On but I must say I was let down again by the timing this time not the flubbing. It was well played but short w little to no jam. If there was ever a time to jam Blaze ON I mean come on guys it is on 4/20 Really Blaze On that joint and do not Bogart it just blast it up and smoke the whole thing no passing around just wolf that sucker down all to yourself selfish like but they just peaced out after barely starting to jam it. Disappointing set 1 for sure minus the Carini opener which gave me High Hopes and a very nice funkier than usual Stash.
Onto what I hoped would be a much better Set 2 and it was indeed but not better enough. I love Sigma Oasis I dont get how that relates to marijuana in anyway but I love that underrated gem and it like Round Room and Fuego are my favorite title tracks to their albums. DWD was the highlight not only of set 2 like it almost always is but also the best Jam of the whole show. The Howling that whole album is hilarious. I literally laughed out loud listening to Halloween night and I did not laugh this time because I expected the lyrics coming but it is still so funny, silly, and cool in some nerdy way. Twist was rocking like it always does. If they are going to have a slow one I love Wading, If I Could, FEFY, Lonely Trip (that Hershey park debut 2021 got me hooked i listened to that on repeat all night when it dropped), Mountains is one of those stellar slow tunes like Billy Breathes in 1995 they played that beast to perfection. And then my favorite tune of the night Reba and the jam was great but not as good as the DWD. Nice placement though. It really took the 2nd set to a higher level right when it desperately needed it after a slow one like Mist. I am one of the few that loves Petrichor and Drift While You're Sleeping I think that song is beyond underrated and it is like an anthem for me lyrically. I live in Cleveland a place w really shitty weather so when Trey says we move through stormy weather we know that are days are few so we dreams and we struggle together Love abides and conquers all and is what carries us through I live by those lyrics like a creed almost a spiritual religious culmination when that song builds w intensity i would sing my heart out if in the crowd but i have not heard it in person yet. And most probably would call me lucky for missing it and having seen Fluffhead thrice but I like both. Of course Fluff is better but Petrichor is under rated too. We can all agree Friday Friends and Time Turns Elastic can disappear from rotation forever
As for the encore I would have rather just had the Slave usually ill take a duo or even a 3-5 song string like THANK YOU at Dicks encore that was cool . . .but Trey lyrically on Gumbo and I love me some Gumbo both the pot of multiple things in one which really defines Phish People always ask me what kind of music is that and I say Jazz for no better answer suffices but they are really Funk Blues Oldies but Goodies Reggae Folk Bluegrass Classic Rock Prog Rock Psychedelic Rock all mixed into a Gumbo I must call Jazz I guess so that was a cool lyrical treat but Trey kept going from the lower to the higher from the bass to the tenor same notes but it would be one thing if he did that for one verse and then the other for the other verse but it sounds bad when you do it like that. Gumbo was ruined this time by Trey's over excitement. . .I love him we all do but he needs to not do what he did on Gumbo ever again. Either sing it like a tenor or sing it like a bass Mike can pull off both also but Trey went back and forth like a see saw . . .but then Slave came in to save the day A decent not amazing not terrible Slave. They are always great I mean Slave is one of my top 10 Phish songs ever HH YEM MFMF Horn Slave Jim Fluff Reba Esther and Lizards. 2 of my top 10 not too shabby but 3.5 is correct the Phans got it right this show was just ok.