Getting this down in the car on the way back from Jones Beach, a place I despise getting to as a Manhattan resident but love being at when the weather is good: That was something else. After a somewhat subdued and eclectic N1, perhaps at least partially the result of several outdoor shows in a row in wicked heat, the band turned it all the way up from the jump tonight.

It feels obligatory to note that one of the guys I went with called the Mike’s opener, and that I predicted the Antelope set 1 closer. But in between was some of the more powerful musical stylings of an explosive-bordering-on-vintage summer. The Wolfman’s was sublime, and Ya Mar was a perfect complement to Vacation Trey’s relaxed outfit. The 46 Days was a nice callback to the monsoon of 2013, maybe the worst rain I’ve ever experienced, but on this night the funk raged in almost picture-perfect weather. A nice It’s Ice followed, and the band brought the waves down a bit before unleashing an Axilla II where you could almost feel embers burning off the stage. When The Circus Comes was a welcome breather before a stunning Antelope.

Set II kept us guessing; a tasty NMINML gave way to a mega DWD, which went unfinished before the playful, enjoyable Don’t Doubt Me. Golden Age rose out of those ashes, another joyous cover after they hadn’t had any the night before. Lifeboy managed to land gently before an exquisite Fluffhead in which, to my ears live anyway, every note was where it should’ve been. Speculation over where the Groove would slot in ended with a marvelous set-closing rendition. The break between set II and the encore was essentially nonexistent, and Slave was the perfect bow on another wonderful present of an evening from Phish.