WOW that was a show. I had a feeling after the super psychedelic, kinda lowish key Friday night show that this would be a more rocking, crowd-pleasing Phish show. And it was. I'd have to say Friday's set I was superior *BUT* I a huge personal highlight for me was the Drift While You're Sleeping set closer. This was my first time catching that live and I can't remember which summer 2023 show it was but it also closed set I and I thought to myself "what a great set I closer". Proggy, adventurous, genre and time signature shifting Phish goodness which ends in a triumphantly positive chorus about love and struggling together. YES PLEASE.

Set II was a BANGER start to finish. YEM opener what?!? How bout the fact that the vocal jam lasted about 7 seconds and then they decided to jump back into the jam, that was certainly a first, right? For me, improvisationally the Oblivion > No Men > Monsters was the peak of the show. Flawless, morphing jamming and outrageous energy pouring from the stage at the crowd and filtered straight back onto the band. This is why we come, again and again.

2001 was a funky-ass celebration. There's nothing quite like seeing the fog machines gear up and the band starting a DWD-like into of space and noise and you just know what's coming. There's also nothing like when, during that jam, CK5 removes all lighting from the band and gives you a sick, old school light show. I was in the very last row of the pavilion, dead center, and a couple times I would glance back at the uncovered seat section and EVERYone had their groove on.

The Chalkdust was the cherry on top of a searing, soaring second set.

Full disclosure I made the decision to do what I did Friday night which was to head for the parking lot before the encore to beat the otherwise brutal, hours-log slog to get out of that lot and onto 495. When I heard Circus start and looked at the time, I was like "shit I'm gonna miss a deep encore". Sure enough they played Bowie, one of my absolute favorite songs to see live. Oh well, them's the breaks kids.

Overall a great, emotional, cathartic show. Much less trippy and mind-fucky than night I, more focused and and exciting night II. This crusty vet fully enjoyed his 110th-ish show at the same place where it all began for me 30 years ago.

Thank you Phish.