This is one of the best shows of one of the best Phish years, 2024.

I started the day riding the high of the incredible opener - what a night it was last night! The only unfortunate part of it all was that I was withdrawing from not being able to take my meds - I forgot them when I flew in from PDX. Oh well. It was a LONG drive up to Rocky Mountain National Park for the day trip, but what a fun host of views to be found up there. Went on some nice walks in the great weather outside before stopping to dine-and-dash at this bar owned by a right-winger in Estes Park. Then on the way back I stopped in Boulder and checked out the campus and the city. Gorgeous town of course - I went to check out the new "Los Seis de Boulder" art piece that was installed earlier in the year. I also checked out Folsom Field and the University - there's a rumor currently going around that Phish is going to play there for Fourth of July instead of Dicks and honestly I wish they would still play at Dicks, Folsom is a nice venue but it's not going to be as fun as the weekend I had this full run. And nights like 8/30 are a big reason why...

This show had fucking everything. I was on the floor stage left by the soundboard as I was all 4 nights. Immediately we got off to a hot start with the nice BOTT to get things going. This is a pretty solid version and the Wolfman's that follows is also a great jam. Since 4.0 began, Wolfman's has really just taken off and every version contains something special. Enjoyed the Hey Stranger next but the first real surprise of the night was Guelah... Was super happy about that as it's become a rarity lately and I never expected I would catch one! My whole section was pumped about that as well. Both No Man's and Steam have some extra juice, I recall particularly enjoying the Steam. Was absolutely beyond excited to catch Evolve - I had never seen that one live before, and it's my favorite pandemic-era Trey song, was so happy when it became the cornerstone of the album and was getting good treatment everywhere. It also mirrored me hearing Evolve out of the PA on the South Denver Walmart the day before. This was a blast. Strange Design was also a treat next - I had gotten one at my first show, 10/17/2014 Eugene and this hit just as well, it's always a treat to get Page belting it out in any capacity. The Antelope to close was strong and I'd say above-average for 4.0 Antelopes, it had a wonderful trilling peak.

However, the Good Stuff was fully in store for Set 2. This is among contention for the best sets of 2024 and I'd say among the best for a regular show in 4.0. Somehow, it was perhaps the peak of the entire run. I've relistened to this set a number of times but yet I can hardly describe it. It really does feel like one of those sets where there is one large musical idea that simply coasts through whatever songs are being played. Chalk Dust, Sand, Ruby Waves is over an hour of pure musical genius, pure improv, pure magic. I don't think it really hit me until midway through the Ruby, where it peaks early on but then Trey continues to push deeper into the murky waters. I was lucky enough to attend both MSG and Dicks and get both incredible Ruby's.. a perfect choice into WTU to follow.. just amazing setlist construction, something of which has been massively improving lately. Sonic bliss. Possum gets the crowd back going and honestly it felt that the set could have ended there and everyone would have been fine - but then this is the moment where the set turns from great to absolutely incredible - they go into Everything's Right, one of my favorites, and then THAT gets the extended treatment, with room for it to grow and create a fiery end to the set. Was proud to have witnessed this and cheer as loud as I could after it ended.

The encore could have been something simple, boom, go home, but then this marks the next level-up that this show could have. It arguably just kept getting better and better throughout. Trey pops out the megaphone and the crowd goes crazy. My first Fee and definitely a song that I'm never opposed to hearing at a show, it was fun to sing along and bask in the light. Was expecting something like a show closer but then out comes the 1-2-3-4 and holy fucking shit! My first YEM as well! 15 shows and that was my first one. And what a YEM this was... I mean this one felt like it was never going to end. They were having such a good time that they just built and built on that groove. I seriously did a time check a few times just to make sure that we were all experiencing this for what felt like forever. If I could bottle that feeling, the 8/30 encore YEM groove feeling, that would be just the greatest thing. I felt on top of the world!

After the house lights turned on, everyone was just standing there in shock LMAO. What an amazing show, top-to-bottom. Seeing them play this good was one of the reasons why I pulled the trigger on going to see them at MSG for NYE - and what a great decision that was too. Phish is playing so well - they were at Dicks, they continued throughout the rest of the year. Some of my other shows have better individual moments, including one two nights in the future, but this is easily one of the best full shows I've seen. This and 12/29/2024. Holy shit what a time to be a Phan!