Festival sets often get mixed reviews and I thoroughly understand why. However, this show really had maybe two moments where they lost their groove.

Moma Dance and Free are always a welcome combo and Timber never disappoints so the band was definitely there to keep fans on their toes, as usual, and play for new listeners. Capping off the set with ADITL > Possum might just be my favorite first set closer I've seen all year. Given the bullshit going on in our country, ADITL hit me like a freight train, reminding me this is why I go out of my way to catch as much Phish as possible. Opening the second set with Sand is always fun and this was definitely a memorable performance. I immediately heard the Leaving On A Jet Plane tease and it brought the child in me back being a song we'd always sing at camp. Next up Chalk Dust even had its moments even though the songs kind of gotten old for me. Albeit short and sweet, the transition into Ya Mar was perfect and it most certainly had the audience singing along.

As for my soapbox on 2001, I've felt like it's gone back to its gimmick status as the bands excuse to let Kuroda get creative and do his light show. Whenever the song goes under ten minutes it kind of feels like an opportunity for the band to save their voices, but this was nonetheless a great version with Trey getting weird as usual. Making it even better, the band broke into a terrifying Carini which had the audience real spooked. I wonder what the new listeners thought of that one! And before you know it, it was time to feel good about hood.

Take it or leave it, the encore was really just for show and I'll dub it the "Sunday Football Encore" because you can hear snippets of those songs any Sunday if ball is your thing. I'm sure our die hard phans have mixed feelings about this show, but overall it was a great time and I was real happy to see Phish headline a festival that was not their own creation.