The four shows of Fall '10 Tour proper have seen Phish's song/improv balance shift somewhat, relative to the other '3.0' shows: the second sets are still (mostly) given to longer improvisations than the more song-driven first sets, but marquee jams are emerging from unexpected places songs (Golden Age, Carini, a wild show-closing Split) while some of the best old-school 'jam tune' renditions have come in first sets. Meanwhile, the group's improvisations are going to new places faster than ever, in versions of Light, Carini, and 46 Days (10/12), Simple (10/10), and Wolfman's Bro (10/11) that run less than 9:00 in length. (I haven't heard last night's Chucktown show, but I hear it was a strong one.)

Hell, we even got a bold Hood > Light segue at the hipster festival show. That's good news - even if we like our Lights a good deal darker...

This is the best of the three Broomfield shows overall, but you might not guess it from the setlist. I didn't. A short Carini as the showpiece jam? A 12-minute Bowie, a song that hasn't surpassed itself in (arguably) a decade? Quick-stop versions of Light, Theme, Free, Bug? The not-particularly-well-liked Summer of '89 in a prime late-night slot? Perfunctory versions of Stealing Time and Timber, plus a standalone 46 Days in the first set - where the jam has nothing to connect to, no source of dark magic to draw on?

Well, yes. A resounding YES to all those, plus a fine jam in TTE(!) and a Theme > Free segue that almost (ALMOST) redeems Trey's inexplicable decision to use those rock-sonar downstrokes as the standard segue-into-Free material, instead of the song's glorious riff.

Carini morphs into an aggressive-ambient jam that's almost...anthemic, and which grows organically out of the tune, something Phish have gotten even better at over the years. Then we've got the first pre-Bowie jam in years - a passage that used to be one of Phish's spacey open-ended jam frameworks; it's only a minute but it's a very good minute. Light is short and punchy, with some detailed unison rhythm work in the closing minute and a weirdly-awkward-but-still-fine segue into Theme. This has been a standout year for Theme from the Bottom! Free flows (ahem) freely out of Trey's post-lyrics rhythms, and after the usual Cactus bass solo, we have another heartfelt Joy, and unusually well sung.

There's no way a Joy, Halfway > Bug, Summer, Split run should work as well as this one does - especially not in the meat of Set II! For one thing, you've really gotta earn a song as beerily melodramatic as Bug with some deepwater jamming, and Joy/Halfway doesn't quite cut it. And (for reasons reasonable and un-) no one seems to care for Summer of '89, a repetitive song followed by an uneasily-fitting, monochromatic jam. If ever a setlist has seemed programmed to scare away hateful little online fanboys, well...

But the run of songs makes a kind of sense here, and not just in terms of the Chilean-miners-related lyrical theme (from the bottom/in a minute I'll be free/we want you to be happy/halfway to the moon/we danced all night). The second half of this second set is all about intensity: the anthemic outpouring of Joy and Bug, the focus and hushed upwelling of Halfway and Summer, the eventual cloudbreak and psychedelic storm that is Split Open and Melt (which is a rare, spectacular version, by the way). I'd never put together a setlist like this; neither would Trey, I suspect! But it happened this way on the day, and it did so for a reason. We have the chance to listen closely at our leisure for the silver thread running through and between these songs, the light that shows nonsense to be simply an undiscovered species, new sense.

Didn't make the first two shows so I can't really compare, but 3rd night was quality, yeah there were some slow new tunes, but overall that place was gettin down, and all the haters out there that wrote on phish's facebook page should download that show, I listened to it last night, they sounded pretty tight, Carini> Bowie second set was insane, and the split open to close, rippin'. Now after knowing the trapped miners were being released during the second set Light>Theme from the bottom>Free> Joy was sick. I'm not a huge fan of Theme, but sickest version i've ever seen, I got the chills when I was at this show. wasn't the Best show I've ever seen, but certainly not the worst. I'm no rookie either, be seein phish since '93, was at '94 halloween, '95 new years run, all the festivals'96-'99, most east coast shows during that period, then moved to Colorado in '01, and didn't get to see them again til Telluride this year, so all the people hatin' on Phish maybe need a break, my life is rejuvenated again, seein them gives me buzz, so the can play what ever the hell they want. If you thought that show was lame then it sucks to be you.

Great venue, great sound and I was in a suite for this night...after the first night my Birthday show(also in the suite) and the second night, raging on the rail Page side...I left this show feeling a little let down...and felt the highlights for me were On Your Way Down(a foretaste of the Halloween show that my wife went to but I did not), Halfway to the Moon, Summer of '89(my wife and I love song heartfelt sentimentality of this one), and Meatstick...

However, I've gone back to this show and think it deserves a good listening to by all...it is unique in it's construction as all Phish shows are but there is something special going on at this show...

Here are my thoughts

SET I
For me, this show had some real downs & ups, down for STFTFP & TTE(But both were tight and placed at the start of Set 1, sent a message that something different was happening on stage)

I was up for Meat, DS & Timber...nice little run with good energy...

There were other Starts & Stops too...the starts continued from the upness of Timber...and On Your Way Down was an unexpected start to a nice run including Heavy Things & Sugar Shack...

...things stopped for me on 46 Days, I just don't dig this song that much but it was a solid way to end the set.

SET II
Had some Highs, Peaks and troughs...Carini>Bowie started things off nicely...solid jamming but nothing too self-indulgent.

Light>Theme>Free>Joy had a purpose I was unaware of at the time(miners and stuff) but took me into musical trough territory. However, listening again I hear solid, heartfelt playing and well sung lyrics and nicely executed jams...

Halfway to the Moon>Bug & Summer of '89 worked well for me at the show and even better on the replay....I love Halfway to the Moon, Page sang nicely & the band played well - squishing Bug in between it and Summer of '89 was an interesting move...I like the thoughtful lyrics in Bug and Summer of '89...maybe that was the reason they were together...

A tight SOAM second set finisher for everyone who felt a little confused by the set.

E: Meatstick - peaked out the show for me...a great way to end my Birthday run and the crowd was left singing as the band left stage...loved it on the night and love it even more on the replay...

Perhaps we, the audience, were thrown by the lack of any serious jams in the second set...TTE and DS ran the longest in Set I...maybe it was the unusual song selections...

Whatever it was...don't judge this show by the set-list, give it a listen, it's an introspective, soulful show....After re-listening I changed my rating from 3 to 4...

they should have tossed in a cavern between theme and free.

Trey changed the lyrics to: "Everyone was screaming when they saw the plague, everyone was screaming when they saw the plague" for one verse. This is in reference to the recent health warning from Broomfield Health and Human Services that Black Plague had been found recently in the fields surrounding 1st Bank Center:

http://www.ci.broomfield.co.us/news/newsdetail.asp?ArticleID=895

I had a really great time at this show. Even the whiners all around me couldn't burst my bubble. Stealing time is a ripping way to start the show and I'm down with TTE. Trey played his old guitar for that one until the solo at the end when he threw back on the ocelot and wailed. Meat was unexpected but so well placed and Mike let out some funky distortion. Divided Sky kept the energy up and Timber was one I haven't seen since New Years '97. On Your Way Down is amazing, Page sounds stellar. Heavy Things was mellow but I love me some Sugar Shack and 46 Days, oh yeah. I agree Carini is a great set opener and Fishman after teasing Bowie before Ghost the first night, finally got his chance. Light>Theme>Free>Joy made me smile and dance, life is incredible,but(I'm still partial to the Greek versions this past summer Light>Twenty Years>Hood>Theme insanely tight versions). Halfway was another unexpected but inserted nicely into the set. Bug is a song I have been chasing for a loong time, always missed it by a show or two, finally I thought to myself. Summer of '89 did slow things way down, he should of done a Torn and Frayed imo, but nonetheless it was on the menu along with a hearty serving of Split Open & Melt! The girl who held up the Meatstick sign all night must have been stoked they answered her request, and they did the dance as well.

i snuck into the venue through the suite entrance when the vendors were arrivingfor work. i heard phish practicing and immediately ran up and sat at the top stairs. i sat there for about 20 minutes until it ended. i also recorded about 19 minutes (in 60 sec. increments). they worked on my problem for quite a long time and also played takin' it to the streets by the doobie bros. i think sang by phishman. i also got on the front row. so alls well that ends well. merry phishin'

First set was solid. I like the placement of TTE early in the first set rather than a set closer or anywhere in the 2nd set. Got my first Meat, On Your Way Down (Little Feat!) and Sugar Shack. I thought there would be one more song after 46 days.
Carini is now, hands down, my favorite set opener. not too mention is segued into Bowie. WOW. Light Theme Free were all good. Joy is what it is. Glad to catch that newer Page song played for only the 2nd time. But, Joy, Moon, Bug, Summer of 89 all in a row slowed things down a bit after that carini bowie opener. Melt was fantastic.
I wanted a Meatstick real bad during this 3 night run and NEVER EVER saw it coming as an encore that night. I was f-ing pumped! I meatstick danced my ass off despite that fact that no one around me (except my buddy) was gettin down. I believe Mike (and Trey?) was/were showing the audience how to do it on stage at one point. (can anyone confirm this?)

I wasnt at this show, but this is the definition of phish pissing in the audiences ears. I remember listening to this show the next day using mr miner no spoilers and laughing at the song selection. This show sucks and shows how bad they can be on an off night. But it also makes it special how good they can be on an "on" night.

O well, you gotta take the bad with the good.