Anyone wonder why Ghost would be played the day before Halloween? It's because The Ghost arrived the day before Halloween.
What an incredible show. And what an incredible after show orgy. Vegas is really a great scene for Phish. Some dude was playing a didgeridoo. Wow. Some people are offended by vajankles but would they be offended by dicknees? Who knows it's certainly easier to type than say, I mean is the 'k' silent?
Anyway back to the show. 10/30 was a show to us fans that would be equivalent to dropping a box of Kleenex and a Polaroid of an old babysitter in the lap of you French-fry-burning-Subaru drivers that call yourselves enlightened. The orgy started at How Many People Are You, I mean really how many people fit in this damn place (no really how many - I am all of them), and it ended sometime before the next show.
It is noted that DWD is unfinished, and for once the keepers of the setlist got it right, because this DWD is still unfinished. Seriously it's still going almost 2 months later.
10/30/16 was the best show I've ever been to, not even surpasssed by Halloween show and I love Bowie - especially the peyote tapes, and The Labyrinth was the best movie ever made.
The energy created helped the Cubs win a world series, maybe we should've focused our powers on the election instead. Too late now. It can't get any worse though, the race is based on sun and region, ladies and gentlemen.

If you ever want to make a baby with someone, this show will get it done.

Ghost out.

This was my only show of the run that I hit so I was pretty amped for it. First set was one of those straight old school rocker sets. Funky Bitch kept the place moving, Army of one is always welcome for me ever since Hampton 13 N1. Disease opener was a straight heater and can't believe it's not under "Noteworthy Jams" as well as BOAF that was a great jammed out one, one of the best since Nassau 03 in my opinion. Fuego with the birds and BOAF tease was pretty cool with the band starting and stopping and thank god instead of wooing responding with "They Attack" We have the most attentive audience in the music scene that we can just pick up on that shit and roll with what the band is doing, Must feel pretty good from up on stage trying to get something out of us like that and we are right there to give them what they want. All in all, one of my favorite shows I've been to in sometime. OH THAT HOOD>HAVE MERCY>HOOD is a dream that I've had and it came true. Vegas is magical.

36th show. A very strong show with great first set jamming. MGM energy was electric. The guys were very locked in. Theme from the bottom was very impressive. The first set ended with a very loud and long roar from the crowd. The band basked in the glow, stage lights stark white, and smiling ear to ear for as long as I've ever seen. Set 2 DwD and birds was very good. Must listen. Harry Have Mercy was brilliant. Strong, powerful encore.

Phish continued to bring the heat in Vegas on Sunday. Great flow, heavy riffs, and Trey leading the boys into new territory on several occasions.

After a line problem where security sent us outside, only to lead us right back in, we hit the concourse halfway through The Dogs and in our seats (Page’s side, halfway up) at the first refrain of Ghost. As slot 2 progressed, I knew we were going to have a solid show on our hands.

While looking around to gauge the community around us, I was struck by the hordes and groups of early twenty-somethings. Obviously, Phish is able to attract all ages and many types of people, but the conclusion I came to is this: While on hiatus, Phish lost one generation of phans – the ones in high school and college between 2003 and 2009. I believe our musical interests are solidified during these years of growing freedom and first concerts. These “kids” now in their late-twenties/early-thirties simply missed the Big Boat. Now we have the new crop of phans who grew up on Fuego and other post-hiatus staples. Into our 7th year of 3.0, we are now seeing a new part of our community who have the jobs and the means to make it out to Vegas for Halloween. All of these new “kids” around me were having a good time and we as phans welcome them.

Funky Bitch was then met with a big ovation and excitement. Usually not my favorite, but very enjoyable this time around. Trey then brought in some heavy licks to start Chalkdust. At this point in the show, I started to realize a phenomenon that brought me back to late ’98 and into ’99. During that period of 1.0, I always felt the many songs almost played themselves – Phish was dialed in and while Mike and Page kept songs in a recognizable structure allowing Trey and Fish to improvise around refrains and sometimes even measures of music. This is what made every song unique and also helped lead the band off the beaten path of a particular song. I felt this in Chalkdust.

Army of One was a treat with big sounds filling the venue – Page should always get the Set 1 ballad. Heavy Things was called by the guy behind me as Trey the recorded the very recognizable quarter-note into his playback pedal. A mini-jam and worth a relisten. HMPAY kept us rockin’ and I don’t seem to remember too much about Stash – I’ll have to listen again.

Page opened up Theme, and it brought back a flood of memories for me – Phish opened with Theme at my first show (Alpine ’97). Theme brought the heat. Why this song isn’t a Set 1 closer in a 5 concert rotation befuddles me. Highlight of the first set, but obviously I’m working with a bit of bias. Suzy then closed the first set with a bit of a breakdown to the usual Type I structure. Huge applause after Set I – waves of it, increasing in volume at least 4 times. Well deserved.

Good conversation with the youngin’ next to me during the setbreak. It’s always enjoyable to run through the halftime analysis with others and hear how an alternate history and perspective can affect everyone’s first set.

Mike rumbled in Set II with the wash of sound signaling DWD. This in my 13th DWD and 8th time it’s opened up Set II for me. While I was hoping for Mike’s Song to get us going, thankfully DWD brought the goods. One of the things that bothers me about DWD is the opening jam segment. I just feel all 4 band members are playing in their own world during this section (which is often the only jam section). Compare this to a Tweezer or Ghost which is so tight and in almost all cases the band is playing as one. I think Page is the culprit on this section of DWD which disorients me from the music. Thankfully, this DWD has 3 sections and like I alluded to when discussing CDT, it was Trey driving the group into new terrains.

Birds of a Feather came right out of DWD which was easy to call with a really cool transition that was forming for about 45 seconds. BOAF had a great tension and release moment. With Back-back jams before starting Fuego, I had a brief vision of a 4 song second set, but Fuego could never really get going. Many sat down during Miss You and groaned a little bit, but with the emotion attached to this song, everyone in the room thankfully ditched the preconceived notions (including myself) and paid attention before granting some warm applause.

As we start to wind down (it’s late when your body is still on Central time!) Who can go wrong with a 4th Quarter Hood, but then add a Have Mercy Sandwich – my goodness! I love Have Mercy ever since the Guyutica show. A little bit of quicker temp than in NY, but a real treat. ADITL and Zero brought us home.

Can’t wait until tomorrow – we’re back here because of what happened 2 years ago. It’s going to be great.

I love Birds of a Feather and this was the best version I've ever seen live.

This Have Mercy was the ultimate tease for those of us who've never seen it live. Now I can say I've seen half of one. They never actually got all the way into it which was a shame. Hard to play a reggae tune without the reggae drum beat.

I took notes watching from home. Here they are copy and pasted:

Set 1

Dogs was the opener continuing the theme from the first 2 nights’ Chilling, Thrilling openers. Lots of musical communication between the band members.

Early set Ghost followed and was possibly my highlight. It stayed type one but really pushed the envelope of what can be type one with page wanting on several occasions to break from the band and then Mike bringing it back down.  So far great!

Funky Bitch - this should keep the energy rolling and show us how well they are playing tonight (so far they are playing great).  Btw, Page is a great organ soloist. Come to think of it Mike is great too.. and this is really balanced. Good thinks to come.

Chalkdust was like this for my brain chronologically: 1st thought: not second set but would be great if they played it like it is the second set. 2: right out trey goes slow while page and mike dance around the chord progressions. nice and slow and patient. 3: back into chalkdust again quickly 4: rockin trey solo to end it  (not second set)

Army of one - get some Page!

Heavy things - time to grab a beer Hey Page sounds solid again! So does Mike.

How many people are you - Love this song!   Great job! Way fun!

Stash - Solid composed section. Quiet with a major jam in the middle.  It was pretty happy but back to it. They seem to be enjoying slower grooves this tour and so do I. They let it build longer and be patient. Solid reentry to stash. Great set placement.

Theme - Another favorite with great placement! Solid rocking version with a lot of Page and mike again. Fight bell from Mike (to me he hits it to signify he is fired up)!

Suzy - More Page for sure! Teased the electric piano and a cheer for the slot machine line. 2: Trey off key solo outdone by the chairman again… Page Fish duel ya!

Really a lot of great song placement all night! Just fabulous first set led by Page and close second was Mike.

Set 2 GET READY

DWD opener is obviously presenting a very possible opportunity.  Nice first jam going dark for a second before accelerating through a wicked chord progression that switches gears at a really high level!  Oh boy!  Gets really dark before taking a turn back to the major with Mike dropping heavy bass line and Page gliding almost silently on the Hammond.  Trey just noodles beautifully and Fish lays it down solid.. Change gears at 11 or 12 min. Yes!  Some high energy and heavy mike bombing with which goes out really far as we start to get nearer to the 14 min mark.  New synth groove from page around 18 min.  Trey starts the rhythm for dogs/ woo’s/

or…
BOAF … Page on keys and rocking start. Next some aggressive chord changes. great spacey jam with standard ending.  

Fuego middle jam was a little drawn out with fun interplay…. Fuego  fire jam to finish

Miss You - great

hood - nice and slow build up to > have mercy > hood

>a day in the life - Fun last quarter

E: char zero rocked

Much has already been said about this show so I’ll skip right to the DWD > BoaF segment, which is powerful, interesting, and quite exploratory. The transition between the two tunes is pretty nice as well. Versions of these tunes are the reason I, and I suspect most of us, keep coming back to see this band. I’d argue that this combo is the highlight of the Vegas run, and potentially the Fall ‘16 tour.

One more Thrilling, Chilling song to open! Ghost is taken for a bit of a ride, with some interesting flourishes by Trey, in particular. The now-rare How Many People Are You shows up... I'd like to hear that more often. Stashes nowadays don't seem to get quite as menacingly dark as in days of yore, but that's okay. What's that you say? DWD Set-II opener? Challenge accepted! The jam is long, but I think I prefer the segue into and jam out of BOAF more. It just seems to break fallower ground. Too bad Fuego didn't follow up with a huge jam, Harry Hood -> Have Mercy -> Harry Hood is a really nice surprise. ADITL is a fitting set-closer, I think.

Another strong first set in vegas was anchored by the Ghost, Stash, and Theme. Funky Bitch, Chalk Dust and HMPAY were great calls that helped the flow of the set and got the crowd going crazy. The second set exploded with an amazing DWD that was dark and funky. The peak reminded me of the 2015 MSG Twist. A perfect -> into the first big time BOAF since 2012 was bonkers. This Birds was beautiful and kept going deeper until Trey decided to slickly wrap it up. From here the set took a turn with Fuego and Miss You taking the energy down a notch and not delivering the goods needed to make this set extraordinary. However, Harry Hood was a great call and sandwiching Have Mercy made it even better. Gotta love A Day in the Life. Overall another winner in Vegas. Highlights include DWD->BOAF and the Harry Sandwich. 4/5