I'm going to keep this one short and sweet. Well... as short and sweet as a long-winded guy like me can keep it, anyhow, which I guess isn't especially short, but hopefully sweet enough to sweeten your night. It's a weeknight, after all, and some of us have remote work from the VRBO in the morning. Ahem.

To put it plainly, this show was a certified banger, though it manifested itself via slow burn rather than out-and-out explosivity. There's no doubt that CTB is a grand opener, but it's an unassuming one. And while Jibboo may have provided the oh-so-faintest hint of what was to come, I would suggest that the 1st quarter of tonight's show — a TUESDAY, mind you — felt very much like a warm-up. A little stretch here, a short sprint there. In a parallel universe, this show could have been a perfectly serviceable "average good" outing had it stayed this course.

But we need to talk about that Theme. That wild, wonderful, multi-colored, multi-layered psychedelic fever dream of a Theme. I'm not sure if Trey was searching for the right inspiration or just challenging himself and the band, but he began changing keys like a villainous landlord on eviction day. By the end of this 16-minute undisputed set centerpiece, I counted at least three distinct key shifts, but perhaps more? It was exciting and unpredictable and utterly mesmerizing.

And our boy didn't stop there, mind you. After a stark (but unfortunately woo-y) Vultures, we were treated to multiple key changes in the succinct-but-excellent jams that followed Timber and Everything's Right. Despite its relative parity in length, the 2nd quarter of tonight's show was an entirely different beast than the 1st. A weirder, wilder, more complex beast.

After what seemed like a lean half-hour setbreak, the band settled into a perfectly enjoyable set-opening INNYLTB. It's not going to make any best-of lists, but it serves its purpose as a compact high-energy set opener.

And then there's that Tweezer. I mean, how do I start with this one? I guess I could point out that it's the second 40-minute jam in FOUR DAYS, coming hot on the heels of the Alpine Simple. I could also point out that they played a longer Tweezer — by about five minutes — last year in Berkeley. This band has no shortage of all-time classic Tweezers in its catalogue, so it would be difficult for me to say this one belongs in the best of all time with spending at least a week listening to dozens and dozens of incredible Tweezers, trying to evaluate them against one another in a quixotic quest for perfection. I once heard someone refer to Tweezer as "Phish's Dark Star," which may account for the relative abundance of incredible Tweezers over the years. I've heard this one exactly once, in real time, at the show tonight. I have no f'ing clue how it's going to stack up against such formidable company, but I can say without a doubt that you need to hear for yourself. Trey remains trigger-happy on key changes in the beginning, but the jam eventually morphs into something of a massive sustained tantric peak that eventually coalesces into some sort of SUPER peak toward the end. The crowds reaction at its conclusion — a solid 30 seconds of the loudest cheering and applause you've ever heard — pretty much says it all.

And so now on to the fourth quarter, which could have gone any number of ways following such a singular feat. I personally appreciated the choice to give everyone a breather with Ether Edge. Sure, it sent throngs of people clamouring to the concourse and/or restroom, but it gave the band a chance to test out a nice compact little jam on this relatively recent addition to their oeuvre in a low-stakes environment. It was heating up nicely by the time people starting filing back to their seats, so the band treated us to a very enjoyable Piper that both enhanced and complimented its predecessor. And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the Gloria tease from Trey in a sly callback to their last run at Chaifetz, which coincided with the Blues' Stanley Cup victory.

Looking at the clock, it became apparent that we would not, ahem, be "treated" to any 2nd set ballads tonight, so I was more than happy to let Meat occupy the penultimate slot. It was fun, if unremarkable. The Blaze On that followed wasted no time in building momentum that eventually delivered some impressive type-I(ish) fireworks at the end.

Oh, and that encore? Pure dynamite. T.N.T.

I'm not sure how they're going to top such an explosive show tomorrow, but I'm looking forward to seeing them try.

'Til then ✌️

I snuck into the official show discussion thread last night, like Locust the Lurker, just as they dropped into Tweezer and was immediately torn between grateful observer and FOMO cynic. The $h!tty side of me thinking don't let this be great...my shoulder devil making stabbing motions at my soul. I mean it's a Tuesday show, how are they not gonna go deep...why didn't they go this way last Tuesday? "Woe is me" type BS...and if you weren't there you can't deny some of these thoughts went through your head as well. Anyway, I digress.

This morning, after listening to set one, I breathed in INNULTB (awkward acronym) and used the 40 minutes of Tweezer as my meditation music, sitting eyes closed, trying just to observe. The 40 minutes screamed by and I made some very clear (to me) observations: First, I completely forgot about any first set highlights, like completely erased. Second, it was as good as any 40 minute jam this band has played. Next, while the risks to playing an extended 30+ minute jam might be that it doesn't translate, gets boring, plan sucks; there are certain musical upsides that can only come from an uninterrupted improvisation of that length (think FLOW-STATE). I know there is all this talk of micro-jams, the ability to express distinct musical themes in a condensed format, and they certainly have merit. BUT, like a long distance runner, you only truly learn about what you are made of once you pass that certain threshold.

This jam had, in my opinion, four distinct themes. Building, Meandering, Letting Go, and Elysium:
1) The Build contained the optimism that most Phish jams project in the early minutes. There was patience, musical conversation, and it felt like it had a determined path, or at least focus.

2) The Meandering section is where many jams, I think, abort and/or quickly turn major key bliss-mode for the bail out. What's happening when they meander sets the tone for the remainder of this jam and precisely what happened here. Now that the familiar ground has passed, they are left searching for the next musical thought and theme and have to pass through a few to find what feels right and therefore becomes prime rip cord territory.

3) But if they settle into this No Man's Land, they have the opportunity to reach the Letting Go. This is the Phish that I love. Long sonic passages of dissonance with discordant musical opinions happening that swell up and join forces to realize they are actually all super locked in. Most jams don't make it this far, in my opinion, or at least they only flirt with this before cutting back to familiar territory, for Terra-Firma. Great deliberate patience and focus happens here. From the darkness there are brief shafts of light but the band remains in this Letting Go because there is no rush. The band stops to listen a little more. Ideas start to congeal from the primordial ooze to form the basic building blocks of the next segment, the foundation needed for them to land after they blast off to the stratosphere.

4) Then its Elysium. This is not your typical major key cop out, this is a slow and deliberate build and the crowd senses this and responds immediately. The confidence level is apparent at this point and the HOSE is in full effect. The shuttle launch commences at 32:30 and they are soaring for the stars.

My only critique is that with all that patience they exuded, they could have, first, deconstructed back into the seminal licks of Tweezer proper versus the herky-jerky landing and/or gone full Tweezer deconstruction mode once they shifted back into the closing coda to close the song out.

Anyway, I love that we have this forum to share and that is how I saw it and I am probably wrong cause I SUCK AT PHISH!

Just want to mention we had a great group of tapers tonight. That scene is still happening, so thanks to those around us who were down and just cool neighbors.

Not gonna mention the BIG one, but damn if Jibboo, Theme, Ether and Piper weren't just perfect additions...

Jibboo was a slower pace than normal (at least my remembering), and trey added a little bit of time throwing in some loops which was appreciated. Theme was very tight, and Mike had a few pockets to shine. They got to spread wings, but kept it dark, yum!

Ether Edge. Start up saw people sitting and worn out from the marathon that happened before, but leave it to phish to get you back on your toes. It was so delicate and, and, and, and then it got really focused. And patient. Very patient. This was the unexpected come down after The Beast. This might be my second fave jam of the night. It's really, really good.

Finally, Piper. I was fortunate enough to be at SPAC in 04, so that's my Piper summit. It's always in my mind as a comparison, and I'm trying to stop that. This is a very solid, polished piper. After the Tweez, having solid footing songs that are focused and dialed was such a special thing. And this was a good one.

That's it. There is a baseball game tomorrow (today) and I should be lights out, but listening to these tapes, reading the board....it was just a damn special night.

What a show to start the two night run in Saint Louis! The band was definitely in the mood to keep us one our toes with key changes and unbridled intensity. AND we got another 40+ minute heater in four days?! This band is too good to us. Thank you Phish for a great start to this little run in the gateway city.