@deceasedlavy said:

I respectfully disagree with the notion that Phish is not demonstrably better this year than in 2010. Last fall was largely straightforward, rock-out material a la Little Feat with a few improvisational highlights... This year, they're listening to each other much more consistently. Page has awoken from a slumber. They are taking chances, pushing and pulling each other and moving as one mind much better and much more often (aside from the obvious mid-tour type-2 lull) than ever before in 3.0. I'd argue that the best jams of this tour rank with the best of any tour. Would not say the same about 2010...

Thanks so much for the kind words! Of course, the fact that you're so articulate and insightful makes it hard to resist adding more cents on this issue, since I am a little surprised by some of what you say here.

I don't think it's fair to suggest that the members of Phish weren't consistently listening to each other (or that any of them were asleep) in 2010. While there have been spectacular improvisations so far this tour to be sure (spectacular as compared with improv from any era of Phish), IMO there were also many excellent jams last year as well, such as the 8/6/10 Greek Cities (though brief, it's among my favorite jams in Phish history), the Utica Have Mercy -> Piper, the 8/7/10 Greek Light, the 8/14/10 Alpine DWD -> What's the Use, 8/15/10 Piper, 8/17/10 Jones Beach BDTNL (!), the 10/19/10 Augusta Light and Reba, 10/26/10 Manchester Light, 10/30/10 AC's Wolfman's and 2001, 10/31/10's Stash, 12/31/10's Ghost, and other things I'm probably forgetting.

In any event, don't get me wrong. I'm still very pleased with this tour, especially with the Pine Knob DWD and Bethel2's GoldenGinTeca. But I think the chances they've been taking so far this tour have been measured, as in the recent past. Of course, this tour ain't over, thankfully!