It's funny.. When it comes to "type II " type highlights, you can hit a wall where you suddenly realize that there's only a finite number of them. That from 89 to 96 and 3.0, the majority of shows have 1, maybe 2 instances where they reach orbital velocity.

I came to that realization while undertaking a massive Operation Skim Through Everyshow, on the hunt for things like the VA Beach 99 Fee (is that available in an sbd form yet?) and 7/26/97 Timber, 4/4/94 and 9/22/00 It's Ice.. Those rare times something unique got stretched out. After awhile it's like "Oh! There are maybe 50 instances of something like that happening tops".

And then all the "jam vehicles" that people get upset about not having jams anymore, the Halleys, Jim, Gumbo, Bag, Roses, 2001, Boogie, Sally, Chalkdust, Ya Mar, Tube, Timber, Twist, Simple, Birds, Cities, Free, Wolfmans, Suzy class of star destroyers really only had 5 to 15 blowout versions a piece.

Hell. Not to be a size queen, but that day you realize that there's only one 20 minute Antelope (not including when other songs are inside) is a weird one. Like really? Wha? Huh? One? From Phoenix "I can't believe they released that one Ventura show instead of this stellar 7/29 or the other Ventura show- bowie cities bowie sbd was already circulating for crying out loud!" 97?!

This isn't a gripe at all. Just thinking about Phish. I like that this set has some bombs from late 98, 99, July 00 and 04. Some stretches rightfully thought of as the least inspired in that Hamburg -> Coventry stretch. Just goes to show that they still produced absolute genius improv when their bigger concerns were dope or uhh, learning how to play Been Caught Stealing. And those highlights from those tours, while great, sound like a JV version of the interplay going on in that fabulous Undermind. A song that blessedly came into prominence after feeling forgotten for so long. I'm a big proponent of 2.0 trumping the post-Lenonwheel pre-Cypress age as far as improv goes, but in 2012 they're on a whole different plane when they want to be.

Here's to 30 more years! In an age when nothing falls through the cracks, when Phish is a song nailing jam blooming goof balling triple threat like they haven't been since the halcyon days of 95. Since Bethel (a weekend I seem to hold in significantly higher esteem than most. The first 2 nights anyway) it has felt like they were slowly ramping up a re-evolution of Total Package Phish. I don't have the slightest shadow of a doubt in my mind. If Phish chose to make 2013 as improvisationally inclined as 97, 93 or 04 they'd leave the year peppered with shows that rivaled the best they've ever played. I'm in a real happy place with this band, and Live Bait 9 brought me back into the fold after going on Phish listening hiatus since the winter.

Go Wizards. Go Phish. John Wałl for president.