[we'd like to thank Nick Lowe, @rockinhorn, for recapping last night's show from Nashville - ed.]

As far as outdoor venues Phish performs at, Ascend Amphitheater lives near the top of the list. The size and intimacy here bring a special feeling to everyone in attendance, and certainly create an excited anticipation as to what the band is going to blow our minds with in such a small setting. Ascend has quickly gained a lot of attention in Phishdom since the storied 2015 return of “Mike’s 2^nd Jam” and the 2016 guest appearance of Bob Weir. For obvious reasons, Nashville shows seem to elevate the possibility of guest artists joining the band. Or at least in the minds of us phans. There was a bit of pre-show chatter about Vince Gill having just finished some tour dates with The Eagles. “Maybe he’ll show up to play some Eagles tunes?” To those comments I could only think one thought. “I’ve had a rough night, man, and I hate the f#@&ing Eagles, man!”

The air was crisp, and the vibe was super excited on a gorgeous fall evening in Nashville. The earlier ticket time threw some of us for a bit of a loop. This on top of a long wait to get through security (metal detectors) created a little more pre-show anxiety than normal. Though, once inside, it was immediately apparent why this venue is so special to those who have experienced it firsthand. The feeling of sitting in the band’s lap is shared by all in attendance, whether in reserved seats or lawn.

The house lights went down at 7:36 p.m. and the beloved foursome hit the stage exploding with excited energy, Trey with his familiar ear-to-ear smile. Without any hesitation they laid into “Tweezer Reprise” and the audience erupted. Much anticipation revolved around this since it was left on the table from Hampton. Would they play “Reprise” at all?

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