First off, what an emotionally charged recap. You did an excellent job balancing the music with the experience all while sprinkling in some of that personal flavor and it totally strummed at my (bluegrass) heart strings. I thought your final paragraph struggled (in a good way) in the way we all struggle to explain this band to the uninitiated. And, the 'echo of home" theme really resonates; so many of us were so young when we first saw this band and they have literally grown up with us, so every note we hear them play transports us back to that formative period of our life. Thank you for your vulnerability here!

Now, I was in the discussion thread last night (great group in there this tour) though not listening to the show. I didn't get my ears on things until this morning. Anticipation was high based on the high "in the moment" praise from those listening and sharing their reaction. So, I started from set 2 and let it all wash over me through to the sit in. I will be totally honest, I think you nailed it (and were generous) in calling it a "runaway train" in the composed section. And I think the lyrical mishaps (of course just from listening) were really caused by everyone not being sure who was going to do what (which makes sense when you don't practice these things, right). Out of the song proper, there was a lot of meandering, with an almost feeling you out quality (which again makes total sense), until things turned swampy type two. This jaunt into minor key territory seemed to be when the collective whole synced and was short lived. I do wish they had sunk into that mire a little more. That dissonant territory is, maybe, an easier place to connect owing to, well, its dissonance. When they came to it was around a nice motif that they swirled around and then wend pure Allman Brothers. It must have been such a thrill being in that room, still was a thrill on relisten, but nail it they did not. Which is just fine. It only got better from here.

Possum and Everything's Right built on that initial momentum and there was a moment at the midway point of ER with this kind of tornado twirl of a sound that was just so cool. Definitely found a stride. When the encore hit, how could they not nail two bluegrass numbers, which leads me to believe they should have at least led the sit-in with one, just to warm themselves up (but what do I know, I suck at Phish). Sidebar: Did Trey say, "I didn't know we were gonna do another one," kinda awkwardly before Carini? Sounded like it.

Well, Carini was it's beautifully sick and sadistic self and a proverbial blank canvas for Phishy Strings (dare I say, Rock A William) to dazzle us. Almost immediately the synchronicity, or at list the musical telepathy, was on full display. It was what the Derek Trucks sit-in was coupled with this blended sound owing to the second guitar, a sound that is a rarity with Phish, so I could only imagine is difficult to pull off. Carini redeemed Moma in so many ways but in the end needed to be thanking the rust removal of Moma for how well it translated. A micro-jam that explored various themes succinctly, pivoting on a dime, Carini was certainly the, IMHO, the song/jam of the night. Something about the 8:30 mark that if you could bottle it, oh, sweet baby jesus. Then the deft turn to wrap the bow on Carini and boom!

Anyway, great write up, really cool sit-in. Making me think twice about hitting a Bethel show now.

MG