Wow! What a show. This show set the pace for a great weekend at Bader Field and indicated that those of us in attendance for the three night stand were in for a treat.

I am writing this review now because I wanted to allow myself some time to digest the sets I saw. My emotions were high going into this show because I attended with some of my very best friends, many of whom I have not seen in several months. Also, this show came on the heels of many wonderful changes in my life, including graduating from college in January and buying a home with my wife in March. Atlantic City was the perfect bookend a wonderful spring season and a great way to welcome summer. If you read this far, thanks! Here is the review:

Set 1: 3.5*/5*

The Sloth opener was an excellent way to introduce the crowd to AC. Gluttony and trepidation were two very consistent themes in .net posts regarding the environment in AC, and I think the band nailed it by opening with this tune. It was performed exceptionally well and laid a great thematic foundation for the contrast of other songs in the set including My Sweet One, Stash and Coil. Camel Walk was a great surprise. Following 46 Days, Camel Walk brought the right amount of funk to drive the crowd into a roaring Tube. I always love hearing a well played Simple, and while the transition to The Wedge felt a little forced made this one of my most favorite segues of the evening. STFTFP... I hate it. Not the song. I hate that they kill it every time and I am beginning to really enjoy seeing this tune performed. Very well done and a solid choice for this set. Coil. Goddamn! What a tune. Great choice for a closer for the first set of the weekend.

The first set transitioned well, some of the jams felt really tight (esp. Tube, Stash and Coil). Page raged his shit to close Coil.

Set 2: 4*/5*

I like the choice of a My Soul opener. I love to dance to this tune and always feel that this song is meant to describe the music Phish performs. The tension and release methodology of Phish always makes me think of strife/rage/sadness followed by vindication/relaxation/jubilation. BOAF is a great song and was performed quite well as the second song in the set. I like that it was chosen to transition in BOTT. Initially, Heavy Things seemed a little out of place in the order it was played here. I love the song and think, after hearing it again, that this worked very well to balance the
second set and allowed the band to pump five more very raucous songs to end the set. Twits > Piper >Billy Breathes > Sneakin' Sally > David Bowie. Wow! And, in case you missed the entire first set, David Bowie included tightly played and in-your-face teases of Stash, It's Ice, Simple and Ginseng.

This set was a real treat. I enjoyed the entire thing and don't feel that any of the performance during this set felt labored or forced. This a fun one to put on the mp3 player and listen to over and over.

Encore: 3.8*/5*

First Tube. I like it and it was a great song to hear right before hitting up KDTU at the Revel.