This show has a lot going for it no matter what kind of Phish you like to hear. The first set gets off to a strong start with a rare Theme From the Bottom opener (last 5/8/11). A perfectly executed Camel Walk and groovin' My Soul get the crowd fully engaged. Which is probably where Trey wants them when he starts the first notes of Petrichor. It's the third, and maybe strongest version yet. The band then gets to take turns playing one of each their own with Fish's My Sweet One, Mike's Waking Up Dead, Page and his aborted trip to the moon, and the debut of Neil Diamon...er Trey's Running out of time (sorry, every single time I hear it I hear it in Neil's voice.) It all closes nicely with MY FIRST TUBE!! and finally Shine a Light in its first ever placement as a Set 1 closer.
Second Set opened with Television's Golden Age which seems to bring out the best in the band when it comes to structuring jam fueled sets like this one. The smooth transition into Tweezer was wonderful, and with the tour's first Tweezer came the bands first tough test to see what might be in store for us for the next 8 shows. Would they jam out the songs we want (demand??) them too, or would they keep it short and sweet like so much of Summer Tour. Well, they passed with flying colors. This was a Tweezer that, even clocked at a modest 16 minutes or so, covered a lot of ground and never felt rushed or abandoned. It was the kind I'd been chasing for awhile now. The NMINML was an animal. Trey just shredded it to pieces, a perfect companion to the faster and harder aspects of the song that preceded it. Plasma was a song I was not familiar with, even thought the band sounded like they'd been playing it regularly in the rotation for years. It was such a cool, spacey jam and could not have been better placed for what was coming next, which is the highlight of the night and the jam of the tour so far. Harry Hoods have been so strong for so long it's amazing to me how they can find something novel but enduring that makes each one it's own rare treasure in time and space, time and time again For some reason Trey wanted us to woo. I did not, but others did. It didn't mtter, it extended the song and added a very unique response from the call that I had never heard before. Anyways, I saw Blue, and he looked glorious.

WOTC in only its 3rd appearance in the encore followed by The Reprise closed another beautiful night in Nashville. Something about this place really brings out the best in the band. I'm glad to have been a part of this year's magic. It's good, good to be a phan.