What a great way to kick off the 2000 Japan mini-tour. “Axilla > Taste” is fantastic, a great pairing. “Billy Breathes” may look weird as the third song in the set but it is gorgeous. “Funky Bitch” has a fun, deconstructed jam in the middle. “First Tube” is always fantastic and a great expression of 00s Phish jam synthesis and a blistering “Chalkdust Torture” is always hard to beat. Set I is fantastic, a nice mix of songs and dynamics, and the band sounds hyped and energized by the out-of-context location (both culturally and physically, with the smaller venue). Great performances of great songs.

Set II is when the band reaches for the stratosphere with an intense 30 minute “Tweezer.” Overall, it’s a beautiful, intense full-band jam. I have never heard a pitch for this version, never heard it referenced anywhere that I consciously recognized. I discovered it quite by accident which makes it all the more magical and is part of what continues to draw me in as a Phish fan. Things like this exist out there, in places you least expect. But I also want to mention that the pairing with “Bouncing Around the Room” may not look awesome on paper but it is so perfect when you hear it. The crowd loved it and it is a great uplift after the epic journey we just took. After that “Tweezer,” its understandable that the rest of the set feels a bit like a cool down. “Squirming Coil” is beautiful, “Jibboo” is so perfectly 2000 Phish, the first “Meatstick” with the Japanese lyric section, and a high energy “Tweeprise” to end it. “You Enjoy Myself” won’t get any write-ups on JamCharts but it’s a wonderful cherry on top of a fantastic show.

Jam junkies will only care about the “Tweezer” but I hope that many who love the Drum Logos show will take some time to soak in what Phish were doing overall on this mini-tour. It's not Drum Logos but it is a great peek at the band in a more intimate setting, really the last time that will happen ever (it seems). I love it. I have listened to it twice back-to-back and it certainly won’t be the last time.