Phish Dick's

"We love Dick's! We love Dick's!"

I have not laughed that hard listening to a Phish show in a long time. When the band and crowd chanted how much they love Dick's, it made for one of those moments, not just because it was funny in itself but because the band was in the throes of some top-notch playing. Everyone knew it. There was electricity in the air that you can hear on the recording, and that chant proved it.

Remember last year's "S" show (also at Dick's), in which all the songs began with the letter "S"? They were at it again the first night of this run - the first letter of each song spelled out "F-U-C-K-Y-O-U-R-F-A-C-E" and then the set culminated with their 1980s goofball song  of that name (which is about a guitar that will figuratively do so, nothing dirty).

How about that "Undermind" (the second "U" in the sequence)? As the song continues to elude me (I have been to 27 shows since they started playing it and STILL have not seen them perform it), it gets better and better. And longer. And funkier.

The "E" was "Emotional Rescue" - a welcome rarity in keeping with the bust-outs of Leg One of the tour. First time since Vegas 2000!

The second show had the first "Run Like an Antelope" opener since 1990 and was a knockout. Every song, short and long, was a killer. When "Tweezer" is only one highlight, you know it is a damn good show. And "Mike's Song > No Quarter > Weekapaug Groove" to close Set Two? Crazy awesome!

And night three was solid in every way. The huge "Sand" that opened the second set shone brightly at that show. "Sand" was definitely a contender for MVP jammer of the summer.

But the clear winner was Dick's "Light", which will probably go down in Phishtory and a must-listen for every fan - 20-plus minutes of glorious jamming. It was Phish at its best. Even as an old fan, I will put that up against any jam from the 1990s. "Light" has definitely been the Number One jam vehicle this summer and it all came to a peak at Dick's.

What a way to end the tour, but it almost feels as if they saved it all up for those shows, only teasing and hinting at the greatness to come in each show leading up to it. That is nice as a story arc, but I do feel for the Midwestern and southern folks who maybe went to the one show in their areas, catching well-performed but unexceptional concerts.

My advice to the casual fan and the curious listener - skip the entire second leg up to Dick's, but get all three tour-ending shows.