@jwelsh8 said:

For a band whose appeal is closely tied to the allure of the unexpected, am I biting the hand that feeds me when they surprise me? ... What it may come down to is that the unexpected is no longer for the sake of adventure – it seems to be due to comfort. We have had this body of experience when the unexpected was wrapped up in taking chances, pushing the limits to the point where it became the norm, the reason so many people traveled night after night. Now playing it safe has taken the place of taking chances; playing it safe is still unexpected for this fan.

Well said, and a good review overall! I think this is has certainly been true some of the time for 3.0 so far, but only some of the time. Phish's festival appearances do seem to be approached differently from regular tour shows, for whatever reason. Here's to hoping this year will change our expectations yet again!