I got over expecting 3.0 to be as amazing as 1.0 or 2003 sometime around the middle of 2009. It still irks me when they are about to hit stride and then some inexplicable segue comes in to take away our candy. But as for expecting 20 min jams to be dropped (at all, I mean, ever) that's just setting yourself up for some deep disappointment.

Right now, if I'm still going to have a good time dloading and going to shows, I try to set the bar waaaay lower and just take what I get for what its worth. Listening to the highlights of 1.0 and then expecting the band to sound *anything* at all like that now is just unfair to yourself and the band. I'm happy with the progress rather than the perfection that they have displayed each year in 3.0.

To my ears, this is reminiscent of the long climb into jamdom from 90-93. The difference of course now is that they are not going to play at that break-neck speed. That has already been done. So has funk turning to melodic enchanting mystical groove of 97-98 and the minimalism of 99. So has the darkly deep psychedelic was of 2003.

Phish is dancing around the brink of an entirely new sound that doesn't rely on plinko or whale calls. We're all not there yet, but this tour has already demonstrated more willingness to take risks than most of 2011 and all of 2010. They are not the same band putting on 80 shows a year and living out of the tour bus. It seems to me that if they simply tried to repeat past eras, then they truly would be a nostalgia act and we would really all have something to grumble about. If they went out there and played 25 min tweezers on a consistent basis they wouldn't be happy with the level of musicianship displayed, so they don't do that. And that's really for the best for all of us.

Disclaimer is that of course I would want to see them do so. I hope and pray for it every show and when it comes (like a sprinkling of diseases last year) it is like the holy fucking grail. Yet when they lock into those moments it is so glorious because it is the music pushing them there and they are simply following with open minds and hearts rather than forcing things.

DWD Alpine 10 restored my faith in their ability to do this. Pine Knob 11 showed that it can be done fully without a structure to regress on. And this was probably because it was reminiscent of the 1.0 style of pushing within the perimeter until there can be seen a tunnel leading to new fields.

The best jams, to me, are the ones that have an implied structure that is not the same as the launchpad. 3.0 rarely gets there, but when it does it is still the breathtaking majesty of phish from any era. I live for these moments and am such a phishcrack head that I'm willing to watch them go through the shows where this does not even come close to happening and still enjoy the abstract density of the 12 min jam. These jams come to an organic ending mostly, and even though *every* single time I'm screaming inside my head keep going keep going, I can still play it back and enjoy what I heard on its own merits.

I have def been accused of being a jaded asshole many times, but I really feel that the difference is understanding the reasons why we are not getting the lengthy earth-shaterring jams and just enjoying things for what they are worth.

Let me be perfectly clear though, this show did not deliver that kind of telepathic communicative jam. It is, however, a thoroughly enjoyable show with enough jamming to keep me interested and is entirely worth the dload.

HOWEVER, the show before it perfectly sums up a show that I don't need to see, hear, or even admit to myself that it actually happened. I know that sounds harsh but being a jaded asshole is more about hating on them when they are trying (like 6/20) then criticizing them when they deserve it. Theres a fine line between noob and jade and to me its just being realistically critical when they are clearly not even trying to go for much of anything (middle ground rational fan); fluffing the shit out of a show because of the *energy* and antics and challenging others on boards to a duel if they dare mention anything critical (noob); and sitting back with arms crossed shaking your head at the show because the BOAF was only 14 mins long and it didn't come from the island run (asshole jadery).

I guess through all the ramblings I just mean you can have it both ways. Enjoy it for what it's worth, recognize interesting newness when it comes, keep hoping for the big enchilada, and by all means when they deserve hyper-criticality speak your mind. Or even when they don't deserve it, I'm not a North Korean internet censor.