@FitzyMcFitzy said:

Great piece, @jsauce- It's rare to see a fair and thoughtful review these days, and I love how you describe the middle ground between "jaded vet" and "noob fluffer" that most long-time fans live in. It was pretty dark times after Trey's "Breakup Letter", the Coventry disaster, then just hoping Trey would even make it long enough for Phish to have another chance, so I'm grateful for every last note.

That said, Prince Caspian > Wading in the Velvet Sea > Rise, middle 2nd set, at the GORGE? Absolutely questionable song choices- that's the longest bathroom-break-song stretch I've ever seen.

I’m with you! Having come into Phish in ‘97, going to my first show in ‘99 and last show in 2000, and looking forward to my next show this summer, I’m planning on just enjoying myself and listening to the music from a different perspective than the last time. I just started listening to night 1 of this tour, and while it doesn’t have the same feel as the shows I went to 18 years ago, it’s still enjoyable to listen to.
Postscript: I’m an old dude.