Posting this a day late, had to try to fully digest what I saw and heard on what was an epic day for me personally as the band was kind enough to play for the very first time in their storied career on August 31st, coinciding with my (insert whatever number you'd like...:-wink) th birthday and throwing me the biggest baddest birthday party that one could ask for, so many friends that traveled in from near and far to share it with me and I couldn't be more thankful for them, my life support system they are...:-smile.

So I could say that I'm naturally biased to say that it was a great show. But bias or no bias, it was a great show. A cunningly crafted masterpiece they put together for the 1st night at Dicks, they fucked my face in the best possible way. Opening with First Tube simply screamed out loud that this was going to be a special show. My first Uncle Pen, as a 3.0 newbie, was kewl. The one song that I wanted to hear out of this run, Carini, was the 3rd song of the set and began the fuck my face festivities in earnest. The KDF completed the FUCK portion and my friends that were more "in the know" were buzzing that something truly out of the ordinary was unfolding before our very eyes and ears. The YEM merely (merely? LOL!) confirmed what the folks had begun to suspect. I had hoped for Ocelot, it speaks directly to me, and lo and behold was another relatively quick repeat but a welcomed one to my ears. And Undermind finished the fucking of my face with one of the most extraordinary and exquisite jams I've ever had the pleasure to witness live.

The buzz during intermission was palpable, joy abounded for what we had witnessed and what was to come.

And when Runaway Jim started the 2nd set, it was approaching critical mass on the pandemonium chart And the following Farmhouse and the ensuring jam after it was simply manna from heaven, the full moon shining brightly on all of us. I personally love Alaska, to me their version of the GD's Tennessee Jed, a fun and rollicking song and this one was no less fun and rollicking. And what to say bout CDT except that it rocked Dick's and me to the core, simply ridiculous. More ridiculous was the Emotional Rescue, obviously my first and to my ears fucking spot-on, Gordon's vocals were tickling my ears in the best possible way. I dare the Stones to perform a better version...:-wink! And then the final Fuck Your Face, the end of the perfect show. Then they stepped away and then back to Grind the Meatstick and my face hurt so much from both being fucked and the smile that permeated from it alllllllllllll nightttttttttttt longggggggggg.

This show alone justified my coming back for some more Dick's after last years Summer-ending run and because I penned this after the Saturday show I can safely say that the fun did not stop on this night and I look forward to today's Summer-ending show. I'm going to guess that it will be pretty good, at the least...:-wink/smile!

My thanks to everybody (especially my beloved peeps, they know who they are) and everything that had to do with giving me the best birthday party that this Phish Phan could have asked for. I walked in with expectations based on last year's run and I'll be returning to NYC on Thursday with my face still hurting with all the smiling from the memories off another memorable and historic visit to Dick's. Yes, I LOVE DICK'S. And so does Phish...

Peace,
Alex