I feel that Phish is trying to strengthen the vulnerable parts in their repertoire, like depending on their song writing rather than their improvisation. Look at the Dallas shows, very song heavy, and those songs epically performed, but was bereft of any experimental jamming.

They are begging the question: Are you coming to see Phish PLAY or Phish JAM? We've been seeing Phish experiment with their jamming since 93 (remember the choppy cacophony that was in your face jamming of Summer 93?) well maybe they're exposing the musicianship side of their canon and trying to present a bigger picture of their vast artistry. There are some 93 summer shows I go back to to reflect on their growth as a band. There are also some shows I don't. I feel that some people (myself included until after hearing Halloween 16) thought that this was a transitional year, like 96 - some creative ups and downs. I feel it's like 93, on the verge of restructuring their whole ethos; from a quirky, eclectic unconventional band to a heavily improvisational band to today, a refined conglomerate of all of these attributes. And I feel like it's only the beginning.

That's the best part of this band - being an integral part of their creation.