The look your dog gives you after you've been gone for a vacation and come home.

The first smell of hose-water in the summer.

Knowing you have a 3 day weekend.

This show.

What do they all have in common? Unadulterated happiness.

As a New Yorker I'm spoiled with bars, restaurants, 24-hour everything, and especially (generally) more shows in the northeast than many others. So after seeing the tour announcement, MPPI would be my first show of the tour. Le sigh.

After having streamed a handful of shows and reading reviews and listening to audio from the others, I was giddy for the past week knowing I would be able to share in the groove so soon.

And so, there we were. Standing up on the top of the middle of the lawn in the most crowded MPP show I've ever been to with an electric feeling of connectivity between us all. Truly, you could feel the happiness pulsing within the venue like a boozy, groggy amoeba floating around in morphing shapes, sizes, colors and sounds.

Cue stage lights. Prepare for liftoff.

When you can see the band having as much fun as we are in the crowd, and interacting with us all, there's nothing quite like it in the world. That feeling you get when everyone is in the right place at the right time. Some place warm, where the melodies flow harmonies, and the jams instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. This, my friends (my friends) is that night.

Wanted weird placements? You get 'em.
Wanted bbfcfm? Got it. (multiple times)
Gamehendge stuff? Got it.
Power drills and stage antics? Yes. Plenty.
Flawless victories in the form of segues? Got 'em.
A 46 days that still has me tasting the fear days later? Yes, you guessed it. GOT IT.
And the coup de grâce, Sleeping Monkey banter/song/Tweeprise? WOOF.

Yes, it may not be just, or maybe it seems redundant to hear the same old, "KILLER SHOW" comments. But honestly everyone, Phish is en fuego right now and we're all blessed to be able to share in this wonderful time of earthshaking improvisation, tear-jerking laughter and a love for a band that continues to leave us thankful and hungry for more.