@Real_out_casty said:

someone who's not "jaded" please tell me when the last(in ur opinion) epic face melting phish show was and please dont say they last one they played, the typical devoted fan answer, cause we both know thats not true

I got my face thoroughly melted at Watkins Glen last year, but I would assess that the Chicago Run of August 2011 (particularly night 2 of 3) was pretty much the most recent off the chain, face melting, phish. Wish I was there to have experienced it in person.

Denver was great for Labor day, but the 2 wks off between it and Chicago proved to be momentum killing. Vermont was such an unexpected treat and so much fun to be at, but the atmosphere was all about reunion and PARTY, not really face melting. New Years run was also a great PARTY, and the sets were phenomenal, but these end of the year runs always feel like a coda to me, they are not a time to venture into the NEW, but more of an opportunity to recap the year, with the exception of 2009, where everything felt NEW and that four night run in Maimi was like a locomotive running away with it, particularly 12.30.09. Also, I would be remiss not to mention the spit service of 2010. The four shows leading up to the New Year were most certainly a coda to a really incredible year (IMO, 2010 is among the best Phish years ever along with 1994, 1995 and 1997), but the unexpected fifth show, the great experiment on 1.1.11 was in the New Year, and it delivered with a high energy, rocking, immaculate display of musicianship in set 1 followed by one of the best sets ever in set 2, just complete phish perfection there -- if you are not familiar with that show, get it!

This turned into more than you asked for. In summary, UIC 2011, Superball IX, 1.1.11, and pretty much all of 2010 (with particular highlights being Hartford, Camden, Raleigh, Charlotte, Alpharetta, Berkeley, Alpine, all of fall tour (but particularly Augusta, Guyutica, Manchester, and Halloween), and all of New Years.

This year they are still warming up. Warming up takes longer these days as they are not performing together as much as they used to and it takes time to feel the confidence needed to take risks, but they will, and it will be great. I am really looking forward to the NY run of shows starting with Jones Beach and ending at SPAC.