As we’re now in Phish’s eighth year of their modern incarnation (can you believe it?!), one pattern that has emerged is that the early shows of their summer campaign are mainly used as laboratories for the band, as they attempt to re-assert themselves in new ways on stage while “playing themselves into shape,” so to speak.

This is not to say that they don’t practice before tours or that these shows cannot be entertaining in their own rights (for example, the tremendous 7/24/15 show was the fourth of last summer, and both Wrigley shows and St. Paul had their share of pleasures), as much as it the acknowledgment that a band that improvises music on stage has to do things a bit differently than a band that cranks out most of their new album and a judicious selection of their greatest hits for an hour or so before saying their goodnights. Everyone that’s following the band is waiting for the first “classic show” and “monster jam,” and I have faith that both are coming, while being excited about the shows and jams they’ve given us this year.

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Previous installments:

Part 1 (HM, #50-41)

Part 2 (#40-31)

Part 3 (#30-21)

Part 4 (#20-11)

And one last time, for all time:

DISCLAIMER: All of this is just one man's very subjective opinion. Feel free to discuss, disagree (gently), and point out anything I may have missed or ignored in the comments. Vive la différence!

NUMBERS 10-1

10. 7/27/14 II, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD

I think that, at this point, we have finally exhausted everything that could possibly be said about 7/27/14 II.

9. 12/…

10. 7/27/14 II, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD

No, just kidding. I’m still not really sure where the idea that this set has no replay value comes from, unless you’re absolutely beholden to jams and jams alone – yes, this set is a tad light on improv compared to, say, even something like 7/20/14 II, but I’ve always maintained that segues can sometimes be just as interesting as jams (not always, but sometimes), and there are some absolutely mind-melting segues in this show. Couple that with deep improv post-”Tweezer” 1, the giddy wackiness of the “NICU” -> “Jam” -> “HYHU” > “Jennifer Dances” > “HYHU” run, and the heart-warming close with “I Been Around”, and you’re talking about something as *fun* as the band has ever played. This is a pretty good demarcation set for the elite of 3.0, I’d think.

Also, “Catapult” -> “Slave” still gets to me every single damn time.

9. 12/29/13 II, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Another show that, from top to bottom, is nigh unassailable as part of 3.0’s canon. The cool thing about the 1-2 punch style of jamming that Fall 2013 and this show traded in is that it doesn’t allow you to catch your breath after the first big-time jam – that’s not always a good thing, but so many of Fall 2013’s 1-2 punches (to say nothing of this show) featured two jams so strong that their cumulative effect really hit home in a way separating them by, say, “Julius” wouldn’t. Think about it – how strange would this death-defying “Disease” and Pigpen-from-Peanuts-filthy “Carini” sound not paired together?

8. 8/12/15 II, The Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA

When you get into this level of greatness, we’re really only talking about a matter of degrees separating all of these sets – if you hold this one higher in your heart, I wouldn’t argue with you one little bit. “Twist” and “Scents and Subtle Sounds”, paired together, make for a truly hearty half-hour-plus of music, with a superb journey-to-the-center-of-the-peak in the former and a head-down charging dark groove in the latter, and is where the reputation of this set lies. But a lot of sets in this era would be quite happy with the “Gin” and “NMINML” that kicks things off, and who doesn’t love “Hood” at the end? Five songs, all well worth hearing, and the moment (for me) where Summer 2015 started playing for higher stakes.

7. 8/15/11 II, UIC Pavilion, Chicago, IL

One of the true Big Deals of the era, a set that, when it was played, really started to get people talking about how the band had truly found their feet in this incarnation. It’s the fluidity of the set, more than anything else, that impresses me the most today – how every song seems to segue together, even if only a few do in the setlist-marking sense, creating the “one big jam” sensation of the great sets (and much of Fall ’97). For the people that think Page need to use the theremin more often (my hand is raised), this staggering “Undermind” is Exhibit A, B, C, and D.

6. 8/22/15 II, Magnaball, Watkins Glen, NY

It’s funny how people (including me) get nervous once they’ve passed the first two songs of a second set without improv being played – we have tons of examples of the band getting down to business with Set II, Song 2, but once you get past that with no improv, you start wondering what exactly the band is getting up to with their self-styled terrain for improvisation. It makes it all the funnier, then, when the result is something like this Set II, where the next four songs take you on a near-hour tour through the cosmos (RIP Harris), peaking with an era highlight in “Tweezer” -> “Prince Caspian”. Sometimes I need to remember that those fellows on stage know what they’re doing, y’know?

5. 8/19/12 II, Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA

A companion piece with 6/23/12 II, where a parade of encores follows up an absolutely thrilling jam sequence, almost like a Europe ’72 second set in reverse. The peak in “Light” and decamping into “Sally” still remains one of 3.0’s most “hold on for dear life” moments, and when they find their way back into “Crosseyed” after that high-energy “Sally” jam, you find yourself just shaking your head in disbelief. But, man…”C&P” > “Light” -> “Sally” -> “C&P” > “Theme” > “YEM”. Man…

4. 7/31/15 II, Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood, Atlanta, GA

Here’s a question – what part of this set would you take out, if asked to take a part out? You wouldn’t take out the “KDF”, of course, that’s the tentpole jam. You wouldn’t take out the “Martian Monster”, it’s such a crazy and weird sidecar to the big monster jam. Would you get rid of that gorgeously melodic “Twist”? Maybe the “BOTT”, but every set needs a breather, and it’s connected to the songs on both sides by segues, even! You’re definitely not tossing out that “Reba”, especially considering how high-quality it is, and that hell’s-coming-with-me “Gin” is just too good as a set closer. So that means this set is a perfect sum of its parts, right? No wonder it’s got such a special place in my heart.

3. 7/13/14 II, Randall’s Island, New York, NY

Isn’t it great how much this set works as the yin to 7/27/14’s yang? Rather than pull out more segues than you can shake a stick at, this baby’s got jamming coming out of its ears; you could very easily argue that no hour-ish sequence of the era matches “CDT” > “Light” > “Tweezer” for sheer quality improvisation. It’s a truly rare set or jam in 3.0 that a) immediately marches up .net’s official or unofficial rating chart, b) actually gets other Phish-related forums to say something nice for once, and c) becomes a standard-bearer for future shows/jams to chase, but this set accomplished all three more or less from the moment it was played. And yet, it’s still not as much a favorite to me as…

2. 10/20/13 II, Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA

This was, for a good long time, my favorite set of the era, and I’m sure I’m not the only person who held that sentiment. There’s just *so much* you have to argue against here – the Heart of Darkness “Tweezer”, the vicious firepower of “Golden Age”, “Piper” -> “Takin' Care of Business” -> “2001”’s lighter-waving moment, strong versions of “Sand” and “Slave” to close. There’s so much to love in this set, and any era of this band would welcome it with open arms. It’s one of their career highlights.

But it’s no longer my favorite set of 3.0. What is, you ask?

1. 12/31/14 II, American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL

The heart wants what it wants. Think about this – 12/31/14 II starts with “Birds of a Feather”, a song I don’t care for very much (sorry, “BOAF” fans); it has a “Chalk Dust Torture” that is played a mite too fast (didn’t think that was possible, but here we are) and doesn’t have any improv in it; it closes with “Martian Monster”, which nearly hit “Back on the Train” in ’99 levels of overplayed in the year following this show. So how can I justify calling this my favorite set of the era, over some of the most famous sets of their career?

Here’s how: with a “Ghost” that works its way into some of the best bliss jamming this side of NYE 2010, then seemingly comes to an early close, only to explode back to life and hit a staggering second peak when Trey Anastasio grabs the reins and leads the band down the stretch, a “Theme from the Bottom” that devolves into scratchy and punchy Echoplex-driven funkiness, and a you-GOTTA-hear-this mega-segue into a “Cities” that opens up like a lotus flower in gorgeous fashion and closes 40 minutes of superlative music that might as well be one long jam. I may not love “BOAF” and that version of “CDT” might not be 7/13/14’s, but neither of them actually detract from the set at all. And yes, “Martian Monster” may be a tad overplayed now, but it sure as shit wasn’t on New Year’s Eve 2014, and that massive roar that greets “You have been selected…” still tugs my heartstrings the hundredth time I’ve heard it as much as it did the first (not to mention that the version played has some real stank on it, as well). Add all that up, and you’ve got a set that I think competes with damn near anything they’ve ever played, and serves as a worthy ruler to seven truly fantastic years.

Thank you so much for reading, everyone! I hope you all enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed putting it together and reliving the best of the last seven years. Please leave a comment below, and be sure to tip your waitress.*

* the Mockingbird Foundation

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Previous installments:

Part 1 (HM, #50-41)

Part 2 (#40-31)

Part 3 (#30-21)

Before we jump right in, might as well get this out of the way:

DISCLAIMER: All of this is just one man's very subjective opinion. Feel free to discuss, disagree (gently), and point out anything I may have missed or ignored in the comments. Vive la différence!

NUMBERS 20-11

20. 9/4/11 II, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO

An absolutely grand old time, capped off with one of the era’s finest “Piper”s and that crazy “Guy Forget” bustout in “Ghost”. There’re a few seams showing (“Come Together” is about as rickety as the 9/6/15 “Once in a Lifetime” is), but you won’t notice when you’re hearing those glorious segues or that heart-stopping "Roggae". I’d guess that we’d still have the Dick’s Labor Day tradition even if they hadn't played this exceptional show, but it’s always nice to put your best foot forward, isn’t it?

19. 6/23/12 II, First Niagara Pavilion, Burgettstown, PA

If there’s one trait (among many) that you can see evolve as 3.0 progresses, it’s the number of songs Phish plays between the meat of Set II and the final song, as they’ve grown more and more comfortable with improv in the 4th quarter. They hadn’t quite gotten that comfortable yet in this show; one imagines we’d get a really great “Hood” in 2015 after the monster “Mike’s Groove” (along with the sneaky and charming -> out of "Weekapaug" into "Seven Below") they dropped here, rather than the “Bouncin’”/”Julius” “Set 2 encore” special. Doesn’t make the “Mike’s Groove” any less special, of course, but just a thought. More on that in a bit.*

* Thought I'd drop a note here to mention that while I like the “Mike's” and “Weekapaug” from 8/4/15 more than the versions here (as, probably, everyone else does), I think that the 6/23/12 “Mike's Groove”, as a whole, works together better as a piece, which is why I like this full set more (that, and I really do like “Bouncin'” just fine). This is probably my favorite "Dead in '76/'77" set of the era.

18. 8/15/15 II, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD

If you’re as much of a voracious setlist-reader like I am, setlists like these are manna from heaven – you almost can’t wait to download this show (or hit phish.in these days, or wait for a tape in the old days) just to hear if the playing matches up to the setlist. And with that “46 Days”, “Piper”, and wicked cool “Tweezer” -> “NO2” -> “Tweezer” sandwich, I’d say the playing matches up with the setlist here.

17. 8/31/12 II, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO

And here’s the second half of one of 3.0’s biggest deals. The “Chalk Dust Torture” is probably the finest jam of the set (possibly the show; shoot, maybe the year as well), but I keep finding myself drawn to that ambient jam that ghosts its way out of “Farmhouse”, so close is it to the ambiance of the late-90s. And then “Alaska” barges its way in…

16. 12/31/15 III, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Recency, schmecency. The staggering “No Men In No Man’s Land” is the closest the band’s gotten to the “Drive-In Jam” since the “Drive-In Jam”, and the run from “Blaze On” through “Bowie” nearly matches it in quality, as well. As with a set like 6/23/12 II, tack on, say, the 10/28/14 “Hood” at the end, and who knows where this sucker might land?

15. 10/28/14 II, Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA

Speaking of which! Fall 2014 suffered from feast or famine (much like Summer 2012), but when the band was giving us a feast, we got sets like this one and two more down the line, filled to the brim with truly great music. I said it before, and I’ll say it again: I’d like that “Twist” to be playing when I’m on my deathbed. This, I think, is the range where any of the upcoming sets is a perfectly fine candidate for "best of the era"; the gradations between sets are pretty fine to begin with (the difference between, say, 6/23/12 II and 8/4/15 II isn't that great), but around here they start becoming paper-thin and entirely personal.

14. 11/2/14 II, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV

My choice for the finest “Piper” of the era (that riff from Trey!), my choice for the finest “You Enjoy Myself” of the era (that Drums segment!), and one of 2014’s better “CDT”s (no small feat) add up to a set of remarkable quality. Sorry about “The Line”, everyone.

13. 10/26/10 II, Verizon Wireless Arena, Manchester, NH

I wonder what it says about the fact that the oldest set that I like the most from 3.0 is the truest throwback to the mid-90s of this era (well, this or…), with a classic jam (the “Light”) linked up with crazy antics like a “Makisupa” sandwich, the wild tease-laden “Paug”, and “Llama” exploding out of “Paug”’s back end to close the set and call back Set I as well. Probably nothing.

12. 10/31/14 II, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV

I’d say that, for many folks, the main reason for Summer 2015 turning out the way it did was the “Fare Thee Well” shows and Trey’s remarkable guitar boot camp getting his fingers into a shape they probably haven’t been in for a decade-plus. But, to me, another large reason Summer 2015 was so great is this set, what went into it, and the fact that it showed that the band was still more than ready to take risks and potentially alienate its fans (more than the “Wingsuit” set, I honestly think); Summer 2015 took a fair share of risks, and just about all of them paid off handsomely. Of course, all that means nothing for the purposes of something like this blog entry if the music isn’t great, and the music here is great.

11. 9/2/12 II, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO

I wonder how many of these sets could be considered a candidate for “best set of 3.0 at the time it was played” on this list. This would definitely be one, 11/28/09 II, maybe 10/26/10 II, maybe 8/19/12 II and 9/4/11 II as well. A perfect finale to one of the finest runs of Phish's career.

Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment below, and look forward to Part 5 (the top 10!) on Sunday, March 20!

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In case you missed it:

Part 1 (HM and #50 - #41)

Part 2 (#40-31)

Addressing some comments from Part 2:

1) @RobPJohnson3, I don't disagree that a) Trey has improved from a few years ago and b) 3.0's progress is essentially an upwards arrow on a graph, but I also think that the very top end of every 3.0 year has at least a few shows worth the listen, almost exponentially increasing as each year goes along, and I think that this project essentially captures that. That said, I feel that the baseline for an "average" or even "pretty good" show has risen with each year, and I'd guess that if one actually listened to all 590 sets played in 3.0 and listed them all out (which is an undertaking even beyond my ken), they'd probably find the number of lower-end sets per year decreasing as the years went along as well. Something like 8/14/15, considered a "lesser" show of Summer '15, probably has much more to offer than something like, say, 6/4/09. But that doesn't mean 11/28/09 (a totally random example!) has less to offer than 8/14/15. I hope that makes sense.

2) @ekstewie1441, I don't doubt your understanding of the term "refined" is perfectly sound; what I was trying to say is that 11/1/14 II, to me, improves upon the sort of "shorter jams connected by segues or transitions to create a greater whole" set that 7/27/13 II is. Certainly you don't have to feel that way, especially if you don't think 11/1/14 II is all that great to begin with; I'll look at fourth quarters when deciding which set I prefer, but they generally don't affect my enjoyment of the meat of a set *that* much. But we'll get more into that later. Thank you for the respectful disagreement and the compliment attached.

And, just to make sure we keep things crisp and clean sans caffeine in here:

DISCLAIMER: All of this is just one man's very subjective opinion. Feel free to discuss, disagree (gently), and point out anything I may have missed or ignored in the comments. Vive la différence!

NUMBERS 30-21

30. 12/30/12 II, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

A wonderful multi-part “Disease,” great “Slave” at the end, and that gnarly as hell “Carini” (not to mention the really strong "Hood" in the encore) helped make for one of the era’s finest shows when this was played. That should tell you a lot about the strength of what’s coming ahead, I think.

29. 8/28/12 II, Chaifetz Arena, St. Louis, MO

Five songs strung together with fluid and intelligent segues, with a darned good darkness-into-light “Limb by Limb” immediately afterwards. This is a set that *I’m* not sure I’m not underrating; I loved it so much when it was played.

28. 12/31/13 II, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

I suppose you could argue that this is somewhat in line with the 9/6/15 Encore, which is way the heck lower down. But between the specialness of the occasion, the (mostly) faultless playing, the lovely Trey mini-narration in “Forbin’s,” and a really cool “Reba” on top, I think this one deserves a place among the more improv-laden sets that surround it.

27. 8/31/12 I, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO

The first half of one of 3.0’s biggest deals. A pretty good debate could be had over whether the “Undermind” here or the Magnaball “Bathtub Gin” is the finest Set 1 closer of the era, I think. Maybe I’m wrong.

26. 8/7/09 II, The Gorge, George, WA

8/7/09, as a full show, still holds up as one of the crown jewels of the era. “Light” -> “Taste” is the moment that has stuck with me the longest (that calypso jam!), but the A+ “Gin” at the end is probably the choice for most everyone else.

25. 11/28/09 II, Union Times Center, Albany, NY

I’d guess that this will probably get as many wrinkled noses as how I feel about 9/1/12 II will. I still think 11/28/09 II is an important set – from what I understand, it started to disabuse people of the notion that this incarnation of Phish wouldn’t jam (which, based on the earlier 2009 shows I’ve heard, wasn’t totally unfounded). To me, though, it’s receded a bit in comparison to the rest of the era since it was played. But that’s more about how good 3.0 has been!

24. 10/31/13 III, Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ

One of the finest examples of the band blowing off steam (which they had to have needed after the Wingsuit set). “Ghost” > “Carini” is an absolutely monster duo, and the rest of the set is more than listenable as well. Random note: how many times in this era has "Ghost" served as a sidecar to a monster jam in the same set? 8/29/14 II, 11/28/09 II, this set, 8/21/15 II, 7/20/14 II, 6/7/12 II...pretty interesting, no?

23. 1/3/15 II, American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL

From the moment the first burbling notes of this truly famous “Disease” start up until the rock star close to “Suzy Greenberg,” a set that doesn’t let up for one second. “Sally” is just so much fun, and a reminder that “Sally” needs to be a more frequent member of the rotation.

22. 11/1/13 II, Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ

Paired with the next set for how they serve as opposite sides of the coin. This one’s a pretty good set raised in quality by one jam I consider an all-time classic...

21. 10/29/13 II, The Santander Arena, Reading, PA

…and this one’s a really good set that buttresses a jam that I think is pretty good without quite being elite (although I know that people will disagree with me there). Which one you truly prefer is personal preference, and that’s okay! Phish casts a hell of a wide net. Both of these sets, by the way, neatly sum up why Fall 2013 is one of Phish's almighty tours.

Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment below, and look forward to Part 4 on Saturday, March 19!

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In case you missed it: Part 1 (HM and #50 - #41)

And now, part two! A few quick comments at the top:

1. Thank you all for the comments (and the politeness)! I’m glad to know there’re folks that are enjoying reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it out.

2. As @ucpete mentioned in the comments to the last blog entry, we’re talking “my favorite” 3.0 sets, not “the best” 3.0 sets, and the reason that distinction is important is because the term “the best” (at least, IMO), is something that is a) impossible to quantify and b) really doesn’t exist when we’re talking about something as subjective as art (de gustibus non est disputandum, or to put it another way, “ya likes what ya likes”). As long as we’re all on board with that and nobody’s feelings are getting hurt, I think everything should be gravy.

But just to make sure we’re all on the same page:

DISCLAIMER: All of this is just one man's very subjective opinion. Feel free to discuss, disagree (gently), and point out anything I may have missed or ignored in the comments. Vive la différence!

NUMBERS 40-31

40. 8/5/11 II, The Gorge, George, WA

“Rock & Roll” -> “Meatstick” -> “Boogie On Reggae Woman” would brighten up just about any set they’ve ever played. Throw something else in there to recommend, and we’re looking at about 15-20 higher spots.

39. 12/31/10 II, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Much like a set we'll get to in a couple spots, a set that’s business in the front and party in the back (or is that like a mullet? I can’t remember). This one would have been much higher circa July 2011 or so. How can you not giggle at the “crab in my shoemouth” vocal jam?

38. 8/21/15 II, Magnaball, Watkins Glen, NY

Not Just The “Bathtub Gin”: The 8/21/15 Story. We need more Phrygian mode!

37. 6/3/11 II, DTE Music Theater, Clarkston, MI

This one would have been much higher circa July 2011, too. Phish has practically turned playing uplifting jams into a science these days, but the “Disease” here still manages to stand out. Really good “Bowie,” too, if you’re of the inclination that they still can play a good “Bowie” these days (now, playing a classic “Bowie,” that's another debate).

36. 8/4/15 II, Ascend Amphitheater, Nashville, TN

Here’s all you need to know about this killer set – the first “Mike’s Song” with a second jam in over a decade, and it was damn near overshadowed (some would omit the "damn near") by the uber-dark “Weekapaug Groove” that closed the set. An absolutely superb “Mike's”/”Paug” duo, probably the finest since 2000 - not that that's a particularly high bar to leap - and one of the most exciting sequences of the year.

35. 7/27/13 II, The Gorge, George, WA

I wrote a good deal about this set here. Random thought: I used to quibble about “Fluffhead” in the 4th quarter, and now I’m sad they haven’t played it in a while, so it’s always possible to see changes in your fandom.

34. 11/1/14 II, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV

A slightly more refined version of 7/27/13 II, which is why I hold it a tiny bit higher in my heart. It’s hard not to love that roar from the crowd when “The Dogs” comes hurtling out of “Light’s” jam, as you can tell they’re still in love with the Halloween costume. The only Halloween 2014-related crowd roar I love more came about two months later.

33. 8/22/15 III, Magnaball, Watkins Glen, NY

This could have been a total throwaway after…well, we’ll get to that, but they still came out and played a killer set of music nevertheless. “Light” and “Blaze On,” in particular, really stand out, but don’t skip that “Mind Left Body”-inflected “Cities,” either.

32. 7/3/11 I, Superball IX, Watkins Glen, NY

A truly charming mix of giddy nostalgia (“Forbin’s” > “Mockingbird”!), strong jamming (for any set), crazy surprises (that “Wilson” > “Mound” duo!), and a grand “Reba” -> “Bowie” to top it off. If only the rest of Superball (“Storage Jam” excluded) had had this much quality to it…

31. 7/24/15 II, Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View, CA

Summer 2015 had only just started, and here they were playing a show of absolutely sterling quality, headlined by a truly killer “Twist” > “Light” duo. Expectations were raised pretty high out of the gate. The wildest thing is that the band actually met them.

Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment below, and look forward to Part 3 on Friday, March 18!

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Way back in the heady days of October 2014 (before the Chilling Thrilling Sounds set, the Miami "Disease," Magnaball, and the Mexico run), I put together a list of my favorite sets from the modern era, which can be found here. I’ve updated it a few times since then, and was ready to post the latest version on the forum, but since I’m now technically part of the .net team as a jam chart contributor, I’ve decided to give back to the website that’s given me so much, and am instead putting this latest update on the blog. So here they are: my 50 favorite sets of 3.0, and 11 honorable mentions, presented ten at a time over a series of five blog posts. Up first, the honorable mentions and sets #50 - #41. Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: All of this is just one man's very subjective opinion. Feel free to discuss, disagree (gently), and point out anything I may have missed or ignored in the comments. Vive la différence!

HONORABLE MENTIONS

HM: 9/6/15 Encore, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO

From a jamming perspective, easily the least impressive set (or, well, “set”) here. But from a pure fun, pure humor, and pure emotion perspective? One of the highlights of the whole darn era. And besides, who doesn’t like a good "Keyboard Army"?

HM: 7/12/14 II, Randall’s Island, New York, NY

One of those sets that functions far better as a sum of its parts than it does when taken individually. While the "Carini," "Ghost," and "Harry Hood" from this show are all quite good, there are versions of each that I like more in 2014. But when you put them together, threaded expertly with some “breather” tunes (if one can call "Rock & Roll" a “breather”), into one six-song set of music? Baby, you’ve got a stew going. A sleeper favorite of mine for sure.

HM: 7/30/14 II, nTelos Pavilion, Portsmouth, VA

Ah, forgot about this one, didn’t you? One of the funkiest sets of the modern era, headlined by the third (and the nastiest) of the big July 2014 "Fuegos," but also featuring an actually exciting "Meatstick" and a "Piper" that moves from gruesome to blissful with 3.0’s usual ease. A high-class show from Summer 2014, albeit one sucked under the current of some better-known Summer 2014 shows.

HM: 6/7/12 II, DCU Center, Worcester, MA

One of the era's finest tour openers; maybe a bit left back in the shuffle thanks to the last three years, but still featuring a potent and exciting "Carini" -> "Taste" > "Ghost" > "Boogie On" > "If I Could" run that showed off how much the band had improved to that point. I’m fairly sure people will think I’m underrating this one, and to be honest, I’m not sure that I’m not.

HM: 1/17/16 II, Barcelo Maya Beach, Riviera Maya, MX

The Mexico run has inspired more than enough debate as it is, but I think there’s very little debate on this puppy being the highlight of the three shows, with a "Disease" and "Crosseyed" that both settle into icy late-90s type grooves. A set forever known as the "Shipwreck" set, and a possible portent of a new direction for the band.

HM: 8/7/10 II, William Randolph Hearst Theater, Berkeley, CA

If anyone remembers this set today, they’ll remember it for the monster "Light" (segued into, even!), but it’s put together very well and the "Hood" and "Suzy" are true highlights. One of the top shows of Summer 2010.

HM: 9/5/15 II, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO

I go very hard in the paint for this show, so it pains me to have it here. Dick’s 2015 is often boiled down to its final night, but a set featuring a run of the quality of "CDT" -> "Twist" > "Mercury" > "Light" should not be ignored. "Light," in particular, is the first sign that the "Drive-In Jam" had stuck with the band (we’ll get to another one soon enough).

HM: 10/31/14 III, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV

You can’t blame the band too much for both tiredness and sloppiness after what had come earlier that night, but they still managed a neat "Golden Age," cool segue into "Heavy Things" from "Tweezer," and an absolutely killer "Sand" -> "Tweezer Reprise" to close. A worthy end to one of *those* shows.

HM: 12/28/12 II, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

This "Tweezer" managed to hold the title of “Consensus Best 'Tweezer' of 3.0” for 7 months, but a six-song second set, especially one that features both "Fluffhead" and a very fine "David Bowie," shouldn’t be remembered just for that.

HM: 8/23/15 II, Magnaball, Watkins Glen, NY

Given how many sets in this era mainly gain respect for big jams, for a set whose highlight arguably isn’t its biggest jam (the "Disease") to show up here means that it’s got a lot to sell. And between the big segues, the laugh-out-loud fun of the "Twist," and that gorgeous "What’s The Use?," there’s a lot to sell for sure. Oh, by the way, we definitely haven't seen the last of this run.

HM: 8/9/15 II, Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI

The hardest omission for me; I think it says a lot about 3.0’s top-end quality that a set this good just barely misses my main list. But make no mistake, that "Waves" -> "Tweezer" and "Mike’s Song" triptych is really damn choice. We most definitely haven't seen the last of August 2015, as well.

And now, without further ado, the bottom ten of my top 50 favorite sets of 3.0!

NUMBERS 50-41

50. 6/17/11 II, Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Charlotte, NC

As noted in a previous incarnation of this list, almost a history of Phish in reverse – 3.0 punching bag "Number Line," big late-90s jam vehicles with (a stellar) "Rock & Roll" and (pretty good) "Ghost," then the early-90s with "Reba," "Icculus," Fish singing, and "YEM." Just a fun set all around.

49. 12/30/15 II, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

I think people are still bummed about "Ghost" being used as a new song sandwich, but that only really means so much when you’ve got that ridiculous "Gin," multi-part "CDT," and "Paug" -> "WTU?" -> "Paug" to deal with. Don't miss out on the "Waves," either. One of those sets that just bounces from strength to strength.

48. 10/17/14 II, Matthew Knight Arena, Eugene, OR

My favorite tour opener of the era. A truly underrated show, distinguished by another superb "Crosseyed" that led into a lovely Type II "Harry Hood" (one of many from "Hood’s" banner year of 2014), but also featuring a cool "Carini" -> "Plasma" double shot and nifty Type 1.5 "Twist."

47. 10/30/10 II, Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ

Who doesn’t like songs about hobbits and the bedding of fair maidens?

46. 10/26/13 II, DCU Arena, Worcester, MA

The first set from the legendary Fall 2013 tour, probably the pick for 3.0’s finest tour until last year. Most people would consider the big-time "Drowned" as the highlight, but I’ve always been partial to that hip-hop inflected "Light" that serves as its sidecar.

45. 6/27/10 II, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD

The first of a few sets appearing on this list that were played at Merriweather Post Pavilion, which has really established itself as a must-see venue in 3.0 (odd that they’re not returning for 2016), as well as the first of a few sets played at MPP that feature great segues (hint, hint). Who doesn’t love a good teasefest?

44. 7/31/09 II, Red Rocks, Morrison, CO

It’s a bummer that they haven’t been to Red Rocks since, because I consider that run to be the moment where Phish shook off enough rust to begin the upward trend of 3.0. "Drowned" -> "C&P" is a heck of a beast, and "Fluffhead" gets taken for something of a ride, to boot. You can write off a decent amount of 2009, but this (and a few other shows) should convince you to not write off all of 2009.

43. 8/7/15 II, Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH

The "Ghost" and "Hood" from this show are both quite sharp, and getting "The Lizards" mid-set is a heck of a treat. But the reputation for this show lies almost entirely in "Chalk Dust Torture" -> "Tweezer," a highlight from a year positively swimming in highlights. A Fall 2013-style set, played in Summer 2015.

42. 6/4/11 II, Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH

Funny how this pairing worked out. A true highlight of June 2011 (a somewhat rocky month, to say the least), with some great moments – "Steam’s" debut, an upbeat dance party out of "Sally," a really sweet "Hood" / "Have Mercy" sandwich. Hopefully this show will get more attention in the future.

41. 9/1/12 II, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO

Another set that I think people will say I grievously underrated, to which I say “well, I don’t *love* the "Light," and if you don’t *love* something like the 7/13/14 "CDT," you probably won’t think that set’s all that great, either.” The "Light" IS really good, though, as are the "Caspian" and "Golden Age," so it might just be me.

Go ahead and leave a comment below, and stay tuned for #40 - #31, coming Wednesday, March 16th!

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