8/31-9/2 Phish @ Dick's Sporting Goods Park - Commerce City, CO

Following the debacle at Watkins Glen I decided it was time for a change.  I quit my part time job I'd been working and secured a place to live in Longmont, Co with a friend.  On Wednesday August 29th I made the arduous journey across Iowa and Nebraska into Colorado.  I spent the next day relaxing and recovering from the drive.  On Friday I met up with Justin Murphy and his crew from Ohio on the ridge overlooking the soccer fields in the camping area.  It was a nice spot to people watch.  It was good to meet up with the Auburn crew of Pat, Kasha, Ryan, and Heather.  I spent all three shows in the stands with them along with Travis and Nate who made the trip out from Iowa City.

It was good to see familiar vendors in the parking lot.  The Gyro man had the best food on tour this summer.  There were five or six rows of shakedown street in the Dick's Sporting Goods Parking lot.  It was quite the scene for the end of tour finale.  Friday night had a message in the song choices and lyrics that dealt with the Curveball cancellation.  You could tell the band had gone through a huge ordeal.  I dropped off my cans for the food drive and got the commemorative pins.  Upon going into the venue after the soundcheck I bought the event shirt.  I've bought all 8 Dick's Phish event shirts.

I liked the Friday offering.  In the first set there was a well executed Ghost > Crosseyed segue.  Set II was highlight by a strong Mercury, Light pairing.  On Saturday it became somewhat warm in the campgrounds during the day.  They soundchecked Shade which was appropriate.  I liked the first set on Saturday better than the second.  DWD might have been the highlight.  To end the second set there was a strong Slave to the Traffic Light.

Sunday didn't turn out to be the huge end of tour blowout that I expected.  Things fizzled after an interesting Tweezer.  Song selections toward the end of the set and encore left me disappointed.  It was a weird summer.  Alpharetta was great.  Then the devastating situation at Curveball.  Dick's would have been better had they actually played two weeks prior.  I met some good people and had a very good experience.  The next morning I drove back to Longmont to start my next adventure.