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Sunday, March 9, 2025

2022-02-26 Quintana Roo, MX

 2 26 22 Mexico

Set 1

Off to an incredible start tonight with the first ever Axilla 1/2 combo. They play Axilla 1 but tack the "dont shine that light" outro to the end. It aint the beast of Mexico 2024, but if this isnt an inspired way to open a show than I dont know what is!!!

Up next is one of the sickest 1-2 punches in recent memory. A fantastically placed Twist is first. Twist is total X Factor, doing a very slow build into a crazy runaway freight train kind of reading. Absolutely inspired and ass kicking. MUST HEAR.

Even better, the jam reaches a natural segue point and Trey leads them right into Your Pet Cat!!! And YPC is awesome.

So, basically, you get 23 minutes of primo awesomeness. Ridiculous.

And if that wasnt enough, up next you get the finest Divided Sky this side of 1.0!!! No, Im not exaggerating. This one is MAGICAL. Just complete and utter X Factor from start to finish. Perfectly played, extra mustard throughout....THIS IS ESSENTIAL. THIS IS AN ALL TIME DIVIDED SKY. HOLY MOTHER OF GOD. THIS IS EXTRAORDINARY. 100/10!!!! GRAB YOUR RHOMBUS AND PRAISE ICCULUS!!!!

No, seriously, if you told me that was a 1996 Divided Sky I might just believe you. Ive heard a lot of great 3.0 versions but this hands down the best Ive ever heard by modern Phish, I really think. Magic. Magic. Magic. Magic. Magic.

After a nice Mull, we get....a friggin 22 minute Wolfman. In set 1. What even is this show?? The song itself is downright explosive - really an exceptional reading of the base part. But this jam....holy moly. PUT THIS IN THE HALL OF FAME, NOW!!!!!! A raging hot kind of super chunk deep funk jam on par with late 90s cow funk...then halfway through they naturally hit upon some weirdness and we are catapulted into outer space - FX galore, blaring synths, wacky drums before rocking out steadily to a blazing, explosive finale ....This is easily on par with the very best jams of 2021 and better than a lot of them. Wow. THIS WAS INCREDIBLE!!!!! X FACTOR MAGIC!!!! LETS GO!!!!!

Terrifically spunky Cavern to close the set.

All in all ....what in the love of X Factor Magic was this set?!?!? This was a CLASSIC FOR ANY ERA set!!! The Axilla Combo opener, the 23 minute Twist>YPC party, the 90s-level-of-excellence Divided Sky and a damn 23 minute, multisectional type 2 multibesst of a WolfMAN......

What in the hell....Im already done!!! 


Set 2

The 2nd set wastes no time beginning with a 22 minute Set Your Soul Free. Right from the rip, this one is LOADED with extra everything!!!! And boy, what a beast it is!!! This thing SMOKES!! The initial rocking turns into a lengthy yet excellent round of bliss rocking. Slowly the robo fx come out and we get a long spell in Upbeat Robo Party Funk Rock Land. Excellent stuff. Just as slowly they spend the back section of the jam deconstructing it all and going into full blown type 2 robot apocalypse zone. And then it just fizzles to a close.....Total X Factor Magic!!! Holy moly this was like a killer 3 act play or something. Perfectly built and executed....must hear, of course!! Definitely one of the greatest I have ever heard!!!

And they keep the momentum going by quickly launching into a 13 minute Simple!!!! AND THIS IS INCREDIBLE TOO!! Extra sauce from the beginning, the initial Simple jamming is great. Then, outta the friggin blue, around 7 minutes the song DROPS into a full blown blues jam!!! What in the name of Sweet Banana Jeezus is going on!! ALL HAIL OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, X FACTOR MAGIC!!!!!

After 5 or 6 glorious minutes of blues jamming, Trey decides to change course and we launch into a 17 minute Scents!!!! And hold onto your effing hats, this version CRUSHES. Complete and utter facemelting, hard rocking insanity. Just an absolute MAELSTROM. MACHINE GUN TREY IS IN THE FRIGGIN HOUSE!!! The nuclear annihilation continues all the way to the 14 minute mark. Things get really groovy and low key, yet still super frantic and energetic. Late night vibes. Hot damn. X Factor Magic strikes again.

They ride it out from there and proceed to launch into a 14 minute Crosseyed! Stop! There is nothing left!! You have already razed the entire site!!! Crosseyed is sick. It rages as usual then slowly morphs into a late night, dark chill zone, ala the Gorge 2018 version of something. Super funky and low key yet still bursting with energy. This is SICK. Super slowly it morphs downwards into a insanely relaxing chill bliss jamming. Wonderful interplay between Page and Trey .....wow. This was just beautiful!!! This goes on for a LONG time and its excellent.

Eventually, the jam finally comes to a close and Trey leads us into an absolute heartwrenching version of Waste, placed oh so perfectly. Just gorgeous, wow. Friggin killer.

A killer type 1 Blaze On ends the set.

Inspired encore of The Wedge, Sleeping Monkey and Slave. All are great but you need Slave. Holy crap what a capper on a show like this....


All in all....YO THIS WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST SHOWS I HAVE EVER HEARD IN MY LIFE!!! THIS SHOW IS SPECTACULAR!!!!! WHAT A TURNAROUND FROM NIGHT 2!!!!!

That entire 2nd set is more than worth your time. SYSF, Simple, Scents, Crosseyed and Waste are all must hear. An absolutely RIDICULOUS show and set.


Easily falling into the "all time classic for any era" level for me. I would gladly give this show a 4.5 rating. All day long.

Wow....

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