Dear Boys,

Thank you so much for taking the time away from your families during the holidays to give us some amazing music!! I know, it sucks that there are so many ungrateful phans out there who think they could make better magic than what you guys put together this past 2011 NYE MSG run in NYC. I have been listening to Phish since 1993 and the Grateful Dead since 1988, as I am 34 years old. I have been listening to Phish/GD one way or another since 1988. What makes Phish shows so special is that every show is entirely different, the family that assembles for the shows, the friends that you make and the friends that you haven't seen since the last tour, and lastly, the magic/energy that is released throughout the night or run. I live for Phish shows and that's what keeps me coming back!! The anticipation prior to the run kills me!! I love it!! What drives me crazy is all the ungrateful goofballs out there who give the band shitty reviews, like you could do it any better.... Not only that, but you have the audacity to give a bunk review from your couch... You'd be better off finding another band, sit on your couch thinking that you are on tour and give crap reviews. You better go get checked by an neurologist.... 2011 NYE run was not the 2010 NYE run so stop phucking comparing the two!! 12/30/11 raged, especially the 2nd set!! I traveled all the way from Chicago to see this one show because it was the only show that I could obtain face value tickets for which is another story for another time... During 2011 I saw the Cincinnati, OH show during summer leg 1, the Tahoe run, and the UIC run during summer leg 2. Yes, it was an insane summer, but the summer is not NYE.... Get it!! Now get over it!! Back to 12/30/11 - I sat 10th row dead freaking center thanks to my younger sister, known as "Kitsy" a super cool Phish Head. The phans in our section, the lights, and the sound were amazing, 10 out of 10!! 1st set opened up with an energetic PYITE, and other 1st set highlights for me included a misplaced Caspian, beautiful Divided, a sick-ass Sand!!, rare Vultures and amazing Quinn The Eskimo, which I hadn't heard since Telluride. Page raged during Quinn!! I still have goosebumps!!
Now for 2nd set - Not sure what else to say other than this set was a 10 out of 10!! Wilson > Axilla > Piper > Twist > Julius > Golgi > 2001... If you cannot relate to my review, please lay off the hard drugs!! Axilla was the bomb and was played so hard!! Especially when they turned the house lights on and you could see the people dancing behind the stage. Amazing!! Piper - we all know that was the bomb, hence the bomb that Mike dropped. 2001 had one of the sicker intros that I had ever heard and you can't beat Twist, Julius, and Golgi!! Being that Phish is composed of homo sapiens, one should understand that rest is needed at some point, hence The Horse and beautiful as always Silent in The Morning. From there, they raged an amazingly funked out Bowie!!! Thank you Mike!! The 2nd set concluded with a beautiful Coil, with Page as always making tears fall from my eyes during the end while the rest of the boys left the stage to catch their breath prior to the sick encores... Boogie & Good Time Bad Times!! Do I need to say anything else? The Boys dropped even more fun during Boogie and raged the GTBTs!! Thank you Susie, Kitsy, Coats, Mike, and Blake for an amazing night in NYC at MSG!! And more importantly, thank you Boys for continuing to make the magic a reality for me!! Since 1993, when I first saw you live at The Aragon Ballroom in Chicago IL, you have continued to give me something to look forward to, made my life that much more exciting, provided years of "perm-grins", great cardio exercise music, new friends from tours and runs, and have made my world a better place to live in!! You guys rage!! Thank you for everything!! FYI - 12/31/11 was my first 'couch' show that I have attended. That being said, I wasn't really there so I'm not going to comment. 2nd & 3rd set raged... I hope to see you this spring or summer!!

Sincerely,
ChicagoAntelope