Next thing you know, people will be trying to argue for the merits of Vegas '04; "...a hidden, forgotten gem!" Sure there are moments when the band was effectively listening to each other and "jamming" at Coventry. They are professionals who have been doing so for their entire career. They can nonchalantly dispense jams that few musicians could duplicate in the moment. But truly, the moments of transcendence, when band, audience and music are one (those special moments that we all have felt and which compel us to see them play again and again), were hard to come by at Coventry, and I think most would have to admit that they didn't really occur. Even so, there is an effort to willfully ignore what happened and find ways to praise it, which I find very odd. One's love or devotion to the group should not be questioned just because you have the audacity to observe their failings; on the contrary, it is discerning the difference which indicates a true appreciation. I wonder how Mr. Miner has come to enjoy the position he does, that of critic-in-chief after every show and tour. Hardly any "critical" discussion takes place at all. Nothing but gushing, predictable praise. I'm sure I will be dismissed as cranky, negative and unwelcome, which is a shame, because it would be great to see more insightful discourse here.

If Coventry had been anything like a success, had it been a triumphant exclamation point on a peerless career, Phish may never have gotten back together