A fairly predictable top 5 as everyone has already mentioned but that doesn't mean these shows are necessarily "undeserving". '97 was just that good. I did find the posting of 11/17/97 at #1 to be a reflection of "widely accepted fact", meaning that for whatever reason, a lot of people just really, really like it. Before Halloween last year and the suddent realization that 12/31/99 was pretty fucking amazing in the grand scheme of things (alos possibly a reaction to 10/31/14...), 11/17/97 was rated as the best Phish show of all time on this site. A designation which lasted for quite a long time. After a while it just became dogma.

Do I think 11/17/97 is overrated? In this context, yes, but it is still a top fiver for me. Say what you will but on a purely subjective level, that Ghost is probably the best I've ever heard and I used to say the same thing about that Tweezer for many, many years. That is to say nothing of the Reba, JBG and YEM.

That being said, I always had a bone to pick with this show's insistent veering towards "Boogie Woogie" type shit. Half the show they're playing minimalist, futuristic soundscapes and the other half is composed of "Oblivious Fool" (Shafty is one of the best decisions the band has ever made), "Fire" and "Jesus Left Chicago". Eh. At least they didn't play "My Soul" (the write up on 12/30/97 regarding that song is SPOT ON). Overall, it's kind of a scattershot show with no through line. To me, onsistency a big factor when considering best show of all time status.

Anyway, enough of my bitching. All in all, this was a fun little exercise and a great read. I thank everyone involved for doing this and for putting up with the ensuing criticism from a bunch of nerds like me. Kudos.