It is rare that Phish unveils a complete performance that flows flawlessly from the very first note through the last; two full sets constructed in such fashion that the band never, for even a moment, loses the full attention of their audience. On Sunday night, however, Phish had the Charlotte’s crowd enraptured and in the palm of their hand for the entirety of the show in which there was—literally—not a dull moment.

First sets are so contingent upon song selection these days, and last night the band sculpted an opening stanza that worked as well as any this tour. The conventional opening pairing of “Bag” and “Moma” gave way to a series of songs that all possessed a little something extra. For the second straight version, Trey allowed Page to take the lead on piano during “Heavy Things” before taking his own solo, providing the song an added punch. “Ocelot” featured  incredibly smooth playing from Trey, who had his chops flowing all night long. Even “Funky Bitch” brought the house down with more fiery interplay that usual. But when the guys kicked into “Bathtub Gin,” the set moved onto another level for the duration.

Trey’s showcased staggering runs of notes and quick-fire licks during a scalding tub of “Gin.” This high-speed jam brought a rush of energy to the set, a cathartic cascade that continued with a precise and passionate mid-set “Fluffhead.” Pulling “Alumni Blues” off the shelf for the first time this leg, Trey followed the quasi-bustout with hilarious banter about their college days. Trey shared the well-known story of how Page received $50 a head for “recruiting” he and Fish to Goddard College—a tiny and excessively liberal institution in Plainfield,Vermont. A short “Tube,” also dating back to their college days, was followed by more comical banter that led into“My Sweet One.” A delicate and driving “Bowie” capped the set with a palpable intensity, and upon the song’s final hits, the guys received an ovation as if it was the end of the show. But with the band locked in, things were only heating up.

Though centered around a melody-driven and blissful “Tweezer,” this set was as much about craftsmanship, flow and shredtastic playing as anything. With no lulls or run of late-set singles, Charlotte’s main event was comprised of Phish anthems back to back to back. When “Crosseyed” started, memories immediately turned to last Sunday’s night of instant fame at Bill Graham, but the band wouldn’t take this version for nearly the ride it took out west. Jamming around the theme of “Crosseyed,” Trey ventured into infectious soloing that seemed to be bringing the band into something deeper. But instead of pushing the boundaries of the piece, the guys, turned to another rarity, the Gamehendge tale of “McGrupp.” Page and Trey locked into each other during the “jam,” giving the piece added gusto.

When “Mike’s Song” was followed by “Bouncin” and “Axilla,” the energy of the show remained high, but the improv factor felt quite lite. And then “Tweezer” dropped. Just as the classic jam was growing stale over Leg One, the band came out this tour and fully reinvigorated the crowd favorite. Last night they dropped their third, consecutive version drenched in creative playing. And for the second time in a row, the band took the jam on a silken journey through skies of gold. Placing a magnifying glass on mellifluous interplay, Phish sculpted a piece that spoke to the soul. Trey and Mike’s minimalist and Siamese-minded conversation gave room for Page to bring the Rhodes into the mix, enhancing the buttery feel of the feel-good groove. But when Page moved back to piano, Trey’s playing took off into the register of the divine. As he emoted waterfall-like melodies of majesty, the band maintained a bulbous groove around him, allowing him to slowly back into a space-laced, effect-laden paradise. Taking the arena by the heartstrings, Red swooped in for a final peak before the jam subsided and Fishman started “Harry Hood.”

There are not two songs more sacred to the band’s catalog than “Tweezer” and “Harry Hood.” On opposite sides of the musical spectrum, together, they form the yin and yang of Phish. Combined in this fashion—”Tweezer > Hood”—only once before, on May 15, 1990 in Hamilton, New York, the merger of these two epics was nothing short of revelatory. Swimming from the jam of the night into a meticulous rendition of their early opus, the journey of “Tweezer > Hood” provided the most dramatic sequence of the night. Like many 2012 “Hoods,” Trey’s solo picked up right from the drop of the jam and twisted and turned with meaning for the duration. Though ending somewhat quickly without a monstrous peak, the entire”Hood” jam was used as an arrival for “Tweezer,” and it worked magically.

The upbeat combo of “Weekapaug” and “Suzy” concluded a set that never relented. Trey showcased his razor sharp thematic playing in the former, while providing extra juice to the latter with “Crosseyed” teases, as it sounded like the band might break back into the cover. And the action kept right on moving through the encore with the bustout of “Big Black Furry Creatures From Mars”—complete with antics—and “Tweezer Reprise.” Not often does Phish play a show without daring risk taking yet succeed so resoundingly as they did last night. Although Alabama possessed the gem of the weekend in “Rock and Roll,” and, arguably, even the set of the south, Charlotte provided the strongest start to finish experience of the three-pack. If you have time today, don’t worry about that “skip” button on your iPod, just hit play at the top of set one and let this one roll. You won’t be disappointed.

I: AC/DC Bag > The Moma Dance > Heavy Things, Ocelot, Funky Bitch, Bathtub Gin, Fluffhead, Alumni Blues > Letter to Jimmy Page > Alumni Blues, Tube, My Sweet One, David Bowie

II: Crosseyed and Painless > McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters,  Mike’s Song> Bouncing Around the Room, Axilla > Tweezer > Harry Hood,  The Horse > Silent in the Morning, Weekapaug Groove, Suzy Greenberg

E: Big Black Furry Creature from Mars, Tweezer Reprise

Historically, Lakewood Amphitheatre has been the site of legendary Phish shows. From the band’s first visit in ’97, featuring a monumental “Ghost,” to July 4th’s instant classic in ’99, and from the underrated two-pack in 2000 to ‘03’s smoking stop, Atlanta’s south side shed has almost always hosted shows of gold throughout its past. But last night, not so much. With two solid but unspectacular sets, the show never really hit full stride, though its highlights were certainly significant. Steering clear of any long-form improvisation—a facet of the second set that has become almost a given over Leg Two—the band, instead, shone through two more compact jams in “Golden Age” and “Chalk Dust > What’s the Use?” Interestingly, both Saturday night shows of Leg Two have produced the band’s spottiest efforts, but even on the nights that don’t form a total package in 2012, Phish still manages to crank out spectacular nuggets of music.

The band opened the second set with an extended and laid-back take on “Kill Devil Falls” that flirted with breaking form for a few minutes, but never made it outside the box. But when then band dropped “Golden Age” for the second time this tour, one of highlights of the show emerged. Slaughtering the dance floor with exercise in robo-funk, Phish launched into a hard-edged groove fiesta. With playing intricate yet driving rhythms that were textured yet thick as molasses, the band crafted one of their most impressive groove-based throw-downs of summer. Backed by tripped out loops and effects, and anchored by Mike’s envelope-filtered leads, this jam transcended rhythmic interplay, eventually entering a demented realm of storage-laced psychedelia. Certainly the best “Golden Age” we’ve heard since Jones Beach, it was nice to see the band bring an improvisational focus back to the song.

Landing in “Free,” the guys were sitting on the precipice of a huge set, and when “Light” started, it seemed like a forgone conclusion that we’d have another jam to write home about. But for the first time in 2012, “Light” fell completely flat. Disconnected and meandering throughout, the band never locked up in what has become a virtually bankable jam, thus when they dissolved into “Velvet Sea,” the combination created a discernible lull of creativity.

When the guys revved up a late-set “Chalkdust,” it seemed like an odd call for that point in the show, but once the jam got going, the second highlight of night blossomed out of nowhere. A fast-paced jam turned into something far more interesting when Mike, then Trey, started soloing in a more feel-good tone, and the whole band jumped on the idea immediately. Resembling the famous Camden “Chalk Dust” of 7.10.99, Trey took his playing into a completely uplifting feel as the band smashed through the boundaries of the song ‘s structure. Hitting a staccato melody that was so smooth it sounded composed, Trey let loose as Page stuck right with him the entire time. Nobody’s offerings’ went unappreciated in this one, as all four members assumed joint leadership of this stellar excursion. Slowing into an ambient ending, the band made a drone and washy transition into “What’s the Use?” Pairing two songs that couldn’t be more dissimilar, once again Phish showcased their modern proclivity to cover all sorts of ground in a short amount of time. A notably laid-back, though somewhat botched, version of “What’s the Use?” blanketed the amphitheatre with its post-apocalyptic soundscape.

Rounding out the set with “Joy” and a hotter-than-usual “Antelope,” the guys closed the night with a final bang. Some Phish shows elevate into a cohesive night of music, while others remain more disjointed and highlight-based. And though Lakewood’s performance was one of the latter, there are certainly two jams in the show that every fan must hear right away. Check ‘em out today, because I suspect tonight’s performance in Charlotte will jump right over Atlanta’s on everyone’s Monday morning playlist. Only time will tell…

First Set Notes: The first set started with a whale of momentum with quality versions of “Cars, Trucks, Buses,” “Wolfman’s,” “Runaway Jim” and “Ya Mar.” But when Trey called for a mid-set combo of “Alaska” and “My Soul,” he halted any energy the set had built on the front end. A hot “Maze” was the only notable piece for the rest of the set that fizzled significantly in song selection.

I: Cars Trucks Buses, Wolfman’s Brother, Runaway Jim, Ya Mar, Alaska, My Soul, Wilson, Maze, Roses Are Free, Backwards Down the Number Line, Character Zero

II: Kill Devil Falls, Golden Age > Free, Light > Wading in the Velvet Sea, Chalk Dust Torture > What’s the Use?, Joy, Run Like an Antelope

E: A Day in the Life

Phish entered the Heartland, hot off a spectacular run in the Bay, and kept things chugging right along with a smoking two setter in one of the coolest venues they have ever visited. Starlight Theatre carries a distinctly medieval vibe, crafted in brick with castle-like towers on each side of the stage. And between those two towers, Phish did work last night, throwing down two beefy sets of music with highlights galore.

From the show-opening “Chalk Dust”—a jam that got far more intense than most recent lead-offs—it was clear that the band meant business, and when they followed it up with the return of “Skin It Back” for the first time since Jones Beach, they left little doubt. Passing through “Moma” and “Rift,” the first set came to an undeniable peak with the pairing of “Bathtub Gin” and “Stash.” Trey got loose in “Bathtub,” showcasing licks of delicacy and fire while the band built a climbing canvas around him. Remaining within the confines of the song, the guys sculpted a blistering rendition that brought all four players fully into the mix. And if “Gin” brought the upbeat vibe to the first set pairing, “Stash” most definitely brought the darkness. Flipping the demonic jam on end, Trey, Page and Mike converged on a harmonic shift, bringing “Stash” into major-key wonderland while remaining charted for the jam’s peak. Dipping in and out of this feel a couple times, the band built a uniquely contoured jam that popped off the stage with a zest rarely seen from the first set staple. Dropping a must-hear excursion before halftime, the band raised the ante of an increasingly engaging first set plot line. The summer debut of “The Ballad of Curtis Loew” came in a perfectly slot, backing up a slew of improv. Punchy versions of “Kill Devil Falls” and “Funky Bitch” set up a notably laid-back, full-band “Antelope” that finished a stellar frame in style.

“Tweezer” has been an enigma for much of this year, as Phish has kept their classic launchpad, more or less, inside the box. But that all changed in colossal fashion last night, as they graced the evening with an exploratory escapade steeped in bliss and majesty. In the Phish universe, there’s nothing quite like a second-set-opening “Tweezer” and last night, the band unveiled their most prolific of this era. The guys spent no time in conventional territory, exiting stage left immediately into a floating, melody-anchored experimental tale. Taking things slow and methodically, the band instantly stepped into paradise, and proceeded down that path for the duration, sinfully dropping in and out of “Tweezer’s” groove like bandits. Trey laid way back, playing only the most tasteful notes, as Mike offered super creative leads that dictated the tone for much of the piece. Sailing on a magic carpet ride through jaw-dropping planes of euphoric melody, the band flowed effortlessly while exploring transcendent music for an extended period of time. And as they reached the top, Trey brought it home with a soul-crushing peak that will leave anyone blithering in joy. Climbing down the backside of the jam with a more ambient-laced sequence, the guys dripped right into “Piper.”

Combining two of their most significant vehicles, the band soared into a locked and intense “Piper” jam that provided a dark juxtaposition to “Tweezer’s” magnificent light. Shredding a high-octane collaboration, Phish broke things down into furious percussive textures before dripping into spacier, though still directed playing.  This jam covered an immense amount of musical ground with airtight interplay, though it seemed to end a bit suddenly for “Mike’s Song.” The second rousing rendition of “Mike’s” in a row opened the door for the first mellower combo of the set in “Bouncin’” and a well-played “Number Line.” It seemed that “Heavy Things” might continue this trend, but the piece possessed additional vigor as Page took an extended solo while Trey comped him with uncharacteristic rhythm chops. Gracefully taking the reins, Red then took his solo, bringing the song back around and landing in a heart-wrenching version of “If I Could.”

Just as the set needed another dose of action, Mike started up a ridiculous version of “Weekapaug” that sounded plucked from the depths of Fall ’97. Hard funk was the name of the game in this outstanding jam that certainly deserves a nod as a show highlight. Riding the crest of “Weekapaug,” Phish dropped a second-straight standout “Harry Hood” that starting in a quasi-plinko realm and migrated into an intense, old-school feel with Trey playing for keeps. “Suzy” stamped the set complete, and the second show in a row ended with “Tweezer Reprise!”

Phish left their mark on Starlight Amphithetre, playing a  in their first visit to Kansas City area since 2000. Every single song seemed to include something special last night, with barely a lull in the show. And as we look ahead to a hotly anticipated run through the deep South, things couldn’t look better in the world of Phish. See ya’ll in Alabama!

I: Chalk Dust Torture, Skin It Back, The Moma Dance, Rift, Bathtub Gin, Stash, The Ballad of Curtis Loew, Kill Devil Falls, Funky Bitch, Run Like an Antelope

II: Tweezer > Piper > Mike’s Song, Bouncing Around the Room, Backwards Down the Number Line, Heavy Things, If I Could, Weekapaug Groove, Harry Hood > Suzy Greenberg

E: Loving Cup > Tweezer Reprise