Iâm STILL staying with this CupâŚand I still think itâs the best Cup ever.
wolfmans star lake is wayyyyy better in terms of improv and band cohesivenessâŚi would be the first to tell you that this loving cup is the best ever but in a desert island situation, I would take a really good wolfmans over the best loving cup and thats what it comes down toâŚ
I loved the shit outta that Wolfmanâs. I really did. It was cohesive and tight, but that Cup⌠I mean, we all knew it was part of the Halloween Set, but when it actually started up, it was like, I canât explain itâŚan EXPLOSION of sudden unexpected emotion!!! BOOOM!!! Tears, ear to ear grins, jumps, hugs, glowsticks, glowsticks, glowsticks! It was like, hereâs this thing that Phish does (cover sets on Halloween) during this other big thing that Phish does (Festivals) and theyâre playing this big song that Phish has played for years and years and itâs almost like itâs their own, but we are reminded here that itâs not, but it kind of isâŚbut⌠so on, so forth⌠WHOOOO!!!
Thatâs the hard thing with this Bracket Buster. Musicality or Experience, or Both?
Like the Ya Mar at Charlottesville that Will always says was sloppy. Well, it WAS pretty fucking sloppy at first, but the electric telepathic energy in that place was ecstatic! First, Ya Mar starts, then seeming disaster ensues, a few feelings of âoh shit, this might not be good at allâ to oh, heâs hugging Trey now, oh now heâs finally off the stage, music gets tight, âgive it up for naked guyâŚâ That was a seat-of-your-pants moment for sure. I thought that fucker was gonna straight up knock one of the guys over, or some equipment, or atleast accidentally unplug someone. It was a big relief when we all realized it was OK.
Some of these are just too fucking hard to vote against when you were there feeling those feelings.
please everybody, re-listen to both of them and really think deeply about which hits the spot moreâŚeverything aside, if I were gonna show a buddy some phish I wouldnt show them the fest8 loving cup, which is a cover with horns and backing vocals, even if it was the best version everâŚI would most certainly show them this wolfmans though as I think in its 10 minute it covers such a wide spectrum and really demonstrates their sound and what they are capable ofâŚi dunno i think this wolfmans is the underdog of the year any1 wanna back me up on that?
I already voted, but I will try to relisten. I remember loving that Wolfmanâs like I said, but I know for sure that the emotion that I felt during that Wolfmanâs wasnât near anything of a fraction of what I felt during that Cup. I mean, Iâve listened to the Cup quite a few times, and itâs really great, but probably not as great a jam as that Wolfmanâs, sure. But it was one of those had to be there things, I think, unfortunately. They were both very good, and this is a very serious matchup.
Iâll agree with Wolfmanâs Starlake being ONE of the underdogâs of the year.
Both involved some great stuff.
Toss up for me, I went with the Loving Cup.
saw both
loved both
need to figure out which i likey more
thinkin the Brotha 
Ooh, I see my vote tied it up. I went with Wolfmanâs. Yes, the Loving Cup at 8 was special, but for me it wasnât one of the epic moments of the weekend. If it had been Just Want to See His Face it would have been no contest. But that Starlake show was the first time I got to see Phish with my oldest of oldest tour buddies (Mr. Ubiquitous Smokey) in 5 years and seeing this Wolfmanâs (along with the DSky) gave me a feeling I just canât describe. Plus yes, musically I enjoy(ed) it more.
What a beautiful buzzâŚ
my opinion only butâŚthis IS NOT the best loving cup ever come on now. personally the best ever is off the live 18 album go listen to THAT lovin cup and tell me its not better and that treys solo in that version doesnt beat the lovin cup from fest8âŚalso im biased b/c i witnessed the wolfmans and it was a peak of all peaks to be witnessing phish again and to have that wolfmans drop in the first set it was just great great timesâŚdefinitly not the best wolfmans by any means not even close but a damn good version.
Me no understand.
Isnât there 2 more rounds?
Iâm going with Wolfmanâs
Refer to the sticky, and my inability to make even brackets. And my general suckiness. Plus, donât forget my ability to be a towel. And⌠yes.
OhâŚgot it.
Sticky explains all.
Comin down on me
for the Wolfman, But I am pretty partial to ANYTHING at 8.
Just listened.
Trey totally botched the beginning⌠
The solo is rad. That was the second or third Phish show I ever got. I love this show a lot. (I still donât think that Loving Cup beats the Fest8 Cup, but thatâs just me.)
hahah yes the solo is rad! and that was the first phish show i ever bought/listened to so i guess bias comes out a little bit⌠but i understand if in your opinion the fest8 lovin cup is better i just think that lovin cup from live 18 kicks so much ass
its gonna be kinda lame when loving cup is in the finals 
No doubt.
The debate in this thread is similar to the Ghost/Fluffhead. The special experience vs. downright good jam.