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If this is the first you are hearing of the Ultimate Phish Nerdgasm^TM series, then you should go listen to the first two episodes, or at least the first. But definitely not just the second, because that wouldn’t make any sense. However, I understand if you want to get down to money shot and only listen to this episode. If you have been following along this whole time and keep coming back for more, we applaud you! This is easily the longest running series of recorded spoken word geek talk about Phish.

All that said, we find ourselves at the final installment of what started as a March Madness style bracket, containing 64 of the best jams, as dictated by Chris Glusko and Steve Paolini. Of course, this list is not absolute and takes into account five rules that shaped the list, much to some listeners’ dismay. These jams were then voted down between Chris, Steve, and I, and we ended up with the Sweet Sixteen, which is where we begin this episode. Before you listen, we suggest that you print this bracket in order to follow along at home. Also, should you want the full version of each song, you can check out this google doc which links to the corresponding phishtracks.com track.

The format for this episode is slightly different than that of the last two. Having only fifteen matches to vote on allowed us to play a clip for each matchup. So we decided to send off each loser of the Sweet Sixteen / Elite Eight with a clip in its honor. Then, each jam in the Final Four had its clip played before we voted. We stuck to a strict three minute rule for each, with the winning jam being played in its entirety for the outro. What does this mean for you? Less talking from us and 120% more hose in the ears for you. It’s really a win-win when you think about it. And with the caliber of Phish jams being matched up here, there really are no losers.

We hope that you have enjoyed following along with this Ultimate Nerdgasm. All the credit goes to Chris and Steve for developing the rules and the pool of 64 jams to choose from. Their collective nerdiness is probably unparalleled. Thanks to Phish.net for making the research and prep for all Type II episodes possible. And if you want to keep following along with future episodes, you can subscribe in iTunes, on Stitcher, or from Archive.org.

Thanks for listening,

Steve

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Print the Bracket to Follow Along at Home

Get Links to Stream each Jam in its Entirety

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