Ventura (Phish album)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

On Allmusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine said, ". . . both [concerts] arrived during the two-year gap separating 1996's Billy Breathes and 1998's The Story of the Ghost — two years where the band's popularity was on the rise and it certainly seemed like a crossover was perhaps within their sites [sic]. That crossover never happened and these two shows indicate the band never seriously thought about moving into the mainstream, preferring to ride a sweet, hazy, sun-soaked vibe that fits Southern California in the late summer. A few covers surface . . . and soundcheck jams round out the third disc of each show, but the appeal of Ventura is, as always, how Phish tackle their core catalog . . ."[1]

On All About Jazz, Doug Collette wrote, "The relative comfort level [of a particular venue] can inspire or relax a bit too much, and both dynamics are on display over the course of these six compact discs.... Though not all the music is as vivid as the evocative wrap-round inside and outside graphics, the most memorable moments are nevertheless compelling. . . . During set two of '97, as the band wends its way into "Free", drummer Jon Fishman hits harder, bassist Mike Gordon holds back to hit only bedrock notes, guitarist Trey Anastasio redefines shredding, and all the while keyboardist Page McConnell frames the increasingly subtle four-way dynamics. A circular segue through "David Bowie" and Talking Heads' "Cities" is a singularity the like of which distinguishes Phish to this day: four virtually equally skilled players simultaneously inspiring each other to increasingly intense heights of improvisation."[5]