Milton Hershey did it for the kids and so did Phish. At least that’s the way fans saw it when the Vermont quartet returned to Hersheypark Stadium after a four-year absence. During that period, Phish has transformed themselves several times over — from arena rock to cow funk; from vanguards of the jam band movement to dance party champions. Champions that, unfortunately, had an off-night in front of the sold-out crowd of 25,000 last week.

The highlight of the show was the second set’s ground zero funk jam that materialized after a kickstop to their perennial classic, "Tube." Saturated with science fiction rock, the bop and bounce jam was a demonstration of the band’s spontaneous composition skills. Whereas most bands pass extended soloing and looped progressions as improvisation, Phish surpasses with whole-band jamming, in which each member continually rewrites their contribution, working as a team to create a slip stitch patchwork. Because it is a music created on the spot, when it works, it incorporates not only the personality of the band members, but the energy of the audience as well. That is, the audience becomes part of an experience, rather than mere spectators. Usually able to maintain this level of intensity and intent throughout an entire show, Phish copped out after mere minutes and settled instead for a cover of Los Lobos’ "When The Circus Comes."

Another cover earlier in the night (of Taj Mahal’s "Corinna") was a taste treat to the die-hards, having only played the song one other time since the 1980s. But such novelty is not enough to carry a band branded as a phoenix, burdened by a reputation for constant one-upping.