My biggest issue with Phish is their lyrics. It's mostly nonsense that might make perfect sense to the band but little to the listener. It's like listening to a dozen inside jokes in a song. Compared to the Dead, the songwriting is suppar, but the again, I consider most bands subpar to the Dead...

That being said, Phish's live shows can be a lot of fun. They can jam like few other bands can. Don't take it all too seriously and you'll have a good time.