Phish was playing to comparable crowds about a year before Garcia checked out.
What's strange (but not surprising) is how many of these drummers are pretty average, talent-wise, and how many mind-blowingly good ones are nowhere on this list, and probably not even within shouting distance. Where are Bill Bruford, Jeff Sipe, Chad Wackerman, Peter Erskine, or (jeebus!) Billy Cobham, Jimmy Cobb (fer cryin out loud!) ... where the hell is Pete Best, dammit?!?
"There, in huge black letters, was 'The Grateful Dead'. It just... cancelled my mind out."-Garcia