Three Things That Should Go (But Won’t)
3.8.09 Hampton (J.Mordaunt)
With the first Phish tour in five years about to explode in only a month, there are many facets of the experience we will be reacquainted with after an extended absence. From navigating the summer lot to scheming for your perfect show location, a whole new realm of critical thinking will be reopened. We will be confronted by traffic jams, bathroom lines, and maps every day for the first time in quite a while, and security guards will be factors in our lives again as we engage in our secret mission seeking the ultimate- those frozen moments where thoughts go blank and we forget who and where we are- utterly engulfed by the psychedelic monstrosity of Phish.
Yet on our mission, and while reacquainting ourselves with the flow of tour, we will inevitably be confronted by some of the same boneheaded trends of shows past. And as we enter this summer, the most anticipated tour in memory, here are a few of those in-show behaviors that would be better off left behind.
3.7.09 Hampton (J.Mordaunt)
Clapping: There is nothing more absurd than when the band enters a slammin’ dance groove and half the pavilion starts clapping to the beat. It may be subconscious, or it may be a meager attempt at getting involved, but if I had the ability to make one thing vanish, it just might be the constant clapping. Not surprisingly, the band often gets annoyed by this trend as well, intentionally jamming in another direction, leaving the clappers wondering where their downbeat went.
Throwing Glowsticks: If Trey hadn’t said how cool these things looked during The Great Went, would things be different now? What used to be reserved for rolled-out raver kids became mainstream in the Phish scene’s later years, posing annoyances and safety hazards for the band and audience alike. There is nothing like being blissed out, eyes closed, in the middle of a “Hood” jam and getting slammed in the skull with a glowstick; poetry in motion. Although those glowrings don’t hurt as much when they come crashing down, get ’em outta here too. What’s the point again?
Hampton (J.Kravitz)
Talking Loudly: One of the most annoying things possible at a show is when your two or three neighbors, who clearly don’t care about Phish, are yapping away over beers like they are at a crowded college bar. Sure, it’s loud in there, but it’s a huge rock concert- it’s supposed to be! Yet some people insist on conversing like it is their last living moment together on earth- in your ear. A completely obnoxious behavior, you wonder how people like that get their hands on Phish tickets these days. I’m all for talking- but let’s catch up after the show. During the show, shut it.
But, alas, with 20,000 person concerts, I don’t really expect any of these things to come to a halt, but if I had my ‘druthers, they would vanish from the universe of a Phish show. But the overarching beauty here is that we have a Phish universe again, and no number of clappers, glowstick throwers, or obnoxious conversationalists can take that away.
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DOWNLOAD OF THE DAY:
9.21.99 Pima Co. Fairgrounds, Tucson, AZ < LINK
9.21.99 Pima Co. Fairgrounds, Tucson, AZ < TORRENT LINK
In an open fairgrounds in the desert, Phish played the most random venue of Fall ’99, and played it well. The band assembled a creative second set, combining some diverse songs and improv in “Carini > Bug,” and “Vultures > Limb,” the cover “Will It Go Round in Circles,” and a monstrous “Antelope” to close. This one is not so widely known, but even the first set brings some heat with “Split” and “Drowned.” Plus, a virtually aunheard of “Reba” encore. It’s hard to call this show underrated, because nobody ever talks about it; it’s more like unrated. Check it out.
I: Poor Heart, Sample in a Jar, Split Open and Melt, Drowned, I Didn’t Know, Get Back on the Train, Birds of a Feather, Theme from the Bottom, Golgi Apparatus
II: Carini > Bug, Strange Design, Vultures* > Limb by Limb, Will It Go Round In Circles, Dirt, Run Like an Antelope
E: Reba*, Bold as Love
*Unfinished.
Tags: Culture, Summer '09
@SOAM word – “mirror of your self” – well said
you can’t control what idiots do, but you can control how much it affects you…and for every moron or bad moment there are 10 cool people you would never have met otherwise, and 20 irreplaceable moments of perfection
if someone’s an idiot and you let them get you down, they win. if you still have a great time, you win
by no means am i condoing throwing shit at the band or chris or paul, and i dont want anyone to get that impression. its jsut somethingive been eharing and reading about for 5 years and want to expiernce once, like or not, it is a part of the phish expiernce… a part that needs to be contolled better from all the bad sotries ive heard
funny topic miner, not too much to hate a show but clapping and singing/talking gotta take the cake. although im not a fan of hurting someone, being a downer on a third parties show or damaging the bands equipment i LOVE me a good glow war. the only beef with it i have is when people throw the giant thick glow sticks (the thinner bracelets and necklaces i can live with). one knocked a 8$ beer from my hand after i had just navigated up the lawn and missed a damn coil for. shoulda never left… but summer is almost here and im plotting on seeing a good glow war or six this summer…. are we there yet?
@Hook, Common Sense should tell you your in the GA section. If you don’t like being crowded and packed in like sardines then sit in the seats. Consideration should tell you to move the fuck outta the way so I can get back to my crew or wife.
@Hook, Sorry if I came off like an ass. Just my opinion.
the thing that gets me down more than anything is girls whoring themselves for extras or dope
but that’s just going to be worse this summer
^^ There was a lot of that at Hampton. Screams Sketchy
I’m gonna be a male whore for red cocks tickets-
MY COCK FOR YOUR RED ROCK!! LOL!
I’m looking for some hot custies in BMW and Benz’s to bankroll my summer tour in exchange for a dose of mY MEATSTICK-BEEATCHES
WHHOO!!!
my house, wife and kids for your extra.
^^ Where do you live???
one camden-last row lawn with a post gig mugging and assault care of the lovely Camdenites-is asll I’m looking for
Last row Lawn at Camden=Front row of piss watching!
6.9.09 asheville
6.9.09 time turns elastic release date
asheville = release party????????????
release party = happy ending? lol
summer tour lot signs vol.1
happy ending / full release for your extra!
Wanda does Wilson and the Wookies-vol. 1-Tour pt. 1
lol
one thing i can live without at a show is the wasted guy on shrooms who drops the freshly lit kind bud joint into his beer…then offers it back at set break. a wtf? moment i can do without…fo sho!
I like glowsticks. But everything else can go. Just bring the little ones. The don’t hurt at all.
Also someone gave me a what.cd invite a couple days back and I’m wondering, how the hell am I supposed to keep my ratio up? Every Phish DL on there has like 50 seeders and 0 leechers. It’s slim pickins. Even the popular stuff is so greatly seeded that I can’t get any upload bytes.
^^^ Also the guy that ask for hit a off the oney. Says “Man that taste killer ” then drops it on the floor and breaks it.
ASSMAN!
enjoy whatcd while you can….no way in hell to keep a good ratio there…just grab all you can before they axe your account.
I always thought that there was nothing better than doing “The Wave” around an arena….we should figure that out.
I was next to some talkers third night at Hampton on the floor. So not fun. Also, the people who are loosing their shit and dance into you. Repeatedly. I’m all about you loosing your shit, but please don’t step on my feet!