Today, March 9, is the day that the Telluride Town Council will officially decide if Phish will be visiting their mountain getaway this summer. The proposed shows for August 9 and 10 have already cleared the Parks and Recreation Commission and Telluride’s Commission for Community Assistance, Arts & Special Events (CCAASE). This final stamp of approval will clear the way for fans to route their summer’s through Colorado. The Town Council’s decision may be, largely, a formality, as all signs have pointed to “Go” for the past few weeks.
This final decision will come as relief for many of the towns tourist-based businesses who have been put in a bind with the indecision over Phish. But that hasn’t stopped them from booking up their services. In one instance, one of Telluride’s most prominent rental agencies, managing over 400 properties, decided to suspend their 48-hour hold policy, and have been holding Phish fans’ reservations for nearly two weeks without any deposits. In addition for the many private owners who have penciled in reservations for August 8 – 11 will, the limbo should end some time today.
Once approved, the immediate discussion amongst the Phish community will be tickets. With the shows capped at 9,000, and tickets rumored to be sold only in two-day passes to limit the footprint of Phish, these stubs will make last year’s Red Rocks tickets seem like a walk in the park. The other question that remains to be seen is where Telluride would fall in the band’s second leg of summer. If these shows go down, Phish has also been rumored to be play the Mile High Music Festival in Denver the following weekend (for an exorbitant payday), saving their return to Red Rocks for another year. But whether or not another mainstream festival slot pans out remains to be seen.
Nonetheless, today, March 9, represents the first day of excitement of a rather quiet 2010 off-season. Just as spring training gets underway, we should be able to make our first plans of the summer before the sun goes down again. Knock on wood, cross your fingers, and rub your rabbit’s foot – Telluride here we come!
*****
Phish’s Last Visit to Telluride: “Destiny Unbound” 10.27.91, Elk Lodge
=====
Jam of the Day:
“Bathtub Gin” 7.29.98 I
After oozing into the week with some funk, lets crank it up a notch with Riverport’s classic opener of Summer ’98, “Bathtub Gin.”
=====
DOWNLOAD OF THE DAY:
7.20.98 Ventura County Fairgounds, Ventura, CA < Torrent
7.20.98 Ventura County Fairgounds, Ventura, CA < Megaupload
This one goes out via reader request to Voopa, who was quicker than the rest!
I: Bathtub Gin, Dirt, Poor Heart, Lawn Boy, My Sweet One, Birds of a Feather, Theme From the Bottom, Water in the Sky, The Moma Dance, Split Open and Melt
II: Drowned > Makisupa Policeman > Maze, Sea and Sand, Prince Caspian, Harry Hood
E: Sexual Healing* >Hold Your Head Up, Halley’s Comet
*Debut
Source: Unknown
