Phish: A Love Story

After finally completing an intensive one year Masters program I am planning what will be a summer to remember.  I mean hell, I deserve it.  This summer will be packed with some crunchy jams and tasty grooves.  This summer I will be attending not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, but 5 Phish shows, and I wish I could go to 5 more.

The crazy thing about my Phish obsession is that just 3 years ago I swore I hated them.  My good buddy at Florida State, Ariel, was always listening to them and trying to get me to go to a show with him just to experience it and then make my mind up.  Unfortunately, I was too stubborn and set in my ways at the time and never gave them a fair shake.  I was walking through life not knowing what I was missing until a group of buddies in Cleveland called me one Friday afternoon in August 2010 to take a road trip with them to Deer Creek, Indiana where Phish was playing and they just so happened to have an extra ticket.

Since I had no excuses and not a damn thing going on I figured "why the hell not"?  At worst I'll have a great weekend tailgating and shooting the shit with my buddies and we'll come away with some good stories and memories.  So off we went to Indiana.  The drive was great, six hours of good tunes, good ole bullshitting, and making fun of all the 100 foot tall crosses that line the interstate once you cross into Indiana.  Next thing you know we were parked at the venue and ready to “rage” the lot (a term used by veteran Phish-goers for tailgating).

To no surprise I was really good at the tailgating part: drinking beers, grilling food, throwing a Frisbee, listening to some music, and having a talk with others around us doing the same.  Then after doing some tailgating it was time to hit “Shakedown Street”, which is a half-mile or so stretch of vendors selling everything from tie-dyes, CDs, burritos, quesadillas, and all kinds of other goodies with “special ingredients”.  Everyone there was in a great mood, bartering of all types was happening all around, and this open market was thriving.  The band hadn’t even taken the stage yet and I was already having a great time, thinks were looking up.

After raging the lot all afternoon it was almost time to enter the venue.  As the masses all flocked towards the gates it felt as if we were going into a sporting event, people hooting and hollering, high-fiving, and telling each other to “Have a good show”!  There was an energy or buzz in the air that I have never felt at another concert.  Finally, my first Phish show was about to begin.  The band took the stage, the anticipation built, Trey started rocking the opening chords to “Axilla” and the entire crowd erupted in joy.  I WAS HOOKED!  From that moment on this band had me.  Immediately, I texted my buddy Ariel and let him know I was sorry for ever doubting him, and I couldn’t wait for the time we can finally catch a show together.  The music, the crowd, the energy, the sing-a-longs, the glow stick wars, the vacuum solo, everything had me hooked.

As the concert ended and we filtered back out to the parking lot, I was smiling from ear-to-ear.  Everyone was talking about what their favorite part was and what songs they couldn't believe were played.  It felt as though we were leaving a game but there was only one team playing and everyone was going home after seeing a winner.  Since that hot day in August 2010 there has been no looking back.  I am slightly obsessed with Phish and I don’t see any end in sight.

Now with Summer Tour 2012 upon us I will finally get that opportunity to see a few shows with my dear friend Ariel and I couldn’t be any happier.  I haven’t seen him in who knows how many years and I couldn’t think of a better way for us to reunite, than over a band he knew I would love despite my constant hardheadedness and stubbornness.

So at the end of the day I want to say thank you to Ariel for knowing me better than I knew myself, and thanks to my Cleveland boys JLaz, Brandon, Billy, and Ira for taking me on that road trip, opening my mind, and changing my life.  If you take anything away from this, whether you like or Phish or not, just remember to have an open mind in all things you do in life, because no matter how much you swear you hate something, it may be the complete opposite that is true.

Now with my love story of Phish concluded, I’ve been listening to a lot of past shows in anticipation of this summer and about every other song I think to myself “I want to hear this song so bad this summer”. So for my next post I figured I would make a list of the 10 songs, in no order, I am hoping Phish dives into while I’m in attendance....so stay tuned!