This past weekend, summer officially began for this big guy. For those of you who know me personally or through social media, know that over the past few summers I may have become a little obsessed with Phish. From here on out, no summer will be complete without a Phish run or two. This past weekend I got things underway with my crew in Burgettstown, PA at First Niagara Pavilion and then turned around and did it all over again the next night with 35 of my Cleveland Phish Pham at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, OH. (Phish also played in Cincinatti the night before the PA show, so obviously this run of the tour was dubbed the "AFC North Run")
One of the many things for sale on Shakedown Street
Saturday was an absolutely perfect day for a show. My boys Ira, Brandon, and Adam piled into Ira's Ford Escape and we made our voyage into enemy territory (Pukesburgh), but unlike most days there were no enemies waiting for us in the parking lot of the venue. The day of a Phish show all rivalries are dead and the only thing that is important to everyone there is being happy and having the best show possible.
Poster for the Burgettstown, PA Show
After getting settled we made our way across the lot to the well known "Shakedown Street". Shakedown is a row of vendors that usually tour with the band during the summer and sell everything from phresh food, clothes, jewelry, and art (which Jen and I picked up a couple pieces at Shakedown at Blossom the next night). After getting some grub, a sweet coozie, and a baby onesie for our soon to be proud papa Ira, it was time to make our way into the show.
Short video of our walk through Shakedown Street
My Jon Fishman aka Fish coozie with his favorite instrument, the vacuum
Without any surprise Phish brought the house down in Burgettstown, PA. They got funky, spacey, jammy, and of course jumped on trampolines while rocking like only the best bands do!
After an amazing show on the road it was time to head back to The Land and have ourselves a show on our home turf, Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga, Falls, Ohio. I have never experienced anything like the feeling I have after a Phish show, between the energy from the crowd and magic from the band I am sure this is the closest thing to a religious experience I will ever have.
Poster for the Blossom show in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
For this show we held nothing back. We got 35 of our phriends together and headed to the show in style, a 35 passenger revamped school bus named "Hendrix". Somehow, someway Phish matched the energy and magic of the night before. We danced like there was no tomorrow and left nothing in the tank as we were all drained by the time the bus dropped us off at home.
The bus, the crew, the guys who like to dress alike, and the brothers
During the Blossom show I had two thoughts: How are they so good? And I want to die at a Phish show. Thankfully I have three more shows with these guys left next weekend (July 6,7,8) in Saratoga Springs, New York where I will reunite with a long, lost buddy and be sure to dance my ass off.
