Now I could go on about all of the Phish concerts I’ve been to, but unfortunately I do have a nine to five and I’m sure you don’t want to sit here forever as I could probably make a website for each show. Being a seasoned festival-goer myself I have experienced my fair share of camp outs to see performers I’ve loved and have followed the Phish schedule obsessively, I’ve been to most of the major Phish Festivals and lived to tell my tale…

The Clifford Ball (1996)

After Sean sang a line from You Enjoy Myself (see the story on the home page) I stared down blankly at a ticket that read The Clifford Ball, I looked up at him puzzled. I couldn’t help but mimic the smile beaming from his recently brace-free teeth. “We’re going to see Phish my man” “Fish?!” I exclaimed still furrowing my bushy brows, “Listen” my buddy whispered as he flipped on his stereo and popped in a CD held by a black and white case (Mp3′s were unheard of back then). Junta would be my first Phish experience and the song “You Enjoy Myself” would change my life.

Pretending to go visit my grandparents, who luckily lived right near Plattsburgh, NY in Schuyler Falls Sean and I bussed it to Plattsburgh with little more than a small backpack, 30 bucks from lawn mowing and our Phish tickets (how Seanie Boy got those tickets and how we got in there so young is another story). To say the least, walking off a bus and hiking to a campground with 70, 000 people in attendance was a bit overwhelming.  Performing three sets per show during the two night performance is what some would call a religious experience. I called it enlightenment. Not only was the set killer, but all of the little accouterments that accompanied Phish (the only performers there) really made the experience special. I distinctly remember some heavy duty bombers flying overhead along with fireworks, movies along the camp grounds and a late night serenade.

The Great Went (1997)

After calling my grandparents to see how I was doing in good old BORING Schulyer Falls, I was banned from attending festivals “for life” by my ex flower child parents. Which is funny because they ran away with a band of hippies during the 60′s when they were just 16 (I’m still bitter). Anyway, Sean’s brother scored some Phish tickets and took him to The Great Went on, what I heard, was a pretty fun road trip to Maine. Being held at another former air force base, 75,000 people attended (less intimidating to him since he went more prepared this time around).

Sean described the campsite as a sort of playground after being completely soaked by a mountainous firetruck spraying fans at the gate- as Loring Air Force Base was a former storage area for nuclear arms. Apparently Sunday was a hell of a day- over a thousand nude, stinky men and woman posed for famed photographer Spencer Tunick and the Bangor Symphony Orchestra joined Phish’s show playing Stravinsky and Debussy (classy eh?). The rest of The Great Went is blurry to Sean, he was only 16 after all…

Lemonwheel (1998)

Amidst searching for colleges and getting on my SAT game, or at least pretending I cared, my parents, happy with my progress, decided to buy me Phish tickets to Lemonwheel. After uncrossing my eyes and picking myself off the floor I jumped up and down like a kid in a candy store but to my dismay, Sean couldn’t go. Luckily a little lass I’d set eyes on, Danielle Esposito now Danielle Brennan (wink wink), was willing to go with me. Once again set at Loring Air Force Base in Limestone, Maine I could now drive and made some killer time – needless to say we scored a pretty prime patch of field.

Phish ripped through three sets per day surrounded by a figure 8 setup featuring carnival fare, interactive art and a Garden of Infinite Pleasantries (most of which I was too young to partake). Fans were asked to make candles throughout the festival grounds, something you really need patience for, the last night ended with all of the candles lit on stage- pretty divine if you ask me. Danielle’s eye’s widened at the site of mounds and mounds of dredded dudes and half dressed ladies noodling around, and of course there was Lee the inflatable elephant parading around the campsite. “This is what a Phish concert is like, enjoy it” I said.  She smiled, and the rest is history…

Camp Oswego (1999)

1999 was an odd year, awesome bands like Broken Social Scene formed while others like Morphine died, and then there was Camp Oswego. A little older, and a little wiser, I could fully appreciate the scope of a well thought out festival, and I gotta say Phish concerts are always meticulous. As a growing trend, you can see that I never really bought my own Phish tickets. It was Danielle, yes we lasted, that bought them for my transition into manhood…

Everyone ignored warnings of pitching tents near cars, I have to admit that we did the same. I had a 1989 station wagon at the time and spent a ton of money on this multi-roomed tent that Danielle insisted on (but that’s another BORING story). Most people thought that Osewgo was a little more reserved than past festivals in Maine, and they were partially right, but the reserved attitude was only evident outside the festival grounds as locals looked upon fans with astonishment.

The theme that year was the campfire (the heart of any outdoor gathering). The village was outside the concert area so fans had access to all the carnival stuff throughout the day. A second stage was set for some fantastic bands like Ozomatli and the Slip. Phish played five sets over two nights and the whole festival  was apparently more peaceful than Woodstock that year. Not being an end of summer celebration, this festival was smack dab in the middle of a Phish tour- but I honestly couldn’t tell, they were just as energetic.

Big Cypress (1999)

The one time I cursed myself for working during winter break was during Big Cypress and the one time I bought tickets to a Phish show I had to give them away- my “Christmas gift” to Danielle. She hopped on a plane last minute, much more affordable then, with one of her freshman buds from school and ended up at Big Cypress Indian Reservation in Hendry County (where Langerado 2008 was held) after a brief stay in Miami.

Apparently Phish had the largest turnout of fans at any other show on New Years Eve and for good reason. According to Danny, their New Years show lasted for almost 8 hours, and although she almost came home in pieces, it was worth it. Little treasures like an archaeological site to bury crap and dig crap up, a faux building site, colorful rocket ships sticking out of the swamp area, carnival activities and Phish…in a big Hot Dog. Needless to say, I am still devastated to this day that I couldn’t be there.

It (2003)

Back to good old Maine “It” was much more convenient for me being in College in New Hampshire. It was a sociology professor of mine who decided to take me and two other kids on his 10th Phish experience. Phish tickets were hard to come by late in the season but, in true maestro fashion, Professor D. decided to present them to me in front of a class of 150 kids. What became a social experiment quickly dissolved into a good old nostalgic time at Loring Air Force Base.

Most of the concert is a complete blur to me except for the tower set. An air traffic control center was, for one night, turned into a pedestal for the gods as Phish beamed down on all of us. With a billow of smoke and a wash of brightly colored lights Phish proceeded to lull their audience with an ambient set I can only describe as heavenly. I have to say, Loring is by far my favorite setting for a Phish concert. The inhabitants are warm and welcoming. I came across an article written by the CEO of the Loring Development Authority who had this to say to Phish fans- “The people of Aroostook County, Maine are always commenting to me on how pleased they are that Phish and its fans continue to bring vibrancy to our community, and a day doesn’t go by that I’m not asked by a well-wishing citizen if Phish will return in 2004!”

Coventry (2004)

Ah the tragedy of Coventry,  while 110,000 fans were anticipated, only a select few made it through the harsh trials to get to the gates (sounds like some religious journey huh?). In true Vermont fashion, Coventry was hit with some serious rain for a week that caused massive flooding to the area. Still putting around in my ’89  Camry station wagon, we called her Daisy, I was stuck on 1-91 with Daisy and Danielle, a pair of pretty sweet dames.  I’m not proud of abandoning my Daisy on the highway; after kissing her farewell Danielle and I waved bye to the old lass and ran into the mist. With 24 miles of highway behind us, swollen ankles and backs screaming to jump out of our spines we finally arrived at the gates, Phish tickets in hand (albeit a little wet and smudged) they let us in.

Sopping wet and mud soaked, the chosen few who weren’t camping on the highway or stuck knee deep in sludge actually got to see Phish play their “last performance ever”- I was one of those chosen few. On virtually no sleep and feeling as though each strand of muscle in my body was being plucked like the strings of a violin- Fishman went on to congratulate all of us who tread by foot to see Phish live, that’s when I knew the journey was worth it. Sure the members of Phish may have missed a ton of chords and flubbed up some lyrics but those guys performed some of the most intense, emotional sets I have ever seen in my life. It seems as though everyone bought a glow stick for the glow stick war during “Down with Sickness” and Page even managed to make me shed a tear during “Velvet Sea.” I honestly can’t properly convey in words how Coventry was but there are a few websites on the Blogroll at the bottom of the page that can probably do a better job than I can.

Phish- Hamptons (2009)

To be continued….