So our hometown heroes have just announced the second leg of their summer tour. As I sit here contemplating the validity of having a carbomb before work on St. Patrick's Day, I think of the thousands of dollars I have spent on seeing this band over the past 15 years... all the student loans I could have payed off, the nicer cars I could have driven, the focus on establishing some sort of legitimate career for myself. And yet despite all of those forsaken blessings, I'm still trying to figure out where the hell I'm gonna find the cash to see some of these shows. Here's the new dates:
Red Rocks - June 30, June 31, July 1, July 2
Yes, despite the town of Morrison, CO banning Phish from ever playing there again in 1996, the clouds have parted and they're letting the chaos ensue. Can anybody say "small Colorado town in desperate need of income"?
Shoreline - August 5
I was awaiting a court hearing in Ohio last time Phish played here and swore to myself I'd go the next time.
The Gorge - August 7, August 8
My first time was in 2003 and it blew me away, but gathering the funds for this West Coast spurt just seems next to impossible. With no yet talk of an end of summer festy, this weekend will probably be the next best thing.
Chicago - August 11
So there.
Darien Lake - August 13
Quite possibly. Always fun to ride the rollercoaster before the show.
Hartford Meadows - August 14
My old stomping grounds. Hell yes.
Merriweather Post - August 15
The tour ride from hell. I'll gracefully decline so I can be in tune for the tour closer at...
SPAC - August 16
Maybe the summer New England spot.
And oh yeah, here's the shortest first-hand Hampton review you'll read, (since this website needs at least one).
Hampton Friday - Fluffhead felt great. First set went forever. Nobody presumed the David Bowie would come after the Squiming Coil. No words were needed to be spoken. Kinda like, "Hi, we're Phish and we're gonna show you why we used to be the center of the universe." Backwards Down the Number Line (the new one) was too sappy. Luckily, Tweezer emerged and the building started to collapse. A dozen disco-balls came down for Harry Hood and it was the greatest I've felt during that song since 1995. YEM flubbed a little, but the dance party that developed was one of those moments. Kuroda was beyond classic form all weekend, and during the vocal jam I definitely thought the mothership was ascending. After the night of Phish Greatest Hits, my buddy Colin said, "It felt like Phish Prom Night" and Seth Yacovone said, "It's like going to see the Dead in 1984 and they play Europe '72." It felt great. It was all back. I saw visions of an eternally empty wallet in my future.
Saturday - Runaway, Melt, Reba, Ice - All sounded super tight, but nothing strecthed as much as I would have liked. Second set Rock and Roll, Ghost were hot - Wolfman's was maybe the highlight of the weekend. Shit got digi. Mike's Groove never went where it will this summer.
Sunday - Page on keytar for Frankenstein. Disease killed, 2001, Moma, Slave, definitely felt like old times.
The lot, the shows, the after-parties in hotels. It was all there. Page was easily the allstar, taking a clav solo every shot he had. Not too many surprises - I think I've seen all these songs at least 30, 40 times. But the band is back, and hot, and tight. So, don't be afraid.