These adjustments allow for maximum awesome.

-rj

I consider the Gorge thing because I have never been to the Gorge and because many of my West Coast friends will be there. Honestly, if a dozen of my friends are all attending some other show at the Gorge while I’m there, I’d consider going; it has next to nothing to do with the band. (If they were all attending Lady Gaga @ the Gorge, I’d have to catch them on another trip, though. Or get new friends.)

As it is, I’m considering taking myself on a side-trip to Portland to see people. Likely that would be equally if not more rewarding. One thing I’ve learned this year, as I’ve gone to non-Phish shows, is that I don’t need Phish to see my friends who share my love of live music. In fact, I can see my friends and see new music in smaller rooms for less money. These young bands remind me of a band that I used to see. A band that was young and hungry and worked every minute to make their music the best that it could be. That band doesn’t tour anymore. They used to be called Phish.

I have discovered this (as much as I sometimes try to say otherwise): Phish is not a nostalgia act. The definition of nostalgia is: “a bittersweet longing for things, persons, or situations of the past.” I don’t believe Phish is doing this or even their fans are doing this. Trey has said that he never wants this band to be a nostalgia act. I have questioned this after the shock and awe of Hampton ’09 wore off. I’ve pretty much concluded that Phish is definitely not operating as a nostalgia act in 3.0. This is a different time and people change, music changes.

But there is still something big here. Something, well, really big. I contest that as much as you’re trying to, you’re not at all “leaving Phish behind.” Even entertaining driving 2.5 hours from Seattle for 2 nights of camping and concert during a business trip show you are nowhere near leaving Phish behind.

If this “scheduling miracle” happens, why would you go see Phish at The Gorge?

Within this answer is why YOU cannot leave Phish behind. The 3.0 jams the fluffers throw your way are for them. What is IT for you?

I can relate. That’s why I’m commenting here. I suspect your answer to the above goes something like this: Phish shows are still a TON of fun. The music is still DAMN GOOD (great even sometimes; rarely if ever awful). The feeling, the people, the energy, the memories, the music (new and old), the stories — all of it is IT. It’s the new IT.

The waters of Phish are a little more charted these days. But so are the waters of our lives.

I think you should stop worrying and never leave Phish behind.

I graduated HS in NJ in 1992, so I saw a lot of 1991-1993 shows (35+). Phish was new life in the jam scene, they interacted with us, the audience, they wanted to please us. This is why I hopped off Dead tour. (mere 30 shows) and just ‘did phish’ my deadhead friends would scoff at this notion and just said ‘phish suck’. The intensity that smaller venues provided I think was a big part of this. When you’re at Roseland, the Flynn, Albany or some random SUNY show, we felt apart of the jams and shows, just as the band did (or at least we convinced ourselves of that). The jams were fast, loud and almost almost violent at times, and we loved every minute of it.

I then took job that had me away from any major city for a couple of years, then moved to CA, 1999 was my first ‘post modern’ shows, at bigger venues and such. I felt lost in the crowd, and lost from the band…like at a Dead Show. The music was good, I danced my arse off, had a great time. But I always felt a little let down, like it should have been…well, like it used to be.

Now 2011, some twenty years later, my touring consists of going to the Hollywood Bowl show ( I live in LA). I still enjoy Phish and look forward to the show, I may even bring my 9-yo son to his first show!

I think that Phish, like us, just got older.