We arrived at the parking lot around 4:30 and took a back way to get into the lot furthest from the epicenter and were pleased as punch to be parked right next to the entrance gate. I went with a really chill group of people which was a huge bonus. Last summer was a nightmare at Alpine because we were with some real leeches from the west coast. This time around it was deep. We pulled in and set up shop. People around us instantly started oogling at our Sweet Lyfe Treats 2010 and we quickly made friends around our parking spot. We presented two delights this time around by the hand of my wife who is about to complete a four year culinary program. The patrons could choose Soft Chocolate Chip or Butterscotch Oatmeal. The participants got to taste the cookies first and then set their price based on how much they thought that they were worth. I wasn’t going to hard line this operation. It was up to the fans on this one. This proved to be a very successful business model. We walked away after about ten minutes with almost fifty dollars worth of extra cash for indoor festivities. I’m not a full time lot vendor anymore but this got us in good spirits and we met some really nice people in the area by sending out the offerings. We got our shit done fast and settled in for burgers and some of the hoppiest beer I have ever guzzled. Thanks Jon!
7:00 rolls around and our group of couples decides that we are going to start procuring space around the venue. My wife and I make plans to get in and get stadium seating as close as possible with just a little elevation so that we can see all of the musicians. This ended up being a breeze. We get to the gate and this wonderful guy is there to greet us with the biggest smile. He takes our tickets and tells us to have a great night. I step on in to get searched but Toyota Park is not searching. Bonus! The seed has been planted for the evening. This is going to be breezy as fuck…
We have general admission tickets but there is no way we are delving into that mess. I’m not 20 anymore and I want to watch the full production. This is the perfect venue to move around and take in different vantage points with zero hassle. The other couples decided they wanted to go down to the floor. They would eventually come to our spot because we literally had a ton of space for free movement. Everyone around us was pumped and having a great time.
We literally got to sit anywhere we wanted with tons of room to spare and smiling faces all around. There was zero checking of tickets and seats from the staff and most of the force was being used to handle the knuckleheads on the floor. Mad respect to the Toyota Park staff. They learned their lesson from last year and the bullshit that we saw and they had their game face on this time around. Serious props to everyone who worked this show inside and outside of the venue including the law enforcement.
There was zero chatter in our section and no knuckleheads. You can tell that the people who acquired this location had the desire to see and hear music first and do all of the other auxiliary things that come with Phish secondly. I still was not knowing what to expect as far as the music was concerned. I wouldn’t say that I had low expectations. It was more like a “let’s just see what happens†kind of mentality at this point because I have come to terms with where the band was when I first started vibing on them vs. where they are now. Ultimately, I knew I was going to enjoy myself and have a solid rock show in my pocket by the end of the night. My biggest fear was that I was going to get songs that fell into the newer generation of formulaic phish tunes than older songs. Who am I kidding? I do have a pecking order when it comes to what I want to see live. Dear lord….I had no idea what was coming. It’s not that I can’t enjoy an “Ocelot†or an “Alaska.†It’s just that I am not a tour head anymore and live time is precious these days.
It was muggy as Bea Arthurs arm pits all day and the fear of rain lingered with each and every second. Then, a whispering breeze came along more and more and little bits of relief started becoming more frequent. I looked down at my wedding ring and reflected back on the years of seeing Phish with all of the other people in my life. This was the one that mattered most in my book. There were a lot of great memories in this environment and I was beyond blessed to be sharing it with my best friend/wife of less than one year. She has been seasoned since the breakup and came into summer tour last year like a fucking vet after four continuous years of me pounding Phish lore into her. Life is good and my favorite band is about to hit the stage.
This was our first night out in a loooooooooong time. Our nine month old has been taking up all of our energy and a release was eminent.
The buzz was going around lot about Sweet Lyfe Treats 2010 and we were doing really good at filtering out the spunions who had obvious trouble on their mind and we focused on our experience and they all seemed to vanish into thin air. The unsavory element is always there and will never leave the Phish experience. It’s how we choose to handle it that paints our experience from parking lot to show and post show.
Then, the crowd began to burst…The four men from Vermont stepped out on the stage and they were all smiling. The general admission energy pool simultaneously raised their hands in the air in textbook rock and roll fashion. We all had our own reasons for being there. We were all about to be treated like Champions for a night. I knew that the band had been rehearsing down the Eisenhower at UIC for the tour opener. My biggest fear was that the changes wouldn’t be there to keep respect for the songs. My biggest fear was pretty much destroyed by the end of the night.
One by one Fishman, Gordon, Trey, and Page got in their poisitions and strapped on their instruments. The crowd was giddy and I had a nice cross section of young new fan ready for whatever may come and older more reserved fan around me. We all made the obligatory eye contact with each other and turned to the stage.
The band started…The familiar drone of Mike’s bass made our assumptions clear. Many of us knew what was about to come. He held that whole note for several measures and allowed the vibrato to instantly paint the comfortable snuggle in my mind that had been there and revered in years past. Many of us knew what was about to happen. We all had a perfect view of the band and their facial gestures. Mike had his game face on and was all business. Trey was grinning ear to ear. This is where these four belong…On a stage…Breathing life into these songs. The drone went on and I was waiting for the bottom to drop. That single note lingered and lined everyone up in succinct fashion. The band was focused and the crowd mirrored this polestar. The fuse had been lit. I almost instantly accessed my online forums memory and had to chuckle at myself with all of the “experts†giving their theories and half assed opinions as to why a tour opener should not be anticipated as one to get excited about. I had to laugh at myself at how asinine some people sound when they go out of their way to convince other people that they have some sort of secret mathematical equation that can determine how any night of Phish might go.
It has always boggled my mind how some people think that they can predict how a Phish show is going to be before it happens. The thrill of not knowing is the gemstone for me and what keeps me coming back. I thought for a long time that this was part of it for everyone involved. Like I said…We are all there for different reasons.
We were opening the tour with “Down With Disease.â€
The drone came to rest…Then, brief silence….Then, the first bottom dropped out.
The intro to “DWD†pushes through and the song begins. It’s clear that this one is a favorite among the throngs of new and old fans as Mike gets his chance in the spotlight with his bass breaks. The mix is amazingly clear where we are standing. The audience is cheering and then they quickly go into an audible uniform “whoa†when Mike lays down the battle axe and goes into his signature moves at about 53 seconds into the recording and throughout the tune. There is a feeling that is almost impossible to describe when you hear thousands of people confirm what you are thinking at that moment as the familiar “whoa†elevates from the pavement and into wherever it is that sounds go when they leave our ear drums….And the fucking beat goes on and on.
This is clearly the best “Down With Disease†of the tour. Wait….This is the first show of tour. It doesn’t matter. We are all convinced and can prove it on an etch a sketch. We are all convinced that this is the most important place to be on Earth… Friends…Smiling strangers…Spunions way beyond reaching distance. The force field is getting bigger and brighter with each note as the sun does her best to go down fighting. She is beating the shit out of us through the haze of clouds. The air is thick. However, Cactus is tripping us and trumping the air with his own brand of thorough thick and it is this universal truth that makes the air that much lighter and easier to breathe. Phish wins and the sun begins to retreat. The payoff begins.
We are back with our beloved Phish. It’s as if you can hear random sighs of relief coming from all directions. One guy is sighing and breathing out the biggest post Winter from hell relief he has felt in years. Let’s face it…It was rough as hell for America this Winter and this expelling feels good. The older lady and her husband from St. Louis flanked to my right are paying such close attention and I hear the relief sigh come from them as they welcome the Summer with open arms. It’s been a rough year for a lot of people. A lot of us need this really bad more now than ever. Is he a scientist? Is she an English teacher? They seem extremely refined and completely free to let loose all at the same time. I love being around people like this at shows. It’s always a promise of a good time and you know going into it that they are going to be respectful. They are clearly in the know and he is raging harder than anyone around us. I’m scanning my force field and look down directly in the row in front of me. The guy in the front of me is juiced and ready for whatever is coming. You know this guy. We all know this guy. He’s the one that is constantly turning and looking around while he sings every lyric to a T to make eye contact with other people that our mouthing the same words. This fan is totally on point. He knows that you know and his confirmation and approval through the classic brah nod is all you need to remind yourself that we are stealing all of Trey’s lines and that is a beautiful thing. He looks around and makes sure that he pinpoints other people mouthing the words. He wants to know what he is up against and he soon finds out that other people know what he knows. He is building his team for the night. Confirmation nods are being exchanged at a break neck pace. He has sized up his team and he will continue to keep tabs to make sure that equal raging is happening between all involved.
I direct my focus to the general admission energy pool. The unified phrase is coming up and I already know that the tag line is going to get everyone back on page one for the go around. The general admission energy pool is about to serve the main purpose.
It comes and the reaction only elevates the already heightened mood of the early evening as Trey sings, â€A thousand barefoot children outside……dancing on my lawn.â€
Sonic boner ensues and you can almost pick apart the various thoughts going on in the minds of the masses at that point when that line is sung. We’re all in this together whether some of us want to admit it or not. We all believe it for a brief second and want to hold onto this as long as possible. We should all take that shit out with us into the lot post show.
Our vantage point is proving to be exceptionally rewarding on the sonic scale. Mike’s level is picture perfect from our spot and the tone coming out of Big Red is like the most comfortable blanket you have ever wrapped yourself with in the dead of Winter. However, the mugginess is fighting her last fight and we know that it is going to get cooler soon. We all know and anticipate the inevitable darkness that is coming as night falls. We all know that the darkness brings the lights….Oh the fucking lights.
The mind is racing and the song is a perfect choice to open the tour and show. This version is moving along at a thrilling clip. Trey is nailing every part and I am in awe of the tone coming out of Mike. It’s a perfect pace in my book and I am waiting for every change to come to make sure that shit is nailed to the fucking wall. I know it’s the first song of the night but I keep giggling to myself and reflecting about the roller coaster of the Phish year. I let out another sigh of relief and the driver that lives inside my head turns towards my buzzing cortex and gently whispers, “Have you heard about Phish? They’ve been practicing.â€
It’s only the first song but shit is confirmed. This was about as tight as it was going to get for an opener and a greatly executed version of this song in 2010. It was solid through and through and everyone around agrees that this is the best Disease of summer tour. It doesn’t matter if it is the only one. This is the moment that we live for. This is the instant moment. The moment is the payoff. The moment is the thing that ripples out and allows us to create our own equally enigmatic moments as we leave this epicenter. We should take that shit out into the lots with us.
We all instantly melt into the never reaches of childhood and tap into that thing that we lose when the grind grinds us into adulthood. I’m a kid again if only for three hours. We have all instantly turned into the first bite of a fluffernutter sandwich. We are all desperately trying to keep our Lincoln logs built up while Phish tries equally hard to knock down each and every log. I’m Strawberry Shortcake. I’m Darth Vader. I’m filing through the pure and innocent. I’m a kid again. We know that this will eventually pass but it is the moment that matters. It will be these moments that get us through the rest of the year…We’re all fucking kids again and it’s instant healing.
Classic nod brah has not missed a beat…He is nailing every lyric and making sure that his chorus of new friends around him are keeping up with him. He is awarding nods left and right and honorably acknowledges everyone that is busting it out with him. He is giving additional props to the people thrusting and punching the hazy mugosphere with each pre written change. The entire band nails Disease to the wall. The professionals are doing their thing. We’ve paid good money to lose our marbles this evening. We’re dealing with some of the hardest working marble losers in the business. It’s “Down With Disease†and step the fuck aside because the professionals are proving why they deserve this title with each and every measure.
The row in front of me also has text book Chicagoan Italian guy with floral monochrome shirt and a joint that he makes sure everyone around him sees. Feel free to make your assumptions about this guy. You aren’t anyone important in this section unless you know that this bulky old school son of a bitch is holding a joint and that he may or may not share it with you. Everyone has been informed that our evening has been taken care of if we play our cards right. This son of a bitch could break you into pieces if you looked at him cross eyed or tried to quiz him on what year Phish covered Quadrophenia. However, the macho clouds part as they often do. I comment on his shirt and tell him that it looks breezy and cool. He says thanks and the truth is out….This dude is Teddy Ruxbin. Assumptions get blown out of the water. We shake hands and his grip is perfect. It’s not too hard and not too soft. It’s the perfect handshake. He’s not out to bust skulls or over power anyone. This dude and his floral patterns are just another epic part of the palette that has brought us all together in this supreme space and time and it will be an honor to rage the next three hours with him and his banquet. More affirmations are happening as I look around my immediate space. There are different people all around us of all varying types and appearances and we are all vibing the same flow. Sometimes it just works out this way. Sometimes it’s just the stage for a perfect all encompassing evening of music.
The macho clouds part, the joint gets lighted and sharing ensues. Sweet Lyfe Treats 2010 and combines and the holiday moves forward. The night cannot be more perfectly set up. Mike is leading the way and keeping the song clicking in our hearts at a steady pace. Trey nails his rolls at the end of the tune with his predetermined 16th notes and if the rest of the audience hasn’t figured out that they will NEVER hear a more unique tone coming out of an electric guitar than they will when Trey is at the helm by this time then the mind boggles at why they have even stepped into the traveling epicenter that is Phish nation.
Vocals are tight throughout. New characters are moving in and out of our growing force field but there are no worries because space is abundant. This has all been wonderful but now I’m on my wayyyyyyy……
I go through the rigorous checklist in my head as the song reaches the final note and all of my criteria are met. I’m completely fulfilled and confident that this is where I need to be at this moment. The entire time I am missing my son and thinking about how awesome life has been over the past year. I’m 34. I’m a kid again. I’m an adult again. Shit…I’m a kid again……I’m a father….Jesus Christ! The reality sets in deep once again between songs. The bliss starts to set in like it has never set before…And so the sun too begins to set.
Just then, I turn around and directly behind me are three very young guys. All three of them have that familiar look in their eye that I have seen in so many for fifteen years now. This show is priority number one for them this Summer. They are totally new to this and they are pumped for what is about to come. I smile at the kid in the middle and he is marked with perma grin. It’s clear that shock and awe is happening with these three guys and we comment on how awesome that Disease was to see out of the box. They are focused and wide eyed…The indisputable romance of this band is new and deep within these three. I turn back to face the stage and the first wave of real bliss begins to rush over me. I see the reflection of myself so clearly in their enthusiasm and instantly I am taken back to my first live Phish concert at Red Rocks in 1995. Again, I sigh and expel the previous Winter from my bones…
Everyone around us has pretty much found their comfort zone except for one girl at this point. She is of African American descent and is with a guy who is clearly a flagship fan. She looks bored out of her skull but is trying hard to make sense of it all. I sympathize and applaud that she even decided to step into this uncharted world. I decide that I am going to break the ice after the first set with this couple. We are both wearing glasses and I have an unopened pack of lens wipes in my pocket. The wipes are good for two pairs of glasses and I plan on sharing it with them at break. Sidenote to follow on that one because the reaction is epic when I whip it out.
The stage has been set and the bar is high….
Well…It was many years ago……
“Wolfman’s Brother†pierces the air waves and everyone seems really pleased to have it as a follow up to Disease. I’m a huge fan of the song and happy to hear it. However, this is a really slow version and is the style in which we have grown used to in the current configuration. I’m not in a mood to complain and am hopeful that we can ride through this valley with a smile and enjoy the song while we get to the next peak. The song starts and the Sweet Lyfe Treats 2010 are starting to digest. Let’s do this…
…to be continued.
Rob, I applaud this effort. Please make sure you finish it, it’s really, really great.
don’t let that stop you from sharing the rest tho 
You did a great job of placing the reader right there… I loved the colorful characterizations… man you should get some kind of fantastic plot goin and write a novel… a novel based on a phish show… course I like the fantasy genre so we’d need some magic, real or otherwise. 