08-12-96 Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, IN
Soundcheck: Punch You in the Eye
1: Ya Mar, Split Open and Melt, Esther, Chalk Dust Torture, Weigh, It’s Ice, Dog Faced Boy, Taste, Oh Kee Pa Ceremony -> Suzy Greenberg
2: Timber (Jerry), Sparkle, Simple, Prince Caspian-> McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters, Run Like An Antelope, Hello My Baby, Golgi Apparatus, Possum*
E: Sample in a Jar
*With “All Fall Down” and “Simpsons” language.
My first show. All I knew about Phish was what I’d heard on an album given to my friends at a Dead show the summer before, which was Lawn Boy. All I can recall is Suzy (mainly because I remember the lights being so awesome), Hello My Baby knocked me out and Golgi brought it all together.
I was laying in the lawn during set break and I saw a silhouette in front of me and for whatever reason I thought it was a girl I’d met the previous summer. So I was walking up to see if it was her and it was. She turned and saw me, we hugged and walked off together. We ended up sitting high left Page side and not talking for what seemed like hours. Then we came to and ran down towards the front of the lawn on Fishman side (I think) during the tail end of Antelope and when Hello My Baby started I was hooked. Anyhow, after Possum it occurred to me I was with someone I barely knew and my friends and ride hadn’t been seen since the first set. So I said later and split (FOOL!!!). Totally freakin lost in a place that seemed immeasurably large, aimlessly looking for my crew. I had forgotten about something called an encore. 
Thinking the show was over, I was feakin my beak, remember this pre-cell phone…at least for this mid-west guy…when something out of this world happened…the BAND CAME BACK!!! Right about then I saw one of my good friends dancing like crazy, so I ran up and after a round of hugs, comments like, “man we thought we’d see you hitch hiking home”, and some laughs…all was right in the universe. I never saw the girl again, but with regards to Phish I never looked back.
^hey, my 1st show as well! I had heard of Phish but never heard any tunes. A guy I worked with had extras and needed a driving partner so I figured why not. Ironically he went born-again a few years later and decided that Phish was the devil’s music ala Holdsworth. The secret language was obviously over my head and I nearly wigged out when everyone hit the deck in unison (which was the whole point I guess). For a while I thought it was really cool that they had a girl drummer until my friend explained to me on the drive home about Fish and HIS dress. I was hooked enough that when I got home I decided to bang in sick for 3 more days and drove up to the Clifford Ball by myself. When I got there I found myself a nice dryish spot in front of a speaker tower. I turned to say hello to the folks sitting next to me and it was none other than my friend from work!
My first show too…I had waited for a year to see them play because my Mom said I was too young the year before. The hundred or so tapes I had managed to acquire in that year still did not prepare me for what I was in store for. My Dad drove my buddy and I down to Deer Creek from Detroit…I was 13, it was all over from that night.
^I fell down a hill
15 years ago today I rolled down a big hill.
Not on purpose.
I fell and rolled and there was no end until the bottom.
Right into a giant, sweaty w00k.
He picked me up and hugged me.
First show i saw with my oldest and favorite tour buddy ^^
Somehow, 15 years later, I am still going to see these guys with him. And maybe now I’m the giant wook.
Happy 15 years later Nugless!!! 
Damn dude I was sans internet most of the last week but was thinking about this night on the plane home from Tahoe. Hot damn it’s been a good ride. See you tomorrow in Chicago!!!