^It’s nice to see that you’ve had the lawyers meet eye to eye. Does my soul good to know that on the perimeter of an experience that approaches the spiritual for me, the money lenders are parked outside the temple. I apologize for being so myopic about your endeavors and those of the artists and merchandisers who seek to sell their work on phanart, but Shakedown St does bother me, in spite of the efforts of some fans to support their tour expenses. But the sellers and merchandiers at concerts have always been a negative influence in my mind, even if they provide some services for some fans and support themselves in the process. I like to believe no one is becoming a corporate entity off hawking things at Phish concerts, but the introduction of commercialism into the community defeats one of motivations that I attend Phish concerts in the first place, ie, to get away from those realities, if only for a couple of hours.
Look what that same spirit of free market has done to the price and availability of even getting to a Phish show. Phish Inc has always tried to keep the price for their shows at a reasonably low level, especially so in the light of guy like Roger Waters who wants anywhere from 78 to 258 bucks to see his show this Fall in Philadelphia. I can almost understand the rationale since he’s probably determined to prevent the “open market” from making money off of his efforts through the online scalping business.
I’m sorry, but whether or not your artisan group is within its legal boundaries to produce products based upon the words, images and spirit of the songs of Phish, that attach a strong emotional bond to those icons, I’m insulted by the marketplaces intrusion into my experience. I accept it as part of the price of admission, but I resist it as something that diminishes the shows and the music for me.
Fortunately for your sake, there are people who enjoy having a wide range of products and services at concerts, and I endorse their right to accept what you offer, as I do your belief that you are doing something worthwhile for them while still making a buck for yourself. Hey, it’s the Amurikan way.



… like because you can paint the most beautiful pen15 ever that makes you special or something you arty farty lol ikidikid