good story=) welkum! I’ll be at the deer creek and alpine shows…I, like you, did not get into see phish my first trip to alpine on 08/01/98, but man, I had a great time trying and just soaking in the vibes.
Finally saw them on 07/19/03 and havent missed a deer creek or alpine show since. You are gonna be one happy feller when those notes come to envelope you=)
good tale.
i first saw phish in '96 knowing very little about them (had heard bouncin on the radio). i was extrememly confused/plesantly suprised by what i saw. good times.
Welcome aboard buddy! Hope your first show is as amazing as mine. One word of advice, get to the Bonnaroo show extra early, cuz if you wait to long you will be really really really far away from the band, kinda like your first Alpine experience. That being said, good read and glad to have yet another new member here in OKP land!
Phish changed my hair. It went from nice and short to long and scraggly. 
Enjoy your first shows. ;D
Love to hear stories about “first-timers”! It’s always nice to see how music, or one band in particular, can have such an impact on one’s life.
I too remember my first show in '96 (Alpine no less!!). Didn’t know too much about them, except for a couple of tunes. First show, didn’t get either of the songs I knew, but it certainly changed my life.
Can’t wait to read your post after the June shows. Have a blast, soak it in, and enjoy the ride!
It’s great that the love for this band can transcend generations like this. I know people from all walks of life and all age groups that share in the groove. The music truly is timeless.
I too got into phish around 2004, my freshman year of college. I was always into music and went to a lot of shows but, man, phish really did something to me too. I missed the '04 tour in ATL and was to meek to go ticketless to the lot. In retrospect, I’m kinda glad I did miss it. From the tapes I hear and the stories I’ve heard the boys were not on their game. I’m sure I would have enjoyed myself (or perhaps YOU would have enjoyed myself), but, after these tapes, this weekend, OH SHIT! It is on! I’m a Bonnaroo veteran who swore it off, but now I’m going back. It’s amazing what Phish will make me do. Ill be at Knoxville too making a week of it. I hope to see all of your positive faces this summer! Heres to a phresh phamily of old and new!
Just wait til you’re there and those lights go down for the first time.
My first was in 97, and like Paul&Gene I was confused & surprised. I also probably knew less about Phish at that point than you do now. If had as much experience listening to them as you do, my first show would have totally blown my mind.
But, once you see 2-3 shows, you’ll get used to them blowing your mind. Welcome - I’m very excited for you.
Good tale Pat, welcome as well!!!
You will have a ton of fun at Alpine!!! Such a great venue, and the sight of my last Phish show, 06-24-04…I can’t wait till June to see them again…
Just wait till you walk inside and see the lawn…
Great to see fans who fell in love with the band from 04’ and beyond…
weekapat,
please repost after the alpine show. i’d love to hear your thoughts. great post…
thanks everyone for taking the time to read, this is a hell of a board i really like it so far really good vibes goin on. i will absolutly be back with some reviews/stories after these shows. Never been to a roo’ but my brother is going with and hes been to 3 so im sure he will show me the ropes and such, and i know it is a very over populated fest, i will defintly get to the show early as possible and enjoy my very first phish show. 
welcome new pa members, thanks for sharing pat
Will, when did they change my life for ever? LOL!
When I send you stuff 
I am so bad at this game. Never trade with me people. Consider me YEM.
Great post… takes me back. First time I heard of Phish was '95 and I was sitting around a campfire at 4 in the morning and someone there told us the Gamehenge story verbally (word for word as far as I can tell). When school started after that summer, a friend hooked me up with my first tape (back in the day when tapes were still the rage): GAMEHENGE!!! Memorized every song/word/note seemingly. First shows were Deer Creek '96 (now Live Phish #12). Life surely took a turn after that. Now I’ve seen shows everywhere from the Gorge in Washington to The Great Went in Maine and many stops in between.
Definitely repost after you are no longer a Phish show virgin. Can’t wait to read the reply!!! =)
This is good, the Phamily is growing stronger by the day.
No, you got it wrong… My life was changed on 3/22/93! Never YEM
I figured, but I also figured no one would understand my post 
I’m always psyched to see new people break into the band. The look on one’s face at their first show is always priceless once they “get it”. So Weekapat, enjoy. Also, try to learn to spell a bit better. Read more and take the time to look up words you’re not sure of.
wow, cool to see this thread again i apologize for not replying after the shows. Kinda lost touch with this board but good to be back.
Here goes… I actually didnt make it to the roo’ shows ended up selling my ticket because i didnt have anyone to go with. I did however make it to both Alpine shows and they were my favorite shows of summer from any band! The first night of Alpine was my very first phish show and a great one at that.
I recall driving up to saturday with my brother with extreame excitement of my first show ever,the lot was just as i rembered it great people great vibes hell of a party. I for one only had a few beers as i wanted to reall remeber and cheerish this show as much as i could. We had lawn section seats wich of course werent as nice a the pavs. but i was just happy to hear it and be in the venue.
From the second we left our house i was calling a Runaway Jim opener but was very plesently surprised with the PYITY opener i really could care less what they opened with i was finally seeing PHISH! Funny they then jumped into Jim right after the fact. From start to finish a great first set insued Stash, Bathtub, Antelope im sure you guys know this was a great show. Was really cool venue to see a sun set at as well and made for a cool set break. Next set releativly slow start with Waves opener but Sample picked it up and then Maze followed with the epic glowstick war really cool stuff. A comical Makisupa got me goin, Trey can be quite comical 
The rest of the set was great a funky Ghost a YEM, NICU what a great show oh and the Hendrix cover of Fire encore. What a great night of music and still is the most played show from my 2009 shows! Had a great time but the only bummer was driving back to chicago afterward. But the thought that i will be seeing Phish again tommarrow kept me happy as hell also i just saw my first Phish show i have waited 5 years for whooo!!!
Night 2 we headed out to Alpine in the afternoon but this thime we knew of quite a few people meeting with us, unlike last night was just me and my brother(honestly didnt mind who i was with). Its always fun meeting up with peeps at shows and also knowing i had somewhere to stay relitively close to Alpine lead me to party slightly harder this night. Not too hard though this was agian a show i wanted to remeber. The lot was just as we left it the night before great party and such cool people there. The anticipation builds…
Got quite the funky opener Brother, and this was the tell tale of some old rare songs hat continued that night. Trey made a shout out to some guy that was holding a sign that said Funky Bitch and they played his request, cool as hell. Divided Sky was clearly the improv highlight, and they seemed to play it as the sun was setting very very intresing. Was very surprized with the rare chocies that night The Horse>Slient in the Morning>MWSIY>Avenue Malkanu>MWYSIY was awesome. Crosseyed and Painless coulnt have been a better opener IMO and then one of my favs Down with Disease. This particular Piper that was played is i think my favorite jam i heard all 09 its just sooo fluid almost sounds like its from 95-98 era. Slave to the Traffic Light i feel i have to mention as that was always one of my fav tunes very cool version toboot! And then of course that Frankenstine with trey on that loony guitar with 5 necks or somthing and page on keytar was priceless.
Overall a hell of an introduction to live Phish and it was a long time coming (5years) I did end up seeing a few more midwest shows…Chicago and second night of Cinci reviews later. thanks for reading if you read it i apreciate it alot very excited to see Phish in 2010 and very excited to be back on the board! 
welcome back pat. sounds like you had a good first show! i also had to sell my bonnaroo tickets but i did get to go to asheville and knoxville. asheville was my first show back. i listened to that camden sand a million times on the way there.
man, what a great feeling when they came back out on stage!