View Full Version : Phish in Vermont
chirorehab
Aug-11-2004, 3:59pm
Anybody going up to Coventry, VT for the last Phish show ever?
I will be there with my mando if anyone wants to meet up and jam!
Let me know!
Eric
unfortunately not! they got a great review in the boston globe from last night (and they usually knock jambands) enjoy!
Well, being a southerner I will not be making the trip cause we are seeing the Dead in CLT and ATL next week.
However, I have a sneaking suspicion that this "last Phish show ever" is nothing but a marketing ploy. Their return from "haitus" has hardly been the epic return that they thought it was going to be. And so, why not make this tour pay off big time to get the old juices flowing again. I look for a huge "reunion" tour in approx 5 years. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
At any rate, have a good one. I know you will. ;)
TeleMark
Aug-12-2004, 5:49pm
Well, being a southerner I will not be making the trip cause we are seeing the Dead in CLT and ATL next week.
However, I have a sneaking suspicion that this "last Phish show ever" is nothing but a marketing ploy. Their return from "haitus" has hardly been the epic return that they thought it was going to be. And so, why not make this tour pay off big time to get the old juices flowing again. I look for a huge "reunion" tour in approx 5 years. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
At any rate, have a good one. I know you will. ;)
I'd be willing to bet that Trey is being honest about this. It's not like they've had a hard time selling tickets in the past. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
One of the reasons the return shows have been week (before the current run) is that they didn't practice AT ALL after coming back, due to Trey's disinterest. I saw the simulcast of the Coney Island show last month, and it's evident that they've practiced for this run.
I've seen them 4 times since `93, and think they are a great band. I'm bummed, but Trey's been pretty adamant about leaving the life behind and doing other stuff. He wants to do more orchestral stuff, and seeing him with his solo band back in 2002, I was surprised when they ended the hiatus. I thought he'd never want to go back to the "limitations" of a band where there were (theoretically, anyway) 4 equal members.
Not that they'll NEVER play together, but I can't imagine a series of "Farewell" tours, a la The Who.
TeleMark
Christian McKee
Aug-12-2004, 6:15pm
Word is also that the guy has developed a pretty heavy coke habit. Plenty of people close to the band have talked about this as an intervention as much as a musical decision. Sad.
Christian
Telemark, you are probably right. Though I never saw them live, I have heard many shows and have enjoyed their frivolity on stage. I thought the official Hampton releases were just great. Of course, having seen the Dead in Hampton numerous times, I know what kind of power the mothership has on both band and fans.
Christian, I had heard of the addiction too. Time will tell.
man, haven't thought of hampton since dead shows in mid 80s.....
many a good time there and in merriweather.
Gibby
Aug-13-2004, 10:55am
Hampton '83 was my first Dead show. Saw all of them from that point forward until they were asked not to come back....then when they did the sneaky Warlocks run at Hampton, I had a conflict and could not go. Many a good memory of Hampton.
Merriweather 1983!!!! The worst rainstorm I have ever stood out in!
06/20/83 (Mon) Merriweather Post Pavilion - Columbia, MD
Set 1: Minglewood Blues, They Love Each Other, Little Red Rooster, Peggy-O, Hell In A Bucket, Tennessee Jed, My Brother Esau, West L.A. Fadeaway, Music Never Stopped
Set 2: China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Samson & Delilah, He's Gone > Truckin' > Drums > Little Star > The Other One > Wharf Rat > Sugar Magnolia, E: It's All Over Now Baby Blue
Remember Phil trading licks with the thunder during Truckin'! The power glitched a couple of times during Truckin' and when it poped back on the band totally reacted to the storm and cranked it up a notch! When the thunder would clap, Phil would answer with a bomb!
Ahhh the memories.
TeleMark
Aug-13-2004, 5:29pm
Word is also that the guy has developed a pretty heavy coke habit. Plenty of people close to the band have talked about this as an intervention as much as a musical decision. Sad.
Christian
Yeah, that's pretty much the "stain on the carpet" topic... I think there are a lot of corollaries between Trey and Jerry... Many people think that if the Dead had broken up after Jerry's coma in the 80s that he might still be around. The obligations of the Dead really got to Jerry, and the drugs were likely an escape. If you listen to JGB from the late 80s-early 90s, you can tell that he really enjoyed that, rather than the monster that running GD had become.
There's a scene in Grateful Dawg when Dave and Jerry are trying to find a time to get together and record, and every time Dave tosses out a date, Jerry's like "no, summer tour," or "nope, gotta record the next album." You could see he was bummed.
I hope Trey gets his excrement together before he implodes.
ANYWAY, it's gonna be a full-on mudbath in Coventry, so I'm not bummed to be missing that.
TeleMark
Word is that Coventry is a disaster so far....3" of mud with continuing rain. The Interstate is backed up for 20 miles. The Hiway Patrol are turning people away and not letting them get to the venue. Word is that folks are parking their cars along side the Interstate and walking the last 10 miles...
Holy Minoly! I am glad I am not there!
http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Entertainment/ap20040814_1328.html
looking uglier....remnants of hurricane due to them tomorrow too! ouch
TeleMark
Aug-14-2004, 5:37pm
It's bad news. I've been following on one of the Phish forums, and about half the ticketed people were turned away due to the flooded venue. Heavy drag. I checked weather.com just now, and there's not a drop of rain on all of New England! The show is going on, but it's gotta be a downer.
TeleMark
http://www.pointfm.com/inside.shtml?09
LIVE FEED! from Coventry.....set break just now at 10:00. They are planning to cover the 3rd set til midnight or so....
Here is a fun one! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
http://www.tooboard.net/tooboar....=706280 (http://www.tooboard.net/tooboard/read.php?f=6&i=706280&t=706280)
chirorehab
Aug-18-2004, 8:19am
Well, I made it out alive!
Actually, I had no problem getting in or out and I had no problems with the mud! It was a great weekend!
My wife & I flew into Burlington on Thursday. We were then picked up by my brother in an RV! (My wife is 8 months pregnant, so driving in an RV for 10 hours wasn't an option!)
Since my friend lives in Jay, VT, which is a little north of Coventry, he gave us a different route. It took us less than 2.5 hours to get in! The guy parked next to us said it took him 13 hours!
We were able to park the RV on cement, too! They were putting a lot of people in the grass using a tractor. Not a good idea - because of the mud!
We also pulled off some impossible feats with the RV. We were able to drive the RV to the nearest water station and fill it up! This was not supposed to be allowed! Also, we paid the septic guy to empty our tank! This wasn't allowed either! So needless to say we were very clean and comfortable all weekend!
Thank god it didn't rain Saturday or Sunday - that would have been a mess!
On the way out, it looked like it would take forever. Luckily, they opened a back exit right near us and we slid out quielty!
As for the music..... Not too bad... But, I can truly understand why Trey called it quits...
Trey has so much music flowing out of him, he is constantly writing new material. However, most phish-heads want to hear the old stuff. Many of these songs are long (10+ minutes) compositions. (YEM, Fluffhead, David Bowie, Reba, etc.) They wrote many of these 20 years ago. In order to play them right, they have to practice... & it's obvious that this isn't their priority. So when they play them poorly everyone gets pissed off!
It's a tough situation for a band. In addition, Trey has the weight of the Phish organization on his shoulders. Every decision they make has to take this into consideration. That becomes a little tiring. Look at Jerry! He was a mess. Same story.
As for a reuinion tour in 5 years... I highly doubt it. Read the Guitar World interview this month. Trey is very against this and bands that do this. (i.e. Jane's Addiction).
Honestly, I am happy it's over. It's been a great 11 years for me. But the experience isn't the same. Not just that I am older, but their music is losing it's edge. They don't put enough attention to it anymore. And you know what, I don't blame them.
The only thing that I was upset with this weekend was the lack of mandolin pickers around! In fact, I didn't see any!
The song the ended with is one of my favorites! The Curtain With... In fact they played it at my first show on 2/27/93.... There was less than 200 people at that show...
Phish has had a profound impact on my life as well as my brothers and all of my friends. I thank them for all the incredible moments that we all shared....
Now I can focus on my mandolin playing!
Eric
Dave Caulkins
Aug-18-2004, 2:58pm
Glad to hear that I'm not alone...
There was a time, near then end of and after the Dead, when I spent a good amount of time at Phish shows (32 between 1993 and 1999). I remember Bangor, ME 1994 where they essentially played a gymnasium. I also remember, albeit hazy, flying hotdogs, the covering of the White Album, Gamehenge @ Great Woods). They were great times often with wonderful people. I'm sure people have been to more shows, but I feel as if I watched the band grow and change, only to fall apart at the end.
I actually stopped seeing Phish because I felt they had "lost their edge". I perceived it as a loss of passion, four musicians looking in different directions. My last show was in Oswego, NY, an event much like Coventry one in my 'home state'. The show was good, not their best, but better than several of the recent concerts. I can only assume that the pressure of their following, which grew seedier as their years waned, affected their attitude, They seemed depressed & distant as musicians, except that once in a while the inspiration would flow. I didn't want to watch any further decline, so I stepped off the bus.
I discovered other jambands (Gov't Mule & String Cheese Incident are still in my rotation of listening), but I have yet to find another band that I followed around to any length. I spent more time at diverse shows now, yet to become rabid but always entertained.
I think I have babbled enough, but I guess I wanted to chime in and wish the former members of Phish a fond farewell. They knew when to bow out, and hopefully it will prove to be a graceful finale.
Sentimentally,
Dave
Dave Caulkins
Aug-18-2004, 3:21pm
Glad to hear that I'm not alone...
There was a time, near then end of and after the Dead, when I spent a good amount of time at Phish shows (32 between 1993 and 1999). I remember Bangor, ME 1994 where they essentially played a gymnasium. I also remember, albeit hazy, flying hotdogs, the covering of the White Album, Gamehenge @ Great Woods). They were great times often with wonderful people. I'm sure people have been to more shows, but I feel as if I watched the band grow and change, only to fall apart at the end.
I actually stopped seeing Phish because I felt they had "lost their edge". I perceived it as a loss of passion, four musicians looking in different directions. My last show was in Oswego, NY, an event much like Coventry one in my 'home state'. The show was good, not their best, but better than several of the recent concerts. I can only assume that the pressure of their following, which grew seedier as their years waned, affected their attitude, They seemed depressed & distant as musicians, except that once in a while the inspiration would flow. I didn't want to watch any further decline, so I stepped off the bus.
I discovered other jambands (Gov't Mule & String Cheese Incident are still in my rotation of listening), but I have yet to find another band that I followed around to any length. I spent more time at diverse shows now, yet to become rabid but always entertained.
I think I have babbled enough, but I guess I wanted to chime in and wish the former members of Phish a fond farewell. They knew when to bow out, and hopefully it will prove to be a graceful finale.
Sentimentally,
Dave
chirorehab
Aug-18-2004, 3:24pm
Dave,
I was in Bangor, ME for the 5-7-93 show! One of the best shows I have ever been to! # Setlist for 5-7-93 (http://www.phish.net/setlists/1993.html#05-07-93).
Also I was at the 5/5 & 5/6 shows! 5/5/93 was probably the best show I have ever been to. #The aquarium rescue unit played with them during YEM - crazy! We couldn't get tickets for 5/8/03 though... We sat in the lot all night!
For me, it's pretty much been downhill since the Great Went. #Although the 12/97 shows were very funky...
Eric
jeffshuniak
Aug-18-2004, 3:34pm
I think a lot of us agree they started losing their edge, or passion. I noticed it around 95 and 96. saw my first shows in feb 93 .seen them around 100+ times.. 60 something shows in 94.yeh good shows after that, but there seemed to be a decline to me.
and yes , the lot or tour scene grew very seedy. I opted not to go,, perhaps I will catch trey soon.. I do like his solo stuff. he seems happy and his music is very busy (again)
chirorehab
Aug-18-2004, 4:08pm
Jeff,
What was your first show?
Mine was 2/27/93 - Gainesville, FL.
Eric
Dave Caulkins
Aug-20-2004, 10:34am
My first show was in New Jersey (Waterloo) in 1993... I can't remember the date off-hand. I didn't make it to Bangor in 93, but in 94 (following the Halloween show in Glens Falls, if memory serves me correctly). Most of the shows I went to were concentrated between 94-97.
Dave
Love seeing you guys remember the times! Welcome home from Coventry. As a Deadhead that just never got into Phish, I can appreciate the impact.
Onward and upward!
mandofiddle
Aug-23-2004, 4:47pm
Here's a great website put together by a local Vermonter who lives in the "Green Zone". Tons of pics with stories. Well worth the read.
CAPTIVE IN COVENTRY
Reports from behind the lines in the 'Green-Zone'
of the Coventry Phish Festival
http://www.sover.net/~hackmohr/captive.htm
Fred G
Aug-24-2004, 12:03pm
Eric, there is a picture of a guy carrying a mando on there, is that you or the only other mando and you missed him. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
chirorehab
Aug-24-2004, 3:17pm
Not me!!!
I wonder how I missed him!!!!
Eric
mandofiddle
Aug-24-2004, 3:34pm
Probably pretty hard to pick out a lil' mando in a crowd of 65,000 people, huh?
chirorehab
Aug-24-2004, 3:56pm
On Sunday I walked around for 2 hours playing my mandolin....
I did not see any other pickers!
You would think in 65,000 people I might find someone to jam with!
Eric
chirorehab
Aug-25-2004, 7:52am
Well, I did bring one mandolin picker with me....
Ben is on the left, my brother is playing the b### and me on the right.
Side note... Later that day, Ben dropped my mandolin! Just a little chip in the binding..Good thing it's only a MK!
Eric
Fred G
Aug-25-2004, 11:08am
looks like the bongo player passed out!!!http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
chirorehab
Aug-25-2004, 12:16pm
Actually he was in a deep groove with he b### player....
Eric
chirorehab
Aug-25-2004, 12:22pm
Here is the bongo player later on.....
Moose
Aug-25-2004, 12:29pm
My dear chiroehab.. : Is THAT how he appeared thru your vision..mmmmmmmm!?? - You need to pace yourself at these venues.. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif