Phish in the theater... Review!

[jephrey]

Where I was at (Crystal Lake, IL) it sold out.  We got in a good spot early and sat.  At first, there was one guy dancing in the aisle, but over the first set, more people shifted to the front until there was a big group dancing in the front and somewhat up the aisles.  It was pretty cool.  Most of the people sitting were motionless, but I was doing the seated dance (A new dance I made up).  I felt pretty good doing it that way.  A couple people were puffing in the theater which was cool.  It really started to feel like a show by the end.  There was no "lot scene", but I didn't really expect anything.  I was hoping to see at least some people hanging out.  I did end up  getting there only 15 minutes before the start so maybe people were out there earlier.

I haven't listened to anything past 1996 except for the show of the week and maybe one or two random shows in the last year and a half, and I haven't listened to anything PH in over 2 years.  In preparation, I decided to still not listen to any.

Highlights for me were the Free (best ever), and Moma Dance.  The jamming in set 2 was more drawn out like expected from PH Phish and I realized that although it has a lot of energy, it seems to go on too long at times.  There were a lot of other smaller highlights too, but I can't remember off-hand. 

Overall, I'd say the experience was good and I'd definitely do it again.  I honestly think it'd be cool if they did this like every 3 or 4 months, and generated a theater following.  It's possible that the lot scene and in-theater ambience would turn more show-like if you got the same groups going to a couple of the shows.

So good for the movie theater too...  Selling out a theater on a Monday night???  Nice.  It's kinda cool for clean-up too because there's way less people with popcorn etc.  Show-goers are used to a bottled water.

Anyway...  Anyone else?

Jephrey

[Hicks]

My highlights were "calling" the Curtain With opener, see http://week4paug.net/index.php/topic,3580.0.html for the full story, hearing Sleep Again in the bar right before the show, which was actually the first time I've EVER heard Trey in a bar, and 46 Days, what a monster! 

Good times, I hope they really do more shows like this.

[cleech74]

I missed that last night, had to work. :-(

But I saw Coventry in the theatre, Columbia, MD.  Sounds like you had a similar experience.  It was a real party by the second set break.  We puffed, and snuck a few beers in for sets II and III. :evil:  No hassle from the security, by the end of the show, there were only a few employees left in the bldg.  All Heads otherwise.

Did they let you out during setbreak?

Man, I'm listening to the Mr. Completely from 7-6-06, and it smokes!

[unc1242]

I have seen both Coventry and last nights in Albany NY. Both being really good experiances seeing as I've only seen 1 show live. (one of the youngest people in the theatre both times). THe croud was great, eventually geting up and dancing, while i did the chair dance, playing drums on my legs when i got really into it. Free was incrediable and Oh Kee Pah< Suzy Greenberg got me moving. all in all a great time.

Cleech, yes we got 10 mins at set break, nothing between set 2 and encore

[jephrey]

I was going to comment on the age of people.  There were very few elders there.  Most were probably high school.  Funny that a majority of the people there didn't even know pre-hiatus phish.  They were like 10-12 years old at the time.  Not that there's anything wrong with that.  I suppose it doesn't matter when you get shown the light, but just that you do.  On the other hand, I can't help but feel that some people were there for the wrong reasons.  Couple guys wearing their MTV rapper gear (I'm assuming their car out fron was the one with the over-sized spoiler etc.)  They were dancing, so maybe Phish has stretched across that realm, but I had to doubt it.  Trying to be cool at a Phish event is uncool  :-D then you've got the kids taking off their shirts and going bananas  :banana: .  Just to be noticed.  If that's how you express that you like the music then whatever.  There was one guy doing the raver glowstick dance up front with cell phones which I thought was actually pretty funny.  I don't mind these dudes, but i don't know how they get off doing that.

Anyway, we got to step out at setbreak.  Actually, the door at the front opened to the alley and people went out to burn a butt or puff.  Since there was no security and I only saw one employee the whole time, I believe even the cigarettes came back inside during second set.

I'll reiterate that it was pretty cool.

Jephrey

[unc1242]

i totally agree with the mtv gear comment. they were definatly there just to act cool. and they got to be prety annoying.

at our show there were a lot of elders. my friends and i were the only ones even college age, let alone recent high school grads. and yes, it totally sucks to not know any PH Phish. My friend recently downloaded a show from our local college in 92. I was 5. I wish i had been able to see it but unfortunatly I just missed out on them

[Gumbo72203]

DUDE.  who were you?  i was at Crossgates, did you go outside at all to smoke a cigarette during setbreak?

i was wearing my blue Grateful Dead Fillmore West 1969 shirt.....

you say you were playing drums on your legs....  i think i was sitting next to you, maybe 3 rows from the top?  i went by myself, did you have a friend with you, who sat to your right, and who was sitting next to somebody else who was by themselves (me)?


and actually im 20, so...  lol   i actually thought there was a lot of kids around 18-20 there it seemed.  definitely lots of high school kids, but id say half were over 18.

[ucusty]

I did not go last nite, however i did go a couple years ago when 6/17 was originally simucasted.  It was such a blast, everything from sneaking in beers to smoking lambs breath.  maybe after this release they will realize they need to release more dvds...  the only way to do this is to go out and buy it!!!!

[Gumbo72203]

actually i was really surprised by the quality of the performance, and how really really into it Trey looked throughout the whole show.  Moma>Free 1st set was SICK, and this show finally made me a true fan of ASIHTOS.  Sure, there were flubs (Dinner, Curtain, Hydrogen, Sky from what i can remember) but overall, i thought the playing was absolutely fantastic.  They were jamming the absolute fuck out of that place. 

It really made me think; all those people who caused the PH Hate-rage after Vegas must have been so tunnel-visioned and so musically inbred on Phish as to be unable to see the sheer rage these guys were still oh-so capable of.  like, what the fuck.  i would have fucking KILLED to be able to see ONE show like this.  no, im not going to get into my unappreciative fan rant, but im just saying.  this show was sick.  the jamming way way way outweighs the few fuckups that happened.  i mean, the 2nd set was so sick.  46 Days absolutely raged, and the Possum segue was so smooth.  Suzy raged, and that crazy jam that happened afterwards was sweet.  Axilla was perfectly placed, and the Birds jam was sweet.  I thought the 2nd set ran out of steam towards the end (having forgot the setlist, i thought it was going to end like 3 different times), especially when they started Mikes.  it seemed really really flat, but they got it going really well. 

i will never have a problem paying 50 dollars to see a concert like this. 

[Alumni]

i will never have a problem paying 50 dollars to see a concert like this. 

that's one more reason phish was so great: $20 tickets as recently as 1995, iirc. 
These days, that might cover the fees on a major concert ticket bought thru tm.

[Gumbo72203]

which is why we dont buy through ticketbastard hehe 

im just saying, i would probably even be willing to pay up to maybe... mmm... 80-90 bux for front row seats in the orchestra pit, or within the first 10 rows or something maybe.

how much did those types of seats usually cost at a Phish show?

[jedifunk]

should be the same as regular if you get mail orders

[mattstick]

Tickets were always the same price everywhere in the venue for Phish.

[Gumbo72203]

really?  even for shows like SPAC, where theyve got lawn, inside, and orchestra pit?  i guess im meaning amphitheater shows really, cuz i know in arenas its just general admission.

[Alumni]

I guess my memory DID serve correctly. Can't take that for granted these days  8-)

Get yer history o' Phish ticket prices here:

http://phantasytour.com/phish/stubs.cgi

edit: check this out - tix to the Bomb Factory show went for $13.50  Nice  :-D