This summer I went to see a band most people don't like. I knew I needed to see Phish before they broke up to understand what all the fuss was about. I was never a Phish-head, nor am I one today. But now, I have a deep admiration and understanding about where Phish-heads are coming from.
This summer I found myself enjoying a Phish concert, let the snickering and bashing begin.
I'm sure a lot of you will both snicker and bash, and a lot of my friends will too; but have you seen them perform live? Did you give them a chance? They put on a wonderful show, a show extremely different than any other-not only with the style of music, but also the style of the crowd. The same idea, however can be extended with indie bands and the revival of garage rock. Rock fans have called The Hives the best show to see live. You may think The Hives are a great and innovative band, but they are, like Phish, reconstructing a musical genre from the past. The Hives, who restored garage rock, merely use the same elements The Kinks used in the '60s. Just because bands mimic a historic genre, people should not completely dismiss them.
Phish was a success because they were talented musicians who overcame mainstream tastes, never gave up, toured endlessly and became successful. That they are an icon of things people do not like only shows how great they were at what they did.
In the whole scheme of things, I wouldn't call myself a Phish fanatic. I'm not a hippie. I would never travel all over the U.S. to see all their shows. At times, I think jamming becomes, well, just plain boring and loses sight of the song's direction. I do, however, enjoy Phish's individual songs. The band produces beautiful melodies and harmonies with insightful lyrics, and Trey Anastasio even uses his college thesis as a premise for his songs.
Phish was together for 21 years and in early June they announced the summer tour would be their last together as Phish. In the past the band went on hiatus, but the members each made it clear that they would end their careers before becoming a novelty band.
It's hard not to appreciate their musicianship and ability to communicate with their instruments. They were a band who could make their instruments actually talk to each other as they improvised. And even if that's the hallmark of jam bands, it's kind of amazing that bands actually improvise, and do it well.
Improv was a primary component of their art and each show was unique. Phish never performed the same set twice, leaving fans guessing and excited throughout the entire evening and, more importantly, their entire career. For a band who improvises, merely playing entirely different sets night after night proves their dedication and talent.
But the main reason I enjoyed the Phish concert so much was the crowd's atmosphere. I am used to concerts where people are self-absorbed and just plain rude: they cut in front of you, step on your toes, spill on you and act just plain catty. Usually, I can't hang out with the people I see at concerts.
The Phish crowd was much more inviting and joyful than, say, the crowd for The Strokes. People were free-spirited, energy was high, yet everyone was extremely laid-back. As my sister and I waited three hours to exit the parking lot, we quickly bonded with the guys parked next to us-a hippie-boy who came all the way from Ohio, and his suit-wearing friend from Chicago.
At Phish, anything went: suits, preppies, indie-rockers, hippies, me-all in good taste and fun. The Phish concert was great: not just because of the music, but the event itself.
If you are into music, then I hope you didn't miss out on this experience, because that is really what Phish is all about: the experience, one that can never be recreated or compared. But if you were too cool to go, you missed out on something truly spectacular.
eawick@wisc.edu.
