2001 comments, wishes, dreams, etc..

Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 00:14:59 -0400
From: Stewart Kuhlo [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: 2001 comments, dreams
 
Six years later.  I was 12 when i heard my first phish tape.  It was at
summer camp, just days before jerry died, but i was oblivious to it all.  I
borrowed Junta from my counseler and listened to Contact and fluffhead.  I
was hooked, it's as simple as that.  I saw my first show a year later, the
"M" set at Kiel Center in St. Louis.  I was 13 years old, i didn't know what
the "scence" was, and i couldn't tell you whether it was good or not, but it
was a landmark experience in my existence.  So i turn 18 in 2 weeks and still
only have four shows under my belt, but what i still realize, and what i
think far too many people have forgotten, is that a phish show is a
wonderful, fun, and happy experience.  It's four hours of great, great music
and is there to be enjoyed.  Reviews are great, but some people act like they
majored in reviewing every note of every song played.  No one is an expert on
this music, if you could be, it wouldn't be music.  There is no formula to
determine how well a song is played and then be able to tell hundreds of
thousands of other fans whether Page was off in that PYITE or if Trey was
leading them no where in that jam.  That is what is so great about this
music, it affects us all in different ways.  After i saw what turned out to
be the last shows i'd see before the hiatus(the two cinci shows '99), i was
almost completely turned off to the scene.  It was not because of the music
at all, but because of the "experts" who felt they knew what was going on.
Music is evolutionary and if you don't like the new direction, leave!  All
the articles in the magazines and paper tell of how phish left at the top,
and they did, but i know that they have knowledge of what goes on online.
The fans got too serious and forgot the joys of what they were creating.
Screw the fact that some say the "scene" has gone bad, those who say it are
the ones that create a crappy scene.  I mean people have already said the SCI
and WSP scenes have gone bad, but those of us who are actually out there and
not bitching on the internet know the truth.  Well, that's enough from me,
but as a young member of the community i just wanted to voice my opinion.
The four shows I have seen are four of the greatest experiences of my life,
and if the boys do come back, i'll be waiting with open arms and if they
don't, well, four magical nights from one group of people is much much more
than anything i could have ever expected.
Much love,
stew
 
i'd like to hear from anyone who has the time, e-mail me: [email protected]


Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2000 00:36:41 -0500
From: Greg Renzulli [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: dreams and hopes
 
"If time were only part of the equation and you could draw the
boundaries of our cage"
jsut think of that. that is our hiatus. they jsut needed a break put
they will get their shit-ass up the mountttttttttainnnnnnn.
peace
a phan

Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2000 22:59:04 -0400
From: David Lutz [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: 2001 comments, wished, dreams, etc.
 
Wow
 
What has happened?
 
I guess a lot has changed since I first distinctly remember actually
feeling Phish. I was in a car going to school and Golgi from Junta was
playing. I remember thinking - hey, why isn't this a normal beat? it's a
15/16? who is this band?
 
Since then, things have flown by. I remember listening to my first tape
- 3/22/93 Gamehendge, sitting by my tape player, totally amazed. Why
hadn't I heard of this band? They are so damn good, they have so many
different songs, styles, tricks up their sleeves. It all seems like a
memory now.
Times have definately changed. Yes, that was five years ago but I
remember as if it were yesterday. I remember my first show - 12/29/97,
hearing pretty much every song I've ever wanted to hear and just staring
- awestruck. I remember Worcester, Merriwether, Oswego, Philly, and who
could forget Cypress? I couldn't. I was in the front row the whole New
Year's eve - start to finish.
 
Never once did I guess what could happen - Phish would take a break and
we would collectively realize what we were actually a part of. Little
did I know, sitting there, watching this "funky song" that it would
become one of the best tube's ever on 12/29. Little did I know the
history of what I would be a part of at Cypress, Oswego, etc. There's so
much they've done.
So much that I haven't even experienced, pretty much all pre-1995 shows
and yet I feel so special, so thankful.
 
I mean, what would I have done with my time? Who could I listen to? What
songs would i listen to on my way home from school every day? what songs
would I listen to my girlfriend all of the time? What songs would I
listen to cheer me up on those hard days? What would I look forward too?
I don't know, but I don't really want to know. I am just so thankful for
what I have gotten in such a little amount of time, I can't really
explain myself.
 
The tapes, the concerts, the friends, the community, the joy and fun of
Phish - I have been so happy and they have been such a huge part of my
life. How can I not thank them. Thank you Phish, you have done so much
to a lost teenage boy, you have become everything and break or not, will
always have a place in my life.
 
Sincerely,
 
Dave Lutz
SlavePhanLutz

Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2000 11:56:36 EST
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: phish 2001
 
i'm glad to see phish taking a break.   there are alot of bad things going on
at phish shows now; you got crime, bunk drugs, and kids mouching off everyone
just trying to get to the next show.   phish knows this too.   i think this
break will hopefully get rid of the tour rats and turn into the cool scene
that i remember when i first started going.   my e-mail is
[email protected] if you guys got any comments.   see you in 2002 i
hope........

Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2000 02:51:43 GMT
From: Noah Bloom [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: phish taking a break
 
ok, this message goes to all those stupidass "phans" out there, (not to be
rude or anything).  i wasnt sure where to send this, but oh well.  anyways,
ive been hearing all this crap about phish taking a break and all, but
before i give u my little spiel, lemme give u some background about me.  im
16 years old and ive been listening to phish since i was about 9 or 10...my
sister bought the CDs and i enjoyed them very much because i thought it was
incredible music.  recently, like, within the past 6 months, ive become
completely obsessed.
 
anyways, getting back to the problem.  my parents are psycho and they havent
let me go to any shows (i know, some of u are gonna say that im not allowed
to bash since ive never seen them live, but oh well), but ive been reading
the setlists and reviews and stuff and hearing all this nonsense about
analyzing every freaking version of every song and talking about how each
show could be better and whatnot.  not only do these people fail to realize
what phish is all about, but they claim to know everything about every
version of every song like it's some sort of status symbol or something....i
think that this mindset is totally against what phish is all about, and
thats why im complaining.
 
recently ive been listening to a lot of grateful dead and jerry garcia solo
stuff, along w/ my usual repetoire (sp?) of phish stuff, and its taught me
to realize that music shouldnt be about analyzing every freaking thing that
comes out of a band, and just the same, outsiders shouldnt be criticizing
something as special as phish or any other band in their genre.  i dont know
if u guys have had a chance to sit back and actually LISTEN to the music,
but its fucking amazing....every single phish song, in its own respect is
musically superior to anything else that ive ever heard, and im really mad
about all u stupid people taking that away from me.  im probably not gonna
get the chance to see my all time favorite band now, because some stuck up
loser took for granted something so inherently great.  if phish does take a
break, i hope that people will sit back and think about what theyve
done...not only did they take for granted something that if they would have
been willing to accept couldve been the coolest thing ever, but they ruined
the chance for kids like me to enjoy the musical greatness that is
phish....and if phish taking a break means putting an end to the blatant
disrespect for all that trey, mike, john, and page have done, then i guess
that ill be happy with that.  i know that there are some phans out there who
agree with me on this, and to all of u, thanks for realizing what phish is
all about, and not getting sucked into a crappy scene of things.  i dont
know who is gonna read this, or more importantly, whats gonne happen w/ it,
if anything, im probably just gonna piss off somebody who doesnt care about
what im saying, but i just wanted to get heard to let people know how they
ruined what coulve been something totally amazing and wonderful.....thanks
for ur time, whoever reads this
 
noah bloom, alltime phish phanatic who knows how to enjoy the music....

Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2000 14:26:34 -0800 (PST)
From: e [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Patiently waiting
 
First off I want to say that I think this site was a good idea...I just found
it and read all the reviews from Holmdel NJ 6/29/00 and was totally taken back
there with everybody else's energetic reviews.
  I wanted to respond to Noah Bloom's commentary on people overanalyzing phish
songs and their break. You have to understand that it's hard to not analyze
something that you can't stop thinking about. It's not necessarily a bad
thing. And don't blame those people for Phish taking a break...they've busted
their asses seemingly nonstop for so long so we, the fans, could have the
awesome time we do at their shows...it's time they had a little rest. I'd
rather see them take a break and come back refreshed and stronger than ever
than to see them burn out just so we could get our fix.
  I personally have only been to two Phish shows. I was never really a fan of
them until two summers ago when my friend, Ryan Aloisi, took me to my first
show. I didn't really get a chance to enjoy the music because I was
babysitting his drunk neighbor, but I was instantly drawn in by the energy of
the fans. Last summer I had some friends come visit me in Jersey because they
had tickets to the show. I went with them the second night to Holmdel, just to
enjoy the scene before the show since I didn't have much money, but bought a
ticket on a whim...and I can't imagine life had I not.
  Never had I felt such pure goodness as I did that night. The energy was
incredible, as was the music of course. And ever since that night I've been
hooked. I only wish I had known how good it could be, I would have been to
many more shows before that.
  I hope those boys know. I hope they can feel what we feel out there in the
crowd, because you know no one could feel that feeling and not come back for
more.
  As for future shows...I'll see you there.
 Much Love - Erica Schloeder

Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2000 14:12:37 -0500
From: Dakin Dugaw [email protected]
Subject: WHY I LOVE PHISH - FOR ALL PHANS
 
Hello phriends-
 
With hiatus upon us, I have some thought (nuggets, if you will) about Phish
that I would love to share if you'll allow...not about the shows
specifically, but about the band and its unique place in our lives.  The
Saturday Vegas show was my 39th...my first show was UIC in June of '94, and
I have been phortunate enough to experience Big Cypress, July 4th Atlanta
'99, NYC New Year's '98, the last 4 Alpines, Deer Creek '00 and so many
other Phish spectacles.  Let me tell you what I've come to appreciate,
especially within the last year.  I've come to the point where I realize
that Phish is not just a band, not just a scene.  It is, simply put, both a
very real and a wondefully metaphoric cornerstone of our lives.  And please,
don't confuse what I'm saying with "gushing" or bowing to the altar.  I'll
explain - Phish is almost like a time machine...it's about the experiences
that we innately know are important and good, but that we often take for
granted in the blur of life.  Think, if you will, about your
phriendships...your "Phish people," who - just like you - even now, at their
75th show, still burst with adrenaline like they did before their 5th show.
Think about the long, swerving roads of America that you've traveled with
these people - talking, laughing, caring, growing.  Think about the turmoil
- whether it be traffic, cops, parents, money, jobs or whatever - that you
rose above JUST TO GET TO THE SHOW!  What about the friendly faces in the
parking lot who give you a random kiss on the cheek, bum you a smoke "when
you ain't got none" or sell you some phine buds for your extra?  How about
the music - the Lizard people, Uncle Ebeneezer, characters named Fluffhead,
Fikus, Fee, Forbin and of course, Guelah Papyrus.  Trey's stinging guitar,
Mike's chest-thumping bass, Page's soulful piano and Fish's backbone drums.
These four thirtysomething New Englanders who don't talk much on stage, but
tell us everything we need to know EVERY SINGLE NIGHT...on a Monday or a
Saturday...from Barcelona, Spain to Limestone, Maine.  These regular guys
who have created a brave new world for us to dive into year after year, set
after set, encore after encore, and who handle our appreciation with care
and respect.  All we have to do is buy a ticket, phriends; the boys on the
stage'll take care of the rest.  It's so fucking poetic.  And it's an inside
joke, you know?  People at school or work, or you mom and dad, or even some
of your friends, they think you're crazy or a drug addict or a latter-day
hippie...but you know better.  You've been to Gamehenge, and they
haven't...and you think, "god bless 'em, but they're missing out on a whole
lotta magic!"  I think about my first show, 19 years old...heard my
now-favorite Phish song ("Lifeboy") and didn't know it at the time.  In
fact, I didn't know anything about Phish...but guess what? I danced, I
danced the whole damn show, and I had never danced at a whole concert
before.  Hell, I hadn't even stood up for a whole show.  And looking around,
seeing the girls AND the boys shaking their hips, twirling their hands,
having a ridiculous good time...it was just something I had to be a part of.
Next thing you know, we drive 20+ hours from Chicago to Lake Placid, New
York for two shows...the last two shows of the Phall '95 tour, and the
travel, the money, the weather, none of it mattered because, hey, WE GOT
TICKETS AND WE'RE GOIN'!  My goodness, think about heading back to the
campsite or the hotel or to your hometown and saying with a child's
excitement, "That Bathtub Gin was insane!" or "I can't believe they played
Sloth!"  Think about being in class or at the office and remembering that
killer "Cities" in Columbus or the naked dude during "Prince Caspian" in
Madison.  Phellow phans, I wish I could describe to those who didn't go just
how powerful Cypress was...when the clock hit midnight and 80,000 people
became one...and the love that cascaded down upon us from the band, the sky
and the world.  I felt real, I knew that I was lucky to have found this
band, this scene, this secret world that others missed because their
destinies took them down other paths of life.  You know, I read these
reviews that people submit and I embrace the passion, I savor the opinions.
But I must admit that it concerns me when phans complain or overly dissect
individual moments of a show, or focus on negative aspects of the Phish
experience.  I get concerned because I just hope we all realize what it's
really about and appreciate the grandeur of it all.  The unspoken harmony,
the precious communal evenings, the way Phish intertwines with our life
maturation, our growth as relatives, friends and lovers, our mental and
spiritual expansion and our understanding of the world.  When I look back on
each passing year, one of the first things I reflect upon is the shows I've
been to: the bonds I've tightened with my friends, the sweet, summer
sunshine, the feeling as the lights go down before the second set, the
exhaustion after a fourth show in four nights.  I used to think Phish was an
escape: I'd go to shows and relax and release my problems, and it was great.
But it's not an escape at all; it's an extension of my - of our - passion
for life.  It is a tangible AND abstract example of why we wake we up in the
morning: to be phree, to be happy, to love one another and share a moment,
to travel, to dance, to rise above, to be fearless and beautiful, to taste
new flavors and to find oursleves.  We are blessed, and it's quite
indescribable.  I'm 26 now, and I don't know what the future holds...I often
wonder how long I'll surrender to the flow.  But I've learned something: it
won't matter if I ever go to another show again...I'll always surrender to
the flow in some way or another...I'll always randomly hum "Landlady" or
hear that bass intro to "Down With Disease" in my mind.  I'll always
remember that devious smirk on Page's face right before he broke out a
satirically loungy "Lawn Boy."  I'll forever remember being absolutely
mesmerized by Trey's fingers as they maniacally danced across his guitar
strings.  I'll remember the ferocious passion in all of our eyes as we
eagerly waited for what seemed like days to enter Firstar In Cincy or the
Allstate in Rosemont.  I'll remember being late for shows...gleefully
dancing through the concourse of an arena to "Funky Bitch" or "Yamar" as I
make my way to the phloor.  Please, please, please - all of us - let's never
forget why we do this.  It's not because we HAVE to hear "AC/DC Bag" or
because we hope Phish plays the encore without Kid Rock or because the
"Mike's Song" in KC wasn't as phat as Hampton.  We do it because Phish, and
everything that accompanies them - good friends, random arenas in distant
towns, late nights, uncontrollable giggles, lifetime memories...it's all
just a remarkable and amazing slice of life.  My phriends, we are the
"thousand barefoot children outside dancing" on Phish's lawn.  We are a wild
and energetic collection of young and old, black and white, big and little,
rich and poor, everything and anything.  We are people who found the best
damn adventure game on the planet, the people who, by sheer coincidence,
came of age during the 1980s and 1990s as Vermont's Phinest formed, grew and
blossomed.  But most of all, we're lucky to be alive, lucky enough to have
each other in this phunky little society, lucky enough to be there "When The
Circus Comes" to town.  Thank you all for teaching me Phish, allowing me to
teach you, enjoying it with me and allowing me to enjoy it with you.  Let's
appreciate and respect this serene and surreal society.  Let us bask in its
beauty and unparalleled innocence.  It, like us, will not be here forever.
And for heaven's sake, I've said it in my head a million times, now I say it
proudly out loud - thank you Phish!   Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank
you...THANK YOU!
 
With Love-
Dakin Dugaw
Chicago, IL
 
My heart was racing as I wrote this...that's what I'm talking about!

Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2000 00:16:43 -0400
From: Raj Mitra [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: review
 
 
I think phish should do an un-announced new years show at nectars and play
one song. they should bust up there around 11:45 and start funking it out,
and then at midnight bust into 2001. Maybe they could jam it out for about
20 minutes. then they could leave the stage and drink beers and stuff.
yeah. well i think it'd be pretty cool.
-RM

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