My first Phish Show

We arrive in the morning to a empty parking lot a few vendors are milling around deciding on the best place to set up their wares. The police are huddled together deciding how best to control the large crowd expected from the sold out show. We decide to park as close to the vendors as possible, my girlfriend a avid Phish fan says that’s the best place to be. So we pull up next to a old Saturn station wagon with an older gentleman setting up his folding tables for the day. We quickly set up our chairs and pull out our cooler anticipating an exceptionally fun day.

Many more vendors arrive a small tent city springs up from the once empty parking lot. They arrive in all manner of vehicles  from Winnebago's to VW busses some pulling trailers covered in concert stickers and mementos of all the places they had been. My girlfriend explains to me this is very common , many of these people travel around from show to show choosing to be gypsy's and selling their wares to fund their endless journey. At first I didn't know what to think as this was a completely foreign concept to me. I have traveled extensively but never going from city to city without any more of a itinerary  than showing up at the next empty parking lot. We decided to head on over to the newly built tent city and get to know some of these people and take a look at their goods. We saw all manner of hippie merchandise, bags, tye-dye t-shirts, pants, jewelry and something I didn't expect food.

There were people selling all manner of Rasta items and something called a ganja gooball I choose to leave that concoction alone. Some of the food vendors had very elaborate setups some simply used a Coleman stove none had any type of health license I could see. Chicken tacos, grilled cheeses and fajitas were just a few of the items on the menu. After about an hour we decide to head back to the truck by now the parking lot is beginning  to fill. As we reached our truck I noticed the fellow next to us who was putting his table up when we first arrived has placed his very tired looking Colman stove out and has began preparation to cook. Out of the trunk of his station wagon come packs of chicken and large aluminum pans accompanied by all manner of spices and other mixes  he called his secret ingredients.  We later learn his personal secret ingredient was the moonshine he was drinking as he cooked. Well I couldn't help myself and we began a conversation and quickly I realized how friendly he was. Turns out he has been traveling from show to show for more than 30 years starting with the Grateful Dead. After Jerry Garcia died he was forced to move on to other shows and Phish was one of the bands he followed.

I didn't know it at the time but the fun was just starting. The lot we were in was now quite full and all manner of people began to pass by on the way to the tent city. It didn't take me long to realize the real show is not the one inside the arena it’s the one out in the parking lot. People were walking by carrying their beer in the same cardboard cartons they had purchased it in simply drinking a few and adding ice right in the carton. Many looked like they had just rolled out of bed no doubt still feeling the affects from the night before.  One guy was dressed in a full body sumo suit belly bumping anyone he could find yet another went by with a Frankenstein mask on that he never took off.  It became obvious to me I was in for a real treat I began to notice the hippies were out these carefree individuals were wearing all manner of clothing. Patchwork bags, pants and  dresses were well represented, hemp was also the norm. I had never experienced anything of the sort as what I was seeing that day. The hippie movement was alive and well right there in front of me.

One thing I had noticed was the complete lack of police presence they had melted away as the crowds grew. People were openly selling beer without a license and the police didn't seem to notice. I made a remark to my new friend and he said it was not uncommon at Phish shows as the crowds are often more behaved than at other events he has attended. I must admit I found it refreshing, people were left alone to enjoy themselves in  a free spirited atmosphere.  I know the next time  Phish comes to town I will be there and I hope to see my new friend when we return next spring as the tour passes back by. If you have never been to one of their shows you should even if you don't want to actually see the band after all the real show is outside in the parking lot.