Wednesday 08/20/2025 by phishnet

A LETTER TO THE PHISH COMMUNITY FROM USER KEVINFORBIN

[This letter is written by user @KevinForbin Kevin Herschman. It does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of any of the many volunteers who help with site content or help manage Phish.net. -Ed.]

Dear Phish Fans,

As we celebrate yet another incredible high point in our favorite band’s career, I feel so grateful to be part of this phenomenon that’s been going strong since the ’80s!

One of the most remarkable things about Phish is that they’re still writing and adding masterpieces to the repertoire. If you see Trey as the creative engine, then his ongoing drive to compose and share new material with us is an incredible gift—one I worry sometimes gets taken for granted.

When Trey brings a new song to the table, the least we can do is give it a real chance. You don’t have to love every single one, but showing openness and respect matters to them and should therefore matter to us!

Remember: part of what makes this whole experience magical is the feedback loop between the band and us. Imagine how discouraging it must be for them to look out and see fans streaming toward the exits during something like Drift While You’re Sleeping. Also, please remember that if they're playing it, its because they want to, and that should be reason enough for us to pay attention and care!

I ask you to make room in your heart—and your concert experience—for the new songs. Some of the band’s most inventive jamming has come from the newer catalog. Please join me in helping them feel our enthusiasm and affirmation that we want them to keep growing, changing, and creating.

Thanks for listening, and for choosing to lean into the new material with love and respect.

—Kevin

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Comments

, comment by kiddomarink
kiddomarink I understand the overall sentiment here, but I'm not fully with it. Some of the new material is just straight up not good.

You're correct that some of the new, not good songs (looking at SYSF) have produced incredible jams, which is why I'm not going anywhere when those tunes get played. Some haven't though, and you've singled out one (DWYS) that really hasn't gone anywhere since its debut.

Personally, I wouldn't head for the restrooms during, say, the debut of a new song. It's a new tune, of course I want to hear it!

However, I think it's okay for people to not be thrilled about seeing A Life Beyond The Dream for their 8th time. I think that's actually a perfectly reasonable time for a bathroom or concessions break.

With peace and love, Drift While You're Sleeping has not, to date, produced any "inventive jamming".
, comment by Doktahgonzo
Doktahgonzo New songs aren’t 6 years old.
, comment by Mshow96
Mshow96 Is this a reprint of an old blog post from 2011 with TTE switched to Drift?

I share op’s call to openness

but I wonder if op still wants to shelve all the classic Gamehendge songs as he called for after NYE 23?
, comment by c_wallob
c_wallob A big part of what makes Phish great is that feedback loop - which includes honest, tough, and constructive criticism when they fall short. Yes, they have the right to play whatever they want, but if I'm paying my $125, I have the right to go purchase or release a beer when they play a stinker of a song that I have heard 20 times, and then go online and complain about setlist construction. I do like DWYS and ALBAD as songs, but they are momentum killers. The latter is a much better TAB song, with the backup singers and horns adding some power to the build-up.
, comment by white_lightning
white_lightning +1 @kiddomarink...I understand the sentiment but I'm not fully with it.

At one point in my life in a similar but different way I performed for crowds. Albeit nothing even remotely close to a phish show size wise. If you want to be in a performing art, you better have kinda thick skin. And if you aren't open to feedback from your own fans, even negative feedback, then you will never really evolve much as an artist.
, comment by kevinforbin
kevinforbin @Mshow96 said:
Is this a reprint of an old blog post from 2011 with TTE switched to Drift?

I share op’s call to openness

but I wonder if op still wants to shelve all the classic Gamehendge songs as he called for after NYE 23?
Hee hee! Nice muck-raking! ;)
, comment by dividedpause
dividedpause Why is this on the .Net homepage and not a thread? Am I missing something?
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