What a fantastic piece! Jamie I think you capture very well what it was like at that time for a fan of certain musics to discover Phish and find something very new that also has continuity with many other artists and styles, offering a newly found universe to explore. At a time when most Phish listening came from tapes, which reproduced in settings like a college dorm.

I too took musicians’ names referenced by members of Phish and interviews and bought their CDs at the Tower Records on the GW campus, casting out my next for similar inspiration.

This was my second show, btw. There had been a big traffic jam on the way to my first show (6/30/95) and I didn’t know if that was just how it always is so I believe I turned down a ride to Landover and took the Metro, though that method required a cab from the station to the venue.

I have scattered memories from throughout the night, including during the “Free” jam. I’m sure I realized it was a long and important jam, but couldn’t have quite grasped the import of a 30-minute Free (just the second or third extended version) dropping out of nowhere. I always remember I was in the last row of my section and yet security was continually clearing the aisle. During the Free jam one wook was like “Can I just have 5 more minutes?” and the security person paused and said OK. I got the impression it was a special moment in the show, not to be interrupted if possible.

For the dignity of your friend Jeremy, I do believe that homemade Wilson shirt said “Can you still have fun?” (not “phun”) but perhaps that’s just an amendment I make to my own memory. :-)

Thanks so much for writing this wonderful piece!