The first night of spring tour came as a huge surprise - namely I was perchance visiting my special lady friend’s family that live in Seattle- and my youngest brother randomly reached out to me knowing I was gonna be there to see if I was going to the show. Turned out I had bought a couple extras in case my special lady friend wanted to go - yet her not being a ridiculous Phish head maybe figured it was better to spend a few nights with her 96 yr old grandmother rather than go chase dragons. To each their own.

My bro Ronald and his bff Tozzi pick me up and we head to Climate pledge Arena - which is really sweet. It was a warm fuzzy lovely sunny evening - the arena has an amazing quad surrounded by a science museum, other attractions, particularly a centralized fountain acting as the nexus for commerce, pre concert rendezvous, or a last minute stash adjustment or selfie spot.

Knowing that this Stadium was built primarily for a basketball team that left - and secondarily for a band that has only played here twice before - It made me feel for the Seattle Supersonics fans whose team (now the OKC Thunder) is on the verge of their first championship in 50 year. As a Phish fan that had tickets to Curveball and lived through the Great Schism of 2005 - I truly know what it means having had your team ripped out from under you. At least when Trey broke our hearts he was doing it to get better - or if not to get better at the time at least he did get better. Other times we have been disappointed it’s been by the rumor mill or powers out of anyone’s control - like Lockn 2020, New Years 2021, Curveball. As Gamehenge 2023 and Mondegreen taught us … sometimes dreams do come true. Like Phish still has it in the tank to do a real festival still. While it may feel like we are Losing our country we still have our band. And the best part about our band is can’t ever be sold by a billionaire like Howard Schultz who doesn’t know the cost of a box of cheerios to a snake oil salesman oil man from OKC like Clay Bennett. When Phish disappoints us now it’s because a show was cut short due to lightning — not because of fan abandonment to make more money. Potentially if there was championship level basketball being played here at this moment Phish wouldn’t be doing its second 2 night run here on the verge of Easter and 420. Just like things magically seem
To come together on Phish nights - 4 prophets are prophetically playing on a holiday weekend that celebrates the spirit world as well as the weed world to show its attendees that their creams can come true. Phish playing in Seattle on a beautiful sunny night when I happen to be there along with my brother and his best friend — and 17000 other people who share in the common cause of enjoyment of a unique team of mystic musicians we know well and love — the night, the weather, vibes, it all seems perfect. Even the nitrous scene appears quaint - populated by the appearance of friendly locals scattered along the circumference of the centralized fountain quietly peddling triads of balloons or an occasional jumbo - nothing like the death stare zombification of a Mann parking lot with bros from standing to within moments slapping their head on the concrete. The pre show setting glittered with appeal such that both Tozzi and Ronnie considered hanging out there but I was adamant about getting immediately to scope the venue, score early merch on the first night of tour, and plan my interloping into the club section rather than being relegated to my rafter seat behind the stage bc despite having waited in the dreaded queue, and clicking on floors at the moment tickets were publicly for sale - Ticketmaster has a new feature that will place you in the worst seats in the venue if you don’t double check on your cart before check out. So it was of utmost concern for me to arrive at a time where I could get stubbed down to the club section 26 where my 2 compatriots are domiciled for the next 3.5 hours.

As we are in line for security about to enter the show - a chick in front of us with a crisp Boston Celtics hat quickly walks out of line past us with her boyfriend chirping at her which only helps to remind me that am definitely (1) liking OKC’s odds at +175 to win it all (2) selfishly happy there are no games here this weekend even though there well should be so I can get my phishy jammy jams on and (3) definitely liking OKC’s odds more than Boston. Sorry to that girl in the new Celtics beanie for more than just your chirpy bf - Celts’ odds to win it all are bizarrely both too long and too short at +170. Just as Boston lost out in the Phish sweepstakes of dates in Beantown - Boston is also losing out on an NBA title bc they have looked soft all season - unlike our 4 friends from VT who - when last seen together in Mexico - were pure hard bodies having just ended one of their greatest runs in a 42 yr history of great runs.

Just as Phish are a bunch of winners - their Spring tour dates are looking like winner bets. Phish picks winners - definitely liking Golden State at +1700 ish as well as the Lakers and Clippers at even longer odds. All them cities are seeing Spring dates starting with Bill Graham on Tuesday in San Fran and ending the Spring Fling with 3 nights at Hollywood Bowl. So if Phish is skipping Boston so is the NBA title ya losers. If you haven’t yet learned on the Phish train - base all of your important life decisions on Phish - including vacation, wedding dates, even gambling. In the past when I haven’t based important life decisions on Phish - that’s when bad decisions are made. Why do I know such things? Not just life experience. I’m from the great city of Philadelphia - home of the Superbowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles. Phish knows that Philly is a city of winners. Ergo the Mann Center will be getting Phish dates. Boston is losing out this year; therefore them Beaners also won’t be home to a championship basketball team this yr.

Given the chirpiness of Mr. Boston, the promise of clean bathrooms, as well as aforementioned need to figure out an approach to stub down into the club level, plus the bonus of the unexpected when entering a Phish venue early - I convince them to bail on the outdoor festivities of a cig and / or a balloon and enter the main event with about an hour and a 1/2 to spare. It’s always a plus too entering early to avoid what is about to be a massive line and who wants to deal with Phish line anxiety. The other benefit is the potential for Easter egg finds on this spring tour opener / Easter egg weekend - the early Phisherman catches the Phish. And sure enough eggs were had!

We hit the merch tent. The infodesk guy at climate pledge was very helpful, directing us to the larger merch tent in the lower concourse. Merch still had an abundance of the yellow variant of the sick ass poster by @nolanphillipspelletier, featuring a pair of bonded owls and the Seattle skyline. Altho me wifey is getting sick of all these posters I no longer have room to hang at my house she will enjoy the local touch featuring her beloved Seattle. Phish and the very talented Ontarian artist nailed the poster. Tozzi got a tour hoodie and after he sadly realized he was a shmedium rather than a Marge - the Phish merch mavens graciously exchange sizes for him. But the real golden egg was stumbling upon a line of heads outside waiting at the water wheel table. Having learned in life that when you see a bunch of people cryptically standing in line it doesn’t hurt to ask why - a bearded charitable fella advised that the inimitable James Pollock was signing his design of the Spring Tour poster to raise money for Water Wheel and there were only like 11 people in line at the time. Holy shit the line at Mondegreen to get a Pollock were hundreds deep and it would have been like five hours to get a Pollock back then. In comparison, this appeared to be around 20 minutes of waiting - ample time before curtain - a dream come true.

A nice heady chick who eventually cut the line due to stress she was going to miss the last of the posters explained (correctly) that Jim would sign his name, personalize it, do a little doodle as well. Pretty heady stuff. Until she cut the line. Whatever tho - there was enough to go around and it was for charity so no scenes were made altho I do like making a good scene. The Water Wheel crew was lovely - explained how the poster ink takes years to fully dry, how best to roll it up, and just general awesomeness from people supporting something more magnanimous than just Phish heads getting nutty (as benevolent as that is). Water Wheel, Mockingbird, and the other good causes manifest this experience into more than just music but a lifestyle. As corny as it sounds, these causes are an integral part of why the Phish experience feels so special (also a special shout out to Groove Safe and Divided Sky Foundation who were in close proximity and repping hard). By the time I got up to Jim he was still signing. I explained to Pollock how he is the inspiration for many including one of my favorite other artists - Andrew Sax - who I got a chance to meet at Mondegreen. Follow him @somesaxyart. He does some brilliant prints and I have 2 of Saxy's posters that he has done for Dogs in Pile - follow them @dogsinapileband. Saxy has made a niche for himself with his own distinctive style and he explained to me how everything he does is inspired by Pollock. Pollock seemed appreciative - was like do I know you - I was like nah but you met my (other) brother at the Mann. With the Gritty crew. Pollock doodled a flower for me. Tozzi and Ronald each got a fish! Tozzi’s recap — Yoooo that was sick! I got a Phish did you get one (me: a little sad now shaking my news no). Ronald shit eating grin like yeah bro I got one too! Tozzi: Pollock was like what is everyone here from Philly? So I tell him, well no that last dude was my best friend, that first dude was his brother, and we traveled cross country to come meet you. What a good dude. It’s true. He is a great dude. As much as Phish is just 4 guys from VT making inside jokes that we pretend to understand- it’s buttressed by an amalgamation of characters all who played a central role in the art, the show. You got the guy that does Ariana Grande's lights. And you also have myself and my two flunkies. As marginal a role each individual fan plays it’s still part of the story. Each fan with his or her jokes, experiences, similarities yet distinctiveness. It’s like we are all Phish swingers on the Phish train but we swing concerts not partners. We have temporary best friends for a 3 hour show - sometimes we see these people again sometimes we don’t. Pollock plays a huge part in the artistic lived experience on the Phish Train. What is phish without Junta and what is Junta without Pollock? In any event I got my Pollock poster once in a lifetime experience and I’m glad to know that I can flip that shit on eBay for a quick hundo if I wanted but I won’t bc I’m a classy wook.

We walk over to section 26 and now for the stressful part. My plan of taking a screen shot won’t get me in and I already promised my 2 fellows that they would have the 2 good seats while I am stuck playing cat and mouse up and down the aisle. Fear sets in when I see the club seats are accessed by a ticket scanner manned by a dedicated staffer - not just some usher to flash a screen shot to. This is going to be legit - alright dudes get yourselves through the scan and you’d better I say get one of your asses back out here with another phone to scan my ass in. Bro we got you says Tozzi. So I’m waiting for five minutes that feels like days. I don’t want to sit in the rafters behind the stage but a behind the stage Phish is better than no Phish. My phone starts ringing it’s Tozzi and I’m nervous. He’s like - ok I’m going to transfer it back the lady said I could. I'm like dude you can't transfer after you've scanned into the venue but he's like nah the lady said I could so now I'm waiting an eternity praying to a dead baby Jesus who I don't even believe in except when I really need him like now. There are no atheists in foxholes. I do the bs where you put your number in, get a code, log back into Ticketmaster. So this is why Jesus died for our sins? So Ticketmaster could break balls with 2 factor identification. Tozzi is right tho it goes through. The ticket transfer is a success. As I scan my phone in, the lady says the same to everyone in front of me - if you have 2 tickets you can transfer them so this way you can each scan yourself in and out. Go figure that Ticketmaster by allowing transfers in certain pricier areas post-entry makes it easier for schmucks like me to sneak people in. Suck it Ticketmaster. Kudoes to the staff at Climate Pledge knjowing their stuff and helping make everyone’s experience more friendly and convenient.

Unfortunately the bar tenders in the Club zone weren’t as nice - refusing to pour ice waters (no but we do have bottle waters for sale). I made the mistake of leaving the club seat area to look for the water fountains and realized that I effed myself bc the line was now much longer and there show was about to start. I knew I was screwed got back in line quickly and never went looking for water fountains again. The club area does have its own bathrooms - and one of the sinks was set to luke cold. Every other one was hotter than choad. So yet another venue for yes @Philm to criticize with insufficient free water / lack of water-filling stations. How f’ing hypocritical that the “first carbon neutral arena” won’t give out free fricking water and will make you create litter and waste by forcing you to buy bottled water. @Philm for President 2036 post- AOC and the first thing he’s gonna do is make it illegal for bartenders not to give out free tap water with ice. Everywhere. Even LiveNation venues. But if the worst part of the night was drinking kinda warm sink water in order to keep my spot as I’m riding up and down the aisles moving constantly so security doesn’t get a solid read on where my non existent seat is - that’s a sacrifice I’ll gladly make. At least that toilet sink water was slightly colder than the Philly toilet sink water at last summer’s post-Mondegreen Geese / Gizz show at the Dell Music Center. That was like drinking warm toilet milk. Ronald’s sacrifice was that he got the seat but was forced to pay for 10 dollar waters. I however am not above warm toilet sink water. Thank you sir may I have another. Besides, many in the holistic community will tell you that warm water is better for the body as it get absorbed faster bc it’s closer to your natural temperature. These people have never had to drink warm hand sensor water at a Phish show I bet. Or did they? Probably not because it's fluorinated. They don't know what’s good for them unless it involves a conspiracy theory or Crystals. The lights went down so now it’s music time. Got my posters and my empty beer can filled with sink ambrosia so it’s time to shine.

1. Sand opener - solid tour opener both in song choice and execution.
2. Kill Devil - never my favorite but it is one of the best Phish songs to see live. There is a funky breakdown that is sweet - ends in a super long kill devil slow jam-out; sounds like something from the cow phunk days
3. Theme from the Bottom - classic oldie. One of the best songs to sign along to. Homie from security told me to go to my seats so I had to play some cat and mouse - forced to swim up and down these aisles - keep on swimming by these security dogs won’t catch me.
4. (Now it’s time to get) Back on the (Phish) Train - thought it was possum for a sec which was my no 1 to see tonight I think this seals my fate no possum but that cow phunk is nasty. Mondegreen warning here - lyrics sounding like “took me a long time to get back on the trail” which is some recovery lyrical stuff right there which I always appreciate from Trey. So much love to the charities- Groove Safe, waterwheel, Divided Sky - for keeping us on track. Super dark get me back on the train jam out. Maybe I picked the wrong song I wanted to hear. Trey n da Boyz came back to end the song too with the lyrics to remind me they were jam 2 ing it, getting back on that old Jam 2 train.
5. If I could I would - bunch a sing along tonight. Didn’t recognize it from the first notes which means it's not '01 and I’m not trying to make out with a lame chick in a dorm room and be like “See Phish is good,” and she is all like “Nah.” So I appreciate some solid nostalgia - also appreciate that I found an awesome chick who kinda likes this song.
6. Tube - the other song I wanted to hear. Second place is better when you remember you won the gene pool. So stupendous living in this Tube. Fishman at his song writing apex. Going deep with this Trey solo - taking this song into a jam vehicle for sure - ended with the lyrics again - similar to Back on the Train. They are making sure to end many of these songs with lyrical force bringing you back onto the track from the ethers of jam 2s to that took you off the rails in the first instance.
7. Mull - so I really didn’t recognize this one but I kinda liked it. Looked back at the stats on LivePhish - this was my first time hearing this song live. I was telling my crew who weren't that into it nah this feels like a sleeper - let’s find out - I was right. People definitely be sleeping on this Gordo gem.
8. Wolfmans - the middle part where they sing nonsense and riff - this is the part where you know you’re friends with 17k people. The jam out of the chorus part / end of the lyrical section is super slow maybe the slowest I’ve ever heard it - pretty face melty - sounds like Trey is singing or doing something weird in the jam out - super trippy.
*END OF SET 1*
Lights come up - time to get a refill on my water at my designated toilet sink.
*SET 2*
9. Blaze on opens set 2 - you know what that means. Light it up. It’s unique how this band’s audience connects with the music - and as soon as everyone lights up it’s abundantly clear - this is a big blaze. A 17k people blaze. This sounds to me like an unfinished blaze, but when you’re blazing on to Phish is the blaze ever really a finished blaze, right into ->
11. Golden Age - nice transition seemless really . This will probably get the most props on the boards due to the bonkers jam but it really seems like they’ve done something special with every song thus far. Paige is hitting deep brown notes on the keys followed by Mike doing the same thing was really nice - so there are some really deep bass bombs in the mid extended jam of this song that sounds like it could have come from the get back on the train. Mull Mull Mull it over. So the theme of the set is set now get back on the Phish train mull - sorry I left I guess. I’m definitely hearing Back on the Train motifs at the end of song for a true circus improv jazz act. Then a rhythm change towards the end that really fucked me up I thought there was a glitch in the matrix for a second and I fuzzed out. Had to Mull that over. Straight into ->
12. What’s Going Through Your Mind - one of their best recent story songs - a song about a broken relationship but still you can read someone’s mind much like the band reads your mind - this part is when it must get stressful for the band they are prob tired - jet lagged - but guess what they are gonna deliver.
13. I always wanted it this way. This is a Paige song that feels like it could have come off the old Vida Blue album. Paige songs that sound like they’re inspired by LCD Soundsystem tend to kick ass and this is one of them. The live versions hit much harder than the Big Boat album version which may have meant that people used to sleep on this song but no more. People have been really feeling this song recently and the last time I heard this song live was a long time ago when I didn't know that yes Phish I have always wanted it this way, into ->
14. Ghost and the whole crowd joined right in to their psychedelic dreams. Incredible ending to ghost . Sounds like there’s some lyrics hidden in there we have to listen closer to later. Huge ovation so much joy to be back on the train Mull.
15. Encore - Bug. Another sing along song and I’m really hoping we get another few minutes to keep the train rolling and sure enough …
16. Encore 2 - Possum - sometimes dreams come true they can for you if you join the phish train car mull encore it over. The couple in front of my 2 dudes finally left to beat the traffic so I could finally relax in a seat just in time to get run over by the Phish train.

Back out to the courtyard fountain and of course the hiss of nitrous is out there but I’m not getting on that train - I’m getting on the legal blaze train for our walk to the car. My boys drop me off safely with my eyes Blazed out in the back seat, all passy outty like a college freshman, with 7 more stops for them while my train unfortunately gets off here - at least until it rolls into the Mann station this July.