My first show!! Now, I’m not your typical “first show” Phish fan…. I’ve been a casual/moderate fan since the early 90s as a teenager (had all of the studio CDs growing up), but no one told me how important it was to see them live! Listened to them a lot in my 20s, 30s, and early 40s as well (mostly the studio stuff still). Then two years ago, on a recommendation from a friend, Fukuoka infected my soul and I have been completely obsessed with live Phish ever since. I’ve listened to over 300 full shows, couch touring at least 50 shows in that time. But geography and job and family just have not aligned for me to get to that FIRST show!! Until now…

I drove four hours down with my 19-year-old son (also his first show). The lot was fun. We got into our seats early and started soaking up the vibes as the crowd started filling in. The excitement when the lights went down was palpable for me, as the anticipation had been building for a long time. The show was incredible. I took a 30-second video of the opener, and then put my phone away for the rest of the show, just taking in everything. The sound was superb. The venue was awesome. The crowd felt like family. The show lived up to every expectation that I had and I’ve been floating ever since.

Thoughts from set one: Spanish Moon was a treat (the crowd reaction was fun). Reba is my son’s favorite Phish song, so thrilled to hear that! The Final Hurrah was a sweet jam. I love Bluegrass Phish, so hearing My Mind’s Got a Mind of Its Own was super fun. The guitar solo in hey stranger was killer. Walls of the Cave set-closer was an absolute ride (we all went nuts).

Thoughts from set two: Slow Llama was so funky and cool. Down With Disease - the longest ever! Wow, I mean I had no clue what kind of time we were getting into with this one until after the show, but it was an absolutely captivating jam that will always be special to me. That last four minutes is some of the best Phish I’ve ever heard. Truly a behemoth!! Twist Sound Effects battle was hilarious. The Well was a party. Sightless Escape - no clue what this song was until after haha, but what a jam!! Second best jam of the night in my opinion. And then into Chalk Dust Torture and Suzy to end the set: yes!!! Wow, what a set. Perfect encore too. An absolutely amazing first show!! Can’t wait for #2…