30 years ago today I went to my first Phish show. I still have the ticket stub. Old and faded, you can not read anything on the stub. The price for the show was $19 and some odd cents. Driving from Indiana to Ohio, we were reading from what I think was a pre-release paper edition of The Phish Companion, or something very close to it. We were discussing what we wanted the band to play.

Being a huge fan of Frank Zappa's album Joe's Garage, I was instantly hooked by the Gamehendge story. I had a copy of the 07/08/1994 GREAT WOODS Gamehendge show. I wanted to hear The Lizards. I did not care what else the band would play as long as I got that song. I had no idea what was in store for that evening.

Brad, whom I bought the ticket from, told me Phish is gonna get you. He kept saying this the whole ride to Dayton. I asked him what he meant. He said at some point you are going to be standing there, mouth wide open, in pure amazement of what the band is doing. I scoffed at this. Took a hit of some dirty paper LSD and smoked on the nasty brown swag joints still not knowing what was coming.

We get into the show, we are sitting in about half way up straight on with the stage. Sitting in front of us are 2 old ladies, totally out of place. The lights go down the swag lights up for us and the music starts. I am not astute enough to go into some elaborate breakdown of the music. I like Phish, I move the way the music makes my body move.

Phish plays, I am standing there. looking down on the stage, I think Trey is running the light show with all his guitar pedals. I am 22 years old and have no clue what the hell these dudes are doing down there but it is bad ass. How can 4 people make so much noise? How can this sound like total insanity and then it instantly snaps into beautiful melodies. My mouth is hanging wide open, I am locked into the stage like a hawk, my brain is melting, Brad slaps my should and says "Phish just got you!". You mother phucker, you are right, Phish got me.

The 2 old ladies sat thru all of this madness, swag smoke, screams of joy and elation, and musical bombardment. They did not look very happy. The last song of the second set, Phish sings Amazing Grace, a cappella. As the band closes the set. The 2 old ladies (Like in their 50's, i was 22, and now am 52 so....) give a standing ovation, both smiling, they look at each other and leave. Brad turns to me and says "See, Phish plays something for everyone." Mind blown again. 30 years later I echo those words, "Phish plays something for everyone." (I strongly remember this when the band plays The Line) I hate sports and that song. BUT Phish play something for everyone. Even that kid shooting phantom free throws in the row in front of me during The Line at NYE 2015 in Miami. It is his song too.

I got everything I wanted and more than I ever expected from this show. 30 years and 174 shows later I still yearn for live music from Phish, the smells and community of the lot and the freedom of the road. I have not been to a show since 2021. Sadly my elder dog passed away 11/3/25. While I whisper his name every morning when I wake up, I am now free to travel again. I am doing the entire 2026 summer Phish tour, 30 years later I am still upside down.