Never Miss a Sunday Show: My Phirst Phish Concert

Syracuse's Lakeview Amphitheatre is relatively brand new. Its debut concert took place less than a year ago, and the venue has been flooded with talented acts since. Relatively speaking of course. This is Central New York, an area that isn't blessed with visits from much hot new musicians. The smart ones will just book a gig 200 miles southeast of here.

So the lack of starpower at Lakeview so far may not be much of a surprise. Even the so-called "major acts" have been on the downward trajectory of their careers. Until Sunday night at least, when the band that seemingly never goes away came to play. And for Phish, it was a bit of a hometown show.

Their drummer John Fishman (make whatever puns you want) is CNY bred, and a graduate of Jamesville-DeWitt High School. He met guitarist Trey Anastasio, bassist Mike Gordon, and keyboardist Page McConnell at the University of Vermont in the mid-1980s, and they've been playing together ever since.

Before we even get to the show itself, let that sink in. 30 years. 30 YEARS! Three decades of writing, practicing, travelling, and performing together. Somehow they're still going strong and haven't gotten sick of each other. Even if you can't stand their music, that's an accomplishment in and of itself. Most bands can't even stay together for three years, not without some major fireworks along the way.

It all speaks to the band's egalitarian nature. Anastasio is the defacto frontman, but every band member writes and sings lead vocals throughout the band's performances. And they all have specific characteristics that help to define the band. Whether it's Trey's slick riffs, Page's glistening vocals, or John's wardrobe, they're all bringing something to the table. Plenty of bands are perfectly fine plugging in new members, even a new lead singer. But you get the sense that, with Phish, it's either all of them or none of them.

Chilling in the studio for what must seem like the millionth time.

It's largely the same approach that many Phish Phans take to their beloved band. I was admittedly overwhelmed by just one show. I went with my younger brother. He's been to 13 of them, including three in the past three days. And his approach is rather tame compared to some. There's a large swath of people who will travel all across the country with these guys, experiencing dozens and dozens of performances every year. Phish says to never miss a Sunday show, but for many of their admirers it's crucial to not miss any show.

To the average listener, this probably seems crazy. It sure did to me, and frankly still does a little bit. But when you actually hear them play, it starts to make at least some sense. No two shows are alike. My brother Daniel told me Phish were playing several songs that he was hearing live for the first time, and even a couple that he had never heard before at all. That's absolutely staggering to think about, but the band has such a diverse and prolific catalog that it's entirely plausible. Not to mention all the covers they've mastered.

Last night I was truly floored by their renditions of "The Ballad of Curtis Loew" and "Frankenstein." Danny tells me they do a version of "Boogie on Reggae Woman" that's to die for, and I might have to see these guys again to make sure I catch it in person. One of the band's most famous sets took place on Halloween 1994, when they played through the ENTIRE FUCKING WHITE ALBUM! These covers stack possible set list combinations even higher for them, ensuring that every single show has its own unique flavor.

Phish themselves embrace the idea. Every ticket for every show they do comes with a code. If you go to their website and type in that code, you get a free download of that entire show in high quality audio. It's part of the reason why such an unusually high number of their concerts have an HD rendition on YouTube, and it's a very successful model. Many musicians seem to understand the growing value of live concerts, but only Phish seems to understand how to maximize it.

Their approach makes every concert a special event, for both the band and its spectators. With all the figurative (and literal) Phish Phumes wafting through the air, you can get lost in the ambiance. And as I stood smack dab in the middle of the amphitheatre's lawn, I got that kick too. The music propels you into movement; not necessarily dancing, but at least some form of a full-body sway or swerve. There were remarkable peaks and valleys of energy within the set. Styles vary from piano ballads to funk jams to edgy rock, and the band excels playing them all. For three hours, you get fully immersed in that sea of Phish.

At the end of their 2nd set (no opening act, two full sets of Phish) native son John Fishman, dress and all, wailed into his microphone, "thank you! Thank you, my people!" He may have meant it for his hometown, but you get the sense "his people" follow him wherever he goes. Independent of whatever neo-hippy stereotypes you have about them, Phish Phans share a love of live performance above all else. You have to truly love music for music's sake to take in a band like this.

And at their core, Phish's following is just like the four band members themselves: hard core music nerds. And they make up the best act that's made it's way to Central New York's new arena so far.