Attendance Bias

Send us Fan Mail It’s a family affair today on Attendance Bias! My guests for this episode are father and son, Jeff and Ben Fortgang. Jeff and Ben chose to discuss the Phish show from July 15, 2016 at the Gorge, the legendary outdoor amphitheater in George, Washington. When Ben told me that his dad is a veteran taper who went to over 300 Grateful Dead shows, yet it was Ben who got his father into Phish, there was so much more I wanted to know. As you’ll hear in the episode, my parents know about my Phish obsession but they’re far from understanding it, and even farther from participating in it. So the opportunity to explore the musical relationship between a father and son, and their adventure to The Gorge was immediately compelling. Add the fact that I grew up in the same general area of New York as Ben and Jeff, and we’ve unknowingly been to at least a dozen of the same shows, and there was so much to explore.Once Ben brought the first night of The Gorge in 2016, I was flooded with memories. Most of the memories were NOT of the music, but of the journey to the venue, the vibe once inside, and of the stunning visuals that surround the stage. I was eager to dive back into the show and relive the first night of my only visit to this unique venue. So fill up your gas tank, get your camping pass, and pack your hoodie as we join Jeff and Ben Fortgang to take a look back at July 15, 2016 at the Gorge.Support the show

Send us Fan MailWe first met Chris on one of Attendance Bias’ earliest episodes, where we spoke about 11/28/97 at the Worcester Centrum. If anyone wants to hear more about Chris’ background as a fan or as an artist, please feel free to go back and listen to that episode. This show was played toward the beginning of the 1999 December tour, which was fourteen shows total. The whole tour built up to Big Cypress, and 14 shows in something like 19 days helps explain how and why they were so prepared for the festival. This was show number 6 of the tour.Sand was played as the 2nd set opener of this show, which also featured a 14-minute Ya Mar and several other notable jams. This is only the 8th time Sand was played.Support the show

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Send us Fan MailMissed opportunities. Everyone’s had at least one. when it comes to Phish, there’s always the one that got away. The show you decided to skip because you had a test the next day. The one that was just too far away to make it back before work. The one you slept on getting tickets for and couldn’t find an extra. Hopefully, it doesn’t happen too often…but unfortunately it does happen And with Phish, it’s the worst feeling in the world when those shows become all-timers. For me, there were two that fit this category: 12/30/97 at MSG–the legendary “Harpua” and the 45-minute encore–and 2/28/03 at the Nassau Coliseum–one of the best “Tweezers” ever played and the long awaited return of the biggest Phish bustout of them all: “Destiny Unbound.”When I was deep into The Phish Compendium and The Pharmer’s Almanac (Vol. 4), the impression was that “Destiny Unbound” was the great white whale of Phish setlists. Played frequently in the early 90s and then shelved, it developed a cult following and old-school fans clamored for its return. When Trey suggested that the band would play it again if all the fans in the front row sang the first line at the same time, leave it to Phish fans to take him up on it at Red Rocks and the Hampton Coliseum in the mid- and late-90s, respectively. Denied, the song stayed on the shelf.As I learned more and more about the Phish mythos, the prospect of “Destiny Unbound” greatly interested me. I found it difficult to track down a recording of the song, and so for many years I had no idea what it actually sounded like. It wasn’t until the February 2003 “return tour” that the concept of actually hearing “Destiny” came back to me.I was a junior in college at the time at SUNY Buffalo. My roommate and I had tickets to see the band in Cincinnati and passed on the opportunity to fly home to see the show a week later at the Nassau Coliseum. In retrospect, it would have been fairly easy to attend. We had plenty of friends going who could find us extras; back when JetBlue was still fairly new on the scene, you could get a round trip flight from BUF to JFK for about $100; plus, it was college–missing a day or two of classes was far from an emergency. But we were so jazzed about the road trip to Cincinatti that we saw the Nassau show as an adventure that we didn’t need to take.Bummer.When I saw the setlist after it was played, my jaw dropped. “Destiny Unbound?” They played it? REALLY? ? And I missed it. At the time, I figured it was my only opportunity. As you can hear in earlier episodes of Attendance Bias with Slade Sohmer of The Recount and Pete Mason of PhanArt, we talked about how setlists in 2.0 were fairly predictable with few exceptions. Two of those exceptions were their show in Burgettstown, PA in the summer of 2003, and this show at the Nassau Coliseum that February. Phish broke their own mold. They played, at that time, what felt like the ultimate bust out. Maybe not in terms of “number of shows since it was last played,” but in terms of community relevance–it felt like I had missed some sort of cosmic event that only occurs once every 500 years; a special eclipse or passing of an obscure comet. The fact that it was played in my hometown venue only added salt to the wound.Pretty dramatic, yes.Luckily the band brought “Destiny” back into the rotation for 3.0. The simple tale of Highway Bill and Highway Jill doesn’t pop up frequently, but at least it’s in the cards. Those of us who absorbed the band’s history and self-referential universe knows that it’s special every time it’s played, simply because there were decades when that wasn’t the case. For me, the sense of closure finally came when the band played it at the 2010 summer tour closer at one of my hometown venuSupport the show

Send us Fan MailHi everybody, and welcome to Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. My guest for today’s episode is Tim of Wook-Plus, also known by his Twitter handle, @WeekendWook. If you’ve engaged with the Phish community on Twitter over the past three years, no doubt that you’ve come across one of Tim’s “Phish Brackets,” in which songs, tours, or venues are pitted against one another, round-robin style, to compete for the title of Best. When I first encountered the brackets, I was immediately intrigued to get to know the person behind competitive Phish, and Tim was gracious enough to accept my invite. If you haven’t engaged with Phish Twitter, now is the time to do it, as the 2021 Phish song bracket tournament is going on right now. Follow @weekendwook and join the fun!For today’s episode, Tim chose to discuss Phish’s show on July 27, 2014 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. Opening with a strong set, the band really brought things to another level with the 3.0 version of “TweezerFest” throughout set two. Certainly a notable show, and one of the best of 2014. In this episode, Tim talks about his intentions behind the Phish brackets, theories on when the band does or doesn’t plan ahead, and the benefits and disadvantages of bringing friends to their first show. So reserve your MPP parking pass in advance, get to the lot early to avoid the garage, and make a stop at Wegman’s, as we join Tim from WookPlus to take a look back at July 27, 2014 at Merriweather PostSupport the show

Send us Fan MailMini-Episode #14: Twist, 12/31/15, Madison Square Garden, New York, NYIf New Year’s Eve is traditionally about celebration, reflection, and renewal, then NYE 2015 was tailor made for me. As I discussed in the first mini-episode of Attendance Bias, I was divorced toward the beginning of 2015. With Fare Thee Well and Phish’s extensive summer tour in 2015, I took every opportunity I could to clear my head and treat myself to every show I could manage that year. The shows were great in themselves, but the most meaningful part of my adventures was the social aspect; seeing friends I hadn’t seen in months or years, getting into the swing of traveling to new cities, new venues, and re-establishing my comfort of going on tour, since I had done it with my ex-wife ever since Phish ‘s return in 2009. But the most meaningful part of 2015 was right in my backyard—during the new year’s run at Madison Square Garden.My plans for the first couple of nights were uncertain, but New Year’s Eve was where most of my confusion lay. For years I was used to attending shows with my ex-wife. Then, when I began to see shows with my new interest, I had to adjust to a new show-going routine. This is not as easy as it sounds. I thought that we would see the shows together since we had been saying for nearly six months at the time.In retrospect, it’s clear that this was a terribly selfish way to think. But it makes sense; after being so horribly hurt, I was much more concerned with my happiness than anyone else’s. But expecting someone to change their show habits wasn’t the right thing to do, and it caused me mental turmoil over the course of the run.12/31/15 wasn’t a perfect show, but it was the best NYE show, top-to-bottom, that I’d seen since 2010. Every set had highlights and pinpoint setlist choices. The “gag” was artful and aesthetically pleasing in every way. Even when the band played “Tube” for the encore at 1am, I was wishing that the show could go on for another 90 minutes.The second set is where things got notable. A nicely-extended “The Wedge” and “Wilson” brought back memories of NYE 2012, with the golf setlist references. The band kicked things up a notch from “”Kill Devil Falls” through “Twist.” Especially “Twist.” Oh boy, this  “Twist.” My personal musical highlight of the show, and maybe the entire run (“Tweezer” from 1/2 is another contender). BIG, DRAMATIC power and a patient, building jam–my favorite kind. The band clearly thought the same as an official video of the song was released soon after the show:With no words, Phish delivered me again, as they had before. I needed them and they were there for me. The next two nights of the run, and most of 2016, didn’t quite compare to what I experienced in the calendar year of 2015. But if I were to end my Phish year on any particular point, I’m glad that it was New Year’s eve 2015. This Twist is a moment that will stay with me forever. It’s not usual that I can pinpoint, in real time, when I feel my soul being cleansed and a force outside myself communicating that it’s time to move forward. But this Twist did just that.Support the show

Send us Fan MailBy now, it’s a cliche to state that 2020 was an awful year for. But it needs to be noted that for Phish,  2020 was not an TOTAL loss. Let’s remember that for four  days and nights in February of 2020, Phish played incredible shows at the Moon Palace resort in Cancun.I was lucky enough to attend those shows, and when the pandemic hit, I frequently went back to pictures, relistened, and would text my friends who were also there. Remembering Mexico became a coping mechanism to soothe my soul that missed all things Phish throughout 2020.After scrolling through the pictures for the millionth time, I decided that it would be better to talk about and remember the event with other friends who made it one of the greatest Phish experiences I’ve ever had.Today, in recognition of one year since Phish last took the stage, I proudly present the Attendance Bias Mexico 2020 roundtable. I’m joined by my friends Greg Ewan, Mike Cappilino (Cappy), and Chase Turner, to talk about the Moon Palace resort, the oddity of wearing shorts on the beach in February, and of course, the best music of the year.Pack your bags, bring sunscreen and have another margarita as we go back to February 20th-23rd to Cancun, for Phish at Riviera Maya.Support the show

Send us Fan MailMini-Episode #13: Suzy Greenberg, 9/14/00, Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Darien, NY Hi everybody, and welcome to mini-episode #13 of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Mini-episodes of Attendance Bias feature a breakdown of a single song or jam from a show that I’ve attended. I’ll give a little background about what makes the song or jam so special to me, and then we dive right in.These mini-episodes are posted on a bi-weekly basis in between full episodes of Attendance Bias, when a guest and I go over a full Phish show. Today’s mini-episode features “Suzy Greenberg” from September 14, 2000 at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center in Darien Center, NY. I am the only Phish fan in my family. I don’t have, and never had, a familial tie to the band or the scene. My older brother didn’t turn me on to Phish, my older cousin never “saw a few shows in college,” and my parents weren’t Deadheads who led me down the path toward psychedelic music. Aside from a few friends who were also into the band, I was pretty much on my own when I began to explore the Phish world at 14 years old. I tried to bridge that family gap once, at this show, and it didn’t quit take. But before the experiment failed, there was some fun to be had. That fleeting moment happened at setbreak during the band’s show at Darien Lake on September 14, 2000, right after an all-time Suzy Greenberg.Support the show

Send us Fan MailMy guest today on Attendance Bias is Jeff Sommar. Jeff reached out to me on the Phish.net forum and asked if he could come on Attendance Bias because he would love to talk about seeing phish during his backpacking days in Europe.  Eventually, Jeff chose to discuss the Phish show from July 12, 1996 at the Melkweg Theater in Amsterdam, Holland. Once he brought up Phish’s Europe ‘96 tour, I felt compelled to hear about it. Not only is this the earliest show brought up on the podcast, but it was in Amsterdam! Seeing a show when Phish had the reputation of being THE stoner band, playing in one of the only cities where marijuana was easily accessible, I thought that my listeners would love to hear what that was like.Jeff was excited to share details explaining his first show in Syracuse in 1994, what it was like inside this small venue, and what led to this...how should I put it….musically uneven show. So get your backpack together and exchange your dollars for guilders as we join Jeff Sommar on July 12, 1996 at the Melkweg in Amsterdam.Support the show

Send us Fan MailWhen Phish announced their early summer tour in 2009, the comeback tour, two dates stood out to me: June 4 and 5 at Jones Beach Amphitheater. Like the Nassau Coliseum, Jones Beach has a special place in my life. Though I’ve seen fewer and fewer shows there in recent years, several of my formative musical experiences happened there.Jones Beach Amphitheater  is a beautiful concert venue. It sits on Zach’s Bay as part of Jones Beach State Park, a beachside park built during the Great Depression as part of Franklin Roosevelt’s WPA program. It even has an obelisk once you reach the end of the parkway next to the beach that fits right in with the art deco architecture of the time.The amphitheater was built a number of years after the park, in the early 1950s. Since then, it’s gone through a number of renovations and updates, the most recent being the mezzanine of dark red seats at the top of the theater. On a nice summer night, it’s one of the best outdoor places in the state or maybe even the country to see a concert. I’ve enjoyed dozens of nights with sunsets behind the monolith, easing into a cool, breezy night watching a performance on its huge stage.That being said, Jones Beach also has the potential to be one of the worst venues in the country on any given night. A windy or rainy night can absolutely destroy the sound quality for anyone seated outside of the orchestra section. Being on the water also makes the entire area freezing cold on a night that’s doesn’t have optimal weather.I remember being down low in the orchestra section for this show, Fish side. Although the band played a show at Fenway Park two nights earlier, this felt like the proper tour opener. The band debuted a couple of songs that would become more or less staples in the 3.0 era, and extra loud cheers greeted the more familiar “oldies” like “Runaway Jim” and “Cities.”While there weren’t too many all-time highlights at the show, this show felt like coming back to a childhood restaurant in your hometown after many years away. All your old favorites are still on the menu (“Foam,” “Reba,” “Mike’s”), some new stuff is there and you’re unsure what you think of it (“Kill Devil Falls,” “Stealing Time”), and even some old items that you forgot about in your time away (“Driver,” “If I Could”). It may add up to less than the sum of its parts, but you’re thrilled to be back.These three nights at Jones Beach felt more like the start of a proper tour. Most of the first set was thrilling for the simple fact that Phish was back! Not only back, but at a New York area venue that wasn’t Madison Square Garden. There weren’t too many memorable musical highlights from this show, or even from this run as a whole, but it really hit me that things were back for real and a little different when the band closed the first set with the sublime rarity “If I Could.” Support the show