Attendance Bias

Send us Fan MailThis week, my guest is the cultivation director at the 7 Points Cannabis Cultivation Facility in Portland Oregon: Joseph Rosenberg. Joseph and I have never met in person, but we’ve been talking, discussing, and occasionally arguing about Phish for nearly two decades on a small online Phish forum. Over that time, I’ve learned that Joseph is very opinionated about Phish, and also has the background and extensive knowledge to back up his opinions. We don’t always agree, but we always love to talk.For today’s episode, Joseph and I agreed on the standout status of the show: December 11, 1999 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. This show reached legendary status soon after it was played, and it has a legitimate claim as the best show of the year, if you don’t count Big Cypress. Throughout the interview, you’ll hear why Joseph agrees with this ranking, about his history of getting into Phish at a young age, and plenty more.Support the show

Send us Fan MailWhen it comes to naming your favorite Phish song, I have my stock answer, and then maybe question it with a few backup answers. But it’s been a constant in the 24 years that I’ve been listening to Phish—my first favorite song is still my favorite today, and that song is Glide. I’ve mentioned it several times on this podcast, but Glide was the big bang for me. Every show I’ve seen, album I’ve bought, show I’ve downloaded or streamed, and opinion I’ve had can be traced back to track number ten on A Picture of Nectar.The quick version of my Phish origin story is that I was 13 years old at summer camp in Massachusetts. I was with a group of older kids in a van, on a field trip to New Hampshire to hike up Mount Washington. It’s about a 4-hour drive from the camp to the mountain, so I packed a lot of music for the ride. I remember listening to Live at Leeds, by The Who, which I still consider the best live album ever officially released. Eventually I took a break from my headphones to hang with the group. The driver put A Picture of Nectar on the car stereo, and I was transfixed. From the opening track of Llama, I was totally engrossed and locked in. I wanted to hear more. And more. And more. Eventually, the album got to Glide, and I was transfixed.I don’t know what it is about the song that grabbed me. I think it’s the cowbell opening before the power chords that I connected to the opening of The Who’s Pinball Wizard; one instrument playing a complex part before the rest of the band barges in. The vocal harmonies and key changes definitely had something to do with it too. I loved garden variety classic rock at the time but maybe I was subconsciously looking for something more musically complex and challenging. Phish certainly provided that. I was singing the song to myself all weekend. Up Mount Washington, back down, and on the four-hour ride back to camp. The day I got home from camp that summer, I went straight to Sam Goody at the Roosevelt Field mall and bought A Picture of Nectar and wore it out, probably by the end of that year. I hadn’t seen Phish live yet, but I hoped at every show I saw that Glide would make an appearance. The one time I heard Glide live at a show wasn’t exactly a celebratory moment: they started it up at Coventry and it became a Monkey’s Paw moment: it was the song I was most desperate to hear, and ended up being the single song performance we would most want to strike from the record. It wasn’t until 2009 that I would hear a cohesive, genuine Glide live, and then I would hear it several times more. But no time was more meaningful as when they opened the JEMP Truck set with it on New Year’s Eve, 2013 Support the show

Send us Fan MailWelcome to Attendance Bias! Today, my guest is author Jason Gershuny. Jason is the co-author of the book: “100 Things Phish Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die.” Jason chose to discuss Phish’s show on August 6, 2017 at Madison Square Garden, which you may recognize as the final show of the historic Baker’s Dozen, also known as Glazed Night. There was a lot for Jason and I to talk about, having similar upbringings in the New York City area, but also because we got very emotional during this closing night at the Garden for very different reasons.As we discuss in today’s episode, Jason’s book, which he co-authored with Andy Smith, is an extensive FAQ about Phish, giving bite-size nuggets of information about the band and the Phish culture, acting as an extensive primer for new fans, or a reference book for seasoned fans and jaded vets.Jason and I were put in touch through a mutual fan, and when I literally read the book, I knew I would be speaking with a person who had not only an extensive knowledge of the Phish universe, but also a deep appreciation for the music and the scene.  So let’s join Jason Gershuny to talk about August sixth, 2017 at Madison Square Garden.Support the show

Send us Fan MailHi everybody, and welcome to mini-episode #10 of Attendance Bias. Today’s mini-episode features “Crimes of the Mind” from November 28, 2003 at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. When someone brings up "Nassau 2003," I would guess that 100% of Phish fans automatically think of the show on February 28, with the "Destiny Unbound" bustout and the all-time version of "Tweezer." But Phish played two shows at the Coliseum in 2003—the famous one in February, and then the lesser-known show over Thanksgiving weekend.You can imagine my excitement when Phish announced a short 20th anniversary tour that would consist of four shows over Thanksgiving weekend, stopping at some of their most storied cities along the Northeast corridor. I was thrilled for a number of reasons:First, I would be home from college for Thanksgiving break. There was no question that I would see at least two of them. Second, the Friday night show (the first of the four) would be at the Nassau Coliseum. Not only would I be home and 15 minutes from the venue, but so would dozens of friends. It would be a homecoming show, and those are the best.Third, it was announced to be a "20th Anniversary Tour." It’s not common for the band to overtly acknowledge any sort of anniversary or milestone. Usually it’s the fans who do that with setlist notes or online chatter. Therefore, the normal anticipation I have for a Phish show was amplified by the fact that the band was telling the crowd that this wasn’t just a quick tour–it was a purposeful celebration of two decades together. What would happen? Would each show focus on a different era of the band’s history? Would each show feature a full run-through of one of their albums? Maybe a show with rarities or songs that have never been played live? Phish chose: “None of the above.”  That lesson I keep learning over and over again–Phish doesn’t owe us anything–was reinforced at these shows as we were greeted with pedestrian shows.One of those knick-knacks, however, were guest spots, featuring important people from the band’s past. The last night of the four, in Boston, featured a touching, 29 minute video that showed fans highlights from the band’s career, rehearsal footage, and other unseen footage that was not accessible in a pre-YouTube world.The four shows on this tour were largely forgettable, musically speaking,  and in retrospect, acted as the breaking point when the 2.0 era went from groundbreaking to a downward spiral. Yet there were still parts to love. And for me, the part of the Nassau Coliseum show that I loved was when Steve Pollak, aka the Dude of Life, came on for the encore to perform “Crimes of the Mind” for the first time in over 500 shows.Support the show

Send us Fan MailWelcome to Attendance Bias. Today, my guest is Cully Naramore, who is the Canning Line Operator of Treehouse Brewing in Charlton, Massachusetts. If you’re deep at all into the craft beer scene, you have definitely heard of Treehouse. Not only do they print Phish lyrics on the bottom of their cans, but they’ve become the darlings of the craft beer scene over the past four or five years. When I began to brainstorm guests for this podcast, I knew that I wanted to speak to someone at Treehouse—there was obviously someone there who got it. Through some friends from Barrier Brewery on Long Island, I got in touch with Cully. And there’s nothing better than meshing two loves: beer and Phish!Cully chose to talk about Phish’s show on October 27, 2013 @ the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut. Cully chose this show because it was the night after his first show, and having grown up in Connecticut, it was a hometown show with all of his friends. Craft Beer, Wingsuit, and the echoplex, let’s join in with Cully Naramore of Treehouse Brewing to talk about 10/27/13 at the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, CTSupport the show

Send us Fan MailI think it’s fair to say that When the band returned in 2009, it was something of a reset for everyone: for Trey, for the band, for the fans, and for the trends we all got used to during 1.0 and 2.0. 3.0 was a fresh start for everyone and everything, including the rhythms of the setlist. One precedent that the Hampton Run set was that the band’s setlist would be much more extensive than it was when they called it quits in 2004. By opening the new era with Fluffhead and then playing shows that lasted for 3 and a half hours each night, the band made a statement that everything was on the table. But as 2009 progressed, it seemed that everything did not include deep cuts with narration from the Gamehendge saga. The summer tour progressed and it seemed that, while rarities that skipped all of 2.0, like the aforementioned “Fluffhead,” or “Esther,” or “If I Could” some notable Phishy songs were nowhere to be found. I saw 24 shows before Coventry, and some of those shows contained all-time highlights. Outrageous jams, song debuts, one-time covers, guest spots, festivals, like everything you could want out of the phish experience. The only thing missing, and something I desperately craved, was Gamehendge stuff. I think it’s pretty obvious that toward the end of 1.0, and through almost all of 2.0, the band consciously stepped away from the more complex and silly Gamehendge songs. With a few small exceptions, most of their new songs were darker and less buoyant than the old favorites. And their jamming style was more dissonant and based on soundscapes. If it weren’t just a generalization and vague, I might even say it felt druggier. A college senior’s thesis, however progressive and satisfying, was not important to the band from…I would say 2000 through the end. Icculus, Col. Forbin’s Ascent, Tela, McGrupp, Lizards…none of these songs were played more than twice in 2.0, and some weren’t played at all. And It should be noted that, aside from The Sloth, no Gamehendge songs were played at Big Cypress, which could be seen as the culmination of the band’s career up to that point. I guess my point is that if Hampton suggested that songs from the band’s entire career were liable to be played, it was worth asking: Where was the narration? Where were the songs that showcased the band’s storytelling ability? It seems that was left at home for 3.0, until Hartford.In 2009, my father in law at the time turned 60 years old. To celebrate, he rented a couple of condos near Stowe, Vermont and invited the whole family up to celebrate for a long weekend. As my girlfriend and I looked at the map, we realized that Hartford was literally right on the way. It would be stupid for us NOT to stop and see the show that night. And that night was where my questions about the Gamehendge material was answered. They opened with the Gamehendge-adjaced “Punch You In the Eye,” and the fairly common “AC/DC Bag,” and not much later busted out the first “Forbin’s>Mockingbird” since September 30th, 2000. I was thrilled beyond belief. Even though there was no narration, I felt like I could now check that one off my list. But nothing could prepare me for what was to come in the second set. A spectacular Ghost started the fourth quarter before transforming into a raucous Psycho Killer that drove the crowd into overdrive. That melted into a weird Catapult, and then they broke out the greatest fan-service Gamehendge song of all: Icculus. Support the show

Send us Fan MailWelcome to the eighth mini-episode of Attendance Bias! Mini-episodes feature a breakdown of a single song or jam from a show that I’ve attended. I’ll pick a song or jam for any given reason—it was the highlight of the show, it meant something special to me, it's widely renown--who knows? Mini-episodes are posted on a bi-weekly basis in between full episodes of Attendance Bias, when a guest and I will go over a full Phish show.Today's episode focuses on "46 Days," played on 8/7/10 at the Greek Theater in Berkeley, California. This show was last of three nights at the small outdoor venue in the San Francisco Bay Area. Not only was this run my first time at this venue but it was my first time in California! My girlfriend, at the time, and I spent a week in San Francisco to explore the city leading up to this wonderful trio of shows.I don't remember many big musical highlights from the 2010 Phish calendar year, but for some reason I remember almost every time I saw them play "46 Days" in 2010. Since the band's return for 3.0, their overall arena sound was much bigger. Much more suited to their bombastic playing and their ability to make venue explode. The Greek Theater is significantly smaller than most of the venues they've played since returning in 2009, and "46 Days" exemplifies their best version of arena rock. This version of "46 Days" left the Greek run on a high note.  It was powerful, it was ferocious, and it demonstrated how much of a guitar rock God Trey still was. Among the fanbase, there was still some doubt of what Phish was capable of in 2010, but rocking the hell out of a venue was never in doubt. If there was, then this "46 Days" put it to rest.AUD recording for this episode: "46 Days," The Greek Theater, 8/7/10Support the show

Send us Fan MailMy guest today is the anchor of Fox 5 News at 5 and 10 in New York City: Steve Lacy.  Steve chose to discuss Phish's July 12, 1999 show at  the Great Woods Amphitheater. Having grown up in Massachusetts, this was a hometown show for Steve. Not only that, but it was the band’s first show back at Great Woods after a wild weekend in 1995, and it felt like a homecoming for all involved.When I was a kid, probably 9 or 10 years old, I got a TV in my room. My curfew was to go to sleep at 10, but my parents said that I could stay up until 10:30 if I watched the news before going to sleep. As a result, I became a die-hard fan of Fox Five News at 10 in New York. This is the local city news—NOT to be confused with FoxNews the cable channel. So when I found out that the current anchor for the Fox 5 news is also a big Phish fan, I knew that I would love to talk shop with him. I’m also a big Howard Stern fan, and Steve is occasionally name-checked there, famously when he wrote an essay to rebut Howard’s negative response to Phish back in 2015. The bottom line is that I want have everybody on Attendance Bias; everyday fans and friends, but also well-known names within the community. In the end, we’re all the same. We just want to talk endlessly about Phish, and I think that came through in today’s discussion of July 12, 1999 at Great Woods.Enjoy!Audio for today's episode: 7/12/99 @ Great Woods AmphitheaterSupport the show

Send us Fan MailWelcome to the seventh mini-episode of Attendance Bias! Mini-episodes feature a breakdown of a single song or jam from a show that I’ve attended. I’ll pick a song or jam for any given reason—it was the highlight of the show, it meant something special to me, it's widely renown--who knows? Mini-episodes are posted on a bi-weekly basis in between full episodes of Attendance Bias, when a guest and I will go over a full Phish show.Today's episode focuses on "Down with Disease," played on 2/21/03 at the U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio. This show was the first of two nights in Cincinnati, and my first shows back from the band's hiatus. It was a cold, windy, rainy weekend in Cincy and my first time seeing Phish in the midwest. I was excited to get back into the groove of Phish shows, and even moreso by going on a roadtrip from college in Buffalo. My roommate and I went to both nights in the Blue Chip City,  and the run has only grown in stature since 2003.  Most people agree that the next night, 2/22, is musically superior to the first night, but I tend to enjoy night one better. The jams may not have been superior but it was more of a straight-up rock show, which I like. This "DwD" is from the first set of night 1, and has a big jam that would be my introduction to the 2.0 sound. Phish was on fire during this "comeback" tour, and great jams were being thrown at us, left and right. Between the guitar theatrics, the "bliss" vibes, and the proto-electronica ending, this version of my most-heard song set the table for what I could expect at the best of times over the next year-and-a-half.AUD recording for this episode: Down with Disease, Cincy, 2003Support the show

Send us Fan MailIf you've been into the Phish scene for any amount of time, you've heard of, or been to a PhanArt show. For years, artists have creators have sold their wares outside of venues but it wasn't until relatively recently that they've had a localized, organized location to set up shop.  And who got this whole shebang organized? Pete Mason--otherwise known as PhanArt Pete.  For today's episode of Attendance Bias, Pete chose Phish's legendary show on 7/29/03 at the Starlake Amphitheater in Burgettestown, Pennsylvania. This show was a major peak of Phish's 2.0 era, and if you weren't around at the time, it's hard to communicate just how crazy and unexpected the setlist was. Filled with rarities, bustouts, and era-defining jams, it was a show that went deep.For today's show, I would like to emphasize two things:For every download and listen today's show gets through Friday 11/20, I will donate $1 to Trey's Divided Sky Fund, up to $500. The donation will be made during The Beacon Jams on 11/20.Pete is not letting the coronavirus pandemic get in the way of connecting artists to their fans. There will be a virtual PhanArt show this coming Saturday, 11/14 at PhanArt.net. More info available at that site.Please don't forget to share, rate, and review Attendance Bias wherever you get your podcasts. Enjoy!This week's audio: 7/29/03 @ Star Lake Amphitheater, Burgettstown, PASupport the show