Above: Writer John D. Holton with his wife, Dawn Moore, at an outdoor Phish show.
By John D. Holton
What is that hum? Is that the crowd or the electricity of anticipation coursing through me? The lights go down, the audience roars. We have lift off!
Phish has taken the stage…
Every time I get to see Phish perform live, it’s an exhilarating adventure. You never know what to expect, and that’s one of the reasons I keep coming back. For me, going to a Phish show is like celebrating your birthday with 20,000 of your closest friends.
A good friend introduced me to Phish’s music in 1992, and by the time I saw my first show in 1993, I was hooked. Now after 30 years, and having attended well over 200 shows, I’m grateful for the journey.
On August 15-18, Phish will be holding a festival the band is calling Mondegreen at The Woodlands in Dover. It will be their first time returning to Delaware since 1994 and the first Phish festival since 2015, which alone is a big deal. The fact that this is happening right here in our backyard is super exciting for me. If you’re not as familiar with Phish as I am, here are a few reasons I think you should be excited, too.
Phish is Legendary
On New Year’s Eve 12/31/23, Phish celebrated 40 years as of the premier touring bands on the planet. Enduring longer than some of the greatest bands in recent history, Phish continues to achieve new heights in the mastery of their craft — distinguishing themselves as the industry standard.
Songs take flight at Phish’s recent New Year’s Eve show at Madison Square Garden. Photo by Mike Doris.
Phish was founded in 1983 at the University of Vermont by guitarist Trey Anastasio, bassist Mike Gordon, drummer Jon Fishman, and guitarist Jeff Holdsworth (keyboardist Page McConnell would join in 1985 and Holdsworth would depart in 1986).
The self-proclaimed music nerds held their first show in a cafeteria in front of only a handful of people.
Despite the modest start, bigger things were in store for the band. Over the next 15 years, the band released seven albums and toured tirelessly — to great success. In 1999, more than 80,000 fans gathered for Phish’s Big Cypress New Year’s festival in Florida. To date, they have performed more than 1,700 live shows worldwide.
In April, Phish will be the second band to perform at The Sphere in Las Vegas, performing four sold-out shows.
Phish is an Experience
Phish creates performances wrought with virtuosic musicianship, intricately choreographed light effects, and sometimes the pageantry of a show one would expect to see in a Broadway theater.
Working in lockstep with their light designer Chris Kuroda — often called the fifth member of the band — Phish creates a landscape of sight and sound. They dazzle with cerebral compositions both manic and melodic, topped with mystical-themed lyricism that can move from intensely profound to nonsensical and full of whimsy.
Always on display is the band’s sense of humor, with their silly stage antics and comical gags. On special occasions they pull out all the stops, incorporating dance troupes, acrobatic high-wire acts, guest performers and elaborate set design. As they incorporate genres of rock, jazz, prog-rock, reggae, and funk into their improvisational jams, no two shows are ever alike.
All of this makes a live Phish performance something that needs to be experienced to be truly understood.
Phish is a Community
Devotedly following a band for this long is certainly an investment, the dividend being Phish’s indisputable commitment to their fans.
Trey Anastasio (front) and Phish actively work to foster a sense of community among their intensely loyal fan base. Photo by Rene Humer.
Phish will be the first to tell you how much their community of fans means to them, and they actively try to foster that sense of community. From their overarching message of love and hope to their many partnerships with community groups and non-profit organizations, the band has fermented a base of fans that genuinely care for one another and the world we live in.
We bask in the comradery, reveling in the common interest of coming together to dance and sing, and be our carefree selves. Being yourself is not only accepted but encouraged, and all are welcome. Through this band, I have forged some of my most endearing friendships and have had some of my happiest moments. Ultimately, it’s this that keeps me coming back. And as long as they continue to perform, I will keep showing up.
I’ll be attending all four nights of the Phish festival at The Woodlands. And if you are new to Phish, I encourage you to dip your toe and listen to a few songs. Or, better yet, jump into the deep end and come to the festival.
Join us and surrender to the flow. I’ll see you there!
— Tickets for Mondegreen, the four-day Phish Festival at The Woodlands in Dover are now on sale. Visit Mondegreen.Phish.com.
