Photos by Ryan Swerdlin, Recap by Max Stewart
Phish are truly like no other band in the world. No major radio play or singles to draw the crowds. It is all about the experience of the live show and fans continually being drawn in by the uniqueness of each set. It really is an immersive experience like nothing else. I have a broad array of musical interests that include jazz to metal to bluegrass to new wave to … you get the picture. I attend live shows manically and love nothing more than seeing what a musician has to offer in person. What Phish does, however, is something in a category of its own and breeds legions of fans that follow the band on tour every year.
The late-great Harris Wittels, comedic writer and Phish superfan put the obsession around the band best in his interview with Steven Hyden:
This summer tour has continued to prove why Phish is the leader in musical improvisation and mesmerizing concert experiences. The three sold-out nights in Alpharetta were magical, with so many highlights that included “Ruby Waves” on Friday, “Tweezer” being the centerpiece on Saturday, and “You Enjoy Myself” on Sunday for the first time in Georgia in 20 years.
Having seen them many times, I am continually blown away by how they remain elite and seemingly top themselves with every tour. I attended the show alongside a few first-timers, who definitely were amazed by the full show. One was a doctor who plays jazz piano and described the peaking moments of the jams as “spiritual.”
The other was fellow Live Music Daily contributor and massive live music fan, Tyler Sterling, who described his first Phish show brilliantly: “Going to my first Phish show felt like joining a secret club with no password. The mythology behind the music can be intimidating for some newcomers, but all the other noise sort of falls away once they start playing. The way they maneuvered between sonic tapestries felt completely lawless. It looked just as effortless as it looked difficult.”
Well said. Phish takes fans to that place, time and time again. And in their 40th year as a band (!), they are continuing to draw new fans and bring the veterans back for more.
