Ladies Room

Okay, you guessed it, I am no longer naïve to the Phish scene. On Feb 26th, 2003 my fiancé brought me to my first Phish show at the Worcester Centrum. It was my 1st...his 40th.

Like a virgin, my man got me all liquored up at a local watering hole just after work so I would be primed for the event. Pre-show, I was also introduced to a bunch of his phriends and soon we were all merrily buzzing with excitement. Minutes into a conversation with some of his buds, my man scores a single ticket to the next show on Long Island. Before I knew it, money was exchanged and he was psyched, I was in awe.

When we leave the bar, it’s freezing, and we find mass chaos as we try to get into the venue soon after the "doors open" at the Centrum. Within a minute, I slide through the "woman only" line. I get a quick pat down and I’m in. My man however, he gets lost among the hordes of men waiting in an ill-formed queue.

Inside, I wander into another line and grab two beers. My man and I track each other down via cell phones and it’s time to wait in yet another line, the restroom. I make it back under the neon sign, our meeting place, and he returns 10 minutes later. I don’t know what was happening in the men’s room, but the ratio of men to women may have caused the delay. As I was waiting, I think, whoa, maybe he wanted to keep these Phish experiences to himself. Doubt and worry cross my mind; there is no way I can get out of this situation now. In the next instance, I can’t wait to meet the other "love" in my man’s life, plus I want to see what all the hype is about. My thoughts are silently ringing as we head to our seats. As we move through the assembly, my man tugs on my arm and shouts in my ear that he is so happy that I’m here with him. Awww.

We find two seats that are in the general vicinity to the number printed on our tickets and we sit. I look around and take in the crowd. The gals wear flowing shirts, headbands, braids, and funky jewelry, and the men are dressed in a relatively similar style. Many folks in the place, myself included, have small, bright orange circle stickers on their clothing, apparently the result of some overzealous phan who works produce at a Supermarket. As I settle in, my companion turns and asks, ‘are you ready for this?’

The lights go down, the instruments sound up, and the band leaps on stage. The opening song blares. I don’t know the words or the tune, but I’m finding "the groove." Then Trey and Mike, they jump in unison on mini-trampolines while singing and playing their guitars. My first live song gets me moving. I’m out of my seat, dancing like a child. I like the action, the rhythms, and the light show. Note to self, Phish opened with You Enjoy Myself, yet the only way I would really recognize the song would be seeing it once again.

The opening set kept me interested. I didn’t know then, but this show had stumped even the truest Phish phans since the band incorporated several of the members solo act songs. Ultimately of course, I was hoping to hear an old favorite like, "Bounce Around the Room" (like you weren’t at your first show) or "Rift" or even "Bathtub Gin", but the band skipped these numbers this night. As the night drew on, I meet each new lengthy trance with enthusiasm. I was also expecting the show to end at 11pm. I was planning to run to the freezing cold parking lot and find myself one of these veggie burritos that my fiancé promised to buy me if I stayed through the whole show. Come to find out, as the lights go on, we’re only through the first set. The band takes a break and we take a seat and I reflect on the first part on the show. I liked it. It’s not what I expected. It’s hard to explain.

As the group comes out for the second set, I catch music that sounds sometimes recognizable, but mostly strange. I swing and sway, I hop and I bob. I watch the light show and follow the movements that are all around me. When the second set ended, I admit I was tired. My man winks and says, hehe, ‘they’ll be coming back for an encore.’ At the end of the night, the remake of "Loving Cup" sums up my night, and it’s a song from the Rolling Stones, and I know it - well, I know the refrain. Yippee. I finally get to sing out loud and wave my arms with the crowd!

It’s after midnight when we emerge from the Centrum. We run around the building to get to our car. There are no vendors out tonight. No burrito for me. As a consolation, we hit the all night McDonald’s before we drive home, pleasantly fatigued. I survived.

On Friday night, I find that I’m actually a bit envious of my man. He was at the Long Island show and I was out with some pals bar-hopping in Boston. Figures, he calls and tells me Phish played all my favorites (well, the songs that I know a bit of the tune) at that show. Now I’m learning that is why you fans don’t want to miss a show. Through the week, I began reading the reviews and I couldn’t wait to hear about the set list and what the critics thought. Laughing, my man announces to me, no more shows till summer. I’m in disbelief. I must wait and try for tickets when Phish returns to New England.

No, I’m not hooked, I just need another dose and then I’ll be satisfied. Isn’t that what you said after one show?