The B List: Oh The Places You’ll Go
One of the the things I miss most about Phish is summer tour. In addition to the music, summer tour always provided an opportunity to see parts of the country I never would have if not for the concerts. Just take a few days off from work, hop in the car and the hit the road. Next thing you know you are in the middle of nowhere with 15,000 other fans at 4 pm on a Wednesday drinking a Sierra Nevada.
For this week’s B List, I put together a quick list of four cities that I never would have stepped foot in if not for Phish Summer Tour. Let’s take a look…
George, WA
July 16, 17, 1998
July 12, 13, 2003
One of the most beautiful sights I ever witnessed on Phish tour was this incredible venue situated just above the Columbia River in Central Washington. Chances are if you’re in George, you’re there for a concert cause there ain’t a whole lot going on otherwise. The venue offers breathtaking views of the Columbia River, as well as the surrounding areas. Both sets of shows I saw at the Gorge were great, including being front row in front of Page for the 7-16-98 show, but the venue itself was the true star. On-site camping, soft grass, and plenty of fan vendors (who aren’t harrassed by security) made this one of the most desirable venues in the country. If you were willing to make the trek to the Gorge, you were not disappointed.
READ ON for more of Luke’s list of out the way locales…
Burgettstown, PA
July 29, 2003
[Photo by Libby McLinn for Phish.com]
My favorite outdoor shed venue sits just about halfway between Erie and Pittsburgh. With beautiful trees lining the lawn and the friendliest venue staff I’ve ever encountered, the venue formerly known as Star Lake provides a unique visual in comparison to most amphitheaters. It’s also the site of several great Phish shows including this bustout-palooza from 2003. The 8-13-97 Gumbo from Star Lake is probably the best version ever played. Without any other Phish-sized venues nearby, Burgettstown was always a place that required extra driving and the band always made it worth the trip.
Antioch, TN
June 22, 2000
It was only about 96 degrees with 90 percent humidity on this night as Phish opened up the US leg of their summer tour after tearing it up in Japan. Located about 20 miles from Nashville, Antioch’s southern feel provided a great setting for a twangy guest-packed show highlighted by Wynonna Judd, celebrating the one year anniversary of her divorce, belting out Freebird. Despite some initial tech problems with Mike’s bass during First Tube, the show was a doozie and a great way to start the summer. The band also endured a treacherous thunder and lightning storm at this venue in 1999 that forced them to cut the 2nd set short.
Volney, NY
July 17, 18, 1999
[Ticket Stub via Phish.com]
The hottest and dustiest festival in Phish history took place at the Oswego County Airport, five hours from New York City, in what truly felt like the middle of nowhere. Unlike the other festivals, this one didn’t take place at the end of a tour so attendance wasn’t as high and traffic wasn’t as bad. But there was enough dirt for all the Phish fans on the planet. As usual, we just walked through it, inhaled it, slept on it and otherwise dealt with it. Musically, the band did not disappoint with two days of solid Phish and each show clocking in at just under three hours. Trey was especially heavy on the nonsensical banter during set III of the second night. Special guests included Son Seals and the Del McCoury Band. Also of note this weekend was the plane crash fatality of John F. Kennedy, Jr.
What are some cities you would have never visited if it wasn’t for The Phish? Let us know by leaving a comment below…
Friday, November 14, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Might have to retire it at the even dozen.
Monday, March 23, 2009 at 9:42 pm
I second the love for Star Lake (please, don’t call it Post-Gazette, under any circumstances). Good to see it getting its props. I never would have seen East Troy, WI, if not for Alpine . . . what a freakin trek that is.