When I heard Phish was breaking up I was on a condo bed in Falmouth, MA listening to Tortoise’s opus It’s All Around You. The windows and doors were open to let the sea air in. The sky was foreboding grey, a hue that would loom over Cape Cod for the duration of that day. I will never forget how I felt that moment. And like today, October 1 2008, I will never forget the barrage of texts I got at 8:01 am when I turned my phone on. The air was crisp and really starting to feel like the fall. The White Sox clinched a playoff birth the night before with a very dramatic finish at The Cell. The election was in full swing with a focus on our ever diminishing economy. Our community was ready for some good news which is exactly what we got.

And this news took me way back. Back to my living room window in the fall of ‘96. My sister saw a Fed Ex truck park in front of my house and took off running out the front door to basically tackle the driver for our Fall ‘96 tour tickets. She hits a spot of wet leaves at full speed and takes a mean digger. The driver knew this sort of behavior to be the norm at the Wilby house when tickets were arriving but hit the ground laughing all the same. There is just a feeling of anticipation you can’t describe.

That is the innocence of “The Presale”. Not one note has been played. Hotel rooms start getting booked. Travel plans start their evolution towards full blown ragers. Old friends are telephoned to rehash war stories and lay plans for the wars on the horizon. For all we know and truly believe in our hearts…these are the best shows they will ever play. The boys are getting back together and that, for this interval of innocence, is the ONLY thing that matters. You can’t get this moment of time back. Once those first notes are hit, the inevitable hate train will go back on course, ready to chastise the band at every wrong note or blown transition. But now….now is the golden age of anticipation. All is good. All is forgiven.

READ ON for more of Wade’s thoughts on the comeback of Phish…

A playoff intensity surrounds the infamous Phish lottery, and October only magnifies that tenfold. The criss crossing of phone calls to every possible outlet, friend, friend of friend, parent, uncle, cousins twice removed is often interrupted by scores of texts exclaiming “Boy Man God Shit” and “Its All Hamptoning”. Parents are re-instructed on the dos and don’ts of the process and yes Mom…If we get them I will take my sister. Each opponent brings their cunning and community into the battle and even though the spirit of camaraderie is high…it is truly every hippie for themselves. The Battle for October begins.

On behalf of everyone at Hidden Track I would like to congratulate Phish on their return to touring and congratulate Big Red for getting through what will probably be the most trying period of time in his life. Thanks for the memories. See you in Hampton.