Northeast of Burlington, hovering a few inches above the ground...
As I wandered down that dimly lit street in Garden City, LI, I didn't care what was going to happen over the course of the next few hours, days... I knew that there would be many long nights ahead, and I felt prepared... as best I could. I prepared to experience with open heart the last show.
The next few days were a blur... Brian's voice from time to time, an RV full of crazed lunatics throwing cocktails down in the same gulp as amphetamines... from the minute Brian and I hit the road (1 a.m) I was in and out (mostly out) until sometime in the middle of the following morning. During that time, we had crossed NY and Vermont, and were within a short distance of Coventry. I woke from my delirium ready for progress, englightenment, aderol. I was ready to start inducing the kine experience the would bring me to the state of emotion experienced on Sunday afternoon after their first set.
We hit Coventry mid-day on Friday and six miles outside the venue, we came to a stop. For the next 14 hours, we watched the unfolding of the "shakedown" as people danced up and down the line of cars selling everything they brought in their medicine bags, like mushrooms and gonga food. I took advantage of a pleasant mushroom vendor, and began the mokshi magic. There were cars behind us had come from the interstate, and had already been sitting in traffic since the previous night... we considered ourselves fortunate. At some point, the surreality of the situation overcame any frustrations that would arise from sitting in a line of cars that did not move for hours on end.
By 12am on Saturday morning, we suddenly made incredible progress, and within minutes, had driven the remaining 5 miles to the entrance. In another two hours, we were finally on the field where we would make our home for the next few days. The RV with which we caravaned was sent to the airstrip, while we were left free to get completely swallowed in the mud pits hiding underneath the friendly-looking, saturated fields. And we did just that - Brian has since learned to keep his momentum when driving through the mud... our Jeep became a landmark for others to use in their treks to find water and portojohns.
During the day, Brian and I got interviewed by a group putting together some footage for a documentary. We had spent much of the day in the shakedown, cruising around the RV, checking out the various vendors, and listening to the people at work... yelling "liquid", "mushroom chocolates", "headies", "who's got my yay-oh" and much more. There was one dude running around in a black top hat, with a white dress coat and dark shorts chanting "I've got LSD", and as people would approach him, he wielded his liquid enlightenment and dosed the crowd. It was quite the scene.
The first day of the show was enduring... we had to get accustomed to making the trek through the various mudpits en route to the stage. Many people, in hopes of staying only mildly muddy, made use of the palettes set up as a sidewalk through the first mudpit. We had no such interest... we charged those mudpits barefoot and happy, and easily made the trek through the multiple bogs until we got within site of the stage. That night we also got used to standing through three sets in soft, squishy mud. From 6pm until 2am, we stood in throngs of tens of thousands. By the third set, I was getting tired, losing my buzz, and found it hard to keep focused on the music. I was dead tired by the end of the night and was ready to make it back to the tents for rest.
We caught up with the rest of the pack at the RV on our way back to the campsite. At some point, Mike Gordon appeared out of nowhere riding in a golf cart down the shakedown and passed right by our RV. The majority of the crowd didn't seem to notice him as he rode by, and I thought how cool that he's out here with us, checking out the shakedown.
Mike Gordon was ill, musically, and shined for both days of the show. I do have vivid memories of Trey and Gordon playing these amazing musical dialogues... I gained incredible respect for him as a musician this weekend. He also maintained such presence and grace during the show, and in my humble opinion, was the star of the show. He gave us his all, musically and emotionally.
Trey, on the other hand, left a lot to be desired, musically. This was the first show in which he was slipping off rhythm, and made some noticeable mistakes. It's important to note that the second day was very emotional, and his lack of tightness was probably attributable to his emotional state of mind... or the incredible amount of drugs that he does. He even made a comment to the crowd that he has never ever been nervous for a show... and he was a little nervous for this one.
This show, although not nearly as musically tight as others, had a different and incredible effect... it was emotional, passionately so. We shared such a beautiful, expresssive moment with the band when they gave us, their phans, their unconditional love and gratefulness for all the we endured this weekend, and for all the support we have given over the years. You could see that they were touched by our commitment to be there.
As for me, it all came together in the rock garden between the first and second set on the second day. Brian and I had split up at the food stands, and from that point, I wandered to the playground where I expected to see Eric. I found the appointed silver moose, but no Eric. So I wandered back to the rock garden, and as I was admiring the little wooden house, with wire trees blowing in the wind on either side of it, and people perched atop, I got a phonecall... from Pete!
It couldn't have been better timed. The mix of medicine that I had taken over the past few days had come to a perfect balance with my body's chemistry, and I was feeling so incredibly grounded while still hovering a few inches high. As I expressed my enthusiasm to hear his voice, and shared with him that sacred moment, I saw Brian sitting on a rock just a few feet away from me! It was perfect.
Brian and I went down towards the stage where we expected to meet up with others in advance of the second set, and found this awesome space near a light tower on a solid surface. We staked our claim, and soon met a kid named Justin who wanted to share his opium with us... way cool. Soon the second set started, and you can read about it from the last posting. It was raining phish.
I think now back to that rock garden, where I found my peace of mind. There is nothing in the world that I would trade for that moment, hovering just a few inches over the ground.
As I wandered down that dimly lit street in Garden City, LI, I didn't care what was going to happen over the course of the next few hours, days... I knew that there would be many long nights ahead, and I felt prepared... as best I could. I prepared to experience with open heart the last show.
The next few days were a blur... Brian's voice from time to time, an RV full of crazed lunatics throwing cocktails down in the same gulp as amphetamines... from the minute Brian and I hit the road (1 a.m) I was in and out (mostly out) until sometime in the middle of the following morning. During that time, we had crossed NY and Vermont, and were within a short distance of Coventry. I woke from my delirium ready for progress, englightenment, aderol. I was ready to start inducing the kine experience the would bring me to the state of emotion experienced on Sunday afternoon after their first set.
We hit Coventry mid-day on Friday and six miles outside the venue, we came to a stop. For the next 14 hours, we watched the unfolding of the "shakedown" as people danced up and down the line of cars selling everything they brought in their medicine bags, like mushrooms and gonga food. I took advantage of a pleasant mushroom vendor, and began the mokshi magic. There were cars behind us had come from the interstate, and had already been sitting in traffic since the previous night... we considered ourselves fortunate. At some point, the surreality of the situation overcame any frustrations that would arise from sitting in a line of cars that did not move for hours on end.
By 12am on Saturday morning, we suddenly made incredible progress, and within minutes, had driven the remaining 5 miles to the entrance. In another two hours, we were finally on the field where we would make our home for the next few days. The RV with which we caravaned was sent to the airstrip, while we were left free to get completely swallowed in the mud pits hiding underneath the friendly-looking, saturated fields. And we did just that - Brian has since learned to keep his momentum when driving through the mud... our Jeep became a landmark for others to use in their treks to find water and portojohns.
During the day, Brian and I got interviewed by a group putting together some footage for a documentary. We had spent much of the day in the shakedown, cruising around the RV, checking out the various vendors, and listening to the people at work... yelling "liquid", "mushroom chocolates", "headies", "who's got my yay-oh" and much more. There was one dude running around in a black top hat, with a white dress coat and dark shorts chanting "I've got LSD", and as people would approach him, he wielded his liquid enlightenment and dosed the crowd. It was quite the scene.
The first day of the show was enduring... we had to get accustomed to making the trek through the various mudpits en route to the stage. Many people, in hopes of staying only mildly muddy, made use of the palettes set up as a sidewalk through the first mudpit. We had no such interest... we charged those mudpits barefoot and happy, and easily made the trek through the multiple bogs until we got within site of the stage. That night we also got used to standing through three sets in soft, squishy mud. From 6pm until 2am, we stood in throngs of tens of thousands. By the third set, I was getting tired, losing my buzz, and found it hard to keep focused on the music. I was dead tired by the end of the night and was ready to make it back to the tents for rest.
We caught up with the rest of the pack at the RV on our way back to the campsite. At some point, Mike Gordon appeared out of nowhere riding in a golf cart down the shakedown and passed right by our RV. The majority of the crowd didn't seem to notice him as he rode by, and I thought how cool that he's out here with us, checking out the shakedown.
Mike Gordon was ill, musically, and shined for both days of the show. I do have vivid memories of Trey and Gordon playing these amazing musical dialogues... I gained incredible respect for him as a musician this weekend. He also maintained such presence and grace during the show, and in my humble opinion, was the star of the show. He gave us his all, musically and emotionally.
Trey, on the other hand, left a lot to be desired, musically. This was the first show in which he was slipping off rhythm, and made some noticeable mistakes. It's important to note that the second day was very emotional, and his lack of tightness was probably attributable to his emotional state of mind... or the incredible amount of drugs that he does. He even made a comment to the crowd that he has never ever been nervous for a show... and he was a little nervous for this one.
This show, although not nearly as musically tight as others, had a different and incredible effect... it was emotional, passionately so. We shared such a beautiful, expresssive moment with the band when they gave us, their phans, their unconditional love and gratefulness for all the we endured this weekend, and for all the support we have given over the years. You could see that they were touched by our commitment to be there.
As for me, it all came together in the rock garden between the first and second set on the second day. Brian and I had split up at the food stands, and from that point, I wandered to the playground where I expected to see Eric. I found the appointed silver moose, but no Eric. So I wandered back to the rock garden, and as I was admiring the little wooden house, with wire trees blowing in the wind on either side of it, and people perched atop, I got a phonecall... from Pete!
It couldn't have been better timed. The mix of medicine that I had taken over the past few days had come to a perfect balance with my body's chemistry, and I was feeling so incredibly grounded while still hovering a few inches high. As I expressed my enthusiasm to hear his voice, and shared with him that sacred moment, I saw Brian sitting on a rock just a few feet away from me! It was perfect.
Brian and I went down towards the stage where we expected to meet up with others in advance of the second set, and found this awesome space near a light tower on a solid surface. We staked our claim, and soon met a kid named Justin who wanted to share his opium with us... way cool. Soon the second set started, and you can read about it from the last posting. It was raining phish.
I think now back to that rock garden, where I found my peace of mind. There is nothing in the world that I would trade for that moment, hovering just a few inches over the ground.
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