gate crashing at phish?

[Freeker]

JUST GOT BACK FROM COVENTRY

1st, can I email someone some pics? I don't know what to do with them. They aren't much, but they may help you get an idea what to expect? Thanks in advance.

Well, my wife and I just got back from are second trip there. I'll try to make it simple.

1) Beautiful country. I went to Clifford Ball and the Went and this site is already my favorite. The country is beautiful

2) I was surprised that not much is going on up there. It's less than a month away and only about a dozen people seemed to be working.

3) Some of us will DEFINITELY be camping next to the dump. It's a fact and I have picture to prove it. It seems like the 1st people there will be the ones parked next to the dump. Oh, well.

4)I still believe that Phish may have UNDER SOLD the show. This place is small.

5) Unlike CB and The Went...this show WILL be in peoples back yard. It's a fact. The impact on the locals will be greater than any other big fest.

6) I'm still confused about the the actual site for the show. Parking and camping will be on the airport grounds and the concert is across the street, this I know. However, the site seems SO small. At past fests, all the fun was inside the show. This time, the concert site seems like it will be JUST that, the concert site. I don't see much room for much else.

7) The show site is on a hill and somewhat like a natural ampitheater. The grass is long, I hope they mow it.

8) Cell phone coverage at the site and that's it. However, I listened to them talk about putting up "towers" on Wednesday or Thursday.

9) THERE IS NOTHING IN COVENTRY. I only see one gas station. I don't see how this show is gonna pump millions into the local economy. Phish and the production company may, but the fans will not. Nothing for us to spend money on. Maybe I'm missing something.

10) I hate to say it, but I TOLD YOU SO. I knew Phish wasn't going to let that guy sell campsites "overlooking" the concert. This guy is going to confuse things and Phish knows it. I posted a thread about this a week ago and got flamed. However, "in fact we are making every effort to stop or limit the scope of their activities."

Why? To help stop the ticketless. Just my opinion.

11) Watched a funny interaction between the Phish crew and a local. A little 8 year old girl was questioning them about her dog. This girl lives right next to the airport. Her bike is on the ground next to her house in the photo. Anyways, she wanted to know who tied her dog to a tree. Her name was Taylor (I think) and she was PISSED!!! She cornered the head dude from the production company and wanted answers. Well, it turns out the dog was a little "too friendly" and they were afraid it would get in the way. So they tied him up. Keep in mind, some of the crew are staying at her house. The whole thing ended with her driving away on her bike and yelling "I'm telling my daddy". We all got a good laugh.

12) The lease for the land has yet to go into effect. Therefore it was easy to get on the land and take a couple of pics. Once the lease is in effect...it will be a new ballgame.

[elemeno]

There's a really simple fu©king message here:

***Don't go near a show without tickets***

If people weren't so lazy, selfish and irresponsible, none of this would be a concern.

wheres my rolls eyes smile face when i need it.

[MarcO]

I'm wrong?

[Tooly]

il be there sellin heady-dank ganja grilled cheeses and bunk rolls outside the gates of course, until they come down that is

[elemeno]

no marco your not wrong at all. in fact your right on.

but understand people have been showing up for sold out shows since the first olympics in athens. its part of the scene like it or not.

[paisley]

if you're on tour, you're on tour... I'd say the warnings are mostly to keep the curious and the occasionals away who've heard you can just walk around outside the show and get a free or near to free ticket... and for legal purposes... by sunday things will probably be pretty relaxed... its all well and fine to say I bought a ticket, screw you if you didn't... but people getting miracled and phriendly security were part of what won me over to the Dead scene and the scenes that have spawned from it

would Woodstock have been as historic if only the 186,000 people who had tickets showed up? the sense of community and acceptence that came from those half million people being stuck in that situation and making more than due are basically what evolved into the lifestyle many of us have come to hope for and have enjoyed in various forms

I agree that under no circumstances should thousands of people rush a fence, thats totally stupid and immature... more the actions you'd expect at a hardcore punk show or a soccer riot... but if some young hearts want to roll their dice and take the chance I won't knock them... even if you ended up stuck in camp it'd be a hell of a party amongst a hell of a crowd... gotta dream sometimes

personally I'll be saving my nickels for Evolve and Labour Day Come Together

I ain't goin but I think its ridiculous to believe for a second that there aren't 30,000 kids who totally love phish, didn't score a ticket and are going to head that direction like muslims to mecca... if it was the Grateful Dead's "announced" last show I'd definately be going, just to be there to say goodbye

[MarcO]

Oh, I understand that. Thank you Jay for agreeing with me.

I guess it's an obvious thing to point out but it's been a problem for so long - I know we're both old enough to remember what some Grateful Dead ticketless scenes were like - that it's frustrating that lessons don't seem to get learnt. Sorry for the rant, it's compounded by 12+ years of watching this problem unfold over and over again, and now here we go again.

I know it's part of the scene but it really only works in practice when the band isn't so red-hot when it comes to ticket sales.

[elemeno]

paisley says it best.

[MarcO]

you know, he usually does!

[paisley]

its the first announced last show from a band I've heard of since things like The Last Waltz or the half dozen last Who tours... its a different level of respect than just making the next show

(aw shucks... g'night... why's it so bright out?)

[secondtube]

just pisses me off that people got every opportunity, and MORE, to get tickets...and some still didn't.

They announced it was going to be their last show ever. They even announced when tickets were almost gone...

tickets were on sale for over a month! i dont feel sorry for a single person w/out a ticket.

If you dont have a ticket for coventry, ITS YOUR FAULT!

NOT PHISH!!!

[dancingbear]

Paisley sure has a way with words and i agree with him.

I am definitely against gate crashing. But all for ingenuity (sp?). there's one guy who has been to the last 20 or so superbowls with no ticket. I mean for as much as our scene inspires, there is no doubt that without a ticket i would be scheming away...thinking of something that would get me in in, peacefully yet full of deceit.

I do wish however they just picked a grand venue, where everyone who wanted a ticket could get one. Even though tickets were on sale for a month, there is no doubt a scattered handful of true heads, because of various life circumstances, were left out in the cold (lot). NO doubt this would increase vastly the amount of 'partiers' but isn't the saying better nine partiers get in than one head be left out?

In all, I guess I say crash stealthingly.

whirled peas,

dancingbear

p.s. could someone please reply...an insecurtiy is creeping

over me as a thread ender.....

[paisley]

guess I'll see you in the lot at Coventry then dancingbear! lol

(to save you killing the thread)

[Freeker]

BY ROBIN SMITH, Staff Writer

Tuesday July 20, 2004

NEWPORT CITY VERMONT

State police are gearing for a significant increase in people coming to the area because of the Phish fest - but without tickets.

Police are working with promoters to rent overflow camping spaces outside the festival at the Newport State Airport in Coventry Aug. 14-15, said Lt. Tom Hanlon, commander of the Derby barracks.

He is responsible for law enforcement outside the festival, and has asked for extra deputies on duty around Orleans County.

"Being station commander I have a responsibility to the residents," Hanlon said in an impromptu discussion Monday night with the Newport City Council.

More than 70,000 tickets have been sold. But the news that Phish intends to disband after the festival has intensified fan interest.

Festival-goers are being encouraged to enter the festival site and not leave - with promoters providing all services and goods inside the site.

Festival-goers will bring tents, mobile homes and trailers.

People who have attended past festivals say they don't want to leave once they get in.

The state's liquor control department is working to make sure alcohol can be purchased inside, so people don't have to travel looking for it, Hanlon said.

But promoters told state police that as many as 10 percent might leave the site over the course of the long weekend. If non-ticket holders just show up to camp and party - or try to walk into the festival - that number alone could double the 30,000 population of Orleans County, Hanlon said.

That is a worst-case scenario, but he said he has to have the manpower to handle the worst.

They don't want people coming without tickets to just park and camp anywhere, but be directed to temporary camping areas.

City councilors, who had asked city police Chief J. Paul Duquette to explain the impact on the city, got more information about the Phish festival than they bargained for.

Councilor Paul Monette said he worries about people getting to Newport City and then discovering they cannot get to the festival from here. He worried about gridlock in the city's already busy downtown along Lake Memphremagog's southern shore.

Duquette and Hanlon said the signs will make it clear that access to the festival site is limited to two main routes: Interstate 91 to Exit 26, at Orleans and then Route 5 to Airport Road; or Route 100 and Route 14 to Route 5 from the west.

Other routes will be closed to festival traffic.

Locals will find the traffic backups on I-91 and Route 5 amazing, but the festival-goers won't, Hanlon said. "These folks are used to this."

Some state police officers have warned that traffic on I-91 could be backed up over Sheffield Heights on Aug. 13. But Hanlon said don't be surprised if it slows as far south as Bradford, citing the 65-mile traffic jams Maine experienced during past festivals.

The border with Canada is another concern.

On some days, truck traffic is heavy on I-91, and backs up in both directions at the U.S.-Canadian border.

The I-91 port of entry in Derby Line is the busiest truck port in northern New England.

State police are working with border and customs agents to alert trucking companies and drivers they may want to use an alternate route, especially on the high Phish traffic days of Aug. 12 and 13 and again on Aug. 16.

Why Coventry?

Councilors asked city businessman and Coventry Selectman Mike Marcotte why the band picked Coventry.

Marcotte said Phish was adamant about having its last festival in Vermont. The band came to Coventry in 1997 to look at the open fields, he said.

[MoMack]

Trey picked a small VT venue because he wants to beat Woodstock! Meglomaniac... hehehe.