Will there be another?

[The Chameleon]

SO I was on the road the other day listening to a very hot "Twist Around" from Vegas and the jam was smokin'. It got me to thinking of the days on the road, all the friendly faces, the parking lot scenes and cross country travel etc...

I wonder if there will ever be another band in Canada or the US that will emerge to unite the scene the way Phish did and the Dead did before them?

Sure there are many great bands, making killer music, today but they do not have the draw to get folks following them the way these bands did...

It has been a few years since the end of Phish and I wonder if that type of scene is gone forever?

What was it about the Dead and Phish that brought so many different people together from all corners of North America and beyond, and why isn't that happening today with some other band, to the degree it was......

Missing those days....your thoughts...?

[jayr]

In my opinion there are a ton of great bands out there but none that are as original/inventive or as talented (that I've heard) as Phish was. I mean really they pulled out all the stops and I dont know if any other band will be able to do that without completely ripping them off (or having a team working around the clock figuring out cool ass ideas that Phish didn't already do). I really think it was more than just the music. Also, Phish began picking up steam while the Dead were still in action, unfortunately in my opinion there was nobody there with that kind of thing happening to that extent while Phish was still playing to take over such a big scene after they broke up. How I do miss Phish........Give it enough time and some band will come and make it happen again.

Edited July 19, 2007 by Guest

[Northern Wish]

I don't think it depends on the band alone, I think its a combination of many factors that propelled Phish to such a rise, and the Deads long run before them. I also think despite many similarities that both bands had very different forces working in their favour.

There will be another band to captivate all of the heads, but it may take another revolution of evolution (internet, travel or otherwise) before it can happen in that oh so special way.

In my life Phish was a perfect time and a place- and when they went on hiatus so did that part of my life. I needed a break and so did they, and it was a match made in heaven. Not saying I wouldn't go see a bunch of shows again if they came back, but I wouldn't do a run and it wouldn't change my life the way say Summer 98 did.

My .02

sean

[MarcO]

In my life Phish was a perfect time and a place- and when they went on hiatus so did that part of my life. I needed a break and so did they, and it was a match made in heaven. Not saying I wouldn't go see a bunch of shows again if they came back, but I wouldn't do a run and it wouldn't change my life the way say Summer 98 did.

awesomeness. I feel the same way.

I wouldn't say that "scene" is gone forever - like Christians and pedophiles, dirty wookies will always find a place and an event to get together at and throw glowsticks around and spin hula hoops and talk in mock Southern accents.

But will there be another band that will lead the way into arenas and festivals and stadiums? Who knows? I will say this, this time with no sarcasm or particular ill-will involved: there is no band on the radar that I can see or sense that is poised to take those reigns. I know, I know - "well, what about _________? I saw them late night at the 'roo and they blew the place up!". Sorry, the cultural and technological variables are not aligned to let that happen at this time. See, the Dead and Phish were *contrarians* at exactly the same time their audiences grew. No-one wanted prog-jazz-jam-rock in the 1980's-1990's but Phish single-mindedly furrowed a path. In the 1970's and 1980's, it wasn't really cool to be into the Dead (until 87 that is) but still, arenas and stadiums got filled.

What we're really seeing now is not Dead scene, Phish scene but a more overall spanning scene we could call the 'Roo scene. Instead of a central focal point for all that energy to flow into, out of and around, it now gets more evenly spread around so many bands that - while different - kind of rely on each other to create sums bigger than their individual parts. Therefore, none of them are contrarian, they are in sympatico, and ergo, things like the 'Roo exist and flourish.

Everything is so different, the whole concert industry has changed, everything from politics, to the price of gas, to the integration of the Web 2.0, all of that plays a part in these things and based on where we are now, today, it's hard to see a band on the horizon that is going to take it over the top.

Having said all of that, if you're a jamhead, enjoy this time while you can. There's no shortage of music to go see, at smaller places and with fair accessibility.

[Schwa.]

I just hope Phish reunites. Period.

The talent and "genre" are saturated with bands that play awesome music so the fans are more spread out....shrinking the touring population.

Phish was all about synergy too. They were truly greater than the sum of their parts, a true band.

PHISH COME BACK!

[bradm]

I agree wholeheartedly with what MarcO wrote; it eloquently expressed ideas I've had on this subject for a while now.

Aloha,

Brad

[AD]

it can never be the same obviously... looking back on it, the phish thing was quite fun - mailing in ticket orders, trading real physical cassette tapes with others, travelling crazy distances... plus even though I'm still young compared to lots on here, I was 10 years younger when i first started seeing phish. that boggles my mind.

now there are buzz bands every week, acquiring shows is fairly anonymous, tickets are bought instantly over the internet, there are very few (if any) newsletters (i loved the schvice).... it's all different.

phish philled a certain spot in my life and i'm very glad they did. but i wouldn't try to replicate it with any other band / cult.

[Jaimoe]

Question:

Does Phish's music (album, live recordings and DVD performances) date well to you 'heads'? It doesn't for me. I never feel the urge to play their music or watch my few Phish DVD's. I wish I did.

[PassedOutGuy]

works fine by me... lately ive been going in waves... been away from Phish for quite a while actually... most of my time in Alaska i didnt listen to much... been listening to moe. alot and a bunch of indie... but i always seem to get drawn back in time to time and feel like it was yesterday...

[Booche]

Does Phish's music (album, live recordings and DVD performances) date well to you 'heads'?

Some of it most certainly does but unlike years passed, I dont feel the need to hear every note they ever played. As stated above there is such an abundance of great bands on the plate thanks to the flow of information so I dont have alot of time for the bands that used to garner all my time.

Inspiration comes to me from so many other artists now and it all sounds so very fresh to these ears.

"Karma is a wonderful thang."

Getting back to the original question, I hope there will be something for the kids. I cant see why not.

[phorbesie]

yeah, there'll be another.

i'm glad i have the time in between to do other stuff though, cuz god knows i got nothing done when phish was around.

[AD]

i haven't listened to phish in at least a couple years, maybe more.

[Northern Wish]

It does not date well for me at all:

I still pop on Round Room from time to time but thats about it. The last show I listened to didn't make it past the first track split (it was a second set: 12.29.98)

Edited July 19, 2007 by Guest

[AD]

The last show I listened to didn't make it past the first track split (it was a second set: 12.29.98)

amazing how much the mind retains - the setlist immediately popped into my head when i read the date. i'm sure that happened to a lot of people here. i can't remember my dad's birthday but i sure do remember setlists to shows i've never heard or attended.

[phishtaper]

some might muse at the implication that Phish was the new Dead, just as much as some might laugh at the suggestion that X is the new Phish ... its all relative, and very subjective.

i first saw Phish before they exploded, and naturally compared them to the Dead. kinda the same, but way different. sure, something else may come along that provides us with a similar sort of experience but who knows what form it would take. the Dead and Phish were what they were - whatever that was for you, and you, and him, and her, and them, and us and me. just like the songs themselves, the ride was a personal journey for each of us. Im just glad I had a seat on the bus for a bit.

[Northern Wish]

In hindsight that was one of the best non-holiday sets I ever saw Phish play.

Hot from start to finish.

Before the freebasing I guess........

And yeah AD, I hear certain dates in passing conversation and I can still almost always tell you if, when and where Phish played on that day.

Weird.

[The Chameleon]

I find recently I am listening to more Phish mostly live from 1996-1999.

I do find however more often I reach for that classic Dead show. The Grateful Dead's music is eternal in a way like no other...

Either way I still listen to Phish and hope for more time on the road, with Phish or another band that can bring everyone together out of the woodwork....

I am not convinced that will happen though, because as other have said, many factors went into the Dead and Phish's success...that go beyond the music

I really see it as the Dead capturing a piece of the 60's spirit and protecting it for 30 years, then when they ended Phish was in the right stage of development at the right time to pick up the torch. I can literally remember seeing many of the same heads on Phish tour that were on Dead tour the year after the Dead hung it up...

[phorbesie]

I am not convinced that will happen though, because as other have said, many factors went into the Dead and Phish's success...that go beyond the music

but if it's happened before, and twice, why would you think that certain factors could not ever come into place again, that would make a new band achieve as much?

[Booche]

Exactly Phorbes.

Never say never.

[MarcO]

Question:

Does Phish's music (album, live recordings and DVD performances) date well to you 'heads'?

Not for me. In fact, the intervening years has given me the perspective to start to think that when all is said and done, Phish will be seen as a nothing more than a curiosity in rock history. It is revealing that despite our view of them as being HUGE, they really weren't: they were HUGE on the East Coast and rode a wave of popular curisoity throught the rest of America. But by the end of their career, they played to substantially less than capacity crowds all over the West Coast and even the East Coast numbers were in freefall (until Coventry was announced as the final gig). Sure, the festivals were impressive, but in the end a yearly gathering of 70,000 diehards does not a HUGE band make. Not when hardly anyone outside of North America could have given two shits about them whatsoever. Their records were released to a national yawn from the public in general. Were they a huge important band, or an American curiosity? Their cultural legacies may well outlive the music.

And on a personal level, I'm separating the "time of life" associations from my take on their music: they could be exceptional, no doubt. But I have almost zero desire to listen to their music, which often strikes as just silly these days (and not in a good way anymore). On the other hand, I'll listen to the Dead until they day I die? Why? Songs, songs, songs.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

for all we know there's a huge following of some band in... i dunno... outer borneo that has a rampant following of fans who know the band's secret language and follow them around to every show

the fact is that the elements that make up such phenomena are more or less available to anyone anywhere, it just tkaes the right conjunction of people, luck, timing, creativity and vision to make it happen

i figure it'll eventually happen, why wouldn't it? there's a Murphy's law corrallory always at play

[phishtaper]

for all we know there's a huge following of some band in... i dunno... outer borneo that has a rampant following of fans who know the band's secret language and follow them around to every show

or maybe Margaritaville

[Esau.]

Will there be another? Probally, but perhaps not to the degree of GD or Phish though, but who knows eh.

I had my GD touring fun between 86-93, even caught my only Phish show in 89 (10-14-89) while skipping a couple shows during GD's Jersey run. But, no matter what band (if any) gets the touring ball rolling like GD or Phish did, I won't be touring again, I traded sleeping in parking lots, cars, vans etc in different citys for a new tent, a canoe & fishing pole. Now-a-days, a summer tour for me involves portaging in northern Canada.

[traveler]

Gogal Bordello.

[RUSTLE]

as much as i feel like i have moved on - and in many ways, maybe i have? but there isn't a day that goes by (esp. in the summer) where i don't think about being outside on a decommissioned air force base somewhere in the northeast, or, in an amphitheatre in ohio... walking through the lot, listening to the pre show music, waiting for it to cut out, and the boys to walk on the stage... i hope to experience it again.

i am also still finding that even the worst phish show i was at, has been better than about 90% of the shows that i have seen thus far, aside from ryan adams at the enwave in june.