Camden, NJ 7/30/03
A Sort Of Homecoming
Set I:
My Friend My Friend
Lonesome Cowboy Bill
Scents and Subtle Sounds
You Ain’t Going Nowhere
Spock’s Brain
Chalkdust Torture
On Your Way Down
Fast Enough For You ->
Taste
Set II:
Twist
Bug
You Enjoy Myself
Walls of the Cave
Encore: Secret Smile
After three years away, I embraced my first Phish show since September 2000 with open arms. I got home from work at 8:30 Wednesday morning after having worked a 12 hour overnight shift. This meant I had about 3.5 hours of sleep when Wooly decided it was time to go. After the requisite stop for beer (two bottles of the Belgian masterpiece, Lucifer, for me) we were on our way. Wooly drove us up I-95 and over the Walt Whitman bridge into Jersey. Unfortunately, the ramp for 676 towards Camden was closed, so we were forced to take the local route through the city. Not to sound insensitive, but if you were to take all of your visions of urban blight from around the country, and concentrated them in one place, you’d have a pretty good idea of what Camden’s like. Despite it being such a hellhole, or perhaps because of it, the state decided it would be a good idea to build it’s aquarium there, along with a performing arts center and a minor legue ballpark. While all the facilities are nice, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t want to get the heck out of Dodge as soon as the show’s over.
Immediately upon arriving in the parking lot, all of the old familiar sights, sounds, and smells of life on tour bombarded my senses. I was filled with a renewed excitement. It was a feeling I hadn’t had in quite some time. At the shows in 1999 and 2000, I felt that perhaps I had grown out of this “phase” and that while the music was great, the scene was not for me anymore. Well, despite there being many young faces in the lot, there was still enough for me here to recall the good times. The weather was perfect, about 85 degrees Farenheit, and the sky was a beautiful shade of blue. As Wooly and I wandered around the lot, we came across an old favorite. In years past it was known as “Phatty Phatty Pizza.” Unfortunately, our old friend Nugs was not around, but there was a lovely young lady serving up slices of French bread pizza in the tradition of good old Nugs, and my slice was very tasty.
We continued down “Shakedown,” and saw lots of great new t-shirts being sold. Four in particular caught my eye. Two were based on “The Matrix” saga. On the front of the first was a picture of a red pill, and beneath was the quote from the first film “Take the red pill and see just how deep the rabbit hole really goes.” On the back it said, “Phish Summer Tour: Reloaded” and listed all of the tour dates. The second shirt was black, and simply had the “Matrix” code on the front, with the word “Maze” written in “Matrix” style - very cool. Too bad then that neither shirt came in “Garcia size.” Saddened that neither shirt would fit, I was glad to find two others that do. The first is in the style of the label of a bottle of Samuel Smith’s beer. It reads, “Sneakin’ Sally Nutbag Ale,” and just below, “First brewed at Hunts, October 30, 1985.” Great looking shirt. The second has a drawing of the 1980s era Grateful Dead done in the style of “The Simpsons.” Too cool to pass up.
With shopping completed, it was time to turn our attention to finding our friends. Grabbing his binoculars out of the car, Wooly announced, “I’m hunting Tauntauns!,” and ventured forth to locate Brian and Karen. While Wooly was away, I took the time to make a quick pit stop. It was then that the most bizarre moment of my day occured. While waiting in line for the port-o-pots, a young lady tapped me on the shoulder, and asked if she could use my shirt as toilet paper. My blank face must have conveyed my shock, as she then clarified that it was not the shirt on my back that she wanted, but perhaps any other shirt that I might have. Not being interested in sacrificing any shirt, no matter how worthy the cause, I quickly surveyed the surroundings, and came up with a solution - a hot dog vendor about 100 feet away. I suggested that she try getting some napkins from him. Crisis averted. I made my way back to the car, and about ten minutes later, a very proud-looking Wooly returned, Brian and Karen in tow. We were soon joined by Wooly’s friend Mitchell, and his girlfriend whose name escapes me right now (if I remember it, or if someone tells me, I’ll edit the post.) Several hours spent in the lot meant that it was now time to head into the show.
Quickly finding our seats, we did not have to wait long before the band came on. To say this was a show of firsts would be putting it mildly. Of the fourteen songs the band played, there were eight that I had never seen performed live. The opener, “My Friend My Friend” was the first of the eight, and was a harbinger of things to come. Next was “Lonesome Cowboy Bill” the great Velvet Underground cover, followed by new song “Scents and Subtle Sounds.” “Scents…” was a fantastic new song, very mellow, with a good jam that lasted over twenty-five minutes. Another cover came next, Bob Dylan’s “You Ain’t Going Nowhere.” This was the first time Phish played the song, and it was nice to hear. “Spock’s Brain” brought back memories of my first Phish show at the Mann in Philly back in 1995. “Chalkdust Torture” is a welcome addition to any show, and this one was played to perfection. “On Your Way Down” and “Fast Enough For You” made it five “first-time-heard” songs out of six. A blazing version of “Taste” closed out the first set, and left us all wondering what crazy directions the band would take us in the second.
The answer came in the form of an absolutely sick “Twist,” a second set opener that featured a jam that seemed it could go on forever. “You Enjoy Myself” was the crown jewel of the second set, sandwiched between two more “first-time-heards,” “Bug,” and “Walls Of The Cave.” I liked “Bug,” but “WOTC” absolutely blew me away. I had liked the song when I heard it on “Round Room,” but here in a live setting it took on a life of its’ own, and completely sucked me in. After four songs, which lasted about ninety minutes, the set was over, and the band left the stage to rapturous applause. Looking back, I wish the show had ended then. What happened next left a very bitter taste in my mouth, and feelings of anger and resentment towards my fellow fans. Phish played new song, “Secret Smile” as the encore, and while it’s a nice enough song, I questioned it’s placement as the encore. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who felt this way. I was however, one of the few who kept this view to themselves. As the band took their bows, they were showered with a chorus of boos. I was reminded then that we were just across the river from Philly, and it seemed that the Philly curse had risen again. I knew it applied to atheletes; but to have it happen to musicians as well? That’s too bad, as the show was a fantastic one despite the strange encore choice, and the booing was completely uncalled for. My only hope is that Phish overlook the incident and don’t nix Philly from their fall tour plans. A bittersweet ending to an otherwise perfect day.
