a semi-accurate visual account of what we were seeing night one (photo courtesy doug buckley)
Ed. note — This is a guest post from a friend who had the good fortune (or misfortune, depending on your opinion of the band) to attend Phish’s summer tour kick-off — a two-night adventure in beautiful (read: disgusting) Worcester, Massachusetts filled with drugs, sketchy wooks, high school graduates, beer, glowsticks and alley dogs. The following is a recap of his experience of Night One.
Last week, I traveled to Worcester, MA for the pair of Phish shows at the DCU Center that began their 2012 tour. The plan, in the works for months, was simple for both nights – get drunk, find some drugs outside the venue (hopefully our friend Molly) and get minds blown by Trey and Co.
I, like many other “Phans” arrived early at my hotel to get settled before making the one mile trek over to the venue. Based on the scene, it was clear to me that the hotel would be filled almost entirely with concertgoers. This, unfortunately, was also clear to the hotel — I was asked to sign a fucking contract just to get my room key. Some nonsense about “no parties, no smoking, no drugs or else.”
“Yup, whatever.” Signed.
Stepping off the elevator to my floor, I quickly discovered the “Yup, whatever” attitude had been adopted by the masses. I was greeted by a swift pot punch to the face — a major step in the right direction for my pending drug search. I started pounding beers while awaiting the arrival of my partner in crime.
My buddy arrived at the hotel a few hours before the show and the party began – the high-five party. After five minutes of joyous hand slapping concerning our awesomeness, it was time for the beer chugging party. The joint smoking party soon followed which inevitably started the coke snorting party. I know, a lot of party going on, but it is Phish after all — a band who’s fans only goal seems to be taking over entire cities and making sure each show is the biggest, most drug and alcohol-fueled party on the planet. With heads finally clear, it was time to make for the show and acquire some “real” drugs. After a final hotel puff and snort, and we hit the hallway for the 15 minute walk toward the madness.