The O-town Scene

A4 4 O-Town Scene August 7, 2014 The IT Guy By Chad Ritchko It had been over half a year of anticipa- tion; the last time I had seen them was the four night New Year's Eve Run in New York City's Madison Square Garden. I had seen so many performances in the meantime that I almost forgot what I was waiting all year for, then I officially "saw it again." July was finally here, summer tour was upon us, and the Phish was back on the loose. Tearing up city after city, night after night, leaving a wake of jaws dropped further than any dentist could remedy, screams of joyful madness, empty beer cans, and local revenue. My summer tour consisted of the season opener in Mansfield, Mass., at the Xfinity Center, a three-night run in Saratoga at SPAC, another three nights in New York City at Randall's Island, a night in Canan- daigua at CMAC, and two nights outside of DC at Merriweather Post Pavilion. Sure, it sounds like a crazy cat lady of attending live music situation, but Phish shows are like Pringles, "once you pop, you can't stop." I was officially back in the moment, I "felt the feeling I forgot." Saratoga Performing Arts Center's three-night run July 3-5 included a holiday celebration of the Fourth of July of such a proper fashion that it would have our forefathers quitting life and living out of vans on tour after witnessing it. Phish shows are the biggest party I've seen at a concert (unlike EDM shows, these tend to be experienced and responsible partygo- ers). Add that to a big party holiday, and you've got a smoothie of stimulation to nourish the soul. Saratoga is not only ours, but the band's summer home venue. Just outside of Vermont, SPAC offers a free community to set up a "shakedown" of custom vendors. There is food and drink, jewelry, clothes, art of all kinds, made by a fellow phan along for the ride. You may think the com- munity, acceptance and outward joy would be the best part about it — until you're at the show, mind blown wide open from the first set, unable to process anything but living in the moment of the second set. They delivered an epic wonder of sets at Saratoga, and more people came than tickets allowed — three sold-out nights of the best memories and music. With the release of the studio album "Fuego," Phish is laying down mostly original tracks, while integrating many of the new content for everyone to get a piece of the ear candy. This could be seen at CMAC, nestled on the side of Canandai- gua lake, where they only played one night and made sure "everyone got a Fuego." I had been on a kick of reeling people in for their first Phish show this past year; I saw sheer amazement strike down many. At CMAC I got to see the show through a first-time friend, it was written on her face, like the many others, that this was the place. I knew it all along, as a lover of live music, theres no where I would rather be that at a Phish show. I'm ever so fortunate and appreciative of all of you who helped make it happen for me along the way. As the late great Hunter S. Thompson once said, "Journal- ism, to me, is just another drug — a free ride to scenes I'd probably miss if I stayed straight." I concur, Thompson. Don't let the fear of the ride detour you, take the bull by the horns and own the moment, just like Phish did with the 2014 Summer Tour. Chad Ritchko might take you to a Phish show if you ask re- ally nicely. He is also IT manager at The Daily Star. He can be reached at critchko@ thedailystar.com. Ten Days of Summer Phish-Mas Crowds gather at CMAC in Canandaigua to see Phish perform on July 15. Show us how free you can be. to report to dance to sing to tweet to petition to write 1forall.us free Thanks to the First Amendment, you can be whoever and whatever you want to be. Learn more and celebrate your freedoms by sharing your videos, photos, stories and songs.

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