Phish was started in 1983 at the University of Vermont and is comprised of Trey Anastasio on guitar, Mike Gordon on bass, Page McConnell on piano, and Jon Fishman on drums (and vacuum cleaner). It was in the small town of Burlington where they played their first shows, and from

felt refreshed. After the show, phans retreated back to the campsite for more partying, and discussing the show and trying to recall the setlists.

Phans will usually be found at such events in their makeshift campsites. In Noblesville, Indiana, Phish has had a three-day run at the Deer Creek Amphitheater for the past few consecutive years. I had the opportunity to experience this event in 2000, and it was truly a unique experience. Thirty thousand phans gathered in makeshift campsites among the cornfields and in people's backyards, and for a twenty-dollar camping fee, you had entrance to the "Carnival of Phish." Many phans that attended brought T-shirts, tapestries, beer, pipes, and food to sell to make some money at this carnival. Many passed the time by wandering around the "village," meeting and talking with fellow phans. Throughout the night, drum circles became popular and phans would pick up a bongo or something they could bang on, and add to the beat that seemed to endure throughout the night. Phans could also be seen walking around with brightly colored balloons all day, giving it an even more carnival atm!

osphere. These balloons however, were filled with Nitrous Oxide, which leads me to my next topic.

ances to the music that they hear in their heads, until Phish brings the volume back up again, and then comes to a climax. They jump on trampolines, they have dances, and they take chances. They have a song called the "Big Ball Jam" in which the band members throw four different colored beach balls into the audience and each ball controls a different member of the band for the song. During the set where they covered the entire "White Album," Fishman sang the Yoko line, "If . . . you become naked," at which point he lifted up his polka-dot dress that he always wears, and frolicked about completely nude. Many phans described it as a "psychic mind jolt."

Because each show is unique and becase every night they play something special usually happens, one trait that binds together phans is there desire to collect, trade and download shows. This is also an aspect of a phan. Throughout the lot, many vendors can be seen trading CD's with others. It is important that they don't sell the CD's however, because that is against the law, and if it were to get out of hand, taping could be banned from shows which would be a great loss because then phans couldn't spread and share the music. Many phans enjoy collecting shows that include the best setlists, covers and rarities.

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hans were offering up to one hundred dollars for the thirty-dollar ticket.

"Sometimes I ask myself, 'God, do I really want to be a part of

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