Attendance Bias

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. I am ecstatic to introduce today’s episode, as it features both a knowledgeable guest who is well known within certain circles of the Phish community, and a thorough, wide-ranging discussion about three of the greatest improvisational rock concerts ever played: Phil and Friends at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco on April 15, 16, and 17, 1999.While not a Phish show, or even a Grateful Dead show, this run of concerts was a milestone for both bands. Not only was it the first time that members of the two major jambands shared a stage, it’s notable that songs from both Phish and the Grateful Dead were played over the three nights. I’ve been listening to these shows since soon after they were played and they haven’t aged a day. When Charlie Dirksen of Phish.net and The Mockingbird Foundation volunteered to discuss them and tell about what it was like to actually be there, I couldn’t wait to hear about it. These shows have lived in my head for over 20 years, so to hear a first-person account of what they were like made for one of my favorite conversations I’ve ever had for this podcast.This episode easily could have been three hours long–every time a song was mentioned, it took a lot of willpower on my end not to insert yet another music clip. But there was so much to discuss before we even get to the music. Let’s join Charlie to chat about his responsibilities at Phish.net, Steve Kimock’s guitar wizardy, and where John Molo fits into everything, as we break down Phil and Friends from April 15, 16, and 17 at the Warfield Theater, in San Francisco, CA.

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today, we’re taking on one of the big ones: one of the most pivotal shows in the band’s 40 year career. Guest Jeff Paradise was at the first modern Phish Halloween show, October 31, 1994 at the Glens Falls Civic Center, where the band played a 3-set show that included the band’s first musical costume; a full cover of The Beatles’ White Album in the second set. The full show lasted about 5 hours, concluding at around 3:30am in a remote upstate New York minor league hockey arena.Jeff was in college in Ithaca, NY at the time, bouncing around college towns to see Phish, frequently at the behest of his friends, since Jeff was the guy with the car. At this point of the band’s career, being a college student in upstate NY or New England was a golden age of being a Phish fan. Chances are that, if they weren’t playing withing a few hours drive this week, they would be next week. It’s easy to look back now and see how monumental this show was–a band covering a double album of the most famous band in rock and rock history, and Jeff points out that, even compared to other big Phish shows of the era, the historicity of the show was apparent even in real time. Anyone in the audience in Glens Falls that night knew that they were witnessing history.   Even with that, we have a lot more to cover about this five-hour, three-set show. So join Jeff and I as we discuss Dark Side of the Moon fakeouts, mailing in postcards, and making it back in time for class with October 31, 1994 at the Glens Falls Civic Center.

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein.We’ve covered plenty of shows from the summer of 1999 on Attendance Bias but, lest we forget, there was a lot more to that year than a raucous summer tour. There was also a fall tour and a lesser-explored December tour, which took place entirely within the last month of the millennium. Today’s guest, Brent Summerville, chose one of the last Phish shows of 1999–December 16 at the Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, NC–to review today. Although portions of the show are available on YouTube, there are certain nuances that we can only hear from someone who was in attendance. Luckily, we have Brent here to tell us all about it.At the time, Brent was moving back to North Carolina from Michigan, and had been seeing Phish for five years. He brought a friend to this show, which he rarely did at the time, and was on his old college campus where he had lots of ties to this small basketball court-turned-concert venue.   Phish broke out a monster second set for this show, and it joined the fabled 5-song second set club, with a version of Sand full of soundscapes, as well as a soul-cleansing Tweezer. But there’s more to it than that. Let’s join Brent to chat about college basketball, Trey’s keyboard setup, and cold Michigan winters as we revisit December 16, 1999 at the Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, NC.

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias, or more really, the third and final episode of “This Time Will be Different: 15 Years Since Hampton.” I am your host, Brian Weinstein.Today’s episode ends our look back at what led to Phish’s comeback at Hampton, 15 years ago on March 6, 2009. If you haven’t listened yet, previous episodes have covered The pressures that led to the hiatus in 2000, the multi-faceted hot mess that was 2004, and the rebirth of the Phish experience in the early spring of 2009.When I first had the idea for this miniseries, I figured that today’s episode, the one about Hampton 2009, would be an enormous undertaking. A full weekend of shows, easily making up the most important run of the band’s career, marking the turning point from the past to the present that would introduce the 3.0 era. Yet, as my co-hosts and I were speaking–Charlie Dirksen and Scott Marks from Phish.net and The Mockingbird Foundation–it became more about our experiences and our personal feelings during that all-important March weekend.  In the end, that’s what Attendance Bias is about–each guest’s own experience at any given show. There is a lot more of this story to be told but, for now, this love-fest about Phish coming back to life  will settle things for now.To wrap things up, please welcome Scott Marks and Charlie Dirsken of Phish.net and The Mockingbird Foundation as we continue This Time Will be Different, Episode 3.

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias, or more accurately, episode two of “This Time Will be Different: 15 Years Since Hampton.” I am your host, Brian Weinstein.Today, I join my two co-hosts: Scott Marks and Charlie Dirksen of Phish.net and the Mockingbird Foundation, to take a look at the 2.0 era, as well as Phish’s breakup in 2004. For those of you who listened to episode 1, it was clear but not obvious, that Phish needed a break after Big Cypress, and it was never really in doubt that they would get back together. But in the second half of 2.0, mostly in the 2004 calendar year, it was glaringly obvious that Trey’s physical health was in jeopardy, and the scene as a whole was rotting from the inside. In a little while, you’ll hear Scott compare these three episodes to the original Star Wars trilogy–today’s episode is The Empire Strikes Back. Our heroes are at their lowest point, and you have to be knocked down before you can rise up and win the day. It’s telling that on Attendance Bias, 2.0 has, by far, the least number of shows represented by guests. It was, and continues to be, a divisive time in the band’s history. I originally planned this episode to be about the time of Phish’s breakup-2004 to 2008, and what the scene was like without the biggest band on tour. However, this conversation took a different route and we just went with it. It wasn’t always a pretty ride, but it has heart and makes the comeback in the next episode all the more meaningful.But we have to have the darkness before the dawn. Today, please welcome Scott Marks and Charlie Dirsken of Phish.net and The Mockingbird Foundation as we continue This Time Will be Different, Episode 2.

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein.The first week of March is always a conspicuous part of the year for me. No religious or secular holidays, no birthdays or wedding anniversaries in my social circle, but there is one series of dates that will always deserve some deep thoughts, if not any flowers, chocolate, or greeting cards: March 6-8 , 2009, when Phish returned to the live stage at the Hampton Coliseum. As of 2024, it will be 15 years since that beautiful weekend. Being a Phish stats nerd, round numbers hold significance for me, and looking back, it sometimes feels like the reunion happened to a completely different person. This is the topic for a three-episode miniseries, called: “This Time Will Be Different: 15 Years Since Hampton.” For the next three episodes, I will be joined by two co-hosts, Scott Marks and Charlie Dirksen of Phish.net and the Mockingbird Foundation. The three of us will take a look back, not only at the 2009 Hampton Reunion, but at the major Phish events that led to it, including the band’s hiatus from 2000-2002, the breakup from 2004-2008, and then episode 3 will focus on that glorious weekend in March 2009. But let’s not skip too far ahead. Today, please welcome Scott Marks and Charlie Dirsken of Phish.net and The Mockingbird Foundation as we open This Time Will be Different, Episode 1.

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. If you’ll indulge my Grandpa-Simpson waxing poetic about the past for a second: when I was first getting into Phish, there were some shows (mostly from the early-90s) that lived in legend. There were stories about them, but it wasn’t so easy to find internet posts or first-person narratives about them. One of those shows was June 21, 1994 at the Cincinnati Music Hall. Phish began the show as usual when, about a half hour in, the venue’s fire alarm went off, forcing everyone to clear out. The show resumed with a “2nd set” that lasted an hour and 40 minutes! Luckily, social media has advanced to the point where we can instantaneously get in touch with other fans and hear about their experience at shows like that one.That’s basically the premise of this podcast, and so I was absolutely thrilled that today’s guest, Kev Hollo of Charleston, South Carolina got in touch and wanted to tell about his experience at that exact show. Kev is a long time Phish fan, a musician, and happy to discuss all things Phish, which we do over the course of the episode. While the 1994 Cincinnati show is the basis of today’s episode, by no means do we stop there. The conversation ranges from music theory, to ghost stories, to the past, present, and future of the band.  Let’s join Kev to chat about it all as we revisit June 21, 1994 at the Cincinnati Music Hall, in Cincinnati, OH.

Do you remember where you were when you heard that Phish was returning to Hampton in 2009?To celebrate 15 years since Hampton, I’d love to hear about where you were and what you thought when you found out about Hampton ‘09. I think it would be fun to put together an audio collage of fans’ memories of where they were, what they thought, and how they felt. If you are down to contribute, I have a set of directions and a sample script. It’s quite easy, and I think it will be a lot of fun for all listeners. Swipe over and keep reading if you’re interested:1 ) Record a voice memo on your phone or any convenient recording device. Introduce yourself, and tell your memory. Whether it was from the official announcement, a friend calling/texting you, whatever! How did you feel and what are your memories of hearing that PHISH IS COMING BACK?!2 ) The recording should be a minimum of 30 seconds and a maximum of 2 minutes. 3 ) Email the recording to attendancebias@gmail.com as an audio file (m4a, mp3, etc.)Sample script: “Hi, this is (your name) from (hometown, if you’d like).” And then tell a little bit about your experience of hearing that Phish would be playing 3 shows at Hampton in March ‘09. Thanks so much for participating and for listening!

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Halloween is, without question, one of the highest profile nights of the Phish calendar. All Phish Halloween shows are judged, compared and, for better or worse, claim their spot in the band’s mythology. But, as part of a pattern that’s been discussed on this podcast before, it’s not always the high profile night that gets the best show. It’s usually the night before the night. December 30 for New Years Eve, and in this case, October 30 for Halloween. Today’s guest, Eric Doyle, chose to tell us about his experience at October 30, 1998–the night before Phish covered all of The Velvet Underground’s classic album, Loaded. While that Halloween show has its supporters and detractors, the night before should be celebrated for its combination of factors that make it one of the best representations of 1998 that Phish had to offer.With The Story of the Ghost having been released just days prior, the band making high profile appearances on David Letterman, Sessions at West 54th, and other promotional outlets for the new album, Phish was at a crossroads as to how involved they would become with the record industry at large. History has explained that part of the Phish story, but with mixed mainstream success at the time, no one was sure what would happen.All of those aspects were apparent during this two-night Las Vegas run in 1998, but it didn’t stop the band from delivering a killer show on the night before Halloween. Let’s join Eric to talk about Phish’s history in Atlanta, Fishman leading the way, and more as we discuss October 30, 1998 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. I would guess that most of us have had the experience at a Phish show where the band is communicating to us, directly. Not communicating with the crowd; I mean, the members of the band are playing a show that speaks to our exact life experience. Whether or not you’ve ever made eye contact with Trey right before they leave the stage after the first set, there’s no denying that the best kind of art is the kind that speaks to you; the kind that you can understand and appreciate through your own personal lens. Today’s guest, Nate Schwerin, had a life-changing experience at the Phish show at Dick’s on September 5, 2015. As you’ll hear Nate describe, it was right out of a cheesy movie but happened to him in real life.It’s no surprise that Nate’s game-changing show happened at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park; including 2023, Phish has played 38 shows at the venue. It’s no surprise that some fans have had some of their most meaningful experiences there. But that’s enough from me, it’s Nate’s story to tell. Let’s join Nate to chat about Big Sky Montana, The Catcher in the Rye, and being 13 years old at your first show as we break down September 5, 2015 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, in Commerce City, CO.

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. I’ve mentioned a number of times on this podcast that, when I’m not spouting gibberish with strangers about Phish, I am a middle school teacher. I try not to offer too much personal information on the podcast for obvious reasons, but I am overly thrilled to say that, today, my personal life on the podcast and my professional life at school intersect in the most glorious way.That way is through today’s guest:  Jared Cowen. Jared is the lead singer and guitarist of up-and-coming jamband Baked Shrimp. If you frequent any of your local music venues or attend pretty much any summer jamband festivals, you’ve seen Baked Shrimp’s name on the lineup. The trio frequently combines progressive arrangements and dexterity with extended, fist-pumping jams. They rule.Oh, and did I mention that Jared was my student in 7th and 8th grade? Teachers often say that the best part of the job is when we see the legacy and success of our students as they grow older and into their adult selves. Jared and I were lucky enough to spot each other as Phish fans as teacher and student, and since then, we’ve gotten to know each other as people–not just in school–and I’ve gotten to know Jared’s family well, often seeing them at MSG or various other shows in the tri-state area.So as Baked Shrimp prepares to release a new album, it only made sense for Jared to make an appearance on Attendance Bias. For today’s episode, Jared chose to discuss set two of December 31, 2010–one of the best NYE shows of Phish’s career, and one could argue a turning point in the jamming style of the 3.0 era. We break it all down.Let’s join Jared to talk about middle school memories, high ceilings, low floors, and the Meatstick heard round the world, as we revisit set two of New Year’s Eve 2010 at Madison Square Garden.

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. It is another family affair today on the podcast, as we welcome father and son Adam and Jeff Winik to tell us about Phish’s show from July 22, 2017 at Madison Square Garden, also known as Strawberry Night of the Baker’s Dozen.This is not the first time that a father and son have shared guest duties on Attendance Bias, nor is it the first time that a couple of dogs appear in the background–Adam’s dog Maggie and my dog Duncan can be heard at various points of the conversation. While it’s not unusual for a heady parent to bring their kids to their first Phish show, that usually results in a story that’s seen through the parent’s eyes, with observations from the kid. This time it’s the son who brought his father (as well as his mother), and I find it especially interesting to hear what the show was like through the eyes of Jeff, the father. As you’ll hear me say in just a few minutes, my parents were only interested in Phish insofar as I was going to see them play live and was listening to them 24/7 in high school.Add on the layer that this show was the beginning of the Baker’s Dozen–the unprecedented record-breaking MSG event that instantly became legendary in the Phish community–and there’s plenty more to discuss. For this episode, Adam was excited to talk about Strawberry Night, and you can hear the emotion in both his and Jeff’s voice, and we decided to discuss the entire first set, and then the parts of the second set for which his parents were present–I was not surprised to learn that they left right around “Split Open and Melt.” So we can consider this episode Strawberry Night set 1 and highlights from set 2. But there’s much more to it than that. Let’s join Adam and his father Jeff to talk about barbershop quartets, the best Moma Dance ever, and July 22, 2017–Strawberry Night–at Madison Square Garden.Adam's Phish Tribute Band: The Divided SkyJeff's a capella quartet: Generation GapNote: the a capella song that opens the episode is performed by Jeff’s previous a capella group, Party of Five

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Phish shows can be special for a million reasons, and there are times when “coincidence” doesn’t even begin to describe the crossroads of music, surroundings, timing, and information that all occurs at once and makes us feel as though something bigger must be at play. I shy away from the word “magic,” and I’m not the religious type, so I’ll just call it Phish synergy. Today’s guest, David Factor, is here to tell us about one of those moments of Phish synergy from “Beneath a Sea of Stars” during the second set of 7/25/23 at The Mann Music Center in Philadelphia.At the time of this recording, Phish has just wrapped up their two benefit shows at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Even though the show at the Mann, and David’s story, happened a month before the SPAC benefit shows, the fact that the benefit shows were so crowd pleasing only adds resonance to David’s experience when he found out about them in the first place. Trust me, it will make sense when you listen to him tell the story. But enough from me: let’s join David to talk about Worcester, Limestone, and Beneath a Sea of Stars from July 25, 2023 at The Mann.

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest–Derek Hill–picked an outstanding show from an underappreciated year: August 14, 2009 at the Meadows Music Center in Hartford, CT. Long-time listeners of Attendance Bias may remember that I recorded a mini-episode about the version of “Icculus” from this show, which was played right in the heart of the 2nd set. And that leads to just one of several themes that come up during today’s show: the idea that Phish was back during their summer 2009 tour, but were they all back? Derek and I happened to see several shows throughout this tour, separately, yet we had many of the same thoughts. It was extremely fun to catch up on a summer tour from 14 years ago with a complete stranger.But that’s the thing about this podcast: when the guest is passionate about his or her choice, we are not complete strangers! Derek took his time to pick this Hartford show and once we began talking, it was very obvious that he made the best choice possible. There were times where it felt like this could have been a three-hour episode, just about that Icculus…not to mention many other bustouts and killer jams.But enough from me; let’s join Derek to talk about the IT festival, selling quesadillas on lot, and second chances as we discuss August 14, 2009 at the Meadows Music Center in Hartford.

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today, we are taking a ride on the the way-back machine as guest Jay Wilson takes us to the UNH college campus and tells us about his second show–April 11, 1994 at Sively Arena.1994 was a pivotal year for the band in so many ways. In addition to this spring tour promoting Hoist–which was produced to be their most commercially viable album–the band was really showing off their schizophrenic musical style, combining absurdity with prodigious talent, and they were making the final leaps from large theaters to amphitheaters, at least in their most popular markets. Places like The Beacon Theater in New York would soon be replaced by Madison Square Garden, and this was when New England was still their  stomping ground. By 1995 virtually all of New England would be left behind, except for the occasional stop.Today’s conversation touches on virtually all of those aspects of 1994 Phish. But there’s much more to it than that. Let’s join Jay to talk about New Years Eve shows, falling in a hole, and jazz, as we discuss Phish’s show from April 11, 1994 at Snively Arena.

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. I am not a parent, but something that I frequently hear from my friends who have kids is that one of the best parts of being a parent is that you get to see the world, and the things you love, through the eyes of your kids. If that is a benefit of having kids, then today’s guests must be two of the happiest people in the world of Phish.Those guests are Bobby and Oliver from the Phish Phry podcast; a father and son duo who are doing a deep dive into Phish’s studio albums and release biweekly podcast episodes to talk about their impressions of each album. It’s an informative and fun listen! For today’s episode of Attendance Bias, though, Bobby and Oliver chose to talk about an excerpt from their first show: “Oblivion” and “Chalkdust Torture” from July 11, 2023 at the Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville, AL. This was the first live show for both father and son, and it ended with a wallop.Not only do we get to talk about studio recordings, first shows, and new songs, but a certain guitarist makes a guest appearance that made this first show extra special. But it’s not my story to tell. Let’s join Bobby and Oliver as we talk about “Oblivion” and “Chalkdust Torture” from July 11, 2023 at The Orion Amphitheater.

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is Sam Huber, from the Philadelphia area. Sam is an enthusiastic fan who picked a show where the crowd energy just seeps through the audience recording–July 5, 2013 at SPAC in Saratoga, NY.  A few themes come up repeatedly in today’s conversation: how special SPAC is, peacefully surrounded by trees that seem to have an affect on the energy and vibes of any given show, the idea of the band messing with the fanbase by playing certain songs at certain places in the setlist, and how getting in the car unprepared can lead you to the greatest of adventures.On top of that, there is the main idea that SPAC is a family gathering–a homecoming on the east coast. Although it’s just a few hours from New York City, SPAC carries the reputation of being the summer home for Deadheads and Phish fans. Although this was not his first show, Sam was ready to be received by the community at this legendary state park.So let’s join Sam to talk about the reaction to Energy, when the band will break open Yarmouth Road, and more as we discuss the Phish’s show from July 5, 2013 at SPAC. Just a note about today’s recording: there are a few audio glitches toward the beginning of the conversation, but they stop at about the halfway mark.

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guests are able to offer a unique insight into Phish’s music because they each play in a Phish cover band. Not only that, but they both play keyboards in separate Phish cover bands! Nate plays keyboards in a Phish coverband called Adam Knight’s Buried Alive, and Hannah plays keys for the Lumpy Heads. Both bands are based out of the Carolinas and play around the southeast. So if you’re a Phish fan from Ascheville to Atlanta, keep your eyes out for Adam Knight’s Buried Alive and the Lumpy Heads. It may not be a shock to find out that both Nate and Hannah run in the same circles. As a result, Nate took Hannah to her first Phish shows–July 31 and August 1 of 2021; Phish’s first tour back after the postponed 2020 summer tour. While both shows are excellent, Nate and Hannah agreed on one major highlight to discuss today: The band’s 30-minute version of Tweezer that was played on night 2: August 1, 2021. A major highlight of the year, and possibly of the band’s career, this Tweezer journeys all over the place, with ambience, straight rock, funky start/stop jamming, and more. So let’s join Nate and Hannah to talk about why Foam is easier to play than you think, getting some alone time on the lawn, and much more as we discuss “Tweezer” from August 1, 2021 in Alpharetta, Georgia.

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is Ryan Thompson who is here to tell us about Phish’s show from August 10, 1997 at Deer Creek. The fall 1997 tour is the one that is better known, but there were a lot of quirks, idiosyncrasies and highlights in the summer of that . 8/10/97 features all of this and more.When I listened to this show, I understood almost immediately why Ryan chose it. Aside from the musical highlights, which we discuss at length, the famed “cow funk” isn’t all quite there, but we see the inklings of it. In addition, this wild and wacky second set makes this show perfect for Attendance Bias; it’s one of those shows where the second set only really makes sense if you were there. Summer ‘97 had a few of those moments in the years before webcasting when the listener had to picture what was happening on stage because the audio recording alone couldn’t do it justice.So let’s join Ryan Thompson to talk about Tinley Park, King Crimson, and Phish’s show from August 10, 1997 at Deer Creek.