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Phish played Jones Beach (night 1 pics) - do so again tonight

photos by Fresh Bread

Phish

“Although there is hardly a shortage of jam bands, Phish had no full-fledged successor on the arena circuit during its absence. Its audience, and apparently the band itself, both realized something was missing in a Phish-less world: the band’s particular assortment of head-bobbing, good-timey roots-rock and complex compositions full of shifty meters, key changes and other musicianly twists and turns.” [NY Times]

What surprised me most about the three Phish concerts at Jones Beach this week (the third one is tonight, Friday, June 5th), is how many friends and friends of friends I know that went, or are going, to one of the shows. They are everywhere (PHresh Bread included). And this is the part where I try to insert a hippy joke, but instead, here’s another review…

“I was expecting a dirtier, sketchier crowd, but besides for the proliferation of whippets dealers in the parking lot after the show, the fact I had to walk through a flood in the men’s room to pee and the complete lack of women, I wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference between this show and a Third Eye Blind concert, the hippies were non existent and although some folks were swaying hippie style – the bulk of the audience seemed like accountants who went to good private colleges and liked to wear over priced sandals and Patagonia shells. Although the music itself was amazing the people were kind of boring, but based on the overwhelming amount of people driving with their windows closed before and after the show I could tell the crowd was going to be like their driving habits, climate controlled. I have this theory that people who drive with their windows open are just more friendly and interesting, less stand offish.” [Frum Satire]

It is of course possible some of those people were just trying to keep the smoke in, or in the case of tonight (and last night?), the rain out. Pics from night one continued below….

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The shows were Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. On Wednesday, Mike Gordon made a surprise appearance at City Winery in Manhattan.

Next weekend Phish is headlining Bonnaroo.