2006

It’s synonymous with summer. And either you’ve got fond memories of a fucking awesome veggie burrito you bought in the lot or you’re making grand plans to see a show there when the popular rock band Phish inevitably returns.

Whichever camp you’re camping in, it seems like Live Nation’s about to pave paradise and put up a parking lot. Or a shopping mall. Or a Wal-Mart. Harsh buds.

First they sullied the glorious Deer Creek name when the venue became the Verizon Wireless Music Center, now it looks like the lights may go down forever. Hey, at least it’s for a good reason, reports the Indianapolis Star:

The area around the music center has become one of the Indianapolis area’s hottest sites for new commercial development and Live Nation wants to take advantage of rising property values in the area…

Sweet, it’s all in the name of profit-taking…that’s great news. Here I thought there was gonna be an explanation people would be pissed about. Nick Arterburn of CB Richard Ellis, the real estate company listing the property, apparently doesn’t believe in sugar-coating nor subtlety, so he clarifies the Live Nation position:

“We’re not against selling it to another entertainment group…as long as they are the entity that pays us the most money.”

And we all know that entertainment groups outside of Live Nation and its former parent Clear Channel have plenty of money with which to win a bidding war. So I’m guessing this spells the end of one of the most famous outdoor amphitheaters in the country. Deer Creek, we hardly knew ye…or we knew ye too well.

Read on for an impromptu edition of The B List and links to some of the best Dead and Phish shows in the rich history of the venue…

I sure wish it were next Monday; then I’d be off from work for Christmas. Since I’m not, though, here are a handful of links to keep you entertained: Diane

This week we finally learned the answer to that age-old lot question “Who’s got my pharmies?” Apparently they’re in a black 2004 Audi sedan piloted by a bearded redhead all

Ya know, for all the dreck on Saturday Night Live this season, the show is actually producing at least one quality sketch almost every week. Between the “Bobby McFerrin raped

It’s been two weeks since Tenacious D rocked New York City with its patented brand of fuck-your-face acoustic rock. But since the vibration of death that The D left behind is still reverberating throughout Manhattan, our buddy Hal Hansen decided to retroactively inform you of what you’ve been feeling for a fortnight…

Overheard in New York, December 1^st, 2006

“I check my dipstick, you need lubrication”
“Twas I who fucked the dragon, fuckalize sing-fuckaloo”
“Burrito supreme and a Chicken supreme and a Cutlass supreme”
“When I’m snackin’ on a tasty boosh, right after the show”
“I’m shooting my juice right in your caboose”
“Have you ever been worked on by two guys who are hot for your snatch”
“And then I’ll fuckin’ fuck you discreetly”
—34^th Street & 7^th Avenue

If any of the exclamations above seem a little out of place for a show review, or even the aforementioned and awesome Overheard in New York, please do not fret. They were all majestically sung at the most famous venue in the world, Madison Square Garden, by the greatest band in the world, Tenacious D — an incredibly rare combination of forces that left few asses intact.

Before we continue with the review, it should be painfully obvious by now that this is all just a big joke. Kyle Gass (KG, Kage, Rage Kage) and Jack Black (JB, Jables), who first met more than a dozen years ago as members of the Actor’s Gang troupe in Los Angeles, are undoubtedly actors first and musicians second.

Although Gass does have some serious chops on the acoustic guitar, and Black is arguably the closest thing to a rock star I’ve ever seen live, Tenacious D as the “greatest band in history” cannot be taken seriously. The key to thoroughly enjoying one of these ridiculous spectacles is to just go along with the joke: Accept that they are in fact the greatest band ever and indeed were born from Satan and slayed dragons on their way to this achievement. If you can tweak your sense of humor enough to get this far, you are ready for The D…

Much has been written over the past 30 hours aside from our commentary about the roadside arrest of former 70 Volt Parade lead singer Trey Anastasio:

• WCAX TV went right to the people and got the “Phish mom” perspective
• The AP story had Trey’s written statement, which read: “I feel terrible about what happened last night, and I am deeply sorry for any embarrassment I have caused my friends, family and fans”
• Phish still couldn’t get any respect from MTV — Trey’s arrest only garnered a brief mention
• Oddly enough, the best news story came from E! Online’s Josh Grossberg, who must be a Phish fan — he managed to work “flubbed” and Antelope lyrics into his piece
• The Rutland Herald’s Alan Keays disclosed that Trey was driving from NYC to Burlington
• Even the gossip blogs got in on the act: Gawker’s Idolator and Perez Hilton snarked away
• Check out this video from Albany TV station WNYT
• And front-page stories ran in the Burlington Free Press, The Post-Star, and the Times-Union in Albany

Deep down I always knew Trey could be front-page material:

Trey’s loving fan base also got their shots in, Photoshopping his image to show their care and concern for the man (via Pheesh and other places):

Read on for more well-crafted Trey images from around the world wide web…

It’s always nice to walk into the office after a long day and a half on the road to read the news you’ve been waiting to see forever: Your favorite