June 1, 2009

Ever heard of phenomenology? Me either; this one just fell in my lap. In the early chapters of Muriel Barbery’s relatively recent bestseller, The Elegance of the Hedgehog which just so happened to be in my lap on the train this weekend, she put forth this idea of phenomenology, “the science of what appears to our conscious.” As she so aptly puts, “For millennia now, by way of ‘I know thyself’ to ‘I think therefore I am,’ mankind has been rambling on about the ridiculous human prerogative that is our consciousness.”

[All Photos by Dave Vann]

Some segments of this group known as “mankind” may focus their attention on their conscious perceptions of their favorite bagel or pizza joints, films or works of literature by the masters, or perhaps means of transportation (Amtrak baby). We, on the other hand, choose to focus on our perceptions on Phish shows and the detailsl of every note, and then subsequently comparing all those details to all the other details we have previously compared, turning out these databases of critical information to compile such useful diatribes as the all-time ten best Harry Hoods ever played. Well, it may be as she says “ridiculous human prerogative,” but like the great Bobby Brown always says, it is ours.

Phish fans are divided like chocolate lovers. Some like it dark (70%), bitter and potent, with emphasis on the sinister Down With Diseases and smoggy funky Ghosts. Other palates prefer the sweeter, yet still complex milk chocolate (Swiss) like a Fluffhead opener, a nice Reba, a Hood, or a long-awaited If I Could. Lots of folks will simply eat it all. And then of course, there are those who like the mass market Hersheys. Well, at least they like the flavor in general.

Anyway, getting to the point, finally. Very rarely can you please them all, but Phish’s tour opener at the historic Fenway Park in Boston served up Homer’s Chocolate Town, complete with flavors for everyone. With the anticipation nearly reaching Hampton levels, with heaps of fans out for their first show since the breakup, Phish swung for the fences. READ ON for more…

Summer is just around just around the bend, so Stormy Mondays bids the spring a fond farewell with a mix of songwriterly pieces, kicking off with the grandmaster, Bob Dylan,

On Friday we said goodbye to Jay Leno and this evening we say hello to new Tonight Show host Conan O’Brien. Seattle rockers Pearl Jam will be Conan’s first musical

Phish kicked off their first tour in nearly five years with a scorcher at historic Fenway Park in Boston. The band busted out the second Destiny Unbound since 1991 and