Phish @ Augusta Civic Center, October 19
Words and Images: Eric Wyman
“Never miss a Tuesday show!” That’s how the old tour saying goes…right?
Augusta was prime for everyone missing it. It’s 3+ hours from Boston and 9 hours away from Utica. Anyone who wanted to take a little detour through Maine on a Tuesday probably should have their head examined. From seacoast New Hampshire though, it’s almost a hometown show. The State of Maine has played host to some of the finest moments in Phish history, you can’t skip this one. Memorable things happen on the nights everyone drives by on to the next tour stop (11/2/98, being the most famous). So as I’m driving up 95 I’m thinking about this and wandering, maybe they’ll play Gamehendge, maybe they’ll bust out a pre-halloween cover. So I walk into the show with all this unwarranted anticipation and the place is a shoebox, it’s the state championship game in Hoosiers. It’s all happening!
Now, anyone who’s been around knows that shit’s just a pipe dream. They’re not playing Gamehendge tonight. They didn’t learn Dark Side on the way up here. This could potentially go from being the most awesomest show ever to a total snoozefest, all from expectations. So you gotta sit back take a breath and soak it in. This place is amazing, let’s see where it goes. No expectations.
We chatted pre-show with a couple of very nice ladies in the row behind us. They ask “So how many Phish shows have you been too?” My friend responds modestly, “This is number 153 for me…I was a junkie for a bit back in ’98 and ’99.” Quickly correcting the statement with a subtle, “music junkie…not like junkie junkie.” We all laughed. They respond by saying “This is our first show and Jon Fishman gave us the tickets or we probably wouldn’t even be here. So you guys think it will be fun?” Yes, yes we do.
READ ON for more of Eric’s take on last night’s show…
Phish Fall Tour 2010 has arrived in the Northeast for two weeks worth of shows starting tonight at the tiny Augusta Civic Center in Augusta, ME. [Photo by Eric Wyman]
It’s time to put all the ticket buying skills you’ve developed over the years to good use as tickets for Phish’s upcoming October tour go on sale today and tomorrow
After two scintillating legs of summer touring, Phish has just announced the schedule for Fall Tour 2010. The 15-show tour starts with a headlining set at Austin City Limits and brings them to a number of venues they haven’t played before including the new 1st Bank Center in Broomfield, CO; the Augusta Civic Center in Augusta, ME; the Utica Memorial Auditorium in Utica, NY; the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, NH and Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
Phish also visits three venues they have played before – the North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, SC (11/18/1995 & 10/27/1996), the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, RI (12/29/1994, 12/12/1995, 04/04/1998, 04/05/1998 & 12/13/1999) and the Mullins Center in Amherst, MA (04/16/1994, 11/03/1994, 12/04/1995 & 12/05/1995). The tour ends with a three-night stand at Boardwalk Hall that is likely to include a 3-set Halloween performance in which the band will don a musical costume by covering another group’s album.
In a first, the group will give ticket buyers free MP3 copies of the shows they attend after it happens at LivePhish.com. The band’s MusicToday site will be updated momentarily for online ticket requests with the request period ending on Friday, September 3rd at Noon. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Sept. 10 and 11.
October 8: Austin City Limits – Austin, TX
October 10 – 12: 1st Bank Center – Broomfield, CO
October 15 – 16: North Charleston Coliseum – N. Charleston, SC
October 19: Augusta Civic Center – Augusta, ME
October 20: Utica Memorial Auditorium – Utica, NY
October 22: Dunkin Donuts Center – Providence, RI
October 23 – 24: Mullins Center – Amherst, MA
October 26: Verizon Wireless Arena – Manchester, NH
October 29 – 31: Boardwalk Hall – Atlantic City, NJ
READ ON for a look at the venues Phish will play…
