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Wow. What an incredible two days of camp 'n Phish. Day One was eh: the heat and humidity were crushing and Phish's performance was a little shakey. Day Two, however, was perfect: PB and I rescued ourselves from the elements and spent some of the afternoon in Castleton (which included a surprise viewing of Dinner for Schmucks -- yeah, don't ask, it's a long story), and Phish's performance was stellar (jams varied from Bitches Brew-era jazz fusion to space-out ambience reminiscent of Pink Floyd circa Meddle -- yeah, it was kinda epic). From 4PM until sunset on Day Two, a thick cover of clouds arrived and saved everyone from another grueling evening of heat.

This was PB's first Phish experience, and I last saw the band ten years ago. Besides having a great time, we both shared many, um, interesting experiences. (An ice-cold shower at 7AM Friday morning was the most exhilarating experience I've ever had.)

Oh, and the chemicals were glorious too.

No doubt, some who attend a Phish experience are there for the drugs and alcohol, but the true phans are there to share in the experience, which is why Phish attracts a cult following.

It's so difficult to simply exist in the moment. Most of us are weighed down by the anvils of our existence -- an unintended consequence of being productive members of society. For me, a Phish show represents an opportunity to transcend for several hours my everyday reality and exist freely within a special slice of space and time. And as with most memorable moments, you never fully appreciate those moments until you view them through a recollection, a memory. And it's those intangible glints of light that accompany those memories that make the Phish sound so (pardon the hyperbole) magical. When I'm away from the venue and listening to the band on my stereo, I hear more than the music; along with the music come those aforementioned glints, the sparks that ignite my bank of memories of past experiences -- invisible photographs transmitted audibly.

I could fill a few more paragraphs with my anecdotal evidence of why Phish hold such a unique space in my life and why the band should be more respected by those outside its fan base, but spelling out and defining the reasons would deconstruct the magic.

And why do that?

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