Editor’s note: This review is by Jill Sudhoff-Guerin.
Phish played a concert last night in Essex, Vt. … and “it was all right.”
The speculation about the logistical nightmare of the upcoming Phish Flood Relief Benefit Concert in Essex Junction ran rampant. People said traffic would be backed up all the way to the Williston exit. They said even if only 12,000 tickets were sold, 25,000 fans would surely show up — whether they had a ticket or not — and wreak havoc. They insisted it was going to be another rainy mud fest — reminiscent of the last time Phish played in Vermont in 2004.
People also warned of the gauntlet of security that faced concert-goers at the Champlain Valley Fairgrounds. People warned that security wouldn’t allow any tailgating (even though the gates opened at 2 p.m.), that tickets would be given for any glass seen in the parking lot and that every car would be stopped so that security could check that the number of tickets in the car matched the number of people entering the fairgrounds.
So, it was with trepidation that fans from Vermont and surrounding areas attempted to navigate their way to the show. But, like the refrain in the Velvet Underground tune Phish covered in the second set, “it was all right.” Despite the hype, people found clear skies and open roadways, an ease in pulling in to the grounds and a gentle vibe, even among most security.
A warm sun greeted attendees as they entered the show, and the spirit of good intention triumphed over the hubbub. Vermonters among the crowd inevitably shared stories of friends who had sustained unthinkable damage from Tropical Storm Irene and stories of the resiliency of their neighbors who are rebuilding the best they can. Gov. Peter Shumlin set the tone when he started the concert by speaking about the determination in the state and said, “We were a close-knit community before this happened, and now we’re a family.”
Phish indeed treated all of their fans, young and old alike as part of their long lost family. Unlike the cold, disjointed chaos of their Coventry shows, they succeeded in evoking a warm reception from the crowd by relying heavily on the older cherished tunes like “Chalk Dust” and “Suzie,” along with a smattering of tasteful new songs as well.
They were not stingy with nostalgia and bombarded the grateful audience with the youthful, zany lyricism and rock art they are known for, and the audience responded by bouncing back, by singing along and by remembering how it used to be way back when everyone in Vermont had hung out with the band.
Essex Junction granted the concert a reprieve from the town’s usual noise ordinance and said that Phish could rock as loud as they wanted until 11 p.m. And the band succeeded in ending the last set at exactly 10:55 p.m. But, when the crowd heartily insisted on an encore, they came back out and played “Lovin’ Cup” until just over 11, and no one seemed to mind. The ending line of the Rolling Stones’ old tune, and the ending of a great concert and a great night, heard Trey repeating “what a beautiful buzz, what a beautiful buzz.”
