Hampton was Phish's first foray back into the spotlight after that lengthy hiatus that we're all working to forget about. This show recieved lots of media coverage due to the amount of drug busts scored by Hampton police. But what was it really like on the scene?
Taraleigh Silberberg, owner of The Healthy Hippy Magazine; and Jim Hutchison, Chief Design Consultant of Alive Lighting experienced Hampton with friends and were happy to give us the low-down.
On the Crowd:
Taraleigh: "There were stickers being handed out that said, "Since Conventry I..." and I saw "got married and had a kid," "got a job," "followed my passion," "became a published writer," etc. The crowd was 4 years older and was full of "professionals." Since being an unhealthy hippie on Phish tour I was a professional cheerleader for the NJ Nets, went to the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, became a Holistic Health Counselor, and started The Healthy Hippie Magazine. Who knows what I would have done if I kept on following the band around the country? In the crowd there were accountants, lawyers, writers, computer geeks, doctors, actors, parents, grandparents, and social workers rockin out!"
Jim: "The crowd is a lot different - lots of extremely stoned 18 to 20-somethings, the majority of who really didn't care about the people around them... Walking around the parking lot and "shakedown street" if you will was another adventure - t-shirt vendors, food, beer, necklaces, "glassware," and other novelties were plentiful. People were friendly, and the anticipation of each night's festivity could be felt through your body as you walked closer and closer to the Hampton Mothership. The one thing that needs to be said to all people, Phish fans or not, is that pets should be left at home during these kinds of events - I counted around 50 sad looking, exhausted, and miserable dogs being led around by people walking the lots either looking for tickets or pawning their wares. That was the saddest thing I saw during the three nights of shows."
On the City of Hampton:
Jim: "There seemed to be a mix of people who saw the opportunity for an extra buck off of the Phish heads, and another mix of locals who could really give a damn about these "unwashed stinking hippie throwbacks," as I overheard in a Waffle House somewhere outside Hampton. In this economy, one would assume that people all over the city would go above and beyond to milk the fans out of any dime that they were willing to part with, but there were exceptions."
Taraleigh: "We did eat at an Irish Pub across the street from our hotel and the people were so nice. They loved all the business they were getting from the Phish fans. They had Sierra Nevada, Magic Hat #9, and other heady beers on special as well as a sign that said, "Ask us about our vegetarian options." When we were leaving a string quartet followed us out the door and played music for us. It felt like the soundtrack of my life for that particular moment. "
On Security:
Taraleigh: "The security in the lots was a little crazy. There were undercover cops arresting people for having a small amount of marijuana, but there were tanks of nitrious on "shakedown street" and the police were doing nothing about that. As long as you were 21 they weren't enforcing any open container laws. If you were selling items that had the Phish logo on them, they would take it from you. If you were selling food or crafts they left you alone. "
Jim: "During the waiting to get in the first night, the Hampton security people dropped the ball a bit, and the lines became one enormous shoving, pushing, hitting, kicking mess. It took us (me and two friends) about 90 minutes to move about 100 feet to the gates, being constantly compressed and pushed from behind. The subsequent nights were better, with security being more stringient about forming lines. The beautiful thing was that during the wait on nights 2 and 3, the crowd kind of policed themselves, yelling, screaming, and blocking other people from cutting in line. People just wanted to have a good time and see Phish after a long 5-year wait."
On Scalpers and Miracles:
Taraleigh: "A lot of people came from far and wide without any tickets. It wasn't uncommon to see someone decked out in a costume with a sign that said, "$1000 for your Friday ticket." That is crazy since the tickets were around $40 face value."
Jim: "A large number of people walked around looking for tickets, and the signs they held up ranged from fantastic and creative to the mundane and pathetic."
Finally, the Show:
Taraleigh: "About 8pm, the lights go down and I just start screaming at the top of my lungs. I couldn't do anything else but scream. Then they started to play "Fluffhead" and I continued to scream and once in a while sing the lyrics. Within the first minute I knew they were back...and back with a vengeance! ...Trey looked like a little boy and all the members were bouncing around and playing ripping tunes. Mike was even sporting some hot purple pants! ...The band was so excited to be playing music together again and the crowd was equally as excited and both were feeding off of each other. There was a huge sense of gratitude all around as well.
Jim: "Night one was very high energy - the moment the house lights went down, a new "aura of awesome" came into effect. These people wanted to see the band they love after being deprived for five years, and we got what we wanted. It took a few songs for the band to settle into the overall good energy the crowd was directing their way - but once they reached that level, everything was just fine. The second and third nights were just as good, with a good bunch of the band's greatest songs being rocked onstage."
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Overall Impression:
Taraleigh: "This was my favorite Phish shows ever and I've been to a lot. I'm so glad they took a four year break because they needed it. They are excited to play music again. Not only did the band need it, but the fans did too." More from Taraleigh: The Healthy Hippy Magazine
Jim: "A good time was had by all (except for the 200 or so people arrested for possession and distribution), and the shows were most certainly an experience I'll not soon forget." More from Jim:JimOnLight.com
Do you have a Hampton experience to share?
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