The Return to Limestone – Lemonwheel 8/15-16/98
We started to have the system down now. People discovered the utility of the Bangor airport and had the local hotels scouted out. Some poured over maps and learned back roads into the venue. We knew we were going to the ends of the earth and prepared accordingly.
The design of the central area was an Asian one. The Garden of Infinite Pleasantries had a rock garden and a pond, but it was mainly remembered for the Porta-John Pagoda, a stacked up collection of portable toilets. It was best to visit that one on the first day before people actually started using it.
The previous two years had had unannounced fourth sets in the campground; this year they made it official. Phish announced at the end of the encore that they would be playing an ambient set. They took a break and then lit the stage with candles while playing a beautiful jam. The dynamics of the fourth set were interesting as the mellow nature of the music combined with the chilly Maine night caused some people to drift out towards the campground. Those who stayed had plenty of room to lie down and let the music wash over them.
Perhaps the biggest influence on future festivals happened towards the back of the field. For the first time Phish would bring in a Ferris Wheel , the wheel in the Lemonwheel. This would be so popular that it would reappear at almost every subsequent event. Lives have been changed waiting in line for these, couples have formed (one of which is getting married just up the road this very weekend), all due to a play on words.
Also new for Lemonwheel was the clarity of the ending. There would be no controversy in 1998. As “Harry Hood” ended, a fuse was lit. This wrapped around the stage and slowly burned to the side where it ended at a statue of a giant elephant. It raised its head and slowly moved towards the exit to the strains of “Baby Elephant Walk.” We had a leader to guide us out of the venue and back to reality.
The Heat Goes On – Camp Oswego 7/17-18/99
If you ever wanted to make a living as a psychiatrist specializing in Phish fans, offer up, “Camp Oswego,” in a game of word association. If they don’t answer with a variant of “Hot,” or “Incredibly hot!” or “I thought I was going to die from the heat,” then they’re obviously functionally insane.
There are times where the weather overrides everything. Camp Oswego brought out some good ideas, some of which would be recycled at Big Cypress (which like Festival 8 is not a summer festival and is out of scope of this article) such as having the festival square – The Green – outside of the venue. This way if you wanted to go into the Bubble House (brought back for a third straight year) or play some Atari 2600 games you could do so at 3 AM. They also had actors wandering the area pretending to row canoes on the asphalt.
One idea that didn’t catch on was the second stage. On any other weekend, being able to see Son Seals and The Living Daylights and The Slip would be a good thing but people were largely huddled under shade during the day. Seals did make an appearance on the big stage, letting Phish play “Funky Bitch” with the author. Along with the welcome appearance of “Have Mercy,” and a bizarre “Icculus” where Trey explained that “Cat Scratch Fever” and “Smoke on the Water” are the same song (but “Smoke on the Water” is still better), it was a highlight of the weekend.
Our Intent Is All For Your Delight – IT 8/2-3/03
After five years off, Phish returned to Limestone in 2003. Unfortunately this time they brought rain with them. Some last second logistical changes led to incredibly long delays for people trying to get into the lot. Sawdust was dropped, mud was dealt with, and no one knew how fortunate they were compared to what was to come.
IT’s artwork was perhaps the most elaborate project. Dubbed The Sunken City, it featured a post-apocalyptic town, complete with a Bob’s Big Boy, a hotel, and a piece of neon that gave the koan-esque decree of, “Yeah is good.” A sub-theme of the weekend was Groucho Glasses. These were handed out. Even the water tower to the side of the stage was decorated with a massive set. It seemed to be building towards something but it was just a random joke.
As befitting the 2.0 era of Phish, It was defined by long jams. There was an interesting space jam between “Waves” and “David Bowie,” a high energy 30+ minute “Ghost,” and a “46 Days” that lasted nearly 46 minutes. The best jamming perhaps occurred during the third set of the first night, a fluid tour de force of some of the newer songs, bookended by songs that had “it” as a crucial part of the lyrics.
As interesting as the art and music were, they were overshadowed by a legendary moment. Phish played a surprise set on top of the airport’s control tower as dancers rappelled up and down the structure. Most of the attendees were oblivious to this happening, but for those who were lucky enough to stumble across it, it was an exquisite combination of music and art.
God Says No – Coventry 8/14-15/04
2004 was not a good time to be a Phish fan. In the wake of a disastrous run in Las Vegas, Trey announced that the band would be ending their career with the summer. What was shaping up to be the first Vermont Festival would now be a farewell instead.
In theory something must have gone right at this event, but few stories are told about that. Days of drenching rain turned the field into a muddy quagmire; at least we all hoped it was mostly mud. The few cars that could make it into the parking lot were largely getting stuck. Finally the Vermont State Police made the call. No more cars would be allowed in. This was the watershed for fans stuck on I-91. Many people chose that moment to make a leap of faith, parked their car on the highway, and walked as much as 20 miles, carrying the bare minimum of camping supplies.
It would be nice to be able to say that those fans were rewarded for their effort with an epic show. However, despite some nice moments in the jams, this is an event defined by failure. The art installations were largely unable to be delivered. The maps handed out were inaccurate. The fourth set to be held in the covered wagon had to be ditched.
What do people remember about Coventry? Trey stumbling on the rock sculpture in front of the stage, Page breaking down during “Velvet Sea,” Trey repeating the same rambling story both nights, having to restart the final song because it was in the wrong key, and – most of all – the abomination of “Glide” where it seemed like Trey had lost any ability to play his instrument.
As awful as the “Glide” is – and it’s immortalized on You Tube for anyone to see – it does serve a purpose. As we get ready for a new summer festival and the excitement builds, the low of Coventry is just as important as the highs of the previous years. The potential for joy at this event is even stronger knowing how close we came to losing the band – if not Trey himself – a few years ago. If you get a chance, take a moment to reflect on how lucky we are to be here on this racetrack seeing this band playing these songs that we love. We get another summer festival, another chance to wonder what surprises await us. That alone will make this a super ball.
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