"A few songs into the first set, a funny thing happened: My pad stayed in my pocket for longer stretches. I put my phone away and stopped sending messages to the newsroom. Deadlines and leads slipped from my mind. I forgot, for a time, I was on assignment. That’s a very unusual thing and a better way to listen to music — and there was some good stuff to hear Wednesday night at the fairgrounds."

Reporter Sally Pollack, from an article in the Burlington Free Press (9/18/11).

I was very pleased and very appreciative for the cooperation of the crowd. They were very pleasant to deal with. I’ve been in the business for 33 years, and I can’t ever remember dealing with a crowd of that size that was so pleasant to deal with.

All right, raise your hand if you're gonna miss Couch Tour!

This event, as absorbed via the Information Superhighway in my computer chair, must have been wonderful to attend. Even the webcast was permeated with a sense of community and homecoming, and it's just a shame that it took a horrendous force majeure to make it happen. If Phish is playing, I'm either there or wishing I were, and this was most certainly true tonight.

Of course, it was the kind of night (last announced show this year, rumors afloat about another mini-or-quasi-hiatus, first show in Vermont since Coventry, loose and loping soundcheck) that stirs up disproportionate and even mythical expectations among fans. Tonight's show, while entertaining, was a reminder that expectations are best kept small.

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It goes without saying that with Phish's benefit concert coming up on Wednesday in Essex Junction, all eyes in the Phish community will be squarely on the flood ravaged state. If you purchased a ticket to the show, pre-ordered the webcast or made a donation to The Waterwheel Foundation, take pride in the fact that you have indeed already helped the people affected by Hurricane Irene in Vermont. Only a mere two and a half weeks since Irene ran its path through central New England most Vermonters are still busy cleaning up. The funds raised by Phish will be massive and go a long way over the long haul finding its way into the hands of various Vermont organizations helping in relief efforts. Recovery from this storm will take months, not weeks. That being said the state is already showing signs of rebuilding with business and community resources coming together and getting people and places back on their feet.

If you're heading up to Vermont on Wednesday and are interested in taking the extra step and helping just a little bit more, there are ways through very small commitments of money and time that you CAN make an additional difference.

I spoke directly last night with Matt Sisto of the grassroots organization #VTresponse. He explained how relief and clean up efforts are still very much "day-to-day", focusing on the areas and sites that need the most attention as they come. He and his crew of volunteers are hard at work utilizing the generous resources from people in Vermont and beyond. So while you might not be able to get organized into helping clean up waterlogged areas (if you wanted to stay the rest of the week, I bet they'd find a spot for you though) there are small things that can go a long way to work that is being done RIGHT NOW.

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It's Monday, and, as usual, the Blog has cooked up a Mystery Jam (all while taking in ten straight hours of NFL action; lesser men might have folded under the pressure, but I managed to pack it all in). As usual, we will be playing for an MP3 download courtesy of our friends at LivePhish.com / Nugs.Net. The rules haven't changed: you need to correctly identify the song and the date to win. Post your guess in the comments. One guess per person per day (with the second “day” starting after I post the hint). The hint will come on Tuesday and the answer will be posted on Wednesday. Good luck...

Tuesday Hint: Alas, no hint needed this week...

Wednesday Answer: 8/12/98 "Ramble On." Congrats to ghostboogie on the win. See everyone on Monday...

MP3 Downloads Courtesy of LivePhish.com.

You just read their recap of buying tickets, now Dusty and Brando from CashOrTrade.org are announcing a ticket giveaway for Wednesday's show in Vermont! Thanks to these guys for such an amazing offer!!

From CashOrTrade.org:

In an effort to continue helping by doing our part, CashorTrade.org is GIVING AWAY 2 TICKETS for Wednesday to 2 lucky fans who help support and build the face value ticket fair trade community.
Go to http://cashortrade.org/vtbenefit.php for details.

Read on for more info about CashOrTrade

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Brando and Dusty Rich from CashOrTrade.org are good friends of the site, so we reached out to them for a first-hand account of Friday and Saturday’s ticket buying experience in Burlington. With a monstrous line, ignoring the band’s request to spend the night at home and only a single point to purchase tickets, some were justifiably concerned that this could spiral into an organization nightmare. When it was all said and done though, none of those concerns even remotely surfaced thanks to a great group of fans and the amazing staff on hand in Burlington.

Read on to hear Brando and Dusty’s account of the whole experience.

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Welcome to the Very Special^TM Labor Day Mystery Jam. What's so special about it? Listen and find out. As usual, we will be playing for an MP3 download courtesy of our friends at LivePhish.com / Nugs.Net. The rules haven't changed: you need to correctly identify the song and the date to win. Post your guess in the comments. One guess per person per day (with the second “day” starting after I post the hint). The hint will come on Tuesday and the answer will be posted on Wednesday. Good luck...

Tuesday Hint: There's nothing special about this Mystery Jam.

Wednesday Answer: Ok, I lied. The 12/5/95 "Gin" is pretty special by just about any measure. Congrats to zasdertultun for being the first to guess it. The Blog will be back on Monday with a Very Special^TM 67th Mystery Jam. Aren't they all special, though? Except maybe that "Star Spangled Banner" one. That one kinda sucked.

MP3 Downloads Courtesy of LivePhish.com

After two excellent performances at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on Friday and Saturday, Phish played long and hard at Dick's last night for the third, and final, show of their first -- and now legendary -- Labor Day Weekend run. Before Friday, who would have thought that Phish would take Dick's for strong, playing song after song, show after show, largely with passionate precision, bringing multiple jams (regardless of length) to often spine-tingling climaxes? Masters on their instruments, and accompanied by a genius light designer in Chris Kuroda and a top-notch crew, Phish rarely cease to amaze their fans. And amaze, for the most part, they did.

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Phish took the stage last night at Dick's in Commerce City, CO, on the middle night of this tour-closing run at the same time as the previous night, 8:20pm, even though Friday's late start was presumably weather-induced. On a stage that seemingly continues to get narrower and taller, Phish came out with ferocious, staight forward, Saturday-night-blazing guns. While it was quickly obvious there would be no repeat in stitching together a theme-based set like the previous night, it was also quickly obvious that Phish was intent on not letting the majesty of the surroundings overpower their sound. There was absolute shredding throughout the first set, beginninng with the stalwart "Possum".

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The Dick(‘s Sporting Goods Park). The Phish. Labor Day Weekend. End of tour. Echoing the Alpharetta2 (6/15/11) webcast: StormTeam17 reports heavy winds, lightning and sandstorms pre-gig. Think “S”!

Lights @ 8:17 MDT, a stock “Sample” opener, briskly into a “Sparkle,” “The Sloth” combo that keeps the energy high and allows band and crowd alike to settle in before the first catch-your-breath moment. “Sweet Virgina” provides the first deviation from script, their fourth ever performance (the first in 84 shows, 12-5-09 Charlottesville) and third since the Halloween ‘09 cover of Exile on Main St. in its entirety. Then the second-only Phish performance of “Suskind Hotel” kicks the tempo up in a welcome nod to those that have been clamoring for more Mike songs in the repertoire. “Suskind Hotel” was awesome, with strong hints of “Birds of a Feather” in the jam and a “CYHMK” in the ending. A strong presence on the 2006 GRAB tour (as well as the Mike Gordon solo repetroire), this one is a keeper!

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Phish.net folks Brian Feller and Charlie Dirksen are guests tonight on the Type II Cast podcast - available for streaming during or after the broadcast and for subscription via iTunes - discussing the Tahoe and Outside Lands shows. "Songs were played, and then the next songs were played," Brian Feller.

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