Dear Phish,
On behalf of your West Coast fans, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my rotten heart for once again dicking us over. I get it, you have families, you want the easy paycheck, but for the love of God would it kill you to give the West Coast a little love? If my count is right, at the end of this fall tour, Phish Version 3.0 will have played 125 shows. Of those 125 shows, only 9 were held within the Pacific Time Zone. Of those 9 shows, 5 were in locations that were at least 2+ hours from a major airport, 3 (and the only known shows in the PST in 2010) were in a venue that holds under 10,000 people leaving many West Coast fans shut out (but hey, at least all those trust fund phans from back east were able to come out and enjoy the left coast) and then we had 1 show mid-week last summer leaving us non Bay Area fans who work for a living out in the cold.
Even if you throw Colorado into the mix, that brings the total to 18 shows. Keep in mind that of the 9 shows Colorado has gotten, not a single one has been held within a venue that can hold over 10,000 phans.
If my arguments for a lack of shows is not strong enough (I can already hear the east coast trust fund kids crying/mocking this post) let’s talk about set lists. Three nights at The Greek and our big bust out is The Lizards? Don’t get me wrong, it was much better than my 9th Limb by Limb in 20 shows, but let’s look at your undersold North Carolina shows from this summer? Two shows, big venues and plenty of extras to be had, you not only give those fans the first Fuck Your Face in over two decades; it comes moments after The Lizards. I know, lets reward that region with two shows in South Carolina this fall, but skip Portland, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Vancouver, Seattle, Sacramento, San Diego and Phoenix. Same thing for Alpine Valley – plenty of extra tickets and boom you bust out some serious guns. Hell, most of your East Coast summer run was undersold, so hey why not award that region with more shows. Fans begged for Prep School Hippie at the Greek, we wanted our bust out, our special moment and you failed us yet again. But hey, at least you spared us Time Turns Elastic.
Let your east coast snobs run to the potty when you close set 1 of your 6th New York State show this year with that giant turd of a song.
Of the 9 shows in the Pacific Time Zone, I will thank you for last years Festival 8. I doubt many bands could draw 40,000+ fans a day to the Empire Polo Fields, and everyone from mainstream press to this angry phan sang the praises of your three day 90+ song Halloween spectacular. But what have you done with that positive reception and energy coming out of Festival 8? You left it out in the desert to die a slow death. You have left all your West Coast fans to suffer, and I have to ask why? I would suggest perhaps you hate our crowded freeways, but judging by your cute lil viral video (which features a ton of our freeways despite no tour dates here) that’s not the case. Is it jet lag? Is Trey afraid of falling off the wagon after rocking a sold out Hollywood Bowl (you know, the venue you were supposed to play in Fall 2004, only to dick us out of those memories by breaking up)? So what gives Phish, where is the west coast love?
Signed,
Reverend Justito/concertconfessions.com
PHISH FALL TOUR 2010 from Phish on Vimeo.
39 Comments, Comment or Ping
Buck
Seriously? East Coast trustfunders? Spend a week working with me and see where my money comes from. I’m sure it’s this whiney sense of entitlement that keeps the band away.
Aug 24th, 2010
concertconfessions
OK, well lets give it up to Buck, the one Phish fan on the East Coast with a job.
Whose next?
Aug 24th, 2010
K
Maybe these venues can accommodate the band in better ways? Maybe they just like staying close to home? There are a lot of Phish fans out West, but you have to admit the bulk is in the Northeast. Other than certain parts of CA and CO, where on the West Coast can they sell out a 10-15k seat venue? There’s obviously logistical and financial reasons…
…East Coast trustfunders? Gimme a F&%$ break! Trustfund hippies exists just as easily in Brahlorado and Custie Cali…I’ve live in both places and on the East Coast, so I’m well aware.
Aug 24th, 2010
brentfurthur
I agree with you that the West Coast is basically getting grossly overlooked on these tours. The number of shows dont lie. I was at Alpine Valley 9 days ago for both shows but I did not see extra tickets and I looked hard for a couple hours both nights. The only extras I did see where $100 plus for the pavilion. Were you referring to last year? Anyway, thank God Phish is back and hopefully they will spread out their tour a little more.
brentfurthur
Aug 24th, 2010
Chad Reece
I saw Phish 3D in Los Angeles… There were five people in the theater .. Like it or not. Music is a business. Tours are put together based on where management thinks tickets will sell.
Aug 24th, 2010
concertconfessions
I also saw Phish 3D in a theatre in LA. It was sold out, and you can read the review on this site
Aug 24th, 2010
Chad Reece
I feel you man, but You have to check your aggression. Phish left us completely once. They came back on “their terms”. It’s better than the alternative.
Aug 24th, 2010
Carlos Spiceyweiner
Amen Brother,
I am from the east and my first show was in 91. I was 16. They all take for granted the ease and frequency of shows. My last east coast show was Darien lake 2000 with Albany before that. I moved to cali for work and to escape the god awful weather and lack of culture. Then there was the post hiatus reunion. LA forum was crap and so was Chula Vista. I had to wait till Shoreline last year for a decent show and it was about a 9 hour drive from Sandy Eggo. And yes they played TTE…barf. I had been to 3 of the festivals and the glens falls halloween show so I was ecstatic about 8. But lets face it, the whole save the date thing was kind of a dick move that effed up alot of peoples plans. Sadly I can feel the tide turning as Phish starts to alienate more and more of their hardcore fans. More longtime fans are starting to leave / get left out or priced out by scalpers. I made it to the greek, another 9 hour drive and $150 for a ticket. I brought my lady to her first show ($300) and she we were both psyched to get some covers but by Sat we were SOL. 4 each night in Telluride. I was stoked for lizards, last one was at clifford ball. The summer tour seemed really cookie cutter with a couple jems here and there, but most were just repeated throughout. My take on the Calli thing is that we have the best drugs and the hottest chicks and maybe their aging wives and girlfriends just wont let them come out to play.
Aug 24th, 2010
Sam Owsley
I think the lack of class and respect demonstrated in this posting is stunning. If you dislike people from the East Coast so much maybe you should find a new band/hobby. Phish are EAST COAST ROCK AND ROLL. Deal with it. And if by “snobby” and “elitist” you mean “educated” and “not homeless” then yeah, Phish/East Coast kids are definitely a lot more of those things than you will ever be.
Not to mention the fact that you HAD a west coast FESTIVAL all to yourselves last year that NOBODY went to! Heaven on earth was created for 3 days at your doorstep and only 40,000 people showed up!! WTF!? I know shooting up speedballs all day in Golden Gate Park is really fun but can’t you crusty fucks get it together to pack a venue? Pathetic.
The funniest part is you guys aren’t kidding and are probably even unaware of the irony that it is exactly this shitty, bratty, entitled talk that has defined the image of “The west coast fan” and is precisely why you get NO PHEESH.
Complaining that “the only bustout you got is Lizards? Give me a break…
You’re not collecting baseball cards, asshole, The Phish play what needs to be played, end of story. What makes you think you have the right to weigh in on something like that, let alone criticize THEIR judgement?! No respect. The amount you don’t get IT is laughable and if I were from the west coast I would be ashamed.
Aug 24th, 2010
I agree
They have only played one show within 300 miles of Kansas City since their return, and that was in the middle of the week at the smallest venue of last years summer tour (The Fox – St. Louis). Tickets were impossible to get. The only other options have been driving 8 to 10 hours and taking off at least two or three days of work or flying and spending a ton if you want to catch a show. Not easy if you have any responsibilities. In the long run that just ain’t worth it. Thanks guys, enjoy playing Colorado and the East Coast. It’s pretty obvious they are the only fans you give a shit about.
Aug 25th, 2010
Jdubs
Have some patience and realize that this most likely just the first leg of fall tour and there will be other dates out west. Leave it to an entitled “phan” like yourself to expect phish to take into account YOUR location, work schedule and transportation needs as they plan a tour. Ya, right they’re dicking you over on purpose…get some positive outlook on your life and stop hating on a band that you supposedly love so much. It’s this sense of entitlement and ridiculously high expectations from fans that made them quit in the first place, people like YOU that stop making it fun. You do remember that don’t you? Those years that you didn’t have ANY tour to complain about… I truly am sorry you don’t have all the west coast dates you were looking for and sincerely hope you can share in the groove sometime soon, if only to make the whining stop. I work hard for every dollar I make and have since I was 18, no trust fund here dude. I just save my money in anticipation of just this occasion. If you did the same you wouldn’t be a broke ass whiny ungrateful bitch.
Aug 25th, 2010
KB
I think you should pick a new favorite band and stop listening to their music altogether. You know, just to get back at ‘em.
I hear the Flaming Lips are fun to watch….
Aug 25th, 2010
LookOutCleveland
I love all the phish-elitists with their sense of entitlement. You were probably the person I saw on youtube holding up the “No More Whammy” sign at the Greek. If you don’t like what/how they play, feel like you’ve had your fill of Limb x Limb or believe The Lizards just ain’t good enough, don’t go see them. It’s that simple. To post an open letter trying to dictate to this band where, what, and when they play is ridiculous. Your whining about your “lack of bust outs” at the Greek just makes you sound like a jerk. All you west coasters had built up in your mind that those Greek shows were going to be epic, and when they fell short of your expectations, you take it out on the band? Did Phish come out and say, “Get ready for these Greek shows – they are going to be off the chain?” So why are you so pissy when they somehow didn’t deliver on a promise never made? And to gripe about them playing Lizards and FYF in Charlotte because the shows weren’t sold out? How long have you been a phan? Ever hear the story of Phish covering Dark Side in Utah at a grossly undersold show just after their sold out Vegas show? What about those Gamehendges they played? Were those at big, hyped shows at well known venues? This is what this band has always done, and, frankly, part of the reason we love them.
Let’s talk about Festival 8. It is by far the biggest, most anticipated show 3.0 has played to date, and they gave it to Cali. And how did Cali respond? 40,000 per day? That concert field could have held twice that, and, had they played that show east of the Mississippi, that’s how many would have showed up. That’s literally millions of dollars in lost revenue. You can call their business plan going for the “easy paycheck” all you want, but the fact is, this is their job. If your boss came to you and said, “Hey brah, gotta skimp you out on about half your greenbacks for the next month or so because our custies want to pay less,” what the hell would you say to your boss? Sure thing brah? No, you would tell that boss to shove it and find another job that pays you what you are worth. You have no clue what their motivations are, what kind of tough decisions they have to make about touring, or what their bottom line looks like. Stop whining. You live in Cali because it’s freaking awesome out there. You have beaches and wonderful weather and pot is legal. Where I’m from, the people are ultra conservative, the winter’s are shitty, and there isn’t a nice beach within 1,000 miles.
Having said that, I get your point. You live far away from where they play, and you desperately want to see them. I understand your pain. I’m addicted to Phish myself, and I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t go see them live. However, this jaded, crummy attitude you have about it needs to get checked. You sound bitter, and you sound like you have some sort of inferiority complex, menitoning “east coast trust funders” multiple times in your post. It’s as if you are blaming this mysterious, fictional group of people for you not getting your Harpua at the Greek. Here’s the juice – we are all grown up (well, some of us anyway), all have jobs, and all put down our hard earned money on seeing this band. If you can’t make that happen for yourself, perhaps you need to look in the mirror as opposed to blaming everyone else for you not getting to see FYF.
p.s. I saw FYF at Charlotte AND Alpine. Suck it.
Aug 25th, 2010
East Coast Lobsters
I am over on a another music board with some others making fun of how much of a little bitch you sound like. I wonder if we will will get any love for fall our… oh wait…
10/19 – Augusta Civic Center, Augusta, ME
10/20 – Utica Memorial Auditorium, Utica, NY
10/22 – Dunkin Donuts Center, Providence, RI
10/23 – Mullins Center, Amherst, MA
10/24 – Mullins Center, Amherst, MA
10/26 – Verizon Wireless Arena, Manchester, NH
10/29 – Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ
10/30 – Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ
10/31 – Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City,
Suck it west coast.
Aug 25th, 2010
Joe the Rip
We should be happy that they are even playing. Phish quit playing 6 years ago. Game over…well guess what…we get to go into an indefinite overtime and we should be thankfull for every note we get. But instead we complain about whammy bars. Get some perspective people. Phish is back, be happy and lose this sense of entitlement. If you can’t go to a show, stream it…for FREE. I am not a trust funder,…but I work my ass off so I can get on a plane and go whever necessary to see shows. There are 3 times as many fans on the East Coast…why the hell would they not play all there shows there? I went to F8…40K for the first festival ever on the west coast? Limestone had over 60K and it is in the middle of nowhere. How many millions should they lose so West Coasters can be happy? Get real people.
Aug 25th, 2010
concertconfessions
A few things I have noticed in the 24 hours since I posted this open letter to Phish.
1) Pissing off East Coast Phish fans is great for web traffic (thanks for stopping by everyone)
2) It is totally ok to make fun of a “wook” but it’s totally not cool to make fun of an “educated” Phish fan. Even in hippie-topia there is a double-standard when it comes to class/social standing.
3) For the record, I am the dude who videotaped the “No Whammy” sign you saw on YouTube
4) Had Festival 8 not been during the school year, I assume you would of had a lot more folks attend. Then again, you can’t really have a festival in Indio in the summer. Way too hot.
I look forward to more entitled East Coast kids bitching me out (I did call it in the comments after all) and more sad west/midwest kids stopping by and having a place to ease their pain.
Aug 25th, 2010
thenaturalstoner
Gorge sells out, its over 15k. Where is my 5 night GORGE run? Who cares about dirty ass Jersey?
Aug 25th, 2010
The Gage
I like how you whine in your article, predict that people will be annoyed by your whining, and then use the scorn heaped upon your whining as validation for your point.
Tell me how you would react to this offer:
“Hey man, why don’t you pack up yourselves, your gear, and your crew, drive 3000 miles that way, and make less money.”
I used to be a huge Arsenal fan until I got pissed off for them playing all their games in England.
Aug 25th, 2010
mike
Fucking loser, get a fucking plane ticket and come east.
Aug 25th, 2010
Marco Escuandolas
what a groveling loser you are! I bet you’re one of those kids that runs into the venue as it opens JUST TO GET A MERIT BADGE! I agree with the above comparison… When I went to The Went, Clifford Ball, Lemonwheel and IT, there were a lot more than 40,000 people and it WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF FUCKING NOWHERE. 3 day show in Cali = bust! They probably lost money on that one!
Guaranteed you don’t run a business, you have no idea.
Aug 25th, 2010
matthew
What an asshole this guy is to write this. He actually complained about the Greek shows? Unbelievable. Who gives a fuck about Fuck your face or Prep School Hippie? This dude is obviously a giant loser who wants to pump his stats. I have no trust fund you presumptuous waste of human life. What an asshole. It’s actually hilarious that he thinks this way. 2010 started in June. I’m pretty sure they played more shows in California so far this year as they have in New Jersey!! What an unbelievable stupid, spoiled, entitled dimwitted fan this guy is. And many of us enjoy Time Turns Elastic. I love how he thinks he speaks for others and knows what’s up when he sounds like an uninformed egocentric moronic noob. I didn’t meet any west coast fans at any of the east coast phish shows and I do know plenty of east coast fans that went to the Greek and Indio so I guess east coast just has better, more dedicated and better informed fans than the east. Thanks for the illustration on this whineboy
Aug 25th, 2010
ReverendJustito
Marco Escuandolas,
As of me typing this, I have 94 facebook shares. This post has hit a record for the ammount of comments.
You see, for us here at ConcertConfessions, it’s a bit of a slow patch. Our scheduled shows for this week were cancelled in multiple states. So I used my dissapointment of a lack of West Coast Phish shows to get traffic moving. As you can see by your (assumed first) visit here, it worked. So don’t tell us how to run a business sugar tits, I think we are doing just fine.
Signed,
Reverend Justito – The Bad Guy Wrestler of the Phish Phan Base!
Aug 25th, 2010
caravan2001
lizards is a bustout? I guess that is your point…..But jeez, everyone is so sensitive, I agree with your point, it is totally valid, and all the east coasters get so uppity (and I am a former one)….Phish has not played in Oregon in over ten years. For me, with a wife and kids, that freaking bites…..I saw over 60 shows in 91, now I am lucky if I get to see 6 in a year (and it costs $$ to fly everywhere)….Whoever said that they can’t fill arenas here on the west coast is on crack…..They would easily sell out two nights each in Portland/Seattle/SF and LA……….sugar tits lol
Aug 25th, 2010
Sam Owsley
Damn Reverend J, talk about pathetic.
you are now blaming this bullshit noob ass article on you wanting web traffic?
kill yourself please. No phish for you.
Aug 26th, 2010
ReverendJustito
Sam,
I wanted to kill myself earlier this summer. Sadly, I didn’t have a ticket for Jones Beach and was unable to jump from the balcony. Perhaps next year.
Aug 26th, 2010
Phishbeard
I agree about no west coast love from Phish, as well as the trust fund east coaster theory. Out of all the Phish shows I have attended, I have only had the privelege of seeing Phish for 8 shows west of the Mississippi, which is sad. Not only do west coast people like Phish, but they also have better venues to go too, such as the Gorge, Red Rocks, Mt. Shasta, and yes even the Polo Grounds are some prime pieces of realestate.
Phish needs to respect the west, because as Ice Cube once noted, the west side is the best side. Just think about the sucky weather the east coast and mid-westers deal with daily. Fuck that noise. I wanna be able to walk around a Phish show for once without having my sweaty nucksack chapped and pasted to my thigh. Is that how people enjoy themselves east of the Mississippi? I doubt it.
This is just another reason why Phish can’t be considered similar to the Grateful Dead, which is because the Dead at least shared the loved throughout the US, even the east coast. I understand the road is easier when on tour in the east, because of the mass amount of people and the short distances between the major cities, but give me a break, no west coast shows for the fall 2010 tour WTF!
By the way, I watched the Phish 3D movie in WA to a pretty much empty theater as well, but that was because there was only 1 city available in WA and it was in a farming community who don’t give a shit about Phish. I also wanted to note how shitty the song selection was for the movie. I was at Festival 8 and I would have to say they chose pretty much the shit of the weekend in my opinion.
These last few years, Phish has sorta pissed me off. I love their music, well at least the older stuff. That new shit like Joy and Time Turns Elastic are garbage. I would rather listen to Rush, who I hate with a passion. I am happy Trey is on the road to recovery and I do think the boys in general are tearing it up, but they have not yet earned my repect back quite yet, especially after this fall tour bullshit.
I just wanna finish by saying I probably won’t make another Phish show unless they are playing out west somewhere or if they put on another festival. Only way I will make it back east for a Phish show is if something special is gonna happen, such as a small venue or special guest of some sort. I can only hope that the east coasters can realize some day how much special treatment that they recieve from the band and that a hard earned dollar is one that is made back west.
Aug 26th, 2010
nedboy7
Thanks for the great article. I love how the east coasters get their panties in a bunch. and that was great when the deuche defended tte. maybe you should shove a string cheese cd up your ass so can get a clue.
Aug 27th, 2010
Phishbeard
Nedboy7, I appreciate that you used your best grammar to respond. At least the Cheese can put on a show worth attending on the west coast. To top it off, I don’t know about your ass, but there is no possible way for me to shove a String Cheese cd up my ass. You should have said flash drive to be more realistic.
Aug 27th, 2010
Carlos Spiceyweiner
OK Kids,
I can’t help but notice that the hot word in most posts is Entitled. I don’t think it is that far of a stretch to have your favorite band play in your town, or close to it if you live in or around one of the biggest cities in the US. Understood that S.Dakota is effed and will be for, well…ever. Also I resent the fact that I am somehow less of a fan becaue I have an other than glowing opinion of everything that Phish does. If I pay $50 for a steak dinner and there is a band aid on it well, I may be a litle focused on the band aid. Out west we all have to travel great distances for our shows and maybe our expectaions are pretty high as a result. I have some news that the east coasters are not going to want to hear, but most of you are not going to be able to get into the shows either. Every stop on the fall tour is between 6 and 15,000 seats. There are going to be plenty of die hards left out in the cold, and I feel for you all. It is becoming evident to me that while Phish wants to continue to tour, they are being influenced by their record / insurance companies. Labels usually sponsor tours of new albums and that is why the mandatory show download is added to the ticket price. Insurance companies cover sold out tours, so hence the smaller venues and the close proximity. I love my east coast brothers, I am one of you originally. What I am ashamed of is the entire “phish is ours, you can’t have any so get over it” attitude. Imagine a full on west tour, not that it will ever happen and you might get some insight. Phish shows are my superbowl, world series, stanley cup and whatever else rolled ito one, and have been so since ’91. 3.0 is like new and improved crack to me and I’m jonesing people.
Aug 30th, 2010
nychizzy
the fact that phish has not signed up to play hollywood bowl, a popular red light mgmt venue, is just plain lame. its time to rock it out there … would sell out for a multiple night run. lets go already.
Aug 30th, 2010
ebrother
This shits getting crazier than 2pac v. Biggie. I don’t much care about “bust outs” because that is what makes them so special. You can’t go into a show expecting something 25 years old to show up, and all the face fucking I got from the boys on the west side last year left nothing but a good taste in my mouth. No complaints here. All I can hope for is to get assaulted next summer and put away with my ears dripping with phish spunk for days afterwards.
Sep 12th, 2010
rippah
If I were a member of the band and I got a hold of this letter, the West coast wouldbe the last place I play at, and for a long time too. If you are pleading for them to come West, I have no idea why you would think guilting them out by saying they somehow ‘dicked you over’ would get them to the West coast any sooner. Your sense of entitlement is astounding. That is all.
Nov 8th, 2010
JAI MA
Fact of the matter is, east coast phamily would be just as bummed as us, if they only got 9 out of 125 shows, 18 including Colorado. Right? It’s sad for us
But there is no need to disrespect each other, there’s no use for mudslinging. We all Love Phish, plain and simple. As a California resident, I will take what I can get because when they weren’t playing at all, my heart was broken. Now it just aches a little because the lack of west coast shows make it hard to see my favorite band in the entire world.
One last comment. I’d Love to see these Phish threads stop with all the shit talking. Let’s mature and evolve. We’re all this together!
Apr 3rd, 2011
rick
anybody want to point out… everything is Closer on the east coast? its 5 hrs to nyc from burlington vt and there are a half dozen venues between the two at least One could almost walk to all the shows. At least the northern half of the east coast is that way. and yeah.. they are an east coast band… and touring is expensive….etc etc.. be happy with what you get…whiner. and get a life
Jun 16th, 2011
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