Attendance Bias (Brian Weinstein)

Send us a text

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today I am speaking with returning guest Scott Mikita who previously appeared to talk about the “Cavern” that closed the Island Tour on April 5, 1998. 

But for today’s episode, Scott moved from talking about a single song to a full set. And that set is one of the most legendary of Phish’s career: Set 2 of December 31, 2013, otherwise known as the JEMP Truck set. 

Forgive the hyperbole, but Phish fans can be quite a devise fanbase. What one fan considers to be the greatest performance every seen, the next fan over may consider the same show to be the band’s lowest point ever. It is exceedingly rare for the fanbase to agree that a song, a set, or an entire show is special but this set hits that mark. Taking us back in time to an era that is long gone, Phish simultaneously celebrated their past, their present, and their future at the end of their 30th year through their stage setup, their setlist choices, and straight narration to the audience.

But I don’t want to spoil it. Let’s join Scott Mikita to talk about the secret security entrance to Madison Square Garden, bringing a pen light to read during a show, and rumors that never happened as we dig into the JEMP Truck set from December 31, 2013 at Madison Square Garden.

Audio used in today's episode

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is my friend Robert Murray. When Rob first reached out to me, he had a novel idea: he knew that I already spoke about the epic performance of David Bowie from December 29, 1994 in Providence with Tom Marshall. But Rob thought that the Providence show deserved its own full episode, even without the David Bowie! I had never revisited the same show twice before, but I thought that Rob’s idea was creative enough to work–everyone knows the “Providence Bowie,” but what else happened that night? That’s what today’s show is for. 

And once we started putting together notes for this episode, I knew I met my match; normally, guests are a little taken aback by how much I write to prepare for an episode. But Rob outdid me! When I sent him my half of the notes, the document was about 14 pages. When he was done, it was 28 pages. Our conversation was just as cheery as the notes. If you’re a severely jaded vet and can’t stand when fans gush over just about everything Phish does, you may want to fast forward through this episode. Rob and I have a lot of good things to say about this show. The word “perfect” gets thrown around quite a bit, but when you’re talking about the 1994 Phish holiday run, it’s justified.

 And one last note about that: this episode has a pretty long running time. That is largely due to the number of music clips included in the conversation. Once I started listening back, I couldn't help myself. This show is just so good that it became more difficult to decide which songs NOT to include. But enough from me–listen for yourself as Rob Murray and I discuss Phish’s performance on December 29, 1994 at the Providence Civic Center.

Audio used in today's episode
12/29/94 "David Bowie," with Tom Marshall

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is fire dancer Kate Houlihan of Austin, Texas. 

At the beginning of this podcast, I was surprised that so many guests picked shows from 1999. But now that we are two years into the show, a new trend has developed: the holiday run. For a multitude of reasons, many special moments in Phish history happen during the holiday run. By now, at least six guests have come on Attendance Bias to talk about a personal experience they’ve had from one of the legendary Phish shows from December 28 to 31st of any given year. For this episode, however, Kate picked the cream of the crop: Phish’s show on December 30, 1997 at Madison Square Garden. 

While the 1994 and 1995 holiday runs have been covered on Attendance Bias, this is the first time that the 1997 run of shows has been chosen by a guest. It’s a thrill for me, because this was the stretch when I saw Phish live for the first time. For Kate, it wasn’t her first time, but you’ll hear how this show, on the 30th, was when she got it and decided that she was all in on this band that we love so much.

So put on your best speakers, get your lunchboxes full of olive loafs and fried eggs, and make sure that you make that last train out of Penn Station as Kate Houlihan tells her story about December 30, 1997 at Madison Square Garden.

Audio used in today's episode
Purple Bee

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is my friend Bobby from Massachusetts who, for privacy purposes, is speaking under a pseudonym today. 

For today’s episode, Bob picked Phish’s show from September 14, 2000 at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center near Buffalo, NY. 

I recorded a mini episode about the Suzy Greenberg from this show that closed the first set but there is so much more to this show than that. Musically speaking, this is one of the most dense shows I’ve ever heard–out of 12 songs in the first and second set, eight of them are on the Phish.net jam charts. But there was so much more to it than the music. Bob was there with his friends, I was there with my brother, there were the rumors of the impending hiatus (which was not yet officially announced), and pretty much the same jam throughout the night, weaving its way in and out of almost every song. Bob and I had a great time breaking it all down.

So start wooing, don’t underestimate Prince Caspian, and  make sure to bring a change of dry clothes as Bobby F Weaver and I go over September 14, 2000 at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center.

Audio used in today's episode

Send us a text

Hi everybody. And welcome to today's episode of attendance bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. 

Today's guest is the founder of the Oceans of Osyrus message board, Damon Callisto. 

For today's conversation, Damon picked Phish's show from October 8th, 1995 at the Adams Fieldhouse at the University of Montana in Missoula. Now, this is a pretty unique pick for a number of reasons. Number one, it was played in 1995. And as I combed back through the Attendance Bias episodes, the only other show from that year was December 31st, 1995; the legendary New Year's Eve show. And yet the fact that so many fans cited as their favorite year of Phish, I was just. surprised that no one else had picked a show from '95. So I was really glad that Damon chose it. Also, it's a show from Montana. And if you look up the statistics, Phish has played Montana just twice in their whole career.

And Damon did a really great job melding the history of Montana and the culture of Montana with  this show that was played at the Adams Fieldhouse in 1995. So, I was thrilled to learn a little bit more background about the show and about the state.

Something that really surprised me was the amount of bluegrass that fish played in the show. And Damon is really wonderful at explaining  how it made him feel throughout the entire show, because it felt like a hometown show and you don't get to say that very often if you live in Montana.

So let's join Damon to talk about one of the best message boards out there for Phish and Phish related content, to hear about the history of Montana and Phish, and also to hear why "Suspicious Minds" should make a comeback as we talk about Phish's show from October 8th, 1995 at the Adams Fieldhouse at the University of Montana in Missoula.

Oceans of Osyrus message board
Audio used for today's episode  

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is Phish twitter mainstay, Scott Marks of Phish.net and The Mockingbird Foundation. If you’ve ever looked up a setlist on Phish.net, noticed a tease in the middle of a jam, or discovered a crazy bustout statistic, Scott is part of the team that keeps track of all of that on Phish.net. 

I first knew about Scott years ago when he band to tweet setlist updates in real-time on Twitter at shows he’s attended. Many times, his tweets beat out the official Phish From the Road account, if even by just a few milliseconds. And in this world of on-demand information where we all desire instant gratification for Phish updates, his feed is priceless. 

Once I got in touch with Scott, he was game to come on the podcast, but we had some trouble figuring out which show or jam to select. Scott threw out a lot of ideas and dates, but so many of them were taken that we had to go pretty far down the list until settling on segments of September 6, 2015 at Dick’s, which featured the famous “THank You” encore. I’m glad that’s where we ended up because there was so much to talk about in this fun show, even just in segments. Phish’s rich history at Dick’s, themed shows, and even surprising encore stats, plus more, are all touched on today. 

 So let’s join Scott to talk about Bye Bye Foot, long awaited bustouts, and why themed setlists mean so much to us, as we discuss Phish’s performance on September 6, 2015 at Dick’s Stadium in Commerce City, Colorado

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is author Peter Conners. If you’re a reader of nonfiction and enjoy books about The Grateful Dead or the jamband scene at large, chances are that you’ve at least heard of Peter and hopefully read some of his books. Some of his titles include: “JAMerica: The history of the jam band and festival scene,” “White Hand Society: The Psychedelic Partnership of Timothy Leary and Allen Ginsberg,” “Cornell ‘77: The Music, The Myth, and the Magnificence of the Grateful Dead’s Concert at Barton Hall,” “Growing up Dead: The Hallucinated Confessions of a Teenage Deadhead,” and “Beyond the Edge of Suffering: a book of prose poems.” You’ll notice that these titles have at least two things in common: first, they all somehow revolve around the Grateful Dead or the Jamband scene, and second, they’re all works of non fiction. 

However, Peter’s latest release is a novel–his first published fictional work. It is called “Merch Table Blues,” and by the time this episode airs, it should be available everywhere you get books. Listen carefully to the first segment of this interview, and you’ll hear more specific websites where you can find it and simultaneously support independent booksellers. Also, you can find relevant links in today’s show notes.

For today’s episode, Peter picked “Chalkdust Torture” from July 20, 1991 at Arrowhead Ranch. I was thrilled when he chose that track and that show because it’s lived in my mind’s eye for so long. The 1991 horn tour provided so many of my first tapes so long ago that the Arrowhead Ranch shows in particular have gained legendary status. The first night of that two-night run opened with “Chalkdust,” which was a new song at that point, and the band never looked back. It was satisfying to hear about that show and that venue after listening to it for so many years.

So let’s join Peter Conners to talk about his writing process, upstate New York, and how Phish in 1991 was the same band, and yet entirely different, from the band we know today, as we discuss Phish’s performance of “Chalkdust Torture” from July 20, 1991 at Arrowhead Ranch in Parksville, New York.

Audio used in today's episode
Manic D Press

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is Luke Hall, and he is here to talk about an old-school favorite: December 11, 1995 at the Cumberland County Civic Center. 

I love speaking and learning from all different kinds of guests on Attendance Bias, and Luke offered a new perspective; one which I haven’t heard before: Luke is Canadian! And while that isn’t wildly different from any other fan, it does offer a unique perspective. Phish isn’t huge in Canada, and they rarely play the country these days. There’s nothing new about a person getting into Phish when they weren’t well-known, but imagine if you were learning about Phish and there was barely any interest on a NATIONAL scale, let alone a local scale. Throw in the fact that Luke first got into Phish during the mid-90s, when Phish was just becoming nationally known in America, and there’s a perspective certainly worth hearing.

Plus, Luke picked a show that is considered a Phish classic–December 11, 1995 at the Cumberland County Civic Center–that features many Phish classics at the end of one of their best tours, as well as Dog Log goofiness and a guest appearance by Warren Haynes, and both of us had lots to say.

So let’s join Luke to talk about Fall ‘95, Canadian/American exchange rates, and when we should expect an officially released Dog Log album, as we discuss Phish’s performance on December 11, 1995 at The Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland, Maine.

Audio Used in Today's Episode

Send us a text

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is fan Eric Creighton of Illinois. 

For this episode, Eric picked a show that was an instant classic from a legendary tour: December 7, 1997 at the Ervin J. Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio. I know, I know. This show is often cited as a top tier show from one of the best tours in Phish history but believe it or not, the only thing I knew from this show before Eric selected it was its version of Tube. A signature performance, to be sure, but there is so much more to this amazing concert a top notch version of theme from the bottom, a funky "Possum," and-oh yeah-an "AC/DC Bag" into "Psycho Killer!" 

More important than that, it was the best experience to hear Eric talk about what it’s like to see shows in and around the Chicagoland area. Aside from one trip to the Windy City in 2015, I’d never seen a concert there. And between Northerly Island, UIC Pavilion, and even the Cubby Bear, Phish has such a strong history in Chicago that it was a lesson for me just to hear Eric talk about the band and his hometown city. 

So witness the growth of "Timber Ho," brush up on your Motown, and watch out for Bart backstage as Eric Creighton tells his story about December 7, 1997 at The Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio.

Audio used in today's episode

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is Shawn Fausett of Colorado. 

For me, there are some Phish shows that I’ve always taken for granted as being part of the DNA of the assumption that Phish is one of the greatest bands of all time. Every fan may have his or her own list, but I always assumed that there are some that are inarguably great, with a capital “G,” and are agreed upon as the best. For this episode, Shawn picked one of those shows: December 6, 1996 at the Aladdin in Las Vegas, Nevada. It’s been released as an official triple album by Phish, it was their first show in Sin City, there’s a Harpua encore with special guests, and jams galore. Personally, it was also one of my very first tapes, and probably the first time I ever hear some of the greatest Phish songs ever. But for Shawn, it was the time when he decided that he was all in on this goofy band from Vermont. 

Shawn was 16 years old at the time, had just seen his first Phish show a few months prior, and Vegas was all he needed to become submerged into the world of Phish. 

So let’s go over the reputation of 1996, reap the benefits of the Clifford Ball, and feel the spirit of Elvis as Shawn Fausett tells about December 6, 1996 at The Aladdin in Las Vegas.

Audio used in today's episode 

Send us a text

Hi Everybody, and welcome to Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brain Weinstein. This is not a full episode of Attendance Bias, as it’s more of an announcement and a request. And then of course, one of my favorite tracks because I could not in good conscience ask you to listen to an episode of Attendance Bias without any Phish music.

First and foremost, Attendance Bias is a true labor of love. I never expect to get any sort of monetary profit out of it, and that doesn’t bother me for a second. My priority now remains the same as when I began this podcast during the early summer of 2020: to meet people who had a story about Phish, and who were eager to talk shop about the most unique live music experience possible in our lifetime.  In terms of satisfaction, Attendance Bias has paid for itself a million times over.

Like any other hobby or new venture, podcasting comes with its own costs. Without going into too much detail, a lot goes into the back-end of producing an episode of Attendance Bias. Many of the services that I utilize run on a subscription basis, meaning that there is a monthly cost that makes it a somewhat expensive hobby. Unlike a hobby such as painting or playing the guitar, where there’s a startup cost and then the rest of what you spend is by choice, podcasting has recurring costs on a monthly basis. 

To be clear, I don’t mind paying these costs. Attendance Bias has been one of the most satisfying creative projects of my life. I would pay double the amount to do it, if I had to. But  some of the services that I signed up for two years ago have recently upped their subscription costs, and like a toll bridge or a Ticketmaster surcharge, once the price goes up, it’s a safe assumption that it’s not going to come back down. 

It’s here where the hopeful begging comes in. I signed up for a page on BuyMeACoffee.com to accept donations from listeners, and I’m asking you to donate anything you can to help keep the lights on at Attendance Bias. I didn’t set a price point or a monetary goal because like I said, costs are part of the deal when creating something that people enjoy. But now that some costs are rising for essential piece of the podcast, I see the writing on the wall and would appreciate any help any of you could provide to offset the costs and make it financially easier for me to keep the show up to the standard that you deserve. Seeing as this is just me in my apartment, I don’t foresee advertisements on Attendance Bias, and aside from the guest or guests on each episode, this is a one man show from start to finish. 

If you enjoy Attendance Bias and have the ability to donate even a small amount of money, please go to buymeacoffee.com/attendancebias. The website is spelled exactly as it sounds. Once you visit there, there are options for how much you want to donate, and believe me, every cent is appreciated and will 100% go toward the operating costs of Attendance Bias. 

I want to thank everyone who has already contributed, and thank you in advance to anybody who contributes in the future. Again, if I’m lucky enough to receive your contribution, the website is buymeacoffee.com/attendance bias. Thank you a million times over.

Audio used in today's episode
Buymeacoffee.com

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is Robert Miller. 

I love every episode of Attendance Bias, and while hosting this podcast, it’s become clear that the word “special” or “meaningful” means something different for every Phish fan. Some people want to talk about their first show, others have a special connection with the venue or city where the show was played, and sometimes, it’s simply a matter of the music. Other times, a fan has a memory and an emotional connection to a particular song played one night. That is the case for today’s episode, where Rob picked “If I Could” from October 11, 1995 at the Compton Terrace Amphitheater in Phoenix, Arizona. Rob was in college at the time, and we’ve all been there; we go on an adventure with someone who starts off as a friend. But during the adventure, we get tunnel vision, and we want the friend to become something more than a friend. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t. But there are times when our favorite band becomes the soundtrack to that memory, and a specific song gains meaning and weight as it somehow describes the situation in the moment.  

It’s not always that simple, but it sometimes makes for a good story, and that’s why we are all here today. 

So let’s join Rob to chat about the fall ‘95 tour, our dream special guests, and when it is and isn’t okay to take a piss break as we break down “If I Could’ from October 11, 1995 at The Compton Terrace Amphitheater in Phoenix.

Jambase--Fall '95 By The Numbers
Audio Used in This Episode

Send us a text

The MORE Project

Send us a text

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is Michela Ratto of New York, by way of San Francisco. For today’s episode, Michela chose to discuss Phish’s performance of “The Moma Dance” with a segue into “We Are the Champions” by Queen from the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco on October 29, 2014.

Baseball has come up a number of times on this podcast, most notably with Hal Hansen, who chose to discuss Phish’s show from June 28, 2000 at the Garden State Arts Center. The baseball aspect of that conversation was more about the comparison of obsessed Phish fans with statistic minded baseball savants. Today’s talk with Michela goes a lot deeper and more specific than that, as she brings up the specific feeling of what it was like to be in San Francisco, rooting for her hometown team in the World Series at a Phish show, and what it’s like when they clinch the championship right at the start of the second set. 

But that’s just one part of it. Today’s conversation covers a lot of ground as we discuss the fall 2014 tour, sisterhood, working at Chili’s, and so much more. On top of that, there are those times at shows when something even bigger than Phish is going on in the city they’re playing and yet they manage to fuse it into their playing, harnessing the excitement in the air both outside and inside the venue. For Michela and San Francisco Giants fans at the Bill Graham, this was one of those nights.  

You’ll also hear Michela mention a few times that she and I go to a lot of shows together–there’s a good reason for that. We’re engaged! By the time this episode airs, she and I should be on our way to getting married, so this was a personal interview in a lot of ways.

But that’s a bigger story even than Phish. So in the meantime, let’s join Michela to chat about the best sandwiches in Saratoga Springs, the king of ground scores, and JT Snow saving the life of a young child as we go over “The Moma Dance from October 29, 2014 at The Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco.

Audio Used in Today's Episode

PYM Anxiety Chews

Send us a text

Hello everyone, and welcome to Attendance Bias! I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Before anything, I want to begin today’s episode with a message of gratitude. A few weeks ago, I put out two requests to you, the attendance bias audience. First, I had to swallow my pride and ask for monetary donations. Attendance Bias, or any podcast, is not free to produce. It does take quite a bit of money to produce each episode on a weekly basis, and I’m happy to cover it, as long as I can. After all, as the listener, you pay for it. Not with money, but with your time and attention. And those are the most important commodities we have, so I am truly grateful to every one of you. If you would still like to donate to keep the lights on at Attendance Bias, you can go to www.buymeacoffee.com/attendancebias and contribute anything you can. Every penny will go to the operating costs of the podcast.

Now if you’ve listened to every episode of this podcast, you’ve heard me introduce myself and the episode literally 99 times. That is because today is a special episode. It marks 100 episodes of Attendance Bias, and I cannot believe it. From the day I had the idea of beginning a podcast about Phish and their fans, it took me nearly three months to put one episode together. Now, two years later, we are at the 100th episode of Attendance Bias.

For Phish fans, 100 shows is a sort of milestone. In one sense, it’s pointless gatekeeping, as a person’s first, ninth, 57th or 90th show could be just as meaningful as their 100th. But as a culture, we celebrate anniversaries and round numbers, for whatever reason. A couple’s 10 year wedding anniversary. A baseball player’s 20th season. 40 years since a classic album came out, and so on. For Phish fans who are obsessed with statistics, happenstance, coincidence, and and date numerology, 100 shows takes on a significance that could mean everything and nothing at the same time.

I fell victim to this, for sure. When Phish announced their 2016 holiday run at Madison Square Garden, I took a look at my stats and realized that my 100th show would be on the same date, at the same venue as my first: it would be on December 29, 2016, exactly 19 years after my first show on December 29, 1997. What did this mean? Double rainbow? It meant that that the Phish gods somehow conspired to make this incredible coincidence…or it just meant that I’ve lived in the NYC area for virtually my entire life and it was only a matter of time? Either way, I was so jazzed about it that I began to write a blog called Phish100. In it, I detailed every Phish show I’d seen, leading up to my 100th. In many ways, it was a precursor to Attendance Bias. The biggest difference, though, was that Phish100 was entirely about my experience at Phish. Attendance Bias is about the guest’s experience at his or her special show. 

So how does this 100 show threshold translate to a podcast? The fetish for round numbers holds tight in this case, but again, Attendance Bias isn’t really about me–it’s about the audience. So for today’s celebration of 100 episodes of Attendance Bias, I wanted to split the stories. For the first half of today’s episode, I’ll review my 100th show on December 29, 2016 and then for the second half, I’ll hand it over to the Attendance Bias listeners. So many of you reached out to tell your stories about your 100th Phish show, and I’m thrilled to share them. But first, let’s start with Phish at MSG on December 29 2016 at Madison Square Garden.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s we have a returning guest: Shawn Fausett of Colorado. 

Shawn previously appeared on Attendance Bias to tell his story from Phish’s show from December 6, 1996 at the Aladdin Theater in Las Vegas. He is originally from the southwest, so While discussing that legendary Las Vegas show, it casually came up that he also attended the show we are discussing today: November 2, 1998 at the E Center in Salt Lake City Utah. I almost stopped that recording immediately and wanted to pivot to talk about that show, the colloquial “Dark Side of the Moon” show. But in an instant, I thought better of it and Shawn agreed, on the spot, to come back for a 2nd episode to talk about that Dark Side show. What you’re about to hear is the result of that promise. 

While November 2, 1998 is the focus of today’s conversation, and we do our best to keep it there, there are many references to the 1996 Vegas show, the 1998 Halloween show, and even a jump or two to the Baker’s Dozen. So if you’re a casual Phish fan, you may need to do a little bit of homework to gain an understanding of the context of today’s legendary show. But before that, let’s talk about Halloween cover albums, the reputation of the Dead Goat Saloon, the loudest crowd reactions ever as Shawn Fausett tells about November 2, 1998 at The E Center in Salt Lake City.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is the newest co-host of the Helping Friendly Podcast, Megan Glionna. I’ve had hosts of the HFPod on before, notably RJ Bee and Brian Brinkman. The HF Pod is filled with facts and analysis, and Megan brings a lot of personality to the table. Although stats and facts are always a part of Attendance Bias, I’m in it for the personalities and the stories, so I was thrilled when Megan agreed to come on the show. For today’s episode, Megan chose to discuss Phish’s show on July 21, 1997 at the Virginia Beach Amphitheater in Virginia Beach. 

A benchmark show of a legendary year in Phish’s history, the Virginia Beach show was the band’s first American show of that year, during which they introduced not only a bevy of new songs to the audience, but also their new-at-the-time cow funk sound. As you’ll hear Megan and I discuss, they didn’t crawl into the summer tour with warm up shows, but as this Virginia Beach show proves, they hit the ground running.  

There’s more to it than the music, though. So let’s join Megan to talk about taking your parents to a show, coping with a recent breakup, and the high school drama club as we discuss Phish’s performance from July 21, 1997 at The Virginia Beach Amphitheater.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is Scott King of Ontario, Canada. For today’s episode, Scott chose to discuss a show for which we BOTH have attendance bias: February 22, 2003 at the U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio. 

The February, 2003 tour was a special time to be a Phish fan. During the band’s 18-month hiatus, dozens of jambands gained prominence and began to specialize in specific genres popularized by Phish to jamband fans and ironically, Phish’s absence made them more popular. When they returned for this winter tour, anticipation was at an all-time high, and Phish delivered, offering all-time career highlight jams and shows in a brief, 12-show tour.

Scott was going through a transformative time in his life and, being Canadian, did not usually get the opportunity to see Phish that often. Byt sometimes the starts line up and he was able to see a few shows on this memorable tour, and this 2nd night of a 2-show run in Cincy during a rainy weekend would be a healing time when he was going through a tough time. 

So let’s join Scott to talk about bbq Frito twists, Walls of the Cave, filling up your gas tank as we discuss Phish’s show from February 22, 2003 at The U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is Andy Michels of JEMP Radio. For today’s episode, Andy chose to discuss one of the best jams during a summer full of the best jams: “Simple” from July 15, 2017 at Northerly Island in Chicago, Illinois.

JEMP Radio is an internet radio station that occupies a special space within the jamband scene. It’s been around longer than most Phish-centric music sources, it’s totally free, and it’s run and organized by fans instead of algorithms. This truly isn’t a paid advertisement, but I’ve been listening to JEMP radio for over a decade and so it was truly a thrill to have Andy on the podcast for today’s episode to hear the background of the radio station, his insight into Phish’s recent history, and a look into the summer of 2017 outside of the Baker’s Dozen.

So let’s join Andy to talk about The Residents, fuzzy synthesizers, and the marimba lumina, as we discuss “Simple” from July 15, 2017 at Northerly Island.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is Drew Plettner of Charlotte, North Carolina. For today’s episode, Drew chose what is likely the most recent show for any guest, if you leave out any of the recap episodes: August 6, 2021 at Deer Creek.

The summer 2021 tour was an odd time for Phish and Phish fans. It was really an odd time for the world at large. This was the postponed 2020 tour, and fans didn’t know what to expect in terms of large gatherings, in terms of further postponements or cancelations, or in terms of their own comfort level. Luckily, Phish tends to deliver their best when we venture into the unexpected. 

Drew is a fairly new fan as he first got into the band in 2018 and these two shows at Deer Creek in 2021 was when he felt the most prepared and ready to go as a fan. He picked a good weekend to show his stuff, because this Friday night show, august 6, delivers the goods. Great jams, fan favorite songs, and tons of crowd energy made it feel like 2020 never happened. I was unfamiliar with this run before Drew chose it and I am grateful to him for opening my eyes and ears to this special show. 

So let’s join Drew to talk about country music, 2.0 vs 3.0 vs. 4.0, and the coin toss that is lot food as we discuss Phish’s show from August 6, 2021 at Deer Creek Amphitheater.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. We have a very special guest for today’s episode. For the most part, Attendance Bias is focused on fans of the band, and each fan tells his or her story. But once in a long while, a person directly associated with the band will come on the podcast to talk about their history with Phish and to break down a special show or jam. Tom Marshall has been on the pod, Sue Drew who was the band’s A&R rep at Elektra Records told her story, and today’s guest ranks right up there in his ability to tell about his Phish experience from the inside out. And today’s guest is member of the Giant Country Horns and current trumpet player for Roomful of Blues, Carl “Gears” Gerhard. Carl chose to tell about his gig with Phish at Arrowhead Ranch, NY, on July 21, 1991.

If you got into Phish at a time when tape collecting was still part of the experience, there is no doubt that this gig came across your radar at some point. The second of two shows, this fan favorite was the midway point of the July 1991 horn tour, and you could tell that the band–the full band–was feeling it, full throttle. 

Aside from the music, though, a main goal of this podcast is to help the listener feel as though he or she is right there with the guest, feeling and experiencing the show that’s being discussed. What makes today’s episode special is that Carl is able to get us backstage and onstage with Phish as he tells us about the conversations and decisions that led to the horn tour, and what it felt like to collaborate with Phish and the other members of the Giant Country Horns. More important than anything, though, is that Carl was extremely generous with his time and his words, welcoming us into the world that was Phish tour in the early 90s.

So let’s join Carl to talk about Tony Bennett, life in the Navy, and 48 hour marathon rehearsals, as we discuss Phish's show from 7/21/91 at Arrowhead Ranch.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guests are Jack and Fraser of PhanSets.com, who are here to tell about their NFT startup, Phansets, as well as their chosen attendance bias show: August 15, 2012 at Long Beach Arena, in Long Beach, CA. 

If you got into Phish at a certain time in their history, you probably obtained a tape, or if you’re like me, hundreds of tapes. Everything about obtaining a tape was special: finding someone who had a tape you were looking for; reaching out to that person whether it was by a letter, a forum, or an email, agreeing to a trade or a B+P, and then when the tape arrived in the mail, the most unique thing about it, aside from the music, was the J-Card; the little piece of paper or thin cardboard that listed the set of music found on that tape. Everyone had their own special ritual and preferences when it came to the J-Cards. If you pretty much fetishized the tapes as much as I did, then you may have had special symbols to denote a segue, or a song debut, or a special guest, and so on.

Tapes have long vanished from the typical Phish scene, but Frazer and Jack of Phansets have dug deep into that nostalgic part of being a fan and want to update it to the present by using the concept of NFTs. In a minute, you’ll hear both guests explain how PhanSets brings back the love of special sets and JCards. But before then, we don’t want to forget the show!

Jack and Fraser were lucky enough to attend the August 15, 2012 show in Long Beach with some special guests; probably the biggest pop stars in the world at that time. So while you listen to today’s episode, imagine that you’re at the show. Now imagine that your brother in law is Justin Bieber’s musical director and guitarist. Now imagine that you and your brother in law convinced Justin Bieber to come see Phish with you. I don’t want to spoil the best parts, but you see where this is going.

So let’s join Frazer and Jack to talk about Phish Sets, Southern California venues, and the limits of an all-access pass as we discuss Phish’s performance from August 15, 2012 at the Long Beach Arena.

Send us a text

Send us a text

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is Chris from the Phish Just Jams website and app. We all love Phish songs, but sometimes you just want to get straight to the jams, and that’s what Chris, and his brother Brian, created: a database that allows fans to do just that.  In addition to Just Jams, Chris is here to talk about the second set of an out-of-nowhere, or in the middle of nowhere, show: November 16, 1996 at the Civic Auditorium in Omaha, Nebraska. 

1996 has taken a little bit of a beating on this podcast and in general when it comes to Phish. We’ll get into it deeper, but myself and many guests have referred to 1996 as an “off year” or an “in between year” when it comes to Phish’s development. I’ve certainly realized the folly in that description, and according to Chris, it this type of show that caused that type of generalization in the first place. While the 2nd set is everything anyone could ever want in a Phish show, the first set is nothing remarkable. So in a time when it wasn’t so easy to just pick and choose which part of a show you wanted to hear, anyone listening to this first set may incorrectly assume that there’s nothing special about the show in general. That’s one reason that we are reviewing just the second set of this 1996 show in Omaha.  

So let’s join Chris to talk about Trey’s percussion setup, standing up during Kung, and turkey legs as we discuss the second set of Phish’s performance from November 16, 1996 at the Omaha Civic Auditorium.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is Derek Hartley of Portland, Maine. Derek chose to speak about July 26, 2017, better known as Powdered Night of the Baker’s Dozen at Madison Square Garden. 

Two nights of Phish’s landmark residency have already been covered on Attendance Bias, so I initially wasn’t sure what else could be said, but immediately after emailing with Derek, I was brought back to the absolute splendor that was Powdered night. Since it was played, I’ve considered it to be the best night of the Baker’s Dozen, musically speaking, and this was a great opportunity to hear someone else’s view of it, to dig a bit deeper into what made it such a successful night. 

Derek is originally from northern Maine, and since he got into Phish right at the end of 2.0, he didn’t have much opportunity to see the band live. But he and his wife took a fortuitous trip to New York City in the summer of 2017 to make up for lost time, and hit what was arguably the best three consecutive nights of the dozen. 

So let’s join Derek to talk about calling songs during the dozen, Raspberry Beret, and the best beers in Maine as we discuss Phish’s performance from July, 26 2017 at Madison Square Garden.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. In the film Almost Famous, which I’m guessing is a favorite among many Phish fans, there’s a scene toward the very beginning where the hero’s older sister leaves home and secretly donates her extensive record collection to her younger brother. He sorts through them, settling on The Who’s Tommy and plays “Sparks.” That scene is the literal transition from the character being an immature young wallflower, into a young man with solid musical tastes and a sure sense of what he was put on earth to do. 

While today’s guest is not Cameron Crowe, that scene from my favorite movie came to mind more than once as we spoke. Today’s guest is AJ Masko, and he chose to speak about Phish’s performance of Down With Disease into While My Guitar Gently Weeps from July 15, 2000 at the Polaris Amphitheater. AJ was not exactly brand new to Phish, but he was still in his honeymoon period where every new discovery from the band takes you back to your classic rock phase that you cherished and loved for so many years. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, then don’t worry; you’ll still be able to appreciate today’s conversation.

On top of that, AJ also captures the feeling of late-1.0; the layered ambient music, the exploding population of the scene, the dangers at the edges, and the post-Cypress glow of the entire Phish experience. Even though we didn’t see many of the same shows or tours, AJ and I had similar Phish feelings around the time of Y2K, and this conversation was a true pleasure.

So let’s join AJ to talk about 11-minute jams, the need for more late 1.0 soundboards, and godlike ferris wheels, as we discuss  Down with Disease into While My Guitar Gently Weeps from July 15, 2000 at The Polaris Amphitheater.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. When Attendance Bias was first getting off the ground about two years ago, it seemed like every guest chose a show or a jam from the summer of 1999. Even though I didn’t see any shows from that tour, it seemed that within a few weeks, I became an expert on that time and place of Phish history. 

Then, as more and more guests came on the podcast, we ventured all throughout Phish history, and summer ‘99 took a back seat. But today’s guest is here to bring us back to our roots. That guest is Jenn Moore, who you may have previously heard on the Helping Friendly Podcast. Jenn chose to discuss set 1 of July 25, 1999 at Deer Creek. 

Surely, there is a virtually unlimited supply of special moments from Deer Creek, but Jenn chose this set for many sentimental reasons that you’re about to hear, but also because this set, with its bustouts, rarities, new material for the time, community vibe and goofiness, sticks out in her showgoing life. 

So let’s join Jenn to talk about New York hippie towns, traveling through the midwest, and being a budding hippie in law school, as we discuss Phish’s first set from July 25, 1999 at Deer Creek.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Although it’s arguably  the most important year of Phish’s career, not many Attendance Bias guests pick shows or jams from 2009. It’s understandable–2009 isn’t exactly overflowing with standout jams from Phish’s entire catalogue, but this podcast is about what’s special to the guest; not necessarily the most mind blowing music out there. However, today’s guest–Lindsay Hope–chose a show that has it all: August 7, 2009 at The Gorge.

Any Phish show at The Gorge is special by its very nature. But in 2009, it felt like all of us who were into the band in 1.0 or 2.0, were getting a second chance to experience everything we’ve always wanted to do with Phish. Even though the music wasn’t always mind blowing, there were dozens of special experiences, and Lindsay had to face her share of obstacles to make her dream of seeing Phish at the Gorge come true.

So let’s join Lindsay to talk about the Denver police department, Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters, and windy condoms, as we discuss Phish’s show from August 7, 2009 at The Gorge.

Send us a text

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. The phrase “attendance bias” typically means that you enjoy a show, or find it special, to a degree that might be irrational compared to a more objective assessment. But today’s guest took the term and expanded its meaning a bit. He chose a show that was extremely meaningful to him in a way that no other guest thus far has approached. It is not a stretch to say that today’s guest tonally broke new ground for the podcast. 

All that said, today’s guest is the host of the Brokedown Podcast, co-host of the Helping Friendly Podcast, and musician, Jonathan Hart. If you’ve listened to the excellent Helping Friendly Podcast, then you’ve heard Jonathan’s voice alongside his co-hosts RJB, Brian Brinkman, and Megan Glionna, who have all appeared here on attendance bias. While RJ, Brian, Megan, and virtually all Attendance Bias guests have chosen shows or performances that thrilled or impressed them, Jonathan bucked the trend and picked a show from Phish’s lowest point: August 9, 2004 at the Hampton Coliseum. 

As you’ll hear us discuss extensively, Jonathan chose not to attend Coventry, so at the time, this Hampton show was presumably the last time he would ever see Phish. With expectations and emotions at an all-time high, it wasn’t so great when the band didn’t deliver. So while Jonathan has attendance bias toward this show, it’s not for the usual reasons.  

So let’s join Jonathan to talk about August 2004, why the band loves Hampton so much, and the meaning behind Crowd Control as we discuss Phish’s show from August 9, 2004 at the Hampton Coliseum.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is Michael K, who chose to discuss Phish’s show from July 30, 2003 at what was then the Tweeter Center in Camden.

The end of July 2003 was, at least in my opinion, the pinnacle of the 2.0 era. The band had the February tour to get reacquainted with the road, and the longer summer tour hit all of the familiar and favorite venues. By the time they reached the end of July, 2003, the band and the fans were on the precipice of the ultimate expression of the Phish experience: the IT festival. But before IT, the band had a lot to say through their instruments, and today’s show said a lot through lots of rarities, off-beat covers, and the long-sought after four song second set.

Michael is a longtime listener of Attendance Bias, and you’ll hear him explain how a combination of listening to the podcast and his love for the Velvet Underground led him to get in touch to share his love for this show in Camden. So enough from me; let’s join Mike to talk about bootleg tshirts, the Velvet Underground, and Fishman’s China cymbal, as we discuss Phish’s show from July 30, 2003 at the Tweeter Center in Camden, NJ.

Send us a text

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is Todd M, who chose one of the last remaining Phish festivals not yet discussed on this podcast: the underrepresented and possibly underappreciated Festival 8, from October 30 to November 1, 2009 in Indio California. Like most festivals covered on Attendance Bias, it would be the longest episode ever if we covered every song from a three day festival, so Todd chose highlights from each set from that weekend.

Although 2009 doesn’t garner much discussion among the Phish fanbase, Festival 8 had a lot going for it: it was a festival, obviously, which is notable in itself, but it also was the first festival in 3.0, it was on the west coast, it was during Halloween, and it even contained a scheduled morning acoustic set. It felt like Phish knew about all of high-profile fun stuff that us fans love about the band and stuffed most of it into one weekend. On top of that, of course, is the music.

Todd fleshes out what it was like to be at such an event, where all of these favorite Phish checklist items intersected at once. He also tells us about midwest roadtrips, street names at the festival, and the best versions of Suzy Greenberg ever.

Just a note: around halfway through today’s interview, the cord on my microphone jarred loose and the audio quality on my end isn’t as good for the 2nd half. It’s easy to get used to, but I hope it doesn’t bother you as much as it bothers me. Cheers, and enjoy today’s episode with Todd.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is Collin Stangle, from Brooklyn, New York. Collin is a longtime listener of Attendance Bias and he simply reached out to me on Twitter to ask if he could come on the show, and here we are. It was as simple as that! For today’s episode, Collin chose to discuss a major highlight from the early part of the Baker’s Dozen: “Down with Disease” from July 22, 2017 at Madison Square Garden

I’ve mentioned a number of times that the most commonly chosen era of Phish jams discussed on this show is the summer of 1999. I haven’t done an exact count, but the Baker’s Dozen might be second. Even with our breakdowns of the run on this show, and the Undermine podcast’s in-dept analysis of the record-breaking run, there is something intangibly unique about the band’s idiosyncratic residency at Madison Square Garden, 5 years ago. For Collin, it was even more unique because it was his first show, followed quickly by several more during the run. In today’s discussion, Collin explains the universally exciting feeling we all got from our first show, and then we blend that experience with figuring out the bits and pieces of the most impressive Phish experience of this century.

So let’s join Colin to talk about donuts, crowd reactions, and sneaking snacks into a show as we discuss “Down with Disease” from July 22, 2017 at Madison Square Garden. 

Send us a text

Send us a text

Send us a text

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. It’s not unusual for musical theater to pop up as a conversation topic on this podcast–after all, despite their down to earth appearances, Phish is a very theatrical band. But today’s guest may be the first professional musician who has played percussion and drums in Broadway level pit bands! Today’s guest is Ashley Baier, and as a fan of drums, theater, and of course Phish, I am thrilled to welcome her to Attendance Bias 

For today’s episode, Ashley chose to discuss the Phish show played on July 4, 2012 at the Jones Beach Amphitheater. In the summer of 2012, Phish seemed to make an effort to play as many individual songs as possible over the course of a tour. This show, with its bustouts over the holiday made for a very fun, if somewhat unoriginal show.

But it wasn’t the music that convinced Ashley to pick this show; it’s the plethora of stories before, after, and during this Independence Day Phish show. So let’s join Ashley Baier to talk about Stephen Sondheim, spotting Trey on the upper west side, and whether or not 2012 counts as “Old School Phish” as we discuss July 4, 2012 at Jones Beach.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. A few months ago, I arranged an episode with a guest who wanted to talk about Phish’s performance of “Free” from August 2, 2022 at the Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. After trying to set up a recording date and time with the guest, things eventually fell through. I was left with a great jam and a boatload of notes with no one to talk to about it.

I put out a call on Phish Twitter and got such a response! It seemed like everybody wanted to talk about this jam, and I can see why. Luckily, we were able to arrange two guests for this fantastic jam: one returning guest–Mike Lowe, who was previously on Attendance Bias to discuss the all-time version of “Fluffhead” from Alpine Valley ‘99, and a brand-new guest: Mercedes from Phish Twitter, or you may know her better as ZzBenz. Either way, it was a perfect way to blend the familiar with the new to go over what several people referred to as the 2022 Jam of the Year.

Moving through several sections, Phish took the second set opener and took the audience on a musical journey that felt like it was composed and spontaneous at the same time. But I don’t want to spoil it. Let’s join Mercedes and Mike to talk about Summer 2022, planetarium music, and Hansen, as we discuss “Free” from August 2, 2022 at Blossom.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Every once in a while, Phish acknowledges their musical inspirations in interviews, by playing cover songs, or in some very rare cases, playing a certain band’s style within Phish’s own original songs and also acknowledge something that’s going on outside the insular world of the show. When they blend it all together successfully, we all win and go home happy.

This was the case on June 25, 2010 at Camden–the first anniversary of the death of pop icon Michael Jackson– when the band started up 2001 right in the middle of the 2nd set and infused several  teases of Michael Jackson’s songs into a spectacular version of 2001.

Today, Scott Marks–member of phish.net and the mockingbird foundation–returns to the podcast to break down that jam, as well as the larger picture: phish in the summer of 2010, separating the art from the artist, and crowd reactions to unexpected twists and turns. So let’s  join Scott to talk about “2001” from June 25, 2010 in Camden.

The Mockingbird Foundation
Neighbor

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. As we all know, 1999 is a very popular year to discuss on Attendance Bias. However, the overwhelming majority of shows or jams from that year on the podcast are from the summer. It’s a little more rare that a guest picks something from the fall or December tours to break down. That is the case today as our guest, Andrew Matranga, chose the two night run that closed the fall tour–Albany ‘99 from October 9 and 10.

It would take a four hour podcast episode to cover both nights, as well as an overall look at the tour. But this two night, tour closing run, deserves discussion. So Andrew and I agreed to talk about set one from October 9, and set two from October 10. 

When Andrew and I began speaking before I began to record the conversation, I knew that this episode would be a good one. Not only were we digging into an under-appreciated tour, but the energy he brought when talking about the New York State capital is infectious and undeniable.

So let’s join Andrew Matranga to talk about Strangefolk, the original TAB trio, and October 9 and 10, 1999 from the Knickerbocker Arena, in Albany, NY.

Send us a text

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. 1999 has been a very popular year to discuss on Attendance Bias, and for some reason, July of 1999 has been chosen 7 separate times by various guests. With today’s episode, we are nearly through the first two weeks of that tour, which is becoming legendary…at least for me and my various guests.

Today’s guest is Brad Gordon, who chose to discuss Phish’s show from July 4, 1999 at the Lakewood Amphitheater in Atlanta. July 4th is always an extra fun show, and today’s is no exception. But what made today’s conversation extra fun was Brad’s preparation and enthusiasm. Brad clearly loves this show, but he REALLY loves talking about it and spreading the good word about July 4, 99. Not only that, but he’s an avid listener of this podcast and so he knew my common opinions and even went so far as to quote former guests from prior episodes. Although Brad and I had never met in person, the conversation felt familiar and I was enthusiastic for hours after we ended the recording. I hope that the energy comes through over the next hour or so.

So let’s join Brad to talk about the rumors surrounding the millenium, Vultures, and much more as we discuss July 4, 1999 at the Lakewood Amphitheater, in Atlanta, GA.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. 

There are certain months and seasons in Phish history that represent more than just a page on a calender: August ‘93, Fall ‘97, June ‘94…but there is one that overrides them all: December ‘95. A month that not only has some of the best music of Phish’s 40 year career, but a month that represents their ascent from large theaters and college campuses to city-center arenas across the nation. Today’s guest, Jeff Carroll, brings us to the very beginning of that month as we discuss Phish’s show from December 1, 1995 at Hershey Park Arena.

One month before the band would conquer Madison Square Garden, they laid waste to central Pennsylvania by demonstrating everything they had mastered up to that point, and every reason a fan would want to see them: musical mastery, a dash of Gamehendge, and Fishman running around the stage in a light-up cape after singing some late-stage Elvis. But according to Jeff, there was much more to this show than even all that.

So let’s join Jeff to chat about when Stash goes dark, Shakespeare, amusement park Phish as we break down December 1, 1995 at the Hershey Park Arena, in Hershey PA.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. As I’ve mentioned on previous episodes of Attendance Bias, I was not that well informed about the Phish scene during the summer of 2022. Only a few general thoughts about the band’s playing crept their way to my consciousness at the time. However, before Phish hit the road that summer, Trey did a solo acoustic tour that contained a very special highlight in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A young fan named Jovi was called up on stage by Trey to sing “Bug,” which she did with confidence and aplomb. Within 48 hours, video of the duet spread far and wide and before we knew it, “Let Jovi Sing” became a tagline in the Phish community with outlines of a fist-pumping Ms. Unicorn appearing on tshirts and tank tops. 

If you haven’t figured it out by now, today’s guests are Mark and Jovi, the father and daughter pair who helped make that special highlight possible. Mark and Jovi tell their story about how the spontaneous and now legendary “Bug” came to be, but they also break down Jovi’s first big-time Phish show–August 3, 2022 at Pine Knob Amphitheater. I’ve done duo interviews before, but Jovi is by far the youngest guest I’ve had on Attendance Bias. I was nervous, and I hope that doesn’t come through too much.

But for now, let’s join Mark and Jovi to talk about clapping during Stash, whether to stand or sit at a Phish show, and much more as we discuss August 3, 2022 at Pine Knob.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. 

For us fans who remember the days of tape collecting, certain dates probably stand out as core memories as we learned more about this mysterious band who had delightful stories and secrets, even as the songs were played in plain sight. A key puzzle piece to understanding the lore of Phish is the entire notion of Gamehendge–Trey’s senior year thesis and the genesis of several fan favorite songs. Once tape trading and the internet in general became more accessible to fans, one date, even among the Gamehendge tapes, stood above the rest: March 22, 1993 at the Crest Theater in Sacramento, CA.

Today’s guest, Mike Reppy, was not only one of the few fans in attendance for that show but he also played a key role in sharing the soundboard recording with the emerging online Phish community. So if you came across the soundboard of the Gamehendge show from the Crest Theater while you were collecting tapes, it’s almost certain that Mikey had a hand in getting it to you somewhere along the way.

This is the second Gamehendge show that has been discussed on Attendance Bias, and it comes with the caveat not to ignore set 1! There’s lots of good stuff before the word Gamehendge is even uttered.

So let’s join Mikey to talk about sharing setlists before the internet, Fishman’s woodblocks, and much more as we discuss March 22, 1993 at the Crest Theater, in Sacramento, CA.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. You know, April 2022 doesn’t sound like it was that long ago. In fact, at the time of this recording, it was just one year ago. But in terms of atmosphere and the public’s attitude toward Covid and indoor, live events, it could have been a life time ago. Compare April 2022 with April 2023, and for those of us with immunocompromised conditions, it’s a completely different world.

In my world, the beginning of that mental and emotional mindset was solidified during Phish’s 4-night run at Madison Square Garden from April 20th to 23rd, which was actually a set of rescheduled shows from New Year’s Eve, postponed due to a spike in Covid cases.

Today’s guest, Adam Perle is here to remind us of how that outstanding run began, with an 18+ minute “Carini” that kicked off night 1 and ran through several segments before the band remembered that they have 8 sets to go!

But Before we begin today’s episode, I just want to make a note that Adam and I are longtime friends, and this is–I think–just the 2nd Attendance Bias episode to be recorded live in person. So if the audio sounds a little bit different, or if you hear the microphone pick up a plane or police siren in the background, it’s just that we were in a room with the windows open to be comfortable while recording.

But that aside, let’s join Adam to talk about imposter syndrome, the Phish Live in Brooklyn DVD, and much more as we discuss “Carini” from April 20, 2022 at Madison Square Garden.

Send us a text

Click HERE for the episode playlist

Madhuvan--6/27/19
Drive--11/16/19
Factory Fiction--6/26/20
Madhuvan--9/16/20
Time to Flee--10/2/20
Arrow--11/7/20

Send us a text

Playlist for Episode 2: 2nu.gs/43wuPRn

A Western Sun--6/15/21
Echo of a Rose--6/15/21
Tumble--8/22/21
Into the Myst--11/17/21
The Empress of Organos--1/29/22
This Old Sea--2/7/22
Rockdale--3/10/22
Hungersite--6/25/22
Arcadia--6/25/22

Send us a text

Episode 3 Playlist

Earthling or Alien?--8/13/22
Borne--8/17/22
Dripfield--10/1/22
Pancakes--10/7/22
Arrow--11/12/22
Hollywood Nights--11/12/22
Arrow--11/12/22
Wysteria Lane--12/16/22
Drive--3/8/23
Earthling or Alien?--3/8/23
Echo of a Rose--3/24/23
Hungersite--3/31/23
Madhuvan--4/1/23
Echo of a Rose--4/22/23
Borne--4/25/23

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is Bill Stadler who came to discuss one of the best jams from one of the best tours: “Tweezer” into “Izabella” from December 6, 1997 at The Palace at Auburn Hills, Michigan.

When it comes to the fall of 1997, there’s no shortage of shows or jams to break down, and between all of the Phish podcasts out there, lots of it has been covered by fans. That said, most guests on Attendance Bias have chosen entire shows from this tour, and not so many specific jams. This one-two punch that opened the second set at Auburn Hills provides enough music and stylistic variety to carry a full conversation about this time in Phish history, and much more!

Accordingly, Bill came correct. You all know that I’m a teacher and my favorite kind of Attendance Bias guest is the guest who comes prepared. You can’t see it, but Bill came with notes, statistics, dates, and personal history, all ready to talk about this gig, this jam, and who he was at the time that it was played. 

So let’s join Bill to talk about Page’s setup, the 1992 Santana tour, and much more as we discuss the “Tweezabella” from Phish’s show on December 6, 1997 at The Palace at Auburn Hills.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is entertainment writer and contributing editor, Jordan Hoffman. I first became of Jordan through his twitter feed, and we tried for a while to set up a show and a date to record. After a while, Jordan chose what is, at the time of this recording, chose the second live performance NOT from Phish. But as we discuss early in the episode, it is Phish-adjacent: today we’re talking about TAB–the Trey Anastasio Band–and their show from April 29, 2019 at Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg. 

When Jordan and I began speaking, his enthusiasm and excitement to tell his story about this show was immediately apparent. Normally, I like to think of myself as being pretty quick on my feet when discussing Phish, and although TAB is just one degree of separation, there have been so many iterations of the band and so many songs I don’t know that I had to let Jordan take the wheel for much of the conversation.And man, I am so glad that was the case. Jordan takes us on an emotional and always entertaining journey about how he found his way through trauma and hope to end up just a few rows back from one of his favorite bands at the legendary New York City club.

So let’s join Jordan to talk about They Live, Peaches en Regalia, and Bonnie Raitt as we discuss the Trey Anastasio Band’s show from April 29, 2019 at Brooklyn Bowl.

Send us a text

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. As a podcast host, I am always on the lookout for new podcasts and I recently found out about one that I really enjoy, and so I reached out to the hosts to come on Attendance Bias. Luckily, of the two hosts, one of them is a big Phish fan, while the other is…well, less so. I’m never one to exclude, so today, I welcome the co-hosts of the podcast Rock Docs: Andy and Dave. For today’s episode, Andy chose to tell about his homecoming show: October 23, 21 at Chula Vista.

Rock Docs is a podcast where our two hosts choose a music documentary (not always rock and roll), and provide an extensive review of it. It combines two of my favorite interests: music and movies, taking a look at both some of my longtime favorites like Festival Express and The Last Waltz, as well as introducing me to new music and movies that I otherwise would never pay attention to. Rock Docs is available wherever you find your podcasts.

It was also fun that, while Andy had emotional ties and experiences to today’s show at Chula Vista, Dave is the first Attendance Bias guest who is not a Phish fan but still listened to the nearly-3 hour show and was able to contribute and outsider’s view to balance all of the gushing and hyperbole from your resident fans. So let’s join Andy and Dave of Rock Docs to talk about Garth Brooks, light funk, and much more as we discuss Phish’s show from October 23, 2021 at Chula Vista.

Send us a text

It's only been a day since Phish finished their first three nights at MSG! A lot went down, and JW and Skinny from the Stub Me Down podcast are here to recap all of it! 

This was a quick and dirty recap, so no edits, no Lightning Round, no music clips, etc. Just three guys giving our thoughts on nights 1-3 at MSG. 

Enjoy and see you for round 2!

Send us a text

It's mid-week and we are now officially more than halfway through Phish's 7-night run at Madison Square Garden. I get the feeling that we could ALL use a day off, and what better thing is there to do on your day of than...talk about Phish?!

Ryan Storm of Storm Sound was gracious enough to take time on his day off to recap the Tuesday and Wednesday night MSG shows! It's another quick and dirty recap with no edits, music clips, or extraneous info, but plenty of uses of the word "energy" when discussing the Garden.

Enjoy your day off and have a great end of the run!

Send us a text

It's over! The Lucky 7 shows of Phish at MSG over the summer of 2023 has come and gone...and BOY do we have a lot to say about it.  Join me and friend of the podcast Ben Fortgang as we review the last two nights of the MSG run, and the summer residency as a whole.

Thank you for listening and regular episodes of Attendance Bias will resume this week. Cheers!

Send us a text

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. If you have a pet, especially a dog or a cat, you may want to bring him up to the speakers for today’s episode. That is because today’s guest is Jordan Sheldon, the founder and operator of Dog Faced Toys–the online pet shop for Phish themed dog toys. For today’s show, Jordan chose to tell his story of being surrounded by friends at a high point in his life’s journey: June 30, 2019 at Camden.

You all know that I love dogs, so when Jordan’s business began to pop up in my social media feed, I knew that I had to have him on the show. Really, it was pictures of his Corgi, Butters, that convinced me. 

All joking aside, Jordan picked a show that exemplified the entire summer 2019 tour, and also expanded upon a previous episode with friend of the podcast Alyssa Poland, who chose a show from the same 3-night run. It was a tremendous amount of fun, and Jordan clearly has a lot of passion and excitement for this show that had an old-school setlist, yet simultaneously presented some of Phish’s best new material at the time. So let’s join Jordan Sheldon of Dog Faced Toys to talk about squeak toys, rarities, and taking the ferry back to Philly as we discuss Phish’s show from June 30, 2019 at Camden.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is Ryan Thompson who is here to tell us about Phish’s show from August 10, 1997 at Deer Creek. The fall 1997 tour is the one that is better known, but there were a lot of quirks, idiosyncrasies and highlights in the summer of that . 8/10/97 features all of this and more.

When I listened to this show, I understood almost immediately why Ryan chose it. Aside from the musical highlights, which we discuss at length, the famed “cow funk” isn’t all quite there, but we see the inklings of it. In addition, this wild and wacky second set makes this show perfect for Attendance Bias; it’s one of those shows where the second set only really makes sense if you were there. Summer ‘97 had a few of those moments in the years before webcasting when the listener had to picture what was happening on stage because the audio recording alone couldn’t do it justice.

So let’s join Ryan Thompson to talk about Tinley Park, King Crimson, and Phish’s show from August 10, 1997 at Deer Creek.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guests are able to offer a unique insight into Phish’s music because they each play in a Phish cover band. Not only that, but they both play keyboards in separate Phish cover bands! 

Nate plays keyboards in a Phish coverband called Adam Knight’s Buried Alive, and Hannah plays keys for the Lumpy Heads. Both bands are based out of the Carolinas and play around the southeast. So if you’re a Phish fan from Ascheville to Atlanta, keep your eyes out for Adam Knight’s Buried Alive and the Lumpy Heads.

 It may not be a shock to find out that both Nate and Hannah run in the same circles. As a result, Nate took Hannah to her first Phish shows–July 31 and August 1 of 2021; Phish’s first tour back after the postponed 2020 summer tour. While both shows are excellent, Nate and Hannah agreed on one major highlight to discuss today: The band’s 30-minute version of Tweezer that was played on night 2: August 1, 2021. 

A major highlight of the year, and possibly of the band’s career, this Tweezer journeys all over the place, with ambience, straight rock, funky start/stop jamming, and more. So let’s join Nate and Hannah to talk about why Foam is easier to play than you think, getting some alone time on the lawn, and much more as we discuss “Tweezer” from August 1, 2021 in Alpharetta, Georgia.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is Sam Huber, from the Philadelphia area. Sam is an enthusiastic fan who picked a show where the crowd energy just seeps through the audience recording–July 5, 2013 at SPAC in Saratoga, NY.  

A few themes come up repeatedly in today’s conversation: how special SPAC is, peacefully surrounded by trees that seem to have an affect on the energy and vibes of any given show, the idea of the band messing with the fanbase by playing certain songs at certain places in the setlist, and how getting in the car unprepared can lead you to the greatest of adventures.

On top of that, there is the main idea that SPAC is a family gathering–a homecoming on the east coast. Although it’s just a few hours from New York City, SPAC carries the reputation of being the summer home for Deadheads and Phish fans. Although this was not his first show, Sam was ready to be received by the community at this legendary state park.

So let’s join Sam to talk about the reaction to Energy, when the band will break open Yarmouth Road, and more as we discuss the Phish’s show from July 5, 2013 at SPAC. Just a note about today’s recording: there are a few audio glitches toward the beginning of the conversation, but they stop at about the halfway mark.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. I am not a parent, but something that I frequently hear from my friends who have kids is that one of the best parts of being a parent is that you get to see the world, and the things you love, through the eyes of your kids. If that is a benefit of having kids, then today’s guests must be two of the happiest people in the world of Phish.

Those guests are Bobby and Oliver from the Phish Phry podcast; a father and son duo who are doing a deep dive into Phish’s studio albums and release biweekly podcast episodes to talk about their impressions of each album. It’s an informative and fun listen! For today’s episode of Attendance Bias, though, Bobby and Oliver chose to talk about an excerpt from their first show: “Oblivion” and “Chalkdust Torture” from July 11, 2023 at the Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville, AL. This was the first live show for both father and son, and it ended with a wallop.

Not only do we get to talk about studio recordings, first shows, and new songs, but a certain guitarist makes a guest appearance that made this first show extra special. But it’s not my story to tell. Let’s join Bobby and Oliver as we talk about “Oblivion” and “Chalkdust Torture” from July 11, 2023 at The Orion Amphitheater.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today, we are taking a ride on the the way-back machine as guest Jay Wilson takes us to the UNH college campus and tells us about his second show–April 11, 1994 at Sively Arena.

1994 was a pivotal year for the band in so many ways. In addition to this spring tour promoting Hoist–which was produced to be their most commercially viable album–the band was really showing off their schizophrenic musical style, combining absurdity with prodigious talent, and they were making the final leaps from large theaters to amphitheaters, at least in their most popular markets. Places like The Beacon Theater in New York would soon be replaced by Madison Square Garden, and this was when New England was still their  stomping ground. By 1995 virtually all of New England would be left behind, except for the occasional stop.

Today’s conversation touches on virtually all of those aspects of 1994 Phish. But there’s much more to it than that. Let’s join Jay to talk about New Years Eve shows, falling in a hole, and jazz, as we discuss Phish’s show from April 11, 1994 at Snively Arena.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest–Derek Hill–picked an outstanding show from an underappreciated year: August 14, 2009 at the Meadows Music Center in Hartford, CT. Long-time listeners of Attendance Bias may remember that I recorded a mini-episode about the version of “Icculus” from this show, which was played right in the heart of the 2nd set. 

And that leads to just one of several themes that come up during today’s show: the idea that Phish was back during their summer 2009 tour, but were they all back? Derek and I happened to see several shows throughout this tour, separately, yet we had many of the same thoughts. It was extremely fun to catch up on a summer tour from 14 years ago with a complete stranger.

But that’s the thing about this podcast: when the guest is passionate about his or her choice, we are not complete strangers! Derek took his time to pick this Hartford show and once we began talking, it was very obvious that he made the best choice possible. There were times where it felt like this could have been a three-hour episode, just about that Icculus…not to mention many other bustouts and killer jams.

But enough from me; let’s join Derek to talk about the IT festival, selling quesadillas on lot, and second chances as we discuss August 14, 2009 at the Meadows Music Center in Hartford.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Phish shows can be special for a million reasons, and there are times when “coincidence” doesn’t even begin to describe the crossroads of music, surroundings, timing, and information that all occurs at once and makes us feel as though something bigger must be at play. I shy away from the word “magic,” and I’m not the religious type, so I’ll just call it Phish synergy. Today’s guest, David Factor, is here to tell us about one of those moments of Phish synergy from “Beneath a Sea of Stars” during the second set of 7/25/23 at The Mann Music Center in Philadelphia.

At the time of this recording, Phish has just wrapped up their two benefit shows at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Even though the show at the Mann, and David’s story, happened a month before the SPAC benefit shows, the fact that the benefit shows were so crowd pleasing only adds resonance to David’s experience when he found out about them in the first place. Trust me, it will make sense when you listen to him tell the story. 

But enough from me: let’s join David to talk about Worcester, Limestone, and Beneath a Sea of Stars from July 25, 2023 at The Mann.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. It is another family affair today on the podcast, as we welcome father and son Adam and Jeff Winik to tell us about Phish’s show from July 22, 2017 at Madison Square Garden, also known as Strawberry Night of the Baker’s Dozen.

This is not the first time that a father and son have shared guest duties on Attendance Bias, nor is it the first time that a couple of dogs appear in the background–Adam’s dog Maggie and my dog Duncan can be heard at various points of the conversation. While it’s not unusual for a heady parent to bring their kids to their first Phish show, that usually results in a story that’s seen through the parent’s eyes, with observations from the kid. This time it’s the son who brought his father (as well as his mother), and I find it especially interesting to hear what the show was like through the eyes of Jeff, the father. As you’ll hear me say in just a few minutes, my parents were only interested in Phish insofar as I was going to see them play live and was listening to them 24/7 in high school.

Add on the layer that this show was the beginning of the Baker’s Dozen–the unprecedented record-breaking MSG event that instantly became legendary in the Phish community–and there’s plenty more to discuss. For this episode, Adam was excited to talk about Strawberry Night, and you can hear the emotion in both his and Jeff’s voice, and we decided to discuss the entire first set, and then the parts of the second set for which his parents were present–I was not surprised to learn that they left right around “Split Open and Melt.” So we can consider this episode Strawberry Night set 1 and highlights from set 2. 

But there’s much more to it than that. Let’s join Adam and his father Jeff to talk about barbershop quartets, the best Moma Dance ever, and July 22, 2017–Strawberry Night–at Madison Square Garden.

Adam's Phish Tribute Band: The Divided Sky

Jeff's a capella quartet: Generation Gap

Note: the a capella song that opens the episode is performed by Jeff’s previous a capella group, Party of Five

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. 

I would guess that most of us have had the experience at a Phish show where the band is communicating to us, directly. Not communicating with the crowd; I mean, the members of the band are playing a show that speaks to our exact life experience. Whether or not you’ve ever made eye contact with Trey right before they leave the stage after the first set, there’s no denying that the best kind of art is the kind that speaks to you; the kind that you can understand and appreciate through your own personal lens. Today’s guest, Nate Schwerin, had a life-changing experience at the Phish show at Dick’s on September 5, 2015. As you’ll hear Nate describe, it was right out of a cheesy movie but happened to him in real life.

It’s no surprise that Nate’s game-changing show happened at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park; including 2023, Phish has played 38 shows at the venue. It’s no surprise that some fans have had some of their most meaningful experiences there. 

But that’s enough from me, it’s Nate’s story to tell. Let’s join Nate to chat about Big Sky Montana, The Catcher in the Rye, and being 13 years old at your first show as we break down September 5, 2015 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, in Commerce City, CO.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. 

I am ecstatic to introduce today’s episode, as it features both a knowledgeable guest who is well known within certain circles of the Phish community, and a thorough, wide-ranging discussion about three of the greatest improvisational rock concerts ever played: Phil and Friends at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco on April 15, 16, and 17, 1999.

While not a Phish show, or even a Grateful Dead show, this run of concerts was a milestone for both bands. Not only was it the first time that members of the two major jambands shared a stage, it’s notable that songs from both Phish and the Grateful Dead were played over the three nights. 

I’ve been listening to these shows since soon after they were played and they haven’t aged a day. When Charlie Dirksen of Phish.net and The Mockingbird Foundation volunteered to discuss them and tell about what it was like to actually be there, I couldn’t wait to hear about it. These shows have lived in my head for over 20 years, so to hear a first-person account of what they were like made for one of my favorite conversations I’ve ever had for this podcast.

This episode easily could have been three hours long–every time a song was mentioned, it took a lot of willpower on my end not to insert yet another music clip. But there was so much to discuss before we even get to the music. Let’s join Charlie to chat about his responsibilities at Phish.net, Steve Kimock’s guitar wizardy, and where John Molo fits into everything, as we break down Phil and Friends from April 15, 16, and 17 at the Warfield Theater, in San Francisco, CA.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. 

Halloween is, without question, one of the highest profile nights of the Phish calendar. All Phish Halloween shows are judged, compared and, for better or worse, claim their spot in the band’s mythology. But, as part of a pattern that’s been discussed on this podcast before, it’s not always the high profile night that gets the best show. It’s usually the night before the night. December 30 for New Years Eve, and in this case, October 30 for Halloween. 

Today’s guest, Eric Doyle, chose to tell us about his experience at October 30, 1998–the night before Phish covered all of The Velvet Underground’s classic album, Loaded. While that Halloween show has its supporters and detractors, the night before should be celebrated for its combination of factors that make it one of the best representations of 1998 that Phish had to offer.

With The Story of the Ghost having been released just days prior, the band making high profile appearances on David Letterman, Sessions at West 54th, and other promotional outlets for the new album, Phish was at a crossroads as to how involved they would become with the record industry at large. History has explained that part of the Phish story, but with mixed mainstream success at the time, no one was sure what would happen.

All of those aspects were apparent during this two-night Las Vegas run in 1998, but it didn’t stop the band from delivering a killer show on the night before Halloween. Let’s join Eric to talk about Phish’s history in Atlanta, Fishman leading the way, and more as we discuss October 30, 1998 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. 

If you’ll indulge my Grandpa-Simpson waxing poetic about the past for a second: when I was first getting into Phish, there were some shows (mostly from the early-90s) that lived in legend. There were stories about them, but it wasn’t so easy to find internet posts or first-person narratives about them. One of those shows was June 21, 1994 at the Cincinnati Music Hall. Phish began the show as usual when, about a half hour in, the venue’s fire alarm went off, forcing everyone to clear out. The show resumed with a “2nd set” that lasted an hour and 40 minutes! Luckily, social media has advanced to the point where we can instantaneously get in touch with other fans and hear about their experience at shows like that one.

That’s basically the premise of this podcast, and so I was absolutely thrilled that today’s guest, Kev Hollo of Charleston, South Carolina got in touch and wanted to tell about his experience at that exact show. Kev is a long time Phish fan, a musician, and happy to discuss all things Phish, which we do over the course of the episode. While the 1994 Cincinnati show is the basis of today’s episode, by no means do we stop there. The conversation ranges from music theory, to ghost stories, to the past, present, and future of the band.  

Let’s join Kev to chat about it all as we revisit June 21, 1994 at the Cincinnati Music Hall, in Cincinnati, OH.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. 

I’ve mentioned a number of times on this podcast that, when I’m not spouting gibberish with strangers about Phish, I am a middle school teacher. I try not to offer too much personal information on the podcast for obvious reasons, but I am overly thrilled to say that, today, my personal life on the podcast and my professional life at school intersect in the most glorious way.

That way is through today’s guest:  Jared Cowen. Jared is the lead singer and guitarist of up-and-coming jamband Baked Shrimp. If you frequent any of your local music venues or attend pretty much any summer jamband festivals, you’ve seen Baked Shrimp’s name on the lineup. The trio frequently combines progressive arrangements and dexterity with extended, fist-pumping jams. They rule.

Oh, and did I mention that Jared was my student in 7th and 8th grade? Teachers often say that the best part of the job is when we see the legacy and success of our students as they grow older and into their adult selves. Jared and I were lucky enough to spot each other as Phish fans as teacher and student, and since then, we’ve gotten to know each other as people–not just in school–and I’ve gotten to know Jared’s family well, often seeing them at MSG or various other shows in the tri-state area.

So as Baked Shrimp prepares to release a new album, it only made sense for Jared to make an appearance on Attendance Bias. For today’s episode, Jared chose to discuss set two of December 31, 2010–one of the best NYE shows of Phish’s career, and one could argue a turning point in the jamming style of the 3.0 era. We break it all down.

Let’s join Jared to talk about middle school memories, high ceilings, low floors, and the Meatstick heard round the world, as we revisit set two of New Year’s Eve 2010 at Madison Square Garden.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein.

The first week of March is always a conspicuous part of the year for me. No religious or secular holidays, no birthdays or wedding anniversaries in my social circle, but there is one series of dates that will always deserve some deep thoughts, if not any flowers, chocolate, or greeting cards: March 6-8 , 2009, when Phish returned to the live stage at the Hampton Coliseum. 

As of 2024, it will be 15 years since that beautiful weekend. Being a Phish stats nerd, round numbers hold significance for me, and looking back, it sometimes feels like the reunion happened to a completely different person. This is the topic for a three-episode miniseries, called: “This Time Will Be Different: 15 Years Since Hampton.” 

For the next three episodes, I will be joined by two co-hosts, Scott Marks and Charlie Dirksen of Phish.net and the Mockingbird Foundation. The three of us will take a look back, not only at the 2009 Hampton Reunion, but at the major Phish events that led to it, including the band’s hiatus from 2000-2002, the breakup from 2004-2008, and then episode 3 will focus on that glorious weekend in March 2009. 

But let’s not skip too far ahead. Today, please welcome Scott Marks and Charlie Dirsken of Phish.net and The Mockingbird Foundation as we open This Time Will be Different, Episode 1.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias, or more accurately, episode two of “This Time Will be Different: 15 Years Since Hampton.” I am your host, Brian Weinstein.

Today, I join my two co-hosts: Scott Marks and Charlie Dirksen of Phish.net and the Mockingbird Foundation, to take a look at the 2.0 era, as well as Phish’s breakup in 2004. For those of you who listened to episode 1, it was clear but not obvious, that Phish needed a break after Big Cypress, and it was never really in doubt that they would get back together. But in the second half of 2.0, mostly in the 2004 calendar year, it was glaringly obvious that Trey’s physical health was in jeopardy, and the scene as a whole was rotting from the inside. 

In a little while, you’ll hear Scott compare these three episodes to the original Star Wars trilogy–today’s episode is The Empire Strikes Back. Our heroes are at their lowest point, and you have to be knocked down before you can rise up and win the day. 

It’s telling that on Attendance Bias, 2.0 has, by far, the least number of shows represented by guests. It was, and continues to be, a divisive time in the band’s history. I originally planned this episode to be about the time of Phish’s breakup-2004 to 2008, and what the scene was like without the biggest band on tour. However, this conversation took a different route and we just went with it. It wasn’t always a pretty ride, but it has heart and makes the comeback in the next episode all the more meaningful.

But we have to have the darkness before the dawn. Today, please welcome Scott Marks and Charlie Dirsken of Phish.net and The Mockingbird Foundation as we continue This Time Will be Different, Episode 2.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein.

We’ve covered plenty of shows from the summer of 1999 on Attendance Bias but, lest we forget, there was a lot more to that year than a raucous summer tour. There was also a fall tour and a lesser-explored December tour, which took place entirely within the last month of the millennium. Today’s guest, Brent Summerville, chose one of the last Phish shows of 1999–December 16 at the Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, NC–to review today. Although portions of the show are available on YouTube, there are certain nuances that we can only hear from someone who was in attendance. Luckily, we have Brent here to tell us all about it.

At the time, Brent was moving back to North Carolina from Michigan, and had been seeing Phish for five years. He brought a friend to this show, which he rarely did at the time, and was on his old college campus where he had lots of ties to this small basketball court-turned-concert venue.   

Phish broke out a monster second set for this show, and it joined the fabled 5-song second set club, with a version of Sand full of soundscapes, as well as a soul-cleansing Tweezer. But there’s more to it than that. Let’s join Brent to chat about college basketball, Trey’s keyboard setup, and cold Michigan winters as we revisit December 16, 1999 at the Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, NC.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. 

Today, we’re taking on one of the big ones: one of the most pivotal shows in the band’s 40 year career. Guest Jeff Paradise was at the first modern Phish Halloween show, October 31, 1994 at the Glens Falls Civic Center, where the band played a 3-set show that included the band’s first musical costume; a full cover of The Beatles’ White Album in the second set. The full show lasted about 5 hours, concluding at around 3:30am in a remote upstate New York minor league hockey arena.

Jeff was in college in Ithaca, NY at the time, bouncing around college towns to see Phish, frequently at the behest of his friends, since Jeff was the guy with the car. At this point of the band’s career, being a college student in upstate NY or New England was a golden age of being a Phish fan. Chances are that, if they weren’t playing withing a few hours drive this week, they would be next week. 

It’s easy to look back now and see how monumental this show was–a band covering a double album of the most famous band in rock and rock history, and Jeff points out that, even compared to other big Phish shows of the era, the historicity of the show was apparent even in real time. Anyone in the audience in Glens Falls that night knew that they were witnessing history.   

Even with that, we have a lot more to cover about this five-hour, three-set show. So join Jeff and I as we discuss Dark Side of the Moon fakeouts, mailing in postcards, and making it back in time for class with October 31, 1994 at the Glens Falls Civic Center.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. 

When I first began collecting tapes, I would always keep my eyes out for Phish shows at Jones Beach. Having grown up on Long Island, going to concerts at Jones Beach was a summer tradition. It didn’t even matter who was playing–the venue was a 10 minute drive for me, and on a nice night, it’s one of the best outdoor venues in New York. So you can imagine my reaction when I found out that my new favorite band had played there a number of times. 

It’s with that genuine delight and natural curiosity that I approached today’s guest, Jonathan Frederic, about his chosen show: July 23, 1993, Phish’s first time headlining their own show at Jones Beach. 1993 was an amazing time to learn about Phish, as they were just dipping their toes in the water to jump from small theaters to larger amphitheaters, a transition that would continue for approximately the next two years. During that time, the band was introducing new music from Rift, beginning their craziest musical exploration and experimentation, and creating new ways to connect to the audience, as they couldn’t maintain un-mic’d a capella performances and the Big Ball Jam in these sprawling arenas and amphitheaters.

It was a pleasure to hear a first-person experience from someone who experienced all of these changes in ONE SHOW, especially at my one-time hometown venue. So let’s join Jonathan to talk about when to eat carbohydrates, ending up front-row center at the venue, and The Pixies as we go over July 23, 1993 at the Jones Beach Amphitheater.

Send us a text

Send us a text

Do you remember where you were when you heard that Phish was returning to Hampton in 2009?

To celebrate 15 years since Hampton, I’d love to hear about where you were and what you thought when you found out about Hampton ‘09. I think it would be fun to put together an audio collage of fans’ memories of where they were, what they thought, and how they felt. If you are down to contribute, I have a set of directions and a sample script. It’s quite easy, and I think it will be a lot of fun for all listeners. Swipe over and keep reading if you’re interested:

1 ) Record a voice memo on your phone or any convenient recording device. Introduce yourself, and tell your memory. Whether it was from the official announcement, a friend calling/texting you, whatever! How did you feel and what are your memories of hearing that PHISH IS COMING BACK?!

2 ) The recording should be a minimum of 30 seconds and a maximum of 2 minutes. 

3 ) Email the recording to attendancebias@gmail.com as an audio file (m4a, mp3, etc.)

Sample script: “Hi, this is (your name) from (hometown, if you’d like).” And then tell a little bit about your experience of hearing that Phish would be playing 3 shows at Hampton in March ‘09. 

Thanks so much for participating and for listening!

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is Anton Milioti, bass player from the acoustic-ish Grateful Dead cover band, Crickets and Cicadas. Today, Anton and I spend a good deal of time talking about the Grateful Dead and live performance, but the majority of our conversation centers around a show that was Anton’s first, and still holds up in Phish history–December 30, 2013 at Madison Square Garden.  

When a guest chooses a show to discuss, I tend to get excited over shows from the mid-1.0 era; 1992, 1995, 1998...but over the course of today’s conversation, Anton mentioned a few times that it’s been 10 years since the 2013 NYE run. And when we break down some of the jams and remember the Phish zeitgeist around the end of 2013, an argument can be made that they were as different 10 years ago as they were 10 years before that! 

On top of that, there is the recurring theme of the band celebrating its 30 year anniversary in 2013, which takes on extra resonance now, considering that we recently had the privilege of celebrating the band’s 40th anniversary! When taken in that context, this show takes on an entire different dimension.

So let’s join Anton to talk about Phil Lesh, A Live One, and dream setlists as we discuss Phish’s show from December 30, 2013 at Madison Square Garden.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is Steven Gripp, the creator of the Phish Mapping Project. Steven is here today to tell about one of his favorite segments of Live Phish he’s ever witnessed: “46 Days>The Dogs>46 Days” from the Austin 360 Amphitheater on July 28, 2015, in Austin Texas.

Steven and I also talk quite a bit about his project: If you’re a nerdy fan like me who could spend hours down a wormhole on Phish.net or used to read and re-read the Pharmer’s Almanac, the Phish Mapping Project is right up your alley. Basically, Steven took years of research and meticulous mapping of every Phish show on record and created an interactive worldwide digital map of their history, using Google Tours and Google Maps. If you have a favorite show but always wanted to know what the venue looked like, or where it actually is, the Phish Mapping Project has you covered. There are more dimensions to it than I could explain here, but that’s why we have Steven here to tell us about all the angles of this magnificent contribution to the Phish fan experience. 

In addition, we cannot forget the 46 Days/The Dogs musical sandwich that Steven brought to the episode. The summer 2015 tour peak Phish, and even an “average great” show would have highlights that would stand out when all was said and done. This power rock combination certainly meets that criteria and after all, who doesn’t love a flawless segue?

So let’s join Steven to talk about 1993 Phish, the best versions of Crosseyed and Painless, and Phish in the Lone Star State as we discuss “46 Days>The Dogs>46 Days” from July 28, 2015 at the Austin 360 Amphitheater.

Phish Mapping Project

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s episode is about a Phish show, to be sure, but in the larger picture, it’s about an entire tour. Today’s guest, Jordan Kahn, chose to tell his story from June sixteenth, 2000, when Phish played Zepp Suminoe-ku, in Osaka, Japan. Four years into this podcast, it’s not often that a guest chooses a show from a tour that has not yet been covered, but Jordan saw nearly every show from the Japan, 2000 tour and man, I was excited to hear all about it.

In retrospect, we all know that, just a few months after Phish played Japan in 2000, they would go on a year-and-a-half long hiatus. When listening to this show, and others from the tour, they don’t sound tired, or as if they need to stop the Phish touring machine. Maybe it was being in small clubs with quiet, respectful audiences that provided the band with the relaxing feel to experiment toward the beatless, futuristic, ambient sound that would dominate 2000. But that’s all speculation. Let’s stick to what we know. 

Jordan provides us with a personal, yet universal, experience of what it was like to travel from the United States to the Land of the Rising Sun, and parts of this conversation veers away from the Phish experience and becomes something of a travelogue with a jamband flavor.

So let’s join Jordan to talk about bullet trains, superior sushi, and why a day off during a tour is okay as we discuss June 16, 2000 from at Zepp, Osaka.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias, or more really, the third and final episode of “This Time Will be Different: 15 Years Since Hampton.” I am your host, Brian Weinstein.

Today’s episode ends our look back at what led to Phish’s comeback at Hampton, 15 years ago on March 6, 2009. If you haven’t listened yet, previous episodes have covered The pressures that led to the hiatus in 2000, the multi-faceted hot mess that was 2004, and the rebirth of the Phish experience in the early spring of 2009.

When I first had the idea for this miniseries, I figured that today’s episode, the one about Hampton 2009, would be an enormous undertaking. A full weekend of shows, easily making up the most important run of the band’s career, marking the turning point from the past to the present that would introduce the 3.0 era. Yet, as my co-hosts and I were speaking–Charlie Dirksen and Scott Marks from Phish.net and The Mockingbird Foundation–it became more about our experiences and our personal feelings during that all-important March weekend.  

In the end, that’s what Attendance Bias is about–each guest’s own experience at any given show. There is a lot more of this story to be told but, for now, this love-fest about Phish coming back to life  will settle things for now.To wrap things up, please welcome Scott Marks and Charlie Dirsken of Phish.net and The Mockingbird Foundation as we continue This Time Will be Different, Episode 3.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to today's episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. 

When I began this podcast, I didn’t know too much about the key shows of the end of 1.0. The years 1999 and 2000 weren’t exactly lost to me, but it was harder then than it is now to get the most recent recordings. And even if you were lucky enough to get a recording of a recent show at the end of the century–or the beginning of the new one–chances are that the recording didn’t quite capture the intricacies and details that you would need to hear in order to appreciate what the band was playing at the time.

That’s a long way to say that today’s guest–Will Little-shines a ton of light on the technical aspect of what Phish was up to, musically speaking, during the summer, 2000 tour. Will chose to discuss his memories from July 4, 2000 when Phish played the 2nd of two nights at Camden. While many guests on Attendance Bias, and I’m guilty of this as well, focus on the fan perspective of their chosen show, Will focuses mostly on what made the soundscapes and atmospheric playing of 2000 so interesting and compelling. For years, I’ve known that soundboard recordings of this tour were high-level, dense stuff but never had the vocabulary to explain why. I still don’t have the vocabulary, but luckily we have Will here to help out.

And boy, did he pick the right show. July 4, 2000 encapsulates the “2000” sound as well as any other show that year. In fact, the second set is a legendary 5-song second set that opens with a 30-minute Gotta Jibboo. If you’re the type of fan who likes to press play, lay back, listen, and then wonder “how are they doing this?!”, then this is your show and your episode.

If you haven’t figured it out by now, Will is a multi-instrumentalist from the south-east who is typically involved in a number of projects, including longtime Asheville-based band East Coast Dirt, and by the time this episode airs, he’ll be playing with Phish tribute band, “Nectar: A Picture of Phish.” He’ll give more details about his projects once the conversation starts.

So let’s join Will to chat about the the nuance of specialized guitar effects, what the funk siren really is, and whether or not Backwards Down the Number Line is a great Phish song as we break down July, 2000 in Camden.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s special guest is Jamie Boldt, and boy, did he pick a winner to review today: 10/31/95 at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago, Illinois.

Regular listeners of Attendance Bias will note that The Who was THE band for me as I made the transition from classic rock and alternative radio in my early teens to exploring the world beyond the corporate record stores and Top 40 radio. To say it another way: before Phish, there was The Who. As you’ll hear Jamie and I discuss in just a little while: it was a major turning point for me when I found out about this Halloween show. 

 In the bigger picture, this was Phish’s 2nd Halloween musical costume. After the unmitigated success of The White Album Halloween show in 1994, the band chose to go a different route, playing a huge venue in the midwest, and choosing a relatively obscure album that required additional musicians. But there’s more to this show than the musical costume; the first and third set are masterpieces that stand on their own.

Jamie chose to discuss this show for a number of reasons, and one of them is that he wanted to get my take on the convergence of Phish and The Who. While I am the host of this podcast, and I get my thoughts in there, Jamie is the guest and we get to hear what it was like to witness this epic show that continues to live on the top shelf of Phish history.

So let’s join Jamie to talk about Greenwich Village, mod  culture, and Jon Fishman’s relatives as we discuss October 31, 1995 in Chicago.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. With all of the lore and inside jokes of the Phish universe, conspiracy theories are part and parcel of being a superfan. When we learn the lyrics to new songs, see the artwork announcing a new tour, or even an offhand comment from a band member on a PhishRadio interview, Phish fans are always looking for signs and asking: “What does it meeeeean?”

Today’s guest, James Del, is the perfect fan to answer that question. James works closely with people the creative sector, and he chose one of Phish’s most creative, if inscrutable performances to discuss today: The SciFi Soldier set from October 31, 2021 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas Nevada.  

Phish Halloween sets are always fun and always generate controversy, but there was so much to the SciFi Soldier set that it almost transcended the idea of a Halloween costume set: the songs were practiced, but the vocals sounded spontaneous. Instead of a Phishbill, there was a comic book. There were themed shows leading up to the 31st that may or may not have connected to Halloween night. And that’s all to say nothing of the poor ventilation and Covid aftermath of this run that ended the fall 2021 tour. 

All that is to say that James and I had plenty to talk about, even when dissecting one set of a three set show. While I was fairly passe about SciFi Soldier, James was seeing entire worlds in these songs. Not a line went by that James didn’t ascribe a deeper meaning and a grander sense of scope to the wider Phish experience. I can honestly say that, after this conversation, I will never listen to this set the same way again.

So let’s join James to talk about passion fruit, Gamehendge, and the Phish codex as we discuss set 2 of October 31, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Passion Fruit Newsletter
We've Got a Band podcast

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest, Brian Blatt, takes us back 30 years to April 6, 1994 at the Concert Hall in Toronto, Ontario. Phish had just started their spring tour promoting Hoist, but also showcasing their increasing ability to play anything and everything–from straight rock and roll, to bluegrass, to latin jazz, to a capella tunes, and more. Plus, a recurring theme of today’s show was the band’s improvisational exercises paying off. Whereas in 1993, they could segue in and out of any song in their repertoire, now they were jumping off the ledge into the unknown, not knowing where they’d end up, or whether they’d come back to the song at all. 

On top of all that is Brian’s experience. He drove from Rochester, NY to Toronto for this show; a drive of about  3 hours. This was not his first time seeing Phish, but this was his first time seeing Phish sober. That new experience of clarity allowed him to remember, even 30 years later, the exact moment where he GOT IT. The exact moment when he was hooked.

I don’t want to spoil it, so keep listening as we join Brian Blatt to talk about vocal jams, garbage plates, Weird Al, and more as we discuss Phish’s show from April 6, 1994 at The Concert Hall in Toronto.

Audio of 7/28/92

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. You know, everybody has their own standards for what constitutes a “special” Phish show: a killer setlist, monster jams, rarities, meeting up with old friends, making new  friends, going to your hometown venue, and more. I mean, that’s the entire premise of this podcast! But every now and again, Phish plays a show that is an undisputed SPECIAL SHOW. A show that encapsulates all of the above, and maybe even a little more. Today’s episode with guest Chris Bojar revisits such a show from the recent past: July 14, 2019 at Alpine Valley in East Troy, Wisconsin. 

There can be little doubt that Phish has a special affinity for the summertime shed, as they’ve played several great shows there. However, few shows are as explicit as this one, where the band went out of their way to tell the crowd how much they love playing at Alpine Valley, both directly and through goofy antics and banter, including a breakout version of Ruby Waves and putting the pressure on a certain couple to get married. Throw in the fact that Chris is from Wisconsin, and was able to have a buddies weekend at the height of summer and the table is set for an all time great show. And, boy, did Phish deliver.  

So let’s join Chris to talk about planning setlists, Spock’s Brain, and getting harassed by Kentucky police as we discuss July 14, 2019 at Alpine Valley.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. It was an absolute thrill to talk to today’s guest, Michael Benjamin about July 6, 2012 at SPAC. It was a thrill for two main reasons: First, I knew I was talking with a real fan about a genuinely exciting show, because he drove over 6 hours to get to the venue, and crossed the border, since Michael lived in Canada at the time. 

But also, today’s conversation selfishly granted me a wish that I didn’t even know I had. Michael comes to us today from Stockholm, Sweden. I’ve had Canadian guests before, so Michael isn’t the first international guest, but I’ve never had a European guest! Attendance Bias has gone intercontinental! We are everywhere!

But a little more close to home: this show was the first night of a 3-night run at the beloved upstate New York venue during a peak year of Phish music. It’s a common thread of this podcast to wonder when Phish was actually “back” after they returned in 2009, and 2012 seems to be as good a year to suggest, for a number of reasons that Mike and I discuss in just a few minutes.   

So let’s join Mike to talk about touring costs, whether or not Ocelot is a bathroom songs, and when the band will return to Toronto as we discuss July 7, 2012 at SPAC.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. There are a lot of Phish shows that are seen as turning points in both the band’s career and the evolution of their sound over 40 years. The Paradise in 1988, Gamehendge in Great Woods, New Year’s ‘95, Halloween 1996, and dozens more. Those are the high profile ones. Because there are also shows that can fit the description of “turning points” but don’t get the same sort of attention as the ones I just mentioned. Today’s guest, Josh Buswell-Charkow was in attendance for such a show: November 2, 1996 at the Coral Sky Amphitheater in West Palm Beach, Florida.

This show isn’t exactly an unknown–Phish did release a DVD of it after all–but it does get lost in the hubbub of the band’s Talking Heads Halloween costume and then the insane Las Vegas show that closed the tour in December.  The popular narrative often goes that Phish covered Remain in Light on Halloween, played small venues in Europe in the winter of 1997, and changed their sound to the cow funk we all know and love by the middle of the summer.

However, there were little steps in between those touch points and today’s show is one of them. Guest starring percussionist Karl Parazzo for the entire show, the listener can hear the band changing their overall sound almost on the spot, infusing the Talking Heads-style repetitive rhythm while purposely making space for the guest star. 

But there’s even more to it than that. Let’s join Josh to talk about the best time to be in Florida, the best Phish guest stars, and more as we discuss November 2, 1996 at the Coral Sky Amphitheater.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. If you pay attention to the Phish podcast world, or the Goose podcast world, then you’re certainly familiar with today’s guest: Ryan Storm. Ryan is the host of the Almost Always There podcast as well as We Move Through Stormy Weather on Osiris Media, and you’ll find his reviews, commentary and general thoughts about the jamband scene at all of his outlets, which you can find in today’s show notes.

Ryan previously appeared on Attendance Bias in the summer of 2023 for a Madison Square Garden recap, and we were trying to arrange a traditional Attendance Bias appearance since even before that! Today is that day! Ryan chose to tell his story about the Phish show from October 22, 2021 at the Ak-Chin (though I knew it as Desert Sky) Pavilion in Phoenix, AZ.  While the summer 2021 tour was a mixed bag in terms of Phish and the Phish community  coming back from  quarantine and getting back on its feet, the fall tour was full of musical highlights and the true beginning of the 4.0 era.

Plus, this was likely the last traditional Phish tour; the band would announce several dates all over the west coast, with several being one-night stands. It’s likely that this tour will be the last time that you could go city to city and see just two shows. Along with the slew of new songs and keyboard and guitar effects, this was the end of one era and the beginning of another. 

So let’s join Ryan to talk about family, tension, and much more as we discuss October 22, 2021 in Phoenix Arizona.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today, we welcome back guest Adam Jerugim. Adam previously told about seeing “Harry Hood” on April 18, 1992 at Stanford University, and after today, he seems to be the Attendance Bias resident expert on west coast Phish in the 90s. 

In today’s episode, Adam and I expand our conversation to a full show, and that full show is Phish at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco on May 27, 1994. This was the third of three shows at the Warfield, and it came toward the last week of the 1994 spring tour. 

On Attendance Bias, we often talk about transitional years and signposts to major musical changes in the Phish evolution but when it comes to late spring and summer of 1994, it’s okay to just sit back and show to love to a band at a major peak. This show, while maybe not a tentpole of a peak year, still has superlative versions of David Bowie, Harry Hood, Reba, plus some trademark Phish goofiness and oddity appearances. But we get into all that in a moment.

One theme I loved talking about with Adam was Phish’s growing popularity on the west coast at this time. While the band would make their debut at Madison Square Garden late in the year and celebrate New Year’s Eve at Boston Garden, they were still reasonably in the middle of the pack when it came to the west coast. Selling out three nights at The Warfield seemed to send a signal that things were about to change, big time. Today’s show, as classic as it is, still frames the band at a time when they were about to blow up big time up and down the Pacific coast. There’s a lot going on.   

So let’s join Adam to talk about the Bay Bridge, opera singers, and whether shushing is better than wooing as we discuss May 27, 1994 at The Warfield Theater.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest is Katie, but she is probably better known as The Phunky Witch around the Phish Twitter community. For today’s episode, Katie chose a stunning, psychedelic segment from Phish’s visit to the Sphere in Las Vegas: “Theme from the Bottom into Split Open and Melt” from April 19, 2024. 

Even though the band’s 4-show stand at The Sphere happened fairly recently, I just knew it was a matter of time before a guest chose to talk about the music from that run. From any perspective, The enormity of The Sphere seems to be the perfect venue to discuss attendance bias. Is it possible to convey the experience of being at The Sphere in words? Or does one have to be in attendance to understand what it’s like? Luckily, Katie chose a segment of the show where we can hear the musical magic and she does a great job explaining why it was special to be there.

So let’s join Katie to talk about red eye flights, the Nassau Coliseum, and black eyes as we discuss “Theme from the Bottom into Split Open and Melt” from April 19, 2024 at The Sphere in Las Vegas.

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guest, Matt Hoffman, takes us back to an instant classic: December 2, 1997 at The Philadelphia Spectrum, the first night of a 2-night run that has since been released officially by Live Phish. The fall 1997 tour has been reviewed on this show before on Attendance Bias…and basically any other conversation about Phish, but today’s discussion focuses more on the micro–this specific show, and Matt’s experience seeing the band for the first time at a career peak. 

By this point of the tour, Phish was a well-oiled machine, and Philadelphia was as close to a hometown stop for Trey as the band would get at the time. Donning a Flyers jersey for the show, Trey and the band would offer up a setlist full of fan favorites, including a 7-song 2nd set, 5 of which appear on the Phish.net jamcharts.

Meanwhile, there is a particular Philadelphia flavor to this conversation, as Matt grew up and still lives in the Philly area, so keep listening as we join Matt to talk about the Mann Music Center, cover bands, taking naps, and more as we discuss Phish’s show from December 2, 1997 at The Spectrum.

Send us a text

Episode Playlist

The Improbable, Unstoppable Rise of Goose, by Charlie Werzel for The Atlantic

Welcome back, everyone! Today, Megan Glionna and Brian Brinkman of The Helping Friendly Podcast join Attendance Bias as we morph back into "Flocking Outside: A Miniseries About Goose From 3 Phish Lifers."

About a year ago, the three of us released a 3-episode miniseries to get a handle on the sharp rise of Goose, and the tension that was building between the fanbases of Goose and Phish. Those episodes are still available if you scroll back to Attendance Bias episodes from June, 2023. In those three episodes, Brian and Megan gave me information about Goose's history as a band, and we discussed the context in which their profile was rising in the jamband scene.

A year has passed since then, and Goose's story, as well as each of our own stories, has changed and expanded. In today's episode, which I think is a coda to the previous three, Megan, Brian, and I discuss the band's development of the past calendar year, how they've changed musically, how they've separated themselves from the jam scene, and how we've changed as fans. 

We hope you enjoy episode 4 (coda) of "Flocking Outside!"

Send us a text

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. We’ve discussed several shows from the legendary Baker’s Dozen on Attendance Bias, but this is the first episode where we talk about the Baker’s Dozen’s little brother: a show from Phish’s 7-show run in the summer of 2023. Today’s guest is Lucas Jordan who came on the podcast to talk about his experience at Madison Square Garden on August 1, 2023-the fourth show of that seven show residency.

Now, it’s a bit unfair to mention this show in the same breath as the Baker’s Dozen, especially since Lucas wasn’t a big Phish fan back in 2017. In the beginning of our conversation, it was hard to shake the comparisons. But as we went on, it’s clear that the 2023 residency could stand on its own. This wasn’t Lucas’ first Phish show, but it was the one where he truly became absorbed in the impact the live scene can have on a fan, penetrating his sense of what is possible at a live concert. 

But that’s Lucas’ story to tell. Let’s join him to talk about Chicago venue, the rarity of Timber Ho, who’s got the best voice in the band, and more as we discuss August 1, 2023 at Madison Square Garden.