Phish

[M Skjellyfetti]

I wouldn't say that I love Phish, but I dig them sometimes. As has been stated many times, Phish is not the Dead, but they have their solid moments.

As for stuff other than Phish, I like a lot of the jam-ish bands (i.e. Yonder, Railroad Earth, New Monsoon, Big Wu, etc.) out there now, but for some reason Umphrey's never really did it for me. I can't stand their weird sound, but that's judging from listening to only one album and a few live performances.

 

P.S. I also listen to Phish without using performance-enhancing drugs.

[EsoxLazer]

Count me in with the group that loves them. Its always interesting to read random threads about them because there are so many different opinions. I personally couldn't disagree more with whoever said that they don't have any soul or that they fell in love with Garcia and wanted to emulate the Dead. Aside from the fact that they are a "jamband" and that the fanbase is similar(which is debatable), I don't see all that many similarities. I guess thats the great thing about music though...everyone sees and hears it differently. I saw them for the first time in 96 and instantly fell in love. They were completely different from anything I had been listening to and although I had no clue what the hell was going on I knew that I needed to hear more. Before the harder drugs started to find their way backstage the shows were far more consistent and tight. After 40 some shows I was really upset when it ended(a rough weekend in VT) but glad for what I had gotten a chance to see and experience over the years. Maybe someday they will get back together, maybe not. Regardless, their music turned me onto many different bands, I had countless unforgettable experiences, and I met a ton of great people along the way.

 

P.S. Stealin Strings is a great band that is definitely worth checking out...Ive seen them a few times and will be seeing them again as soon as I get the chance.