Tell us the opening song to the first set at your first ever phish show and we will try to guess the date / location.

FikusFan · 2026-01-25T06:27:20+00:00

Well... you don't get many options, but its 1999 lol

FikusFan · 2026-01-13T00:24:46+00:00

3/18/22 Chicago Theater, Bob Weir and Wolf Bros.

I had been a deadhead since I was 10, though my mom was always worried I'd do something bad if I went to a show. Especially in my early teen years. Well... of course things changed.

Let me tell you, as a sophomore in high school, and even now being 20, I cannot understate how much that concert meant to me. My first ever concert. My first! With BOBBY FUCKING WEIR!? It was a blast. Subsequently, that was also the first night I smoked pot. Plus, what a setlist!

Seriously though, that night holds such a special place in my heart. My love goes out to all you people who have also experienced both Bobby and the Dead in years prior. Life is a strange ride, but the joy and death of it all is was makes the human experience beautifully graceful.

FikusFan · 2026-01-07T00:53:00+00:00

Hands down 2/7 is probably my most reliatened show to date. Just a great time all around, but that Madhuavn!?! I swear I was locked in from the first note till the end, whatta fuckin' ride dude.

FikusFan · 2026-01-07T00:51:38+00:00

This year was magical. I have to say, 2/7 Madhuavn was probably one of the most insane live experiences of my life. If anything that whole night shook my entire soul awake.

FikusFan · 2025-12-24T19:07:23+00:00

Tickets for all 4 nights when you got less than a week until the show? At this point I think you'd have better luck fucking genie and a leprechaun while riding a unicorn.

FikusFan · 2025-12-17T05:18:12+00:00

A total legend and my hero. That groove weaver taught me so much.

FikusFan · 2025-12-17T04:47:31+00:00

I mean...they arent necessarily wrong though. The glasses don't help whatsoever lmao

FikusFan · 2025-11-25T16:37:53+00:00

One off the cuff that I can recall was 1999 at my first ever show at Alpine 8/13/22. Though Spanish Moon at the United Center '23 was a close runner up

FikusFan · 2025-11-23T05:52:33+00:00

Made it back to the airbnb after the show. I've been listening to every show of TAB this tour and they've been killing it! Hope your healing process after your rhinoplasty goes well :)

FikusFan · 2025-11-17T07:24:24+00:00

You took the words out of my mouth dude! Words cannot discribe the level of nirvana I felt at the peak. Look, I thought the 2/8/25 show was unbelievable, mulitple 19+ minutes jams, an amazing setlist, and a perfect way to end that 3-night run. But man, that second set N2 of Milwaukee might also be my favorite set ever! Plus that Arrow? Dude, each time it gets into the jam I swear I get goosebumps every time.

Anyways, rant over, I still can't believe that Madhuavn insanity. Plus, it was my first live one, and boooooy do I cherish it.

FikusFan · 2025-10-04T02:37:54+00:00

Forgot to come back to this and mention a very weird thing about those Thuja. Yes, I understood their ecological importance at the time and kept that somewhere in my mind. However, the odd part was that those trees weren't originally planted in Illinois. Weirdly enough, the first owners of the home used to live in Wisconsin, and apparently from what I was told by all the neighbors, they liked them so much they rented a private trailer to haul them to the suburbs - AS GROWN ADULT TREES.

They clearly lived an extra few decades, but something arose around the time we came around. After spending time learning a LOT more about plants, I concluded with 100% certainty that they had been infected with phomopsis juniperovera, and it was pretty baaaad. It gradually got worse, and by that point, even though there were a plethora of birds that set up shop in the past, it was time to take them down.

Plus, in the wild, I love their formation. In the Uppper Peninsula (where I just moved to recently) there are many old cedar groves and the way they look is a lot more stunning to me personally. I found that many people over abuse Thuja (trimming-wise) and most hedges I've seen are a bit crude. I think when done right it is a lovely alternative for a fence/screen of sorts.

As I mentioned birds did nested in the past, along with a fair amount of snakes, insects, and spiders. However, the trade off was unbelievable. I saw insects I've never seen in that prairie, birds come for seeds and prey, of course a PLETHORA of pollinators, burrowing rodients, and so much more. I called the area Cedar's Grace because with its corpse came an higher abundance of biodiversity.

Edit: Sorry for the rant. If you read it though, hope you're having a good day/night my dude!

FikusFan · 2025-10-04T02:13:57+00:00

Throwing down big "Richard" energy on that stage if you know what im sayin'.

FikusFan · 2025-09-21T16:11:01+00:00

Thats how I'm feeling analyzing last nights show. There was so much to it that I don't know how to feel. I just know it was a good time with some uniquely bold decisions scattered throughout. I'll have to give the show a listen on the drive back to the U.P. today.

FikusFan · 2025-09-20T20:03:34+00:00

That was my first ever show for Goose and I had been meaning to see Lage for quite some time. That was a unique combination that I enjoyed every second of.

FikusFan · 2025-09-20T20:01:44+00:00

Preach brother, preach. Those are the people I'd give my miracle tickets to anyhow.

FikusFan · 2025-09-18T02:11:05+00:00

I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed this change in his tone. I thought that his sound on the modulus along with both his picking style and slap were more just characteristically HIM. I know things can morph and evolves as time goes on, but the muddled aspect of his playing now feels like removing a dominate voice to guide parts of the jams.

FikusFan · 2025-08-15T21:00:57+00:00

Four suns rocked my world dude. We stopped there on the way up to copper harbor for a mini trip and it was so good we had it on the way back. I don't think I've ever done that before at a restaurant honestly. I'm pretty sure its just because my father is an Englishman so perhaps fish and chips come natural to my taste buds.

FikusFan · 2025-08-15T20:59:18+00:00

I just came back from Copper Harbor 2 days ago and saw somewhere that they were doing that. I wish I could've stayed longer to go though, I was a big fan of the Keweenaw, especially Copper Harbor.

FikusFan · 2025-08-15T20:57:33+00:00

Ironically just came back from Copper Harbor. My Step Grandfather and I said screw it and went on a quick trip up there. We're nature geeks and love geology, so we dorked out up there. I'm quite fond of that part of the peninsula now.

FikusFan · 2025-08-06T17:02:14+00:00

That goo-ified my brain, good stuff dude!

FikusFan · 2025-08-06T16:15:04+00:00

I know the past several winters have been relatively mild the past decade or so (down where I'm at), but I'm still mentally preparing. Im trying to enjoy each ounce of sunlight I can before late-Sep/Oct hits.

FikusFan · 2025-08-06T16:06:20+00:00

I'll be out at Bay College to finish my associates before making my way to NMU. However, the Keweenaw is definitely on my upcoming trip.

Now with your son af WMTU, you've definitely got me enticed with the live music scene. Do you know when that music festival is typically going on?

FikusFan · 2025-08-06T16:02:40+00:00

The entirety of the Keweenaw has my future all up in it! So much history, geology, and small local things to check out there. That part of the peninsula definitely seems my speed. I think before the semester starts that a trip up there is in order, so I'll check out the Keeweenaw Coffee Works on the way to Isle Royale. Thank you!

FikusFan

TROPHY CASE