Lefsetz on Phish at Bonnaroo…
Would the Stones play Coachella?
Who gives a shit about the Stones. But Phish fans are diehards. Phishheads believe that Phish is God. They trekked to see the band at its own festivals, year after year. Is the band afraid they can’t sell a ticket anymore?
This is no way to come back, playing it safe. Phishheads don’t want to hang with Springsteen fans at some clusterfuck in Tennessee. Yes, Bruce is rumored for Bonnaroo too.
No one’s special anymore. No one means anything. A festival is bigger than any act. Which is why the best can go on sale without listing any participants.
A great band is sui generis. It should never open for anyone. It’s not part of the scene, it IS the scene.
Phish should do arenas. Then its own festival. It’s hard not to believe they’re doing Bonnaroo because of their manager’s involvement. (more...)
I totally agree. 5 years ago phish at bonnaroo would have me buying a ticket but the first thing i said to my friend after hearing this was “still not worth it.” seems like a weird move
December 18, 2008 at 10:27 am
I can understand what he’s venting about, but to me it makes perfect sense that they would play Roo.
Whatever makes the band happy. If they want to play it they will and I’ll support them. Coventry was horrid from most reports (I wasn’t there), Bonnaroo is stable as a festival and all the logistical complications have been smoothed out over the years.
They can come in and play to a big crowd some of the folks will love them already, many will be exposed for the first time. They can have any number of guests play with them and I’m sure they’ll be making the rounds sitting in. They’re musicians they love that shit.
Seems like people used to never hate this much, it used to be everybody just traded tapes and analyzed the music. Now it’s all a buncha shit about expectations and the fans trying to dictate what the band should or shouldn’t do. I just say let them do whatever they want.
For us in Tennessee it’s great, three nights at Bonnaroo, we get to drive 30 mins to see 70+ bands with Phish for two nights squeezed in between. What more do you want….and how is that a bad thing?
They can still do their own festival whenever they want, probably later in the summer. I’m just happy I will get to see the band I love and that has impacted my life the most. The journey continues…
December 18, 2008 at 11:00 am