Today is 2/18/2018. So, 25 years ago, tonight, I went to my first PHiSH show. I remember it being cold. I remember it being at the Elecrtic Ballroom, which was a sh*t hole dance club underneath the interstate bridge mess known as the Henley Street exit off of I-275 and I-40 (it’s “I-275” in the South, not “The 275” like on the West Coast, where I lived off and on for 20 plus years). Some phriends of mine lived about 6 blocks from there so we walked. Psylly times ensued as we walked there and made our way into the venue. I had spent the past few years on Grateful Dead tour and was interested in seeing a
Mini tour, similar to Widespread Panic. He lot was sketchy, not because of the kids, but due to being dimly lit under the interstates so we didn’t spend much time outside. The show started off rocking. I didn’t know any of the tunes but got into the bounce and felt the groove quickly. I had a couple of bootlegs but they didn’t grab me the way being in the show did. A few songs in I heard Tweezer, whIch went into Foam. Foam has been since that night my favorite song. Coulda been the psyilliness involved, the strange vibe in the club or the cool art work I heard Mike and his mom made for the backdrop. Whatever it was it was cool. The second set was more rocking than the first until the soundboard shorted out. The band asked us to be quiet and started singing a capella, which I already knew they did but was Very Cool. They ended with Rocky Top, the Tennessee Anthem, and the crowd was satisfied even with the shortened show. I wasn’t hooked that night quite yet. It would be a couple of months later floating in my pool listening to The Wedge that I would actually get it but I did. 122 shows later, I have slowed down from 18-19 shows a year but still dig this band.