On August 2nd, 2015 I was in the middle of a little Phish run in the south. I had flown in for the shows and didn’t have a car to traverse between cities so I found myself a ride with a friend called Shark, who reminds me every bit of a young Hunter S. Thompson, but without the gunplay. This made for a lively drive along the southern Interstates and in short order we crossed into Alabama and found our way to the hotel in Tuscaloosa.

We were staying at the brand new Embassy Hotel in Tuscaloosa and quickly found our way to the complimentary happy hour to fill up on libation. When it came time to go to the show we simply walked out the back door of the hotel, strolled down the graded back lawn and found ourselves in the lot. I bought a couple of drinks and some lot food for dinner and picked up a Frank Zappa poster that will never see the wall.

The venue itself was a small bowl surrounded by bleachers – I don’t recall the place having a lawn section. I was high up in the bleachers close to dead centre. I ended up staying in my proper seat the whole night making friends with the neighbours and pounding back lime-a-ritas from the vendor just behind me.

The show was a lot of fun if a bit standard, but there were plenty of my faves in there. Sample opener is always good, it gives me a chance to wheel around and meet the people behind me, if ever so briefly. The first set also included Maze and My Friend, My Friend, which makes for a good first set to me.

The highlight of the second set was when all the vendors stopped selling alcohol en masse nice and early without any warning – something to do with dry counties, religion, and a No-Fun squad that was as effective as it was invisible. I suppose it could have been considered a lowlight, but it stands out as the most memorable event of the set. There was also a Harry Hood in there somewhere.

The band encored with A Day in the Life, proving they knew I was out there somewhere, and after a slow romp through the pop-up night market that is the post-show lot I climbed the lawn and went to bed.

https://toddmanout.com/