Happy New Year!
2003 arrived in high style last night with Phish's first show in almost 2 and a half years. My favorite band and most of my favorite people, I couldn't have asked for more. Phish knows how to throw a party, and I think they did it perfectly. No over the top production, just a great show for the fans. They played mostly old, big concert favorites, leaving some newbies (like Liz, sometimes) somewhat in the dark. As midnight approached, they started playing "Seven Below", one of the new songs, and as the title suggests, a very wintery themed song. At about 11:50, snow starting falling from the ceiling as white costumed winter sprites of some kind started dancing around the stage. They made their way into the crowd and some of them sprouted stilts and started dancing around above the crowd. At about 11:59 they produced big searchlights and started shining them around the arena. It was like a dance of lighthouses in a soft snowstorm, indoors. Midnight hit, Auld Lang Syne was played, and the set took off from there. It was truly beautiful, almost elegant. A wonderful way to bring in the new year.
When the show ended we rolled out of the Garden into a limo with the center for the Toronto Raptors and a couple of his hanging on fancy girls. We were chauffered around Manhattan for a while, drinking Red Bulls and vodka, truly a bizarre, surreal experience. Stereotypes come to life, I just stared in wonder.
I hope the new year finds you happy and healthy.
