Phish isn’t exactly a sizzling topic on GloNo. I just ran a search and discovered that there are 20 pieces that mention the band, and in some instances a mention is pretty much just that. And while I am indifferent to the band and, overall, its genre, it probably deserves a bit more mention.
(After all, Thin Lizzy has 10 mentions, and while I know that Phish still exists—with essentially two member changes, addition of keyboardist Page McConnell in 1985 and the departure of guitarist Jeff Holdsworth in 1986—despite plenty of time searching (including on what claims to be “The Official Thin Lizzy” website, which has on offer a live album that is the band “at the absolute height of their powers”—recorded in 1977), I can’t figure out whether Thin Lizzy exists in any form, and even when it did, members changed as frequently as Cher did dresses on “The Sonny and Cher Show,” which also appeared in 1977.)
A couple years ago, when John Hodgman was still answering the questions in The New York Times “The Ethicist” column, he was presented with:
My fiancé, Steve, wants me to go to a Phish show—he has been to more than 60—but every time he turns on Phish, it puts me to sleep. I don’t want to pay for an expensive nap. Please order that he stops asking me to go to his hippie festivals.
To which “Judge” Hodgman replied, in part: “before you get married, you should know the law: in heterosexual marriages, every wife owes her husband one Phish show.”
It is not later revealed whether Rachel and Steve were wed or if she became well rested during a lengthy performance.
The band clearly garners interest in publications not typically providing coverage of improvisational genre-bending music.
Last week The Washington Post ran a story in anticipation of Phish’s four nights of performances (April 18-21) at the Sphere in Las Vegas, following U2’s 40 nights at the venue.
There is a quote in the story from Trey Anastasio that is rather interesting:
“There is a quality of Vegas where older bands go to play their old album, to make a lot of money late in the twilight of their career.”
Lest one think that he is talking about what’s going on with Phish, he adds:
“That’s not what we’re interested in.”
Coincidentally, Phish has a new album, Evolve, its first in four years, that is coming out on July 12, so rather than the typical approach that bands have of going out in support of a new album, Phish will be at the Sphere three months before its new album is out and let’s face it, in entertainment today, three months is like three years, so with the exceptions Phish fans (a.k.a., “the herd”), those in attendance at the show may not twig to the album when it is released as there has been so much between April and July.
There are plenty of acts that go to Las Vegas and stay for more than a night or two. While some may associate the residency with Celine Dion, whose first was at The Coliseum at Caesar’s Palace from 2003 to 2007, arguably the residency began with the Maestro of the Keyboard, Liberace, at the Riviera during the 1950s. And one certainly cannot overlook Elvis, who started at the International Hotel on July 31, 1969, (which was then the largest hotel in the world) and was there for so long (until December 1976, after 636 sold-out shows) that the hotel changed hands and became the Las Vegas Hilton.
Residencies are, of course, something that older bands (e.g., Santana, Aerosmith) find appealing for the simple reason that they get to stay put for a period of time: people are constantly going to Vegas, so rather than having to go find audiences, the audiences find the performers. And let’s face it, road miles are hard miles. Being in one place while performing multiple shows can be beneficial, especially as the years add up: energy is expended on the stage rather than slogging through airports or traveling on a bus. (Which goes, in large part, to the continued youthful magic of Donny Osmond, who performed with his sister in a residency for 11 years at the Flamingo and is presently, since 2021, at Harrah’s.)
When we think about Elvis, it might be that we add a few years to his age vis-à-vis his Vegas residency: he was just 34 when he started at the International. Of course, by then he been professionally performing since 1954, when he was 19, and travel in that period of time was significantly harder than it is today.
But back to the Phish performances at the Sphere, which is, I think, incorrectly referred to as “the Sphere’s second residency slot” in the Post article—four nights aren’t exactly a habitation.
According to the article, aftermarket prices for the band’s shows exceeded those of U2. There was a consideration of adding a weekend to the Phish performances.
But Anastasio asked Phish’s show director and co-creative director Abigail Rosen Holmes how the shows would be if they were added.
The Post:
“’It’ll be good,’ she told him. ‘But it won’t be great. If you just do four nights, it’s going to blow minds.’”
And so four nights it is.
As previously mentioned U2 played 40 shows at the Sphere.
But it was originally scheduled to play 25.
The demand was such that the band upped the number by some 60%.
As 19th century French economist Jean-Baptiste Say put it, “Supply creates its own demand.”
Or as famous Washington Post employees Woodward and Bernstein were advised, “Follow the money.”
Both quotes apply to U2.
And here’s hoping that Phish holds to blowing minds in Vegas rather than raking in cash.
After all, if they need to do that, The Venetian, where the Sphere is located, has the largest poker room on the Strip, so. . . .