Can you still have fun?

So, the second night of Hartford. Where to begin? We had Section 1 Row S, which was a big help. Our seats were right next to the box seats, so we had plenty of room to move. Eli slept all day and slept all through the show and slept all night. It is so true that babies sleep, eat, and poop. Our baby is no different, except that he is experiencing Phish fourteen times this summer.

Before I delve into the beautiful show, I want to throw out an experience that my wife had during set break. She was sitting on the benches talking with Stephanie when a woman walked up to my wife and explained that she was a neo-natal nurse and that it was too soon for a baby his age to be out this early. Eliz told her that he is doing fine and the nurse gave her a very judgmental look and walked away. I am all for people voicing their opinions, but think about this. Man has been having babies for a long time and we used to not have central air and babies survived. We used to not have Baby Einstein videos and babies still grew up to get perfect SAT scores. We used to not have organic baby food and babies still grew up to be big and strong. Before we decided to take the baby on tour, we spoke with our doctor, our midwife, our doula, and our family and friends. Most of my family and several of my friends disagreed with our decision. But, all medical people thought that it was just fine to take the baby to the shows. OUR DOCTOR SAID THAT THE BABY WOULD BE FINE! Would it be better if Eli was not exposed to smoke and loud music? Yes, probably. He has special earplugs to block out the sound. And, it was only in the last 15 years that all infants weren’t exposed to smoke on a regular basis and they turned out okay. It is an open air forum for several hours. So, we are aware of the risks, weighed them, and made the right decision. Does this mean that strangers need to come up and share their opinions with us? I am a person who feels strongly about things, too. But, I have no idea what is best for you and would not try to tell you how you should live your life. It is your life and your family’s life. Am I going to come over and see what you are feeding your family for dinner? If you go to a Phish show and act like a complete fool by trying to drink as much as you can or better yet, come to see the band because you want to get high on drugs. You are out of your mind and bothering other people, acting like a fool, but no one says anything because you are doing your own thing. I personally find people who do that to be completely annoying and they ruin the music and the scene. My son, Eliz, and I come to the show to enjoy the music and meet great people. So, if you think that I am doing something wrong, that is your rightful opinion, but I am not asking you to give me your parenting advice and I am not bothering you. If you are concerned that my son is being exposed to things that he shouldn’t, then don’t do those things.

This being said, I will tell you that 95% of the comments we receive are all positive and congratulatory. Most of you welcome our son and send loving vibes. I choose not to focus on the negativity.

Onto the review. I wish that my son knew what a great show he slept through. The “Fee > Rift” opener really peaked my interest, despite some technical difficulties in “Rift.” I was surprised to find out that those songs together have not opened a show since ’95. The first set was filled with stellar funky jams, including “Wolfman’s,” “Foam,” “Possum > Moma Dance > Julius,” a near perfect “Reba” and “Cavern.” This set really rocked, although not as exploratory as many would like, it was still played very tight and CK5 had the lights almost synchronized to the music. Trey and Mike were obviously having a great time. Eliz and I were definitely having a blast. The fact that I was holding my son during the first set did not detract from my dancing, although I made sure not to let his head move too much. It was amazing holding my son during this string of excellent songs. If only I could talk to him and know that he was witnessing some greatness. I guess that will come in due time. We play Phish around him a lot.