Nearby truck stops hosted cars with sleeping passengers, their dreadlocked heads nestled in reclining front seats. And at the Pepsi Arena, the blocks-long strip in front of the venue was cordoned off for concertgoers, much to the chagrin of local commuters. I'd rather be on tour. Seventeen years and hundreds of shows later, they are one of the most heavily followed bands around. Carrying the torch once held by Jerry Garcia, they're the Pied Pipers of the rock music world, with thousands of spellbound devotees dancing and twirling in their trail.
Some people go to Hawaii or the Bahamas.
Instead, I see the United States with Phish. Veteran Phishheads like Greg, who has seen more than 100 shows, are savvier than traveling salesmen. Many know the country better than a AAA Triptik, having explored a chunk of the United States on an intimate level. Plus, they can sniff out a cheap room or permissive rest stop across eight lanes of traffic. We represent the modern-day troubadours.