Phish Tour Advice

This page was inspired by a conversation on rec.music.phish discussing ideas for Touring. (Tips, hints, survival tactics, etc..)

Submissions are not only welcome, they are necessary to ensure the growth of this area.
Please send all Tour Advice to gadielan@pilot.msu.edu. Please use "Phish Tour Advice" as your subject line.

Because we all know that a Phish show is much more than a rock concert, it's an experience.

Thanks!

Official Travel Advice

General Info - U.S. Tour

Back to Andy's Phish Page

General Info:

Show Stuff

  • If you don't have a ticket, don't show up
  • Paper, pencil, empty clear plastic bottle for water. Especially outdoors shows, water is nice at indoor shows too. Some food is nice too, animal crackers = friends. Don't bring big backpacks, they're a hassle at the gate (and they may not be let in) they also take time to search which means that it takes people behind you longer to get in. Bring an extra (long sleeve) shirt. It gets cold at night.
  • Water: extremely important, especially if some 'yellow' liquid (beer) has been consumed during the day. While dancing and moving around, one can get extremely dehydrated, and having your own water is better than payin four bucks for a can of Coke.
  • Keep all valuables out of sight in your car while you are in the show. If you have a jeep, station wagon or other such car without a closed trunk be *very* careful. There IS scum out there that will break a window if they see something nice.

    • Driving - Freetrip Driving Directions

  • Two hour shifts are comfortable to drive. If you're driving solo, know your limits. There's no need to be driving if you're too tired. Pull off, catch a quick nap, grab some food/coffee/etc. and hit the road. Bring lots of music, any kind of music you can think of. _Always_ play Phish as you roll into the parking lot (a tradition/preshow psyching). Make sure you have maps and directions ready so you don't miss an exit and loop back, it's a pain.
  • If you're driving far, buy a Rand McNalley Road Atlas, they're the greatest.
  • If you're traveling by yourself (ie one car) try to find some friends at the first few shows that you'd like to caravan with. There's safety in numbers, especially if you have car trouble.
  • Don't smoke pot in your car while youre driving! Well, I'm being hippocritical here but even in california, the most liberal state when it comes to poking smot, if an officer "smells marijuana smoke" your rights are waived and they can search your car. If you're going to partake, be sure to have a cigarette ready to light up and mask the smell.
  • Don't skimp on car care. It's more important than how many beers/shrooms/goo balls you're going to get at the show. If your car doesn't make it to the show it really doesn't matter how lit you are. Bring a reliable car, change the oil and get a tune up beforehand, bring along 3 or 4 quarts of your type of oil, power steering fluid, and any other specialty stuff your car needs (I'm not a motorhead either, just bring what you need). After running out of gas today on the freeway I'm going to look into getting a can of gas that will mount on the outside of my bus for those "DOH! I forgot to get gas 50 miles ago" moments.
  • Don't let those "DOH! I forgot to get gas 50 miles ago" moments happen to you. Try to fill up when you can. Keep track of who's paid what for gas, as that seems to be an issue on every trip I've been on. For the sake of paying equal amounts we've driven way too far on an almost empty tank so that somebody wouldn't get out of having to pay for a full tank. Petty and downright stupid.
  • fifteen minute naps help immensely. It may not sound like it would make a difference, but you are a new person when you wake up. Just pull off an exit ramp and sit there for half an hour and you'll be refreshed.
  • Instead of alternating who will pay for gas, I find it much easier to collect money for travel expenses at the beginning of the trip. Everyone puts $10 into the travel expense fund, so that if you're traveling with 3other people you have $40 to spend on tolls and gas. Once the $40 is used, everyone throws another $10 into the travel fund. This way, noone can complain that they had to pay for more gas than the last person, or had to pay the bigger toll, etc. Plus, it's a hell of a lot easier than asking for the money for the toll as you're rolling up to the booth.

    • Lodging

  • Camp. Be respectful of the people around you. Don't crank the tunes at two in the morning, let people who want to get some sleep. Don't drum away all night either (though it is relaxing, to me.) Most importantly, don't make a mess. Bring a trashbag and use it, encourage others to use it too. Don't throw beer bottles and other crap everywhere. Leave the campground as you found it. I've never stayed in a hotel on tour, so I couldn't really help with that one.
  • If you can afford it, have everyone chip in for a very cheap hotel room every once in a while (once a week). Get to the location of that night's show early in the day, and check in as early as they'll let you. Crash ALL day and then take LONG showers and other bathroom business. After a long nap and a nice visit to the bathroom, you'll feel like a new person...go to show, have mind blown, then you can return to the same hotel room, sleep the night and leave the next day. If you can splurge once a week it REALLY makes a difference in how you feel. Good luck, HONK!

    • Eating

  • Boxes and boxes of Mac & Cheese (butter is nice, but not necessary, I never use milk). Then there's the various bread combinations (bread)(cheese, peanut butter, jelly, honey). Soup is an easy thing to make too. (Remember a can opener) Kids meals are a deal too, and if you want to get as much out of your cheeseburger, ask them to make it with all kinds of other stuff (lettuce, mayo, tomato, etc.) I'm not a vegetarian, so I'm not well aquainted with vegetarian cuisuine. Fast food is expensive anyway, and that's about the only place you'll really only not have an option (except for the 'fake' salads).
  • For Parking Lot food, buy from people who are putting an effort into their food. Buy the food from the guy who is sitting there breaking it down making food, he/she obviously loves doing it. And don't buy the veggie burrito from the kid that is sitting on his skateboard holding a burrito over his head, buy from the person out there busting their hump to get food to people.
  • One of my favorite things to do is to have a whole lot of orange juice for after the show. When I've been dancing my ass off, especially after living on the road for a few days, I get really taxed. OJ always gets me back in the swing of things. I mean, what is a band without OJ? OJ Is Grand!
  • Bring along canned food, soups, etc but also splurge every now and then and buy ingredients for a good meal at a grocery store. Believe me, it'll help you keep your sanity. Also, group together with your fellow campers and do a potluck so you get a good variety of stuff to eat. And if you're not the cooking type, look for people that are--we found these two girls at the chief hosa campground at red rocks that made as many pancakes as you could eat for a buck every morning.

    Other "Stuff"

  • Baby Wipes! They're great for grubby hands, sweaty face, general grime while on the road.
  • Respect other peoples stuff. Don't be a NO2 master, there's more to life than gas. Bring your 'stuff' from home (unless it's dirt, then don't :) But don't fire up right in front of security or flaunt it around, it's still illegal. If you get caught, don't rat on people, and never forget to call your mom every once and awhile.
  • Buy a citronella candle! This little godsend will keep you from looking like a measles patient. It scares away all kinds of insects, and you don't have to spray caustic crap on yourself.
  • Bring along fun stuff to do while you travel...I'm gonna bring a kite, especially because we had the most amazing storm in utah last summer the day before the show...sooooo windy! Hacky sacks, frisbees (someone teach me how to play utltimate frisbee! and let's make a frisbee golf course at the great went!!!), and whatever else you do for fun are always welcome. People tour for different reasons, I do it because I want to be as much of a kid as I possibly can for as long as I possibly can. Not so I can go on a month long alcohol and pot binge. (yeeouch. that wasn't aimed at anyone, but sometimes I feel like a lot of people at shows are just there to get fucked up and not to get down).
  • Bring a book or two, as many musical instruments as will fit in your car, chapstick, sunscreen, a journal and pens/pencils, a LANTERN, a flashlight or 7, batteries, tapes that you wouldn't mind trading so you don't get sick of what you brought, buy funny stuff at little roadside shops...I love to get little trinkets to help me remember the trip when all is said and done...like the keychain I bought on the way to NYE from philly that says "DANK", buy fresh fruit at roadside fruit stands, clothing for all types of weather--including a bathing suit and some cold weather gear ( you don't have to wear both at once), buy the local paper every now and then to keep up on what's happening in the world if you care (we learned about the whole oj simpson thing by word of mouth when my buddy Jon and I hitchhiked from san fran to oregon to see the dead. probably was better that way), don't go with a rigid schedule in mind unless you're that kind of person. I always have more fun when we just sort of wing it.
  • Touring is a great way to get to know the people you go with very well (good sides and unfortunately bad sides too), so remember to keep an open mind and an open heart. Don't expect too much in the way of life changing experience. The less you expect the more you'll get.
  • Toilet Paper: Always carry an extra role. You never know when you're going to need it!
  • People on tour, while usually pretending to be green, earth-loving creatures, create much more harm to the environment than they are willing to admit. Keep in mind the amount of waste created with every consumer action taken. Stop and think for a moment how much fossil fuel you have consumed, and whether you are using more than your share.
  • Don't take any chemical-based drugs whose origin is beyond your realm of knowledge. Even better, don't take any chemical-based drugs at all.
    • Special Section: Animals

    No matter how many times people say this, it just doesn't seem to get through: Please don't bring animal companions/pets/furry friends/(insert favorite living non-human descriptor here). It is really hard on animals to deal with the scene at shows. I've seen dogs chained under cars, scrambling to get out of the way in a sudden summer downpour, or sitting in a car that can be over 100F with little or no water or anything. It really is a crime. I've even heard of people break into cars to rescue animals. Good for them, but it's a sucky position to have to be in.

    If you find a stray on the way, try to get it to an animal shelter instead of taking on the responsibility of caring for it yourself when you have tickets to a show. Cops or security should be capable of calling the appropriate shelter (this seems to be one of the few good uses of The Man that I can think of at a show). If you want, you may even be able to stop by and pick the animal up after the show if you think you want to adopt. Even in the winter/fall pets don't fare well in cars, or tied to them. It's just the humane human thing to do. Thanks for listening.

    U.S. Tour Advice:

    Official Travel Advice (From Phish.Com)

  • For U.S. Tour Ticket Information, go Here.
  • Shane O'Reilly's Summer Tour Page
    Friday 8/8
    New World Music Theatre
    19100 S. Ridgeland Ave.
    Tinley Park, IL
    708.614.1616

    Lots: 2:30 PM
    Doors: 5:00 PM
    Show: 7:00 PM

    I can't say enough about this crappy venue! At Furthur last week, There was NO vending!!! Everyone was forced into the venue at 3PM and after everyone with a ticket was in, all of the other people without tickets were forced to leave the parking lot. After the show, the parking lot was empty except for the cars of people who attended the show. I have a feeling World thru Deer Creek will be some tough crackdowns by security. At Alpine Furthur, things were very low key and people were getting nailed for openly smoking. Cops at Alpine especially look for tail lights that are out as their reason to pull you over. There was a cop at a stop sign in plain clothes who walked up to every car and asked for "extra tix" and inspected the inside of the vehicle. I predict mucho busts on this 4 day run. Vending was in FULL effect at Alpine Furthur, but once again don't expect much from the World. Please believe Deer Creek's statement that tickets will be required to enter the lot. I know most of the people who read this have tix in advance and are not the ones who need to read this. Just a final complaint for the heck of it. I had some young Deadhead wannabee tell me "you suck" because I would not spare change him a dollar! Get a job, a life and ticket if you come to a show!

    8/9 Alpine Valley
     Highway D&120
    East Troy, WI 53102
    414.642.4400

    Do not arrive to the lots early!

    Alpine Valley: East Troy is a great town. Please, respect their downtown (if you can call it that) area. Milling about is OK, but just be aware of the townspeople around you and their relative age (much older). Also, get to the lots early to mid-afternoon, as the lines on the roads in can get very long. The lots fill so quickly that we could only play disc for about fifteen minutes before there were too many cars. Also, when leaving the venue, be prepared to wait a LONG TIME! There is only one way out for 40,000+ people. DOn't sweat it, just relax.

    Please remind people to take careful note of which lot they are in and wherein that lot lies adjacent from the actual venue. Alpine has many different lots and speaking from last years excursion, if you don't note where you are before the show, Good Luck aftershow! {Esp. if you REALLY weren't thinking too clearly due to various organic substances and/or just plain pooped with after groove syndrome- you know, the fatigue that sets in reminding you of just how hard you really were rocking} Security isn't too helpful on this matter either we found. We were told "You car is over there" when I know damn well she was just trying to clear us out. Which brings up a very good point in general= Make after show plans with EVERYONE before the show...we all got seperated from our driver after the show which added to the confusion.
    A little fair warning for newcomers about the lawn seating- that hill is pretty brutal sometimes and does its best to add extra injury to After Groove Syndrome {see above explanation}

    Over the years the police in East Troy have learned that concertgoers at Alpine Valley can be a great source of revenue. Many of the barns near the venue are actually jails with complete booking facilities. Keep everything illegal or anything resembling contraband well out of sight. That guy sitting on top his truck with the dog at the stop sign just down the road isnt a friendly head....he's a cop and will look down into your car from that perch and radio ahead to the waiting sqauds who will direct you right into the barn for PROCESSING. They have been known to spy with binoculars from trees as far as 15 miles from Alpine. Just be safe and wait until the lots before partying. Once there...Alpine has actually made it a pretty tolerant venue although there are DEFINITELY undercover cops in the lots (although not to hard to spot) who are there to confiscate vending items.

    At FURTHUR I saw numerous people get busted for open smoking of the illegal variety. News to me but evidently you get a $370 fine on the spot and they let you go back about your business...I spoke to many folks who had their glass and herbals 'stolen' by the police and some got the tickets if they didnt 'cooperate'. Best bet is to roll em out of sight and be discreet as always.

    Have fun and keep Alpine clean. Oh and if you park in the East lot you are in for a hike up and down a huge mound!

    8/10 & 11 Deercreek
     12880 East 146th St.
    Noblesville, IN 46060
    317.776.3337

    There is a temporary campground set-up just 1 1/2 miles east of Deercreek Ampitheater off of State Road 238. They are very easy to find, once you get to Deercreek just follow the signs to Close-By Campground.

    They have been a favorite for camping in this area. They have clean porta-poties, showers, phone, ice, pop, pizza and other essentials.

    Close-By Campground information (317) 773-6135

    *** IMPORTANT INFO *** (added 7/18 by Corey Fields)
    This message serves as a warning to all those travelling to Deer Creek on Aug. 10/11... Noblesville cops are NOTORIOUS for their actions before/during/after shows at Deer Creek. Those of you who know about the checkpoints, skip this. If you don't, read on.

    Last year, after the second show at Deer Creek, the Noblesville cops had certain traffic channelled out of the parking lot and led down a pre-defined pathway of roads. At the exit to get on the freeway, a roadblock was set up where they were pulling over 5 cars at a time. The unlucky five were lead into a 'Checkpoint' where they found themselves and their cars searched. I got stuck in one of these checkpoints, and although I didn't have anything that would have landed me in the slammer, what I saw was quite disturbing: At least 10 scruffy lookin' phish heads being (semi) strip-searched, an interrogation table, and at least 2 or 3 people in handcuffs. So, if you are going to Deer Creek, please follow these directions to get around the checkpoints.

    Information and Directions around the checkpoints

    Wednesday, 8/13
    Star Lake Ampitheatre
    Route 18 at Route 22W
    Birgettstown, Pennsylvania

    Star Lake Amph camping can be found a few miles north of the venue on RT 18 (the same RT 18 the venue itself is on) at Raccoon Creek State Park. It is even possible to walk from the park to the venue (I've done it).

    MY PERSONAL advice which may be contrary to other directions to this venue is try not to use I-79 if you are coming from the north. I-79 hits a junction with I-80 in the northern part of PA. If you are coming south, get on I-80 West and follow it until you hit RT 60 then follow my directions above. I-79 takes you to a part of Pittsburgh which is remote from Burgettstown and could get confusing.

    To get to Darien Center, just head back up toll 60 to I-80 and then follow your Rand McNally (amazing) Road Atlas from there.

    Thursday 8/14
    Darien Lake P.A.C.
     9993 Alleghaney Rd.
    Darien Ctr., NY
    716.559.4641

    Lots: 3:00 PM
    Doors: 5:30 PM
    Show: 7:00PM

    http://www.metroent.com

    Darien Lake is a Mid-sized Theme Park (its not Duff Gardens) with 2 or 3 roller coasters, water slides and many other weird attractions... Phish played a pretty great show there in 93, but the concert area has been expanded since then. Security is pretty mellow in the lots and lawn seats, But at Furthur last year they kept phreaking out when we danced in the aisle. "You, over there-stop having fun..." But really it wasnt that bad. There is a giant circus tent that covers the reserved seats. Getting into the park to go on rides will cost you an extra 7-10 bucks (just an estimate).

    You WILL sit in traffic when you get off the thruway, unless you get a NYS map & find the back way in. You can take back roads around the park & come in from the South side (normal entrance is from north), and save about 45 mins - 1.5 hours of sitting in traffic. I only recommend this if you know the area, but this park is notorious for long waits to get in. Getting out is almost as bad.

    Saturday & Sunday 8/16 & 17
    The Grent Went
     Loring Air Force Base
    Limestone, Maine

    Lots: 12 PM Friday
    Doors: 1:00 PM
    Show: 4:00 PM Friday
    Loring Airforce Base
    Unofficial Phan Site From U.S. - go Northeast on I-495 to I-95. Follow I-95 N to US 1. Go north on US 1 up to Preque Isle and follow signs to Great Went.

    From Canada - go northeast on Quebec Autoroute 20 to TransCanada 2. Go east on TransCanada 2 and follow signs to Great Went.

    Check out http://www.phish.com as more information is added 

    CAMPING:
On-site in designated areas only

    
More info coming soon.


If you're going to be on the last week of the U.S. tour, I wouldn't
recommend driving through the New England Area to get to Loring.  I-95 in
theat area of Maine is 2 lanes in both directions, and Route 1 (the main
road into Loring AFB) is 2 lanes.  You see, most of the traffic headed for
the Went will be coming from this direction, and traffic jams WILL occur.
The solution?  Canada!  If you're coming from Darien, NY the directions
can be found below.  (Courtesy of www.mapquest.com)

    

    From:  Darien Center, NY
To:  Limestone, ME
                                                      Distance 
1: Go North on State Rte 77 to I-90 7.8 miles 
2: Go East on I-90(Portions toll) to I-81 120.2 miles 
3: Go North on I-81 to Canada 93.5 miles 
4: Go West on Thousand Islands Bridge to Provincial Hwy 401 1.4 miles 
5: Go Northeast on Provincial Hwy 401 to Queb Autoroute 20 105.2 miles 
6: Go Northeast on Queb Autoroute 20 to Queb Autoroute 540 12.9 miles 
7: Go North on Queb Autoroute 540 to Queb Autoroute 40 4.2 miles 
8: Go East on Queb Autoroute 40 to Queb Autoroute 25 32.4 miles 
9: Go East on Queb Autoroute 25(Tunnel) to Queb Autoroute 20 8.0 miles 
10: Go Northeast on Queb Autoroute 20 to Trans-Canada 185 243.6 miles 
11: Go East on Trans-Canada 185 to Trans-Canada 2 54.3 miles 
12: Go East on Trans-Canada 2 to local road 38.5 miles 
13: Go Northwest on local road to Maine 1.7 miles 
14: Go South on US 1 to State Rte 161 23.1 miles 
15: Go Southeast on State Rt 161 3.2 miles 
Total distance:  757.7 miles

    

    
This is actually a more direct route than going through New England
    
(Gee...imagine that--going from New York to Maine via Canada.)
    
Obviously, some care needs to be taken in crossing international borders.
    
Hope this helps!

    
Another good idea: Take a 6' piece of garden hose, and a male adapter to the
cut end (make sure you have the female end still attached) & screw on a sprayer
nozzle. This makes for a fine shower host which can adapt to the potable water
faucet at the show - if it is the same set-up as Clifford Ball

    

    

    
Contributors
    
This page would not exist if it wasn't for the following people:
    
Dave Card, Carolyn Hoffman, Don Barto, Trey Anastasio, Steve Cunningham, ted,
Jon Fishman, Ryryrocco, Corey Fields, Marni
Macdonald, Mike Gordon, Sunil, Greg Scheiwiller, Page McConnell, Rob, Greg
Prior, Mason Shives.


    Send all contributions to:
andy@gadiel.com
    
http://www.gadiel.com

    
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