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 t's my first day with the band Phish. Listening to their live album, I drive along country roads that wind through foliage that's just beginning to turn. I finally find the converted garage outside of Burlington, Vermont where they're rehearsing. I have ear plugs tucked in my camera bag. I'm not sure what to expect. I walk through a wood working area, led by the sound of their playing. I quietly enter the sound room. Jon Fishman is on my right, his hair tied back in a pony tail with eyes closed playing drums. To his left is Trey Anastasio on lead guitar, sitting on a high stool, his eyes also closed as he plays. Suddenly I hear each of them shout out the word "Hey" and they continue to play. Leaning against a stool in the middle of the room is Mike Gordon on base. He opens his eyes momentarily to see who has entered and closes them again. They continue playing, unaffected by my entrance. All the way to my left is Page McConnell on keyboards. Suddenly, he yells out the word "Hey" and the others follow.
 I found them in the middle of what they call "Find Your Own Hey" exercise. The idea is to discipline each member to listen to three other musicians at once while he improvises on his own. It begins with one playing a melody or riff. The others then try to copy his sound. When each feels they've all got it, he calls Hey! When the exercise is performed correctly, all four shout Hey simultaneously; if someone shouts before the others, it means he's not listening because he didn't hear one of his partners not getting it yet. During the next stage, they don't merely imitate: they have to complement one another. This continues for about an hour, with increasingly complex variations.
To produce a Phish performance it takes: (Load-In) 6 climbing riggers; 3 ground riggers; 4 truck loaders; 20 stage hands; 1 electrician; 1 runner; 1 forklift operator; 2 twenty pound ABC fire extinguishers at upstage corners; (Show Call)1 house light operator; 1 electrician; (Tear Down/Load Out) 24 stage hands; 8 truck loaders; 6 climbing riggers; 3 ground riggers; 1 electrician; 1 forklift operator. In addition, there is: a production manager; tour manager/accountant; production coordinator; 3 stage technicians; 4 audio technicians; 7 lighting technicians; 1 rigger; 2 security directors; 2 merchandise coordinators; 3 bus drivers; 4 truck drivers; 3 caterers; 2 Greenpeace reps and a masseuse. |
