Tampa Calling

So this is it. The week that it starts all over again. The members of Phish are re-convening for the first time in nearly five years, at the Mothership Hampton Coliseum, with 13,800 of their closest phans looking on. Hopefully, this sad sack included. No, I have not yet acquired my extra tickets — one for Friday, one for Saturday. However, I’m envisioning myself there when the lights go down and the crowd draws in a collective, anticipatory breath, then pushes it out in one long, adrenaline-filled roar of adoration as The Phish comes strolling out on stage at what I forsee will be 8:36 p.m. on Friday, March 6.

Now, onto the contest. If you haven’t yet submitted your Phish contest entry for the chance to win a fatty prize pack — nine Live Phish CDs, a Rolling Stones memoir, the new Brian Wilson DVD, a Phish Saves America print — cast your vote here. If didn’t already know about the Phish Saves America contest, click here.

Here’s my own setlist predictions:

Seems to me that this could go several ways. Trey likely wants to do a good job and this could mean he’ll want to stay in his comfort zone, which means that Phish could open with a barn-burning classic, like “Chalkdust Torture,” or “AC/DC Bag” or “Down with Disease.” Or, they could go literal — “Back on the Train” or “All Things Reconsidered.” Trey may do the self-irony route and kick things off with “You Enjoy Myself,” as a “I said I never wanted to play this again, now watch me eat my words” stort of thing. Or the band could go all nostalgic and open with the last song they played at Coventry, “The Curtain (With).” Or, they could do plunge ahead with the song every fanboy (and fangirl, myself included) wants to hear: “Fluffhead” in all its wondrously composed glory. Maybe with a “Mike says yes” intro.

What else do I expect on the first night back? Any of the songs mentioned above could be definite contenders if they aren’t the openers, but I’m sure we can also expect some classic covers, maybe a “Rock n’ Roll” or “2001″ or “Frankenstein.” Though, I’d like to think that perhaps they’d throwdown something both new and appropos, maybe “The Boys are Back in Town” (obvious but very cute) or (my husband’s dream and the cover song he thinks Phish should just play already), Emerson Lake and Palmer’s “Karn Evil 9″ (”Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends / We’re so glad you could attend / Come inside! Come inside!). Photo courtesy of ToddLevy on Flickr.

To close? Why not leave it on a gloriously wonderful note. I predict and hope for a “The Divided Sky” reunion closer.

If you’d like to follow my Hampton adventures, I will be tweeting throughout the weekend, and will be posting LIVE SETLIST UPDATES as they happen. Follow me: twitter.com/Leilani79.

Onto my plea.

If you, or anyone you know, or anyone who may know anyone you know, has or is acquainted with someone who has an extra ticket for either Friday or Saturday night (or both), do not hesitate to give them my e-mail, leilani@creativeloafing.com. I am a good person but more importantly, my husband — the one responsible for turning me onto Phish — is an even better person and it’ll be him that has to sit out Friday night if we can’t get that Golden Ticket. And, I hesitate to say this now, but if you know someone who’d be willing to trade a Friday night ticket for a Saturday night ticket, I’ve reached the point where I’m ready to do it.

To all those headed up to Hampton, hope to see you there. I will be wearing a look of desperation and homeade “Looking for an extra” tee.

Now, I will leave you with a two-part video my husband put together from some footage he took at Coventry, a two-part doc sort of thang that’s been getting alot of play on YouTube, prolly because NME.com snagged it…

Part 1

Part 2

To check out “Phish Saves America Vol. I: DVD, Reunion, Summer Tour,” click here; for “Phish Saves America, Vol. II: Bonnaroo, ticket woes, Pollock show and contest,” click here; for Phish Saves America: Contest details and booty, newsy tidbits, Twitter feed, click here.

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