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Were you ever raging backstage?

jayman Permalink
In all the interviews I've read of 3.0, they are always talking about how they used to have lots of people backstage, especially in 2.0. I believe Trey even says in one interview that it got up to hundreds of people! I know they keep it quiet and empty nowadays, but has anyone got the privilege of raging backstage before? I really curious as to what sorts of things went on. How did phans get the invite or was it all the bands friends? Was it really that many people? Did people stay backstage the whole show and watch/listen to it? Hearing a show backstage seems like it would kinda suck. What sorts of shenanigans were the band doing before a show/during a set break? C'mon you vets, tell us a story!
Score: 3

JayDubya Permalink
JayDubya The Waterwheel table used to raffle off backstage passes after each show. After 6/26/04 I though that was the last time I'd ever be seeing the band, so I took $100 to table and got a nice long string of raffle tickets.

Didn't win. bummer.
Score: 2

Chilly Permalink
Chilly I'm not sure about the details, but my Uncles good friend went to college with The Boys and has stayed in contact with them throughout the years. Anyway, I guess years back this guy got tickets/backstage passes for my cousin and a friend of hers. All I know is the friend didn't handle being in the presence of rock stars very well and made an absolute fool out of themselves. Whatever scene they caused was enough to get them kicked out of back stage.

Fast forward to last NYE Run, this same guy emailed Mike and was able to get 4 tickets in the family and friends section for 12/30. He sent me two of the tickets and kept two for himself. The only stipulation on Gordo giving him the tickets was that we(I) had to use the tickets myself and not sell them/give them to friends because in the past (referring to the story above) my cousin got tickets from him, she brought some douche of a friend and he caused a problem back stage. Which sucked for me, because I already had tickets to 12/30 and was planning on trading them for NYE tickets, which I didn't have yet.

Moral of the story, not everyone deserves to go back stage as some people cannot handle themselves in that situation. Oh, and any chance I ever had at going back stage to meet the boys is probably gone because Mike won't give the guy back stage passes after that incident years ago.

I know this had nothing to do with your real question, but we were talking backstage so I figured I would share the one story that was remotely related.
Score: 5

jayman Permalink
@forbin1 said:
thread
That threads alright, but I'm looking for more. What is this "hundreds" Trey is talking about? Is he just talking about "The Clinic/Betty Ford" after-parties that people seem to think weren't really that cool? Why is that Alpine Valley story about Trey and Fish drinking tequila and f***ing up golf carts the only story I've heard about shenanigans backstage?
Score: 0

007below Permalink
007below Read the phish book
Score: 2

Mr_Miner Permalink
Mr_Miner Just one time. After 5/8/93. It was the end of the tour and there was a reception but sorry to disappoint, it felt pretty normal. I spent most of my time talking to Mike and ended up giving him a ride after the gig.

I watched the show out in the room and went back stage after the show. Mike owes me a ride.
Score: 4

Frizz Permalink
Frizz Only onstage.
Score: 22

jayman Permalink
Frizz after seeing you at every show I went to this summer, I decided to meet the man under the dress the first night of Dick's. Probably don't remember me from all the face-fucking though...nothing beats onstage!
Score: 1

forbin1 Permalink
forbin1 @Frizz said:
Only onstage.
::looks at watch::

Wow..fifteen minutes go by quick!
Score: 21

Slothberries Permalink
Slothberries @forbin1 said:
@Frizz said:
Only onstage.
::looks at watch::

Wow..fifteen minutes go by quick!
some people try to hang onto those 15 minutes forever....
Score: 16

forbin1 Permalink
forbin1 @Slothberries said:
@forbin1 said:
@Frizz said:
Only onstage.
::looks at watch::

Wow..fifteen minutes go by quick!
some people try to hang onto those 15 minutes forever....
I think this is the part in the thread where pics get posted of people hanging on to their fifteen minutes of fame..

/Jersey shore'd
Score: 2

Zutroy Permalink
Zutroy I went back about a dozen times between NYE 95 (my first backstage pass) and 1999. Always had a nice time, mostly it was nice to have a mellow bathroom. I was always back for the aftershows.

After coral sky, Perazzo was just hanging out. It was pretty sweet.
Score: 5

pigmaniac Permalink
pigmaniac I was at a show at First Ave in MinnyMinn In 92, drove up from Omaha(that's 7 hrs, kids), got there about 45 min before showtime and bought tix at the box office for $7 LOL!! ...so after the Jim encore Page and Trey jumped off the front of the stage, walked to the bar, and ordered drinks...and just hung out with nobody really bothering them. Of course I was all blitzed on goony bird, and assuming "that this opportunity would present itself countless times in the years to come so I'll approach em 'next time'", I instead chose to go get lost looking for my friends, and the bathroom for the next hour+(acid time)...If I only knew then...right? ...is that story even relevant to this thread?? Oh well, it was a great fccking show anyway...best electrolux solo i ever did see. THE VIBRATION OF DEATH!!!
Score: 6

RyanW Permalink
RyanW Never been backstage but I've raged a few sets in the soundboard/lightboard area. Always a good time. Lots of room and normally the security people in there are a blast, having as much fun as the rest of us. Plus you're right there with Kuroda which I will never get enough of.
Score: 0

Frizz Permalink
Frizz @forbin1 said:
@Frizz said:
Only onstage.
::looks at watch::

Wow..fifteen minutes go by quick!

Not in this multi-verse bitch.
I still get people who ask if I was the guy. I still get nugs for meeting some people.
It is awesome. And I am going to use it to try and get ideas off the ground.
Publicity mother fuker.
Score: 4

Frizz Permalink
Frizz @Slothberries said:
@forbin1 said:
@Frizz said:
Only onstage.
::looks at watch::

Wow..fifteen minutes go by quick!
some people try to hang onto those 15 minutes forever....

When I get that blown up 6 by 12 picture up on my wall I'll have the 15 forever.
Score: 2

WGphan92 Permalink
WGphan92 Not Phish, so slightly off topic:
I did some roadie/stage crew work over the summer, so "raged" backstage for Cake, Death Cab for Cutie, Wilco, and Bon Iver. Wilco was sick, I'd definitely see them again. Lee Ronaldo (from Sonic Youth) was the opener. I got to carry all his guitars and gear, and chatted with him for a bit. And I also worked Darius Rucker (Hootie and the Blowfish) but ran the spotlight so not backstage during the show.
Score: 2

sn0rkel Permalink
I was afforded the great opportunity to attended sound check at oak mountain as well as meet they. Subsequently I recieved back stage passes. During the beginning of the second set I went back stage. It was pretty cool but you couldn't go to far without security asking you to come back. There was hardly anyone else bak there. The sound was pretty shitty so after a song or so I went back to the rail which surprisingly had a ton of space at that venue. All in all it was an experience for the books. That's for sure.
Score: 1

careful_w_that_axe_Miller Permalink
careful_w_that_axe_Miller hahahaha can you imagine Mike Gordon being really disappionted in you for letting a bunch of douche bags use the tickets he gave you? oh man that is terrible
Score: 3

herbpowell Permalink
herbpowell I won greenpeace table raffle to backstage at the 3rd night warfield show in 94. wasnt anything special. handshakes, hello's posters signed and a beer.

Score: 1

Superballin Permalink
Superballin @Frizz said:
@forbin1 said:
@Frizz said:
Only onstage.
::looks at watch::

Wow..fifteen minutes go by quick!

Not in this multi-verse bitch.
I still get people who ask if I was the guy. I still get nugs for meeting some people.
It is awesome. And I am going to use it to try and get ideas off the ground.
Publicity mother fuker.
We have another Andrewishomer brewing here
Score: 8

Fluffhead Permalink
Fluffhead I've been backstage a few times. But on 7/9/1994, I really hung out with the band, and only a few of their friends. It was at Great Woods. I drank some beer, as did everyone else. Nothing like the Betty Ford Clinic of later years. My friend happened to stumble into an after party for the band after an MSG NYE show in the late 90's. It wasn't backstage, per se, but rather at a bar. He had no idea Phish was there, and somehow the bouncers let him and his friends in, even though the bar was closed to the public. The scene was very, very intense. Nothing like the innocent beer drinking days of 1994.
Score: 2

jayman Permalink
So it appears backstage was pretty dam normal. This question formed from Trey's interview with that Denver radio station before Dicks's when he says how "We're really having a fun year. I can't remember having this good of a time just as 4 friends in quite some time. 2012s just been...We've finally figured out how to clear out backstage. It was a mob scene for many years from the late 90s until the 2000s, and now it's pretty much just the 4 of us." So I guess is this more saying it wasn't necessarily the partying going on, it was just people simply trying to meet the band and just chill with them for a bit that was stressing them out? Or is Trey ultimately just using it as an excuse for his own drug use in those years? Either way it was cool to hear stories of back in the day. My dream is still to meet the band even though it's a rare feat these days. But who knows, "If you keep your eyes open, you may find yourself there"
Score: 2

Pholorado Permalink
Pholorado I got backstage for String Cheese @ Red Rocks this past summer, but never Phish.
Score: 1

forbin1 Permalink
forbin1 @Frizz said:
@forbin1 said:
@Frizz said:
Only onstage.
::looks at watch::

Wow..fifteen minutes go by quick!

Not in this multi-verse bitch.
I still get people who ask if I was the guy. I still get nugs for meeting some people.
It is awesome. And I am going to use it to try and get ideas off the ground.
Publicity mother fuker.
Image
Score: 2

23piper Permalink
23piper Intense, like how?

@Fluffhead said:
I've been backstage a few times. But on 7/9/1994, I really hung out with the band, and only a few of their friends. It was at Great Woods. I drank some beer, as did everyone else. Nothing like the Betty Ford Clinic of later years. My friend happened to stumble into an after party for the band after an MSG NYE show in the late 90's. It wasn't backstage, per se, but rather at a bar. He had no idea Phish was there, and somehow the bouncers let him and his friends in, even though the bar was closed to the public. The scene was very, very intense. Nothing like the innocent beer drinking days of 1994.
Score: 2

Looks2Much Permalink
Looks2Much Got backstage at 12.31.02... Got tix from Mikes mom, my friends mother met her at the chiropractor... Long story short we got tix and passes for nothing.

Backstage was lame. A bunch of people trying to prove how much they belonged there. We met Pages parents & Mike's parents. The band was nowhere to be found. We stayed for like 30 min and left. It was a lot cooler to think about the fact that we were going backstage but in actuality all it did was put us on a later train! Lol
Score: 3

fluffhead42 Permalink
Got backstage during setbreak and after the show for 03 ATL, which was Chris Kuroda's bday party. There were a lot of people back there. There was a 2-prong keg replacing a regular keg at set break and nobody knew how to tap a 2-prong keg. I was a little surprised, and thanks to growing up on Yuengling beer, I stepped in and saved the day.

Also got backstage for Trey tour in Darien (the show with Fishman playing drums), and Starlake 2003 but only after the show. Def different times. For them and me. Wouldnt change a thing!!
Score: 3

Fluffhead Permalink
Fluffhead @23piper said:
Intense, like how?

@Fluffhead said:
I've been backstage a few times. But on 7/9/1994, I really hung out with the band, and only a few of their friends. It was at Great Woods. I drank some beer, as did everyone else. Nothing like the Betty Ford Clinic of later years. My friend happened to stumble into an after party for the band after an MSG NYE show in the late 90's. It wasn't backstage, per se, but rather at a bar. He had no idea Phish was there, and somehow the bouncers let him and his friends in, even though the bar was closed to the public. The scene was very, very intense. Nothing like the innocent beer drinking days of 1994.
Intense, like Betty Ford Clinic intense, from what I've heard of the Betty Ford Clinic.
Score: 0

careful_w_that_axe_Miller Permalink
careful_w_that_axe_Miller @fluffhead42 said:
Got backstage during setbreak and after the show for 03 ATL, which was Chris Kuroda's bday party. There were a lot of people back there. There was a 2-prong keg replacing a regular keg at set break and nobody knew how to tap a 2-prong keg. I was a little surprised, and thanks to growing up on Yuengling beer, I stepped in and saved the day.

Also got backstage for Trey tour in Darien (the show with Fishman playing drums), and Starlake 2003 but only after the show. Def different times. For them and me. Wouldnt change a thing!!
that sounds like a good time.

ive attended countless keg parties, have soaked myself countless times trying to tap a keg. I was watching some movie the other day that reminded me of this and I wondered to myself "how do you tap a keg"

ive seen it done, people have told me its simple and showed me. Please what is the secret to tapping a keg, a two-prong keg?
Score: 0

BajaPhish Permalink
BajaPhish Backstage for a number of shows but what stands out-
Rage at Coachella and finding a trailer marked RATM Fam that had trash cans of juice boxes and sodas or beers. I packed up and went out and met a bunch of cool people, Willie Nelson and crew were especially grateful for a round and partaking. When we got onstage at least 50 people were on either side of the band and we had to ask for them to let us up, so we booted Paris Hilton and crew to take our spots by the bass stack. It was hell being near her cause bottles got chucked at her till she left, I opened a shaken beer and absolutely blasted her friend with it, not on purpose. Cargo pants suck for carrying beer. Cameron Diaz loves RATM. And we never did drink that whole trash can.

Had to support the stack as Zack jumped on it in protest, dropped another beer but pulled it off. He was up on 2 stacks as they swayed.

Poolside after party when Lars from Metallica introduced himself as "Lars, we didn't meet earlier."

Biggest bummer of the night- couldn't get a moment to hang with Perry Farrell
Score: 3

Halfway Permalink
Playing a bar gig at a Hilton hotel bar close to Merriweather Post when the wu-tang clan came in after their gig. They sat in with us! I don't think I'm allowed to talk about the party after wards...they might kill me.
Score: 5

jayman Permalink
Hahaha if you partied with ODB you might be my idol!
Score: 4

SicMD Permalink
SicMD Yes but what happens back stage should be left backstage. Its a private function. Imo... This was my one shot so we made it count......
Wednesday, 02/10/1993
Smith Opera House, Geneva, NY

Set 1: Loving Cup > Foam, Guelah Papyrus[1], Reba, The Sloth, Divided Sky, Tela > Llama, I Didn't Know, Catapult, Run Like an Antelope

Set 2: Runaway Jim, It's Ice, The Squirming Coil, Tweezer > I Walk the Line, Sparkle, You Enjoy Myself > The Horse[2] > Silent in the Morning, Hold Your Head Up > Cracklin' Rosie > Hold Your Head Up, Possum

Encore: Sweet Adeline[3], Amazing Grace[3], Tweezer Reprise

[1] All Fall Down and Simpsons signals.
[2] Trey on acoustic guitar.
[3] Without microphones.
Score: 1

23piper Permalink
23piper Um, what's Betty Ford Clinic intense? Does anyone actually know what it's like back there now or anytime before? @Fluffhead said:
@23piper said:
Intense, like how?

@Fluffhead said:
I've been backstage a few times. But on 7/9/1994, I really hung out with the band, and only a few of their friends. It was at Great Woods. I drank some beer, as did everyone else. Nothing like the Betty Ford Clinic of later years. My friend happened to stumble into an after party for the band after an MSG NYE show in the late 90's. It wasn't backstage, per se, but rather at a bar. He had no idea Phish was there, and somehow the bouncers let him and his friends in, even though the bar was closed to the public. The scene was very, very intense. Nothing like the innocent beer drinking days of 1994.
Intense, like Betty Ford Clinic intense, from what I've heard of the Betty Ford Clinic.
Score: 0

castinajig Permalink
castinajig @Frizz said:
@forbin1 said:
@Frizz said:
Only onstage.
::looks at watch::

Wow..fifteen minutes go by quick!

Not in this multi-verse bitch.
I still get people who ask if I was the guy. I still get nugs for meeting some people.
It is awesome. And I am going to use it to try and get ideas off the ground.
Publicity mother fuker.
dont play into the bS Frizz you rock!
Score: 0

RunLikeACantelope Permalink
RunLikeACantelope Backstage had two security clearances. one for regular backstage and one for the betty ford party area.
Score: 0

MarcoEsc Phish.net Staff Permalink
MarcoEsc I used to love Betty Ford area at Shoreline. It had easy side-of-pavilion access, quick and clean bathrooms, and endless flowing taps of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Throughout the show I would run back, quick stop by the bathroom, grab four free beers, hand out three of them to friends or randoms on my way back to my seat, then repeat. Most shows the clinic/aftershow were pretty lame, but at least at Shoreline there was a lot of free beer. And I loved to give away Phish's beer.
Score: 1

SaltyDog Permalink
SaltyDog @Halfway said:
Playing a bar gig at a Hilton hotel bar close to Merriweather Post when the wu-tang clan came in after their gig. They sat in with us! I don't think I'm allowed to talk about the party after wards...they might kill me.
@jayman said:
Hahaha if you partied with ODB you might be my idol!
No might about it here. If @Halfway partied with ODB, he is without a doubt my idol.
Score: 0

mgh2001 Permalink
mgh2001 @Frizz said:
@forbin1 said:
@Frizz said:
Only onstage.
::looks at watch::

Wow..fifteen minutes go by quick!

Not in this multi-verse bitch.
I still get people who ask if I was the guy. I still get nugs for meeting some people.
It is awesome. And I am going to use it to try and get ideas off the ground.
Publicity mother fuker.
Frizz, I hate to say but you peaked Summer '11. It's like Frizz 2.0 now...haven't hit a ball out out of the park in many of tours.

You need to revamp your PR. Ever think of doing some type of "video"?
Score: 1

Borkwett Permalink
Borkwett Never at phish

Usually backstage was what I called FREE BEER
Score: 0

RunLikeACantelope Permalink
RunLikeACantelope nobody is talking about the "bowls of coke" version of backstage?
Score: 0

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