This Just In...

from HBBB reporter Stuben, an undercover report from deep inside the trenches of the 92nd Street Y:

Last night the upper east side's quintessential cultural institution, the 92nd Street Y, played host to an unexpected pair of guests: former Phish frontman Trey Anastasio and Anthony DeCurtis, contributing editor for Rolling Stone. Since I live only a couple blocks away, I decided it would be a shame to miss out on seeing Anastasio in such a small venue, and under such inauspicious circumstances (he was arrested in December on charges of drug possession and driving under the influence). DeCurtis too has a reputation as a great interviewer -- see his In Other Words: Artists Talk About Life and Work.

The ticketholders congregated outside in the cold before the interview, and there were some crunchy, dread-ed types, but for the most part it seemed like the suburban diaspora that spawned the Phans had come full circle. Oddly enough I saw at five people from high school I never expected to see again, and it wasn't that bad.

Inside, DeCurtis prefaced the interview with a caveat: stating that no introduction could do justice, since the people in the audience probably knew much more about Phish than he did. He was right. Phans are pretty covetous of this, so this helped win them over early on. Quoting a previous interview, he pointed out how Anastasio considered himself a "conduit" for the music, not it's originator, and how his job was merely to point the audience in the direction of that sound, and get them to the same place he was at. That was the magic of Phish for Anastasio. He later confessed that when band became hugely successful, he became disillusioned with this role and that this, among other things (drugs), prefigured the band's demise.

When Anastasio hit the stage DeCurtis said it was nice to see him without a shirt with numbers across the front. Breaking the ice early opened up the conversation for personal discussions of the break up of Phish, Anastasio's drug use and his stint in rehab. DeCurtis proved himself a good mediator and this was the first of many quick deflections that led the interview to the boundaries of what was apropriate to discuss (for legal reasons). Anastasio was noticeably jittery but I was surprised that he opened up so much. He confessed that those close to him would not help him with his drug addictions, but that it was the fans that confronted him . He also described rehab as the best thing that has ever happened to him. Questions from the crowd led to a discussion about the role Phish played as a reflection of the cultural zeitgeist (seriously) but the answer was never really clear (Phish as the post-postmodern band?).

Finally, the question of a reunion was brought up. The answer according to Trey: "If the four of us were to play onstage again, I would be the happiest guy in the room."

Plus he also played some music. To wit, a setlist:

Wherever You Find It > Case of Ice and Snow > Pebbles and Marbles.

Phish: Ghost - 11/17/97