Chris M.

Taper's Notes:

I'm standing in Grand Central Station. The place is huge, the ceiling almost turns into the sky it's so high. I can't believe I actually made it here. The last 10 days have been spent driving more than 3,500 miles alone and hanging out with 60,000 or so people in Coventry, VT at the last Phish shows. The last 5 days have been pretty much traffic (only 10+ hours getting in), rain, mud, very little sleep, the end of an era, emotions, home sickness, more mud, and even thinking one night I'd dropped my Rush tickets somewhere between the shitters and my tent. It actually got to the point where I made myself accept the fact that THEY WERE GONE. I even went back and searched all the porta-potties I thought I might have been in hoping they weren't in a cesspool of ass and funk. Turns out I'd put them in my truck because I knew I'd end up losing them. But all that behind me, I'm here in NYC for the first time ever.

It's crazy, this place doesn't stop moving & there's this hum, it's a constant, like the whole city is plugged in somewhere. I find my room & soon realize that it is just a few blocks from RCMH just like they told me it was on the phone back in Portland. Even if I get caught sneaking my gear in I can still run back to my room & make it back in time for the show. Wait....the show....it starts in a few hours, better get ready. I hunt down the closest liquor store I can find and buy the most expensive bottle of cheap Vodka I've ever had. That's OK, I made it here, and it's all worth it.

I crotch all the gear just like I learned at the Leegeddy School of Stealthing which I graduated from just a few weeks earlier while on vacation in So. Cal hanging out seeing Rush and Ozric Tentacles. I still can't believe such little mics record such big sound. What's great is that at the door both nights they paid no mind to me or anyone else, come on in, and enjoy the show. Get set up in the bathroom and take my seat on the rail of the second mezzanine for the first night, directly in front of the stack on Geddy's side, on the floor the second night in front of Alex's stack 14 rows back. Make friends with my neighbors and let them in on the little secret and just wait for the show to start.

LOUD. What? What was that? I said LOUD! It's @#%$ LOUD, my ears are bleeding. Right on....I like clouds too.

Having seen 2 shows already and knowing what to expect I was thoroughly impressed at how into it the boys were. This however pales in comparison as to how pumped up the crowd was and that just pushed them to play harder. There was a time in Vermont where I actually gave up on coming to these shows becuase I was so spent. But, a good nights sleep in a little out of the way motel room somewhere near New Hampshire made all the difference in the world, and I remember thinking how pissed I'd have been if I hadn't come. Everything was on both nights, the band, the crowd and the DAT!!! I was so happy to be able to tape these shows, I was completely out of my element and running gear I'd never used before with the exception of my D8.

These shows felt so good to be apart of, they weren't just concerts, they felt more like a homecoming of sorts. There wasn't a single person in that place that didn't truly want to be there, and it felt like you were just hanging out with a bunch of friends watching one of your favorite bands play your favorite music.

I actually haven't heard these tapes, I mailed them off on the way home somewhere in Nebraska so leegeddy could work on transferring and EQ'ing them. Do they sound OK? I hope so. If not, you drive cross country to tape Rush, see if I care.
I already did it. No..... you shut up. No..... you're a stupid head. Nah-ahhhh.... I'm telling Mom.   (2004-10-23)

leegeddy