Phish-y antics add to band's appeal August 11, 1993 - Grand Rapids Press By Tim Pratt TONIGHT PHISH, 8 p.m. at Club Eastbrook. Tickets cost $19 and are available at the Club Eastbrook box office. Just who are these guys? They've never had a chart-topping single or album. You won't find them on MTV. And they don't stir up much controversy. Yet, the four-man band known as Phish (and yes, it is pronounced like the aquatic creature with gills and scales) is a growing phenomenon. While the group's albums never seem to sell a whole lot, Phish is engaged in one successful summer tour. The band's August schedule includes dates at the Bayfront Park Amphitheater in Miami, the World Music Theatre in Tinley Park, Ill. (near Chicago), and the Meadowbrook Music Festival in Rochester. Truthfully, the members of Phish didn't think the tour would be as successful as it has been. "This is the first time we've done anything like this," said vocalist/keyboardist Page McConnell by phone from Atlanta. "We didn't anticipate selling out any of the dates. We just decided to take a step up to the next level from theaters and take the plunge." Phish will perform tonight at Club Eastbrook, in a show that will likely be as much of a surprise to the band as it will be to the audience. In the past, the group - which infuses a range of musical styles such as calypso, bluegrass, jazz, hardcore punk and just about any other musical genre - has been known to incorporate an exotic variety of, shall we say, objects and outlandish antics on stage. One element that has generated much conversation about Phish is the use of trampolines by the band - while they're playing. Though there are no guarantees Phish will be bouncing to the beat at Club Eastbrook, McConnell said fans should expect the unexpected. "One thing we've been using a lot on this tour is an EZ Glider, skating back and forth on stage," McConnell said. "Who knows? It's different every night - we don't use the vacuum every night, but it's always an option. The band, which also includes Trey Anastasio (guitar, vocals), Mike Gordon (bass, vocals) and Jon "Tubbs" Fishman (drums, trombone, vacuum cleaner), is always looking for new and bizarre things to try. "We try to approach each show with a sense of fun - we really try to enjoy it," McConnell said. "Maybe that's why our albums don't generate huge numbers, simply because our shows are more fun, they're a bit more spontaneous." Phish was formed about 10 years ago by Anastasio, Gordon and Fishman while they were attending the University of Vermont. After two years, McConnell stepped into the picture and the lineup has remained a constant since. The quartet began performing on the East Coast and generated a sizeable following. Finally, the band released its debut album "Junta" in 1989, followed by "Lawnboy" in 1990. The group was picked up by Elektra Records soon after "Lawnboy" hit the racks and released "A Picture Of Nectar" - Phish's major label debut - in 1991. The band toured the United States and Europe on its own in support of "Nectar," then joined the H.O.R.D.E. tour, which included such relatively "unknowns" as the Spin Doctors and Blues Traveler. "Rift," Phish's latest album, was released in February and has sold more than 100,000 copies. "We sell a lot more concert tickets than albums," McConnell said. Since Phish has attained such a massive following, many have compared the quartet to another "must see live" band - The Grateful Dead. While the groups share audience similarities, McConnell stressed Phish is much different than the Bay Area icons. "Yes, there are a lot of people that like the Dead that like us, and there's a lot of people that follow us around, but I don't think we sound anything like them," he said. There is one commonality, though - like the Dead, Phish tends to play for a long time, with any number of improvisational solos and free-for-all jams. McConnell said the quartet often plays two 75-minute sets but that changes from night to night. Article © 1993 Grand Rapids Press