Free-form rhythms, crowd recall Dead November 10, 1995 - The Atlanta Journal and Constitution by Russ DeVault Phish. Also performing at 8 tonight and Saturday night at the Fox; Theatre. Sold out. There was much more than music in the air Thursday night at the Fox Theatre, namely, the raised forefingers of fans signaling that they needed one ticket for the first of three consecutive sold-out concerts by the rock band Phish. Brandon Pagel was regretting that he passed when the $ 22.50 tickets went on sale because of the price. "I saw Phish for $ 5 when they were opening for the Grapes, the Urban Shakedancers and the Aquarium Rescue Unit here several years ago," said Pagel, 22, of Atlanta. "They're the future now that Jerry Jerry Garcia, the late Grateful Dead leader is gone," Pagel said of the Burlington, Vt., band. Inside the Fox, Jay Constantz, assistant general manager, was recalling the Dead's three-night stand at the Fox in 1984 and "definitely" seeing similarities. "I'd say this crowd is much younger than the Dead's," Constantz said of the fans who filled all 4,678 seats. "The kids are out there twirling; there's the patchouli and the raw musk of unwashed individuals." Concertgoers ranged from retro-hippie to preppy, with first-timer J.B. Henderson, 27, of Atlanta, somewhere in the middle in his T-shirt from the 688 Club, a now-defunct live-music venue where he saw seminal punk acts. "But I like this band because they're introducing some jazz, and they're not mainstream - semi-Deadish," Henderson said. The music is reminiscent of the Dead. Evocative, too, were the strobe lights and free-form rhythms as vocalist-guitarist Trey Anastasio, keyboardist Page McConnell, bassist Mike Gordon and drummer Jon Fishman glided through a three-hour show. The band's efforts seemed to pay off. Even the Phishheads who were turned away despite innovative ruses to get in left smiling, said Atlanta police Officer Jim Smith. "The best was the guy who only had half a ticket," Smith said. "When I pointed that out, he said, 'Yeah, but I want to hear only half the show.' "