Phish Draws Fans, But Don't Ask Why October 25, 1995 - Capital Times (Madison, WI.) By Tom Alesia When it comes to Phish, it's best to take conventional wisdom and toss it in the lake. After all, this is a bona fide music phenomenon. It's not a deserving one, mind you, but it's a phenomenon nonetheless. The four-member, jam-fueled band sold out the Dane County Coliseum Tuesday night. That's 10,250 ticket buyers -- and hundreds more stood outside the arena hoping to buy a scalped ticket. Odds are you've never heard Phish (or even heard of Phish). They receive virtually no radio support, they're a stranger to MTV, and their record sales barely register a heartbeat. But a cult of fans nationwide -- garnered through rigorous touring of the club circuit -- has grown into one of the biggest touring acts around today. With Tuesday's box office tally nearly $ 200,000, it was one of Madison's highest-grossing indoor concerts ever. Too bad Phish doesn't live up to that response. It offers an endless musical mish-mash, with Tuesday's two-set show lasting 3+ hours (including a 45-minute intermission). The band plays rock, hard rock, folk rock, jazz, country...you name it, they play it. And play it long. Instrumental jams -- two or three thrilling ones and countless self-indulgent ones -- formed the core of every song. Five-, 10-, 15-minute jams...there's no stopping 'em. Of course, Phish fans ate it up: Every tooth-drilling instrumental rampage and every campy antic. (The latter included a vocal done through a bullhorn; a guitarist and bassist playing while jumping on small trampolines; and the drummer wearing a dress.) It's awfully difficult to understand Phish's popularity other than to compare the fans to Deadheads. Indeed, there's a community flavor to Phish's following. (The Coliseum box office, in fact, received ticket requests nationwide for the show.) And everything resembles a Dead concert from the band allowing their shows to be taped to an abundance of pot-smoking hacky sack players. Phish, however, draws a younger crowd (18 to 35 year olds) and its members have barely hit 30. Yikes. You haven't heard the last of Phish.