No Phandemonium after concert August 7, 1996 - The Denver Post By Angela Cortez, MORRISON - Law enforcement officers and the media were ready for "Phish Phans" last night. But while the band's concert was taking place at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, things in town were far calmer than the confrontation that took place the night before. More than 1,000 Phans without tickets to the concert had lined Morrison from C-470 west to Red Rocks Park as night fell last evening. When the concert ended, law enforcement officials began moving the young people out of the city to camp sites or other locations, said Jim Parr, a spokesman for the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department. "The city of Morrison has requested that after the concert we assist them in moving people on," Parr said earlier, adding that he hoped the crowd would disperse peacefully. That seemed to be the case as the operation began. Before and during the concert, music filled the air as the group's followers hawked their wares including T-shirts, bumper stickers, jewelry, food and drugs. "Hashish," called a young man from the shadow of a car to passers-by. Meanwhile, more than 50 members of the sheriff's department waited in the wings. "Most are up here out of the way and out of sight," said Parr from the command post at Red Rocks Elementary School, nestled between the amphitheater and Morrison. Among the county personnel on standby were 15 SWAT team members, the county's canine unit and eight to 10 pairs of mounted deputies, Parr said. "Hopefully, we won't have to use these guys," Parr said earlier in the evening. "I guess tonight we came up with a plan instead of just letting things occur like last night (Monday)." Denver police patrolled the amphitheater, which is a city mountain park, last night. Additionally, Parr said, the Colorado State Patrol had a representative at the command post. Earlier yesterday, hundreds of youths hung around Morrison, beating on bongos, selling smocks and jewelry or whatever, and trying - desperately - to get tickets to the concert. Phish, which will put on its last of four shows tonight at Red Rocks, attracts enough people to sell out all of its shows and then some. The overflow - neo-hippies without tickets - have been milling about the town of Morrison with nowhere to go. Some say the death of Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead has added "Deadheads" to the Phish Phollowing, creating a larger crowd with some unruly types. "The scene is changing," said Jay Archibald, 21, of Berkeley, Calif. "It's changing a lot, and it's getting a lot of Deadheads who can't deal with society. People are coming here without money or tickets and not respecting the scene." Archibald has seen 50 Phish concerts and has followed the tour every year for the past three years, but this may be his last tour. What started out as 12 carloads following the Phish has turned into a mob with the potential for trouble, he said. About 400 people lined the narrow streets of Morrison earlier yesterday, looking for Phish tickets and a place to park and camp. Cars were parked all along the roadsides. "The canyon is trashed," said Matt Cerny, an Idledale resident at the Morrison Holiday Bar. "They ought to put it at Fiddler's Green and see how the people out there like it. You'd see some strings pulled real fast." Butch Luedtke, manager of the Morrison Inn, could do without the Phish Phans because they drive away other business. He said the popular bar and restaurant had lost 50 percent of its business since Phish Phans started hanging around. "These summer months are our bread and butter," he said. "They (Phans) don't have any money." Roger Stephens, the owner of the Morrison Holiday Bar, said his regular customers couldn't get into the bar because of the traffic jams and lack of parking, but he said he had served enough Phish Phans to offset any drop in regular business. Overall, the Phish Phans seem mellow. Even city officials described them as pretty nice people with the exception of those who clashed with police Monday night. The Morrison melee started after a woman was hit by a truck. A man kicked the truck, and another man threw a bottle at a police officer who was trying to help the woman. Morrison police called for backup officers from other jurisdictions. Police shut down the main road into town as they tried to move 400 people out. They made 10 arrests. But there is nowhere to move ticketless Phish Phans. They're not allowed in Red Rocks park without a ticket, and privately owned campgrounds in the vicinity are charging $ 15 per person to stay the night. "The kids would just like to be together," said Carl Boynton, Morrison mayor pro-tem. "There are about 9,000 seats in Red Rocks, and about 60,000 kids who come down with no tickets and no money, and we have no where to put them up." A Fey Concerts official, who asked not to be identified, said promoters tried to negotiate with the owners of the private campgrounds for the overflow, but the price was making it impossible. A fan who identified herself as "Star," 19, of Indianapolis, said, "We're peaceful. We're here to see the show and be in the mountains and be with others. We won't leave trash here. That's not what we're about. The whole town just doesn't know what to do about so many of us." © 1996 The Denver Post Corporation