Back in the water July 3, 2003 - The Arizona Republic By Michael Senft A dark mood surrounded Phish's concert when the band visited the Valley in October 2000. The group had announced it would go on "indefinite hiatus" after the tour wrapped up a week later. Valley "phans," as Phish followers are known, weren't sure whether they would ever see the superstar jam band again. But late last year, shouts of joy were heard throughout the jam scene as the foursome announced it was regrouping for a series of New Year's concerts. The shows sold out in hours, and another series of gigs in February assured phans the band was back. On Monday, Phish kicks off its first summer tour in three years with a show at Cricket Pavilion in Phoenix. And the "reborn" Phish sounds better than ever, according to Jonathan Schwartz, a jam music deejay for Sirius Satellite Radio and marketing director for the jam band publication Relix Magazine. "The Nassau show (at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y.) in February was one of the top 10 shows I've seen from them," says Schwartz, whereas in 2000, "musically, the band was a little stale. "They weren't on the cutting edge of improvisation like in '93 or '97," Schwartz says. "I think that was part of the reason why they went on hiatus." Despite the glowing reviews and the elation over the band's return, not all Phish-heads, known for following the band on tour, are gassing up the microbus and heading out this summer. Blame it on the economy. "The Phish tour is expensive," says Deanne Herman, editor in chief of the online tour database Jambase (www.jambase.com). "Most tickets are around $42, and with Ticketmaster prices, that's over $50. That's a lot of cash for a single show, let alone a whole tour," Herman says. "For Phish's summer tour three years ago, all of my friends would have been going for at least a week or two. Now we are just going to the shows in our town. I think people are in the mindset that they can't just drop everything to go on tour anymore." The decline in touring fans also is attributed to the explosion of the jam-band scene. When Phish went on hiatus, dozens of young bands that followed the same ethos - playing extended improvisational jams, varying their set lists nightly and allowing fans to tape shows - quickly filled the void. Almost overnight, bands such as the Yonder Mountain String Band, Medeski, Martin and Wood and the Disco Biscuits had legions of followers. "The Phish fans all of a sudden had all of this extra money that they weren't blowing on plane flights and hotel rooms and Phish tickets," Herman says. "Smaller bands were able to flourish and really establish strong fan bases. "Compare Phish's prices to the Umphrey's McGee tour (which stops at the Bash on Ash on July 14), where every ticket is $10-$20. Much more reasonable and realistic in this terrible economy," Herman says. Of course, she added, Phish "addicts" are hitting the road. "They need to hear what the band plays the next night," she says. "They don't want to miss that song that hasn't been played live in 10 years." Whether you follow Phish through America this summer or just catch the show Monday, "It's all good," says deejay Schwartz. "Phish's absence left a lot of space open for people to explore other artists and different kinds of music. And I haven't seen that stop since Phish has come back," he says. "There's still plenty of room for everyone. Phish's leaving allowed the scene to grow by giving these other bands a chance to shine. And by coming back, (Phish) just blew the scene up even more." Article Copyright © 2003 The Arizona Republic