Downtown hosts fine kettle of Phish fans February 22, 2003 - Cincinnati Post By Rick Bird Phish fans descended on Cincinnati on Friday, packing downtown hotels and setting up an ad hoc village selling trinkets and homemade food along Mehring Way in anticipation of the famed jam band's two-night stand at the U.S. Bank Arena. They also kept Cincinnati police busy with 40 arrests before and during Friday's concert, most of them for marijuana, with a handful tied to possession of heroin, LSD, psychedelic mushrooms and Ecstasy. The Phish fuss was all because this is the band's first tour in more than two years, and Cincinnati happens to be one of the few cities hosting two nights on the tour. Both Friday's and tonight's concerts were sold out, and arena officials estimated that 3,000 to 5,000 of those fans would be from outside Greater Cincinnati. The fans ranged from college students to 20-somethings bent on recapturing more carefree days of the '90s following the band around. "They are the greatest musicians in the world," said Rob Everson, a Chicagoan who had already caught the band on three shows this tour. "Every night is a different jam. I'm just here to hear more tunes so I can boogie." "I spend money on three things: Cigarettes, food and Phish," explained Johnny Piatek, a student at the State University of New York at Buffalo, who has seen a couple dozen of the band's concerts. "It's the greatest party in the world where you see all your friends from forever. You just dance," explained Sarah Martin, a Chicagoan who goes to school in Los Angeles. Some of the Phish-heads find this a lifestyle, plotting their lives around the shows. Since the band has been on hiatus for two years, though, some admitted they enjoyed the break. "I actually ended up seeing more bands the last two years. I was spending so much money on Phish, it was nice to have a break," said Monica, a University of Wisconsin student. "I saved a lot of money and got into some other groups like Widespread Panic," said Stephanie Caldwell, who came to town form Philadelphia for the shows. Others almost sheepishly confessed to seeing only a few shows. "I just got into them this year. But my brother told me a lot of stories," said Carol Thompson from Columbus. Phish fans still have trouble explaining the attraction to those outside the cult. "It is something you either get or you don't. We are expecting the next two nights to be the heat," said Jeff Brown from Louisville. "You can't capture what a live show is like. There is no word to describe it." Some fans were also grumbling that, since the tour started up again, there were more "hangers on" than usual. That, they said, brings in more drug use, complaining about those in it for the party, not the music. "It's getting a little shady. Last night (in Chicago ) there was a girl on heroin not having a good time. That wasn't cool," said Kevin Smith, from Detroit. Copyright © 2003 Cincinnati Post