Packed to the gills with Phishheads June 20, 2004 - The Saratogian By Jerome Burdi Phish fans here for the weekend to witness the band on their final tour bought plenty of beer, ice and water by Saturday afternoon. Downtown business and foot traffic was normal except for pockets of the city where Phish fans were drawn, like Stewart's and Price Chopper on Church Street. 'Business is better than normal,' said Price Chopper manager Chris Bossert. He said the fans were buying snacks, cook-out items, almost 300 bags of ice and 'cheap beer.' Across the street, Stewart's manager Jill Seeley said the beer, cigarettes and ice were selling so fast it reminded her of Travers Day, the apex of the Saratoga Race Course summer track meet. By 2 p.m., Route 50 leading into the Saratoga Performing Arts Center where Phish would play was congested dozens of cars deep. License plates from across the Northeast converged, and an entrepreneurial spirit came with them. In the parking lot, two grilled cheese sandwiches on a barbecue were selling for $1, and bottled water sold for the same price -- it's $4 inside the gates. Someone else was trying to sell a Phish concert ticket for $150 after paying $50 for it. Some fans complained that SPAC's organization was poor. Christine Holbrook of Burlington, Vt., said she paid $20 on the Internet for special parking but had no help finding it and had to find another place to park. Other people complained about getting lost on the way to SPAC because there were no signs. Downtown merchants said there were a lot of new faces before the gates opened at SPAC, and some adjusted for the crowd. Veronica Walczak, co-owner of Magic Moon gift shop on Phila Street, said she stocked up on lawn blankets and Phish stickers. Tie-dyed clothing was prominently displayed outside, and Phish music played inside. 'We do well when shows come around here, as a rule,' she said, adding that incense was a big seller for the day, too. Saratoga Guitar on Caroline Street saw its share of music lovers, too. Employee Jay 'Diz' Dizacomo found an angle with the Boomerang, a guitar phrase sampler that sells for $429. A sign above it indicated that Phish frontman Trey Anastasio uses one on stage. And the fans know. Dizacomo said a couple of people came in and played some Phish licks with the signature layered patterns. The layered sound comes when the Boomerang replays a phrase while the guitarist wraps phrases around it. 'It's like being a one-man band,' Dizacomo said. Phish Food ice cream at Ben & Jerry's on Phila Street wasn't selling at an abnormally rapid pace, employee Lisa Mercad said. Then again, it's a popular flavor, and like Phish concert tickets, it sells quickly anyway, she said. Article Copyright © 2004 The Saratogian