oh kee pah

2. “Alumni Blues > A Letter to Jimmy Page > Alumni” 6.25 I

“Alumni” last played 7.24.99 (222 shows), “Letter” last played 7.15.94 (587 shows)

Phish came onstage the second night of Camden and didn’t hesitate, busting into the old-school classic “Alumni Blues.” The funky ditty became all-the-more interesting as the band bridged the halves of the song with Trey’s hard-rock homage, “Letter to Jimmy Page,” for the first time since 7.15.94 – and only the sixth time ever. With half of its versions played in the ’80s, this represented only the third “Letter” since June ’88. Phish dug deep into their past this tour, and this segment - officially released by the band on video – exhumed another relic from the history books.

This summer has proven to be another successful tour for the band as all shows have sold out, with some shows in select venues such as Telluride, Colo., scoring scalpers’ sales as high as $3,000. The mere fact that people are willing to travel across the country and pay $3,000 to see a three-hour show says something. In the parking lot before each show many fingers are in the air searching for tickets.

This leads to another interesting part of Phish — the lot culture. Vendors and fans start packing the parking lots several hours before soundcheck even begins. The whole scene is similar to tailgating for LSU football games — minus chanting death threats at opposing visitors. The communal vibe is tangible as you high five other random “phans.” The lot is also home to the infamous “Shakedown Street,” where you can buy anything from Imodium to veggie burritos to illicit substances.