Solid State

So, yeah . . . Phish. Gettin' the band back together, bro. Nice.

It's no secret that Solid State is hardly a bastion of Phab Four phanaticism. However, echoing Bridget's earlier statements, congrats Phish-heads. Anything that puts a smile on the faces of this many people is alright by me. Of course, wild horses couldn't drag me anywhere near Hampton, VA in March. But to paraphrase Barack Obama, this ain't about me. It's about you. And you, if you're still reading, probably like Phish. But how do you feel about tribute bands, I wonder?

In this week's music section, there is a short feature on a South Carolina-based Phish tribute band called The Strange Design, who will be playing at Nectar's on October 21, which — coincidentally, I'm sure — just so happens to be the night after Trey Anastasio's sold out solo show at Higher Ground. How's that for shrewd booking?

Essesntially, the band is Dark Star Orchestra for Phish fans. They recreate Phish shows — specifically, early club shows — in their entirety. However, these are not note-for-note regurgitations. Rather, the shows are an attempt to pay homage, with an eye towards blending authenticity and the spirit of improvisation. At least that's what I'm told. I haven't seen them live, so who knows?

Anyway, part of The Strange Design's gig is that they solicit requests from fans in every town they play. You name the show you want to hear, make a good pitch and they oblige. Nifty, eh?

So let's hear it, Phish-heads. Whaddya wanna hear? The floor is yours . . .