So I found another more feasible thank you for Phish, and I'll post it along below. It brought tears to my eyes..I can't believe its really over! I keep saying that I'm not upset that they are quitting, I'm just sad that it's over. Well..I accept it..it isn't the end of the world, its the beginning of a new era in my life. Time to carry on and move forward..so thank you Phish for letting go first so I could let go now too!!
Only 7 more days of school left..man o man..I can't WAIT! I am exhausted and I need to breath over the summer so badly and go swimming and float down the Delaware and just relax. You know..read a few books, paint a few rooms ;) Why is it..that the house just tends to consume me? I bought paint for the stairwell in the back of the house. It's called "Camel". You know why they do that?? So when you bring home all the paint samples, you can look like a total ass and say something like "You know Joey, I really like the CAMEL!" Which essentially is like saying "You know Joey, I really like the SHIT BROWN!" It's just a lighter shade of shit brown really hahaha. Or maybe its the "GRASS" or the "PISS YELLOW". I don't know, I just don't know about all these colors and their messed up names. I think they do it intentionally.
So before painting, the wallpaper had to come down. Can I just say this:
I HATE WALLPAPER!
Wallpaper really just plain sucks...it seems as if you get the first 90% down and then you're left with 10% that just won't come free..its really horrifying! Anyway..I've got plenty of time to finish this megaproject in a week and a half! Until then, stay cool and consider the following :
I've seen so many of these ideas already. I can't imagine any of them working but if they do then we'll have a pile of shoes, skywriting and now this one that I found on another message board:
I've been doing a lot of daydreaming lately about Coventry, and the end of Phish, and thinking that, from my perspective, I feel like I owe a great big huge THANK YOU to Phish for providing me with so many incredible experiences and being the foundation for so many more. So I have been imagining ways to engage the entire Phish community to provide a big THANK YOU to the band at Coventry. I have entertained a lot of thoughts -- songs, big signs, gifts, group activities--and concluded that the project must be (1) simple, (2) inexpensive, and (3) easy to explain. Given those parameters, below is what I have come up with. It is in three phases, one at the start of each set of the final Phish show, Sunday August 15 at Coventry. It gives the band three different thank you "gifts" that are tangible, audible, and visual -- just as the band for so long has given us audio and visual treats.
This project will only succeed through the *collective* efforts of the Phish community -- so read on, details below of how *you*, very simply, can help! Thanks in advance for your efforts.
And big thanks to the Phootball trading group, who helped me sift through the details and come up with the final concept below.
See you in Vermont.
ted
california
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THE COVENTRY THANK YOU PROJECT
CONCEPT: On the occasion of the final Phish show, Saturday August 15, give the band a thank you gift. We will give one "gift," through crowd participation, at the start of each of the 3 sets of the final Phish show.
INGREDIENTS: Every person at Coventry -- i.e., as many as possible -- walks into the final show with three things: (1) a flower, (2) a balloon, and (3) a candle.
Ideally every Coventry attendee will get this message and bring a flower and a balloon and a candle, but realistically, we can expect to get this message via internet to probably 50-70% of attendees. Therefore, those who have the means are requested to bring extras -- get a bouquet of cheap flowers, a bag of balloons, and/or a bag of candles, and hand them out before the show to those who are without.
EXECUTION:
PHASE ONE -- The Shower of Flowers.
The first gift is to shower the band with flowers -- just as at an opera or play, where the audience gives the players flowers, but here the amount of flowers is massive.
Again, every person, or as many people as possible, enter the final show with a flower in their hand. Any kind of flower -- but the more durable the better. Bring a bouquet if you want. And if you can bring extras to hand out to those without, please do so.
First off, imagine how delightful it will be for every person entering the show to be holding a flower.
When the band takes the stage at the start of the FIRST SET of the last show, in daylight, the people in front toss their flowers on the front of the stage. Meanwhile, everyone behind them starts passing their flowers forward, person to person, up to the front, where the people in front continue to shower the front of the stage with flowers. Soon, through a big, interactive crowd action, there are hundreds, then a thousand, then 2,000, then 5,000, then 10,000, then more single flowers on the front of the stage. (My survey of fans reveals a consensus that the band is set up 15-20 feet back from the front of the stage, leaving ample room for flowers).
All the while, as soon as the flower-passing begins, a chant rises up: "THANNNNNNNNK YOU! THANNNNNNNK YOU!" In the same cadence and rhythm as a basketball crowd chanting "Airrrrrrrrrrr-ball! Airrrrrrrrrrr-ball!" To synchronize everyone, the Thank You chant must start in the FRONT of the crowd, with everyone behind joining in as it builds.
The effect: The band takes the stage for its final show ever and is greeted with a shower of flowers and a massive chant of "THANNNNNNNNNNNK YOU!" As one friend put it, this should be "very moving" for the band.
PHASE TWO: The Balloon (Un)Drop
The second "gift" is visual -- creating a balloon "drop" in the middle of an airfield. We cannot drop the balloons, but we can collectively release them.
When the band takes the stage for the SECOND SET of the final Phish show, in twilight, every person in the audience simultaneously inflates their balloon and releases it into the crowd.
The effect: As the band takes the stage, now in twilight, suddenly from the crowd emerges an ocean of balloons.
PHASE THREE: Light up the Night.
The final gift is an audio and visual gift for the band. When the band takes the stage for the THIRD and FINAL Phish set -- it is dark now, so i.e., when the field lights drop -- everyone in the crowd lights their candle. And, again, the chant rises up, starting in the front, "THANNNNNNNK YOU! THANNNNNNNNK YOU!"
The effect: Done properly, the band is greeted for its final set with a light show provided by the crowd. It should be pretty bitchin' to watch from the crowd, too.
DETAILS -- How do we pull this off?
This message is being released simultaneously on many Phish discussion boards and through the personal Phish lists of several dozen people.
HOW YOU CAN HELP: You can help spread the word about this Thank You Project in several ways:
1. SPREAD THIS MESSAGE VIA INTERNET: Post this message on your Phish discussion board (if you haven't seen it there yet), and pass this message to YOUR own personal Phish list, including (and especially) everyone with whom you are traveling to Coventry. Ask your friends to keep this message moving.
This message will be followed up with periodic reminder announcements on the major discussion boards between now and Coventry.
This should get the word out to a decent percentage of the people who will be attending.
2. INDIVIDUAL LEAFLET DISTRIBUTION: Once at Coventry, by using leaflets we can spread the word to those who have not yet heard of what to do and when.
No one wants to be responsible for distributing hundreds of leaflets, e.g., at the gate. So instead, it's a group effort. At the bottom of this message is the text of a leaflet containing the bare essential information. If you are so inclined, please cut and paste this information into a document and PRINT it out -- make 5 or 10 or 20 copies. If you know how, format it to make 4 or 6 leaflets per 8.5 x 11 page and cut them up. Then, when you arrive at Coventry, give those copies to the people who are camping immediately around you.
SUGGESTIONS AND REQUESTS:
Finally, a few suggestions and requests:
1. Getting flowers to the show -- It will be hot, so keep your flower(s) cool. Wrap the bottom of the stem(s) in a wet paper towel and, if you have one, keep the flower(s) in your cooler. Also, if you can, choose a durable flower, i.e. one with a thicker stem.
2. Again, if you can afford it, PLEASE pick up a few extra flowers, balloons, and/or candles and give them away to people who don't have one.
3. PLEASE do not sell these items for a profit. The intent of this project is to create a GIFT from the fans to the band. If you want to bring extras, it is preferred that you give them away in the spirit of giving, but if you want to sell them, please do so at face value.
4. If you get this message and are connected to the band, PLEASE do not tell them about this!
Thanks in advance to everyone for their help with this. Together, I think we can make the final Phish show even more memorable, for us and for the band.
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THE COVENTRY THANK YOU PROJECT --
SUNDAY AUGUST 15, THE LAST SHOW
Bring: One flower, one balloon, one candle
SET ONE -- When the band takes the stage, pass your flowers forward.
People in the front, throw the flowers on the front of the stage. As soon as the
flower-passing begins, people in the front begin to chant "THANNNNNNNNK
YOU! THANNNNNNNK YOU!" in the same cadence and rhythm as a
basketball crowd chanting "Airrrrrrrrrrr-ball! Airrrrrrrrrrr-ball!" Everyone behind
the front section, wait for it to build and join in.
SET TWO -- When the band takes the stage, blow up your balloon
and release it into the crowd.
SET THREE -- When the band takes the stage, light your candle. Repeat
the "THANNNNNNNNNK YOU!" chant, again starting in the front section.
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