7/21/91 @ Arrowhead Ranch w/ Carl Gerhard

09/07/22 • 81 min

Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. We have a very special guest for today’s episode. For the most part, Attendance Bias is focused on fans of the band, and each fan tells his or her story. But once in a long while, a person directly associated with the band will come on the podcast to talk about their history with Phish and to break down a special show or jam. Tom Marshall has been on the pod, Sue Drew who was the band’s A&R rep at Elektra Records told her story, and today’s guest ranks right up there in his ability to tell about his Phish experience from the inside out. And today’s guest is member of the Giant Country Horns and current trumpet player for Roomful of Blues, Carl “Gears” Gerhard. Carl chose to tell about his gig with Phish at Arrowhead Ranch, NY, on July 21, 1991.

If you got into Phish at a time when tape collecting was still part of the experience, there is no doubt that this gig came across your radar at some point. The second of two shows, this fan favorite was the midway point of the July 1991 horn tour, and you could tell that the band–the full band–was feeling it, full throttle.

Aside from the music, though, a main goal of this podcast is to help the listener feel as though he or she is right there with the guest, feeling and experiencing the show that’s being discussed. What makes today’s episode special is that Carl is able to get us backstage and onstage with Phish as he tells us about the conversations and decisions that led to the horn tour, and what it felt like to collaborate with Phish and the other members of the Giant Country Horns. More important than anything, though, is that Carl was extremely generous with his time and his words, welcoming us into the world that was Phish tour in the early 90s.

So let’s join Carl to talk about Tony Bennett, life in the Navy, and 48 hour marathon rehearsals, as we discuss Phish's show from 7/21/91 at Arrowhead Ranch.

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So let’s join Carl to talk about Tony Bennett, life in the Navy, and 48 hour marathon rehearsals, as we discuss Phish's show from 7/21/91 at Arrowhead Ranch.

Previous Episode

8/15/12 @ Long Beach Arena w/ Jack and Frazer of PhanSets

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Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s episode of Attendance Bias. I am your host, Brian Weinstein. Today’s guests are Jack and Fraser of PhanSets.com, who are here to tell about their NFT startup, Phansets, as well as their chosen attendance bias show: August 15, 2012 at Long Beach Arena, in Long Beach, CA.

If you got into Phish at a certain time in their history, you probably obtained a tape, or if you’re like me, hundreds of tapes. Everything about obtaining a tape was special: finding someone who had a tape you were looking for; reaching out to that person whether it was by a letter, a forum, or an email, agreeing to a trade or a B+P, and then when the tape arrived in the mail, the most unique thing about it, aside from the music, was the J-Card; the little piece of paper or thin cardboard that listed the set of music found on that tape. Everyone had their own special ritual and preferences when it came to the J-Cards. If you pretty much fetishized the tapes as much as I did, then you may have had special symbols to denote a segue, or a song debut, or a special guest, and so on.

Tapes have long vanished from the typical Phish scene, but Frazer and Jack of Phansets have dug deep into that nostalgic part of being a fan and want to update it to the present by using the concept of NFTs. In a minute, you’ll hear both guests explain how PhanSets brings back the love of special sets and JCards. But before then, we don’t want to forget the show!

Jack and Fraser were lucky enough to attend the August 15, 2012 show in Long Beach with some special guests; probably the biggest pop stars in the world at that time. So while you listen to today’s episode, imagine that you’re at the show. Now imagine that your brother in law is Justin Bieber’s musical director and guitarist. Now imagine that you and your brother in law convinced Justin Bieber to come see Phish with you. I don’t want to spoil the best parts, but you see where this is going.

So let’s join Frazer and Jack to talk about Phish Sets, Southern California venues, and the limits of an all-access pass as we discuss Phish’s performance from August 15, 2012 at the Long Beach Arena.