This unfortunately will be my only post for the day since its already almost noon and I haven't stopped answering emails yet. But its time to catch you up on my Phish adventures of the past week. And while I won't bore you with gushing over the four days of great music and great friends (including an 8th row show on the 29th). I'll just explain to you New Years Eve their gag and me losing my mind.
Ready? Okay! Also fair warning about a ridiculous long Phish post. If you don't like it... turn away now! Can't say I didn't warn you...
I will continue to say that nothing beats being able to spend time with the people you love in a setting that feels like home. That's how I feel about Phish shows. Some people it may not be their cup of tea, but for me I thank my lucky stars that I have something in my life that I can go do a few times a year that makes me so happy. Not many people have that and well I recognize that I do and I don't let these moments pass without notice.
I spent New Years Eve with three of my best friends in the entire world. Brianna, Beth and Michelle. I don't know where I would be without these girls and well being able to share experiences like these while we can again is just a blessing. The show on the 31st was our fourth straight night of seeing shows. I didn't think that I had it in me to do these types of runs anymore.... fortunately I was wrong. Besides losing my voice night 2 I was ready for whatever my band was going to throw at me.
We showed up to our 100 level seats just about 15 minutes before showtime and couldn't believe our eyes. Our seats were perfect. Side stage, perfect view of stage and crowd, from right there we knew we were in for a treat. The first set was great. We had great people around us, we danced, we drank, we laughed, we were enjoying the moments as they came. The second set also was a lot of the same. Lots of dancing and wondering what the Phish gag was going to be. So far here at MSG on NYE I've seen Phish fly out riding a hot dog, and I've seen dancers on stilts and fake snow. Whatever was going to happen I was ready for.
The third set started around 11:45. The place was a buzz.... when the lights came back down we started to see some cables hanging down from the ceiling that were not there before... all of us started to get even more excited for what was to happen next. They started to play one of their newer songs "Steam". All of a sudden out of nowhere, this dancer raised up in front of the stage dancing across a guard rail. From there in a cloud of steam she lifted up above the stage and high into the ceiling... dancing! (PS Where do I sign up?) 
The band looked like they were having so much fun watching this girl float above them dancing like the fans in the crowd. Then before we knew it.... people on the floor and random band instruments started to rise as well! The people wearing these light up backpacks that were letting steam out from all around them. I must have counted at least 15 of them. It was amazing... they danced around like us for a good 10 minutes until the girl at the front of the stage lead everyone in the New Years Countdown. From there Phish let us have it with a balloon madness followed by a rocking Auld Lang Syne. A perfect way to usher in the new year. 
After ringing in the new year, they jumped right into "Down with Disease" and before we knew it the dancers were back up in the air with spotlights and wait whats that? Is that the band rising up on platforms to meet them? Yup that actually happened too. They sang and danced eye level with the dancers and I promise I was completely calm. I spent the rest of that evening dancing away with my best friends and my favorite band. They played right until 1am and when it was all over we were left exhausted and overwhelmed. We hit the streets of NYC (right down the street from Times Square madness) and walked right into a raging Michael Jackson dance party. Nothing says late night rage then MJ. Then somehow I managed to make it on a 9am train and back to Richmond by 4pm Sunday. Who says I'm going to be 30? I still got it....
Its taken me until this morning to actually realize what this last week has been. I was afforded the opportunity not only to ring in new years with my best friends and 20,000 other fans. But I spent the entire week hanging out with great people in the greatest city in the world. I'm back in Richmond now, back at work, re-energized and ready to make the next year the best year yet. Have I told you how much I love my life right now?
I hope that everyone had an amazing new years. Thank you to Phish and my friends for reminding me how great life can be. Thank you to my family for welcoming me home for Christmas in grand fashion. Thank you to my amazing boyfriend who let me go off on an adventure for almost two weeks and didn't hold it against me. You all are the reasons why this smile has not left my face for a week.
Happy 2012. And enjoy the video I took below. Ball drops around 6:30.
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