I left for NYE on Sunday, going out there thinking we had tickets all setup. We get out there and the tickets fell through. The kid who I was staying with was a friend of a friend who lives in Hopewell, NJ.  It's about an hour from NYC by train. His mom knows Trey's brother, Trey's mom and Trey's dad. These people, who you would think would have the hook up on tickets, fell through. So we get there and find this shitty news out, but I was determined to find a way in... whether sneaking in, buying a ticket, or getting a miracle.

We arrived at MSG at about 2:00 on NYE and my journey to get in started. Getting a miracle was out of the question... I'd say about 50% of the people there didn't have a ticket. Also, buying a ticket was out of the question; scalpers where asking way too much, plus I heard a lot of people talking about how many fake tickets where out there; it wasn't worth the risk. So that left me with only one option: I was going to have to sneak in. I made a plan that I was going to split up from my group and set out when the doors opened to try to sneak in.

7:00 P.M. rolls around and I split off from my group. We were in contact with some hand-held radios, so I would know if they got in and I would let them know if I did. I made it past the first obstacle. They weren't checking tickets yet by the security so I was in the lobby. I thought I might have a chance. So I get up near the front and see that to get in you have to go in separate, individual doorways. The ticket takers were standing right on the side taking tickets, so there was really no way this was going to work.

So I decided to try the other side and I get over there and it's the same story, except for one ticket taker who is more off to the side, taking tickets. So I'm thinking here is my chance, if I can catch him off guard and sneak behind him I'm in. So just as I'm about to try, a security guard comes out directly behind me. I wasn't going to risk it. There was no way I was getting in. By this time it was about 8:05 and was going to head back and meet up with my group and go to Time Square.

This is where it gets interesting. So I'm walking back towards the door and a Japanese lady with a camera comes up to me and shows me a piece of paper with a phone # on it and asks, "where do I get press pass?" She spoke very poor English. She thought I worked there because I was holding my two-way radio. I was thinking at this time, if I help this lady maybe she has a connection on a ticket.

So she hands me the piece of paper and points at it and says, "Phish's Manager." She wanted me to call him and find her press pass... I couldn't believe this was really happening. Luckily, I had my cell phone. I called the number and started talking to one of Phish's manager's whose name was Jason! I never heard of this guy. Anyways, I have him on the phone and I was like, "Jason I have yingshoppma here (yingshoppma or something like that was her name)... she needs a press pass." And quickly thinking I said, "she also needs three tickets." I knew her and her companion already had tickets, so I was trying to get extras for me and my friends.

Jason told us where to go, but he said he only had one extra ticket. At this time I was thinking I'm in, but I was still a little optimistic. It was about 8:20 now and I knew that the show would be starting soon. So here we are, myself and two Japanese photographers running down 7th avenue on NYE in NYC, going to the press room.

We get to the door and there is a ton of security. I told the security guard Jason sent us down here to get a press pass. He would only let yingshoppma in, so me and her companion had to wait outside. I saw her trying to tell the others in the press room about the press pass. They didn't understand what she was saying. So I told the security guard that I was her interpreter and that I had to go speak for her. He let me in. I swear to God. So now I'm in the press room telling some lady that Jason sent us down here to get a ticket and a press pass. She called for some lady, and another lady came over and handed me a ticket and said, "here is your ticket."

So here I was, ticket in hand, running and literally jumping for joy. I HAD A TICKET! As I was running back I saw so many disappointed people. That was going to be, and should have been me. I was so happy and in straight bliss. It was 8:30 now and I knew the show would be starting any minute. So I run in and I missed about 2:00 of Piper and when the band came on stage, which I wish I could have seen.

Anyways, I get in there and it's rocking. I didn't go to my seats because I didn't want to miss anything from that first set, so I just chilled in the isle. Set 1 was nice with a very solid Piper (minus the 2 minutes I missed) and Mound, which has been out of the rotation for years. I was so happy to be in. I must have had a huge grin on my face the whole 4+ hours.

So first set ended and I decided to see where my seats were. Things kept getting better and better. I was all the way down in section 78 row L seat 2. I couldn't believe it... about 10 rows behind the floor on Mike's side. I was so close! Some cool girls who shared their kindness with me were right next to me too. They pointed out Fred Savage and some dude from Seinfeld. I was in the ritzy section : ).

So the 2nd set starts. Waves was nice, but the Divided Sky was amazing. For about a minute Trey just stood there and basked in everyone's cheering. This was his non-verbal way of thanking us. It was truly awesome! Carini and Hood weere all rocking. Lawn Boy brought a nice little solo by Mike. During set break a lady next to was asking me all these questions about the previous sets because she saw I was keeping track on a piece of paper. She was from the Burlington Free Press and asked me if she could interview me. I said sure, and she asked me some questions.

Then 2 other reporters started asking me questions about songs. I could tell I was in the press section.  I put 2 and 2 together. Ticket from press lady + all the reporters that surrounded me = the press section. She said she would email me.

She was telling me about about an interview she did with Trey last summer up at the barn. She said he was the most kindness, down to earth, real guy. The interview she did with him was only suppose to be one hour but it lasted more than two. She said that Trey said, when they put out one of the live phish series, after listening to it he started to tear up. He said that was the time he knew it was time to get back together. I thought that was awesome.

So the third set starts. Highlights where Seven Below>Auld lyn sang>Run Away Jim. Lots of balloons and snow was falling. It looked really cool. Besides that, nothing spectacular to note. Velvet Seat closed which kind of sucked. I didn't care, I got to see PHISH on NYE... for free... what are the chances of that?!!! I heard only 14% of the people who put in for mail order and tried on the internet and phone the day they went on sale got tickets. I was now part of that 14% who got to see the show. During Velvet Seat I snuck down on the floor and got some pretty cool pics.

One of my other friends got real lucky also. Somehow she found a ticket for face from some guy who decided at the last second he didn't want to go. My three other friends, along with 1000's of others outside of MSG, did not get in. All in all it was a solid show. Nothing really musically spectacular or complex. If I had one word to describe it, like I did previously, is: rocking. It was straight up hard Rock N' Roll, with nothing to complex throughout almost the whole show. I would not have traded that experience, what I went through, and how I got that ticket for anything. It was truly amazing!

- Phresh

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