Deer Creek- Summer Tour 2000. A bunch of my friends that I met online in the Lands End Chat Room (link on Andy Gadiel's site) were camping at Dead Creek. It was cool meeting 20-30 people that I have chatted with for a long time, but this fun was short lived. 

That night Phil and Friends were playing and my buddies had tickets... I did not. So I grabbed my guitar (Ovation acoustic) out of the car, for my friend Storkbass brought his acoustic bass. I jammed for a little bit, and then decided I can't drink and play, so I went to put my guitar away. The thing is, my buddies at the Phil show drove, and they locked up the car, so I stashed the guitar in my sleeping bag in my tent. Now here is where things go bad. 

I know the majority of phans are kind peeps, but there is a small minority out there that are, well, scumbags. After awhile I go back to my tent to find my guitar stolen. Ok panic sets in, did I leave it out? what the hell is going on? Dead Creek is one of the smaller camp grounds, and I was friendly with most of the campers around. My friends come to help, we ask around. Gwen finds a guy working security there and they are off looking. 

I at this point am crying, I had this guitar for years (actually dad handed it down to me). My friends try comforting me, Stork is yelling "There are thieves amongst us." Pretty much I am bummed. OK, CHILL- its only a material thing. I decide this will not ruin my tour. Next morning I walk around the grounds trying to find it and telling peeps what happened and to keep an eye out for it... It never came back. 

To top it off, the next day, a friend is selling sodas near the entrance to Dead Creek. He later tells me a guy in a van with Ontario plates was asking if anyone wanted to buy a guitar. WHY didn't you STOP him I thought! Why didn't you get ME! Well it's too late to jump on his case. Let it go. It was hard to shrug off, but I had a blast for the remainder of the tour. Trey must have felt my pain, for at the next show (Polaris), He busted out While My Guitar Gently Weeps... I know this was for me (Trey, if you ever happen to read this, thank you!).

Silver lining to story: My current girlfriend bought me a new Taylor acoustic which blows away that ole Ovation.

Warning: There are a small element on tour that can ruin such a beautiful scene. Be wary.

- rich s