There were hundreds of phans uselessly looking for extras; I even saw one sister with 3, $100.00 bills in her hand, ready to exchange it for an extra Halloween ticket. Well I considered it, I know the ethical question involved, but it was Las Vegas after all, and ethics aren't very important in that sinfull city, and $300.00 would go a long way at the poker table. Maybe even into 10x that amount.

However I had a kid in my crew that had no ticket and no money, because as soon as we stopped in Vegas, he was played by a crew of Las Vegas swindlers like I have never seen. It was actually worth the ticket just to see the scam unfold before my very eyes by these professional Las Vegas tricksters.

As soon as we stopped we got out of the car and there was one of the guys in the parking lot with the old 3 card shuffle thing goin on. So the first one was just for fun, right? "OK, who can keep there eye on the heart card," " it's goin' faster and faster and stop, which one is it?" so my friend, the least bright of the bunch I might add, gets sucked in. "It's that one," the guy turns it over, and what do you know, he is right. It was the one he picked.

Ok so lets try again, its getting a little faster and faster and more exciting, so let's put $1 on it just for fun, "OK, round and round it goes, where it stops nobody knows," except my friend, "it's that one." well, what do you know he is right again, he wins $1. So all the while we are watching this, not yet realizing it's a scam, when a couple walk up and notice what's going on and get into the whole thing. And the man in the couple wants to play, he says, "what the hell baby, it's Las Vegas, I'll bet $10."

Round and round it goes. "It's that one," says the man.  "You are right," says the card dealer in the parking lot, with no cameras, or security, or rules on nothing. So the guy does it again and loses, just for realities sake. Then wins again.

Anyway somehow my friend pulls out his whole tour budget and somehow decides he is going to bet, because it's easy money right? $100.00. Now it's getting serious. Round and round it goes, "which one is it"? "it's that one," WRONG. Oh shit I will bet another $100.00. LOSE.  Another $100.00. LOSE.

By the time he lost his first $100 I look at the couple, and notice they are both salivating and have dollar signs in their eyes, and realize they are in cahoots, on a colossal scam, and my friend is hooked like a hopeless fish being landed. So in a flash he loses every penny in his pocket and we haven't even made it into a single casino.

When I finally shake him and tell him he has been had, the crew of the card dealer and the two "tourists" had dispersed, in a way that seemed like it had been rehearsed a million times. Anyway it was amazing, and as bad as I felt for my kid, it was totally Las Vegas, and actually felt lucky to have experienced such an amazingly smooth Las Vegas scam.

My friend obviously felt like an Oblivious Fool, I only wish they would have opened that nights show with "Oblivious Fool."  That would have topped it off in the phishy style that happens from time to time. You know what I mean, that special magic that just kinda fits. It happens, that's for sure, but I guess just witnessing the scam was enough of a treat, even though it cost my friend $300.00 and me my extra Halloween ticket, because I gave it to him. It was so worth it to see him at the beginning of second set with a smile from ear to ear, the first one I had seen on him since we pulled in to that dreadful city.

So back to Halloween, I truly thought it was an amazing show, even though Trey got pissed, because he was hit with a glow stick and was knocked out of the trance he was in, in the middle of "Ghost" I think it was. BUT if I could do it over again, I would have sold my ticket for $300.00 and played poker all night, bought a Salt Lake City, Utah ticket for $10 and sat in for one of the most amazing shows I have ever heard. I've only heard it on tape I'm sad to say.

I was one of the many many kids who made up their minds that Utah would be a waste. Well you know what Trey says, "come waste your time with me," and he will make it worth your while. What a treat. The YEM, DWD, and Mango, and Moma Dance were the best I've ever heard... Mike dropping bombs everywhere.  Everyone talks about the "Dark Side of the Moon," which was mind boggling, but those four songs before the "gift" of the Dark Side were freakin' spectacular.

So needless to say I learned my lesson. If ever the hype of a show is low, I am going to make it a point to be there, hoping for something close to that amazing night in Utah. See ya kids. I'm sad to find out that the long trip we have all love so much has come to an end. "We're done," Trey says, wow what finality. I feel like someone died.

Such a big part of my life belongs to Phish, it is sad to know that that part of my life is over, even though I haven't seriously toured since the late 90's. So I wish you all the best in life and hope to see you when the boys realize they are a part of something bigger than themselves and can't handle not feeling the amazing energy, and magic we all experience together. I love it. Peace Out.

- Brandon Patching - phkid74@yahoo.com