My first show was a wonderful and magical outing. It was in Columbus at the Polaris of '98. We were embarking on a four day run of great music that I had only heard on tape and through word of mouth. We began our trip from Erlanger Kentucky and headed north along the great windy road known as I75. We were making pretty good time most of the way up, but when we reached the outskirts of Columbus and had to find our campsite, we got lost.

After about an hour of driving in the wrong direction of the campsite, we finally entered from what the brochure said "Close To the Polaris Amphitheater," but really an hour away, campsite. We set up camp, and then it was almost time for the show, so we loaded up again and headed off.

It seemed like the longest hour of my life trying to just get to the show. I can't really remember if the traffic was that bad, but it moved pretty steady. We got to the gate, paid our parking fee, and then headed onto the field of phriends. It was really close to show time now so we drove pretty fast to find a place to park, and then set out for the gates of the show. From the long drive, our friends couldn't hold their bladder... maybe it was all the beer we consumed on the way in. But I was too excited to pee; I just wanted to get to our seats.

We met up with our friends once again and started to our seats. To my surprise, we start to hear beautiful music... thousands of people start screaming and the boys start playing. They opened up with MY Friend My Friend, and I could not believe it.

Now I have to go back aways to the Christmas of 97 (I believe). This is when I first received a Phish Album. I had been listening to this one song, My Friend My Friend, with my buddy Adam a couple of nights before, and my friend Mike remembered my liking of the song and purchased Rift for me for Christmas. So in all actuality, My Friend, My Friend was not only the first song I had heard from Phish, but the first song I had heard in concert.

Now I didn't realize what had happened until the first set was over. I mean the energy I experienced was amazing. We had seats for my first show and that made it somewhat intimate, even if there were thousands of people behind me.

The boys jammed out forever, songs like Ya Mar, Rift, Cities, Stash, Free, TMWSIY... I loved every minute of it. I didn't want it to end. We didn't leave our seats the whole show. I couldn't sit still during the set break. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. My friend Jason and I pondered what they would open up with.  Me, not knowing many songs, said my Fav, Punch you in the eye. But instead it was a phat jam of The curtain, which is really becoming one of my fav songs. They jammed on and on until the set closer. 

We all screamed and whistled for the boys to come back out and of course they did. But from the first notes, I thought I was going to leave my body and swim around the sky above. It was my Fav song at the time, Punch you in the Eye!! I couldn't believe it, and my friends were ecstatic for me. They were saying things like "That is what it's all about." I didn't know what that meant at the time, but in my perspective now, it really leads me to believe that that show was meant for me. It was planned for decades for this little guy from Kentucky, to come see this show and become one with himself and the music around him. It was an epiphany.

We did the other four shows with style... booze near the fire, Grilled cheese on a greasy skillet, veggie burritos from a chick with a beautiful dog. And to the lady selling Gatorade outside the first night Deer Creek, you were sent from above to quench my thirst. I think I would have paid a million dollars for that Gatorade, but she only charged me a buck. To all of you at Polaris, thank you for making my Phirst Show a great one indeed.

Sincerely, a Newbie, now, later, and forever.

 - Don Deaton

Editor's Note: Combine a first show with the true kindness, and you're hooked for life.