Even from the crowd, we form a relationship with the band members. We listen to the shows and try to discern what they're doing and how they're interacting. Usually that's not very successful because we bring our own biases into it (e.g. assuming everyone is using the same drugs that you are), but last night (and really the last few nights judging from the tapes) are different in one important way. The Trey from the early 90s is back.

I'm not talking guitar skills now, mind you, but the goof. The guy who was a bit of a geek but who had a blast anyway and who would make bad jokes between songs. It's been so long since he's been around that I had kind of forgotten he was ever there. The dynamics from the stage changed and we all just wrote it up as them maturing or wanting to try different things or just everyone getting old. Instead, it's starting to look like that was the on stage manifestation of how bad things had become with him. The music got dark - but it was still GOOD so no one cared - and the band got (well I hesitate to say more serious) less silly and we all rolled with that because, well the music.

The last few nights have been different. Trey's obviously been having fun on stage, more fun than I've seen him having at Phish in years. He's telling stories and having amusing banter and just being relaxed, and in doing so his old personality is starting to shine through again. Without even noticing it, I had really missed that. Yes, it's dangerous to project too much from the crowd and to try to figure out a lot about a personality that you've talked to twice since 1994, but it just feels like the darkness has lifted and in doing so, we can see just how bad things were for him and how much better they are now. Trey the rock star is gone, replaced by Trey the goofy guy who - oh by the way - is going to blow your mind with his guitar skills. Even more than the amazing shows being played right now, this is so great to see. I hope this can last.

And the light is growing brighter now...

Current Music: Light - Phish