I'm a nay sayer. Perhaps it's one of those bands you need to see live in order to "get".
for the most part, i'd say, yes. it's hard to grab a newb with big jams, especially with a band like phish. bands like the allman brothers, widespread panic and even the dead, seem to have more structure. phish are technical masters. they're the math rockers of the jam band scene. they're incredibly good at what they do, which may not be your cup of tea, but all of the small nuances, that may not translate well over your living room speakers, really come out in the live performance. once you see it for yourself, it's easier to listen to on your home stereo.
not to mention, the 5th member, chris kuroda, puts on one hell of a light show. he's hands down the best in the business.
they're also good performers, and often take a break from the serious jams to do stupid goofy shit that sounds horrible on tape, but is pretty fucking entertaining live.
all that aside....it's just a damn good time. it's a fucking travelling circus of freaks, geeks, hippies, old folks, young folks, doctors, lawyers, strippers and house wives. sober? no problem. they have a group called the phellowship that has a booth at every show and has meetings at setbreak in case you're feeling tempted. you'll never go to a show like a phish show. they're one of a kind.
i catch a lot of shit for being 33 years old and still seeing "that fucking band"....but this mainly comes from people that have never been. hell, after around 75 phish shows, i've yet to see the same show, and i'm still chasing a number of songs that i've never seen live. my suggestion, if you like good times, go. hell, even if you don't like good times, but want to see something that's truely one of a kind, go. it still might not be your thing, but it's worth a shot.
