"Music is a spiritual expression of what's in your heart. Music as a way of getting rich is a pretty new thing, and I often wonder if the mega-bucks glitzy atmosphere is making the quality of music suffer. You have to work really hard to get around that and remember why you're in it in the first place: because you have to be. It's like an addiction. You can't go a day without picking up your guitar. To me, the only commercial goals that are really valid are, 'Boy, I wish I didn't have to go to work. I wish I could do this all the time." -Trey Anastasio
"Impose rules to make life simpler. Break them to make life more fun." -Jon Fishman
I am out here in San Francisco this week, doing some sightseeing in the Haight and The Misson. Sorry I don't have enough time to fill you in on all the details, but this is what I have been up to since Phish Tour ended and my time in Chicago.
After Chicago I drove to South Dakota to visit Michael Q. and see Mt. Rushmore. It was a long drive but worth the trip. I thought Rushmore was cool and would like to go back to see more of the Black Hills.
I said goodbye to our dead presidents and started the mad drive west. Rapid City>Denver>Dinner in Denver>Western Colorado in one day was tough, but then waking up to Western Colorado>Reno via Utah and Nevada Hwy 50 was both beautiful and grueling. I got pulled over in the Utah desert for speeding, but only got a verbal warning. I viewed this as a sign of (continued) good luck and decided to hit the blackjack tables in Reno. I was up and down all night, but ended up walking away with some cash and paid for my hotel room with the winnings.
The next morning I got up (this was last Friday, July 2) and headed to The High Sierra Music Festival in Quincy, CA. I will have to do another post about High Sierra separately, as there is too much craziness to talk about right now. In brief, I saw Galactic, Moe., Sound Tribe Sector 9, Particle, Xavier Wood, and several others, some more than once. The late night scene at High Sierra is something of a melding of the Hippie culture with the Rave culture- lots of costumes and glow rings and just general silliness. The people at the festival were very warm an inviting, I made lots of friends and it was an easy one to show up at solo. I would like to go back. Again, more later on High Sierra. It was a beautiful place and I cannot think of a better way to celebrate being an American on the 4th of July than dancing all night with like minded people in the mountains and enjoying life & freedom.
After High Sierra I was pretty strung out, so I headed to Ozlem's place in Santa Clara and basically slept all day and night on Monday and Tuesday. Last night we saw Fahrenheit 9/11 which I HIGHLY encourage that each and every one of you go see. After seeing it I feel angry and helpless, as well as thankful that I am so lucky to be able to enjoy such freedom in being able to drive across the country and celebrate life. I could go on and on about this, but in short I feel like I am in a way living the American Dream and so many people will never get to experience the things that I am right now. I am eating the fruits of prosperity...and realize, more than ever, how truly lucky I am. Don't take things in your life for granted- go see the movie, get informed, vote, and tell your friends and family that you love them, because there are many in other parts of the world that do not have what we have.
Hope all of you are doing well, I will probably hang out here in San Fran tonight and tomorrow, then head to Yosemite>Vegas>Grand Canyon and then finally back to Denver and perhaps look for a job (gasp!).