thePULSEOn February 28th, Phish and its many layered fans flocked into downtown Worcester. The sold out Centrum show brought out more fans to the sidewalks than the 14,800-seat arena could hold.
More than two hours before the doors were to open at 6:30, tie-dye and dread-locks could be seen poking out of winter hats and jackets. The below zero temperature did not keep people from filling the streets and bars around Worcester center. The intersection of Worcester Center Boulevard and Central Street turned into the make-shift gathering place for most of the anxious concert goers — and wanna-be concert goers.
Dan Flynn was one of the first fans that could be seen on the walk out of the Fashion Outlet’s jacked up, event priced, twenty-dollar parking lot. His finger was pointing to the sky as he paced a ten foot area.
“I’m looking for a ticket,” Dan said. “I’m here with my buddies and I’m the only one that wasn’t able to get a ticket.”
Dan was not alone in being ticket-less. People could be seen “miracling” all around the Centrum. Anybody walking around with a finger up in the air is looking for somebody to give up a ticket.
The barter system is not exactly clear, though. There were only two shows left after the Worcester hoedown, so many were looking for a trade. The most open of fans was willing to let everybody know that they were prepared to offer 130 dollars for a single seat. On the opposite end of the spectrum, some were just looking for a miracle, in the form of a free ticket.
Whatever you were willing to offer (or not offer, as could be the case), it did seem like a slice of divine intervention was necessary to score a stray ticket as two out of three passer-bys were “miracling.”
Dan Flynn did not seem to be terribly concerned. “If I don’t get in I’ll just go to a bar,” he said. Hopefully he was able to take in the scene.
“I’ve got original artwork posters! Better than Pollock and cheaper!” one vendor offered. Obviously he was playing to an intelligent crowd. His posters featured drawings of Phish barreling down a road in a beat-up Chevy.
Adding to the ambiance was the unloading of bushels of flowers for the upcoming flower show in the Convention Center. There perhaps could not have been a better match: bright flowers and neo-hippies.
What did stick out was the number of pea coats preparing for the Phish festivities. Worcester’s college population was out in full force, and did not have any trouble integrating with the nomadic Phishers, and its always interesting to see the majority be a minority for a time.
With all of this, one can only imagine the ensuing spectacle on the inside of the Centrum. It would not be long before this entire cavalcade would roll out of Wormtown, probably only to repeat itself in Nassau—standard-fair for the veteran Phish fan, but an uncanny sight for Worcester.
