Chanting
In the mid-Nineties, Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio announced that the band would play "Destiny Unbound" if the entire audience sang it. Consequently, the next several years saw many fan-led efforts to organize the audience and coordinate a mass chant. Throughout the tours, this occurred in 1996 at the Melkweg in Amsterdam and at the Red Rocks Amphitheater, in 1997 at the Hampton Coliseum (the famous "death chant" show), and in 1998 at the Lemonwheel, to name a few.
The 1997 Hampton show remains poignant in the memories of many fans for two reasons. First, when the band walked onstage after setbreak to see and hear the audience singing "Destiny Unbound" in unison, they were very surprised, and Trey Anastasio joked: "That just sounds like a horrible cannibalistic chant for people who want blood, I don't know what you're saying to me, right? Hunda neela rhonda gila rholla lilla gruh. Is this the human sacrifice part of the show? Alright, bring 'em up here" Second, the band's response to the audience's effort to revive "Destiny Unbound" seemed to indicate the reason for its disappearance. Phish.net posted this report by Jesse Alderman:
We made a really valiant effort to get the boys to play Destiny on Saturday 11.22.97 at Hampton. My friend printed up flyers and got the first 5 or 6 rows prepared to sing the first line to Destiny. We waited since 3:30 and landed some great front row seats. We befriended this great security guard who was a great help in organizing the chant at the set-break. Once they came the chant was loud and audible to the band. Fishman had a look of surprise. Mike was very stoic and was not at all amused. However, Trey and Page were loving it. They were both cracking up. Hence, the "human sacrifice" and "death chant" comments from Trey. Trey and Page proceeded to discuss something ... and they were still laughing. Then they looked over at Mike and he shoke his head and started up Halley's by himself. Trey, unaffected by Mike's unwillingness to play his song, shrugged his shoulders and busted out an amazing and long Halley's. Ostensibly, it seemed that we should not give up and that Mike is the one who is very objectionable on the Destiny issue.
Read more about this topic: Destiny Unbound
Famous quotes containing the word chanting:
“In the far South the sun of autumn is passing
Like Walt Whitman walking along a ruddy shore.
He is singing and chanting the things that are part of him,
The worlds that were and will be, death and day.
Nothing is final, he chants. No man shall see the end.
His beard is of fire and his staff is a leaping flame.”
—Wallace Stevens (1879–1955)
“Along the avenue of cypresses,
All in their scarlet cloaks and surplices
Of linen, go the chanting choristers,
The priests in gold and black, the villagers. . . .”
—D.H. (David Herbert)