Thanks to Jnan Blau (@thephunkydrb) for this exciting news!]

This, dear reader, is obviously a blog post on our beloved Dot Net. But it is also more than that. This here is also a heads-up, as well as a bit of an enjoinder. Maybe this is also a touch of a plea. It is certainly hoping to function as a woo-ing (not during-a-jam wooing, no no!) — you know, as in to woo (v.) someone. Most assuredly, this is an enthusiastic and genuine invitation to you, my fellow phans.

Indeed, I come bearing what is exciting news about something that maybe should be on your radar and that, it is hoped, will be of interest to many of you.

This writing comes to you on behalf of Phish Studies. Some of you have perhaps heard of us, and of the events we have been putting on the last several years. The first one was on the campgrounds of The Gorge in 2018; the last one happened this past spring. In a nutshell, gatherings of folks who are scholars/academics who turn their keen eyes and ears — and even keener minds and hearts — to unpacking and analyzing and theorizing and deeply appreciating this phenomenon we know as Phish and phandom. Maybe you caught wind of our most recent event, the second official, interdisciplinary Phish Studies Conference, held in May of this year at Oregon State University?

Before I get to the concrete news and invite, allow me to set the stage just a bit more...

I was at the first-ever Phish Studies Conference in May of 2019 (IWATC?). In a very real way, I’m still pinching myself that it happened, that that was real. One of the most fantastic, intellectually-stimulating, and heart-swelling weekends of my life. Truly. Suffice it to say, I learned so very much, from an amazing and varied group of scholars and experts from various disciplines (for a review, written by yours truly, posted right here, click here.). I was also lucky enough to attend the second Phish Studies Conference earlier this year. (For that review, click here.) What I said about Phish Studies 1.0 applies equally to Phish Studies 2.0. Truly dreamy and inspiring and educational and important, if you’re a Phish phan. Y’all have no idea. But if you want to get an idea, simply take a look at the schedule — let’s call it the setlist — for this year’s conference. Just take in some of the presentation titles. Doesn’t all that, or at least some of it, sound super interesting and intriguing, my fellow phans?

Which segues us right to the news/event that I want to draw your attention to. That I want to give you a heads-up about, enjoin you to, make a plea on behalf of, woo you with, and invite you most cordially.

For three Wednesdays in October, the launch of Phish Studies 101 is going down. Tasty morsels of Phish Studies for the wider community. We’re all in this together, and we like to take an intellectually-stimulating bath. Because, please trust, this stuff is too good to keep to ourselves, to keep locked up in the proverbial Ivory Tower of academia. More specifically, what we’re talking about is three webinars with content from Phish Studies folk, re-imagined as a kind of online class for the phan community. Each webinar will have distinct content, with analysis and food-for-thought during the first half, paired with a listening session led by musicologists during the second half. The content is almost finalized (we’re in the final stages of getting that firmed up). The webinars will happen October 9, 16, and 23, from 8:00-9:30 EST. All sessions will be recorded and registrants will be able to watch after the fact if you can't make it live.

A little more regarding the content. Think of this like a Phish show, with two sets. For now, we can tell you that the first sets of these three inaugural Phish Studies 101 webinars will be about:

• Phish and mental health practices, drawing from the research and expertise of practitioners of psychedelics-assisted therapy.
• How the law relates to sifting and thinking through the ethics around how space is occupied at shows (think rail-riders, tarpers, and chompers), led by legal scholars.
• A deep-dive look at statistics and show ratings, with a member of the Phish.net board in discussion with an economist who is a specialist in quantitative data.

The second set of each Phish Studies 101 webinar will consist of a guided close-listening session, led by music theorists and musicologists, during which they expertly break down what is happening in Phish jams in real time. In fact, we will be listening to three different versions of the same song over the three sessions (hint: it's the perfect song for spooky season).

Some more nuts and bolts… We will be charging a small fee for this: $20 for each webinar or $50 for all three. (Anyone remember the days of one beer for $2 and three for $5?). All webinar speakers/presenters are donating their time to Phish Studies 101. All the funds we raise will go to support Phish Studies, which aims to become a self-sustaining enterprise that continues to provide valuable and insightful content for the Phish community, including conferences, website and content hosting, scholarships, and more.

We solemnly swear that you will thoroughly enjoy this. The intent really is all for your delight and edification. I’ll say this: At both Phish Studies conferences, I was continually amazed at how much more I grew to love, understand, and appreciate both Phish the band and Phish the phenomenon as well as the phan community. (That love is like an ever-expansive ocean, I guess.) And everyone I have talked to at the conferences felt the same way. Control for smilers could not be bought. I’m going to venture that many, many of you are the kinds of phans who get lost in deep conversations about Phish, their music, the community, and the magic of their concerts. If so, Phish Studies really is a perfect place for you to continue channeling and refining that insight, love, and passion. Phish Studies is a scholarly community dedicated to exploring the rich tapestry of the band Phish, their music, and the unique culture surrounding them. We’d love to be the glue in your magnet for three evenings of Phish Studies 101 in October!

If you are interested (and who wouldn’t be? this stuff is pretty cool and unique!), complete this form to be kept in the loop. We are not yet sharing registration information and links, as we are still working on that. But, it’s coming soon, and this is happening! We expect that registration will be live in two weeks or so. So, sign up now, and keep your eyes peeled here and in other social media spaces. And, do share this with anyone who you think should lay eyes on this.

The time is near, the mission’s clear! Phish Studies 101 is almost here!

If you liked this blog post, one way you could "like" it is to make a donation to The Mockingbird Foundation, the sponsor of Phish.net. Support music education for children, and you just might change the world.