(this discussion regarding the "first glowstick war" took place 13 years ago at rec.music.phish)
(posted by [email protected] -- all original typos were left uncorrected)

On Sun, 14 Dec 1997, Jason Cowles wrote:
> That's all fine and dandy, but the FIRST glowstick war acually took place
> during the 11/25/94 Harpua when the green love beams battled the evil red
> beam of vocal hatred (or something like that... it was some time ago). So,
> the Went glowstick war was actually kind of a recreation of a past event
> in its own right...

I never even thought of that one. 11/25/94 was my first show, and that
moment was neat. But by no means does it compare to the power and majesty
of the Went. For those of you who weren't there on 11/25/94, during
Harpua, Trey began talking about angry red beams of vocal hatred coming
down from the mountain where Harpua and his mean, nasty owner lived [this
was a special Thanksgiving Harpua Story] and Poster Nutbag emmitted Green
Love Beams to combat the Giant Angry Red Beam of Vocal Hatred. Very funny
story. I had no idea at the time what I was witnessing. Anyway, during
the story, Trey paused (which makes me at times think this was planed) and
someone from the upper balcony of the UIC Pavillion chucked what seemed to
be about 50-100 green glowsticks down onto the floor right in front of
Page. It appeared to be a vendor who was carring them around in a box or
something, because they just *showered* down. Trey responded with "Look
at all the green love beams!" It was really cool.

At the Great Went, however, the entire theme of that second set was to
focus on the synergism between the audience and the band. That's what the
2001 jam was all about. That's what I (and many other people) felt during
the Bathtub Gin, and that's why I went bonkers (quite literally) when he
started talking about that mutual energy. When that glorious Hood came
on, and the lights were turned out at Trey's request so that we could look
at the "moon and our sculpture" it was like everything about Phish's
music was exemplified, right there for that brief moment. When one person
threw their glowstick, then two, then twenty, until it was raining "Green
Love Beams" it was, for me, the epitomie of the Phish experience. Here
was the audience, participating in and playing an active role in the
atmosphere, life, and direction of the music; just what Trey had finished
talking about.

I was very worried when I saw there had been a glowstick war at Albany. I
haven't seen many positive comments about it, only those who have said
"the band approved, so it must be ok." Now I wasn't there, so take this
with a grain of salt, but I cannot imagine that the experience there was
intense as it was at the Went. In fact, the only comments on the music
that I've heard was that the Hood was "ok."

I can understand those of you who think this could become a truly great
tradition, to throw glowsticks during the lightsless jam in Harry Hood at
the close of each tour, but I'd rather not see that happen again. Like
someone said, the last thing we want is for Phish to become predictable.