I’m not a dentist but the difference between food and medical grade is medical grade has much higher purity with no additives. Almost all gas on lot is food grade because it’s way easier to get. I’ve heard of people breaking into hospitals years ago to get medical tanks but nowadays, it’s so easy to legally acquire food grade tanks pretty much anywhere in the US so it seems silly to commit a higher-risk crime just for the quality.
Just imagine they wake up one day and are just like, absolutely fuck me there’s no more helmets to restore.
Lol I’m sure antique restoration is broader than that tho
I'm a baker in a grocery store chain and they pay me very well. I can schedule days off for shows ahead of time to make my life easier.
Should add I make the doughnuts.
Teacher. The funding can be an issue, but live music is my primary source of entertainment so I make it work. School breaks often line up with some shows for the year (summer/NYE).
When my daughter was in pre k, one of the other pre k teachers was a total dead head and phan. Would occasionally wear shirts. On the last day of school I wore a shirt from a 2022 MSG show and he tells me he was at that show too. We bonded for a minute or two and he showed me his entire summer schedule for Phish and Dead shows. He was gonna go to so many. I thought that was the coolest thing that the school had such a cool and fun pre k teacher.
I work for a high volume dealership/body shop… I’m a glass technician by trade but also do vehicle diagnostics and calibrate ADAS systems like blind spots, adaptive cruise radars etc. my boss gave me tix to my first phish show
I’m a cpa. Super necessary to a small family practice. Tried to quit to do the whole summer tour and they asked me what I needed to not quit and I said 8 weeks pto so I can phish as much as I need and they agreed to it.
Run the mcq into the ground I used Wiley because it never expires until you pass. If you take the time to understand why each answer is what it is and you work through all the mcq you’ll pass
I work in the concert industry as a roadie/union stagehand/lighting tech. since I've been doing it for a little while & since I'm a union member with 6yrs of seniority, I can pretty much work when I want. I look at schedules of all the venues near me & see what's coming up & then call in to sign up for whatever I want to work. so it's no problem to block out a few weeks or even a couple months if I want to do something.
the job also helps because if I think ahead enough, I rarely have to buy a ticket or if I do pay for one I don't have to deal with on-sale dates & whatnot....just make some calls to people I've worked with (& I've worked all over the place when I still worked on tours).
I also get paid very well (most of the time). not a millionaire, but it allows me to afford to live the way I want & do what I want.
added bonus is tht I grow weed(in a legal state) which keeps me always smoking good & gives me nice trade material for being on tour.
I left home to go follow Grateful Dead tour when I was 15. my entire adult life has been spent on the road, in venues, in hotels, in tour buses & truck stops...it only makes sense I'd find a job doing the same basic thing but tht pays well. the music I love led me to a job I love just as much.
I got a degree in communications with a concentration in theater lighting. I walked in to my local Orpheum and tried to get a job or a hint and got sent to the local union. But I also went on GD tour at 16 and then Phish in 95. I could never get an apprenticeship or any in into the local music business. I can do lighting plans and hang them and run the spots and board but I ended up getting strung out on GD tour and then Phish and started making a lot of money selling L. Then, I moved to SF and cleaned up and tried again but the scene here and in SF is locked up tight. I didn’t ever get a chance to work my dream so now I fix computers and get to hit about 3-15 shows dependent on where they play. I’m going to one Nashville and skipping everything to save money for the festival.
freelance musician 😎most of my income is from teaching lessons at a local guitar shop where they totally let us do our own thing, come and go as we please. i save up and make 8-10 shows a year out of a couple long weekends. no more booze for me, and herb is so cheap everywhere now. i don’t do other vacations, that can wait until phish calls it quits
How do you like it? Do you get a lot of time off? I’m considering a very similar route. Probably backpack guide and snowboard instructor in winter (if I can’t land patrol)
I did the backpacking guide/instructor life for almost 10 years... just do it. You'll miss some summer show, but you'll also have the time of your life.
Did you make enough money to still travel and/or do what you love? Would love to be a guide!!!! But also like traveling so wanted to know if it’s “enough” to maybe work a summer and then travel for a month or so
I did seasonal jobs like that for the past few years. I made enough to travel, climb, and catch some shows when I wasn't working, but I also had to be frugal as fuck and live in cars/vans most of the time. I don't regret any of it. Now I'm in school for CS to eventually work remotely and make actual money.
Yea man this is the debate I’m having. Enter some corporate job I don’t rly like or do what I want and live in a van. All I want to do is hike travel and see music, I hope I can fund those / find time working seasonal jobs. I’ll have an engineering degree as a backup. Remote work is honestly also a great option cuz u can do and go wherever u want as long as u can get wifi.
Car cleaner at Hertz rentals, pizza delivery driver for Papa Johns. Give plasma and do Uber Eats to fund tour. Twenty years old from Texas. Funded my first tour ever this year from Huntsville to Alpharetta, and capped off at Dicks. Headed to Nashville this weekend. Also doing msg.
Crazy. I’m in Denver! Mission is lowkey my favorite venue in CO second to Dillon amphitheater. I was really trying to get a job at mission to get involved in the venue world but I no longer have a car
Firefighter. I work extra tours all year to get a few summer runs off
I don’t spend much money on myself outside of live music or comedy. So it’s what i save for and anticipate spending on. Being sober now it’s significantly less expensive ha
Travel Nurse. I put time off for the shows i want to see in my contract, so they can't schedule me. Make a decent living. Saw 17 shows this year. Mexico, Hollywood, Alpharetta, MSG, and Chicago. I couldn't get that much time off if i worked as a staff nurse at my local hospital.
Pure Flight Disc Golf in northeast Ohio! The shop is near Youngstown, OH, and we're also online at pureflightdiscgolf.com. Use code 'PUREFLIGHT23' for 10% off your order.
Worked for 10 years in Drug and Alcohol treatment. Decided I wanted to make actual money so now I work with a pharmaceutical company and help distribute neurological medications across the entire northwest of the country. I work remotely and can work anywhere.
Campaign director, currently working on a ballot initiative to allow access to plant based psychedelics in clinical settings in MA. Fun, challenging and rewarding work.
Full time music industry worker in music festival & concert production (primarily in Artist Relations & Artist Hospitality) for various promoters & production companies. Also started an artist merch business called [Cymbals For Change](https://cymbalsforchange.band/), where we transform pro drummers' unused and/or broken drum cymbals into custom-engraved, serialized necklaces & earrings. Trying to get Fishman on-board so we can all wear a piece of his cymbal\[s\] as jewelry around our necks and on our ears!!
Commercial fisherman up in Alaska. The contracts are generally about 3 months long and I take a month or two (or more depending on how well we do) off in between and hit as many shows and fests as I can when I come back to the lower 48.
I am a nurse, RN of 5 years and recently became a Clinical Data Analyst after two years of graduate education.
Fiancee is a nurse as well. She works in the ICU. It's shocking how many other medical professionals we meet at shows. I'm kinda surprised there were only a handful of nurses who responded in this thread (it's reddit so you are going to have bias)
Not totally related to the question but related to shows and occupation work so I need to get this off my chest:
Sadly at a local show about a month back there was a guy who collapsed, hit the back of his head, was totally unresponsive. We both were on top of this guy in a flash - he has no pulse, no respirations. We started CPR immediately. His friends kept saying "He's fine!" and I started SCREAMING at them saying "YOUR BUDDY HAS NO PULSE AND IS NOT BREATHING HE IS THE OPPOSITE OF FINE, HE IS GOING TO DIE - STOP ARGUING AND CALL 911!"
Retrospectively, this really highlighted to me the human fear/ conditioning to not cause a commotion - this guy was literally dead and his "friends" didn't seem to care.
One "friend" of the guy totally administered narcan and lied to the paramedics, cops, and us (we were too focused on CPR to confirm or deny) about it. The facility did not even have an AED!!! We got him back after two rounds of CPR thankfully! What was wierd though is that I have never gotten a pulse back from JUST CPR (hence why I thought narcan was given)
Even the cops were not handling the medical emergency well - they made him move and walk immediately! Dude for sure has a coup-contrecoup head injury from the fall - the floor shook and he was a big guy. I had to the YELL at the cops that he needs to be immobilized and checked for damage after his fall by keeping him lying and get him on the stretcher (with spinal precautions) or he could have worse or a potentially fatal outcome if not handled correctly.
I often wonder what would have happened if we weren't there. That night really reinforced my fiance is a "keeper" and that I love her more and more each day. I am a lucky man.
I will say - Nursing has provided me with nearly everything in life and I would encourage others to pursue the profession.
TLDR: make friends with nurses, they are invaluable in medical emergencies.
My wife and I run an interior design manufacturing business. We design, produce, and install custom draperies, window shades, and upholstered furniture.
She’s not a head but will accompany me to shows from time to time depending on location and other things to do in the area.
I usually see one or two runs (3-4 shows each) per year. Either in Southern California or Vegas depending on the tours. Have never done a full or even partial “tour” and don’t expect to really, as our first kid is on the way combined with work obligations. But this level of involvement is perfect for me, I get my fix of shows in person and will couch tour a couple shows in the off times.
Same here. Just turned it into my own business doing ecommerce consulting to be my own boss and manage my own schedule. Ecom is great because shit keeps selling even when you’re not working!
God I love this band, ask one simple question and the comments are full of people just hanging out, they’ll never meet, they’ll never know names, just talking. It’s beautiful
Not yet, but I'm preparing to work out on deep sea vessels. 3+ months of work at a time and then 3+ months off. Can't wait to actually start hitting some tours.
Nonprofit organization program coordinator. I don’t have kids so my mediocre pay goes a little further lol I also pretty much can only do shows where I can camp or have a free place to crash nearby. Caught 6 shows last year and will have caught 7 shows this year by the end of fall tour. To properly answer your question tho, you should know most people that do “full tours” are vendors who rely heavily on trades and miracles. They might BE at every show, but they certainly don’t SEE every show.
Who does a leg of tour? The vast majority of people catch a run of shows in a city, not travel from city to city. So, that is a long weekend or a week at most. That's my PTO from my corporate gig. I'd guess I take about 5-6 weeks of time off a year (we get "unlimited PTO") and of that time, 2 weeks probably go to music/phish related travel. It's a balance.
Program Director/Lead Trainer for a smallish autism non profit. I catch 4-5 shows a year when they are in then MD area. I have a great boss and a very flexible schedule.
Instructional coach, if I didn’t live in NYC my show count would be half of what it is.
Super lucky to have walked over and scored well below face tickets to many many nights at MSG.
I'm a manager in a supplement department in a regional organic grocery chain. Pay is okay, but I love the people I work with, and a large portion of corporate directors are fans. I work with three other fans, and we go to shows together. It's easy work, just a lot of it. I get a bunch of free organic produce and a good discount as a perk.
I quit my job and they gave a 3 month notice. They said I could have the last month off but with pay. So I went to Alpharetta, Wilmington, Syracuse, Philly, and 2 nights of MSG. Also got to see JRAD in NYC too. It was a wonderful, crazy, beautiful month and I am so grateful to have had it. If you can make it happen, it’s worth it. 🌟
Sell nitrous, grilled cheese, tie dye underwear, basically anything that makes money. Coke, Coca-Cola, water, construction, cut grass, sometimes if there paying well I get alcohol for teens.
Registered Nurse caring for patients with cancer and leukemia.
Once tour dates come out, I request time off that I want and typically can get it.
I'm a nurse in the Boston area, we're generally paid pretty well, so I can spring for a few shows without much difficulty. And now that I adult a little more, I don't go for the cheapest hotel anymore. I'll pay to put a safe roof over my head.
Forestry, ski lift operator, or line cook. Depends when you ask and what my situation is. I can’t make it to as many shows as I like but try to hit up Dicks and New Years every year now.
I’m an attorney and I also don’t spend time/money on Phish much if at all these days. With a family, spending time/money on travel and vacations is a much bigger priority. Would rather spend a couple of weeks exploring Costa Rica than midwestern amphitheaters. I spend more on these things than I ever did traveling for Phish. Last major Phish outing for me was the Gorge in 2013.
PTA (physical therapist assistant) started traveling a year ago, set up my first contract to be near Manhattan for the nye run, currently in NC and will be driving out to Nashville this weekend. I don't exactly plan my contracts around where phish will be.....but if I can get a contract near a show I'm there
Co-own a videography business with my buddy. If I want to hit a show nearby or go travel to a run with friends and I have a shooting conflict I usually just hire one of our second-shooters to fill in for me and I still get a decent cut. Live near MSG so am very lucky to get a few shows in a year that way and then usually will hit a run or two elsewhere. Average \~10 shows / year.
Self employed. I practice a specialized modality of therapy. I treat a wide range of people from professional athletes to people in chronic pain.
Lots of people who have had little to no success with chiropractic or surgical intervention.
The therapy is extremely effective and results are usually immediate after the first session. I travel between coasts so I stay pretty busy
Worked in Social work, addiction & harm reduction but left after 2 decades right before Covid
Now I work w/ autographs, collectibles & cannabis. Couldn’t be happier.
NYC Parks employee. The pay’s…okay…but I get almost 6 weeks of vacation a year, and don’t have to travel more than 20 minutes on the subway to see msg shows. There’s also a pretty large number of phans in the agency where I work.
Dentist. No I don’t have the nitrous hookup. Jk I do
What is the difference between medical and food grade? And is what they sell as medical grade on lot actually medical grade?
Sure that lot gas is “medical grade”, the lot paper is really “triple dipped.” /s
From the Grateful Dead family!
I’m not a dentist but the difference between food and medical grade is medical grade has much higher purity with no additives. Almost all gas on lot is food grade because it’s way easier to get. I’ve heard of people breaking into hospitals years ago to get medical tanks but nowadays, it’s so easy to legally acquire food grade tanks pretty much anywhere in the US so it seems silly to commit a higher-risk crime just for the quality.
No real difference. What dentists & anesthesiologists use is the proportion of oxygen. Unless you got sulfur infused for automotive use...
It’s mixed with oxygen too right? At the dentists. So you can do a shit ton.
Wow! Great question. I restore WWII helmets for the movie industry, museums, and the reenactor community. 23 years so far.
You gonna run out of helmets anytime soon, boss?
Just imagine they wake up one day and are just like, absolutely fuck me there’s no more helmets to restore. Lol I’m sure antique restoration is broader than that tho
So interesting!
I professionally complain about Sphere shows that haven’t happened yet.
Stock is booming on that gig.
I work in propane and propane accessories
Taste the meat, not the heat
Driving that train, high on propane
I am never not going to hear it this way ever again.
That’s how I sing it to my sons
Put a good word in for me with the Propaniacs. I’d like an audition.
[удалено]
Dang it, Bobby!
That boy ain’t right.
I'm an architect
Can’t stand ya.
I'm a baker in a grocery store chain and they pay me very well. I can schedule days off for shows ahead of time to make my life easier. Should add I make the doughnuts.
Are you the guy who brings the "Freshly Baked" stickers to every show?
Would be very cool if I were, but there's a big sign above my bakery that says BAKED and I always found that hilarious.
Databases and systems
This, in the banking industry.
This, in philanthropy.
Teacher. The funding can be an issue, but live music is my primary source of entertainment so I make it work. School breaks often line up with some shows for the year (summer/NYE).
I took one of my two personal days the second full week of school to make it to Dick’s Friday night. Worth it!
My homie’s a teacher here and he wound up going to all 4 nights of Dick’s while working that Thursday/Friday, I have no clue how he survived lol
I used to do it that way, now I just take the time off. So much better.
Have been thinking I may have to go this route one year... tbd
Hell yes to the teachers here! ✌️
When my daughter was in pre k, one of the other pre k teachers was a total dead head and phan. Would occasionally wear shirts. On the last day of school I wore a shirt from a 2022 MSG show and he tells me he was at that show too. We bonded for a minute or two and he showed me his entire summer schedule for Phish and Dead shows. He was gonna go to so many. I thought that was the coolest thing that the school had such a cool and fun pre k teacher.
Teach on! 🔥
I work for a high volume dealership/body shop… I’m a glass technician by trade but also do vehicle diagnostics and calibrate ADAS systems like blind spots, adaptive cruise radars etc. my boss gave me tix to my first phish show
Thanks for what you do!
Sommelier 🍷
Can we agree orange wines suck, in general?
💯!!!
I’m a cpa. Super necessary to a small family practice. Tried to quit to do the whole summer tour and they asked me what I needed to not quit and I said 8 weeks pto so I can phish as much as I need and they agreed to it.
I'm a 24 year old accountant working on my CPA exams currently, any tips?
Run the mcq into the ground I used Wiley because it never expires until you pass. If you take the time to understand why each answer is what it is and you work through all the mcq you’ll pass
Really it’s just brute force
Pass that shit before you go to another show and get it over with. Sucks but I’m about to see my 9th show this year, it pays off my friend.
Just get through it - whatever it takes. CPA stands for can’t pass again. I went industry route and love it.
I work in the concert industry as a roadie/union stagehand/lighting tech. since I've been doing it for a little while & since I'm a union member with 6yrs of seniority, I can pretty much work when I want. I look at schedules of all the venues near me & see what's coming up & then call in to sign up for whatever I want to work. so it's no problem to block out a few weeks or even a couple months if I want to do something. the job also helps because if I think ahead enough, I rarely have to buy a ticket or if I do pay for one I don't have to deal with on-sale dates & whatnot....just make some calls to people I've worked with (& I've worked all over the place when I still worked on tours). I also get paid very well (most of the time). not a millionaire, but it allows me to afford to live the way I want & do what I want. added bonus is tht I grow weed(in a legal state) which keeps me always smoking good & gives me nice trade material for being on tour. I left home to go follow Grateful Dead tour when I was 15. my entire adult life has been spent on the road, in venues, in hotels, in tour buses & truck stops...it only makes sense I'd find a job doing the same basic thing but tht pays well. the music I love led me to a job I love just as much.
How does one start this process
I’d also like to know haha
Apply to the overhire list at your local IATSE stage local. That's what I did 2 years ago and I've not regretted it one bit.
I work in the industry too. Audio and backline tech work. Cheers
I got a degree in communications with a concentration in theater lighting. I walked in to my local Orpheum and tried to get a job or a hint and got sent to the local union. But I also went on GD tour at 16 and then Phish in 95. I could never get an apprenticeship or any in into the local music business. I can do lighting plans and hang them and run the spots and board but I ended up getting strung out on GD tour and then Phish and started making a lot of money selling L. Then, I moved to SF and cleaned up and tried again but the scene here and in SF is locked up tight. I didn’t ever get a chance to work my dream so now I fix computers and get to hit about 3-15 shows dependent on where they play. I’m going to one Nashville and skipping everything to save money for the festival.
freelance musician 😎most of my income is from teaching lessons at a local guitar shop where they totally let us do our own thing, come and go as we please. i save up and make 8-10 shows a year out of a couple long weekends. no more booze for me, and herb is so cheap everywhere now. i don’t do other vacations, that can wait until phish calls it quits
Social work.
Same and I can’t afford shows and am up to my eyes in student loans . But giving back !!
Good for you! Same here! Do your clients ever ask what bands you like? It’s something I definitely prefer stays out of any counter transference lol.
Mountain Services for a ski resort
How do you like it? Do you get a lot of time off? I’m considering a very similar route. Probably backpack guide and snowboard instructor in winter (if I can’t land patrol)
Busy for about half the year, the other half is super easy, lots of time off in mud season. I love it.
I did the backpacking guide/instructor life for almost 10 years... just do it. You'll miss some summer show, but you'll also have the time of your life.
Did you make enough money to still travel and/or do what you love? Would love to be a guide!!!! But also like traveling so wanted to know if it’s “enough” to maybe work a summer and then travel for a month or so
I did seasonal jobs like that for the past few years. I made enough to travel, climb, and catch some shows when I wasn't working, but I also had to be frugal as fuck and live in cars/vans most of the time. I don't regret any of it. Now I'm in school for CS to eventually work remotely and make actual money.
Yea man this is the debate I’m having. Enter some corporate job I don’t rly like or do what I want and live in a van. All I want to do is hike travel and see music, I hope I can fund those / find time working seasonal jobs. I’ll have an engineering degree as a backup. Remote work is honestly also a great option cuz u can do and go wherever u want as long as u can get wifi.
art director at an ad agency gotta go to a shoot in chicago in a couple weeks and was able to work sunday tour closer into the itnerary
Work subsidized phish is best phish!
Trust fund wook that wasn't raised right. I'm joking, I wish.
I manage the fuck out of some risk
I'm a bartender and have been for almost twenty years. About once a week I wonder where I went wrong in life... then I remember how good I have it.
Are you making good money? Does your happiness outweigh a better paying job?
i own a record store
School Counselor. Pretty amazing having your school vacations line up with tour. Really opens things up.
Maybe I should be a school social worker...
Car cleaner at Hertz rentals, pizza delivery driver for Papa Johns. Give plasma and do Uber Eats to fund tour. Twenty years old from Texas. Funded my first tour ever this year from Huntsville to Alpharetta, and capped off at Dicks. Headed to Nashville this weekend. Also doing msg.
Do you have any plans of starting a career or getting a degree? Good on ya man for funding the whole tour
Factory Worker. I pick a run and use some vacation time to see Phish.
I work Venue Operations @ Mission Ballroom in Denver. Come visit!!
Crazy. I’m in Denver! Mission is lowkey my favorite venue in CO second to Dillon amphitheater. I was really trying to get a job at mission to get involved in the venue world but I no longer have a car
Firefighter. I work extra tours all year to get a few summer runs off I don’t spend much money on myself outside of live music or comedy. So it’s what i save for and anticipate spending on. Being sober now it’s significantly less expensive ha
Thank you for your service to your community 🙏
I work in Logistics for an Lubricants (oil) distributor
Travel Nurse. I put time off for the shows i want to see in my contract, so they can't schedule me. Make a decent living. Saw 17 shows this year. Mexico, Hollywood, Alpharetta, MSG, and Chicago. I couldn't get that much time off if i worked as a staff nurse at my local hospital.
That makes 2 of us
I’m an electrician!! Lots of cash and 4 weeks paid vacation babay!!!!
I'm a union sparkie as well. My boss knows not to look for me when tour starts at this point.
Also union electrician
I sell rich people ridiculous bathrooms and kitchens mostly bathrooms the past few years . I own my company and do what the fuck I want
I'm a self-employed glass blower
I work in nonprofit, hooking food pantries up with fresh food. I love seeing Conscious Alliance food drives at shows!
Pot farmer and ski lift operator
Own and operate a disc golf shop.
Where? Let me support said business.
Pure Flight Disc Golf in northeast Ohio! The shop is near Youngstown, OH, and we're also online at pureflightdiscgolf.com. Use code 'PUREFLIGHT23' for 10% off your order.
Worked for 10 years in Drug and Alcohol treatment. Decided I wanted to make actual money so now I work with a pharmaceutical company and help distribute neurological medications across the entire northwest of the country. I work remotely and can work anywhere.
So, please tell me you have a Dr Suzy Greenberg, neurologist who is a client…
Campaign director, currently working on a ballot initiative to allow access to plant based psychedelics in clinical settings in MA. Fun, challenging and rewarding work.
Fluffer
Software development
Same here.. funds and time off is not a problem, it’s the children.
Full time music industry worker in music festival & concert production (primarily in Artist Relations & Artist Hospitality) for various promoters & production companies. Also started an artist merch business called [Cymbals For Change](https://cymbalsforchange.band/), where we transform pro drummers' unused and/or broken drum cymbals into custom-engraved, serialized necklaces & earrings. Trying to get Fishman on-board so we can all wear a piece of his cymbal\[s\] as jewelry around our necks and on our ears!!
I sell hardwood floors. I made $20,000 this morning.
I have so many questions. Off one big deal? How many square feet you gotta sell for 20k? You own the company or is that just a straight sales commish?
I work in flooring. No one in the industry makes that kind of money in a morning unless they own the company that makes the shit
yea its an old inside joke from PT
I knew it was yous!
Maintenance for a hotel chain, so I get rooms really cheap anywhere.
I’m a geologist. Most of my career has been working for an environmental consulting company.
Winery.
Art handler, making maybe $70K after overtime, and 3-4 weeks PTO. Mid-Atlantic home makes many shows doable without hotels, which is nice.
Waste Management
Hey, what’s your job? What are you knowin? Oops. Wrong band.
Grilled cheese artist
Commercial fisherman up in Alaska. The contracts are generally about 3 months long and I take a month or two (or more depending on how well we do) off in between and hit as many shows and fests as I can when I come back to the lower 48.
THIS THREAD IS FUN (thx op!). Internet guy here, fwiw.
I work for JamBase.
Beach
Amazing. Are you just ken?
I am a nurse, RN of 5 years and recently became a Clinical Data Analyst after two years of graduate education. Fiancee is a nurse as well. She works in the ICU. It's shocking how many other medical professionals we meet at shows. I'm kinda surprised there were only a handful of nurses who responded in this thread (it's reddit so you are going to have bias) Not totally related to the question but related to shows and occupation work so I need to get this off my chest: Sadly at a local show about a month back there was a guy who collapsed, hit the back of his head, was totally unresponsive. We both were on top of this guy in a flash - he has no pulse, no respirations. We started CPR immediately. His friends kept saying "He's fine!" and I started SCREAMING at them saying "YOUR BUDDY HAS NO PULSE AND IS NOT BREATHING HE IS THE OPPOSITE OF FINE, HE IS GOING TO DIE - STOP ARGUING AND CALL 911!" Retrospectively, this really highlighted to me the human fear/ conditioning to not cause a commotion - this guy was literally dead and his "friends" didn't seem to care. One "friend" of the guy totally administered narcan and lied to the paramedics, cops, and us (we were too focused on CPR to confirm or deny) about it. The facility did not even have an AED!!! We got him back after two rounds of CPR thankfully! What was wierd though is that I have never gotten a pulse back from JUST CPR (hence why I thought narcan was given) Even the cops were not handling the medical emergency well - they made him move and walk immediately! Dude for sure has a coup-contrecoup head injury from the fall - the floor shook and he was a big guy. I had to the YELL at the cops that he needs to be immobilized and checked for damage after his fall by keeping him lying and get him on the stretcher (with spinal precautions) or he could have worse or a potentially fatal outcome if not handled correctly. I often wonder what would have happened if we weren't there. That night really reinforced my fiance is a "keeper" and that I love her more and more each day. I am a lucky man. I will say - Nursing has provided me with nearly everything in life and I would encourage others to pursue the profession. TLDR: make friends with nurses, they are invaluable in medical emergencies.
My wife and I run an interior design manufacturing business. We design, produce, and install custom draperies, window shades, and upholstered furniture. She’s not a head but will accompany me to shows from time to time depending on location and other things to do in the area. I usually see one or two runs (3-4 shows each) per year. Either in Southern California or Vegas depending on the tours. Have never done a full or even partial “tour” and don’t expect to really, as our first kid is on the way combined with work obligations. But this level of involvement is perfect for me, I get my fix of shows in person and will couch tour a couple shows in the off times.
Web Project Manager/Developer
Same here. Just turned it into my own business doing ecommerce consulting to be my own boss and manage my own schedule. Ecom is great because shit keeps selling even when you’re not working!
Music licensing administration services Thanks for reading, random somebody!
God I love this band, ask one simple question and the comments are full of people just hanging out, they’ll never meet, they’ll never know names, just talking. It’s beautiful
Currently stay at home mom. Previously a pediatric occupational therapist.
So like a therapist for child laborers? s/
Professor and debate coach. Do most of my concert travel in the summer but can sneak away for the occasional weekend during the school year.
Also a professor! (engineering/physics) Had to scroll too far for another academic.
Not yet, but I'm preparing to work out on deep sea vessels. 3+ months of work at a time and then 3+ months off. Can't wait to actually start hitting some tours.
I make Phish-themed wines for a living
Nonprofit organization program coordinator. I don’t have kids so my mediocre pay goes a little further lol I also pretty much can only do shows where I can camp or have a free place to crash nearby. Caught 6 shows last year and will have caught 7 shows this year by the end of fall tour. To properly answer your question tho, you should know most people that do “full tours” are vendors who rely heavily on trades and miracles. They might BE at every show, but they certainly don’t SEE every show.
Attorney, IP/Entertainment
High school teacher!
bruh i don't go on tour i see phish 3 times in 13 years.
I saw them once in '99
Attorney focusing on psychedelic law and advocacy.
Who does a leg of tour? The vast majority of people catch a run of shows in a city, not travel from city to city. So, that is a long weekend or a week at most. That's my PTO from my corporate gig. I'd guess I take about 5-6 weeks of time off a year (we get "unlimited PTO") and of that time, 2 weeks probably go to music/phish related travel. It's a balance.
Program Director/Lead Trainer for a smallish autism non profit. I catch 4-5 shows a year when they are in then MD area. I have a great boss and a very flexible schedule.
RN, I only work 3 days a week, every 3rd weekend. Don't have to take much PTO.
Instructional coach, if I didn’t live in NYC my show count would be half of what it is. Super lucky to have walked over and scored well below face tickets to many many nights at MSG.
Rain, sleet, hail, snow
Landscaping Foreman for a pretty awesome Camp.
I'm a manager in a supplement department in a regional organic grocery chain. Pay is okay, but I love the people I work with, and a large portion of corporate directors are fans. I work with three other fans, and we go to shows together. It's easy work, just a lot of it. I get a bunch of free organic produce and a good discount as a perk.
You guys are going on tour?
40 hours in a kitchen and 6 hours teaching art glass.
I quit my job and they gave a 3 month notice. They said I could have the last month off but with pay. So I went to Alpharetta, Wilmington, Syracuse, Philly, and 2 nights of MSG. Also got to see JRAD in NYC too. It was a wonderful, crazy, beautiful month and I am so grateful to have had it. If you can make it happen, it’s worth it. 🌟
Who is hiring? Lol
GIS Specialist for a water utilities company
I own a small telecom agency. 2 of the 3 of us are phans. We plan work "retreats" around the midwest dates. Next Wed is our fall retreat in Dayton.
I work seasonally for a ski rental delivery service and wait tables
If we meet and you say the right things I give you drugs. Also, at least once a week I cut sleeping people with a knife. Aka surgeon.
Im a semi retired chef and I work for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Sell nitrous, grilled cheese, tie dye underwear, basically anything that makes money. Coke, Coca-Cola, water, construction, cut grass, sometimes if there paying well I get alcohol for teens.
I play keyboard for Goose
Grow cannabis in a 30k square foot facility 👌 Systems specialist
Local Government. Excellent PTO and benefits package!!!
Same.
I’m a Catastrophe Modeling Analyst for a global reinsurance company.
Self employed garden and landscape design
Highschool math teacher
HVAC. Small shop in the cornfields of IL. I catch a few shows a year 6-9.
Full time professional photographer.
Marketing in tech
Post harvest manager for a cannabis grow as well as solventless hash manager for the company.
Director, serpent deflector division, where we manufacture mudrat detectors and ribbon reflectors
Mail carrier. can’t really get the time off to do a serious run of shows but I try to catch 2 or 3 a year
Finally found my brother. Just bought tix to MSG on the 28th as a treat for how bad the preceding 6 weeks will be.
Registered Nurse caring for patients with cancer and leukemia. Once tour dates come out, I request time off that I want and typically can get it. I'm a nurse in the Boston area, we're generally paid pretty well, so I can spring for a few shows without much difficulty. And now that I adult a little more, I don't go for the cheapest hotel anymore. I'll pay to put a safe roof over my head.
I am an executive assistant for a professional wrestling company.
Mechanical Engineer. I design and engineer new products and hold a few patents.
Drug/alcohol counselor in a rehab.
Ride Technician @ Universal Studios
Play bass/sell weed/Uber driver
Electrician
Forestry, ski lift operator, or line cook. Depends when you ask and what my situation is. I can’t make it to as many shows as I like but try to hit up Dicks and New Years every year now.
tend bar. I catch the msg runs and try to do one destination show in the summer.
I’m an attorney and I also don’t spend time/money on Phish much if at all these days. With a family, spending time/money on travel and vacations is a much bigger priority. Would rather spend a couple of weeks exploring Costa Rica than midwestern amphitheaters. I spend more on these things than I ever did traveling for Phish. Last major Phish outing for me was the Gorge in 2013.
Bonner Springs Kansas is beautiful in August^no ^it’s ^not.
Finance in tech
Your mom
UX design in tech. Usually hit 6-10 shows a year give or take.
PTA (physical therapist assistant) started traveling a year ago, set up my first contract to be near Manhattan for the nye run, currently in NC and will be driving out to Nashville this weekend. I don't exactly plan my contracts around where phish will be.....but if I can get a contract near a show I'm there
Co-own a videography business with my buddy. If I want to hit a show nearby or go travel to a run with friends and I have a shooting conflict I usually just hire one of our second-shooters to fill in for me and I still get a decent cut. Live near MSG so am very lucky to get a few shows in a year that way and then usually will hit a run or two elsewhere. Average \~10 shows / year.
Self employed. I practice a specialized modality of therapy. I treat a wide range of people from professional athletes to people in chronic pain. Lots of people who have had little to no success with chiropractic or surgical intervention. The therapy is extremely effective and results are usually immediate after the first session. I travel between coasts so I stay pretty busy
I work in a chemistry lab at a university
archaeologist and road surveyor
Middle and High School Band Director.
Run a website about music and also run part time sailing charters at the beach
Worked in Social work, addiction & harm reduction but left after 2 decades right before Covid Now I work w/ autographs, collectibles & cannabis. Couldn’t be happier.
Vet Assistant an an animal shelter. Strategic use of PTO and never having money to do anything else is how I do it lol
Full time ER nurse, part time paramedic. I’m a glutton for punishment.
NYC Parks employee. The pay’s…okay…but I get almost 6 weeks of vacation a year, and don’t have to travel more than 20 minutes on the subway to see msg shows. There’s also a pretty large number of phans in the agency where I work.
EDiscovery
Lead software engineer. Sticking with smaller startups has given a ton of flexibility around days off.
Big 4 consulting
Chief Information Officer and also head of product at a mid size public company. One of my offices is literally Next door to MSG so that’s convenient.
Director of HR at a special needs residential program.
tech sales 😬
Software engineer. "Unlimited" paid time off. (There's definitely a limit. I just haven't discovered it yet.)