I’ll cut to the Chase: a Phish fan tragically died at last night’s show after jumping from section 221 (or thereabouts) and landing in section 115 (or thereabouts) during “Destiny Unbound.” By all accounts it was a horrifying incident for those who witnessed any part of the fall or its aftermath. You can read about it in the news, in the Phish.net Forum, or on Phantasy Tour, Reddit, and anywhere else Phish fans talk online. I was on the floor when it happened and I had no idea - I didn’t find out until I checked my text messages this morning. In no way did last night’s tragedy shade my experience of the music in the moment, and while I’m deeply saddened by the news and find myself reflecting on the evening from a different headspace today than I had while walking back to my car after the show, I’m going to do my best to write from the (ignorant and blissful) perspective I had during the show. In hindsight it’s easy to draw connections between the show and our fellow fan’s tragic death (e.g., “How could they play ‘Set Your Soul Free’ > ‘Wingsuit’ after someone jumped to their death?”), but I’m working under the assumption that these connections are nothing more than unfortunate coincidences. If you were directly affected by last night’s tragedy, please find someone to talk to, and don’t be ashamed to reach out for professional help. Finally, if you’re ever feeling like you might harm yourself, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - there’s someone available to talk to you any time: (800) 273-8255. Please take care of yourselves and each other.

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