Phish sold-out tour due to loyalty

BOSTON, May 24 (UPI) -- Fans of Phish say the U.S. band, which sold out its reunion tour this summer in minutes, is a rare fan-friendly force in the music industry.

Jim Raras of Chelmsford, Mass., said unlike some performers and bands, Phish makes a concerted effort to connect with the band's fans and honor their varying perspectives, The Boston Globe reported Sunday.

"They aren't just some disassociated rock stars," Raras said of the "Hoist" band. "They are humble enough to realize that (the fandom) surrounding them is no small thing, and so they're definitely very cognizant of their fans' perspectives."

Following five years apart, Phish members reunited for 15 U.S. shows this summer. Those shows sold out in minutes on Jan. 30 when Live Nation placed tickets available for sale online.

Such live shows are vital for Phish fans, who routinely record such performances and trade them with one another.

"You build your Phish collection through what can only be described as field recording," Jeremy Goodwin of Swampscott, Mass., said of the band, whose tour starts on May 31 in Boston. "You're trading tapes through the mail with people from all over the country who you may not have even met before."