So this is it. The week that it starts all over again. The members of Phish are re-convening for the first time in nearly five years, at the Mothership Hampton Coliseum, with 13,800 of their closest phans looking on. Hopefully, this sad sack included. No, I have not yet acquired my extra tickets — one for Friday, one for Saturday. However, I’m envisioning myself there when the lights go down and the crowd draws in a collective, anticipatory breath, then pushes it out in one long, adrenaline-filled roar of adoration as The Phish comes strolling out on stage at what I forsee will be 8:36 p.m. on Friday, March 6.

Now, onto the contest. If you haven’t yet submitted your Phish contest entry for the chance to win a fatty prize pack — nine Live Phish CDs, a Rolling Stones memoir, the new Brian Wilson DVD, a Phish Saves America print — cast your vote here. If didn’t already know about the Phish Saves America contest, click here.

Here’s my own setlist predictions:

This article appears in Feb 25 – Mar 3, 2009.