American Rock is rock music that is created in the United States and dates all the way back to the 1940’s. This genre of music has evolved and led to the emergence of many subgenres of rock over the past eight decades. To name a few, progressive, psychedelic, jazz, blues, and country, rock. All of these subgenres are what make up the backbone of American rock band, Phish. Phish was formed in the 80’s at The University of Vermont, and is well known for their improvisation on stage, extended jams, and the culmination of subgenres used in their music. What makes Phish such a unique band is their ability to blend numerous varieties of music and produce sounds in perfect harmony. Through the blending of all of these different genres, Phish is able…show more content… Typically, Phish play two sets and encore but Falvo mentioned that they played three sets and an encore on their New Years shows and described the experience as being “incredible.” The concert lasted four hours on the first night and when they “went back to see them on the fourth night, which was also incredible, because the last concert of wherever they’re performing is just so much better, so always go to the last day if you ever see them” (Interview with author, Sept. 20, 2015). I know Eric Falvo pretty well and would say he is a very laid back and easy-going guy so I fully understand how he relates to this genre, or rather “Phish”, so well. When asked about his musical identity and why he relates to the band his response was exactly what I thought it would be based on what I was told about Phish’s demeanor as a band. He took the words right out of my mouth, “I really like how laidback and easy-going the music is, also the creativity behind it and the fact that they can just add 10 minutes to a song through improvisation and add their own personal flair or whatever they’re feeling at the time, I’m the type of person who just goes with the flow and I feel like that’s exactly what they’re doing with their music when they go off on their tangents” (Interview with author, Sept. 20,…show more content… Blau emphasizes the cultural impact that Phish has and views Phish as being performers who share their knowledge and beliefs that are derived from the performance and shared with the entire community of Phish followers. In his mind, his “understanding of what Phish do, as performing musician’s, then, is not limited to their music or to the stage on which it is created” (Blau, More than “Just” Music: Four Performative Topoi, the Phish Phenomenon, and the Power of Music in/and Performance). Phish speaks to their fans and connects with them on a much deeper level. Jnan Blau’s appreciation for Phish goes further when he says “I see Phish’s performative commitments as radiating off the concert stage into a raptly present audience, into the carnivalesque atmosphere of the parking lot scene outside the venue, and, finally, into the everyday lives of phans.” (Blau, More than “Just” Music: Four Performative Topoi, the Phish Phenomenon, and the Power of Music in/and Performance). Phish is merely a way of life for most, cliché but accurate. What they do onstage matters long after the actual performance is over. The musical values put into play by the band are related to cultural values that speak to millions of fans, just as they did for Eric Falvo and Jnan