In a past life, I attended as many Phish shows as I possibly could, from Los Angeles, to Vermont. I memorized show dates and songs, traded and collected CDs of live shows with complete strangers, and gave my family great cause for concern about my future. Then certain aspects of it all started to really get to me. After forcing myself to sit through a Phish show at the Hollywood Bowl in 2011, I realized that the band just wasn't doing it for me anymore. I decided to call it quits. I couldn't believe how much time, energy, and money I had saved and put to better use. But that wasn't the end of it. Recently, something started to pull me back in and make me curious about Phish once again.

Most people cringe at the thought of having to watch even a single Phish show . Imagine the disgust, then, of the people of New York at the idea that the band would be playing for 13 nights starting this past Friday at Madison Square Garden, for a series of shows called the Baker's Dozen.

So when I heard about the Baker's Dozen, I decided I wanted to head to midtown Manhattan to talk to Phish Heads and find out which one of us was really wasting their time, as well as to see what insane reasons they had for schlepping around the country to see 13 nights of jam rock at The Garden.

What is it about Phish that makes you spend all your time and money to see them? Samir: They change it up. It's the rhythm. It's the groove. It's the lights, the camaraderie. It's the fun. It's the jams. Musically they're the best thing I've ever heard in my life. CK5 does a great thing with the lights. Hamburger: I'm just in it for the pussy.

That sucks. Yeah, I had to get bailed out by my parents. This show is my 21st.

Noisey: How many Phish shows have you seen? When was your first? Samir: I've been to 54 Phish shows. My first was 10/21/99. Farmhouse opener, encore with "Misty Mountain Hop." It was a good first show. I heard the next night was even better, and I didn't go to that show. Hamburger: First Phish show was in 2003 when BB King played. It was amazing. Bought my first marijuana pipe, and I broke it that same night. Ran out of gas on the Garden State Parkway.

What was your introduction to live Phish? I once drove from Salt Lake City to see them in Vegas with a friend. We were both blown away after listening to mp3s I downloaded.

What do you tell people who think the scene and music of Phish is ridiculous? I tell people to come to a show and try on a pair of Rainbow glasses. The lights are an essential part. I think of dancing at shows as ecstatic yoga.

Those pants are crazy. Where did you get them? I made the pants online for $20 in China.

Such as? In 2004 I picked up a hitchhiker in the parking lot after a Phish show in Camden, New Jersey. He drove half the night. I lost him five minutes after we parked. Two weeks later I'm in Telluride, Colorado, without a place to stay and yelled out, "Who's got my floor space?" The same guy was right behind me, and I stayed at his home.

You wrote a book about touring with jam bands. Tell me about it. I wrote the book from my travel journal. I kept having amazing coincidences. Things happened that in my mind are beyond luck.

Nitrous Mafia? The Nitrous Mafia is a group of people with lookouts on radios and nitrous tanks in backpacks.

What is the strangest thing you've seen outside of a Phish show? The Nitrous Mafia is pretty strange to see let loose in a major urban area like SF or Chicago.

What is it about Phish that you love so much? There's this sense of freedom. Especially on this tour, you can tell on this tour that they are feeling so loose in their song selection and jamming. There's a certain kind of cohesion that's rare in other music. And there's just a palpable sense of community here that makes the scene really special

Are you here for all 13 nights? Yes I am.

Noisey: How long have you been a Phish fan? Connor: My first show was in 2015 in Austin. I'd been listening to them a few months before then, slowly picking up, listening to live shows.

If you could meet any one member of the band, who would it be and why? I'd really love to meet the drummer, John Fishman. I really think his playing comes through the most for me. He's more politically active and a big Bernie supporter. I'd love to pick his brain. He's a very interesting dude.

If you could meet anyone of the band tonight, who would it be? Probably just Trey, because I respect what he did during the 50th anniversary shows for the Grateful Dead. He put his own twist on it and you can always tell, hey, that's Trey.

Are you here for the music or the party? Chris: I'm here for the music. And the party…

Are you going to all 13 nights? No, just tonight. I woke up this morning, bought a ticket, and got on the train.

Noisey: When was your first Phish show? Chris: This is my first Phish show.

What is it about Phish that makes you keep seeing them? Nick: Just getting into the music, you know, through psychedelic experiences or not even, a three hour show can go by in the blink of an eye. I find that to be really special, kind of like a time traveling situation.

What would you say if you ever met Trey? Sabrina: Keep playing 'til you keel over, bro.

Noisey: Are you going to all 13 nights? Nick: All we have locked down is the first night. But we're gonna try to get down here and see if we can get it and get some miracles.

What do you say to all the people who think Phish and touring with them is stupid? Nick: If everyone loved it then it wouldn't be so special to me, personally, you know? Sabrina: Everybody vibes their own way. Live your life the way you live it.

What's your favorite Phish song to hear live, and how long is it? "Harpua." Like ten or 20 minutes. **Sabrina: "**Meatstick," and it's around ten minutes.

What do you think about diversity in the Phish scene? Hannah: It's very clearly a white, male, bro scene. I'm very lucky that I have women around me a lot, but it's not very diverse. Tamara: I second that.

Is Phish a religious experience for you? Tamara: I was raised Jewish, specifically Modern Orthodox. I honestly didn't believe in a greater power until I went to a Phish show.

Do you come for the party or the music? Tamara: The music. Hannah: I come for the music, but the music is the party. Tamara: Dammit, I was gonna say something like that.

Noisey: Why do you have your fingers up right now? Hannah: It's the universal sign for, "I need a miracle." A miracle would be a free ticket, or in my case just a cheap ticket for tonight.

Are you going to all 13 shows? Jenny: I'm not going all 13 nights, but my mom is supposed to come to the last show with me. Cush: I'm hoping to make eight. If I make six, that show will be my 365th.

What would you say if you ever met Trey Anastasio? Cush: I would try to display brevity, but would want him to know the amazing effect he's had on my entire life. Gotten me through some of the worst days of my life, and I'm talking true tragedies. I couldn't thank him enough.

What is it about Phish that makes you spend all this time, money, and energy to see them? Jenny: It's walking into the arena with thousands of strangers and you're all there because you love the same thing, so you're not really strangers anymore. Cush: I was there near the beginning, and I need to see the end. I think it's a historical thing, and I'm glad the world hasn't caught on yet, because it's all ours.

Do you ever get tired of seeing Phish play? Jenny: Heck no. Cush: You can't even miss one show. They'll break out a song, and it'll break your heart that you weren't there.

That's a lot of Phish. It means that one out of every 50 days of my life I've gone to a Phish show.

What is it about this band that keeps you coming back? Evan: It's the music. It's a spiritual experience as close to God as I imagine religion could get you.

How old is she? She's five and a half. Her first show was last summer.

Are you going to all 13 shows and what does your family think? Michelle: Yes, we are doing all 13 nights. I pawned my daughter off on my parents.

What would you say to anyone who hates on Phish and this scene? Evan: I've tried to make the argument for Phish for 20 years, but it's like talking to Republicans about Trump. Just bite your tongue and walk the other way.

What would you say if you ever met Trey Anastasio? Michelle: I don't know that that's appropriate.

There's a lot fans making art, right? There's a lot of artists that make Phish merchandise and a lot of really creative people. Like this girl on Instagram who paints acrylic canvases of the light shows from Phish concerts.

Do you sell them? The photographers that made these images in the 90s, I feel like it would be a total rip-off of their work. I think it's something unique that I can create and wear myself.

Did you design your outfit? Yes, I designed the top and the skirt myself.

As a woman, how do you feel about the scene? I feel like the male domination of the scene is a big issue. There are assaults against women at shows. I also know males that have been groped at shows, too. Right now there's a grassroots movement called Groove Safe to call people out for their actions against women. Obviously, there's a dark side to every scene, but I think there's a welcoming community that's open, honest, and caring.

When was your first show, and how many have you been to? I saw them for the first time in 2013. Last night was my 35th show.

Noisey: Why Phish? Jean: It just happened into my life, and I couldn't stop.

What do you have to say to people who hate on Phish? If you hate Phish so much, focus on what you like. You like Nickelback? Go follow Nickelback on tour. If that's what you need to do, do that.

Noisey: How many shows have you seen on this tour?

Nick: Dayton, then Pittsburgh, and now we're here.

When was your first show?

Ben: Just this week: Dayton, Ohio.

Nick: Deer Creek, Indiana in 2003.

What is it about Phish that makes it all worth it?

Ben: It's the ultimate in-the-moment thing. It's an escape for me.

Nick: It's the purest form of joy that I've ever found in anything.

You're in a room with Trey Anastasio. What do you talk about?

Ben: He's just a human. I wouldn't make a big deal of it. I'd probably talk to him about recovery, since we both got off heroin.

Tell me about your shirts.

Ben: It's based on the Phish song "Chalkdust Torture," as a play on the Champion brand.

Nick: Mine is based on the Phish song "Harry Hood" and a play on Donald Trump's campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again."

Does Phish make America great?

I like to think that Phish heads are true American patriots, because they're out traveling the whole country, exploring, and it's kind of like the American Dream to go out and have an adventure.