Jam band Phish’s triple-header didn’t disappoint at Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville last weekend, but the fans who lit up sure let someone down.
The Hamilton County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office published a Facebook post condemning the “significant quantities of suspected psilocybin mushrooms, methamphetamine, LSD, heroin, fentanyl, MDMA, marijuana, and nitrous oxide” at Phish’s July 10-12 Ruoff stint. Law enforcement in Hamilton County arrested five Phish fans for drug dealing and possession during the band’s three-show run, according to a statement from the office.
“Frankly, we are disappointed in the number of people who showed up to engage in illicit behavior,” the post reads.
Phish, much like Ruoff legend Dave Matthews Band, makes a regular pilgrimage to the Noblesville amphitheater for a weekend-long stint. Along with Grateful Dead, Phish is arguably the face of a jam band culture that — thanks to jam bands’ loose, impromptu performance style — has historically lent itself to recreational drug use, and the two often go hand-in-hand.
As such, the expected eye-rolling from Facebook commenters followed the county prosecutor’s statement – “Well, duh.” Even Rolling Stone took a stab at a “shooting fish in a barrel” bit but decided the joke was too obvious. “Drugs at a Phish concert” is a real “fork found in kitchen” of a thing, users noted.
“Expecting that this crowd is not going to be partaking in recreational drug use is just kind of tone deaf.”
“In related news, the sky is blue.”The grass is still green.”
“Finding drugs at a Phish concert, EXCELLENT use of police resources. Next up, finding birds in sky.”
Some reactions noted the prosecutor’s office’s harsh tone, calling the post “moralizing and self-congratulatory.” Others agreed that law enforcement is responsible for maintaining safety for concertgoers but wished officials would apply the same “scrutiny, urgency, and language” to every show — not just the “hippie crowd.” Fans who attended the concerts chimed in with their own dispatches, reporting that the shows remained largely peaceful.
The prosecutor’s office felt differently.
“Interesting take,” the office’s Facebook account wrote in response to a comment calling the incident a “victimless crime.” “The people who had to go to the hospital might disagree with you.”
Ruoff has a zero-tolerance drug policy. Live Nation, the entertainment giant that owns and operates Ruoff, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the arrests or whether the venue will strengthen its existing guidelines.
Contact IndyStar Pop Culture Reporter Heather Bushman at hbushman@indystar.com. Follow her on X @hmb_1013.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Prosecutor “disappointed” in drug use during Phish concert at Ruoff
Reporting by Heather Bushman, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Heather Bushman, Indianapolis Star | USA TODAY Network
