The Outdoor Arena at Harvey’s Lake Tahoe Casino and Resort is one of the smallest venues Phish currently plays at around 7000 seats. Built on an old parking lot sandwiched between the Harvey’s hotel tower and a golf course, it sits only a few feet inside the Nevada State Line and about 900 feet from the shore of Lake Tahoe. As of June 2013 Phish has only made one stop there, for two shows in August of 2011. They are scheduled for two more shows this summer, July 30th and 31st. It’s one of only 3 venues in Nevada that Phish has ever played; the other two being the Alladin Theater and the Thomas & Mack Center, both in Las Vegas. Since they have only played one recent set of shows at Harvey’s, there is no grand history. But, there are some things that make this venue unique and particularly enjoyable.

First and foremost is the surrounding environment. You are basically seeing Phish at a summer resort. In winter, besides the casino action on the Nevada side of the state line, people come here for the Heavenly Ski Resort, just across the street and over the border into California. The gondola runs in the summer, allowing for some amazing views of Lake Tahoe, which itself is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. The gorgeous dry warm summer weather means there is a plethora of great daytime outdoor activities. You can lay out on the beach along the shore, rent a boat or kayak, get in a round of golf, find a trail to hike to get some stunning Lake views, or sit by the pool at your hotel.

Because of its year-round vacation appeal and the casino hotels on the Nevada side, the amount of good quality, nearby lodging is almost endless. You can find hotel rooms ranging from the 4 star Marriott Grand Residences to tiny Mom & Pop cheap motels, and everything in between. Some of the small, not-very-fancy motels are within a couple hundred yards of the venue. Given that it’s a winter ski resort, condo rentals also abound and are only a few minutes away up the mountain. If you stay at any of the nearby hotels you can walk to the venue in ten minutes or less. You could even watch the show from your hotel room balcony at Harvey’s, if you get one of the rooms that faces back toward the venue. Grocery stores, shopping, gambling, restaurants and pubs, even a movie multiplex are all within a few blocks on either side of the state line.

Another benefit all these casino and resort hotels brings is the ability for other bands to have late night, after-Phish concerts at the various indoor venues. Hotels like the Montbleu, The Horizon, and Harrah’s hosted late night gigs in 2011 and will do so again in 2013. This year’s after-Phish shows so far include Sam Bush, ALO, Pimps Of Joytime, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, magicgravy (members of ALO and The Motet), Hot Buttered Rum, Naive Melodies (Talking Heads tribute band), Moksha featuring Skerik and Jen Hartswick, Greensky Bluegrass, and The Meter Men. All within a few blocks of Harvey’s. And since the casinos go 24/7, it has some of that Vegas, 24 hour, never sleeps kind of vibe, if you are into that sort of thing. And don’t forget the Phamily Poker Classic 3!

One completely unique aspect of this venue is the very lenient liquor policy. At the shows in 2011, I heard you could bring beer into the venue so I walked in with a bottle of open beer. I was stopped at the entrance, my beer taken away then handed back to me in a plastic cup, and I walked in. You can even bring your own liquor into the venue, as long as it’s not in glass. I doubt there are many, if any, other Phish venues that allow this.

I found the staff at the venue in 2011 to be extremely nice, laid back and helpful. This is a mountain resort California/Nevada town after all, and the laid back Northern California vibe is the rule not the exception. Food and beverage prices in the venue seemed very reasonable to me compared to the large sheds and arenas I have seen concerts at across the country. Overall a very easy experience with little to no stress.

The venue layout is a bit strange, in that it’s actually a bit wider than it is long. Most of it is just flat blacktop but there are some basic metal bleacher seats in the back and to one side. Even the farthest back, upper bleacher seat affords a very close view of the stage. It definitely has an old school feel; I was instantly reminded of Nautica Stage in Cleveland, part of Phish’s famed August 93 tour. Sound check was easy to hear and you could even get a look at the band if you found the right spot. It does feel a bit odd to be in a small back parking lot behind a hotel, but the intimacy just can’t be beat.

Musically the only two shows played there so far were a mixed bag but not without some good jams and interesting songs choices. There were a some relative rarities (Meat, Mellow Mood, Dogs Stole Things, Instant Karma, one of only two Yamars played all year, the debut of Rocket Man) and some nice 2nd set jams. The Light from night one had some good interstellar exploration and included Timber Ho and Tweezer teases, then moved into a good Chalk Dust Torture with some Harry Potter musical teases. The Slave that followed was also sweet and felt like it matched the natural surroundings. The Harry Hood > Walls Of The Cave set 2 closer combo was a treat as well. Night two’s second set opening volley of Down With Disease > Runaway Jim > Ghost > Golden Age > Sneakin Sally > 2001 was a really solid progression of music.

In my opinion, this is a must-see venue for Phish. With so much to offer outside the concert itself, it stands out as a very unique, fulfilling experience in a spectacularly beautiful environment. If you are headed there this July, I will see you there!

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