Ed O'Brien rated Phish's crowd above Radiohead's, Trey Anastasio says

Trey Anastasio says Ed O'Brien once told him Phish's audience was more involved than Radiohead's. Talking to Andy Greene of Rolling Stone about turning 60 and Phish's new album, Evolve, Anastasio remembers O'Brien spending much of his first Phish concert facing backwards, watching the last row at the very top of the arena. Between sets he came backstage to say that everyone up there was completely involved. Sometimes at Radiohead shows I look back, and I think a lot of people are here because it's cool to go see Radiohead², he went on, as Anastasio recalls it. Those people don't know all the songs, and they talk; Phish's fans know every detail, right to the back row.

O'Brien has long admired Phish, and called them an influence while he was making his solo album, Earth. Anastasio puts the difference between the crowds down to Phish growing slowly, without a radio hit. And I thought that was a really astute comment, being at his first Phish concert.²