After a whole lot of waiting, Phish finally dropped their fall tour dates last Friday, confirming many long-standing rumors and providing a couple surprises as well. The band will hit the road for 13 shows a little more than two weeks after Festival 8, starting in the Midwest on November 18, but remaining largely in the Northeast -here’s a preview.
The kick-off of Fall ’09 at Cobo Arena in Detroit, MI, though speculated upon, still surprised most fans. The iconic 12,191 seat venue was made famous by KISS in 1975 when they recorded their breakthrough album “Alive!”there. Having recently hosted a homecoming from the glam-rockers less than a month ago, Cobo Arena will host Phish before getting torn down later this year to expand Cobo Convention Center.
Following a rare-off day following the tour opener, the band hops south to Cincinnati for a two-night stand in the venue formerly known as “The Crown.” Phish has included The Crown on their tour docket consistently since Fall ’98, making these their sixth and seventh shows in the arena. Highlights from shows past include ’98’s “Bowie” and “YEM,” ’99’s “Sand,” “Limb,” and “Split,” and ’03’s “Bathtub Gin.” A building with a definite Phish-friendly legacy, this marks the band’s third twin-bill at The Crown; a Friday/Saturday combo that will certainly pull fans from all over the country.
From Cincy, Phish will stop in Syracuse, NY for an intimate Sunday night at the 8,000-seat Onondaga War Memorial. A staple of the ABA and AHL circuits, Phish visited the under-sized venue during their hallowed month of November of ’94. Coincidentally, KISS is the only major rock act that routinely stopped at the venue better known for minor league sports and professional wrestling events. This one should be exciting! Following another day off, we bounce down to Philly to begin the highly anticipated east coast blowout. This high-key run starts with Phish’s first visit to the new-school Wachovia Center – across the street from The Spectrum. Philadelphia Phish never disappoints; and after a glorious past at The Spectrum, expect the band to christen their new Philly home in fine style.
Only taking one day off on Thanksgiving Day, Phish will start working off their turkey the very next night, starting a third two-night stand at “Knickerbocker Arena” in Albany. Another historic haunt that has been violated by corporate sponsorship, this building has hosted many classic nights of Phish dating back to the historic 12/9/95 gig that included one of the top “YEMs” ever. The site of two tour-ending stands in the falls of ’97 and ’99, these upcoming shows will be Phish’s tenth and eleventh on Pearl St. Albany has always blended well with Phish, and this post-holiday stop looks to follow in that tradition.
The very next night, instead of making an expected stop in Worcester, MA, Phish surprised everyone by announcing a trip north to Portland, ME ‘s universally-loved Cumberland County Civic Center. Beginning with their first solo gig on 12.30.93, the 9,000 person room hosted five shows through ’99 and some truly epic Phish. A phenomenal room for a show, this Sunday night affair deserves a circle on everyone’s calendar.
With two days to rest-up and relax, Phish finally returns to Madison Square Garden. Arguably the greatest Phish venue in the land, the band hasn’t stepped foot in the 34th St. mecca since their first comeback on 12/31/02. These three nights at The Garden – December 2,3, and 4 – are the “no-brainer,” “Get-Your-Ass-There-At-All-Costs” shows of the tour. In a building where Phish has dropped many career-defining nights of music, the prodigal band shall return for three more monster-sized shows laced with big-city psychedelia. And to cap off the tour, Phish flies south to Charlottesville, VA – home of their Red Light Management – in a move reminiscent of Winter ’03’s Greensboro finale. This year’s ending installment takes place in John Paul Jones Arena, University of Virginia’s brand-new basketball facility that opened in 2006 and holds over 15,000. This show not only concludes the tour, but also tops Phish’s only four-night run of Fall ’09. Though the tour is a relatively quick jaunt, almost every show will be a high-profile affair with more than a few guaranteed throw-downs. And when Phish steps indoors, the entire game changes; so watch out!
***
11.18.09 Cobo Arena, Detroit, MI
11.20.09 U.S. Bank Arena, Cincinnati, OH
11.21.09 U.S. Bank Arena, Cincinnati, OH
11.22.09 War Memorial at Oncenter , Syracuse, NY
11.24.09 Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA
11.25.09 Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA
11.27.09 Times Union Center, Albany, NY
11.28.09 Times Union Center, Albany, NY
11.29.09 Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, ME
12.02.09 Madison Square Garden , New York, NY
12.03.09 Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
12.04.09 Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
12.05.09 John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville, VA
The ticket “lottery” is officially underway. The ticket request period will end this Friday, October 16th at 5:00pm EST.
Tickets go on sale to the public beginning Friday, October 23rd, with additional dates going on sale Saturday, October 24th. For full show and ticketing information, please visit Phish.com.
=====
Jam of the Day:
“Bathtub Gin > 2001 > YEM” 12.2.99 II
A sparkling section of improv from Phish’s first show of December ’99 at The Palace in Auburn Hills, MI.
=====
DOWNLOAD OF THE DAY:
12.2.99 The Palace, Auburn Hills, MI < Torrent
12.2.99 The Palace, Auburn Hills, MI < Megaupload
Here is another tour-opener from the Motown area. This one got going quickly with highlight versions of “Antelope” and “Free” in the first frame, and heated up in earnest after the break with the smoking segment of “Bathtub > 2001 > YEM.”
I: Runaway Jim, Farmhouse, Heavy Things, Roggae, Run Like an Antelope, Wading in the Velvet Sea, Poor Heart, Sample in a Jar, Free, The Squirming Coil
II: Boogie On Reggae Woman, Gotta Jibboo, Bathtub Gin > Also Sprach Zarathustra >You Enjoy Myself > Little Drummer Boy
E: Bold As Love
Source: B&K 4023’s > V2 > D8 @ 44.1
