(antiMusic) It's no longer a rumor. Here is the official word: Phish will launch its first summer tour in five years with a two-night stand at the Nikon Theatre at Jones Beach in Wantagh, NY on June 4th and 5th. Yesterday the band resumed rehearsals, which began in November, in preparation for the upcoming shows.Phish's summer tour will be preceded by a trio of concerts (March 6th, 7th and 8th) at Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, Virginia. The shows at the 13,800-capacity venue sold out just seconds after tickets went on sale last fall. They will mark the group's first concerts since its August 2004 performance at the Coventry festival in Vermont.
On March 3rd, Phish will release The Clifford Ball on JEMP Records/Rhino. This major archival release features the band's entire performance at the 1996 festival, which was the largest concert in North America that year and the first of many two-day festivals staged by the group. Over 70,000 fans turned out for the event, which was held at a decommissioned Air Force base in Plattsburgh, NY.
The seven-DVD box set will contain more than nine hours of music, including a bonus disc with Phish's extended soundcheck, its late night flatbed truck jam and a 30-minute featurette with exclusive behind-the-scenes footage. The original multi-track recordings have been remixed for stereo and 5.1 audio.
Fans can pre-order The Clifford Ball at http://drygoods.phish.com. An online ticket request period is currently underway at http://www.phish.tickets.musictoday.com. Tickets will go on sale to the general public the weekend of January 30th and 31st. For information on where to purchase tickets, visit http://www.phish.com/todurdates.
PHISH - SUMMER 2009 U.S. TOUR
6/4 Wantagh, NY Nikon Theatre at Jones Beach
6/5 Wantagh, NY Nikon Theatre at Jones Beach
6/6 Mansfield, MA Comcast Center
6/7 Camden, NJ Susquehanna Bank Center
6/9 Asheville, NC Asheville Civic Center
6/16 St. Louis, MO Fox Theatre
6/18 Burgettstown, PA Post Gazette Pavilion
6/19 Noblesville, IN Verizon Wireless Music Center
6/20 East Troy, WI Alpine Valley
6/21 East Troy, WI Alpine Valley
