It’s no secret just how dedicated Phish fans (phans, if you will) can be. Every winter we wait anxiously for the Vermont musicians to announce their annual summer tour and this year the band has once again absolutely outdone themselves. Starting July 21st and ending August 6th, Phish will play Madison Square Garden an incredible thirteen times. How many bands do you know that can do that? The appropriately titled “Baker’s Dozen” run is going to bring Phish fans across the nation to New York City for what is sure to be a MASSIVE family affair.
If you know Phish, you know they are no strangers to Madison Square Garden. After this Baker’s Dozen run is completed they will have headlined the “World’s Most Famous Arena” fifty-two times. A number that will bring them to a tie with the Grateful Dead for headlining performances at MSG (WOW). Back in their day, The Dead have played as many as nine nights at a time at the Garden… but never a Baker’s Dozen like Phish is set to play. This tour further cements their legacy as the true torchbearers of the Grateful Dead and the scene they spawned.
Besides having ample opportunity to see Phish, the Baker’s Dozen run surely means we are in for some exciting show announcements for late night after parties and even pre-show festivities! When Phish hosts their New Year’s shows at the Garden, bands such as The Disco Biscuits, Galactic, Kung Fu, Particle and many more often play late night shows to make sure the party doesn’t stop.
So far, New York state jam mainstays Moe. have announced a late night show at the Playstation Theater to coincide with the first night of the run. It’s probably a safe bet that we’re going to be blessed with many more exciting show announcements in the coming months. Thanks to Phish, NYC will be jamming all summer long! Tickets for Moe. are already on sale, you can snag yours here.
There’s really no guessing what Phish could possibly have in store for us at the Garden. This is a band that’s built their reputation on finding new and exciting ways to engage their dedicated fan base. Partially because us Phish fans like to hit as many shows as we possibly can, so they’ve got to keep performances fresh. And partially because they’re the greatest jam band of our time.
With 13 straight shows in the same venue and an audience that will be going to multiple nights, the band is sure to have a few tricks up their sleeves. If you’ve ever been to one of Phish’s New Years eve shows at the Garden you’ve seen first hand how the band uses the entirety of the venue to their advantage. They’ve done everything from flying around the ceiling on a inflatable hot dog to playing the middle of the venue on a beat up pickup truck. Check out the stunt they pulled this New Years Eve. Something tells me if there’s any “gag” this time around it’s going to have something to do with donuts.
So, if you’ve never actually had a chance to see Phish or if you’re planning on doing all thirteen nights, maybe you should take a look at these incredible memes first. Just so you have an idea about what you’re getting yourself into. This summer the central part of town will once again be the place to be!
