Phish just confirmed the rumors that sneaked out a few days ago that they would be playing a benefit show in Essex Junction, VT to benefit the state after the Hurricane Irene disaster. The ticketing request window is already open and live at MusicToday and it’ll shut down tomorrow at noon to allow for more local residents to take part in the action. Public on-sale will be in person and cash only.
Here’s the full announcement from the band direct:
Phish will play a special show at Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction, VT next Wednesday, September 14th. The concert will benefit Vermont flood recovery efforts. In the wake of Hurricane Irene, Vermont experienced its worst flooding in a century, which devastated communities throughout the state.
“It’s been heartbreaking to see all the loss and destruction that came from the storm,” said Phish keyboardist Page McConnell. “Vermont is very much a part of who we are as a band. We’re really looking forward to playing this show and we hope the money raised will make a difference in the recovery and rebuilding effort.”
General admission tickets will be $75. In addition, a special “Friend of WaterWheel” package will be available for $250. It will include preferred parking, a reserved box seat, a limited edition poster and access to a Vermont craft beer tent. A very limited number of tickets are available directly through Phish Tickets’ online ticketing system at http://phish.portals.musictoday.com.
The ticket request period is currently underway and will end on Wednesday, September 7, at noon ET. Tickets will go on sale to the public on Saturday, September 10, at 10:00 AM ET. In order to ensure that a large allotment of tickets is available to local residents, the public onsale will be in-person and cash only. The box office location will be announced this Friday at http://phish.com, by email update and on local radio stations. There will be a limit of two tickets per person whether individuals are purchasing in person or during the online ticket request period.
Proceeds from the concert and merchandise sales will be directed to The WaterWheel Foundation and The Vermont Community Foundation to aid in the recovery of the Green Mountain State.
The WaterWheel Foundation was created by Phish in 1997 to oversee the band’s various charitable activities. Fans can donate to The WaterWheel Foundation by clicking here. You should specify that they would like their contribution to go to Vermont flood recovery efforts. The Vermont Community Foundation was founded in 1986 and is Vermont’s largest homegrown philanthropic foundation, managing a collection of over 600 charitable funds that invest more than $18 million annually in Vermont through grants, loans and other investments. In the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, the Foundation worked with donors and other partners to facilitate donations for relief and recovery efforts, including the establishment of a fund to benefit Vermont farmers affected by the storm. Visit vermontcf.org or call 802-388-3355 for more information.
The show will be Phish’s first in Vermont since 2004. Doors will open at 5:30 PM and the concert will begin at 7:00 PM.
