Rhino recently released this 7-DVD collection documenting The Clifford Ball, a “landmark concert event” that drew more than 70,000 fans to upstate New York in August 1996. According to the press release:
It was the largest concert event of 1996 in North America and set the tone for festivals including Bonnaroo and Coachella. Ray Waddell summed it up in Billboard: “Bonnaroo is a direct descendant of Phish’s one-band festival extravaganzas like Clifford Ball…Bonnaroo launched with—and maintains—the same self-contained, immersive experience as the Phish events, as well as its laissez-faire treatment of fans and spirit of community.”
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The winner will be chosen at random on 3/31.
Thanks, everyone, for playing. I just contacted the winner.
I love this band. Unfortunately I was in grade school when Phish was in their prime. I’ve been to 16 shows since their reunion on New Year’s ’02. Every show being an unbelievable experience, but I wonder what it would’ve been like to be there in ’96. I would love to check out these DVDs!
So pumped to see them in mansfield and at the roo!
“Yesterday’s just a memory, tomorrow is never what it’s supposed to be.â€
For me personally, Phish really became interesting from ’96 onward. They weren’t bad before (a little goofy maybe), but 1996 was the year they did some of the best things in their career, e.g. recording “Billy Breathes” or playing the entire Talking Heads “Remain in Light” album on Halloween. Would love to hear and see the Clifford Ball set.
The New York State Thruway’s closed, man!
I love Phish, and can’t wait to see them at Bonnaroo.
i would love this, the clips on youTube are great but i need more
It would be nice to win
sam, relax. i said “i’ve heard/read.” it wasn’t an assertion that i was making. i’d agree with you that any phish concert of “potentially lesser quality” is better than most anything played on radio today. but then again, who is still listening to radio?
I was there. I was the BEST. All the fests that fallowed are just short of being THEE BALL.
Dude! I Love Phish – Going to 2 nights at Alpine Valley! Clifford Ball is sweet! Having the DVD would be incredible!
I would love to win this set! Funny, I have never listened to a studio recording of Phish. Everything I have is live.
the clifford ball was the best of all of phish’s end of summer festivals. i’m glad to see that these sets are finally seeing official release and i can upgrade from my old cassetes!
Well, I listened to all 3 Hampton shows from last week and I must say that I enjoyed them a lot.
Sub-par ? Still 1,000 times better than most of the shit on the radio.
Hope I win!
i’ve read and heard in a few spots that some of the phish reunion/comeback shows have been sub-par…forgetting lyrics, playing out of time, botched chords, etc…
Was at this festival way back when. Phish’s first foray into their own hosted festival, and from an organizational point-of-view, very much laid ground work for some of the more successful festivals that have popped up in recent years. Look forward to reliving it.
What a great initiative ! Phish offering the public their incredible performances at Clifford Ball and Owl & Bear offering the DVDs in return ! Thanks Harry ! Always on the good waves !