2/08 - Jefferson Theatre, Charlottesville, VA
2/09 - 9:30 Club, Washington, DC
2/11 - Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA
2/12 - House of Blues, Boston, MA
2/13 - Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford, CT
2/14 - Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank, NJ
2/16 - Terminal 5, New York, NY
2/18 - The Pabst Theater, Milwaukee, WI
2/19 - Riviera Theatre, Chicago, IL
2/20 - State Theatre, Minneapolis, MN
2/21 - Uptown Theatre, Kansas City, MO
2/23 - The Pageant, St. Louis, MO
2/25 - Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
2/26 - The Fillmore, Charlotte, NC
2/27 - Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA
2/28 - Tennessee Theatre, Knoxville, TN

More information and tickets can be purchased from phish.com.

The Phish 2009 Fall Tour Dates have been announced, and if you live in the east, you are psyched! Normally I’d be a little miffed at no west coast, but we are 3 weeks away from the big throw down in Indio, so no lost love there. Hope all my east coast buddies have a good time!

PHISH FALL TOUR 2009

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

Buy tickets online.

So rumor has it ticket sales haven’t been great, hence the two marketing moves of announcing the acoustic set and the “play the last album left alive” gig on their website. Some of the more traditional fans may be a bit irked by this somewhat “comercial” move, but I think this it’s a fair balance between marketing and creating some fun hype around the event.

I’m really looking forward to the acoustic set, how refreshing that after 13 years and 50 shows I can still go and see something completely new. And I think its great that we’ll have some idea of what album it will be, just think of all the pre-show speculation and anticipation. My palms are getty sweaty just thinking about it! See you there!

“Phish will be releasing Joy, their first studio album in five years, later this summer on JEMP Records. The record was recorded in New York City this spring with producer Steve Lillywhite. Stay tuned for further details and pre-order information in the coming weeks! The last track, Time Turns Elastic, is available now at iTunes.”

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Trey said it “feels more like a live record than a lot of our live records.” I’m excited to see what that means, as they’ve always struggled to bring the live sound to the studio.

Here’s the track list:

1. Twenty Years Later
2. Backwards Down the Number Line
3. Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan
4. Light
5. Joy
6. Sugar Shack
7. Ocelot
8. Kill Devil Falls
9. I’ve Been Around
10. Time Turns Elastic

Can’t wait to check it out!

Set 1
Grind, The Divided Sky, Ocelot, The Squirming Coil, Punch You in the Eye, Dirt, NICU, Ghost, Run Like An Antelope

Set 2
Water in the Sky, Birds of a Feather, Drowned> Meatstick, Time Turns Elastic, Waste, You Enjoy Myself

Encore: Rock and Roll

Set 1: Runaway Jim, Foam, Stealing Time From The Faulty Plan*, Timber, Cities, Driver, Reba, Possum, Farmhouse, If I Could

Set 2: Mike’s Song> Simple> Wolfman’s Brother> Weekapaug Groove, When the Circus Comes to Town, Kill Devil Falls*, Harry Hood, Loving Cup

Encore: Suzy Greenberg

*first time played

Set 1: The Star Spangled Banner, Sample in a Jar, The Moma Dance, Chalkdust Torture, Ocelot*, Stash, Bouncing Around the Room, Poor Heart, Limb By Limb, Wading in the Velvet Sea, Down With Disease, Destiny Unbound, Character Zero

Set 2: Tweezer> Light*, Bathtub Gin, David Bowie, Time Turns Elastic*, Free, The Ballad of Curtis Loew, You Enjoy Myself

Encore: Cavern, Good Times Bad Times, Tweezer Reprise

Soundcheck: Funky Bitch, Kill Devil Falls*, Undermind, Star Spangled Banner

Star Spangled Banner performed acapella by Phish on the pitcher’s mound before the first set started.

* first time played

How great is it to have a summer full of Phish to look forward to? Just like the good old days. Even if you aren’t at the shows, there is the excitement of checking the setlists to see what they played, and waiting impatiently for LivePhish.com to put the show up so you can listen to it. Or if you are the kind of person that likes surprises, you can always check out the No Spoilers downloads from Mr Miner. Just like being at the show, minus all the stinkie hippies and drunk frat boys. Sounds kinda nice actually.

So here’s to the return of Phish in the summer time. Two of the best things life has to offer, back together again!

7.30.09 Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO
7.31.09 Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO
8.01.09 Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO
8.02.09 Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO
8.05.09 Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA
8.07.09 The Gorge Amphitheatre, George, WA
8.08.09 The Gorge Amphitheatre, George, WA
8.11.09 Toyota Park, Chicago, IL
8.13.09 Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Darien Center, NY
8.14.09 Meadows Music Theater, Hartford, CT
8.15.09 Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD
8.16.09 Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY

Visit Phish.com for more info.

In the meantime, the Hampton Selists are here.