'The whispers started at Bonnaroo -- Phish was going to do another Halloween run. Multi day. At Coachella. Yeah yeah, sure.

I guess this is why rumors are such big business. Turns out its all true. Your favorite flavor of Ben and Jerry's is packing up the weird, and heading westward for a Halloween endeavor called, "Festival 8."

Indio, California, home of our very own pseudo-hometown Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (as well as Bugs' much sough after Big Carrot Festival) will host the epic jam banders on the well-hoofed Empire Polo Grounds for three days over Halloween weekend 2009.

Historically, Halloween has been like The Super Bowl Of Phish. The highly coveted shows were particularly special because the band took an entire set to cover a classically awesome album in its entirety (ie: Velvet Underground, 'Loaded' / Talking Heads, 'Remain In Light' / The Beatles, 'White Album / The Who, 'Quadrophenia')

The band will perform eight sets in total at 'Festival 8,' and here's hoping that at least three of those are album tributes. Here are my radical and wholly unsolicited hopeful picks that I've changed three times since I wrote this sentence and will change ten more times at least. Nevertheless:
The Cars, 'The Cars'
Hand clapping, post-punk, proto new wave? Duh.

Bruce Springsteen, 'The Wild, The Innocent, & The E Street Shuffle'
40 minutes of Kitty's Back is all I need.

Michael Jackson, 'Thriller'
Each should dress like a different fashion era MJ too. Oh yes.

bonus: Bob Dylan, 'Highway 61 Revisited'
Everyone else has covered it, why shouldn't they.

In the desert of a million fines, a festival ticket for $199 seems kinda reasonable. Parking is free. Hotels are already hitting Coachella-style capacity so get one now or be prepared for a camping trip to another dimension. Speaking of, it's $15 per car to camp, $125 per RV. More info on tickets, guidelines, directions, dos & don'ts, camping details and all the newest news can be found at the official Phish site. Now say 'official Phish' out loud. Heh.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Oct 30 - Nov 1, 2009
Phish - Festival 8
@ Empire Polo Club
81-800 Avenue 51
Indio, CA 92201
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