Coventry (Phish festival)
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Coventry was the seventh and final weekend-long festival hosted by the rock band Phish. The event took place on August 14 and 15, 2004, at a farm in the small town of Coventry, Vermont. The event marked the final Phish concerts ever.
Phish was the only band at the event, performing six sets of music over two nights. Fans camped out onsite in tents, creating a community of fans that became one of the largest cities in Vermont over the weekend.
110,000 people were expected to attend. It was simulcast to thousands more in movie theaters across America. The event was also simulcast on XM Satellite Radio. Unfortunately, a week of rain had flooded the concert field to the point where people were turned away, causing gridlock on the highway and roads leading to the site. Rumors circulated that the stage was sinking. Mike Gordon got on the radio and told everyone who wasn't already in to turn away and that no more cars would be allowed in. At that point, only about 20,000 people were in the concert area.
Instead of turning away, tens of thousands parked their cars on highway medians, in breakdown lanes, and on the sides of roads. Then they hiked in to the concert venue, some walking as far as 30 miles to the venue. Local residents stepped in and began shuttling fans in and out of the site and to their vehicles. The band broke down crying onstage several times, most notably when Page McConnell choked up during the ballad "Wading in the Velvet Sea." Unable to continue singing, he turned the microphone to the audience, who took over in chorus. Adding tragedy to the festival, 25-year-old Ian Niles Gardiner, of Bristol, Connecticut, was found dead in a tent at 2:18 a.m. Monday following the final show.
Even with the terrible weather, the grassroots organization Headcount was able to register more than 1100 voters at the festival.
The band has not performed since, though rumors of a much-wanted reunion continue to circulate.
| Preceded by It |
Phish Festivals 2004 |
Succeeded by Final Show |
