Phish fans eager for band’s 3-D movie release
Williston, Vermont – April 14, 2010
3-D glasses will bring the free-form rockers of Phish into crisp, lifelike focus for their new concert film “Phish 3D.” It lands in select digital theaters this month, including the Majestic 10 in Williston. Theater operator Merrill Jarvis says, “Phish is from Vermont. Everyone loves a nice ‘Vermont makes it big’ story!”
Jarvis was at the California Phish festival in person last year where the movie was shot. “It was just beautiful out there in the desert,” Jarvis remembers. “Phish played for three days. It was incredible!”
He’s excited about reliving it on-screen, and just as excited about booming ticket sales. Already, a preview screening next week is sold out, and online sales for the official April 30 premiere have been strong.
Phish is sharing the limelight with the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf. The band is encouraging its fans to bring non-perishable food or cash donations to the Majestic 10 during the run of the movie.
“We’re always thrilled when they want to partner with us and this is a great opportunity,” beams Food Shelf spokeswoman Rachel Moss. She says donations tend to dip in the Spring and Summer, so the Phish timing is perfect. Movie-going donors even will be entered in a raffle for real concert tickets and memorabilia from the jam band.
The movie is being billed as a limited-engagement one week run with never-before-seen song performances.
“Phish knows what it’s doing, so they’ll make it an experience like you’re there,” predicts longtime Phish fan Taraleigh Silberberg. She already has her 3-D tickets. Silberberg briefly considered going to the band’s comeback festival last fall.
“I saw 19 shows last year,” the fan says. “And I was kind of like, ‘You can’t do everything any more!’ So I took that one off and I’m really excited I get to see it in the theater now!”
Fans around the country are just as eager for this high-tech look at one of Vermont’s most famous exports.
The Phish 3-D movie is also playing in Essex, Plattsburgh, and Rutland, but only the screenings at the Majestic 10 in Williston can qualify you for those official contest prizes in exchange for gifts to the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf.
Jack Thurston – WCAX News
