Phish has announced a run of three performances benefitting the Divided Sky Foundation set to take place on October 25th, 26th, and 27th, 2024 at Albany, NY’s MVP Arena. All proceeds from the three shows will benefit the Divided Sky Residential Recovery Program and its facility in Ludlow, Vermont. The run will mark Phish’s first trip to Albany since October 2018.
A ticket request period is currently underway here until Monday, September 16th at 12:00 p.m. ET. Remaining tickets will go on sale to the general public Friday, September 20th at 10:00 a.m. ET. Travel packages will be available here beginning Wednesday, September 11th at 10:00 a.m. ET. A limited number of upgrades will be available for a pre-show benefit event on Saturday, October 26th.
A limited number of complimentary Gratitude Tickets will also be made available to recovery professionals in recognition of their work helping individuals and families affected by addiction. Anyone who works in recovery or a related mental health field may request Gratitude Tickets for the Albany Phish shows here. (Note: Priority will be given based on geographic location, with an emphasis on New York State and New England.) Additionally, curated experiences may be available to those interested in making larger philanthropic donations to the Divided Sky Foundation. For details, please inquire via email at [email protected].
Related: Trey Anastasio Reflects On Opening Of Divided Sky Residential Recovery Retreat
100% of net proceeds from all concert tickets and event merchandise sales will be directed to the Divided Sky Foundation, a 501c(3) non-profit organization dedicated to addiction recovery, and the Divided Sky Residential Recovery Program in Ludlow, Vermont. Conceived of and founded by Phish’s Trey Anastasio and program director Melanie Gulde, The Divided Sky Residential Recovery Program gives hope to those struggling with addiction by providing a safe, nurturing environment to begin their recovery journey. Housing up to 46 guests, the Divided Sky facility is a newly-remodeled former hotel with views of the nearby Okemo Mountain, offering a non-clinical program anchored in the 12 Steps, emotional sobriety, and mindfulness. The Albany benefit concerts will enable Divided Sky to continue to make its immersive Residential Recovery Program affordable to all, with partial scholarships available to those who demonstrate need.
Initially seeded by fan donations during Anastasio’s 2020 livestream concert series, The Beacon Jams, the Ludlow, Vermont facility, run by the Anastasio co-founded Divided Sky Foundation, has now been open and providing “educational and introspective programming to foster a sober and productive foundation for individuals affected by addiction” since the fall of 2023.
“It’s hard to believe the Beacon Jams were over three years ago,” Anastasio reflected earlier this year in an open letter. “I remember the deep feelings of gratitude when so many people came together and generously supported the cause of addiction recovery. It was humbling and awe inspiring. I have the same feelings today, as the Divided Sky Residential Recovery Retreat has now opened. It’s been a true odyssey, with many twists and turns since the last note of the Beacon Jams in November of 2020. … We have been so blessed to collaborate with leaders of the Phellowship and sober music community, and other skilled professionals who are volunteering their time to help build out our technology and community outreach.”
“Not everyone struggling with addiction needs a full-scale medical intervention,” Anastasio continued at that time, “and even those who do require a medical detox often need somewhere to go after that step, to continue to heal. Divided Sky provides that supportive place where guests can ease into sobriety surrounded by a community filled with love and hope. … We are keeping it affordable, with scholarships available for those in need, and making sure no on is turned away because of their inability to pay. And now we’re seeing the results. I’m regularly hearing stories from individuals who have successfully gone through the program and believe in our approach. This is so incredibly gratifying. To each and every person who has been part of this, I want to say the most sincere THANK YOU from the deepest recesses of my heart. This has been an incredibly rewarding journey, none of which would be possible without all of you.”
He added, “I want to end with the most important message of all. If you or a loved on are in a cycle of alcoholism or drug addiction that you can’t see a way out of, and it seems like there’s no hope left, I promise you that you CAN get off drugs and stop drinking. There’s a beautiful life waiting for you, and it’s available to everyone.”
While Phish typically announces its performances with much more lead time, fans may recall the band performing a similar run of last-minute benefit concerts last summer at Saratoga Springs, NY’s Broadview Stage at SPAC. That two-show run, which benefitted recovery efforts for flood-afflicted communities in Vermont and elsewhere in the area, featured a surprise guest appearance by guitarist Derek Trucks.
The Divided Sky Foundation benefit concerts at Albany, NY’s MVP Arena continue what has proven to be a landmark year for Phish. In addition to releasing their 16th studio album, Evolve, Trey Anastasio, Mike Gordon, Jon Fishman, and Page McConnell played a highly publicized four-night run at Las Vegas, NV’s Sphere, embarked on a buzzed-about summer tour, and hosted their 11th band-curated festival, Mondegreen, in Dover, DE.
Aside from the band’s return to Mexico for the 2025 edition of Phish: Riviera Maya in late January and early February, the three Albany benefit shows for the Divided Sky Foundation are the only upcoming dates on the band’s tour calendar. Phish previously noted in its announcement of the 2025 Riviera Maya destination event that the band would not be touring this fall and has yet to announce its plans for its customary New Year’s Eve run.
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