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Published: 2009/03/01 by Brian Ferdman  Phish The Clifford Ball
Prior to 1996, there had never been an event like The Clifford
Ball. Music and art festivals had surely existed, and hippie
camping gatherings had been happening for nearly 30 years, but
never before had one band decided to put on a massive event by
themselves, featuring no one but themselves. Of course, by 1996,
Phish’s audience was packing standard concert venues, so the
band had the drawing power to throw their own two-day festival
on the grounds of the decommissioned Plattsburgh Air Force base.
Over 70,000 fans made the trek to upstate New York for what
would become the largest concert event of the year in North
America. In turn, Phish rewarded the crowd with six stellar sets
and a bonus, unannounced 3AM set performed on the back of a
moving flatbed truck throughout the campgrounds. The madness and
brilliance of this festival has now been lovingly documented and
preserved on DVD.  As