Phish Clifford Ball MTV Special

Nineteen years ago today Phish began their first multi-day festival they called the Clifford Ball. The festival was held August 16 and 17, 1996 in Plattsburgh, New York at an abandoned Air Force base and brought over 70,000 people to the band’s debut major event. Next weekend the band will host their 10th multi-day festival (the sold-out) Magnaball at Watkins Glen International race track, and today we’re taking a look back at MTV’s coverage of the Clifford Ball in 1996.

Back in 1996 MTV was still largely focused on music and was one of the few media outlets to give Phish’s massive two-day gathering any coverage. Broken into three parts, the half-hour special shows the band arriving on site, interviews with fans (including a wedding between two attendees), the Clifford Ball Orchestra, concert footage, Phish’s famed travelling Flatbed Truck set and much more. YouTube user kubu420 shared the MTV special that shows what went down exactly 19 years ago today, which you can watch below:

Part One:

Part Two:

Part Three: