Riot at Coventry Time?

[secondtube]

August 14, 2004 - Coventry, VT - As a direct result of the severe weather

conditions and serious flooding encountered over the past few days, the

Vermont State Police and concert organizers, in the interest of public

safety, have been forced to limit entry in to the COVENTRY festival this

weekend. After exploring all possible options, Police and organizers have

concluded that there is no conceivable way to park the remaining vehicles on or in the near vicinity of the concert site, due to the conditions of the

grounds as a direct result of the persistent and torrential rains over the

past several days.

Effective immediately, all vehicles bound for the concert site not already

off Interstate 91 will be turned around and denied entrance to the festival.

In addition, roadblocks at additional points of entry have been set up and

State Police will be ensuring that people can turn around in a safe and

efficient manner.

All ticket holders denied entry to the site will be granted a full refund.

Ticket refunds will be refunded directly to credit card holders who have

purchased tickets from Ticketmaster and from Phish's online ticketing

system. Further details on refunds will be announced in the coming days.

While Phish deeply regrets having to take this action, it is necessary to

protect fans as well as residents of the greater Coventry area.

[secondtube]

Effective immediately, all vehicles bound for the concert site not already

off Interstate 91 will be turned around and denied entrance to the festival.

[secondtube]

Phish fans, after waiting in line for 25 hours, will be turned away, to the Final Phish Show, after paying how much??? What about the ebay buyers? The original seller will be getting the refund AFTER selling the tickets on ebay!

[doug]

Wonder what the band actually thinks of this decision? Definitely a sh!tty deal for those who get turned away.

[secondtube]

word has it (official police stats) only 32 thousand have made it in....

some 60 thousand still in line...including most of the Canadians on this board, Booche, Kenny from PJC, most of the kidz from Canada who left later, cause PHISH SAID SO, are not going to be able to get in!

[tatterdemalion]

is this legit ? where did you get this piece of news ? if that's the official word, it's gonna get uglier than expected up there. i hope i can catch all of this on the webcast. hell, they should think about making this pay-per-view now - The Ultimate Wookie Fighting Challenge.

Wookie Mudwrestling. I guess all wookie wrestling is mudwrestling though.

[secondtube]

Its getting worse!

(that was from phish.com)

Upon hearing this message, fans are LEAVING their cars, PACKING THEIR backpacks, and WALKING/RUNNING/WHATEVER MEANS NECESSARY TO GET IN!

Gates are gonna be bombarded...

Things are gonna get ugly!

[CyberHippie]

That fu©king blows! Booourrrns.

[secondtube]

Fan Inside Coventry: (10:03am)

so as many of you all know i have wireless internet at my campsite...and with a digital camera and a phot sharing site i can bring you photos as they happen...i will be uploading photos whenever i get a chance.....

Me: (10:05am)

"whats the word/atmosphere like inside, now that campers now over half the crowd ain't getting in?"

Fan Inside Coventry: (10:09am)

most people are oblivious to the fact the arn't letting people in anymore....i think they will figure it out when the cocert grounds are empty

Update From the Bunny:

Now the Bunny's saying that they are going to turn away anyone whotries to walk in-- just wonder if this is just an attempt to stop people from doing it rather than the truth-- there are going to be some crazy stories after this experience

[CatPhish]

Just got a cell call from the car with The bouches, Brennen Bro's and MattyC, Looks they're being turned away. I think the Velevt train also left at the same time they did.

awful news!

[secondtube]

damn, damn, damn, DAMN!!!

[CatPhish]

My heart goes out to them BIG TIME!

I have'nt heard form Davey-boy, Pauly(wackamole), Brad M Graham, LJFH. they left Thurdsay night, so they must be inside.

[secondtube]

i feel so very sad for people like our Ottawa friends, Kenny from PJC, Hamilton, TimmyB and co.

So many kidz were looking forward to this event. I hope SOME of them got in...I'm pretty sure TimmyB was leaving early...but no way Kenny got in.

WAIT!?!?!?! i THINK kenny had a guy riding with them from the Toronto sun, with a press pass...maybe he could pull some strings....

Crossing fingers and sending Candles Good Vibes.

[CatPhish]

Ya in Wishful thinking mode I'm still sending good vibes in hopes that they all find some portale in.

[dave-O]

Terrible news. We drove for hours of rain and fog through Maine yesterday. I'm glad to be sitting at home waiting to listen to the stream... Best of luck to all our friends trying to get in.

[tatterdemalion]

wow. i wasn't sure that was official, but damn, this is gonna suck in every way. my apologies for making a mockery of the situation which couldn't be any shittier for those folks.

how they're going to deal with the consequences is the next big challenge. refunds obviously don't cut it - the financial hit is unavoidable. maybe a multi-night run at MSG ?

[secondtube]

The movie simulcast production crew is staying at our hotel and they're having trouble finding a way in as well...they said that people are abandoning their cars on the highway and walking in. They also say that 91 is a total parking lot, north and south.

::

[CatPhish]

Jodi jsut called Howler, they're in but up to their knees in mud in some places.

Cars may all have to be towed out on Sun/Mon...what a mess.

[bouche]

oh my god!

This has got to be the worst news I could have imagined coming out of this festival.

How many people made special trips here just for this? I think they'd better put on another show just for the turned away ticketholders.

So the 'wise' thing to do in the end was to just go and sit through the mayhem afterall on thursday?

Secondtube, that's one helluva thought. Those that bought a ticket for $500 off of ebay are fooked and the original seller gets a refund. Now that's gonna cause some sh!t.

I feel terrible for everyone that went to such great lengths for this festival.

Very haunting times. I see footage on TV of miles of cars evacutating florida while imagining the miles of cars in line for Phish, only to get turned away.

[secondtube]

Nice! Glad they're in!

They have set up a wireless network on the grounds (not sure if they meant to or not but...) so anyone with a laptop and a wireless card can access it. Its broadband too!

[bouche]

from Burlington Free Press

Fans turned away

By Andy Netzel | Free Press Staff Writer

Posted Saturday August 14, 9:35 a.m.

Phish is turning away thousands of fans from all over the country who were traveling to Coventry for their final show.

The constant rain showers that began Wednesday have turned farm fields into a soupy mess. The fields, which acted as parking lots, have not functioned well since Thursday, when farm tractors began dragging cars into their spots.

The announcement was made at about 9 a.m. Saturday by bass player Mike Gordon on the local radio station Phish took over for the concert weekend.

"Everything is flooded," Gordon said. "We can’t get all the cars in here."

This comes after guitar player Trey Anastasio told fans in Morristown, N.J. Thursday not to show up to the Northeast Kingdom until Saturday. The message was carried across the country as it was rebroadcast on XM Satellite radio and reported in television and newspaper reports.

Vermont State Police and the band considered parking cars on other farm fields, but they are just as muddy as the ones rented for the concert, Gordon said.

Parking in a gravel pit was also considered, but that option was not possible either.

All unused tickets will be refunded, Gordon said, and the band will "brainstorm a way to make it up to you."

Vermont State Police Sgt. Bruce Melendy said cars will be turned around, and asked motorists to cooperate. Drivers have been on the road for hours, and Melendy suggested motorists stop at local hotels or campsites when they get the chance to catch up on sleep so they can drive safely.

The Burlington-based jam band sold 70,000 tickets for their sold-out show. After earlier this year announcing they were disbanding, the Saturday and Sunday show is to be their last concert together.

[\/\/illy]

So where the hell are the pictures? If people have digital cameras and wireless broadband, where are the pictures? This seems like a photojournalist's dream if you're on the inside.

Very sh!tty for everyone else. (((((Good Vibes))))) to anyone there or trying to get there.

[secondtube]

they just made an announcement that if you are still stuck on 91 then you will not get in, and if you are off 91(route5) then you will get in. However there is rain in the forecast for tomorrow and they said that if you do get in you might not get out for several days.

[\/\/illy]

And the plot thickens... (or should I say the mud?)

[D]

Hey all, long time no post.... this is too crazy, me and some kids are just getting ready to head to Williamsville, NY to catch the simulcast at the IMAX theatre, weve got tickets and hotels all set up, now I wonder if it will still go off in light of the craziness? kind of glad I had to sell my ticket and bail on making the trip now, too bad for those who get turned away. This could get real ugly.