David Gallo Designs Phish New Year's Eve Show at Madison Square Garden

	Transfixed by lyrics, "I hear you singing through the steam", cabled aerialists, Costumed as fans, and wearing steam jetpacks by Zenith Pyro and Square Root Studios, begin to levitate throughout the arena lured by "your soul joins mine as steam."

Tony Award-winning scenic designer David Gallo launched a surrealist vision at Madison Square Garden in New York City for the band Phish on New Year's Eve.

The event was conceived in collaboration with Phish and produced by Phish /Red Light Management in association with production manager, Hadden Hippsely.

Gallo was charged again to outwit and entertain Phish fans, following his successful New Year's Eve 'Global Meatstick' at the Garden in 2010 and Miami stunt in 2009.

In a sold-out arena of a four-day run, Phish fans were electrified during the third and final set as guitarist Trey Anastasio's on-stage tea kettle began to whistle. As the band moved into "Steam," a song about the journey of the soul into the afterlife, smoke clouded the stage and a speaker cabinet began to ascend. It was followed by a bass then a keytar, and, eventually, Jon Fishman's famous Electrolux vacuum shot up and hovered above the band. A "fan" wielding a "steam" sign teetered on a barrier, escaping the hold of security and was transported high above the stage deck. Transfixed by lyrics, "I hear you singing through the steam", cabled aerialists, costumed as fans, and wearing steam jetpacks by Zenith Pyro and Square Root Studios, begin to levitate throughout the arena lured by "your soul joins mine as steam." They flew in the air space of Madison Square Garden until the number slowed down and the countdown to midnight began, followed by a balloon drop.

A rousing Auld Lang Syne segued into "Down with Disease" and the aerialist fans who were outfitted with handheld lights were shot 45' into the air at nearly 20mph. In full jam, Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordan climaxed "Down with Disease" by slowly rising 17' above stage on pedestal ribbon lifts provided by Tait Towers.

Tait Towers provided an array of 15 T-winches geared to accelerate the performers to 18'/second, as well as four compact SmartMotor winches for the props over stage. The power was controlled by Navigator under the care of Tait's flight director, Paul Sapsis. Navigator allowed the team to provide a portfolio of automation looks that flexed with the band's ducks and weaves, while still remaining robust enough to recover from moments of performer distress or unplanned audience interaction.