About After Midnight: Phish's Big Cypress Festival
The definitive retrospective of one of music’s most memorable festivals, Phish’s Big Cypress. In December of 1999, Phish drew an estimated 80,000 to the Big Cypress Indian Reservation in Florida’s Everglades, making this festival the largest Millennium Eve concert on earth. We look back on the festival 20 years later—and examine the legacy for Phish and the music world. Hosted and narrated by Jesse Jarnow, this five-episode series draws on interviews with members of Phish and its crew, fan memories, and conversations with other people across the music industry.
This show is currently supported by Sunset Lake CBD. Visit SunsetLakeCBD.com and use promo code AFTERMIDNIGHT for 20% off premium CBD products.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What was it like for the band to walk off stage after playing for 7 hours? Would fans go back to a world destroyed by Y2K? What was next for Phish after this monumental achievement? How did Big Cypress influence festivals and the music industry? In our final episode of After Midnight, we explore these questions and more.
9 Apr 2026
Episode 4: The All-Nighter (re-release)
What's it like to pull an all-nighter with 80,000 of your closest friends? What happens when you try to drive a hot dog through that same crowd? Can you say "Cheesecake!" like you're pissed? Will the band play an encore?
In episode 4, we answer these questions and more. We also explore the lasting impressions of the legendary midnight-to-sunrise experience.
6 Apr 2026
Episode 3: City on a Swamp (re-release)
In episode 3, we emerge from the traffic jam, and we are officially on Big Cypress. We hear Trey and Tom reflect on cruising Big Cypress, and talk to Jon Fishman, Brad Sands, John Paluska and lots of fans about their experiences on site. And we start to get to the music. There's music!
2 Apr 2026
Episode 2: A Long Day on Alligator Alley (re-release)
What's it like to build a city for 75,000 fans from scratch? Why did people sit in traffic for 18 hours waiting to get into Big Cypress? And were there actually alligators?
In episode two, we explore how Phish built a city, threw the biggest ticketed event anywhere in the world on New Year’s 1999 and still remained almost completely off the mainstream’s radar. We’ll hear from Phish band members Trey Anastasio and Jon Fishman, manager John Paluska, festival designer Russ Bennett, and many others—including survivors of the traffic jam on Alligator Alley.
30 Mar 2026
Episode 1: The Plan (re-release)
Why did 75,000 Phish fans endure an 18-hour traffic jam to see Phish? Why did Phish make 75,000 fans endure a massive traffic jam to see them? What were Phish doing in Florida in the first place?In episode one, we explore answers to these questions and more. We talk to Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio drummer Jon Fishman, former manager John Paluska, Seminole liaison Pete Gallagher, and many others involved in making Big Cypress happen.
19 Dec 2019
Episode 5: Aftermath
What was it like for the band to walk off stage after playing for 7 hours? Would fans go back to a world destroyed by Y2K? What was next for Phish after this monumental achievement? How did Big Cypress influence festivals and the music industry?
In our final episode of After Midnight, we explore these questions and more. We sincerely appreciate all of the support for this series from fans everywhere. Please share with your friends, and give us a review on Apple Podcasts.
After Midnight is sponsored by Ben & Jerry's and Fiddlehead Brewing Company.
Produced by Osiris Media. Executive Producers are RJ Bee and Tom Marshall. After Midnight was Produced, Edited and Mixed by Matt Dwyer. Written and narrated by Jesse Jarnow. Produced by Jefferson Waful. Music by Amar Sastry. Production assistance from Christina Collins. Art by Mark Dowd. Thanks to Phish, Red Light Management, and to all interviewees. And a special thanks to all the fans who sent us your stories, photos, and memories.
We'll see you out there.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
12 Dec 2019
Episode 4: The All-Nighter
What's it like to pull an all-nighter with 80,000 of your closest friends? What happens when you try to drive a hot dog through that same crowd? Can you say "Cheesecake!" like you're pissed? Will the band play an encore?
In episode 4, we answer these questions and more. We also explore the lasting impressions of the legendary midnight-to-sunrise experience.
After Midnight is sponsored by Ben & Jerry's and Fiddlehead Brewing Company.
Produced by Osiris Media. Executive Producers are RJ Bee and Tom Marshall. After Midnight was Produced, Edited and Mixed by Matt Dwyer. Written and narrated by Jesse Jarnow. Produced by Jefferson Waful. Music by Amar Sastry. Production assistance from Christina Collins. Art by Mark Dowd. Thanks to Phish, Red Light Management, and to all interviewees. And a special thanks to all the fans who sent us your stories, photos, and memories. We appreciate it. Until next time...
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
5 Dec 2019
Episode 3: City on a Swamp
In episode 3, we emerge from the traffic jam, and we are officially on Big Cypress. We hear Trey and Tom reflect on cruising Big Cypress, and talk to Jon Fishman, Brad Sands, John Paluska and lots of fans about their experiences on site. And we start to get to the music. There's music!
After Midnight is sponsored by Ben & Jerry's and Fiddlehead Brewing Company.
Produced by Osiris Media. Executive Producers are RJ Bee and Tom Marshall. After Midnight was Produced, Edited and Mixed by Matt Dwyer. Written and narrated by Jesse Jarnow. Produced by Jefferson Waful. Music by Amar Sastry. Production assistance from Christina Collins. Art by Mark Dowd. Thanks to Phish, Red Light Management, and to all interviewees. And a special thanks to all the fans who sent us your stories, photos, and memories. We appreciate it. Until next time...
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
21 Nov 2019
Episode 2: A Long Day on Alligator Alley
What's it like to build a city for 75,000 fans from scratch? Why did people sit in traffic for 18 hours waiting to get into Big Cypress? And were there actually alligators?
In episode two, we explore how Phish built a city, threw the biggest ticketed event anywhere in the world on New Year’s 1999 and still remained almost completely off the mainstream’s radar.
We’ll hear from Phish band members Trey Anastasio and Jon Fishman, manager John Paluska, festival designer Russ Bennett, and many others—including survivors of the traffic jam on Alligator Alley.
After Midnight is sponsored by Ben & Jerry's and Fiddlehead Brewing Company.
Produced by Osiris Media. Executive Producers are RJ Bee and Tom Marshall. After Midnight was Produced, Edited and Mixed by Matt Dwyer. Written and narrated by Jesse Jarnow. Produced by Jefferson Waful. Music by Amar Sastry. Production assistance from Christina Collins. Art by Mark Dowd. Thanks to Phish, Red Light Management, and to all interviewees. And a special thanks to all the fans who sent us your stories, photos, and memories. We appreciate it. Until next time...
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
14 Nov 2019
Episode 1: The Plan
Why did 75,000 Phish fans endure an 18-hour traffic jam to see Phish? Why did Phish make 75,000 fans endure a massive traffic jam to see them? What were Phish doing in Florida in the first place?
In episode one, we explore answers to these questions and more. We talk to Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio drummer Jon Fishman, former manager John Paluska, Seminole liaison Pete Gallagher, and many others involved in making Big Cypress happen.
After Midnight is sponsored by Ben & Jerry's and Fiddlehead Brewing Company.
Produced by Osiris Media. Executive Producers are RJ Bee and Tom Marshall. After Midnight was Produced, Edited and Mixed by Matt Dwyer. Written and narrated by Jesse Jarnow. Produced by Jefferson Waful. Music by Amar Sastry. Production assistance from Christina Collins. Art by Mark Dowd. Thanks to Phish, Red Light Management, and to all interviewees. And a special thanks to all the fans who sent us your stories, photos, and memories. We appreciate it. Until next time...
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 Nov 2019
After Midnight Trailer
A preview of After Midnight, a podcast celebrating the 20th anniversary of Phish's Big Cypress festival. Subscribe today on our show page. Episode 1 comes out on Thursday, November 14.
This five-episode series, hosted and narrated by Jesse Jarnow, will include interviews with Trey Anastasio, Jon Fishman, John Paluska, Brad Sands, Beth Montouri-Rowles and many other people who played a key role in making this amazing festival happen.
And we also hear from you—the fans. We received hundreds of emails and audio clips with your memories, and you'll hear that throughout the series.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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395 ratings
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