Trey Anastasio To Debut ‘Sphere Immersive Sound’ Audio Technology At Beacon Theatre Gigs

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Trey Anastasio’s special connection to New York’s Beacon Theatre continues with two acoustic performances that will mark the debut of the venue’s new sound system, Sphere Immersive Sound. The technology was developed for Las Vegas’ MSG Sphere at The Venetian, set to open in 2023, and is said to be the “world’s most advanced concert audio system.”

The Phish frontman will take the stage at the Beacon Theatre Aug. 19-20. Anastasio had the honor of playing two solo acoustic shows at The Beacon in June 2021 to open the venue for its first in-person shows since the start of the pandemic. In late 2020 he launched an eight-week livestream residency at The Beacon, which raised more than $1 million for charity via Anastasio’s Divided Sky Fund, financing an addiction treatment facility in Vermont. The Beacon Jams won the Pollstar Award in June 2021 for Best Livestream Event/Virtual Event.

“I was lucky enough to experience a demo of Sphere Immersive Sound, and it’s truly unbelievable,” Anastasio said in a statement. “I am thrilled to be able to debut this cutting-edge technology at the Beacon Theatre, one of my favorite venues in the world.”

Today’s announcement points out that The Beacon is Anastasio’s home turf as he’s a local to the Upper West Side.

A presale begins Wednesday, July 27 at 12 p.m. ET via https://treytickets.shop.ticketstoday.com. Tickets go on sale via Ticketmaster on Thursday, July 28 at 12 p.m. ET. Fans can also purchase tickets in person beginning July 29 at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and Beacon Theatre box offices.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Trey Anastasio back to the Beacon Theatre, but even more so to have him be the first artist to utilize our incredible new audio technology,” Jim Dolan, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, MSG Entertainment, said in a statement.

“Trey and his team have always embraced innovation, so it made perfect sense to work with them these last few months on how we begin to introduce Sphere Immersive Sound. This will be an incredibly special acoustic performance, where the audience will truly experience the clarity and purity of his sound.”

An announcement from Madison Square Garden Entertainment explains, “Sphere Immersive Sound uses 3D audio beamforming technology to deliver targeted, crystal-clear and uniform audio to every seat in the house – setting a new standard for sound quality in performance venues.”

The technology is said to improve the audience experience while also providing artists and engineers with greater programming control and flexibility. The announcement goes on to say that while traditional speakers “can deliver an inconsistent and uneven sound experience,” Sphere Immersive Sound is tailored to The Beacon Theatre, directing sound to its orchestra, loge, lower balcony and upper balcony. Future events at The Beacon will continue utilizing Sphere Immersive Sound.

The technology is being customized and scaled for Las Vegas’ MSG Sphere, which will host audiences up to 20,000 people. The venue is scheduled to open in the second half of 2023. As for recent reports that MSG Sphere will kick off its programming with a residency by U2, a spokesperson for MSG told Pollstar, “I will tell you the same as I did to Billboard: We don’t have any announcements to share at this time regarding the opening of MSG Sphere.”

The Beacon Theatre shows are scheduled ahead of Anastasio’s solo tour with the Trey Anastasio Band that begins in late September. Phish’s summer tour has gigs booked through the end of July and from Aug. 2-14, followed by its annual Labor Day weekend residency at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo., Sept. 1-4.

Anastasio grossed $2 million overall in 2021, ranking No. 133 on Pollstar’s Year End North American Tours chart. Box office reports submitted to Pollstar for Anastasio include the two Beacon shows in June that grossed $397,273.