Live Phish hits Valley big screen June 20, 2004 - The Arizona Republic By Michael Senft Valley Phish fans descended on Scottsdale on Thursday night for the opening night of the Vermont jam band's farewell tour. They cheered, sang along with songs like Possum and danced in the aisles. But the group wasn't performing in the Valley. Far from it. Instead, the UA Pavilions 11 movie theater showed a live simulcast of the group's concert from Coney Island, NY. The concert was the latest in the "One Night Only" series of live music events at the theater. For the past year the UA theater has hosted 15 such events, including concerts from Beyoncé and Prince, as well as DVD screenings from classic rockers Yes and Depeche Mode singer David Gahan. Tonight the theater will screen Elvis Presley's classic '68 Comeback Special. The broadcasts are part of a new technology known as DCN, or Digital Cinema Network, developed by Regal CineMedia Corp., the owners of UA Theatres. The system uses a network of satellites and the Internet to send programming from Regal's central hub in Denver to more than 400 of its theaters throughout the country. The system reaches 25 of the largest cities in the country where Regal has a market presence. And it's not just for Phish fanatics. Regal uses the network to distribute its pre-screening advertising program, a series of extended TV ads and video-game previews that viewers see before the start of a movie, as well as educational programs. Dan Diamond, vice president for business development for Regal, explained the idea behind DCN during a recent phone call from his Denver office. "It's a way to reach out to the local communities," Diamond says. "Last year, when the movie Holes was released, we did a special interactive screening for local schoolchildren with Louis Sachar, the author of the novel the movie was based on, as well as the director and cast members. Students across the country were able to ask questions of the panel during the presentation." Music events are the biggest draw, however. In the Valley, several shows have drawn about 500 fans, and the Phish show drew 600, selling out two screens, according to Pavilions assistant manager Jenny Wood. The "One Night Only" series started in March 2003 with a concert from Christian rockers Third Day. The concert was so successful that Regal has held events twice a month since September. The screenings are usually related to a special event with the artists, like an opening night concert or the release of a DVD. The two shows this month are perfect examples - Phish simulcast their opening night, while the Elvis special coincides with the DVD release of deluxe editions of the '68 Comeback Special and Elvis - Aloha From Hawaii. "We try to do something extra with our broadcasts," Diamond said. "When we showed Yes' Yesspeak DVD in January, we also had a special acoustic performance from the band. For the Elvis we're showing some bonus footage from Aloha From Hawaii, all mixed in cinema surround sound." Phish fans gathered outside the theater during intermission Thursday, chatting about the new-fangled concert technology. "It was awesome," Kate McGarey of Phoenix said of the simulcast. "The picture looked great." Her friend Andrew Bates, also of Phoenix, agreed. "When they played at America West Arena the sound was muddy, but it is really clear here," he said. The opening-night Prince simulcast in March from the Staples Center in LA was the company's most successful show nationally so far, Diamond said, although he expected the Phish concert to rival Prince's attendance. "We had over 25,000 people watching the concert across the country - that's more than the Staples Center holds," he says of the Prince show. "We made it an event as well. Prince is giving away copies of his new album, Musicology, to everyone attending his shows, so we gave away copies to everyone who attended our broadcast." So the next time you can't score tickets to the big concert, don't worry. It may be coming to a theater near you. Article Copyright © 2004 Arizona Republic