In this July 26, 2017 photo, bags of doughnuts are prepared to be handed out to fans of the band Phish in New York. The band is handing doughnuts out at its "Baker's Dozen" residency at New York's Madison Square Garden. (AP Photo/Josh Cornfield)
The Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) - Phish's 13-show "Baker's Dozen" residency at New York's Madison Square Garden is all about the doughnuts.
The video the band released in January to announce the shows included skyscraper-sized doughnuts rolling through the streets of New York. Fans who purchased a 13-night package got doughnut-shaped tickets.
And the band has partnered with Philadelphia doughnut and fried chicken shop Federal Donuts to make a specialty flavor each night that they're both giving out to fans and building some of their songs around.
Here's a look at how the doughnuts go from fryers in Philly to fans in New York.
___
FRYING IN THE MORNING
Federal Donuts chef Matt Fein's crew is working overnight shifts to get the thousands of doughnuts made at the company's commissary kitchen just outside of downtown Philadelphia.
A machine called a Donut Robot fries them up and then each doughnut is hand-dipped into that night's flavor.
Flavors so far have included coconut, strawberry, red velvet, jam-filled and powdered. The custom flavors for the remaining eight shows are a secret, to be announced by the band before that day's show.
___
BAG IT, TAG IT
The doughnuts are finished early before Federal Donuts begins its daily breakfast rush. They're then packed up into a truck to be shipped to New York in crates of 24 each.
While fans are lining up outside of the arena early to try to get a taste, a group of volunteers works inside to get each doughnut into a bag with Phish's logo on it.
The volunteers come from the various groups that staff the band's shows around the country, including Phish's WaterWheel Foundation.
___
RUSH AND NEVER WASTE A DOUGHNUT
Once the doors open each night around 6:30 p.m., fans come streaming through the towers at Madison Square Garden, where the volunteers hand the doughnuts out.
After about a half hour, the doughnuts are gone, the remaining sad fans forced to ride up the escalators without a doughnut.
___
YOU ENJOY MY DOUGHNUT
With more than an hour before the show starts, fans that get inside the arena in time for a doughnut also have plenty of time to enjoy it.
The band has also taken each night's flavor and worked it into their set lists.
The first show's coconut flavor, for instance, saw the band open the show with an obscure Danish pop song, Junior Senior's "Shake your Coconuts."
___
Contact Cornfield at https://www.twitter.com/JoshCornfield
In this Wednesday, July 26, 2017 photo, donuts destined for a Phish concert are fried, at Federal Donuts in Philadelphia. Doughnuts are everywhere in Phishâs âBakerâs Dozenâ 13-show residency at Madison Square Garden, which kicked off last week and lasts until Aug. 6. From the tickets to a huge mural to the thousands of Federal Donuts being given out to fans each night. The band is even working each nightâs custom flavor into its setlists. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
The Associated Press
In this Wednesday, July 26, 2017 photo, Chef Matt Fein prepares donuts for a Phish concert, at Federal Donuts in Philadelphia. Doughnuts are everywhere in Phishâs âBakerâs Dozenâ 13-show residency at Madison Square Garden, which kicked off last week and lasts until Aug. 6. From the tickets to a huge mural to the thousands of Federal Donuts being given out to fans each night. The band is even working each nightâs custom flavor into its setlists. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
The Associated Press
In this Wednesday, July 26, 2017 photo, Chef Matt Fein applies powder sugar to donuts for a Phish concert, at Federal Donuts in Philadelphia. Doughnuts are everywhere in Phishâs âBakerâs Dozenâ 13-show residency at Madison Square Garden, which kicked off last week and lasts until Aug. 6. From the tickets to a huge mural to the thousands of Federal Donuts being given out to fans each night. The band is even working each nightâs custom flavor into its setlists. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
The Associated Press
In this Wednesday, July 26, 2017 photo, Donuts destined for a Phish concert are set ready for delivery, at Federal Donuts in Philadelphia. Doughnuts are everywhere in Phishâs âBakerâs Dozenâ 13-show residency at Madison Square Garden, which kicked off last week and lasts until Aug. 6. From the tickets to a huge mural to the thousands of Federal Donuts being given out to fans each night. The band is even working each nightâs custom flavor into its setlists. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
The Associated Press
In this July 26, 2017 photo, Federal Donuts partner Felicia D'Ambrosio inspects boxes of doughnuts to be handed out to fans of the band Phish in New York. The band ânever stops surprising me and delighting me and I trust them,â DâAmbrosio said. âTo us at Federal Donuts, itâs this weird collaboration of this thing you love and this thing you love.â (AP Photo/Josh Cornfield)
The Associated Press