Garden Partiers Summit: Trey Anastasio Joins Billy Joel At Madison Square Garden

Billy Joel and Phish have played Madison Square Garden in New York City than any other musical acts in the venue’s century-plus venue — though all concerts have taken at the current location. Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio was Billy Joel’s surprise guest on Saturday at The Piano Man’s 149th lifetime show at MSG and penultimate concert of his monthly residency at the World’s Greatest Arena.

Trey Anastasio had an interesting request for the Long Island native. Anastasio wanted to play “Sleeping With The Television On,” a song featured on Joel’s 1980 album Glass Houses that has only been performed by Billy a handful of times at MSG since the residency began one decade prior.

Billy Joel complied with Anastasio’s choice and delivered what has turned since 2021 into his annual rendition of “Sleeping With The Television On.” Trey not only ripped a solo but also added shared lead vocals and contributed harmonies to the Glass Houses gem.

Joel lit into the piano coda from Derek & The Dominos’ “Layla” after Billy, his band and Trey nailed “Sleeping With The Television On.” The Piano Man asked Trey for the key and after Anastasio responded “D” he started ripping the final portion of “Layla.” The partial version of the song Eric Clapton and Duane Allman made famous came after Trey Anastasio played “Layla” with Tedeschi Trucks Band at MSG in its entirety last fall.

Phish lyricist Tom Marshall tried to shit-stir a fued between Phish fans and Billy Joel one decade prior when he asserted Joel called Phish a “cover bar band” when learning the quartet had a hold on Madison Square Garden for New Year’s Eve concerts that continues through the present. Phish went cover-free for their four-night NYE run at the venue at the end of 2013. “Phish, 4-nights MSG, all originals, no repeats, put THAT bread in your jar piano man!” Marshall tweeted at the time.

Billy Joel wasn’t done with Trey Anastasio yet following the partial “Layla.” The Phish guitarist returned to help Joel close his show with “You May Be Right”.

Watch fan-shot video of the great Trey Anastasio/Billy Joel summit of 2024 below: