Phish Members Discuss Performing At Madison Square Garden

All four members of Phish spoke about the magic of performing at Madison Square Garden in videos shared on the New York City venue’s social feeds. Phish made their debut at The Garden on December 30, 1994 and have played a total of 64 concerts at MSG.

The videos were filmed during the band’s Baker's Dozen residency in which they performed 13 shows at Madison Square Garden between July 21 – August 6, 2017. The Garden has become a home of sorts for Phish, who have played the venue more than any other over the past 25 years including nine out of the last 10 New Year’s Runs.

“It’s the most classic rock venue of the entire world, we all think that,” bassist Mike Gordon said. “The room sounds great and the floor moves when the crowd really gets going and I think that whole bouncing of the floor thing … there’s no other venue in the country that’s like that,” added drummer Jon Fishman.

“I can’t imagine anywhere we would rather be than here at The Garden on New Year’s Eve,” keyboardist Page McConnell explained. “It really feels like coming home. It’s really comfortable.”

Guitarist Trey Anastasio joined his band mates in speaking about the bouncing floor. “It’s on springs. We walk out on stage and we play the first song, ‘AC/DC Bag,’ and people start singing along and start dancing,” Anastasio noted. “When the crowd starts dancing in unison, the floor starts to move and my mic stand does this thing where it bops me in the face if I’m not careful. It’s controlled by the unity of the audience. Everyone has to be dancing together to get the room rocking. I’ve never felt that anywhere else.”