Flyers to host Phish Night in January, featuring T-shirts and a pregame concert
Rift, a Phish tribute band, will play before the Jan. 8 game as the organization honors a legendary band with more than a few Philly connections.
Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio has described himself as a lifelong Flyers fan.
“I loved hockey when I was young, and [in] 1975-1976, I saw Reggie Leach score his 50th goal, and I remember it; it’s emblazoned in my memory,” Anastasio said in an interview back in 2010.
On Thursday morning, the organization decided to show Anastasio and his band some love back, announcing that it’ll honor Phish with its own promotional night on Jan. 8, featuring a pregame concert and a Gritty-themed T-shirt.
“The Philadelphia Flyers and Phish both have tremendously loyal and passionate fan bases that have intersected over the past several decades with historic live shows at the arenas we’ve called home,” Flyers chief revenue officer Todd Glickman said in a statement.
Anastasio isn’t just a fan, he also got to play in an alumni game for the Flyers, which he described as an incredible opportunity. The Phish frontman was born in Fort Worth, Texas, but grew up in Princeton after moving to New Jersey at the age of 3. The band’s drummer, Jon Fishman, and keyboardist, Page McConnell, were both born in Philadelphia. Phish’s 1997 multi-night concert at the Spectrum was recently released as a commemorative box set.
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In addition to Phish’s deep connections to Philadelphia, the band has had several points of contact with the Flyers organization over the years. Before Phish’s first show at the Spectrum in 1995, they visited the Flyers’ training facility to meet the team. That night, Anastasio performed in a John LeClair Flyers jersey. The band has also performed the national anthem at two Flyers games, in 1997 and 1999.
Fans who purchase a bundled ticket for the Jan. 8 game against the Toronto Maple Leafs will receive the co-branded Phish and Flyers T-shirt. A portion of ticket sales will benefit Phish’s WaterWheel Foundation. Fans will also have access to a pregame concert performed by Rift, a Philly-based Phish tribute band. The concert will be hosted by Casey Boy, of WMMR’s Preston & Steve show.