This year’s Phish New Year’s run at Madison Square Garden will bring the band to a significant milestone. The band’s third of four performances in New York City on December 30th, 2019 will mark the 25th anniversary of their first show at the World’s Most Famous Arena on 12/30/94. In a recent interview with Ari Fink on SiriusXM Phish Radio, Anastasio reflected on his quarter of a century—comprising 60 shows and counting—playing in the storied room with Phish.

When Fink broaches the topic of the band’s 25th MSG anniversary, Trey immediately reacts with a note of nostalgic surprise. Fink then asks Trey if, when they first played there in 1994, he ever expected that the band would go on to forge such a lasting relationship with that room and the fans that continue to fill it each time Phish comes to town.

After a moment of quiet reflection, Trey responds, “No, I mean I didn’t think that at the time… But it’s been… The relationship that we have with Madison Square Garden has exceeded the relationship that we had with Nectar’s at this point in time, which is pretty incredible. It really has. Meaning, everything about it. The staff—that’s the first thing I have to bring up, the staff. I love all the people that work in that room. I mean, it’s crazy when I go see games or I go see other concerts, I walk backstage [and] I know everybody. They’re so cool, so nice.”

Trey continues, “The other thing about it is the sound. You could blindfold me and put me on that stage and I’d play one note and I’d know I was at Madison Square Garden. I know exactly how the notes echo off the back wall. I know the feeling of the floor motion. It’s so comfortable, and when we did the Baker’s Dozen, that was when it really… It was so relaxed. There’s no place else that we could have done that, 13 nights without a repeat. It just felt so utterly relaxed. You know, I’d go backstage, I’d meditate. … I feel like I’m home, I could put a bed in that place at this point. So, you know, I look forward so much to the New Year’s run. It feels like coming home in a way that I never could have anticipated, ever. It’s the most comfortable room that we play in at this point in time.”

Watch the full clip below:

Trey Anastasio Reflects on 25 Years of Phish at MSG

[Video: SiriusXM]

Phish will return to the Garden once again for their four-night 2019 New Year’s run starting Saturday, December 28th. By the time calendars flip to 2020, the total number of Phish shows at MSG will sit at 64. For those unable to make it out to this year’s YEMSG shows, LivePhish is offering HD and 4K webcasts of each of the four shows.