Getty Image / Astrida Valigorsky
Two New Jersey music industry legends met on stage over the weekend when Phish guitarist/singer/frontman Trey Anastasio welcomed The Boss™ himself, Bruce Springsteen, on state at Asbury Park to perform Bruce’s ‘Kitty’s Back’ in a surprise that the crowd went nuts for.
The action went down on Sunday at the Sea.Hear.Now Festival, a 2-day festival where Noah Kahan was the headliner on Saturday and Bruce was the headliner on Sunday with The Gaslight Anthem, Trey Anastasio Band, and Norah Jones getting second billing and heating up the stages before Bruce put on his show Sunday to close out the festival.
If you’re wondering ‘why did Trey Anastasio and Bruce Springsteen play together?’ there’s historical precedent for this. Bruce joined Phish on stage at Bonnaroo back in 2009 when Phish dipped their toes in playing a festival that wasn’t their own.
This time around, Trey was playing with his Trey Anastasio Band and not Phish and they dove into one of Bruce’s songs, ‘Kitty’s Back,’ which the E Street Band closed their set with at their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction back in 2014. Bruce was inducted separately (1999) but the band got in back in 2014 as well. So this is a song that holds a special place in Springsteen’s heart for many reasons:
As can be heard in the video, Trey Anastasio dove into a story about his history with Bruce Springsteen before welcoming him to the stage. Trey doesn’t talk a ton when he’s on stage with Phish other than occasional narration to songs and periodic thank you’s of sorts to the crowd. It’s not unheard of for him to tell stories but it’s rare.
A story of this length though is rarely heard and a special moment for the Trey/Phish/Bruce fans in the crowd. Trey said:
“I grew up in New Jersey. I swam at this beach as a kid. When I was 14-years-old I was allowed to go to my first concert ever. My 16-year-old sister took me. And that concert was the Jadwin Cage, November 1st, 1978 – I saw Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band. So if you’re wondering where I got the idea to play like we were just playing, the whole show was like that. And I’m incredibly honored right now — we were backstage and asked Bruce if he would come out and play one with us and he said ‘yes.’ So this a dream of a lifetime for me – ladies and gentlemen, Bruce Springsteen!”
Fan videos were pouring in on social media with everyone in Asbury Park hyped for the moment:
Post by @highteamoon
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It’s moments like that whenI reaaaaaally miss living in NYC with close proximity to so many Phish and Trey shows throughout the year. I lived in the city for about a decade and was able to catch live music weekly. I’m a born and raised Floridian and while we get shows in Florida you really have to work a lot harder to see them. It’s just not the same. All of that is to say I’m quite jealous of everyone in that crowd who got to experience that special moment.