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Trey Anastasio, guitarist and vocalist for the band Phish, surprised "phans" by making a guest appearance with the psych-punk band Guerilla Toss on October 17, 2025, at the Brooklyn Bowl. He has a long history of making surprise guest appearances and supporting his fellow artists, including lesser known or emerging artists.
For example, in 2022, he joined the indie-groove band, Goose, on stage at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Goose had served as the opening act for the Trey Anastasio Band (another venture separate from Phish) during a previous tour, and Anastasio had made several appearances during their opening sets.
Prior to that, in 2019, Anastasio appeared on the radio show, Live from Here with musician Chris Thile, performing the Phish song "If I Could" with lesser-known artist Sarah Jarosz. While Jarosz was a critically acclaimed folk artist by that time, she was still building her name recognition beyond Americana circles. Anastasio's performance with her certainly boosted her exposure to a much wider audience.
Anastasio has a long and ever-growing list of collaborations, often putting the spotlight on other lesser-known artists and broadening their fan base via joint intimate sets, live streams, and surprise guest appearances. His collaborative and supportive approach to his music career is a wonderful example of how we can all look for ways to use our own voices and influence to amplify the voices of others in our professional and personal lives.
Although very few of us can honestly say we have ever fronted a world-famous American rock band (outside our own daydreams), we all have areas of privilege and influence that we can utilize to help create opportunities for our colleagues and the next generation of leaders in our respective organizations. Mentorship, sponsorship, and finding ways to open doors for others are just a few examples. Sometimes the simple act of showing up can mean the world to a colleague.
As Phish tells us, "Toss away stuff you don't need in the end but keep what's important and know who's your friend."
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