{"id":1190,"date":"2024-06-06T16:17:54","date_gmt":"2024-06-06T16:17:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatrustedlawyers.com\/blog\/phish-fan-says-hes-banned-by-msg-over-bong-rip-at-las-vegas-sphere\/"},"modified":"2024-06-10T17:53:09","modified_gmt":"2024-06-10T17:53:09","slug":"phish-fan-says-hes-banned-by-msg-over-bong-rip-at-las-vegas-sphere","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatrustedlawyers.com\/blog\/phish-fan-says-hes-banned-by-msg-over-bong-rip-at-las-vegas-sphere\/","title":{"rendered":"Phish Fan Says He’s Banned By MSG Over Bong Rip At Las Vegas Sphere"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n\tPhish fans beware: Smoke a bong in the Las Vegas Sphere at your own risk.<\/p>\n

\n\tA Phish fan who bragged in April about taking the \u201cfirst bong hit to ever be ripped\u201d in the Sphere \u2014 and posted a viral video of him doing so \u2014 now says he\u2019s received a letter from Madison Square Garden Entertainment\u2019s lawyers banning him from the venue and all other MSG facilities.<\/p>\n

\n\tIn an image of the purported letter posted to an Instagram account called @acid_farts, an attorney for MSG told the unnamed owner of the account that the company \u201cwill not tolerate actions that threaten the safety and security of our guests.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cYou knowingly violated the guest code of conduct by visibly smoking inside the venue,\u201d wrote Christopher Schimpf, an associate general counsel at MSG, in the letter dated June 3. \u201cIn light of your conduct, you are hereby indefinitely banned from Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall \u2026 and any other MSG venue.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe purported letter, reposted by the well-known Phish fan account called @phunkyourface, told the alleged bong-ripper that he was \u201cnot to enter into or remain in any of the MSG venues at any time in the future.\u201d If he does so, \u201claw enforcement will be contacted to ensure your expulsion and you will be subject to the penalties.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tA spokeswoman for MSG did not immediately return a request for comment on the situation.<\/p>\n

\n\tComing from MSG, a threat to ban someone is not just bluster. The company has made headlines over the past two years over its use of facial recognition technology to ban certain people from the famed Manhattan arena, including plaintiffs\u2019 lawyers who filed lawsuits against the company. And owner James Dolan<\/strong> has previously issued high-profile bans against Charles Oakley<\/strong>, a former New York Knicks star, as well as against a Knicks fan who yelled at him in 2017 to sell the team.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe use of such technology for safety and security purposes has become widespread and is largely considered legal, and lawsuits from the attorneys who were banned from MSG were mostly unsuccessful. But it has drawn criticism from some civil liberties experts and lawmakers, who fear that it poses privacy risks and could be used punitively.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Sphere, a $2.3 billion immersive concert venue with LED screens stretching 250 feet above and around the audience, opened in Las Vegas last fall. After a 40-show residency by U2, Phish became the second band to play the state-of-the-art arena with a four-concert run in April, featuring the unique sets and trippy visuals that the Vermont jam band\u2019s rabid fan base has come to expect.<\/p>\n

\n\tOn April 20, the @acid_farts Instagram account posted a clip<\/a> that purported to show him at one of those shows, taking a hit from a large glass water bong to applause from nearby fans. His caption: \u201cFirst bong hit to ever be ripped in the @spherevegas @phish Somebody call @guinessworldrecords.\u201d The video itself racked up 447 likes; when @phunkyourface reposted it a day later<\/a>, it got another 4,773 thumbs up from the Phish faithful.<\/p>\n

\n\tBut apparently MSG wasn\u2019t so amused. In his June 3 letter, Schimpf noted that \u201cyou posted an Instagram video of yourself smoking inside the Sphere,\u201d before recounting the exact caption used on the post. He warned that the man was now banned not only from the company\u2019s venues, but also from \u201cthe box office, Chase Square and the concierge areas\u201d at the Manhattan arena.<\/p>\n

\n\tNobody wants to be banned from MSG\u2019s venues \u2014 the company also owns New York\u2019s Beacon Theatre and Chicago\u2019s Chicago Theater \u2014 but such a ruling is particularly problematic for a Phish fan. Back in 2017, the band played a famous 13-night concert residency at MSG dubbed \u201cThe Baker\u2019s Dozen,\u201d and its New Year\u2019s Eve concerts at the Midtown arena are an annual tradition for Phish fans. In recent years, Phish frontman Trey Anastasio has also performed at Radio City and The Beacon.<\/p>\n

\n\tFollowing the news of the ban letter, Phish fans took to social media to joke about efforts to enforce a smoking ban at Phish shows, which are well-known for a liberal attitude toward drug use. In one post on X, user @MinnieFluff shared an image<\/a> of Anastasio doing a soundcheck before an empty MSG: \u201cRemaining crowd at Phish NYE 2026 after MSG Entertainment uses facial recognition to ban anyone that has ever smoked inside their venues.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tFor his part, the owner of the @acid_farts account seems unfazed by MSG\u2019s threats. In a note below the image of the letter, he said simply: \u201cThe Sphere sent me a plaque to commemorate what is now officially the first bong hit ever taken in The Sphere.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tNeither the owner of @acid_farts nor of @PhunkYourFace immediately returned direct messages from Billboard<\/em> seeking comment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n