Let’s take a trip back in time to 2008...
Danielle had just graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology at the height of the recession with a degree in Fashion Merchandising (LOL), Dan was working twelve hour shifts making mircochips or something (does anyone actually know what Dan does?) in Virginia, T.I’s Live Your Life was tearing up the charts, but more importantly Phish just announced they were getting back together nearly five years after their “farewell” concert.
On October 16th, 2008, Phish’s guitarist, Trey Anastasio was set to play at Roseland Ballroom (RIP) in New York City and both Dan and Danielle had plans to attend. Dan was set to meet his friends Mike, Justine, and Vivian at a Hell's Kitchen dive bar called Rudy’s that served cheap pitchers and free hot dogs. As luck would have it, Justine and Vivian never showed up, leaving room in his booth.
Enter Danielle. With excitement running through her veins, she took a sharpie to her t-shirt to write “I HIKED TO COVENTRY” (Phish’s “farewell” concert/festival, duh. Keep up!) and headed uptown to Rudy’s. She had also made plans to meet up some friends at the same bar before the show. Said friends were also late. New Yorkers, amiright!?
Being the first Trey show since the big comeback announcement, the vibe at Rudy’s was very celebratory. Phans were high-fiving other phans and sharing Coventry (I’m not explaining this again!) stories. When Danielle walked back in the bar after calling her (late) friends for the second or third time (classic), Dan stopped her to tell her he liked her shirt. Danielle promptly sat down at his booth, drank his beer, and hasn’t left his side since.
