
The grandeur of a certain music lover reached unexpected heights on the hallowed date known to aficionados as 4/20. His planned act? Taking a hit from a bong inside the august edifice known to the city of sin, Las Vegas, as the Sphere. The protagonist in question? None other than an ardent Phish fan and frequenter of Instagram, shrouded under the cryptic moniker of @acid_farts, a name that has likely been etched into the annals of the Sphere’s history forever.
Under the gleeful gaze of scores of spectators, @acid_farts took a hit from his bong, the contraband cannabis smoke swirling and disappearing into his lungs. The video, preserved for posterity, clearly captures the audience whooping and hollering in encouragement, their patriotic fervour reverberating with unified chants of “USA, USA!”
“First bong hit to ever be ripped in the @spherevegas”, he gleefully penned on his Instagram post, audaciously tagging the official Sphere account to ensure his audacious feat wouldn’t go unnoticed. And indeed, it drew the attention it deserved but perhaps not the result he had anticipated.
The defiant act wound its way into officialdom after @acid_farts secured tickets to a Dead & Company concert at the Sphere. The retribution from Sphere Entertainment was swift – a legal notice delivered courtesy of FedEx. The stern notice called out the blatant violation of the guest code of conduct, with Sphere Entertainment making it clear that such actions undermining the safety and enjoyment of their guests and employees wouldn’t be tolerated.
The decree meant not just a lifetime ban from the Sphere, but a harsh exile from James Dolan’s entire bouquet of esteemed concert venues – the iconic Beacon Theatre, the prestigious Radio City Music Hall and the irreplaceable Madison Square Garden – a venue inseparable from the Phish’s acclaimed New Year’s Eve gigs.
Such bans rely on the vigilant eyes of the facial recognition systems, which are in place to identify repeat offenders, not only those with policy violations, but any who have been deemed enemies by Dolan himself. However, all wasn’t lost for the renegade concert-goer.
In a surprising turn of events, Sphere Entertainment admitted an error, attributing the ban to an administrative mix-up following a recent reshuffling of staff. Statements clarified that, while the controversial patron was not banned from their venues, the unbecoming conduct involving smoking and disruption was nonetheless unacceptable.
Following a sympathetic portrayal of Mr. Farts in prominent publications like Rolling Stone and Variety, he seemed to have influenced the company’s decision. However, the renegade @acid_farts has been served a potent reminder that mischief, no matter how light-hearted, carries risk. How he managed to sneak the offending bong past the security checkpoint remains undisclosed, but one can only hope he’s learned his lesson, for trying the same trick a second time might not end as favorably.