anyone get their musictoday (charge by phone) tix for this, yet?

(I haven't)

I phoned them last week, they won't be mailed out until Sept..can't remember the mailing date, she mentioned how many days prior to show, but it seems like it was first week of Sept...

i called they said 8 to 10 days before the event they would be mailed.....so I guess early next week.

Shoreline (Prediction)
I.
Eyes
Casey Jones
Me and My Uncle >
Cumberland
A Little Piece for You
Deep Elem Blues
Friend of the Devil
Scarlet >
Fire

II.
Shakedown >
Unbroken Chain >
Ruben and Cherise
Truckin >
Baba Jingo >
Drums > Space >
The Wheel >
Stella Blue >
Throwin' Stones >
Not Fade Away

E:
Baby Blue
Lovelight

bj>drums was what I was thinking.

as for my preferences, I don't wanna jinx it here--but would like some shoreline rarities.....

no fotd, throwin, wheel.....but the rest is possible...I'd only count on one encore....

mighty quinn?

I'm glad they got all the Ratdog stuff outta the way... MUCH magic left for tonight & THE GORGE!!!!!

I feel magic in the air for tonight!!!!!

hard to call 3 shows a "leg", but it looks like they warmed up last night. hopy y'all get a smoker tonight!

hope y'all have a blast

Yeah we wouldnt want all that ratdog stuff holdin back yer good time. I mean who would want to have a Help, Slip, Hard to Handle, Ramble on Rose, Mountains, Bertha, FOTD, Wheel, China Doll, Franklins type Ratdog set rain on their parade and I know that the other one is a Bob tune but who needs to hear Phil tear down the house with his bass bombs in this ratdog tune. Point being is I dont see yer point it isnt really a review more of an insult to an intregal part of the band now and then. One of many equal parts that contributed to the past present and future

The Dead, Shoreline, 9/19/03

Set 1:
Lazy Lightning/Supplication
China Cat Sunflower
Rueben & Cerise
A Little Piece for You
Shakedown Street
Mr Charlie
Stagger Lee
Self Defense
Jack Straw

Wow thats a setlist and a half you lucky fuckers better be happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

wow what a setlist cant wait to second set!!

what is set 2

Just got back from the show.

From my memory the second set was

Scarlet Begonias->
Peggy-O->
Uncle Johns Band->
Drumz->
Space->
Jam->
Dark Star (Both Verses)->
Hes Gone->
Days Between->
I Know You Rider

E: Aiko Aiko

I was at Irvine and shoreline was just far and away beter. In fact it was phenomenal. I'd have to say its the best post Jerry show I've seen. On a purely musical level it was beter than some real GD shows Ive seen. Don't get me wrong, nothing was beter than seeing Jerry play, but from a pure jamming point of view, tonight was just great.

Many of the songs where slower tempo than usual (Shakedown, scarlet) but they had deep grooves that really pulsed forward.

The mix was perfect and I could hear everyone clearly. I guess Bob was sometimes hard to hear, but that oftens seems to be the case over the last 15 years Ive been listening to them play. Most improtant for me, every note of phils base was crystal clear. He was really on tonight.

Its hard to pick highlights. The scarlet was as fun as usual. The UJB jam was just dripping liquid music. The Dark Star was great. I guess I thought Days between was a little unessisaqry after hes gone but Joan sounded great. The "funnest" moment was the Aiko encore.

All in all, a great show. I feel so lucky to be able to still see these guys. Its the real thing.

was a great show, days between blew(it's like the Joan osborne band), Mark Karan came out for Dark Star and somethimg else..
Rider Smoked to end the second set.

This was a LONG show.

Set 1 was 1:20
Set 2 w/ enore was 2:23 min

Whew!

I'f fukn tired...
B&P of the show to the first to post and email me.

I'll take a B&P I just got back from it god that jack straw was fucking awesome, so was the i know you rider even tho joan kinda fubored it and one of the keyboardist also kinda f'd up jack straw but it was much fun! oh yea email addie methticalblaze_36@yahoo.com

Still Hella Dead,

Sounds like a great show. I'd love a copy of the show EMOTW.

Sam L.

no supplication that I recall. Outstanding San Fran show -- AMAZING -
and don't foget the born cross eyed!!!

gda (*)*(*)( jet lag
wish I could sleep
GRRRRR

Dig the setlist big time, bet this show was a keeper, enjoy westies...

NICE SECOND SET.!!!

The set list above left out Born Cross-Eyed. Here it is as posted by Katrinka on DeadNet Central:

Set 1

Lazy Lightning
China Cat
Reuben & Cherise
A Piece For You
Shakedown Street
Mr. Charlie
Stagger Lee
Self Defense
Jack Straw

Set 2

Scarlet Begonias
Peggy-O
Uncle John's Band
Drums
Space
Dark Star with Mark Karan
dark jam
Dark Star
Born Crosseyed
He's Gone
Days Between
I Know You Rider

E. Iko Iko

now thats a setlist

WOW!!! What's left for the Gorge? Hee-Hee!

Another thing:

I think the light show is far and away beter than it was last fall and winter. I usually spend 99% of the time with my eyes closed watching my own light show, but I found myself looking at the screens behind the dead and thinking they where pretty cool.

>>>>>>>>WOW!!! What's left for the Gorge? Hee-Hee!

St. Stephen>The Eleven
Big River (for Johnny Cash)
WRS
Alligator
Viola Lee Blues
Cassidy
Samson and Delilah
Watchtower
Unbroken Chain
Crazy Fingers
Birdsong
Mason's Children
Music Never Stopped
New Speedway Boogie
Let the Good Times Roll
New Potato Caboose
Loose Lucy
Playin'
to name a few.....

the set list looks better, but was there any good improvisation?

"the set list looks better, but was there any good improvisation?"

Gunner -- I actually thought about you and your posts during the Shoreline show and wished you where their to see it.

There was much more improvisation but more importantly it was of MUCH higher quality. Just to put it perspective Id rate Irvine a 3/10 and shoreline 9/10 when it comes to the vibrancy of the jams.

Im not sure how long you have lived in LA, but to do a comparison it was like the difference between LA Colisume 1991 vs Casron (Sunday) 1990.

Wizard....I'm with you...I thought this show just blew away Irvine. I had always thought when the Dead came to LA finally they would play something "for the industry" - to showcase their talents....
...turned out that meant showcase their new SONGS, so they could prove they are not just retread. Or that's how it felt.

But back to Shoreline. First of all, I spent the earlier part of the day with a good old friend and comrade in arms, SamIAm. We hit the Safeway for Laguintas (his choice) and Fat Tire(my choice, oc in honor of yall)...and trekked out to Shoreline....

It was a perfect day, warm, but a breeze picking up as the evening came in. The hills glowed. The turrets of the Shoreline tents glistened. Lot scene: mellow, VERY....and SamIAm said he found it a much nicer vibe than the younger, more whacked out Phish vibe he had experienced there earlier this summer.


Into the arena -- THEY MAKE ME CHECK MY ELPH!!!!!! Ridiculous. 14 shows this summer and they freak out....at Shoreline???? I was ushered into a side office and given a claim stub. Thank god for small miracles that I remembered to get it after the show.

We take our place on the lawn (love those Golden Shoreline Sunsets)...and settle in.....

...the Lazy Lightning was right out - no jam - just bababa BIN BING badaba DOOOOOO. Nice Lightning....a nice dancey up song to start the show....group vocals with WHOOOOs! Also something I hadn't heard this run, so a treat. into China Cat...for the sun setting....for California. RUBEN - Joan perfect, slam out perfect. With soul....and she knew every word. Phil's new song...loses a little energy but I really listened for the first time all tour and they sang it with confidence and stride. Joan seemed to enjoy it, lots of smiles. Shakedown. Great shimmy-er for the crowd...a little slow (ala VA Beach) but the fun thing about it starting in that slow groove is that it builds energy WITH the crowd. With each "HOOOO"! Mr. Charlie blew it out, and I thought nothing could beat the Jones one. No.....this was it. The HOOT and YELL from the crowd afterwards showed that Shoreline Accepts Joan in a HUGE way...and deservedly. CHOOBA CHOOBA ( with a little "Bob solo" thrown in). Stagger Lee....nicely done with the parts split up...and since it's all about the bad ass chick I was diggin the Joan/Delia swagger BIG TIME. Good fun. Self Defense....whatever. It has an okay sound to it but I just do not dig on Mickey's vocals. points for enthusiasm, though. And the band plays the song well, I think. It sounds tight, I just don't dig it. INTO...the most glorious beautiful Jack Straw EVAH. Classic beauty. Huge mid jam....great solos...strong Bob Vocals.

Break - FULL SET!!! Loved it. Chockablock.

Huck on the Westcoast..in Cali.. Iam..

man, i can't believe i missed another peggy-o!

huck, i saw pearl jam at shoreline earlier this summer and they made me take my blanket back to the car. no blankets. why, i asked. they said there was a "catapulting incident" at the last pearl jam show. i can only imagine!

glad you're having fun. enjoy the next four shows!

I know they played Built to Last...mind very hazy right now, but I'm nutz if they didn't, first set I think

Did you dig the show Iannai?

what's an elph?

>>what's an elph?

You put 'em on your lawn Kook...you never seen a lawn elph?

My guess is that's what Huck was last night...a dancing lawn elph...

I'd say it was pretty well played, I'd give it a 7...I went without expecting much and was pleasantly surprised. I could have done without the new songs or Joan singing Days Between (on this note, I REALLY did not want to like her, but I'd have to say that she wasn't all that bad) but overall I thought things were decent. The setlist selection was unique in its layout, the playing had some real moments where everything clicked, although some of the transitions were fairly clunky at best, they all seemed like they were having a real good time up on stage, marathon 2nd set, I kept thinking the show would end at 11:00 due to curfew and the 7:00 start time but it went until 11:45 or so.

I thought that flashing a picture of Jerry up on the vid screens during He's Gone was a bit corny, don't ask me why, but it just seemed unnecessary. We all know who's gone, please don't remind me of the missing ingredient when I'm trying to eat my musical meal.

I dug the Reuben and Cherise, it's a favorite of mine and well played by them, you can tell they enjoy playing familiar tunes that they haven't really dug into before, Herring played some of his best solos during this in my opinion. He does need to learn how to venture below the 5th fret on that beautiful Paul Reed Smith of his, that's where all the heavy blues and funk can be found, Jimmy stays way to high up on the neck which really doesn't give much variation to his sound. Man does he rip though...

The Peggy-O was actually really cool too, nice job trading off the verses between everyone...

The Dark Star was kinda ordinary in my opinion, nothing really interstellar overdrive deep space mind melting...the Born Cross Eyed was cool, the funniest part here was a group of obnoxious "heads" behind us who proudly announced that this was a "new tune."

All in all a strong first set and a nice 2nd set to close...no it wasn't the best shit I've ever seen, but one of the better "post-dead" shows? Yes, without a doubt.

On a side note the lack of direction pulling in was amazing, took us 45 minutes to drive into the lot, I've been to Shoreline loads of times and this was horrible...how hard is it to park cars in a row?

Looking forward to next week and my dose of Phil.

>>>>>>now thats a setlist


Why is it that when somebody says that, nobody gets on their case with comments like "You know it isn't about the setlist, blah, blah, blah...." or "You weren't even there so how do you know?"

hypocrytical double standard, no?

It ain't about the setlist if Dark Star is "ordinary"
But I wasn't there so what do I know?

I swear Built to Last was played...Philzone setlist doesn't list it, anyone else?

The show was beautiful. I guess I am the only one that thought Days Between was the highlight of the show. This is one of my favorite songs, and Joan sang it with the proper respect. The band played very nicely on it also. I have seen them play born cross eyed three times now, and they fub it terribly every time. It is as if no one is clear on the changes. Did any one else have trouble because their blankets were too large. The security people at the enterance made me cut my blanket in half.

"I thought that flashing a picture of Jerry up on the vid screens during He's Gone was a bit corny, don't ask me why, but it just seemed unnecessary."

Yeah that was kinda weird. I bet the band was wondering why everyone was cheering all of a sudden.

Innani-

No built to last at the show. Sorry.

I had the time of my life. I found the show energetic and vibrant, I enjoyed every moment. Stagger Lee and Mr. Charlie, Ruben and Cherice, Shakedown, He's Gone and Days Between, for me it doesn't get any better than this. I found the playing tight, the band really into it and enjoying themselves. Everyone around seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely. We had a great time back there on the lawn. This is my first and only 03 Dead show, so I have nothing to compare it to. It gets to be kind of a bummer to hear all the phans complaining so much about the shows. My only complaint is the high cost of the tickets. And I'd prefer a late afternoon show beginning at 5:00 pm instead of 7:00.

Reviews people???? Lets hear them opinions.

To much joan, otherwise nice show, just got home heads a little fuzzy

'Another adventure in endings' -- Bob in first set after Reuben / Little Piece (one of the two, I forget).

Yep, I thought it was a great show, w/lots of solid jams when the band was rolling, a sick set list (Lazy? Reuben? the Shake? Aiko encore?) and the peoples were into it, too (duh). The Scarlet was beautiful, the Jack Straw out of control, Uncle John's had the place crazy. The band sounded great when they were all singing, even Mickey ;)

The one place to me where they needed some work was the song endings, many of which thudded to a halt. Couple times it sounded like the old boys dropped some cues the newbies missed, but them's some big shoes to fill, eh?

But hey, everyone's a critic; I'm just glad to get together with y'all again. Been waiting a long time for these shows here out west, now revved up for Phil next week -- life is beautiful! To the band I say thank you ... for a REAL GOOD TIME!

Can you guys describe the China Cat - Reuben and Cherise transition? Was it stop start? Was it a smooth transition like China Rider? Was it China space jam Reuben?

Sounds like a killer combo...

"Can you guys describe the China Cat - Reuben and Cherise transition? Was it stop start? Was it a smooth transition like China Rider? Was it China space jam Reuben? "

China came to complete stop then they started reuben in a new key.

Interesting.....I was having a hard time imagining the beat change too. Sounds like it would have been a good song choice in that line up. You like?

Jay:
<<<<This is my first and only 03 Dead show, so I have nothing to compare it to...

My first Dead show this year as well (saw RatDog at Marin Music Fest, very fun!)....
My wife and were pretty much blown away big time..so many hightlights, hotspots, and peaks...
The PHENOMENAL Jackstraw 1st set closer completely made my evening (my year?) Maybe the finest version I've yet heard in any format or band, totally muscular rave-up climax,..Jimmy fully stepped up for that one..We're absolutely sold on Joan, too. Her contributions to the mythical folk tunes (Peggy-O, Reubin and Cerise, Stagger Lee) are just gorgeous and so natural sounding...and she can certainly belt out the blues as well...a very versatile singer with a healthy, animated stage presence.
Born Cross-Eyed was SO entertaining--brought to mind some of the stylings of Zappa's idiosyncratic structuring..the timing changes generated that weird kind of laughter out of my belly that you get when you are experiencing something so completely absurd, but somehow full of some kind of cosmic sensibility at the same time..never had heard that one live before, but it was TOTALLY on my mind a couple of days ago 'cause we had just watched the "Anthem to Beauty" documetary...
Seemed like Bobby had full command of the first set, while Phil really laid down the law during the second set...very fun show, incredible crowd vibe, great music, isn't this why we all keep coming back for more?

As much as I hate Shoreline I have to say, last night was one of the best moments I've had there during the last twenty years.

My biggest problem with Shoreline is always where to dance, if I'm in the 100's there are just too many people who think they own their space, and if I'm at the back of the lawn the sound is muddled and weak, last night I finally figured the sound is best and there is room to dance just outside the entry to the 100's, stage right, besides it's the best place to score choice ticket stubs from all the rich people flock out during drums because they can't stay up past 10 o'clock. Check it out sometime.

Another memorable moment was the Shoreline Derby. When they closed down Shakedown Street they had a line of mounted police that looked like a horse race. We were taking bets on which horse would win. I lost all my money on number three.

>last night I finally figured the sound is best and there is room to dance just outside the entry to the 100's, stage right, besides it's the best place to

saw you there, Tom, on my way out at the end. hardly a rich person, I was more than happy to be in the huns way down front--plenty of room to dance w/ everyone in my row--and a few who were obviously taking turns. Saw security count the number of folks in my row and the right number was there. right after they finished counting and looked the other way--boom! extras.

Fortunately, it wasn't like phish where it seems to be pushy elbows and knees.......

Second set looked real good...but that first set was Chock full of hot stuff.......Congrats to all who were there..............Any one know if there will be a stream of this show????

Man Talk about weak reviews? And from a bay area gig?

Lets hear more about the Music...

Alright here is one zoners review

The short:

Dripping with Goodness

The long:

Whabam!!!! what a fucking show....its sunday morning and I am still loving it. Fucking oustanding...the band was out of control tonight and don't let anyone else tell you other wise.

Why my point of view may be skewed:

I sat 12 rows back the entire show and sat next to one of my best friends from highschool...it was set up perfectly for a good time.


I haven't read any of the reviews above so I'm just going to spit it out as I remember it.

Everyone on stage was smiling all night. Phil was all over the place...I can't remember being so entranced by him. His son was dancing stage left all night and phil was just pouring it on.

Joan took control and man I feel sorry for the people who don't like her...she was nothing short of brilliant. My best friend walked in as a Joan hater and walked out completely sold on her.

Jimmy tore it up with a shit eating grin all night.

As did the rest of the band...

Details:

Set 1

Lazy Lightning> Supplication: A good call for an opener...it was definitely unexpected and got the crowd off to a solid start. The music was clean and they were tearing it up.


China Cat was a shocker...and the crowd grooved to an extended version. They really ripped it apart. I couldn't even imagine a rider following this as it would have been too much too early. They made the right call to ease us back down with...

Reuben & Cherise. The way I see it. A good show encompasses peaks and valleys. The crowd was loving reuben and cherise. I can't remember a crowd so into a show. Of course I was awfully close...but I was also off to the side where you would think there would be some crowd noise let down.

A Piece For You...so we hit a huge valley. I actually called this spot as the let down spot. Hey, this is what a first set is about. Its trying new songs...maybe they work, maybe they don't. It was a nice breather from the hot start....just so long as the next song.....

Shakedown Street ...Before shakedown starts, Jimmy just starts teasing it all over the place. Its not a transition from the song before, its straight up noodling teases. But they are blatant. Phil shakes his head incinuating that Jimmy should keep the song a surprise...jimmy smiles and releases mad teases...the crowd fury builds...and BOOOM! Shakedown...in the middle of the first set....there is nothing more to be said.

Mr. Charlie ...Joan ruled this...oh my god. She's great at this song. A magnificent version at Red rocks this one upped the ante. The interplay between band members was out of control. Joan struts on stage and says "who wants to hear weir do a solo" Hah...weir do a solo?!?!?! Weirs face is in utter shock like...'what the fuck do I do now'...Joan's look says...'tear it up'. Bottow line: weir hardly delivers but it works out fine because just as weir gets it going herring takes over and the rest is bliss.

Stagger Lee I called this before they started it. Much better than the red rocks version I saw. I don't dig the trading off of verses. Let joan sing this alone. She has the range to own it.

Self Defense ...well if its going to be a mickey tune...this is ok. I like it better than his others. Its got more of a pop. I hate baba jingo and fire on the mt makes me cringe now.

Jack Straw ...what a first set. Everyone I met up with was all smiles. I can't even describe jack straw becuase I am so use to nit picking and there is nothing wrong with what they played.


side note: Reason why this show was going to be a good one: My friend walks in the gate and a lady offers him a free soundboard and he declines. The whole night I kept saying...."and why did you turn it down?" and he would reply "I was too high man" ...hysterical

Set 2

Scarlet Begonias ....fantastic....no letdown from the first set....I was feeling dark star.

Peggy-O ....perfect. Joan again ruled this song...it was smooth...much better than a choppy fire. The crowd loves joan. Madness.

Uncle John's Band > song selection wise this was a bit of a let down for me but everyone else was into it. Music wise...they played a fine version...but this turn seemed to me more towards a terrapin than a dark star.

Pre drums...three songs and forty minutes long...I shit you not. they started the whole show at 7:20 and ended at like 11:40 with a 35 minute set break.

Drums ...I sat down...a solid drums but I zoned out for a while

Space...mark karan shows up. Don't take offense but I'm not a big fan. I thought this would ruin the show because it was nothing short of perfect so far. Jimmy had been unleased and there was no need for a new guitarist to try to come in a fit into an otherwise flowing nebula.

Dark Star with Mark Karan

Ok so I was wrong...dark star needs madness and fury and he added to it...and then left thestage....ahhhh perfect

Born Crosseyed ....did I say perfect...holy shit...now this is what I am taking about.... the real deal. Bobbys voice and joans voice were both starting to go...I worried for the people at the gorge...but fuck'em they are tearing Born crosseyed.

He's Gone .....a crowd pleaser. I was uninterested but it fit the mood. Everybodys mind turned to jerry. a fine rendition.

There was a point and it might have been in this song where joan started to sing a chorus verse too early. Bobby looks at her like its payback time. The boys fuck up and they back off right?joan embarrassed bobby with the solo thing earlier right? Bobby gives her the look of sorry you goofed....joan...gives him a look and shakes her head...she owns the stage and smoothly finishes the chorus...the band falls in...everything is just exactly perect.

Days Between > Well...he's gone was slow and we were coming down from smoking and drinking all day. The last thing we needed was something deathly slow....at the very least, it was played tremendously.

I Know You Rider> at this pont I was beat...and I was looking to get home. I told my wife that I would be home at 11 and now it was 11:25 on the stage clock and I had an hours drive to boot. My friend said it was the best rider he's ever seen....I was really too far dazed to make judgement. It sounded fine...I just wanted bed. All I could think about was how am I going to make it through three phil shows.

Graham lesh does the donor rap...which is a nice change. Phil gives him a huge hug and I see him mouth 'I love you' to his son backstage...

E. Iko Iko

I think this is maybe mickeys strongest song. He yells it well and has a lot of emotion. We didn't need another slow song so this was an unexpected bonus.



side notes: There was a large amount of family on the right side of the stage....more than 60 people if I had to guess. I couldn't see the other side with the exception graham and a few other people his age dancing around.


In retrospect. I am interested to see if it sounds as good played back as it did live. The sound was perfect...phil and the keys were high in the mix just as I like it. I thought the second night of red rocks was fantastic and its 'ok' when I play it back. The third night of red rocks was the exact opposite.

I liked this show better than red rocks because there were no goofs...no bad changes between songs...no misdirection. It was fluid. Easy drinking...like a cold beer on a hot day.



side notes part two: a guy told me in the parking lot that I look like phil....I laughed it off and he said "take a good look at him man". And I'm sitting there like...trust me I have...and I don't look at him.

part III While in the bathroom at setbreak some guy shouts from seven stalls away "Mark Walsh....you're mark walsh" Now imagine 100 guys who have to pee watching this scene. And I turned to him and said "you got the wrong person". Man I would have hated to be him.

At that moment some guy taps me on the shoulder and its a friend from college back in ohio. Crazy scene!!

I missed all the zoners....I looked and looked and there was just too much madness by the second stage.



ahhhh good times!

>>>I swear Built to Last was played...Philzone setlist doesn't list it, anyone else?


mule...it sounded like they were going to play it but I think this is when they played reuben and cherise....I remember turning to my friend and saying "Built to last" but it was never played.

Just got home, so it's all a bit fuzzy, but I'll give it a shot. No Built to Last. No jam into Lazy Lightning, and no Supplication to end it. The first set was very nice, with the Stagger Lee being the only thing I really didn't get way into. Well, that & A Little Piece, but that was because I had to venture into that warzone know as the Shoreline's mens room. It looked like Ozzfest was in town! I didn't hate Self Defense as much I thought I would. Mr. Charlie was huge! The Jack Straw was huge. Really liked the slow, deliberate jam that they used to launch the Jack Straw. To make a long story short, I thought all of set two was stellar, with the exception of Peggy-O after Scarlet. I don't really have issue with Peggy-O, but I do think it was placed in an awkward position. Same for Days Between out of a truly amazing He's Gone. Still, I say that from UJB out it was pretty damn hot! Particularly the Dark Star>Born Crosseyed!!! Plus Bill Walton was just a few seats down at the end of my row. He sure dances BIG! Busted him yawning a few times, but what the fuck! Made myself laugh out loud when I imagined Big Red turning to his lovely wife and saying, "That Stagger Lee was HORRIBLE!" So in the end, a Head that was skeptical going in came out with a huge smile on his face and a belly full of music. It wasn't what it wasn't, but it was what it was, dig?

don't know if anyone has mentioned it, but bob was onstage while mickey was working the beam.

we were standing on the side of the stage for most of the second set

>while mickey was working the beam...

Oh man, forgot about that business...Mickey has lost it, those white gloves and his whole beam bit was a bit alien.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted on Mon, Sep. 22, 2003

Dead show at Shoreline: surprising originality
By Brad Kava
Mercury News

It was as unlikely as the star of ``Conan the Barbarian'' running for governor, or a judge ruling that people who could navigate their way to a polling place didn't have the brainpower to punch a ballot.

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Friday night -- more than 30 years after what many would consider their artistic prime -- members of the Grateful Dead staged a four-hour Shoreline Amphitheatre show that would fit comfortably with the best work of a long and rich career.

Like the Allman Brothers, who showed off a similar rebirth at the Mountain Winery several weeks ago, the Dead have been through death, drugs and periods of severe mediocrity. But Friday's solid show was like Jurassic Park: new members, new songs, old magic.

The band not only brought out some great new material, but also reinterpreted classics and dug up fresh rarities.

Guitarist Jimmy Herring, who has had the rough assignment not only of filling in for the Dead's former leader, Jerry Garcia, but three years ago for the Allmans' Dickey Betts, was no pinch hitter. He was a force masterfully pushing the older musicians into new territory.

He threw hard rock and blues leads into such songs as ``Mr. Charlie'' and made the new song, ``Self Defense,'' sound like a meeting of James Brown and the Talking Heads, as punched up and contemporary as anything on alternative radio today. (You might have to go back to 1971 for the last time a new Dead song was the best of the night.)

Herring had them playing fast and furious most of the night, on rarities such as Garcia's ``Reuben and Cerise,'' bassist Phil Lesh's great new song ``A Little Piece for You,'' and satisfying country blues rarities ``Stagger Lee'' and ``Peggy O.''

Most important, Herring didn't draw the usual comparisons to Garcia, although he occasionally tipped his hat to some of his classic riffs, such as the wah-wah pedal work on ``Shakedown Street.'' On jams that stretched 15 minutes and more, his winding staircase guitar runs and rich tone brought to mind jazz greats John Coltrane or Charlie Parker. Garcia would have been proud.

Lesh's hand was all over the new arrangements. ``Jack Straw'' started like a dirge and built to a frenzy. A reworked version of one of the group's earliest recordings, ``Born Cross-Eyed,'' took a group known for psychedelic rock into a direction non-Deadheads could never imagine: the archaic harmonies of medieval troubadours (a la parts of ``Terrapin Station'').

Turning the psychedelic anthem ``Dark Star'' into a country pop tune might not have been the night's best idea, but at least it was a new idea. That's what distinguishes the Dead from hordes of rock dinosaurs that have become little more than cover bands: They aren't afraid to work without a net, and even when they fail, you have to respect their courage.

All the skepticism about adding singer Joan Osborne was for naught. She was perfect, a soulful throwback to the Haight-Ashbury days when this band covered funk and blues songs and could back Janis Joplin. On country songs she was as fresh as Lucinda Williams, dueting with guitarist Bob Weir.

The best and most surprising thing you could say about this former jug band was that they played like great improvisational musicians.

With solid rhythms of drummers Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann, and tasteful keyboards of Rob Barraco and Jeff Chimenti, they showed skill and discipline, not the loose jam band that drew jokes from outsiders.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/09/22/DD3099.DTL

>>>.Mickey has lost it, those white gloves and his whole beam bit was a bit alien.



The gloves and face mask are to keep the sweat from dripping on his equipment...while this makes little difference when he plays on the drums....I have heard that he could get a major shock on the beam. At red rocks one night he was humping the beam....that was too much.

I just got back from my Shoreline excursion, and all I can say is "WOW!!!". My faith in the Band has been restored/renewed.

Jimmy - he did "step up" and lead the band more so than earlier this summer.

Jeff and Rob - could hear them both perfectly, and on occasion they played TOGETHER!

Billy - just great AS USUAL!

Mickey - sang Self Defence, and it actually SOUNDED OK!

Joan - her stage presence was NOT EXCESSIVE, she sounded great, seemed to be into the pudding.

Bob - was in good voice all night, no screaming (that's a GOOD thing IMO), vocal flubs at a bare minimum, didn't cut off any jams, was great on guitar, could actually HEAR him, no pink guitar/DDs, played an OK SOLO!

Phil - was turned up ALMOST enough, and dropped a few bombs as well.

Sound - EXCELLENT. I was on the lawn and could hear everything. It was ALMOST loud enough.

Lights - great as usual.

Highlights - LL, R+C, JACKSTRAW, Scarlet, Peggy-O, UJB!, Dark Star, Cross-Eyed, He's Gone, Days Between. The rest of the tunes were pretty hot also.

Lowlights - not much! Phil cut too quickly from the fast jam in Dark Star to the 2nd verse, choice of Iko as encore, but all in all an EXCELLENT show, prob. best I have attended since ??? Autzen '93? Maybe Shoreline '91?

well, gald to hear good reviews. Live in SoCal and the Irvine Meadows show, while fun didn't really have any high points....Socal is a music wasteland.....

peace

who recorded this fine show???
drop me an e-mail.!!
Thanks
Larry
FL

larry if I can find it I'll pass it on...could be a liitle while. I'm tempted to buy the sbd but I love the crowd noise.

IIRC, didn't phil tease Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds at the end of the Dark Star vocal? right before the Born Crosseyed?

Ya know spearman....the last three times I've heard them sing that dark star finale I've thought that it would be a perfect transition into Lucy in the Sky....unfortunaetly it wasn't even a tease...its just how they play the song now.

Dunnoh if it was mentioned above but the Doner Rap was done by one of Phil's sons who basically said, "Hi, my name's Brian, some of you may know me, and thanks to a young man who became an organ doner I still have one of the greatest dad's ever..." ...he really held up and delivered a good message in front of thousands, thought that must have made one proud papa.

I thought it was an "ok" show. On a 1-10 I'd give it a 6. What's weird is that everyone reviewing here really liked it, yet everyone I know that went thought it was just ok.

My favorite moment was the Peggy-O. It was incredibly sweet with Joan's voice. I was hoping that Joan and Bob would trade verses back and forth throughout the song, but instead it was like "a verse for everyone" type of thing. But it was still sweet.

I guess what I didn't really care for was the "pointless noodling" that oftentimes doesn't go anywhere. IMO that isn't jamming, it's just... killing time or something. I know that sounds harsh, but that's my opinion. The Dead (Grateful) always seemed to go places with their jams.

I've been a Joan fan from the Horde days. I think she adds a lot to the vocals, and she's a helluva lot better looking than any of the boys! I imagine it takes a lot of guts to get up there not knowing the music, history and customs, and I think she did a great job.

Sam

Sam,

Glad to see another review.

Perhaps a lot of it depends on who you go with and who you talk to. Because the people around me were so excited about the show, I would guess that impacted my feelings as well.

I'm curious to see where you sat for the show.

And with regards to the noodling...I agree with your comment above. It's not the greatest but out of the seven otherone/dead shows that I have seen in the past year, this show seemed to be less noodling and more focused than the others. The transitions while not always smooth were way less bumpy than all of the other recent shows I have seen. Maybe, I am just getting use to the noodling.

Bob was clearly more focused--he didn't seem to have the obviously awkward moments. unlike the bay area TOO fall 2002 tour shows. or even 2/14/03.

Plus we got drumz (right, gunner?) and some beam action

>I'm curious to see where you sat for the show.

Yes this probably had a lot to do with it. I was in 203 row Q. Seemingly a mile away. And I'll admit that I just can't get into a show from this distance. Maybe I'm just getting old.

I absolutely LOVED the show and I was at the back of the lawn.
I usually can't enjoy a show from far back either but this time I just closed my eyes and totally dug the music.
I thought the music was inspired and energetic- totally together and wonderful!

It was way better than other previous Furthur Festivals I have been to and maybe even (gasp) some of the last few times I saw the Grateful Dead.

My high points were Uncle John's Band and Jack Straw.
I kept thinking they were going to do Playin' in the Band but they didn't.
And I didn't think I would ever hear Dark Star again!

It was also the best sound I have heard at Shoreline in many years and many performers.

>>>It was also the best sound I have heard at Shoreline in many years and many performers.


Yea the sound was unbelievable to other performances I have heard.

>>>> Maybe I'm just getting old.


I think we all are

did anyone else hear the milestones riff in dark star. I do believe that jimmy was messing around with the riff for just a minute. Not really long enough to count as a jam, more of a tease.
Anyone else catch it, or was I just really high?

Does any one know how long it will be before they ship the cd's of the show?

4-6 weeks

I can't wait!!!
I hope they sound as good as the sound was at the show.

great run great guys great things