start

Counting down. Can't wait.

My request list:
To Jackie: One of those kickin' upbeat Hard Rains
To Larry: Deep Elem
To Molitz: Remind Phil he used to dip into the Particle catalog -- Elevator
To The Man Himself: Unbroken Chain!!!

Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

anyone know of a cool local bar near the Lyric for some pre-game festivities?

cool local bar before the show = The Brewer's Art ... just 4-5 blocks away and incredible microbrews they brew themselves ... Resurrection and Ozzy are their most well known beers

http://www.thebrewersart.com/

I am hoping for an Unbroken Chain opener, Terrapin 2nd set and a Tom Blues encore.

Have 1 extra orchestra available

Row P seat 133

phillesh ticketing cost = $59.75

will take $50.00

plan on being in Baltimore by 4:30-5:00pm on Tuesday

Can anyone suggest a place relatively closeby the Lyric to get a tasty bite to eat before the show?

Fantastic venue. Saw the White Stripes there last month. A real jewel of a historic opera house, couldn't think of a cooler venue to see Phil.

To Al White: Look back in this posting about brewers art...good place.
Ben

Look forward to welcoming all y'all to Baltimore...
and don't forget to stop by The 8x10 for our Post Phil Jiggety Jam with 3 Fifths.

10. East Cross Street
doors 10:30 PM
music 11 PM

I too have 2 extra tickets:

ORCH Row V

From Phil's ticketing: $120 for the 2

I'm coming from VA via Frederick and hope to get to Baltimore around 5.

E-mail me at brianstash@aol.com if you want these!

Funny story. 4th grade -- mid 70s, I made my last visit to the Lyric Opera House. It was a Baltimore Symphony Kids Koncert on a school field trip. "And this, children, is a bassoon..." BSO closed with Holtz' "The Planets" accompanied by a slide show of paintings of space scenes. Kinda cool. On the way out, me and my buddy looked down at the stage and said "Imagine seeing a rock concert here!"

30 years later, I'm going back tonight for my rock concert. Maybe Phil will give us another tour of the planets.

Predictions: Wil and I think a Big Maryland Terrapin is in order. Wil also thinks Bertha. LG says tonight will be the Unbroken breakout. In 3 shows this tour, I have not heard the Wheel...I think it's due. Whatever is played tonight will be fine by me....I like how this band has come together..and it's ALL GOOD

Hey, I'm Wil. And despite my requests above (the two mostly likely ones were shot at Echo), I'm calling for a big fat triple decker Viola sandwich.

Best regards to Wil,
Wil

I'll second the Unbroken Chain and Viola would be most welcome too..............

I've seen probably over 20 phil shows all over the darn country and I've yet to see an Unbroken. Hopefully tonight is the night. I also foresee a HUGE Terrapin.

Past phriends Mookie Siegel and Donna Jean are also in the area and have a night off. They play tomorrow in Rochester. I doubt it, but we'll see.

Definitely second the recommendation for the Brewer's Art. Great brews and excellent food. Just ate a new "upscale Indian" nearby. It was excellent:
Indigma
802 N.Charles St.
410-605-1212

Not cheap, but my wife and I had great meal for about $50 for two (no drinks). Also consider
http://www.helmand.com/welcome.shtml
it's an afghani restaurant - somewhat similar to indian, but unique, very tasty and reasonable.

Here's a cheap and good ethiopian:
http://www.ethiopianrestaurant.com/maryland/dukem. html

(yup - i like ethnic restaurants!).

Really looking fwd to the Lyric - I've seen Carmen and La Boheme there, but not Phil!!

Expect the unexpected. Have Phun everybody tell Phil i said Hi.

why does everyone want donna to show up. there was a reason why the band fired her ass and why they haven't invited her back since, because she started sucking and trying to steal the show.
by the way, what time has phil been taking the stage. the tickets say 7pm, but from my experience that is normally about 8:15, but then again phil has been coming on earlier and earlier in recent years. please let me know so i don't miss a tune. i don't care what he play, as long as it's played well.

If the ticket says 7 chances are Phil would take the stage no later than 7:30, so this show should be well under way. Weir is everyone? Can we just have one little update?

playing in the band
wheels on fire
jackie song
miss half step

playing in the band
wheels on fire
jackie song
miss half step
deal

playing in the band
wheels on fire
jackie song
miss half step
deal
mexican girl

set 1
playing in the band
wheels on fire
jackie song
miss half step
deal
mexican girl
good lovin'

Thanks Harry K!

set 1
playing in the band
wheels on fire
jackie song
miss half step
deal
mexican girl
good lovin'
--set break--

Thanks to Ann and Jim for the setlist and for being great parents

loud phil bombs reported during good lovin'

Thanks for the check-ins man.

set 1
playing in the band
wheels on fire
so hard to find my way (jackie song)
miss half step
deal
mexican girl
good lovin'
--set break--

set 2
jackie song - don't know the name

"so hard to find my way"? & "mexican girl"????jackie tunes?

set 1
playing in the band
wheels on fire
so hard to find my way (jackie song)
miss half step
deal
mexican girl
good lovin'
--set break--

set 2
jackie song - don't know the name
cumberland blues

set 1
playing in the band
wheels on fire
so hard to find my way (jackie song)
miss half step
deal
mexican girl
good lovin'
--set break--

set 2
jackie song - don't know the name
cumberland blues
jam
eyes of the world

Thanks to Ann and Jim for the setlist

set 1
playing in the band
wheels on fire
so hard to find my way (jackie song)
mississippi half step
deal
mexican girl (jackie song)
good lovin'

set 2
jackie song (?)
cumberland blues
jam
eyes of the world (PHIL BOMBS!!!)
brokedown palace

Thanks to Ann and Jim for the setlist

hey harry - just in case you&me are the only ones left out here....thanx to you&ann&jim.....from levittown, ny.

odd place for a brokedown, dontcha'think?

Thanks for the updates, Harry, Ann & Jim!

set 1
playing in the band
wheels on fire
so hard to find my way (jackie song)
mississippi half step
deal
mexican girl (jackie song)
good lovin'

set 2
jackie song (?)
cumberland blues
jam
eyes of the world (PHIL BOMBS!!!)
brokedown palace
golden road
viola lee blues

Thanks to Ann and Jim for the setlist

this second set is turning into a monster

r u there?

yeah i am here

in BWI?..at the show?
golden road into viola lee?...its like they got a second wind & a flashback at the same time;-Ž

have you caught any of the shows?

so, is it phil & jackie sharing all the vocals?
i guess LC has been in the mix as well...

no shows yet...waiting on nokia x2....not sure what to expect...never seen a show there....general admission....my tix say 'stand'....i'm thinkin' NO, NOT FOR THE WHOLE SHOW!
how'bout you...anything this tour?

i saw the first two chicago shows
the riviera is pretty crappy, it was about 100 degrees in there both nights i went
other than that i thought they were smokin

reviews on jackie sound surprisingly good....but after PLQ w/ warren&jimmy, i think its hard to measure up to that.
at least they're not playing any ryan adams stuff....i gave those tunes a try but lost interest.
when did you get on the bus?

set 1
playing in the band
wheels on fire
so hard to find my way (jackie song)
mississippi half step
deal
mexican girl (jackie song)
good lovin'

set 2
jackie song (?)
cumberland blues
jam
eyes of the world (PHIL BOMBS!!!)
brokedown palace
golden road
viola lee blues
why dont we do it in the road
new speedway boogie
viola lee blues

Thanks to Ann and Jim for the setlist

>>>my tix say 'stand'....i'm thinkin' NO, NOT FOR THE WHOLE SHOW! <<<
Sorry to break this to you but I'm fairly sure that's the way it is.
If you check a seating chart (I did at Ticketmaster) it says all standing the whole way to the back of the auditorium. Also my memory from the one show I've seen there about a year ago is that that is the way it is. It looks like they can set it up to have seating on the mezz but it doesn't look like that's how they're going to do it for Lesh.
That's pretty much the way it is at all the halls here in New York unless they are places like Town Hall where the whole place has seating.
Hammerstein is actually an exception in that respect with the balcony seating.

set 1
playing in the band
wheels on fire
so hard to find my way (jackie song)
mississippi half step
deal
mexican girl (jackie song)
good lovin'

set 2
jackie song (?)
cumberland blues
jam
eyes of the world (PHIL BOMBS!!!)
brokedown palace
golden road
viola lee blues
why dont we do it in the road
new speedway boogie *tease*
viola lee blues
all along the watchtower

Thanks to Ann and Jim for the setlist

Is Watchtower a breakout on this tour? No encore?

set 1
playing in the band
wheels on fire
so hard to find my way (jackie song)
mississippi half step
deal
mexican girl (jackie song)
good lovin'

set 2
jackie song (?)
cumberland blues
jam
eyes of the world (PHIL BOMBS!!!)
brokedown palace
golden road
viola lee blues
why dont we do it in the road
new speedway boogie *tease*
viola lee blues
all along the watchtower
i know you rider

Thanks to Ann and Jim for the setlist

they just finished the set
a not fade away encore would blow this set up

set 1
playing in the band
wheels on fire
so hard to find my way (jackie song)
mississippi half step
deal
mexican girl (jackie song)
good lovin'

set 2
jackie song (?)
cumberland blues
eyes of the world (PHIL BOMBS!!!)
brokedown palace
golden road
viola lee blues
why dont we do it in the road
new speedway boogie *tease*
viola lee blues
all along the watchtower
i know you rider

donor rap
e: box of rain

Thanks to Ann and Jim for the setlist

..Donor Rap, E: Happy 60th B.Day Bobby, Box Of Rain

I love Brokedown in the middle of the set. No reason songs have to get pigeon-holed into one spot. I think it would make a good, if unusual, opener.

As Mr. Spock would say: " Fascinating." The proof of the show though, is in the listening. Hope it gets posted on Archive soon. It does look like another good practice session for the NYC Marathon. Must be ready to play Broadway.

The whole Viola sequence was somethin' else.
It went:
Golden Road >
Viola v.1 and v.2 >
Why Don't We Do It >
sizzling jam (with New Speedway and Lovelight hints) >
Viola v.3 >
White noise meltdown >
Viola v.3 again >
spacey jam with Playing hints >
Watchtower >
Rider.

Another great show!

.Donor Rap, E: Happy 60th B.Day Bobby, Box Of Rain

?????

Not much is better than Viola. I think it is more powerful when presented as unified song, but I'm happy to hear it any way Phil wants to dish it out.

Playin
Wheels on Fire
Soo Hard Too Find My Way
1/2 step
Deal
Mexican Girl
Good Lovin

Ramble On
Cumberland
Eyes
Brokedown
Golden Rd
Viola
Heartbreaker Tease
Why Dont We Do It In The Rd
Viola
Watchtower
Rider

E:Box Of Rain

Thanks to Harry K, Ann & Jim, and mad props to bzl and giggler. We Westies appreciate this!

What a sick show.Thank you Phil for blowing away Baltimore.Deal, Eyes, Cumberland, Viola Viola Viola, Do It In The Road.

Good God.
What the hell was THAT.
HOLYBAZIDDDDLEEEEBOP
second set.
mucho mas mejor muy bien.

(just the quickest bit of WHAT as I slide into my desk at the afterparty...night BE YOUNG! curfew here in...1 hour fifteen....good....need to digest THAT THINNNG twas delivered. EYES...brokedown...GOLDEN ROAD
VIOLAbeatlesviola
WATCHTOWER
RIDER
BOX

ay.

bzl - nice description of the big fat viola sandwich. man, white noise meltdown is right! really noodled that new speedway...thought for sure it was coming.

brokedown was great. the playin opener was great. 2nd half of half step and deal were very well played.

whole 2nd set was very nice. cumberland was a monster. golden road, do it in the road, watchtower, rider. great stuff.

and i never tire of viola.

remind me to land those 2nd row seats more often.

THANKS PHIL!!!
AND FRIENDS!!!

Random thoughts back home in Philly after the show:

Bzl,

Kudos on your description of the whole Viola sequence. The boys have certainly grown since their Denver Viola a few weeks ago. With all its tasty twists and turns tonight, this Viola was a a pychedelic dish spiced with power, Jazz and style and the last verse that would not end. This Baltimore Viola grab cake was indeed my favorite meal of the night.

A close second was the Brokedown. I saw Jackie do this twice now and IMO he has claimed living ownership of this song.

The Lyric theater is a wonderful venue and I am honorered to have seen Phil there.



Unc Al off the bus until next time…. peaceout

Random thoughts about last night.

ENERGY! This band is pure energy. Less of the wild wanderings of past versions, but this is a buzzing, fun rock n'roll band! Phil is clearly having a great, great time.

Was amazed to discover that Jackie can tear up a guitar lead. He wailed during Deal and Mexican Girl first set. The only thing more fun than watching him get off was watching Larry Campbell watch him. All smiles, like a proud uncle. Typically, Jackie tore off the youthful exuberance then the band backed off the bombast and let Larry school him with something more original and skilled. Larry got schooled by Sco last year, so it was his turn to move to the head of the class this year.

Phil's sense of humor tickled me. To come into this classical hall with "Govnod" and "Schvbert" painted on the walls, being himself a classically trained musician, and then rip off a "Why Don't We Do it in the Road?" Love the man. Nothing's sacred but the JOY of the music.

For some reason, the Brokedown took me back to Hampton encores of the 80s. Had the same lady swaying next to me 20 years later. Life can be sweet sometimes.

They broke out "Watchtower" b/c I wore my Jimi t-shirt. Could there have been another reason? :>

Questions for the knowledgeable:
-- I thought the 2nd set opener was called "Gone Wandering" ? (my second favorite Jackie tune after Mexican Girl, so I got mine)
-- I assumed that the jam before Eyes was a Particle tune since Mr. Wizard Molitz was in control at the synth, turning us inside out. Was I wrong?

Thank you, Phil! Thank you, Friends! Thank you everybody that smiled so many smiles last night.

ramble on rose or jackie song --2nd set opener?

It was the Jackie song that has been listed previously as "Gone Wandering" with Jackie on acoustic guitar and Larry fiddlin'

No Ramble On Rose last night.

OK it is called "Gone Wanderin'" -- apparently the title cut from one of his records.

See http://www.jackie-greene.com/music.htm for help IDing all his tunes.

Now I'm just wondering about the electronic jam v. Particle song question.

not ramble on rose...very up tempo country-fied stomp tune...

u know, thats the second time that song has been called ramble on rose at a show this tour ! weird or what ?

[they arent at all similar as i recall !]

glad y'all had fun :-)

only similarity i heard were the words "ramble on" in the lyrics. but it was most def a jackie tune. when he started playing it i thought we were gonna get the hard rain.

interesting question about the possible particle tune. i was thinking the same thing.

loved that 2nd set!

Home town show. We go to the opera at the Lyric. Beautiful hall. Very relaxing to be able to work ‘til five, get home, have dinner, get the kid settled with the sitter and then drive the 5 miles to the show!

Playin - For Bobby’s 60th. Nice, long, spacey version, but when Jackie sings “When it’s done and over, a man is just a man” I’m thinking “How the heck would you know – do you shave yet?”

Wheels on Fire - Just OK. Larry’s vocal is rather untextured but they deliver the choruses with power and purpose.

Soo Hard Too Find My Way - Really nice! Very well-crafted, driving, piano-based pop tune that would sound just fine on the radio. My first real exposure to Jackie and so far so good.

1/2 step - A totally new arrangement for me. Last time I heard this it was a country fiddle tune with Larry absolutely shining (this goes all the way back to the Chris R. shows). Now, it’s this highly syncopated, off-kilter thing. Interesting, and Phil clearly enjoyed holding and releasing the vocals on the off-beat.

Deal – Wow! The Boston Herald piece said Jackie took a liking to this ‘un. And how. He owns Deal. Just a great version. During the jam, Jackie wandered over to Molo and started making round-mouthed “Molo-face” back at The Man. Drove the band totally over the top. The Kid rips.

Mexican Girl – A tropical, samba-feel. Another nice tune. The kid can craft a song.

Good Lovin’ – Well-done, but I guess I have a hard time buying Jackie in songs that take a certain confident strut. Seems better suited to the broken down gambler songs.

Ramble On – Short, quiet, acoustic. Didn’t really get a feel for it.

Cumberland - Holy Moly!! They totally cream Cumberland. Larry positively screams, in his cool, calm, “ain’t no big thing” way. Jackie keeps up fine.

Eyes – Fairly typical Phil version, but very nicely done. Again, Larry demonstrated how he is never, ever at a loss to play confident, elegant lines at every twist and turn.

Brokedown – Odd place to throw it in, but the song has obviously captured Jackie in a special way and the band delivers a soulful, heartfelt, beautiful Brokedown.

Golden Rd – Funny juxtaposition after Brokedown, but Jackie creams it. Always love to hear this one and it doesn’t disappoint. They head out for a brief spacey interlude before carefully guiding it back for Phil’s big rolling bass-line at the end.

Viola - Thought we’d be getting the triple decker but it seems pretty late in the proceedings to start. Totally smoking. Heartbreaker Tease - ??

Why Don’t We Do It In The Rd – I was at the summer ’84 shows when the Dead first broke this out, so very fun to hear. The band obviously was having a blast with it too.

Viola – Back to Viola with a purpose! The second time through blew the roof off. After “finishing” they took it through one more time with a crazy crescendo with Larry and Molo locked in a battle of wills to take it higher before crashing back into the “I wrote a Letter” verse again.

Watchtower – Jackie did a great job with Watchtower. Super vocal and some great guitar work. Larry looked on with pride but seemed to be thinking “Not bad, kid, but don’t even think about it!”

Rider – Pretty perfunctory, but strong

E:Box Of Rain – Ditto. I was hoping for Tom Thumb or a Hard Rain repeat.

Our first Jackie show and we had a blast. Kid’s a very good song writer and is a good singer with decent guitar chops. Totally worthy of Phil’s attention. The Tower of Power. The Lion King. The Rock of Gibraltar. The Force of Nature. What can you say about Molo?! Many times during the evening he’d get up behind his kit after demolishing another one and put his hands on his hips, puff out his chest, jut his jaw and stand statue still as if to say “You may now heap your praises upon me.” Hilarious. Phil looked and sounded great and was having a blast from start to finish. Dude gets younger every tour!

Heading to two more at the Nokia – can’t wait.

Thanks for all of the great reviews!

Any photos? That's quite a venue!

Very nice.

SMOKIN !

THE KIDS A KEEPER !

>>>Playin - For Bobby’s 60th. Nice, long, spacey version, but when Jackie sings “When it’s done and over, a man is just a man” I’m thinking “How the heck would you know – do you shave yet?” <<<
Well, he just looks young. He'll be 27 in November.
27 is not that young folks.
That's the age Pigpen, Hendrix, Morrison, Joplin and Cobain were when they died.
And Weir was born in 1947 which means he was only 22 and 23 when the Dead were doing those killer jams in 1970. Do the math on the other members of the band at that time for yourself.
Think back to when you were 26 and how much you'd experienced. I know I'd experience a hell of a lot by then. It could seem young to me from my vantage point of being almost 51 now, but it really isn't.

dnem - great description of molo's performance last night.

several times throughout the night, when there was a break in songs, phil would go over to molo and bump knuckles.

phil had a wonderful time last night. many ear-to-ear smiles. even laughing at himself with a shrug, when he flubbed a lyric.

how in the world did 2 security guards keep the masses from storming the front of the theatre? there was a space of about 15 feet from front row to the stage. as best as i could tell, there was only 1 person up there without a legit ticket. and that was that dancing dude. if you could see into this space, you know excatly who i mean. he was a relentless mess.

i thought wheel's on fire was a great song choice for it's spot, with strong vocals, but really needed a killer solo in it that never happened.

defintitely nitpicking though...a very very good show!!!

Jackie's 26 - I know, I know. It's really not about age. I really enjoyed Jackie's performance, I just have a bit of trouble buying him on songs that take that confident swagger to pull off. Pig probably could have done it when he was 12. Obviously jackie doesn't look the part of the tired, broken-down gambler either, but he has no trouble delivering those tunes with conviction.

"Heartbreaker Tease" reminded me. Great night of teases and feints. Couple intense jams out of tunes that suddenly fell off into something more mellow.

"The Wheel" tease before "This Wheel's on Fire"

"Schoolgirl" tease at the end of "Deal"

"New Speedway" tease later in "Viola"

"Tomorrow Never Knows" Larry jam between "Watchtower" and "Rider"

Plus waiting all night for the "Playin'" reprise that never came. Love it when the boys play with our expectations like this! I expect to find other nuggets hidden in it when I listen to the tape.

>>> It's really not about age<<<
Ok, I got it.
Guess I misunderstoond your phrasing slightly.
I'll stop being contrary now.

This show really stunned me. I had seen them in Charlottesville a couple of nights earlier and felt the band overall needed to gel further. And gel they did...on this particular night. Most notably was the seemless guitar work between Larry and Jackie (the best since Warren and Jimmy IMO). There was a steaming intensity that coexisted beautifully with a relaxed handle on the music which translated into a show that kept my attention every minute....really. The song choices, the pacing, the pauses.....all added up to the kind of musical odyssey that I believe Phil strives to deliver. There were really several little shows within a bigger structure on this night. John Molo seems to be particularly jazzed up for this band. He's playing with an intensity and concentration I haven't seen since that 'other' quintet. The sound in the Lyric was clean and loud...just how I like it. And finally, Phil's voice sounded real sweet. Happy trails, everyone.

What amazes me about this board is that, with rare exception, every review is not only positive but so glowing as to make it appear that every show was the "GREATEST CONCERT EVER!!!"

I started seeing the Dead in 1977 and have seen every incarnation of that band (The Other Ones, The Dead) and Weir's and Lesh's bands since way back when, including every Lesh tour since 1999 (and two shows in NYC next month). But the adulation and overly positive reviews I read lead me to believe that many of you are, simply put, deluded.

You're not only doing a disservice to the incredible history of the Grateful Dead when the band was at its zenith (say from 1969 into 1978, with your choice of which vintage was the best) but you're also kidding yourself by decreeing each show an amazing spectacle. It just can't be. Phil would admit that himself.

I sincerely hope you're enjoying yourselves and getting off on the music, but try to have some perspective.

My guess is that most of you who are seeing multiple shows on this tour and gushing about them probably never saw the Dead before 1987 (or perhaps before even 1993) or maybe never saw them ever.

I hope to enjoy the hell out of myself at the Nokia, but I'll also know that it's impossible for every show to be the best.

"My guess is that most of you who are seeing multiple shows on this tour and gushing about them probably never saw the Dead before 1987 (or perhaps before even 1993) or maybe never saw them ever."

You might be right about that and I'm inclined to agree .... and yet -- first show I saw was May 13, 1977 in Chicago, and I saw the band fairly regularly up through 83 at which point I stopped going to shows because I started to hear a fall off in the music & the scene changed markedly in a way I could not get into. From listening to the downloads of these recent shows it sounds to me like this band is really cooking, of course not all of the shows are the greatest thing ever (like you say) but they sound pretty damn good to me and I can hear a gelling and stepping it up several notches between the shows at the beginning of the tour and now. I'm looking forward to seeing them at Nokia & I am going to go to more than one show.

nice review Dnem, glad you enjoyed it.

Yikes - too positive here on the Zone? Ya gotta be kidding me. It gets brutal here! And I saw about 150 Dead shows starting in 1977. I had a blast last night, mainly fueled by my pleasure of seeing phil having such a blast delivering a spirited, relevant, energetic show some 12 years after Jerry's death. Contrast last night's Phil to the sickly, bloated, liver-failing mess he was back in the 80s. C'mon! I'd never, ever even compare Phil's various incarnations to a really special Jer night, but it's great stuff. I've gotten to take my 4 YO to a few shows - i never thought, back in '95, that THAT would happen.

Is is just me or is it safe to say that last nights show was more of a mind-bender vs. the dance-a-thon on Saturday night in Charlottesville?

Nokika Nov 9-10 is next!

Hey Skeptical:

I'll give your observation some credence. But I guess lots of positive reviews means a lot of people liked the show. And....you couldn't be more wrong about this particular reviewer. I've been listening to and seeing the Dead since the early 70's. Even in the enormous shadow of that, I stand by my throrough enjoyment.

There is nothing like a Grateful Dead Concert
There is nothing like a Phil Lesh Concert

>>>seemless guitar work between Larry and Jackie (the best since Warren and Jimmy IMO).

Bwaaa Haaa Haaa

Dude stop taking drugs, you've done enough!

I'm having inklings that Jackie is having some input in setlist writing..

If not he should...

I think that will be a step for him to more fully become involved with the particular nights performance..

Thanks for the reviews people..

I recently have heard Jams that I thought were Caution based that led to New Speedway Boogie..

no one said these shows were better than the dead at their height. did you bitch about folks who enjoyed dead shows after 78 too? they werent the best concerts ever then either (imo). thats reserved in my mind for the same period you quoted, 69-78. but it sure as hell doesnt mean nothing of value was ever produced after that either. phil shows now are surely more consistent than many dead shows i've seen (85-95). which had the best moments...who really cares? there were plenty of moments where i was thrilled to be nowhere else on earth...that goes for every dead show, and every phil show i've ever seen. that doesnt mean they were the best concerts ever. it means they were good/really good/great/interesting, and i had a blast.

if any of that makes me too positive in your eyes, too damn bad.

go phil!!!

>>>>>>My guess is that most of you who are seeing multiple shows on this tour and gushing about them probably never saw the Dead before 1987 (or perhaps before even 1993) or maybe never saw them ever.

I won't leave you drifting down but whoa it makes me wild
With thirty years upon my head to have you call me child

i saw an enormous amount of dead shows from 69-87(and beyond)and have been following this tour online and think the freshness and excitement in the music now rivals even some of the dead's early days...

"if all you got to live for is what you left behind,
get yourself a powder charge and seal that diamond mine..."

Glad to see that my screed has generated some comments. I wasn't bitching about anyone just surprised at how overly positive the reviews are of Phil and his bands over the years. Phil has been placed on a very sturdy, very high pedestal by all of us (myself included) but our reverence needs some perspective.

I myself saw many shows in the 1980s and 1990s and gushed about them afterward when I knew then (and know now) were just so-so or even pretty lame.

I will never argue with the experience someone had at a show--wildly positive or horribly negative. But a certain amount of objectivity needs to exist when you do a review of a concert.

I'm going to have a great time next month and I hope the music takes me places. Phil almost always achieves that for me. But I am not going to blindly proclaim it "Good God.
What the hell was THAT.
HOLYBAZIDDDDLEEEEBO" as someone did above.

Ok - last one on this. Well, yeah, we might get overwrought. But, Phil is certainly one of the most original bass players in the history of rock and roll. I would consider Larry one of the most professional, competent and talented multi-instrumental string players on the scene today. Molo? Certainly an arguable vote for one of the top handful of drummers working today. So, you've got a pretty strong core up there delivering. Give 'em the greatest canon of songs in the history of rock (IMO) and it's not unreasonable to expect some pretty special concerts.

chances are if you're trying to be "objective" about the music, you ain't dancin' hard enough....

Huck maybe a lot of things....but blind is not one of them.

I think you should also consider that if you don't see a comparison to another show within the review...it is probably their first show of the tour and their first exposure to this lineup.

In which case "Good God. What the hell was THAT. HOLYBAZIDDDDLEEEEBO" seems perfectly legitimate to me.

This was another very good show by the Phriends. I think there's been a lot of use of superlatives when describing shows on this tour because of the consistency of the band's performance. The vocals and solos are impassioned and energetic. Phil makes sure the band is practiced in a way the Dead never were. Maybe P&F don't hit the intense highs that a great GD show could hit, but that's a moot point because the Grateful Dead are long gone and Phil is alive, kickin' and bombin' right in front of us. While I'm a bit young (28--- older than Jackie though, hah) and only got to see the Grateful Dead once (9/20/93) I've heard hundreds of tapes and there were plenty of just plain bad, low energy, sloppy Dead shows. The only "bad" Phil show I've ever seen or heard is 4/9/07 at SOBs and the last minute line-ups changes partially accounted for that.

The one thing I've been challenged to get over on this tour is the narrow repertoire of the band. About 2/3 of the songs in Baltimore I'd already heard in Camden or at the two nights in Boston. But repeats mean that the songs are tight, since they get played out a lot. And we all know Phil never does anything near a note-for-note repeat. The jams go different places each time. So my disappointment at the repeats was short lived since the playing was so strong.

The venue was great. It reminded me of some of the photos from the interiors of the old venues from the Dead's Europe '72 tour. Security seemed pretty laid back. No one got any trouble in my section (row N seat 110, middle of the floor.) I liked the no beverages in the seating area policy once again, eliminating the issue of the drunk guy stumbling over you from the middle of the row every 10 minutes to get beers for him and his 6 buddies.

Apparently the venue is from the 1800s and the interior of the hall (with its gold trim and plush red seats) looks quite old, but I guess the main entrance and lobby is a fairly recent (last 30 years?) addition. A friend told me that this was the first rock type show to take place here since Weather Report in 1978. I dunno if that's true, but if it was I think they might just have Phil back again since the crowd seemed quite well behaved.

I thought the show might actually start on time since there was a beep and the lights dimmed in the lobby right at 7:30. But true to the tour so far, Phil actually went on 20 minutes after the time on the tickets. I guess the lights and beeps were automated to go off whenever the official show time was (since I guess most operas start when the ticket says they will.)

Playin' started the set off strong. I was surprised to get this as an opener since it usually means BIG JAM and Phil's been sticking to the GD formula of the 1st set being the "warm-up" with the shorter tunes. Playin' made it to some swirlly warm places and Jackie's vocals were strong and loud. The vocals in the PA seemed almost too loud throughout the show on the verge of overpowering the instruments. The BIG JAM never happened. It was more of a medium jam tthat seemed to be leading towards the Wheel but then it trailed into Wheels on Fire.

I've really been digging the Band esp after reading an enjoyable novella in the 33 1/3 series based around the writing and recording of Big Pink, told from the perspective of the Band's fictional drug connection. This was an adequate version, though the energy seemed a tad low. I remember the song being really fiery when I saw it in Atlantic City with the Chris Robinson P&F incarnation. This version held its own, but didn't blaze. When it comes to Band tunes, I wish they'd do "Chest Fever." I think it would suit their ragged but right vocal style very well.

So Hard to Find is a poppy catchy, adult-radio friendly Jackie tune. The intro makes me think of the Monkees' "Cheer Up Sleepy Jean" and the Sesame St. theme! It's gone the same place every time I've heard it, but I quite like that place even though it isn't particularly jamariffic.

1/2 St. was strong. Phil's vocals were great even though he missed a word here and there (eg "seal that silver _____.") The Rio Grand-ee--o part had some good guitar interplay. This is one of the songs that's really benefitting from its frequent appearances in the set lists.

Deal is another frequent song on this tour's lists. This (and the other two versions) I've heard on this tour have been very good, hightlighting Larry and Jackie's different but very effective soloing styles. At the end of the song, it seemed as if the band was hovering, ready to segue into something else. I was getting excited with anticipation, but then it came to a disappointing full-stop.

Mexican Girl is a strong Jackie rocker. A couple 2 rows ahead of me sort of salsa danced through this one which was cute.

Good Lovin' was strong, done in an arrangement that's somewhere between the Pig 1970/71 version and the Bobby 80s/90s one. I enjoyed Molo's thunderous stop/start drums. There was a few fumbled moments during the changes, but the energy never let up. And the interplay between Jackie's lead vocal and the rest of the band's "got to have lovin'" was fun. Larry had a big smile on his face during this.

Set 2 started with a Jackie tune that had nothing to do with Ramble On Rose (or Ramble On, the Zep tune for that matter.)
It was well played but didn't really stick in my memory. The jam heated up and I thought we were gonna get a Big River but instead got a Cumberland that was on par with the intensity of the Camden version but with no vocal miscues this time. Molo seems to really get off on this one, rolling and thundering his was through the jam.

There was a longish pause, during which some pieces of paper were passed to the band. An instrumental kicked in that seemed to be too coordinated to be a jam. And Molitz's funky keyboard lead suggested that perhaps this was a Particle tune, though it lacked the really intense dance rhythms of other Particle tunes that Molitz has done with Phil's band such as "Launchpad."
Anyway, the piece was dark and driving and Phil's bass seemed turned up a notch in volume, but then the night turned into day as the opening riff of Eyes kicked in

Eyes was a strong version too. Larry's solos shined. The jam wound down to almost a tuning-like noodling, during which instruments were switched and it turned into a surprise mid-set
Brokedown Palace.

Jackie's vocals are gorgeous on this one. He sing it like means it.

Golden Road followed with Molitz's keyboards having a bit more prominence than usually (he seems to rise and sink in the PA mix from moment to moment during this tour.) And just like at the 7/21 Independent show, the nasty closing chord became the nasty opening chord of

Viola Lee. I knew a tasty sandwich was coming. I thought this Viola sequence was a bit more adventurous and inspired that the Boston version. During it, I often thought to myself "I have no idea what's coming next!" V1 & V2 were played together but things got pretty far out there before the 2nd verse. Jackie threw in the Zep Heartbreaker riff again, though it wasn't quite as prominent as in Boston (maybe the boys are hinting at doing a 2nd set of the entire Zep II for Halloween! wouldn't that be a scream! esp if Molo dresses up like Pinhead from Hellraiser) I also heard a jam on "Feelin' Alright," that song done by Joe Cocker, before the Beatles tune kicked in.

"Why Don't We Do It In the Road" was fun and energetic and I didn't expect it. I wished someone would've done a Lennon-style falsetto, but I don't think anyone's pipes could handle it (except maybe Molo's...)

Before Viola Lee came back in again we got a strong Speedway tease/jam and then the accelerondo/melt down that fell in verse 3. As they did in Boston, V3 was sung twice with the energy pushed up a notch for the second time around.

Viola segued unexpectedly into a Watchtower (1st version with this lineup?) that had a slightly slower funkier feel than I remember from previous versions. It reminded me of the "as we wind on down the road" section of Zep's Stairway, (but I've been deep in Zeppelin mode lately, blasting the 6/21/77 "Listen to This Eddie!" bootleg and listening to their studio output in chronological order so my ears might be a bit distorted by the Hammer of the Gods.)

Watchtower in turn became a strong "I Know You Rider" to end the set.

I really enjoy the long sequences tied together by ">" jams. It gives the sets a unique, suite-like identity beyond just a collection of free-standing songs that happened to be played on the same night. 2nd night Boston was my least favoite of 4 shows so far and that's because most of the songs were stopped cold in both sets with no extended centerpiece such as a Viola Lee sandwich + garnish or the Camden UJB through Rider sequence.

Phil wished Bobby a happy 60th! (wow, wasn't Bobby the baby of the band?!) and then encored with Box. The interesting thing about this version was I don't think Phil ever said "there" at the end of the song. He said "such a long long time to be gone and a short time to be, to be, to be..." and then just hit a low-end bomb in place of the word "there". I thought it was a nice touch.

And that last sentiment tapped into how I've been feeling about Phil. The man's like 66 right? Who knows how many more tours he'll feel like doing or be healthy enough to do. I feel lucky to have seen 31 P&F shows and counting and I'm trying to savor each moment and really etch the experience into my brain. Each Phil show has left me with a positive feeling that's helped me get through the stress and anxiety of the following days.

We'll always have the tapes/discs but one day in the not too distant future the actually live experience will be gone. So I'm soaking it in and looking forward to 4 nights in NYC!

^^^^bravo on that review right there!

I don't recall seeing a whole slew of people calling any of these the "greatest shows ever". The shows have been awesome, they are fun, and this band is real real real good. And they are getting better.

It's one thing to be "skeptical", and it's another to be negative.

|||Cross Post|||

This excerpt from a recent article in The Diamondback:

---

quote:

"The biggest piece of advice Phil gave me - and he's right - is to never read the [online] message boards," Greene said. "I accidentally read it once, and a few people just tore me a new one. For the most part, I feel like at the shows people are kind of digging it and I really appreciate that, when there's a lot of love in the air.

"Phil feels there's some people that only want it to be the way Jerry played it in 1973, and the fact is it can't ever be that again," Greene added. "There's plenty of people that sound like it, but it ain't gonna happen. And Phil's really into changing things."

---

nice review, sebastiananxiety.

i agree with just about all you said.

and my buddy and i commented on the stairway to heaven hints as well. it wasnt just you.

How did this show compare to the one in Camden??
I was at that one and that it was pretty damn nice. More then. Saw Phil last summer, and the tour before, and the tour before, etc. - u get the point. - thought Camden was one of the best I'd seen in a while.
Cant wait to see him again in NYC...would like to get my hands on some tix for other dates too...

maybe "ramble on" was jackie's song "gone wanderin'", which repeats the phrase ramble on?

thanx 4 the great review!

Usually I have a pretty good feel for what the band is seguing into ( depending on key, tempo etc...) but Phil stumped me pretty good in the second set last night. The Viola sandwich jam must have changed keys at least 3-4 times. I recall them jamming in A and thinking at one point..Ok Foolish Heart is coming.. then "boom" into C.. with a "Don't Let Go" vibe .. then Emajor.. then Eminor ( New Speedway, definite other one tease) and back into good ole G for end of Viola.

Also, someone mentioned earlier Zeppelin teases. Listen to the beginning of Watchtower. Larry heard Jackie quote "Heartbreaker" earlier and since Watchtower has the same chords and similar rhythm to the jam in "Stairway to Heaven".. Larry actually played Jimmy Page's lead almost note for note from Stairway. Can't wait to hear the "tapes" to see if what I heard was right.

Anyway, this incarnation is a hell of a lot of fun, they are playing in great classy venues and Jackie has great energy and is a pretty decent lead player... so get out and see em while you can. Oh.. and Phil's bass was very audible and was really strong.. listen to the Eyes

I thought for sure it was "season of the witch" leading back into viola

Folks,

What makes this tour interesting is a songs format,not just jam format. Take a look and listen to a 1970 Dead gig. 30+ tunes. Solid 4 to 6 min Bobby and Jerry tunes mixed with monster jams. Ii is nice to have a 5 course meal, not just the entree. Blues,Country,Folk,Space,Jazz,Acid Rock all at one show.
That is what is good about this line up. Enjoy. Maybe Bobby,Billy, and Micky will line up now that Phil wants to give a full course meal.

I wouldn't count on that...........although it was cool to have Phil wish Bobby a happy 60th last night

Sebastian - nice review!

Best non musical part of the night: standing in line for a drink upstairs during the break (took the whole 45 minutes!!!) and meeting Fitzman, nice talking to you Keith.

Good to hang with you too, Tom. Hope to see you at Ratdog on 11/6.

Great reviews and thread :-)

Two weeks to go till i love new york part two starts. maybe they will play that to open and close new york. But anyway i plan on seeing every show. this could fold up by tuesday so that i could see rastadog in redding. i hope that phil overcomes his lesonic first set but i guess first set plain second set utopian dream state of the union. doesn't seem tripping would be goood as the order of things is a bit too conventonal looking. however the horsehoe circumfrence around the viewing area is kind of tunnelishand tripy. maybe seed up in balcony during long break. look for4 me there.

streetvan, is that you?!

I was front row center for the show at the Lyric, and I shot about 50 minutes of video I've put on dvd. I got Mexican Girl, Good Lovin' Golden Road, Viola, Why Don't We Do it in the Road? and Box of Rain. First person to tell me what other instrument Jackie played during Viola gets a copy shipped to their front door. As for everybody else, I'll be posting it somewhere and I'll put the link here. Stay tuned. And no, I'm not selling dvds.

We have a winner! Comin your way Rick.

Maraca was the answer, btw.

Thanks Chuck!

Lots of good observations here, I agree that there is nothing better than being at a "show". Having seen the Grateful Dead in the 70s,80s 90s there were many magical nights in each era. (90s not so much.)
Without dissing Jerry and the boys, Phil and his various lineups ( I've seen them all) have been such a refreshing change since Jerry's demise. Each night seems like Phil is really into the gig and trying to take his "friends" to new levels. Never afraid to bring back old tunes or try new ones. Phil's group doesn't have 1st set tunes and 2nd set tunes, unlike the Jerry-Bobby days when they alternated and set lists became very predictable and often boring. No comatose noodling and tedious drum/space drag ons. Phil is a great leader and human being, one can only imagine how much better the grateful dead (in the waning 80s and 90s) could have been had he been leading the band and trying new things.
Phil is the man and the way he and his bands carry the torch is just so compelling. We can only wish him good health and hope he never retires.
God Bless Phil Lesh!!!

in additon, I have never seen RatDog and have no desire to do so...

Yeah I guess what folks who never attended a PLF show dont realise is how *much* more alive and animated he is than back with the GD after say 78 or even further... Looking at GD videos is sad in that regard...

Sometimes I felt myself wondering what it wud have been like if he had been more prominent then, but it just wasnt feasible for him to push further - internal dynamics etc.

Sometimes with PLF I used to think how much Jerry wud have loved to play with this or that combo too... Didnt think that this tour strangely enough, but not for negative reasons. More to do with the feeling that 'was' a band organically growing in and of itself, so that the Jerry thought became irrelevant :-)

I loved Devils/Space in the 90s though for sure !

as for the too many repeats comments, i think we've had a few good new covers on this tour and last night opening 2nd set with china cat and closing it with i know you rider is actually pretty cool. no it's not up to the par of the Q. things that great i guess aren't meant to last, but phil still rockin' and i'm grateful. peace.

Great Show, very cool Venue


After Seeing Both Boston shows expecting some repeats (bitching about repeats means you’ve seen too many shows, for some of us we can accept with open minds and open hearts, it is no crime to take a tour off once in a while to refresh one’s perspective)) and really wishing Phil would play in D.C. instead of B-more I was still much stoked to see him again so soon. After seeing many shows in Denver with the “Q” and the Little Feat dudes, I must say having so many different line ups are really nice. Jackie Greene is fantastic in MHO.

Opening with Playin’ was a great treat, nice Jam made me almost weep as medicine for the soul was delivered. Call it a pop tune flavored song if you wish but there is something really cool about “So Hard to Find my way” it makes me happy, happy. Mexican Girl and Good Lovin was a good way to end the set. Good Lovin is much better than the average versions the Dead did after ’76, leave it to Phil to bring back the old style of Jammin it. I do not look at set list of shows in previous performances of tours; I want the element of surprise not knowing what they have done. The main reason this bass player sees Phil is his bass playing first and foremost. At this show he was turned up and thumbin’ it. I want to see massive Phil ripping bass with bombs a slamming and we got it on this night. 13th row center did not hurt either. The vocals in Boston at least part of the first night were too low in the mix. In B-more at times the vocals were way to loud even distorting at times. But that’s Rock and Roll for you, sometimes the sound man gets a little carried away.

The entire 2nd set was masterful. Cumberland ripped the crap off the Opera House. Man what a rip feast, good stuff. I love Brokedown Palace anytime anywhere and Jackie my friend you have it in your soul to let this one Rock my Soul. Great Stuff. Golden Road into Viola Lee! ……… Masterpiece. Viola>Do it in the Road>Viola, Prayer answered. Phil’s solos were awesome and turned way up. He was slammin the crap out of it. If you like Viola with Phil rippin it and a good old fashion Viola complete with everything Viola needs then do not pass go without this version. The show ends on a high note as well with Watch Tower and Rider.

Why did Phil drop the word “there” to end Box of Rain??? HMMM not sure I like that but People change things change I accept it.

Come back Phil Come Back, I’ll be there again and again.

if you've read closely, you'll note that in my review of the show posted above I mentioned how hearing Wheels on Fire made me wish that P&F would do "Chest Fever" from the Band. Sure enough, at the Nokia on 11/5 they premiered it. Now the premier of the tune isn't completely unprecidented since by this point, it's obvious that Phil loves the Band and has already covered about 1/2 the songs from the Band catalog, but still, it makes you wonder if someone from the band reads these posts.

Is Larry Campbell a troll?

Anyway, regardless, thanks boys! And if you're reading: play it again on the 8th, 9th or 10th when I'll be in attendence at the Nokia!

I love this band!