BOB DYLAN TOUR
11/20/10 Lowell, Massachusetts - UMass Lowell
11/21/10 OFF
11/22/10 New York, New York - Terminal 5
Hhmmmm............

That would be insane I was there in 94 when he came out for the Rainy Day Women encore The Place just went berzerk !!! I can't wait !!

It's nice when these forum show dates are in proper sequence- hard to read when they get out of order... have a fun show though.

Predictions for madison square garden saturday
Set 1:
1.New speedway boogie
2.rocky mountain way
3.Magnolia mountain
4.Misty mountain hop
5.High on a mountain
6.Mountain jam
7.Mountain song
8.Fire on the mountain
Set 2:
9.Shell be coming round the mountain
10.Rocky mountain high
11.Colors of the mountain
12.Mountain dew
13.Mountain music
14.On top of old smokey
15.Mountains win again
16.Mountains of the moon
17.Sugar mountain
18.Go tell her on the mountain
E: Aint no mountain high enough

whos got extra seats on the floor for sat and sun? looks like I am gonna make a quick trip out from oregon.

Hey Pinhead-When I started this thread to make the Dylan observation, 11/21 was on top. Since then they have simply stacked up this way. I too would like them in order and if you can change em (make sure to move Reading too) please do. Alternately they make meds for you.

Hell YES!!!!
My wonderful GF surprised me yesterday (My Birthday) with 2 tix in section 42 Sunday for MSG!!!
Her first show was night 1 in Brooklyn over the summer...
I am super psyched!!!
Stout pre show for a bratwurst burger then onto the show...

what are the chances of morning dew one of the nights at msg?

If they don't do Dew tonight in Worcester, I'd say 80%. If they do it tonight, then 0%.

Jason..I'm in section 42 on Sunday, row G seats 5&6. Going solo and sold the other tix to Disco Stu. Hope to meet ya at the show.

I think we will be at Rattle N Hum and/or The Gingerman pre-show. Stout is good too, especially their burgers. If you've never been, take your girl to The Gingerman for a drink, 36th between 5th and Madison. The vibe is Two cuts above the normal beer bar.

Sam L.

Hey Sam... We are in Row J.. seats 5&6 I believe.. I'll be wearing a 92 tour shirt... Be with the cute little blonde girl. Hope to see you there!

Thoughts for tonight???

Hoping to hear them open with "Sugar Magnolia" or "Truckin'" with these in between:

"Looks Like Rain"
"Candyman"
"Eyes of the World"

And maybe a surprise appearance by Bob Dylan for "Desolation Row."

Then a loaded "Brokedown Palace" to finish.

dew dew dew dew dew dew dew

dont forget a Sunday Samson

Tonite is the nite

About to head in to NYC from the Island. Was inside last night... gonna be hard to beat but I know these guys have it in them! Still a ton of BIG HITTERS coming! Hope the Empire State Building is lit in tye dye colors again! Sugar Mag > Trucking opener is my call! Enjoy Freaks, see you inside!

My prediction:

Truckin>
Till the Morning Comes>
Ramble On Rose
Masterpiece
Big Railroad Blues
The Roses (or High Time/To Lay Me Down/Candyman)
Hell In a Bucket
Sugaree

Gimme Some Lovin'>
Wheel>
Weather Report Suite>
Time>
Uncle John's Band>
Unbroken Chain>
Morning Dew>
GDTRFB>
Bid You Goodnight

E1.Satisfaction
E2. Brokedown

Looking forward to show. Seen FURTHUR 5X.this is the best sound and groove,since JERRY!!!!!!!!
BEEn on the road for 33 years.opener LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL

sitting on maui, waiting for showtime...would LOVE a stream if you can hook a brother up... andersonglassworks@yahoo.com thanks!

Hook another brother up? sailorsaint@hotmail.com

Freezing rain in St Paul tonight. Time to hunker down in the basement (until mid-March) Enjoy the tour ender tonight Zoners!

Would love a stream as well.

sgottliebtahoe@yahoo.com

i might as well try to.

deadhead81283@hotmail.com
thanks dave

if no stream...last night is up on etree

http://bt.etree.org/?searchz=furthur&cat=0

If this is how it works here I would love one as well. No furnace. Cold and could use the energy to stay warm.

Thanks!

richmap@comcast.net

where can I find a stream?

Please, Please, Please Stream me!!!! kdumas@protingent.com Had 4th row last night, one of the best shows ive been to

anyone have any setlist yet???Sorry to mis tonight,but last night KILLED!

correct so far jimmy

am at masterful8@comcast.net if stream..Thanks much

According to my buddy who's texting from the show, so far it's:
Truckin'
Cumberland

can I get a miracle stream. seanpheanis@hotmail.com

nice pic jimmy Z!! Stream grovel? bbeard76@aol.com

Playin'

The deadvids feed is clearer tonight.
http://www.deadvids.com/dv

Furthur
Madison Square Garden, NY,NY
11/22/10
Set I
Truckin'>
Cumberland>
Any Road

how does the stream work? A taper has to e-mail you?

Oops -
My bad. Although it says livestream at the top, the deadvids fead is not live.

Furthur
Madison Square Garden, NY,NY
11/21/10
Set I
Truckin'>
Cumberland>
Any Road
Viola Lee Blues

Viola Lee

stream me! duramatters@gmail.com

some pics

Very nice TR, how is the band sounding? Picking up where they left off last night?

Who sings Any Road?

HEY tr can i have the pw pls

Stream me please?? Would make my night.

Kbb840@gmail.com

That Deadvid stream is not live, but it's still kickass! And I'm enjoying it while watching Eagles v giants

Streams here usually don't require an email invite.

Taper Rob was/is the stream king. Not this tour. Curious if that was a personal decision, which I would understand because it becomes an obligation......Or was it the band's request?

Cassidy

JK sang Any Road

Furthur
Madison Square Garden, NY,NY
11/21/10
Set I
Truckin'>
Cumberland>
Any Road
Viola Lee Blues
Cassidy

gutt@club-internet.fr,,hi ,hey rob, tg from france here,, ustream,,pw?

Eyes

sweet!

Furthur
Madison Square Garden, NY,NY
11/21/10
Set I
Truckin'>
Cumberland>
Any Road
Viola Lee Blues
Cassidy
Eyes of the World

If there is a stream could I please get the password? emoryboard@hotmail.com Thank You!!!!

I'm guessing there is no streammmmmmmm

So Many Roads

Eyes Of The World

Looks empty!!!

Furthur
Madison Square Garden, NY,NY
11/21/10
Set I
Truckin'>
Cumberland>
Any Road
Viola Lee Blues
Cassidy
Eyes of the World>
So Many Roads

I likeee this set

I wonder is there were plenty of miracles tonight?

Stream please? jefdan09@yahoo.com Thank you so much!! Nice pics. Last night sounds awesome!

Furthur
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Sunday 11-21-10

Set I

Truckin' >
Cumberland Blues >
Any Road
(Cassidy false start)
Viola Lee Blues
Cassidy >
Eyes of the World >
So Many Roads

Furthur
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Sunday 11-21-10

Set I

Truckin' >
Cumberland Blues >
Any Road
(Cassidy false start)
Viola Lee Blues
Cassidy >
Eyes of the World >
So Many Roads >
Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad

So Many Roads

Furthur
Madison Square Garden, NY,NY
11/21/10
Set I
Truckin'>
Cumberland>
Any Road
Viola Lee Blues
Cassidy
Eyes of the World>
So Many Roads>
GDTRFB!!!

what is any road??
who song is this?

George Harrison song = Any Road

taper rob if you would be so kind

chakradocmyles@hotmail.com

Thanks!

The first set definitely sounds like a "Road Trip!"

Hey Taperrob are you streaming tonight on ustream? I would really love a password...need some sunday night jams please!

thanks...any stream tonight??
wildchild170@hotmail.com

Furthur
Madison Square Garden, NY,NY
11/21/10
Set I
Truckin'>
Cumberland>
Any Road
Viola Lee Blues
Cassidy
Eyes of the World>
So Many Roads>
GDTRFB!!!

Set break

what a set! after last night I wondered how/what they would bring....wow

The finest band in the land!!

How many peeps

The Road Song Set

Lets hear it for The Road Head Set 8-)

Sick sick first set. The band was as tight as I've seen them ( my 5th Furthur experience ). Hard to pick a highlight, but So Many Roads was awesome, Viola was awesome, GDTRFB was sick. Getting geared up and stoked for set 2. Anyone in section 204? Yell LUDWIG and I will wave at you.

I called for some many roads last night. Damn I wish I was there tonight.

That is what we like to hear from our peeps on the ground

Any Road is a great Harrison song that should have been on a wilburys album! JK rocks it! GH is definitely the coolest Beatle.

sweet

I am definitely impressed with the looks of that setlist.
Quite possibly epic

Second set stream ease my soul? All I need is one to take me home. sailorsaint@hotmail.com

stream pretty please ?

shnorpybottoms@yahoo.com

George Harrison - Any Road

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-atpSlqiGkc

Furthur
Madison Square Garden, NY,NY
11/21/10
Set I
Truckin'>
Cumberland>
Any Road
Viola Lee Blues
Cassidy
Eyes of the World>
So Many Roads>
GDTRFB!!!

Set II
Born Cross-Eyed

Furthur
Madison Square Garden, NY,NY
11/21/10
Set I
Truckin'>
Cumberland>
Any Road
Viola Lee Blues
Cassidy
Eyes of the World>
So Many Roads>
GDTRFB!!!

Set II
Born Cross-Eyed>
The Wheel

The Wheel

someone please throw us a stream.....wow!!!!

Weather Report Suite part 1

Great Pix Taperrob Thanks!

Im new here. How can I get a stream?

feelin an unbroken>dew

Streams are over rated. I'm listenen to last nights show from...

http://bt.etree.org/?searchz=furthur&cat=0

Just got eq dialed in...killer show

Hey everyone begging for a stream, if Taperrob ain't sending one, then there ain't gonna be one. Hopefully will get one post-show. Thanks for the pics and updates Rob!!

for those not in the know, we are giving live setlist updates in the chat room

Updates and plenty of pics as the magic unfolds on the Furthur Twitter page as well... if you're into that sorta thing.

Ditto..you are the man TR!! Wish i were there.I'm countin on Freddie G (From Good Homes) to post on etree by days end tomorrow.

pictures are so fine first set sounds really good thanks rob!!!!!!!!

NICE

2nd set:
Born Cross Eyed>
the Wheel..
Weather Report Suite (prelude / 1)>
Time>
WRS II (Let It Grow)>
Unbroken Chain

From unbroken joe on the floor at msg

From unbroken joe on the floor at msg

we are all so lucky to KNOW this, peace and love to all, may the four winds blow you safely home.

Unbroken Chain

Sorry folks, try this

Bill Walton and shorties...

Furthur
2010-11-21
Madison Square Garden
New York, NY

Set I:

Truckin' >
Cumberland
Any Road
Cassidy false start....
Viola Lee Blues
Cassidy >
Eyes >
So Many Roads >
GDTRFB


Set II:

Born Cross-Eyed >
Wheel >
Weather Report Suite Prelude >
Weather Report Suite Part I...
Time >
Let It Grow >
Unbroken Chain

wasn't Time - was Wish you were here

walton is a great seat marker if you are lucky enough to be sitting by him. He was in my row at the gorge one show....always found my way back from the bathroom. Sucks to be behind him though. LOL

cmon dew!!! that walton pic is sweet

Sweet!!!
That munchkin behind him is gonna have an ache in his side come morning.

2nd set:
Born Cross Eyed>
the Wheel..
Weather Report Suite (prelude / 1)>
Time>
WRS II (Let It Grow)>
Unbroken Chain>
Morning Dew

Furthur
2010-11-21
Madison Square Garden
New York, NY

Set I:

Truckin' >
Cumberland
Any Road
Cassidy false start....
Viola Lee Blues
Cassidy >
Eyes >
So Many Roads >
GDTRFB


Set II:

Born Cross-Eyed >
Wheel >
Weather Report Suite Prelude >
Weather Report Suite Part I...
Time >
Let It Grow >
Unbroken Chain>
Morning Dew

Sorry

2nd set:
Born Cross Eyed>
the Wheel..
Weather Report Suite (prelude / 1)>
Wish You Were Here>
WRS II (Let It Grow)>
Unbroken Chain>
Morning Dew

Damnba!!

Leta see I am calling the Attics encore a double encore with Box of Rain as well

not wish you were here


was Time

tomato tomatto..it's all great rob....

DOUBLE ENCORE - TIME PERMITTED.

Playin In The Band

Furthur
2010-11-21
Madison Square Garden
New York, NY

Set I:

Truckin' >
Cumberland
Any Road
Cassidy false start....
Viola Lee Blues
Cassidy >
Eyes >
So Many Roads >
GDTRFB


Set II:

Born Cross-Eyed >
Wheel >
Weather Report Suite Prelude >
Weather Report Suite Part I...
Time >
Let It Grow >
Unbroken Chain>
Morning Dew>
Playing in the Band

Furthur
2010-11-21
Madison Square Garden
New York, NY

Set I:

Truckin' >
Cumberland
Any Road
Cassidy false start....
Viola Lee Blues
Cassidy >
Eyes >
So Many Roads >
GDTRFB


Set II:

Born Cross-Eyed >
Wheel >
Weather Report Suite Prelude >
Weather Report Suite Part I...
Time >
Let It Grow >
Unbroken Chain>
Morning Dew>
Playing in the Band

End of set
Donor Rap
Encore
Brokedown Palace

OK -
For those who were at both nights (IE TaperRob), How did the two shows compare musically? They both sound like epoch shows.

I was at both nights and I think the band was a little tighter tonight ( my opinion ). But both shows were SICK SICK SICK. They were really really on.

WOW!! These MSG shows looks like they were mind blowin'. Can't wait till I get SDBD'S of this. New Years 5 weeks away.. woo hoo

fin a man

Speaking of recordings
http://www.archive.org/details/FurthurLiveAtChaife tzArenaSt.louisMo.111110

unreal they bring such joy to NYC man oh man

wow NYC rules.

last night blew my mind,tonight they delivered but ummmm well last nite.

One good thing about how they change the tunes (lyrics) up: They draw a poetic picture that puts the band and the crowd in the same place and time together while hurling through the universe on the desire to understand the beauty of the moment through their(our)music. It's performance art at the max.

"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, a flight to the imagination, a charm to sadness, gaiety and life to everything. It is the essence of order, and leads to all that is good, just and beautiful, of which it is the invisible, but never less, dazzling, passionate, and eternal form." -Plato (he'd be proud)

I bet tonight's show was really special for everyone there.

just got home - prefer tonights over last night for overall consistency. superb stuff tonight.

Both nights were monstrous. Tonight was so much fun i can't even begin to describe it. Bliss at the Garden. What a pair of shows!

The Anti Bobbie Defamation League's meeting at Section 310 had seventy members tonite. Way to go everyone. Special Shout Out to Melissa, Tommy and Joey for bein such vocal new members.

Two resolutions passed tonite for all those who could not get there.

1. We passed a resolution acknowledging Bobbie's many contributions to the Grateful Dead.

2. We passed a resolution condeming Phil Extremists for being divisive and for trying to paint Bobby in a bad light.


Great Show Tonite!

Bobby really carried the day tonite.

What a great Weather Support Suite trilogy!

I was at the last three. I would rank them

Tonite 1
Friday 2
Saturday 3

Phenomenal
Awesome
Another CHOPPER 5 STAR SPECIAL

listen to set 1 here> http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/11014354



listen to set 2 here> http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/11016447

William, if you're serious with all that resolution business then you really need to come over to Other Stuff and share.

That's where all those damn Phil Extremists hang out.

Bring your doctrine to the source.

Cumberland Blues melted my mind. Then they did it again with Viola...and that was just the begining of the first set...

TR -> Thanks a Zillion for the streams!!! Knew you'd come through! Thanks for all you do for the Zone and keeping the spirit alive!!! Have a good Gobble!

Really just a scorcher from start to finish. The whole place just got crushed for two nights by Phil & co. Our man was on top top form both nights, but tonight... yeah man. Fuck yeah.

going to bed......5th row dead center...music was mindblowing...cant say anything else...if you werent there you missed it.....3 words....let it grow...or another 3 weather report suite...and another 2....the dew...and another 2 brokedown palace......KILLER KILLER KILLER...FORTUNATELY I LIVE IN NJ.... nyc always gets the bomb and in this case it was 2 bombs...goodnight nyc...

Here's my quick take -- been seeing GD and related shows at MSG for close to 25 yrs. Tonight was one of my greatest experiences in that building. The performance (and list) tonight was truly exceptional. Had only seen Furthur at Radio City back in Feb. and this blew it away (and those were fine shows!). For my money, this crushed every post-GD show I've seen with the exception of Other Ones '98 which was special in its own right...but this was better.

Truckin - great kick-off, nothing transcendent

Cumberland - the jam into C'land was outrageous and loooong (good); Jeff C. went off the grid on this tune and brought Russo for the ride. Crazy good. JK ripped it bigtime. 1st of several mammoth moments in the big house.

Any Road -- really well-rehearsed. A perfect cover for this band and nice placement. Very bouncy, feel-good tune. Again, JK laid it down beautifully -- shining, buoyant soloing.

Viola - just listen to it. Some of best guitar playing I've ever heard come out of JK. Def stepped out of the Jerry-zone at times and invoked some Anastasio and Page. Very cool and far-out.

Cassidy - fat jams, well-sung.

Eyes - Phil. Beautiful. Great ensemble work.

So Many Roads - killer vox, including JP and Sunshine. Tender, soulful, just what you'd expect. Nice attack on the leads -- totally majestic jam.

GDTRFB - just ripping. JC's organ solo blew the roof off. JK capped off his white-hot set with more cookin' guitar. Bobby's vocals were outstanding -- great energy/delivery.


Born Cross-Eyed - Even though last night of tour, BW in fine voice.

Wheel - powerful, communal, great lights -- arena in the pocket.

WRS Prelude - s-w-e-e-t. JK slide gorgeous. Bob in full command. Back-up vox soaring. BW's singing off the charts at end.

Time - crushed it. again, b/g vox stunning. Incendiary guitar. Russo is phenomenal. Furthur does Floyd at MSG - nice. Reminded me of The Dead doing Gimme Shelter last spring. Nice continuum of classic rock at MSG.

Let It Grow - boo-ya. Just devastatingly good. Engine room firng on all cylinders. Mach 10.

Unbroken Chain - lights out. jam=outrageous. Totally ripping.

Dew - I was at MSG for 9/18.87 and it is not blasphemy to say this Dew was one of the best Dews on the books. Include it in next "Best Dew Ever" thread. Furthur or not, this really was shredding. better than RCMH, better than Chi-town. Energy in the room larger than life.

Playin/ - nice curveball, nice drippy jam for end of set, powerful reprise.
-----------------
Brokedown - natch. Well-sung, yet again. Leads had presence.

Sunshine handed roses to each member as they assembled for group bow. Good vibes everywhere. MSG really gave it up. Thunderous applause (for donor rap, too -- duh...NYC loves to stop Phil dead in his tracks with the roar of appreciation)

I'm sure this reads as hyperbole. We'll see how the tapes hold up. But for me, this was -- wait for it -- epic. A true step back in time.

i actually liked tonight better than last night...which sounds crazy...............off the charts....words arent good enough....and i do believe my positive review will stand the test of time which was kiler also i might add...grateful dead playing pink floyd...time was of the essence....i feel bad for worcester heads sorry

William - I think I am in the Anti-Bobby Defamation League....sounds like YOU are in the Bobby Anti-Defamation League, no worries, he too is an admitted dyslexic. Members of the Anti-Bobby defamation league would be against bobby and thus possibly attempt to defame him, while a member of the Bobby Anti-Defamation league would attempt to rally behind Bobby as he skewers a jerry ballad or tramples El Paso...thanks for playing!
-Doc

thank god the tour is done...it was ridiculously good and im still alive..............2 nights at msg was the creme de la creme goddinght

Jimmyz, you are not alone. A big big big night on a big big big weekend of shows. I'll never forget that. 13 rows back from Phil on the floor of the Garden and the place was heaving. I was in a beautiful place from start to end. Just a perfect weekend of shows.

Ditto. Ditto. I think I liked last night even more, but I was on the rail DFC, so might not be objective. Crazy energy at times tonight, esp Cumberland and Viola, and gorgeous ensemble playing at other times. Wow.

...intense, crazy tight energy tonite...I was 15th row dead center...What's with blinding the audience with high intensity beams...MAJOR show...shows...EPIC wheel, Weather Report Suite, Playin in the Band...I disagree...the truckin opener was stupendous...and kept building...

yeah, Truckin' jam was off the charts. The double crescendo!

In front last night, I was wishing I had a baseball cap on so I could see. That IS annoying. I didn't feel bad about using my flash on my camera, since they were blinding me much more.

Funny, Spencer.

I was wondering if anyone was going to call William on his misplacement of the hyphen.

But he means well.

Thanks for the reviews everyone!

Now they come on home for the annual end-of-year blowout!!!

thank you TR and all;great last two shows...

Wow! Tonight was so awesome. Wayyy better than last night in my opinion. First set was crazy! Cumberland, Viola, Eyes, GDTRFB!

I had been waiting for another Wheel since the Mann Center, and of course that big Dew was coming.

My last Furthur show of the year. It was a blast!

What can I say about the above raves?? Presentism is always a factor (the thing I just saw was the best ever), etc....

I thought tonight had a lot of good moments, but I think the CD's of Saturday night will be played much more in the future.

Set I:
Truckin' >
Cumberland
Any Road
Aboslutely blistering Cumberland. During any Road I was thinking to myself, "forget Foolish Heart and SOTM, etc; this is the best new GD tune since Touch of Grey!" I was bummed to learn it was a cover only because it was so great. It had a lot of great changes and grooves and places where it sounded like it could really open up and have the crowd help to take it to the next level. Immediate AWSOME potential was my impression on this first hearing. I also got a hit that the band was saying, "Hey, were here to rock and if you can't get you're lazy fat asses up to dance to this then, clearly, you would be better off staying at home playing canasta." Clearly, that's just me projecting my feelings on the matter. You know, you see people standing there with their arms crossed because it's not UJB, instead of trying to shake their asses and figure out how to groove to the thing.

Cassidy false start....
Viola Lee Blues Highlight for me. A great psychadelic maelstrome. I'm not going to characterize it in relation to other Viola's. I'll just say that it did what a Viola Lee Blues is supposed to do. Really hit the spot. A lot of energy from the crowd up to this point in the show.

I love the selecton of the rest of I, but the songs just didn't live up to their transformative potential. Nice enough versions and all, and I'm not saying there were any big flubs or anything, it's just that the Eyes didn't take the crowd to where it could. There could be some obligatory clapping at the requisite points, but just didn't light the place up with energy.

Cassidy >
Eyes >
So Many Roads > so I'm trying to listen and someone pops up his Blackberry and starts bemoaning the Eagles score. So I say, "You think that's bad news? Dude, I'm at a concert that sucks so bad that people are yelling sports scores in my ear instead of listening to the music. That's bad news." I said it kind of jokingly and soon after told them I didn't mean to be to harsh. I had to tell the guys in front of me last night to shut the heck up too. Manners, propriety, common consideration... fugeddaboudit.

GDTRFB Some hot licks and all, but it was more like the crowd was applauding at the end as a matter of form rather than being brought to ecstatic heights by the music

During the set break I was talking to a 24 year old who was taking a little mini tour vacation from work. We were talking a little about what was different from the GD to now. I told him about how Healy used to do the quad sound effects, etc. About how they used to sell the place out, including the seats behind the stage, and about how you could sell your ticket for face if you wanted to, etc. Then, when the lights went down and the 2nd set started I explained to him how the crowd would have been 5 times as loud at the start of the set, egging the band on to come out of the gate at full throttle. It's like they've all forgotten that one of the most special things about a Grateful Dead show was how the band could feed on the energy of the crowd. I'm 43 with a desk job. I'm 50 lbs overweight and have 0 aerobic conditioning and a crap diet. BUT I REMEMBER IT. THE X FACTOR. THAT SPECIAL MELDING OF THE MUSIC AND THE CROWD THAT ONLY HAPPENED AT DEAD SHOWS. I'm open to that still, but I can't make it happen all by myself. There has to be a certain scale, a certain # of people who are tuned in to the energy and ready to channel it. WHERE DID YOU GO? I MISS YOU SO MUCH.

I'm not saying people in a nursing home couldn't benefit from hearing this music. I'm just saying that some of the specialness that could still be had, based on the music being performed, isn't being realized because the crowd no longer pulls it's fair share.

Of course, thanks for buying the tickets and all. I guess if they didn't do that I wouldn't even get a chance to see them.


Set II:
Born Cross-Eyed >
Wheel >
Weather Report Suite Prelude > I was very happy to hear and it seemed pretty solid.
Weather Report Suite Part I... and then I wanted to kill Bobby because he switched guitars and killed the momemntum into Let it Grow. But then they went into Time instead so I instantly regretted my intolerance for Bob being Bob.
Time > really good. My first live hearing. It almost seemed like the backup singers were handling the main vocals with Phil just singing the parts he likes to sing. Again, really really good.
Let It Grow > suffered mightily from lack of audience participation. Otherwise, I thought it was pretty tight.
Unbroken Chain> Fell apart? Not sure if that's the right expression. Fell apart was the Nokia El Paso. This was more that something wasn't clicking, someone (John?) wasn't on early in the song and they spent the majority of the song struggling to get back to how the song was supposed to go. I would have liked to have heard the best Unbroken Chain ever. However, I really, really enjoyed observing how they tried again and again to put the musical pieces of the puzzle back together. Creativity, persistence, thinking on your feet, faith, decisions about what's good enough, etc. Very interesting.
Morning Dew> Lovely tune. Well performed. And the crowd just sat there and clapped a little towards the end. I seem to remember some Dews in Philly at the last Dead Spectrum shows and the July Furthur Mann shows where the audience actually participated in the creation.

Playing in the Band Brilliant selection. I got the sense that Phil wasn't ready to reprise as early as they did, and that he wanted to jam more or play something else, but it went the way it went. Ok, that was some great rock and roll. Some golf claps for the band before they walk off the stage anyone? Didn't people used to at least dance to Playin' in the Band? Guess my memory is playing tricks on me.

End of set
Donor Rap who is this creepy old Phil Lesh guy who follows me wherever I go and always asks for my organs?
Encore
Brokedown Palace

So, closing thoughts...Holy shit I love this band. They can really bring the goods. Saturday was better than Sunday by a long shot, but even when things don't click on all cylinders, this band still has plenty to offer. Can't wait for next year.

Likee the reviews peeps Great idea on the ABDL, you have to always remember Bobby and Jerry were always our Lewis & Martin, Laurel & Hardy, Crosby and Hope.

NY got the ways & means

2 stellar shows

i liked Sunday better

not as crowded not as many weekend warrior (talkers) and i had incredible seats as well

just a truly fucking awesome show

the jams were so sweet

the jam into the last Verse of Viola blew
my freaking mind as well as the Unbroken-Dew

magical night and show

oh man was this so much fun

see you Phreaks in San Fran in 5 weeks

what a weekend of music-friends-and just a good freaking time

man life is pretty good i must say

Looks good "on paper."

Connor (Spartan)

Are you the guy that was in sec 208 row a on Saturday whose friends got bounced for puffing?

If so I was right behind you.

Looks good "on paper."

it was good real good

well if you like Phil dropping bombs
and Russo pounding on the skins

i do and they delivered

"Dew - I was at MSG for 9/18.87 and it is not blasphemy to say this Dew was one of the best Dews on the books. Include it in next "Best Dew Ever" thread. Furthur or not"

Carefully worded to avoid sounding too clueless.
Im sure it was fun, glad for you.
Yeah, lets go thru all the Jeff Mattson dews and put half of them in the book. Tricksters or not.
Phil is awesome, but this song is about Jer.
IMHO

WHAT THIS DUDE SAID..it makes me sad,but grateful.

Then, when the lights went down and the 2nd set started I explained to him how the crowd would have been 5 times as loud at the start of the set, egging the band on to come out of the gate at full throttle. It's like they've all forgotten that one of the most special things about a Grateful Dead show was how the band could feed on the energy of the crowd. I'm 43 with a desk job. I'm 50 lbs overweight and have 0 aerobic conditioning and a crap diet. BUT I REMEMBER IT. THE X FACTOR. THAT SPECIAL MELDING OF THE MUSIC AND THE CROWD THAT ONLY HAPPENED AT DEAD SHOWS. I'm open to that still, but I can't make it happen all by myself. There has to be a certain scale, a certain # of people who are tuned in to the energy and ready to channel it. WHERE DID YOU GO? I MISS YOU SO MUCH.

WOW...what a weekend,,Sat was excellent Sunday even BETTER....EVERYTHING Top Notch....POWER ..I felt it.....mmmmmmm ...FURTHUR !!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As Jerseyjoe says ... Sunday was one for the ages. There was certainly lots of that energy being channeled where I was up in 233

thanks for the rappido stream Taperrob!! sounds ausome!!

We all fed deeply from the trough last night thanks so much to Phil, Bobby and the band for brining it!! A huge NYC Deli sized Franklins Sandwich with a heavy helping of Pink Floyd on top.. We are all full here and will be for quite some time... Hopefully many of you saw both nights, the two shows just melted into one, there was no distinction just like in many tours past!!

thanks for the rappido stream Taperrob!! sounds ausome!!

Don't know where you were sitting WeWant, but I cannot remember the last time we bounced the MSG floor so much while rocking out on a Sunday night!!! Let It Grow was well enjoyed!

went both nights. had totally different seats (saturday section 40, sunday section 11). randomly stood behind the EXACT same two dudes both nights.

obviously they will be back...you could tell they were blown away by our numbers and kindness and were thoroughly enjoying themselves...couldnt have gone any better.....thats the way we and them drew it up on the blacxkboard before the game and executed to perfection....and the final score was grateful dead 35 haters 0.....haters got thrown the shutout...where are all of you now...it might even be called a perfect game...haters didnt even get a hit...hahahahahahahahaahahah...never had such a good time.....anybody who rips the last 2 shows needs to go get a cat scan....even the dam empire state building was in pyschedelic colors....these 2 shows will be tough to top...classic....brought me back to my 20s and then went further...who would have thought...15 years after the general went down that we would be at msg getting blown away by the captain and the liutenant and the new troops....truly truly truly unbelievable...and to cap the whole weekend off brokedown palace...we all knew it was coming...just a fitting end to a wonderful weekend in nyc...cant wait to see the brave soul who trashes this weekend...

^ Ha. I was just wondering at all this positivity in the wake of all the hate that was coming out about this band around here over the last week or two.

You guys are fickle.

the only thing i hate is a hater...even if the show was average or bad...its more than the music....ive been saying this on this site for a year now....your all entitled to your opinion...but dont rip the show when everybody who went knows it was great....its also about being with friends ...having lunch or dinner...watching the jets win at 1:00 and then getting into a car heading into manhatten and enjoying yourselves with good company and if the show is great awesome and if the show is ok well you still had a real good time...maybe i just hang out with nice people who care about each other...the music is the nightcap...and christ what a nightcap it was...anybody who was in the area of 34th and 8th this weekend knew something special was going to go down in that building...it was kind of like close encouters of the grateful dead kind....the only thing missing was steven spielberg

looks like candace got to spread her wings a little bit in one of her favorite places...great lights!

Greg, luckily none of my friends got bounced for puffing, and I was not in 208...I don't think...what made you ask?

sounds like NYC got treated.
It seems like this band really plays to the audience. Just look at the reviews: small,low energy crowd - average show & setlist. Big city crowd with crazy energy - great show and setlist.
Thanks for all the reviews...i am picking up the download after reading them.

>>>sounds like NYC got treated. <<<
we did joe

so dont get mad when i say "Chicago was just a Piss Stop on the way to Greatness in NYC this weekend

To all the critics: A bad show beats no show any day

holy bananas! great great fun last night...

time was spectacular!

THANK YOU taper bob for the stream! : )

"IT" is "Again" - I've seen lots of lots of shows, Sunday unbelievable, Saturday, believable but still great, Friday a very good solid show.

These guys are playing jams/music, much of what I thought was the same music I've heard for years, in way that is beyond anything, anything, I've ever heard, seen, felt, became part of. It is beyond expectation. How they get those jams going and flowing and turning, its a patchwork of textured, layered and laced fantasim, oh and then theres the lights that they have figured out too. Words do it no justice. Go see this band when they play again; if your timing is right, it will be like nothing you have ever ever ever experienced. No band has ever played like this. They're re-inventing what I thought was the greatest and have made IT better, JG must love what they have learned to do with his music. IT is wonderfuly brilliant. My jaw is still dragging down 9th somewhere, and I'm still smiling. Go figure,
Peace

>>Don't know where you were sitting WeWant, but I cannot remember the last time we bounced the MSG floor so much while rocking out on a Sunday night!!! Let It Grow was well enjoyed!<<

Exactly, the floor was alive, threw me off a few times trying to boogie...felt like I was on a Cruise ship...

Furthur's playing was refined on a whole other level last night. I have never experienced the band this together. They were really channeling the power of the Grateful Dead in a genuine way.

The best Eyes sung by Phil I've ever experienced... The Wheel was absolutely transcendental... Bobby was impressive last night, the Weather Report Prelude was flawless and orchestrated beautifully, it was here where I realized how much his playing and signing has progressed... he was not playing at this level over the Dead tour.

To segue into Time there was loud feedback type noise that seemed like it could have been an emergency evacuation alarm. Time was insane and the X factor the audience brings surfaced and started working with the band. The transition back into Let It Grow was flawless as well as the jams in Let It Grow.

John was so perfect in the mix... oh man.

As I said before, the quality of playing tonight was incredible.

Not much needs to be said about the Unbroken Chain>Dew... A transition between jams in Unbroken may have literally been the only flub of the whole set. And even this only broke the flow for a few seconds.

Like Eyes, this was the best version of Playin' I've seen in all Bob/Phil bands. Complete with a jam that John played with classic 73-74 Jerry tone that would appear in deep space jams within Playin'.

Brokedown... Yes.

This was my one show on the whole fall tour and I am so psyched to have been able to be in attendance for this one in particular.

Thanks a BUNCH TAPERROB!!! We all appreciate it!!!!

Some pics from last night. I was fortunate to be first row right in front of Mr. Lesh all night. What a joy it was to see Phil play.

The instruments are ready


always love to see this sticker on phil's rack


Bobby looking good


Phil melting faces as usual


John shining bright


The boys are back in town


Our fearless leader looking young and strong


An introspective Phil during donor rap


Thank you NY and Good night

Three loud & hearty cheers for the lighting guys! The lights were an integral part of the experience---'specially for those of us in the outer orbitals. The lightmasters did an exceptional job of keeping the colors & patterns flowing, jamming with the band, & working some gorgeous magick.

Big thanks to the MSG staff & security for being mellow and not interfering with anyone's fun.

Huge & manifold thanks to the band for a super-excellent show from start to finish. Vocals were so fine---stunning in some spots (The Wheel, Time, Roads, Brokedown in particular). Jams were hot & tasty, when they weren't spacey & yearning. Just gorgeous stuff. Not a bad note played or sung by anyone.

To hear the GD survivors singing Floyd's "Time" was deeply moving.....listening to Phil take the "And then one day you find 10 years have got behind you" verse put tears in my eyes & chills in my spine." Serious business!! And the way the song morphed out of Weather Report....whew. Brilliant set craft.

Other surprise of the night (besides Time) for me was So Many Roads--not a song I ever loved....until last night.

Last night's was one of the best "Wheels" I've ever heard.

Bob played/sang beautifully, Phil was bombing the place left & right. Kadlicek was stellar---everyone says it's amazing how much he sounds like Jerry. Equally amazing how well he channeled the soaring Gilmour vibe on "Time." Chimenti is a GREAT keybs man---fantastic weaves & tangents all night. Russo--solid, driving, deeply in the pocket. And the Sunshine-Jeff vox were tremendous--the most up-front "backup" singers you're gonna find.

I almost sat out these shows....really really glad I went last night! (Thanks Elise for hooking a brother & sister up!)

A show I will remember for a long long time.

I was there both nights but it's really hard to put Sunday's show into words. It just felt like the band wanted to play these classic songs just as much as the crowd wanted to hear them. Plus, that light show was very very cool.

Erik - Right on about staff & security. I think many of the workers were also fans of the music.

two words...

FUCKING WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Both of these shows were incredible. Something about the garden...jk on viola lee is some of the sickest playing I have ever heard. Phil was crystal clear and laying it down all night. Bobby sounded great. Chimenti and jk play together so well, its really amazing. Russo is a beast behind that kit, some of the best music ever. Thanks to this whole band for one of the best weekends.

WOW! Two great setlists at the garden. I'll download Saturday and give it a listen and then decide on Sunday. The Dead and all the spin-offs sure do love NYC and vice versa. I'm happy for those who attended.

I'm still depressed after that suck ass show I got in Baltimore. I just don't know what to think anymore. I got burned in Charlotte in Feb and again in Baltimore last week. It seems that the only way for me to increase the odds of a good show is to go on weekends and in bigger cities (basically the same thing, right?). Chicago, Philly and NYC always get big love. Sure there are plenty of good shows/setlists during the week in smaller markets, but it's more of a crap shoot. I think the band needs to think about bringing their A game all week long regardless of the market. Baltimore was like a football team losing the little game they should have won because they were looking to the "big game" the following week. There is no other way to put it, the Baltimore show was horrible and the fans who were there deserved much better.

Oh yes, some of the staff was so into it. Old-timers who had seen lots of Dead shows. They were singing and grooving along with the rest.

Both shows were terrific and maybe it is that my last show is always my favorite show, as long as it is not some clunker, but I think Sunday topped Saturday. Between that VIOLA LEE in the first set and the entire second set (The Wheel had the building shaking and the floor bouncing and that WRS Prelude>Time>Let It Grow) was almost too much to take in and not plotz! And holy crap; that DEW did justice to prior renditions in MSG!! That was some of the most serious musical adventures I've had the pleasure of taking in, especially at MSG. I love this post-GD incarnation the best. Sorry, the Q is officially now running in second.

OK, haters, let's hear it. Bring it on!! And my man Russo is the damn bomb. MVP.

Dew - I was at MSG for 9/18.87 and it is not blasphemy to say this Dew was one of the best Dews on the books. Include it in next "Best Dew Ever" thread. Furthur or not, this really was shredding. better than RCMH, better than Chi-town. Energy in the room larger than life.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

9/18/87 was the only EAST COAST show I saw in the 80's while living in LA. I said last night's DEW stood up nicely to that version. We are in sync on this being a mammoth version, as good as many by the master.

Thanks JimmyZ,never been to the Garden,born and raised in Northern California,but that sounds like hell of fun! I know Phil loves playing there,and I sure love John and the rest of the band,can't wait to get recordings,and I get to see them on NYE in SF,love Eddieboy!

By Jimmy Z. (Jimmyz) on Monday, November 22, 2010 - 01:28 am: Edit Post
Here's my quick take -- been seeing GD and related shows at MSG for close to 25 yrs. Tonight was one of my greatest experiences in that building. The performance (and list) tonight was truly exceptional. Had only seen Furthur at Radio City back in Feb. and this blew it away (and those were fine shows!). For my money, this crushed every post-GD show I've seen with the exception of Other Ones '98 which was special in its own right...but this was better.

<snip>

I'm sure this reads as hyperbole. We'll see how the tapes hold up. But for me, this was -- wait for it -- epic. A true step back in time.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I endorse this review and the sentiments expressed herein and I've seen at least 15 - 20 FURTHUR shows so far (it is all purple haze by now). Last night was as good, if not better, than any of them, including Saturday.

"Chicago was just a Piss Stop on the way to Greatness in NYC this weekend"

Careful....Piss stop Chi-town is not, my friend.

Everyone keeps talking about this '87 Dew....
i am going to have to listen to this. Let's avoid making comparisions with the almight GD. Furthur has it's own thing going and stands on it's own. I hope they come back to the greatest city on the tour:
- that's right: CHICAGO.

Eat shit New Yorkers!!!
You bums got lucky once again...wish I was there.

Why is everyone hatein on the baltimore show. Yes not best setlist choice but played very well. I'm just disappointed I didn't get this 2nd ny show. First time in a long time they didn't sandwhich viola. Right?

Baltimore was a fine show. Not at the level of MSG, but nicely done.

Comparing last night's Dew to '87 (or to virtually any GD Dew) is ridiculous. Compare it to other post-GD Dews, instead. I'd list it below Mann Center, myself.

Right on... glad you all had fun

<<<obviously they will be back...you could tell they were blown away by our numbers and kindness and were thoroughly enjoying themselves...couldnt have gone any better.....thats the way we and them drew it up on the blacxkboard before the game and executed to perfection....and the final score was grateful dead 35 haters 0.....haters got thrown the shutout...where are all of you now...it might even be called a perfect game...haters didnt even get a hit...hahahahahahahahaahahah...never had such a good time.....anybody who rips the last 2 shows needs to go get a cat scan....even the dam empire state building was in pyschedelic colors....these 2 shows will be tough to top...classic....brought me back to my 20s and then went further...who would have thought...15 years after the general went down that we would be at msg getting blown away by the captain and the liutenant and the new troops....truly truly truly unbelievable...and to cap the whole weekend off brokedown palace...we all knew it was coming...just a fitting end to a wonderful weekend in nyc...cant wait to see the brave soul who trashes this weekend...


LOVE THAT!!!!!!!!! right the fuck on. It just don't get any better than that!!!!

fucking masterpiece. the end... (or is it the beginning???)

Yes, that Baltimore show looked awesome... in the end setlists are just songs. It's obvious that the energy in Madison Square Garden on the last show of the tour is going to be special... the band has no control over that.

I do not think its fair to say they "saved" this for the Garden. Switch this set list with the Baltimore list and we still could have had just as awesome of a show as we did last night.

I cannot wait to listen to this many times over...

The Wheel
Weather Report Suite: Prelude>
Time>
Weather Report Suite: Let It Grow

When I signed up here on the zone one of my first questions was:


"Could Furthur pull off a MSG run?"


I think then concensus was that they could not. I was kind of bummed so when they announced the dates I thought, well lets see what happens.


So for me these nights were special, they brought me to a place I haven't been in over twenty years!!

The garden was rockin, everyone was dancing, Man what a weekend!

My MVP award goes to Mr. Bob Weir.
(PS loved the ElPaso)


Thanks everyone hope to se ya at the Garden again!



:-) :-) :-)

A big shout out to the community, while traversing the Furthur landscape I found everyone to be way into it! Kindness all around! Lets all celebrate this vibe that brings us together and we will see another Garden Run and maybe even do a little to shape the world around us!

one

OK Kids....
I've been on this bus since '67.
First gig... 12-24-67 Palm Gardens, on a snowy xmas eve, not far from MSG...a NYC version of an acid test.

I thought Coney Island was spectacular, but the last 2 nights at MSG were IT. They gor IT!
IT was as wonderful a show as any MSG shows in the past....and they played my song! Thank you band!

Can't wait for the next tour....NFA and on the bus until eternity!

XXXOOO

Thanks for the 12-24-67 reference DarkStarGirl , WoW it looks real good from 1983 as well...

i'm so glad i got to do this very special weekend of music. furthur is serving this music right.

loved seeing some zoners -- huck, both peggys, eric, mike, jimmy, jill, brick, bones, l. henry. tiff. (sucks we missed lites and robin, though )

can't wait till next time.

had a great time at both shows.

Only downside was some taper telling me and my buddy that he saw the setlist and that Eyes and GDTRFB were on it Oh yeah and he was all giddy that he was going to get the copy during the encore.

that was a bummer, thumbs down dude . Please keep it to yourself next time . don't spoil it for the next person

I feel so lucky to have seen this show!!! It was up there for me... the whole show! NYC was so much fun too.

are u kind....YOU GET IT......BLACKIE YOU GET IT....are you kind ...that was the easiest review i ever got to write.....im still talking about the last 2 nights and its almost tuesday.....i went to baltimore and i liked it...i also went to reading and loved it....ive listened to the reading disc 3x already...i have a burner ...ill trade my reading for either and or sat and sunday msg...are you kind...i usually get killed in this review room...i always try to be truthful and sincere with my opinions...so far no hater has contacted me.....i think the band finally gave them a reason to not say anything...silence is golden.....every year is getting shorter never seem to find the TIME........cant wait to hear it.......the wild part was 400 shows and i saw 2 songs in a row....not counting ratdog ....that i had never seen...weather report suite > time....i play guitar and i was literally watching a guitar lesson when bob played weather report....i felt like a kid in a candy store...thank you are you kind...we have to hook up and have a beer...email me at bil2anto@aol.com....and all of you haters can email me too...........thank god blackie...we finally quited them down....like bonnie raitt always says...LETS GIVEM SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT...fucking a......arrrrrgggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh maties are you ready?......who lives in nj and goes to msg.....spongebob philpants.....hahahahahahahahahahahaha......word on the street is february east coast...cant reveal my sources.....

its a great week to be a dead head

and for the record...i went to reading ..baltimore and both msg...reading was fucking great...baltmore was good...and msg ...and you really had to go to both was just a 48 hour trip to paradise that will be forever inbedded in my brain and ears and eyes....and i bid you goodnight goodnight goodnight

My zone name is Peglet (Peggy) I just felt Philosophized after these shows so I changed my hande. I'm usually in Other Stuff though, don't say too much here.

This music, this experience is my heart and soul and I am (ok it's cliche but true) on my hands and knees thanking my lucky stars I can still BE part of this MAGIC. It's my fucking religion what can I say and I appreciate every blessed moment.

I can't even imagine ripping ANY of this apart. REALLY.

When the music plays your soul and renders your body a marionette because you CAN'T STOP MOVING AND GROOVING, I'm a puppet in their hands. Yeah Ill that that ANY FUCKING DAY over almost ANYTHING in life!!! Listening to Cumberland now from the stream BEAMING ear to ear. And I really haven't slept since Fri night, LOL Just can't stop listening to how fucking great this is.

I live in NYS between Alb & Saratoga but I'm NYC girl (well hardly a girl anymore. lol) Lived in NJ on and off for a dozen or so years. My kids were all born in Morristown.

So yeah I'm down for shows and sure I'm always about rapping on the music.

On a plane with wifi, heading home from NYC.... I feel really lucky.... What an amazing weekend, furthur was top notch, MSG is a great venue, everyone so into the band, floor was rocking..ship of fools party cruise was also very cool and a great way to get fired up for furthur, special thanks to sam fot hooking me up with floor seats! Magical weekend.... I am so exhausted, you east coasters are intense

>>>Chicago was just a Piss Stop on the way to Greatness in NYC this weekend<<<

I have to say, a friend from the Bay Area who is originally from the east (shocking) has seen this band ALLOT, from virtually all the Bay Area shows including almost all the rehearsal shows, to Hammerstein, RCMH, Nokia & Brooklyn, Southern California, Vegas & Red Rocks.

She saw 6 shows on this tour: St. Louis, both Chicago shows, Reading & both NYC shows, and she raved about all six, but she thought the Chicago shows were as good as any she's seen, excepting some of the rehearsal shows, which are really in a catagory of their own and if you weren't lucky enough to be there it's hard to know their personal, one-of-a-kind energy & vibe.

She is NOT a "everything is beautiful" type fan and has bagged on some of the shows she's seen, but she thought those Chicago shows were brilliant.

But she loved the two at the Garden this weekend too; just not quite as much as Chicago.

Good stuff does happen outside NYC.

Once in a while.

Really.

I'm a native Bay Area guy and have seen many epic, legendary shows here, but I did see the GD in the Garden twice, on 9/19 & 20/90 and they were amazing experiences, and after reading these glowing reviews, and even the very few dissenting ones, I wish I had seen these.

Just following the weekend on the zone has got me psyched for the 30th & the 3-set NYE show coming up.

I told my friend upon hearing her raves after the 1st triumphant Garden show that we & Furthur are a long way from 300 of us in the Throckmorton and that I'm proud of our boys for carrying Madison Square Garden.

Good job Phil, Bob, John, Joe, Jeff and the rest!

Now come on home boys and keep carrying us FURTHUR!!!

"I do not think its fair to say they "saved" this for the Garden."

Bullshit. And I'm not complaining, but it's now obvious that this band saves the majority of the classic songs for NYC. They did it in February and they did it this tour, a quick look at the set lists will confirm this. At this point I'm not sure that I'd go to a show that was one or two shows before a NYC run (I certainly wouldn't travel far), which is too bad because they play great.

The love the Garden, so fucking what??? How can anyone not??? The sound is loud and pristine, great sight lines, very cool security, no guns and be cool with your smoking and party favors, don't be stupid are really the only "rules". The place just explodes with excitement.

and it ain't just NYers there, I'd guess about a 60/40 split.

It's like that place just BREATHES energy, literally, it's palpable.

It's one big collective conscious thing, the music AND the audience play the band. Plus NYC crowds go INSANE, and I'm not saying that doesn't happen elsewhere but NYC has it's own energy you can't get ANYWHERE else.

There were also tour closers so why not go out on a bang...


I love you more than words can tell...listen to the river sing sweet songs to rock my soul

Peg, I've seen over 50 shows in NYC since '79 when I saw my first Garden shows, I know all about the vibe and energy level there. I'm simply saying that it's undeniable that this band (or whoever is actually making the set lists) has established a pattern of saving the majority of the A list material for the NYC shows. That's great if you're planning on going to those shows, not so great if you're only going to see the two shows before the NYC shows. I don't ever recall even thinking about this back in the day. And I'd also remind everyone that there were plenty of so-so shows that no one remembers played at the Garden between 1987 (the first year they did an extended run there) and 1994. That's to be expected when you play that many shows at a venue, the point is that not every show played there stood out as anything different from the shows at most other venues. It makes it easier for the shows to be "epic" when you only play two and you hold the great material for those two.

They totally saved it for the Garden. That was obvious all week long looking at those set lists. Having been to both shows and had the time of my life, I'm fucking glad they did!

No doubt the garden is awesome. But if they are going to simply ignore the shows leading up to MSG, then just don't do them. There are loving and paying fans everywhere. Holding out on those folks leading up to MSG was lame big time and not excusable. If they played the Baltimore setlist at MSG, there would be hell to pay. But now I know the jig and won't get suckered again. Your best odds are going to the big markets for mutli-night runs. That is not to say that you can't catch a good show in between, just more risky.

I downloaded Saturday's gig last night and have listened to the first set so far. The sound is good on these discs, better than other Furthur shows I've downloaded. The drumming is much better now that it's just Russo. It was too muddy in Feb. Now it's clear that Russo rocks. Background vocals are too prominent in the mix and others have noted the same at some of the shows (there's a reason they call them background vocals). Bob's guitar is a little low in the mix at times, what's new. The Help through Jack Straw is great. El Paso is worth one listen for old times sake but nothing more. Two Djinn is just a silly song and sounds disorganized. Terrapin is awesome.

These days they can write the monster list when
they want to and stoke the show.

Those days all the shows were very similiar, they would never give you too much at once. Quite a marketing machine that kept you needing to be at all of them, and when something did break out it was big and you deserved it because you worked for it too.

AND to me it seems these 2 msg set lists were written by different folks than those who wrote all the other sets.
(except that viola lee 2nd set earlier in tour)
just a better sense of continuity imho

>>but it's now obvious that this band saves the majority of the classic songs for NYC. They did it in February and they did it this tour, a quick look at the set lists will confirm this

Anything other than a quick look would confirm the opposite.

Songs played on msg night 1 that had not been played previously on this tour:

El Paso
Wharf Rat
Two Djinn
Death Don't

Songs played on night 2 that had not been played previously on this tour:

GDTRFB
WRS Prelude
WRS Part 1
Time

Hard to see how that constitutes saving a "majority" of the "classic" songs.

Wrong saw wharf rat in Reading

I'm with you,they could have done the Garden better.They gave Reading the Big River,Baltimore got the BTW,"ONLY" Spoonful and Hey Jude.The Foolish ALONE made it worth the drive.I made the choice when this tour was announced that I would do Reading and Baltimore,counting on a let down at the Garden.NOT that they musically let the Garden down, they let them down with he set lists.I got to see some of the furthur rarities due to the fact they didn't save anything for me at the garden.

I went to all the shows on this tour, didn't miss a single song. There was not a bad show on the tour. Each show was unique.

Most of the songs played at MSG had been played before on this tour. I don't think they saved it for New York. It's not about the setlist...it's about the sound and energy. I enjoyed the Reading show as much as the MSG shows. Ames was one of my favorites and it is a small venue.

Their catalog is so deep that they did 11 different shows...most other bands you would see the same show 11 times.

Furthur is bringing it to every show.

Two factors are influencing the shows...the sound in the room...and we the audience. The sound quality did vary from venue to venue...I loved the sound in Ames and Reading...MSG sounded really good, much better than I expected for a large venue. I thought the sound in Chicago was among the worst, but great set lists. I wish the band would only pick venues with the best sound, as this music deserves.

Phil has been saying this at the shows, and many of us know it already...we are collaborating with this band to make the music...we have a responsibility...everyone's playing in the heart of gold band.

We contribute by giving our undivided attention to the music, as much as we can. If enough of us do this, the band and the music is taken higher...as the music evolves and gets to a higher level more people just have to pay attention...and so it builds. This focus of collective attention is what makes magic possible. This requires some preparation on our part.

Besides that, our state of mind and behavior is important...treating everyone with respect and acceptance...being alert enough to focus (drunk is not the way to go). Taking care of yourself so you are not too tired and have a lot of energy...I'm sure the band does this as well.

I am so thankful to be participating in this experience. The magic is happening!

Looking forward to the SF shows!

<<<Two Djinn is just a silly song and sounds disorganized

the dijon mustard song??? lol

circus was in full swing this tour...not one bad show...they kept it pretty darn fresh...lots of great firsts for furthur, firsts of tour, firsts in a couple tours, etc...i feel lucky i was able to attend the entire thing....LET IT GROW

Sitting down to write my first post with a Mad Elf (great beer from Troegs BTW). I've been a reader of the Phil Zone and Ratdog boards for years but never felt compelled to join until now. I'm going to give one long review so I hope no one gets bored and everyone hangs in there! &#9786;

I saw my first show with my oldest brother (older by 13 years) at SPAC 1985 (his first shows were Boston Music Hall ‘76). Yes, this tour was a 25th Anniversary tour for us, and so it was special....and, surprisingly this was the first time we saw shows together at MSG even though I probably saw ~15 shows of my ~65 with him. Also, I've seen somewhere around 15 of my 65 shows at MSG starting in '87 --yes, I was at the Dew in ‘87--I believe that night was a radio broadcast? Amazing Dew for sure with Jerry Dewing crazy Jelly-rolls all over the place.

Anyway, this tour I saw Wooster (was also there last night in '88 as well) and the two at MSG with a variety of work friends, relatives, deadheads that I hadn't hooked up with in months-15 years, and some other dear friends --this was my 7th Furthur show starting with Cornell last February. They simply keep getting better each tour and it's obvious.

The Grateful Dead and various incarnations have always been about symbiotic energy, and so I think those that get TOO caught up with song placement, setlists, other things, etc speaks more to the personality type than anything else IMO. With that said, I'm more of the ilk of lets preach what the boys have been practicing for 45 years than get too caught up with this or that not being perfect. The Boys have always been about freedom and trying, and that was what made them great in so many ways(makes this band great too, and it’s getting better, and will get better once JK gets more and more freedom)......not the placement of songs! If people want to limit themselves to setlist, song placements, etc, that's fine too, but that's not me. Additionally, I've seen plenty of shows in great venues with great setlists and they flopped, and I've seen plenty of average setlists in average venues and they blew the roof off the place. To that point, I don't think they necessarily saved things for the Garden--more on that later below.

With all that said, I can also be a critical type, particularly with the level of playing, and so yes, I can keep it real too.

Wooster:

1st Set: The Alligator > Bird song was solid with 1/2 Step and Bird Song being highlights and Althea and BEW being a little uneven. During the next song, Lovelight, things went south in a hurry though. Half way thru Lovelight, and during a second nice build-up jam by JK and rest, Bobby raises his hand midjam to signal the transition and starts blurting out the next lines completing cutting off the jam and taking the air out of things in a big way! They never fully regrouped after this. I'm a bit surprised no one else mentioned this, but I believe I did see one post from someone saying JK wanted to take the jam Furthur. The Casey Jones to follow was very, very uneven with a bad start and middle and the end being a bit too fast --they did salvage this some though.

The 2nd set:

The Golden Road was nice, but the Midnite Hour was not good at all!! Nobody Girl was nice (this song has lots of potential) and the China Doll is always nice (they are always nice since this was/is usually a once a tour song) , but this version was not the best IMO --a double start by JK and uneven, but I still enjoyed it. NS Boogie was also very uneven with Bobby not really being sure of vox--this was a theme this night. Mts of Moon was fair and the Hard Rain was nice to hear, but again, vox were somewhat weak. Scarlet/Fire is always nice to hear, but this was one of the most uninspired Scarlet/Fires I've heard!

Overall, this was fun, but this was not a good show, and anyone that would rank this show ahead of 1st night at MSG just isn't dealing with reality! Sorry. From a playing level, these are just the facts on that point. Yes, I understand that environment, seating, and friends you're with all play a big part in how good a show is. I completely get that, but this show was not a good nite for Bobby. It was perhaps in my bottom 5 shows ever. Sorry Nathan (in Wooster review) with his review of this "pathetic" show. I mostly agree with him, but all is not lost and U should stay on the bus Nathan! This band rocks--read on! Also, the "Boys" had there good and bad nights, and sometimes you saw the best and the worst on back-to-back nights! We should all remember this point.

Again, not a good Bobby show, not the Nokia disaster though, but it was pretty bad on his part. As for the Bobby and Phil thing with the Phil Zone and Ratdog sites --it's really comical at times --again, the Grateful Dead were all about collective parts equaling a greater sum. It's simply fucking ridiculous when I read the bash Phil posts and bash Bobby posts. Give it up people. The Grateful Dead and this band are so not about that. So again, I subscribe to the lets preach what they practiced for soo long. Bobby was the front man that sang/sings a lot more and so there's lots more room for him to fuckup, especially given his dyslexia and singing waaay more than Phil. Yes, Bobby can be pretty rough at times, but Phil fans, Phil doesn't sound good when he sings Peggy-O or even really Eyes for that matter. I'm not complaining at all about what Furthur is giving us, just a little complaining about some in their ways of being hypercritical and saying Bob is this or Phil is that. It's really all-good, so if Phil wants to continue singing Eyes so be it. He is great on Time IMO! Remember, this could all come to an end any day and that would suck—to those that wish it would just end, maybe you shouldn’t be posting. &#9786; So, the dude that says bring Ratdog back, please, give it up, they don't match this band, and to the person that is falling over himself when Phil sings Peggy-0 --see it for what it is, something we've never heard him sing before, but as more than a bit rough around the edges. Personally, JK should sing nearly everything Jerry did --he just does it better. For those that don't think JK's jams go anywhere, well, just not true. However, I would agree JK's jams are not as experiential as Jerry's was.....but, Jerry had complete freedom, and JK still doesn't have that on a night to night basis. It was good evidence in Wooster, when Bobby cut him off. For the very, very few out there that still have a problem with an “imposter” --get over it, Bobby and Phil have. JK rocks, yes, he's still feeling his way at times with when to be more spacey, jazzy, jammy, bluesey, but he's the real deal. I've seen him have his spacey shows on plenty a night with DSO. Again, those that can't get over JK playing in the band (R.E. and bro'; inside joke), it's more a personality issue at this point. As for Phil fans, I would have to give Phil the slight nod when it comes musicianship over Bob, but it's close when you factor in Bob's dyslexia. Remember, Jerry thought Bobby was the best Rythym guy ever. "Bob and Phill have been=parts" and we should be grateful to have witnessed such a grate thing.

Moving on.

MSG Sat:

1st set:

Unbelievable opening with Help>Slip>Shakedown --how many times have they done that?? A first ever perhaps??? Has to be close to it! Jack Straw, Wharf Rat and Terrapin were ridiculously good. Was loving 20,000 singing “INSPIRATION!..or the “I’ll get up and flyaway”. El Paso a bit rough, but not terrible and 2 Djinn OK. Great 1st set.

2nd set:

Again, it’s really not worth complaining about Mt. Song opener given the 1st set and everything else. The boys always did stuff like this, and I applaud their risk-taking with some of the placements of songs—it’s less predictable than it use to be. Dark Star is really nice and jazzy these days --JK was great on this as was Phil. Other one>Saint Steph>11>Death don’t have no Mercy> Franklin’s Tower was sik. Nice job by Bob on OMSN encore. From Start to finish this set was also great.

This was in that nearly epic category. Again, way better than Wooster and don’t believe anyone that says otherwise. They aren’t dealing with reality. &#9786;

Sunday MSG:

1st set:

The first set pretty much rocked start to finish much like the first night. Only Cassidy and Eyes were just solid, but Truckin’>Cumby>Any Road was great (nice song for JK and Jerry would have loved it too). Viola Lee Blues was nice, especially since it was the first time I heard it all as one piece-it did have a couple sketchy spots though. So Many Roads>GDRFB was killer. I Luv all the second set songs in the first sets.

2nd set:

Hard to find a weak point in this Born Cross-Eyed > &#8232;Wheel > &#8232;Weather Report Suite Prelude > &#8232;Weather Report Suite Part I... &#8232;Time > Let It Grow > &#8232;Unbroken Chain> &#8232;Morning Dew> &#8232;Playing in the Band.

The Wheel > &#8232;Weather Report Suite Prelude > &#8232;Weather Report Suite Part I... &#8232;Time > Let It Grow was unbelievable with the band taking this section Furthur than perhaps anything on the two night run. Let it Grow was perhaps the show highlight! The Playin’ was a very nice surprise and spacey and not rushed at all! Unbroken Chain was a bit soft at times –sorry Phil fans, but this was actually a monster show for Bob considered some of his recent performances. Lets just say I was more than a little worried with many Bobby long lyrical songs on this night….and he pretty much nailed them all without much of a flaw! He also sung with more conviction than I heard from him in some time.

The second night was a savage beast of a show. I know some give the slight nod of the two nights to the second night, but I seriously can’t pick one. They were both equally great in very different ways! I like what one person said above about the first night getting played more over time -- I think this is pretty true even though the second night was more of a sing a long and jams were stretched out consistently a tad more. Personally, I’m pretty sure I’ll be playing the first night more as the years pass.

So, overall, we had one nearly epic show and a savage beast of a show that equaled an epic weekend. Of the 7 Furthur shows these two are in the top 2-3. Rochester was quite good last summer. Wooster is at the bottom.

As for the one person that had complaints about the MSG crowd-- It wasn’t the crowd and it wasn’t the playing, maybe it was you that had a slighty off weekend…or maybe it was the only two lost souls in the Garden next to you that weren’t into it. The Garden was inhaling and exhaling the entire weekend (it ws alive), and the crowd rocked as well as any MSG shows back in 87-92 period. The crowd was unbelievable, and the playing was unbelievable, and remember I was at the Dew in ‘87 and another 14 MSG shows between 87-92.

In conclusion, I agree that they need to do Candyman and Love each Other on a tour (I don’t think they did these), and they shouldn’t do two Cream Puff Wars in three nights (the Boys did Throwing Stones 87-89 every third night for a while as they did Bertha nearly every night 72-74), but this band is the real deal, JK is awesome and deserves much better from the few holdouts, and the Garden has always been, and always will be a special place for the Boys. Their bond with the Garden goes back 30+, it’s the way it is. They bring out the best in the crowd and we bring out the best in them.

Peaceout and see you at some of the shows on the next tour!

P.S. I just threw the Knicks pre-game on, and you could hear Furthur playing in the background. They must have been playing it for the crowd again. I think that says a lot. Pretty cool. Sorry for any errors, this was an epic first post.

Sorry for the formatting issue with Born Cross-Eyed > &#8232;Wheel > &#8232. ??

Sitting down to write my first post with a Mad Elf (great beer from Troegs BTW). I've been a reader of the Phil Zone and Ratdog boards for years but never felt compelled to join until now. I'm going to give one long review so I hope no one gets bored and everyone hangs in there! &#9786;

I saw my first show with my oldest brother (older by 13 years) at SPAC 1985 (his first shows were Boston Music Hall ‘76). Yes, this tour was a 25th Anniversary tour for us, and so it was special....and, surprisingly this was the first time we saw shows together at MSG even though I probably saw ~15 shows of my ~65 with him. Also, I've seen somewhere around 15 of my 65 shows at MSG starting in '87 --yes, I was at the Dew in ‘87--I believe that night was a radio broadcast? Amazing Dew for sure with Jerry Dewing crazy Jelly-rolls all over the place.

Anyway, this tour I saw Wooster (was also there last night in '88 as well) and the two at MSG with a variety of work friends, relatives, deadheads that I hadn't hooked up with in months-15 years, and some other dear friends --this was my 7th Furthur show starting with Cornell last February. They simply keep getting better each tour and it's obvious.

The Grateful Dead and various incarnations have always been about symbiotic energy, and so I think those that get TOO caught up with song placement, setlists, other things, etc speaks more to the personality type than anything else IMO. With that said, I'm more of the ilk of lets preach what the boys have been practicing for 45 years than get too caught up with this or that not being perfect. The Boys have always been about freedom and trying, and that was what made them great in so many ways(makes this band great too, and it’s getting better, and will get better once JK gets more and more freedom)......not the placement of songs! If people want to limit themselves to setlist, song placements, etc, that's fine too, but that's not me. Additionally, I've seen plenty of shows in great venues with great setlists and they flopped, and I've seen plenty of average setlists in average venues and they blew the roof off the place. To that point, I don't think they necessarily saved things for the Garden--more on that later below.

With all that said, I can also be a critical type, particularly with the level of playing, and so yes, I can keep it real too.

Wooster:

1st Set: The Alligator > Bird song was solid with 1/2 Step and Bird Song being highlights and Althea and BEW being a little uneven. During the next song, Lovelight, things went south in a hurry though. Half way thru Lovelight, and during a second nice build-up jam by JK and rest, Bobby raises his hand midjam to signal the transition and starts blurting out the next lines completing cutting off the jam and taking the air out of things in a big way! They never fully regrouped after this. I'm a bit surprised no one else mentioned this, but I believe I did see one post from someone saying JK wanted to take the jam Furthur. The Casey Jones to follow was very, very uneven with a bad start and middle and the end being a bit too fast --they did salvage this some though.

The 2nd set:

The Golden Road was nice, but the Midnite Hour was not good at all!! Nobody Girl was nice (this song has lots of potential) and the China Doll is always nice (they are always nice since this was/is usually a once a tour song) , but this version was not the best IMO --a double start by JK and uneven, but I still enjoyed it. NS Boogie was also very uneven with Bobby not really being sure of vox--this was a theme this night. Mts of Moon was fair and the Hard Rain was nice to hear, but again, vox were somewhat weak. Scarlet/Fire is always nice to hear, but this was one of the most uninspired Scarlet/Fires I've heard!

Overall, this was fun, but this was not a good show, and anyone that would rank this show ahead of 1st night at MSG just isn't dealing with reality! Sorry. From a playing level, these are just the facts on that point. Yes, I understand that environment, seating, and friends you're with all play a big part in how good a show is. I completely get that, but this show was not a good nite for Bobby. It was perhaps in my bottom 5 shows ever. Sorry Nathan (in Wooster review) with his review of this "pathetic" show. I mostly agree with him, but all is not lost and U should stay on the bus Nathan! This band rocks--read on! Also, the "Boys" had there good and bad nights, and sometimes you saw the best and the worst on back-to-back nights! We should all remember this point.

Again, not a good Bobby show, not the Nokia disaster though, but it was pretty bad on his part. As for the Bobby and Phil thing with the Phil Zone and Ratdog sites --it's really comical at times --again, the Grateful Dead were all about collective parts equaling a greater sum. It's simply fucking ridiculous when I read the bash Phil posts and bash Bobby posts. Give it up people. The Grateful Dead and this band are so not about that. So again, I subscribe to the lets preach what they practiced for soo long. Bobby was the front man that sang/sings a lot more and so there's lots more room for him to fuckup, especially given his dyslexia and singing waaay more than Phil. Yes, Bobby can be pretty rough at times, but Phil fans, Phil doesn't sound good when he sings Peggy-O or even really Eyes for that matter. I'm not complaining at all about what Furthur is giving us, just a little complaining about some in their ways of being hypercritical and saying Bob is this or Phil is that. It's really all-good, so if Phil wants to continue singing Eyes so be it. He is great on Time IMO! Remember, this could all come to an end any day and that would suck—to those that wish it would just end, maybe you shouldn’t be posting. &#9786; So, the dude that says bring Ratdog back, please, give it up, they don't match this band, and to the person that is falling over himself when Phil sings Peggy-0 --see it for what it is, something we've never heard him sing before, but as more than a bit rough around the edges. Personally, JK should sing nearly everything Jerry did --he just does it better. For those that don't think JK's jams go anywhere, well, just not true. However, I would agree JK's jams are not as experiential as Jerry's was.....but, Jerry had complete freedom, and JK still doesn't have that on a night to night basis. It was good evidence in Wooster, when Bobby cut him off. For the very, very few out there that still have a problem with an “imposter” --get over it, Bobby and Phil have. JK rocks, yes, he's still feeling his way at times with when to be more spacey, jazzy, jammy, bluesey, but he's the real deal. I've seen him have his spacey shows on plenty a night with DSO. Again, those that can't get over JK playing in the band (R.E. and bro'; inside joke), it's more a personality issue at this point. As for Phil fans, I would have to give Phil the slight nod when it comes musicianship over Bob, but it's close when you factor in Bob's dyslexia. Remember, Jerry thought Bobby was the best Rythym guy ever. "Bob and Phill have been=parts" and we should be grateful to have witnessed such a grate thing.

Moving on.

MSG Sat:

1st set:

Unbelievable opening with Help>Slip>Shakedown --how many times have they done that?? A first ever perhaps??? Has to be close to it! Jack Straw, Wharf Rat and Terrapin were ridiculously good. Was loving 20,000 singing “INSPIRATION!..or the “I’ll get up and flyaway”. El Paso a bit rough, but not terrible and 2 Djinn OK. Great 1st set.

2nd set:

Again, it’s really not worth complaining about Mt. Song opener given the 1st set and everything else. The boys always did stuff like this, and I applaud their risk-taking with some of the placements of songs—it’s less predictable than it use to be. Dark Star is really nice and jazzy these days --JK was great on this as was Phil. Other one>Saint Steph>11>Death don’t have no Mercy> Franklin’s Tower was sik. Nice job by Bob on OMSN encore. From Start to finish this set was also great.

This was in that nearly epic category. Again, way better than Wooster and don’t believe anyone that says otherwise. They aren’t dealing with reality. &#9786;

Sunday MSG:

1st set:

The first set pretty much rocked start to finish much like the first night. Only Cassidy and Eyes were just solid, but Truckin’>Cumby>Any Road was great (nice song for JK and Jerry would have loved it too). Viola Lee Blues was nice, especially since it was the first time I heard it all as one piece-it did have a couple sketchy spots though. So Many Roads>GDRFB was killer. I Luv all the second set songs in the first sets.

2nd set:

Hard to find a weak point in this Born Cross-Eyed > &#8232;Wheel > &#8232;Weather Report Suite Prelude > &#8232;Weather Report Suite Part I... &#8232;Time > Let It Grow > &#8232;Unbroken Chain> &#8232;Morning Dew> &#8232;Playing in the Band.

The Wheel > &#8232;Weather Report Suite Prelude > &#8232;Weather Report Suite Part I... &#8232;Time > Let It Grow was unbelievable with the band taking this section Furthur than perhaps anything on the two night run. Let it Grow was perhaps the show highlight! The Playin’ was a very nice surprise and spacey and not rushed at all! Unbroken Chain was a bit soft at times –sorry Phil fans, but this was actually a monster show for Bob considered some of his recent performances. Lets just say I was more than a little worried with many Bobby long lyrical songs on this night….and he pretty much nailed them all without much of a flaw! He also sung with more conviction than I heard from him in some time.

The second night was a savage beast of a show. I know some give the slight nod of the two nights to the second night, but I seriously can’t pick one. They were both equally great in very different ways! I like what one person said above about the first night getting played more over time -- I think this is pretty true even though the second night was more of a sing a long and jams were stretched out consistently a tad more. Personally, I’m pretty sure I’ll be playing the first night more as the years pass.

So, overall, we had one nearly epic show and a savage beast of a show that equaled an epic weekend. Of the 7 Furthur shows these two are in the top 2-3. Rochester was quite good last summer. Wooster is at the bottom.

As for the one person that had complaints about the MSG crowd-- It wasn’t the crowd and it wasn’t the playing, maybe it was you that had a slighty off weekend…or maybe it was the only two lost souls in the Garden next to you that weren’t into it. The Garden was inhaling and exhaling the entire weekend (it ws alive), and the crowd rocked as well as any MSG shows back in 87-92 period. The crowd was unbelievable, and the playing was unbelievable, and remember I was at the Dew in ‘87 and another 14 MSG shows between 87-92.

In conclusion, I agree that they need to do Candyman and Love each Other on a tour (I don’t think they did these), and they shouldn’t do two Cream Puff Wars in three nights (the Boys did Throwing Stones 87-89 every third night for a while as they did Bertha nearly every night 72-74), but this band is the real deal, JK is awesome and deserves much better from the few holdouts, and the Garden has always been, and always will be a special place for the Boys. Their bond with the Garden goes back 30+, it’s the way it is. They bring out the best in the crowd and we bring out the best in them.

Peaceout and see you at some of the shows on the next tour!

P.S. I just threw the Knicks pre-game on, and you could hear Furthur playing in the background. They must have been playing it for the crowd again. I think that says a lot. Pretty cool. Sorry for any errors, this was an epic first post.

>>>>>> Only downside was some taper telling me and my buddy that he saw the setlist and that Eyes and GDTRFB were on it Oh yeah and he was all giddy that he was going to get the copy during the encore.

Oh man we had a Setlist experience - this rockhead crazy alpha male dude had somehow gotten ahold of the setlist before the show and was going up to everyone offering out the paper saying "I got the setlist" then crumpling it up pulling it away "Ha but you can't see it" - he was the classic attention whore (yup just like a Philzoner, only at a show) - he kept lighting joints and passing them over his head when security told him to put them out, he was thrashing about wildly, knocked several beers out of people's hands, showing other guys the pictures of naked chics he had on his smartphone - I kept telling Lynn "don't make eye contact with him" so we didn't have to endure his babbling during a good jam - and it was tough since he was right in front of us so we had to basically look at/over him to see the stage - security was on the brink of throwing him out several times - but didn't - by the end of the show the setlist was a crumpled, disintegrating mass - then his wife/ girlfriend got tired and made him leave during Morning Dew - when the lights went on I picked up a piece of his setlist that he'd dropped - and it is indeed the setlist - I can't imagine how he got it (he told Lynn "I know people") - the security guy he was tormenting all night laughed his ass off - funny thing is, the setlist is double-sided (set 1 on one side, set 2 on the other). I took a picture of it and will post it here once I figure out how to reduce it to the correct size (I lost Picture Editor in my recent computer problems and need some time to reload old software).

My impression of the MSG shows (also posted in Other Stuff):

Saturday was a Furthur that excelled at being a really competent cover band that played the desired uber-setlist in a professional manner, with all the right jams stretched to the required length of time, but with little passion or innovation.

Sunday was a Furthur band that really did indeed take it FURTHUR - that whole show just dripped with the legendary "X-Factor" from the very first note to the last. Everything was played with an over the top insane energy only rarely seen back in the day (I'm thinking 9/26/81 or 12/5/81 for Bucky and Key's reference). This was up there with the Lowell MA (6/30) and 2nd Phila (7/11) 2nd sets this summer. And some of the insane mind-fuck out-there jamming was a glimpse of what The Q did on a routine nightly basis for dozens of minutes at a time . . .

"New York, got the ways and means..."

Yes, of course we get the best shows.
Phil Loves New Yawk
and WE LOVE PHIL and BOBBY and the whole band.

XXXOOO

>>>I'm sure this reads as hyperbole.

I think your review is spot on.
What great shows. Sunday was incredible.

>>>No doubt the garden is awesome. But if they are going to simply ignore the shows leading up to MSG, then just don't do them. There are loving and paying fans everywhere...

They ignored nothing. They dissed nobody.
Anyone with any reasonable concert-going experience at MSG KNOWS the audience delivers a different, more enthusiastic, vibe there.
Hell, Jerry was quoted as saying as much plenty of times.
And, before anyone comes down on me for acting as if NYC-area people are the best, I can share that out-of-town friends were able to feel that MSG magic as well.
What a fantastic return performance. What a great two nights. Thank you, Furthur.

And, XOXO to TR for posting the sets here; can't wait to hear them.
Thank you, as always, for what you do, sweetie.

"Anyone with any reasonable concert-going experience at MSG KNOWS the audience delivers a different, more enthusiastic, vibe there."

As I stated above, then please explain all of the forgetful shows that they did there between '87 and '94. The vast majority of shows in those runs are forgotten to history and don't stand out any more then any other shows the Dead did. I've seen over 30 shows at MSG since '79 and many certainly stand out as special, but others were just like any other show in any other hall. The myth of the NYC energy has become self serving at this point. And the idea that they didn't deliberately save the A list material for the Garden on this run and Radio City in February is ridiculous. Of course they did, any rookie taking a look at the set lists could see that.

taking a look at the setlists aint gonna do you any good except give you a stiffy...you had to be there listening to it to understand it, or at least a recording. they brought the A game...it was the culmination of the previous 9 nights. i've seen 35 furthur shows and saturday night at MSG is up in my top 5 along with 9/25/10 red rocks and 2/12/10 hampton coliseum to name a couple

<<<They ignored nothing. They dissed nobody.
Anyone with any reasonable concert-going experience at MSG KNOWS the audience delivers a different, more enthusiastic, vibe there.
Hell, Jerry was quoted as saying as much plenty of times.
And, before anyone comes down on me for acting as if NYC-area people are the best, I can share that out-of-town friends were able to feel that MSG magic as well.
What a fantastic return performance. What a great two nights. Thank you, Furthur.


what she said!!

incredible incredible incredible on every concievable level

>>And the idea that they didn't deliberately save the A list material for the Garden on this run and Radio City in February is ridiculous. Of course they did, any rookie taking a look at the set lists could see that.

I'm not a rookie, though haven't been around near as long as some (first show in '81). But, as I said before, they hardly "saved" anything:

Songs played on msg night 1 that had not been played previously on this tour:

El Paso
Two Djinn
Death Don't

Songs played on night 2 that had not been played previously on this tour:

GDTRFB
WRS Prelude
WRS Part 1
Time

(Removed Wharf Rat from my previous list, as that had been played in PA.)

So, a total of seven songs over the two nights that had not been played previously on this tour. Two are songs the GD never played (Two Djinn, Time). Two are songs the GD hardly played at all, if at all, after the 70s (WRS Prelude and Part 1). The other two aren't even originals.

Together, the seven songs would make a mediocre set at best.

Holy Christ, they saved El Paso and Goin' Down the Road Feelin Bad for MSG. The Bastards!!!!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>" Anyone with any reasonable concert-going experience at MSG KNOWS the audience delivers a different, more enthusiastic, vibe there."

As I stated above, then please explain all of the forgetful shows that they did there between '87 and '94. The vast majority of shows in those runs are forgotten to history and don't stand out any more then any other shows the Dead did. I've seen over 30 shows at MSG since '79 and many certainly stand out as special, but others were just like any other show in any other hall. The myth of the NYC energy has become self serving at this point. And the idea that they didn't deliberately save the A list material for the Garden on this run and Radio City in February is ridiculous. Of course they did, any rookie taking a look at the set lists could see that.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>

First post and I just had to address this subject, as well as to comment a bit on the Furthur MSG shows though the reviews, both pro and con, have been pretty excellent and thorough through and through.

I believe both quotes to be accurate, having attended twenty eight of the thrity six MSG shows between '88 & '94 with a total GD shows seen of a hundred and forty four between '88 & '95 save one in '84. I've done 'bout 1,300 shows total, many in my hometown of NYC and many, of course, @MSG and if you gave us a reason to love you, whatever the reason for your being there then it is true that no venue could bring it on better for you. The GD did indeed do some legendary shows BUT most of them were probably before I started to chase them down in '88. Out of the 28 shows attended over their five runs@MSG, I could honestly say that seven shows were great to my ears (9/16/88, all the 1990 shows save 9/15/90, none of the three shows I attended in 1991, one (9/20/93) of the five attended in 1993 and one (10/17/94) of the three attended in 1994. At most of the "great" shows that I attended@MSG, the crowd could have definitely blown the roof off if it happened to be loose enough to be blown off, LOL! I've traveled long and wide thru a pretty good swarth of this good country and MSG certainly could be magical if all the ingredients were right. I believe that a typical MSG crowd would be ready and if the band or a band bought it to the table then the audience would respond in kind. But, quite frankly, I would say that on an individual show by show analysis of them compared to the many other groups that I saw@MSG, on that basis the "other" groups would more consistently "blow the roof" off the Garden more so than the GD. And there are probably a myriad of reasons for that but I'll choose the ones that seem most palatable to me:

1. The GD started to play those huge multi-show runs in the late '80's. Without truly checking but being pretty sure of my stuff (was a Dead Base freak back in the day...), the most nights they ever did in any particular run before '87 was three. In '87 I believe they did five, in '88 nine, in '90 six, in '91 nine, and in both '93 and '94, six each. It was a lot easier for them to do individually great shows within a two or three show run as opposed to a six or nine show run. After a certain point in the '80 a truly "great" balls-to-the-walls-in-whatever-respect-they-wanted -to-present-it show was a once in whole bunch of shows. Anyone that was or is a GD historian knows that those kinds of show were few and far between. Yes, many "good" shows, some "very good" shows, some "average" shows and definitely their share of "clunkers" but they were human and isn't that what basically set them apart from most of the others? Their willingness to take risks in some form or others where the majority of bands of their stature would simply play it straight. So the point here is that it really would have been unrealistic to expect that MSG was going to get that much more "great" shows per capita then the rest of the country. That being said, I believe that it was not a good idea to play that many shows in a venue at the same time but they would have properly argued (and who would we have been to say otherwise) that that was the only way to satisfy their fan base and, based on ticket sales, at the time they were proven right with sold-out show after sold-out show, fifty two of them, eh? That does not mean that it helped either the artistry or the expectations involved.

& 2. "New York, got the ways and means...". Oh, NYC. I'm sure that was also part of the problem as Jer was his own man, we all know that, and that probably got him in trouble with himself and his habits more often than us fans would have liked so, yes, I'm saying that he probably was getting too much "stuff" here in the capital of such "stuff" and there were MANY shows where either myself and/or my fellow friends thought that "maybe (he) had too much too fast", it was so obvious so that probably also impacted on his ability to do his part as the years got closer and closer to "that" day in '95. I remember Giants Stadium '95, in some ways I wish I wasn't there to witness it, I remember the other five guys in the band staring at Jer as he remained stuck on the intro to Wharf Rat for what still seems like an eternity, it just wasn't a good moment at all and definitely seemed like he was totally out of it, much like Bob@the Nokia. Thankful that we got Bob back from that one, Jerry wasn't so lucky...so there's my thoughts on MSG. A great place, nowhere I rather see a great show 'cause when a band brings it on I truly believe we will bring it on along with them better than anywhere else. BUT, it IS a two-way street...;)

Speaking of that two-way street, traffic was moving as well as I've seen it this past weekend@said MSG, LOL! First set Saturday, while not wildly exploratory playing-wise, was still the BOMB. Damm if it wasn't played well enough to certainly justify those typically second set songs (Wharf Rat, Terrapin Suite) to make enough of an impression on what seemed to be most of the folks in attendance, all I saw was big grins and all I heard was one big 'ole buzz gong thru the most hallowed arena and to my ears it was a HAPPY buzz. The 2nd set was solid from beginning to end, I wasn't expecting it to be THE 2nd set (truly thought as many also did it was going to be Sunday night and I believe I was right...) but the highlight to my ears was Bobby putting his all into Death Don't Have No Mercy and the band staying step by step with him on it. It was a VERY satisfying evening and probably the best Saturday night attended GD or GD-related show I've ever attended as we probably can agree that Saturday nights in general wasn't always the best show of the week...;)

Sunday 1st set, on the other hand, was a different kind of beast. I didn't expect if to be better than Saturday 1st set but I have spoken to many that disagree with me and it's all good and a lot of that might have been due to my not liking either my seats (section 133, straight behind the floor) or the vibe 'round me as opposed to Saturday (section 110, directly on side stage on Jeff's/Phil's side, excellent sound with excellent seat-mates surrounding me/us). So that might have colored my view of the 1st set but I just didn't feel like I enjoyed it as much as I should have despite some obvious highlights (Truckin>Cumberland was a pretty cool way to open, Viola melted my face, really the whold set was pretty damm solid, the playing exemplary in general) so myself and my three friends individually without talking to each other had already decided to move and we all ended up within rows of where I had sat on Saturday. Good thing 'cause that allowed me to FULLY enjoy what I would go beyond calling "great" and would easily use the word "epic". The 2nd set played out like one of "those" GD 2nd set, one BIG, LONG song that just happened to have multiple chapters aka song titles. It had the proper ebb and flow and was a total mind-meld from beginning to end. Born Cross-Eyed EXPLODED out of the box, the lights and sound was truly intoxicating. The Wheel might have been the best version I've ever witnessed. The moment they started WRS Prelude I turned to my friend and stated "what took them so long?" Really? A song tailor-made for this particular incarnation and they waited for 2nd set 2nd night MSG? THANK YOU! And it was BEAUTIFUL, simply beautiful. My friend Jose had been begging for Time and I simply had forgotten 'bout it, swept up in the euphoria of the show so when they segued out of WRS Pt.1 into it, it truly took me totally off-guard and hit me like virtually no other musical hammer could, I danced as furiously as I've EVER danced in my life as if my life depended on it as the narative of the song danced thru my head, I'm STILL getting goose-bumps over how they performed it, flawless to my ears. The Let It Grow crackled and bristled with mass amounts of energy. The UC might have been the worst song in the set and that is simply not saying much, there wasn't THAT much of a fall-off from what preceeded it or what was to follow it, both of which I had called before this tour even started. For those that want to talk setlist I would have preferred that both songs not be played@MSG, I love BUT have witnessed live every East Coast Dew performed and I was ready for them to kick the living daylights out of other deserving songs BUT that did not diminish my enjoyment of either the UC or the Dew, they were both great, especially the Dew. PITB was excellent. Phil HAD to step away from the mic 'cause MSG was showing him the love like no other venue can IMHO and the donor rap had a certain sense of poignancy on this particular evening, so did the Brokedown Palace and the roar of the crowd as they took their bow and walked off the stage was one that I've rarely experienced other than here in MSG (an exception being Boston Garden last show in '91 and last show in '94).

Furthur has taken it further. They are who they are and I believe we are better by having them here. Do I miss the "space" aspect of it from when they were the GD? Yes. But can I appreciate what they are accomplishing now? You betcha'. Bring it on, bring more of it on...

Peace,
Alex

Pictures of setlist fragment recovered from under the seat of "Setlist Man" (story a few posts above) post-show on Sun:





This is a picture of each side, notice the bleed-thru so you can tell it's double sided and the same piece of paper.

Funny thing is, we were side-stage on Sat and pretty much straight back on Sun and I VASTLY preferred being straight back to side stage - sound was SO MUCH better/ focused/ intense straight back (had an equal share of talkers/ drunks around us both nights so that factor cancels out) - so that could be why I thought Sat lacked "x-factor" - the sound was just not coming thru there . . . let's see what revisionist opinions I've got when I listen to both shows on the way to T-Giving tomorrow in the car . . .

"During the set break I was talking to a 24 year old who was taking a little mini tour vacation from work. We were talking a little about what was different from the GD to now. I told him about how Healy used to do the quad sound effects, etc. About how they used to sell the place out, including the seats behind the stage, and about how you could sell your ticket for face if you wanted to, etc. Then, when the lights went down and the 2nd set started I explained to him how the crowd would have been 5 times as loud at the start of the set, egging the band on to come out of the gate at full throttle. It's like they've all forgotten that one of the most special things about a Grateful Dead show was how the band could feed on the energy of the crowd. I'm 43 with a desk job. I'm 50 lbs overweight and have 0 aerobic conditioning and a crap diet. BUT I REMEMBER IT. THE X FACTOR. THAT SPECIAL MELDING OF THE MUSIC AND THE CROWD THAT ONLY HAPPENED AT DEAD SHOWS. I'm open to that still, but I can't make it happen all by myself. There has to be a certain scale, a certain # of people who are tuned in to the energy and ready to channel it. WHERE DID YOU GO? I MISS YOU SO MUCH."

Yup - it's noticeable in its absence. TOO Fall Tour 2002 was the last time I felt that insane raging from the audience - especially 1st night Philly.

>>>>>> Yup - it's noticeable in its absence. TOO Fall Tour 2002 was the last time I felt that insane raging from the audience - especially 1st night Philly.

The Dead MSG spring '09 had a pretty raging crowd reception from what I recall . . .

to say that Saturday's Furthur was a competent rendering by a cover band is the stupidist thig ever posted here or anywhere. In my 39 years seeing these guys at MSG/Felt Forum and all incarnations in between, this show (I didn't get to go Sunday) was one of the finest excursions they ever brought me on. The set list stands as one of the greatest second sets ever but the quality of the playing, the intensity of the crowd and the love offered and shared made it one of the best shows I've ever been to.

Now the real reason I wanted to post:

I am so GRATEFUL...to the "core four" for making the best music they can, night after night in all of their various combinations, and of course PigPen, Jerry, TC, Keith, Donna, Brent, Vince and all of their partners on stage and in life...to the community that has filled my life with soo much fun, love and energy..to the zoner's and to my own family of loving lunatics

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Myles

grosbeak bob and phil...great review

dude it was magical
please dont compare this to when jer was here
even if you saw a million shows disgrace

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Don't know who the above post is directed to but I'll speak for myself: I know that I'm not trying to compare Furthur with whatever Jer was involved with, be it the GD or his own solo stuff. When the music is pouring into my ears I'm not saying to myself "Wow, they're doing it better (or worse) then when Jer was around...", that'd be ludicrous, there was and will only be one Jer. That being said, it is HIS music that is being performed and we are human, one can't help but to think of him at one point or another...

Furthur is not the GD and vice versa. Period, end of sentence. But just with anything else, the experience of life does allow us to compare to a certain extent what was done then and how it is being done now. I'm not looking to say that it is better or worse, it is simply different. It's currently my (and others) cup of tea and I rather hear new interpretations of the GD catalog then put in my old bootlegs of the GD simply 'cause I'm a concert whore, I rather hear it live NOW while I can. There is plenty of time (hopefully, LOL!) to go back and visit history aka bootlegs. I think that it is an exciting time in Dead-related history though I don't think that Furthur is anywhere near perfect but neither was the GD. It's still 'bout the journey, I enjoyed the live ride between '88 & 95 and I'm enjoying the live ride with Furthur at present. Furthur isn't for everybody the same way the GD wasn't for me until I was ready for it and, considering my age (52) I definitely was a late bloomer to it. Without Jer there would be no Philzone to speak about and who knows what'd we would be doing now so I'm grateful that Phil & Bob have kept the music alive, for us, in their various incarnations including the current one, which IMHO is the best one to date though I was really digging Ratdog in the last three years or so and 'am still sad that it is currently defunct.

There is no "one" form of magic, it is an intangible. A lot of us felt it with the GD, a lot of us have felt it in the various incarnations, I definitely felt it this past weekend@the two MSG shows. I've seen "great" shows that weren't necessarily "magical" and "magical" shows that weren't necessarily "great". That's part of the charm of this music. IMHO, without thinking of Jer, not only were the MSG shows "great", they rose to both a "epic" and "magical" level. That's what my ears heard and my soul felt. Music is in the ears of the beholder, do what you'd like to with it, I'm entitled to my feelings and everybody is entitled to their feelings and I thank the folks that run a fine site like this one so that we may have open forums to share our feelings but feelings are simply that, feelings. I'm no better or worse, I'm not any more right or wrong than anybody else, I just know what I'm feeling and have chosen to share it here while at the same time I enjoy reading others sharing their feelings on various subjects that I'm interested in. It's all good...

Peace,
Alex

>>>>>>> to say that Saturday's Furthur was a competent rendering by a cover band is the stupidist thig ever posted here or anywhere

>>>>>>> (I didn't get to go Sunday)

In the words of Lionel Hutz, Attorney @ Law:

"I rest my Case" . . .

omg ~~~ setlist guy !!! "NO, you can't see it !!!! ".....hah! i did'nt want to. you got the pic posted...great.



....he was one of those " look at me people"....ALL nite ! ya mighta thought we bought tickets to see him...lol.

to all deadheads....300 with jerry 150 without....im tired of this....i just watched the video from 9-11-88 mickey harts 45 tth bday from the spectrum and it is by far the worst effort ive seen by jerry whom we all love....it was painful to watch and i will gladly sent it to anyone who wants it...having said that...what i saw at msg was 20000x better than what i watched on my television last night...enough of this further bashing get a life...jerry fucked up every song...again 9-11-88 either listen to it or watch it...watching is much worse...i dont even think he knew where he was and i also watched 9-18-88 a week later at msg and its not much better...brutal is actually the words i would use...so all of you haters sit at home and watch your bootleg dvds of a drugged out jerry who cant remember the words or play his guitar ans stay away from further

Listened through to both nights back to back and gotta say the first night is stronger overall from start to finish, but the first set of this second show, with the exception of Cassidy, is absolutely stellar and certainly rivals any GD- especially reminding me of the '72 era precision. The second set is average for Furthur. Don't know what the Dew rave is all about- it's average at best. Born X-I'd was not their best (listen to Rochester). Not sure why they broke up Weather Report Suite with Time- it ruined the flow- both tunes were done very, very well, but it's a bad setlist flow IMO. Playing was short and the jam rushed and perfunctory without adequate time to develop organically and was a little too much after the monster song selections that preceded it. Very nice first MSG run though. Look forward to more from this line-up. They are maturing quickly and certainly are capable of commanding arenas now.

(((( Sunday ))))....left me breathless, and literally held me at a standstill at times words can't really explain, Tony posted an awesome pic in OS...shades of blue we are callin it, kinda sumed it up for me.

Also i have never had the opp to go to MSG in past,( saw many shows in the 70's, spectrum was closest to me) so this was my first time....there def was magic in the air, from the moment i looked up and saw the Empire state bldg, i KNEW it was gonna be a great weekend, i have made it known on here i luvvv Cumberland, and from that point on ( def tweeky jam ) ....it never stopped....can't wait to see what is to come ~

<<<i have made it known on here i luvvv Cumberland,

LOL. Lyn I think everyone who knows & loves you thought of you at the same exact moment. HAHAHA

Funny Cumberland & Viola are two of my can never get enough of and when they back to backed them, let's just say I couldn't stop moving even if I tried. PURE JOY>

Kinda like Phil in GLens Falls, that crazy viola>cumberland>viola>cumberland>viola>cumberland >viola club sandwich on steroids.

Thank you for hooking me up. So when are we actually gonna get the chance to hang???

The whole weekend was fucking WOW.

peg dear....scroll up for setlist pic i told you story of...omg !! great to catch up with ya, and i think of you on Cumberland, as i know your my twin shit kickin it out sistah, when that song comes on hoping to see you and the Mr Fab this weekend, spending some time together pre or post would be grate ~

HAHAHAHAHAAAAAA ^^^^

that's awesome.

what a great story and a great piece of memorabilia from an unforgettable night.

maybe ss should put it on ebay and let Setlist Man buy it back. HAHAHA

great chattin last night too. we talked for over an hour. lol