Let's get this thing started, I'm excited as hell already. Predictions?

I'm calling:

Unbroken
Scarlet > Fire
Eyes

Jam > HCS > Golden Road opener.

With a Second set Scarlet Fire opener, and Drums/Space > O1 > Terrapin

Good calls, Eyes AND Nups. I can practically taste a Terrapin and Eyes. I'm hoping for a Cumberland and/or Dew at some point, and a Chinacat or Viola would neither shock nor upset me. Albany starts my run, and between Friday and the end of Philly, I'm dying for a Creampuff War. I can barely contain myself through the anticipation!
Tomorrow's supposed to be a glorious day in the Capital District, so...drive safely, enjoy the show and most of all have fun.

here comes sunsine into golden road

Im sure that it will be ANOTHER very good show whatever they play! All the shows have gone over quite well so far!...P.S. But please dont let Phil sing another New Potato Caboose, no offense, I love Phil dearly, but that song didnt come off to good vocally. Now take it easy, thats MY opinion

Is it bad if I want to hear a Me and My Uncle > Big River or something? I bet Warren could tear Big River a new one.

phil has been singing new potatoe for 10 years, now. I have never heard a version that wasn't very good. You should check out his version of mts of the moon, whats become of the baby or rosemary if you are that new to this scene(post jerry)It is the ballad spot that only phil can sing, now a days. PS he is also very good on the Black peter, and the morning dew and I wish he would sing the china doll again, like he used to.

Probably just about anything is possible for these shows.HCS is a good call for the opener in Albany (as I stated in the Cville thread last night)I'd like to hear a Spanish Jam or Maybe a Mind Left Body Jam like the Terrapin> MLBJ in Albany 3-24-90. Who knows the Skys the Limit!!
PS. I love Phils New Potato. Its always a special night when they pull that one out. They can lay that one on me anytime they want...Just my opinion.
Peace

oooooh. Big River, good call....the Knick being down by the Hudson and all....and the whole tour is going down that big ole river next week.

LTGTR to open

i like any song phil sings if only they would turn up his mic

Feel Like A Stranger opener
...my early prediction

How about China Rider, Eyes, Viola Lee, Terrapin drums space golden road, morning dew, good loving,
Something like that

oh and maybe bid you goodnight

what time have the shows been starting?

causually late.....10 to 20 minutes. I believe?

thx

I'm thinking we are due a Crytpical>Other One.
Just so long as Bobby doesn't do it in half-time.

def Stranger opener

have fun freaks...see ya on sunday

I like a Dew but Warren needs to sing, in the original key... when Phil sings it he brings it down a step and a half, and it's very creepy in B... be great to see a Scarlet Begonias in B though...

Really...who cares what they sing?

I'm just psyched for the show!

alright, so a lot of gems left to play that is for sure.....hitting 4/18 in MA....hoping they don't let them all out tonight in albany ha ha....what do we have left...terrapin, eyes, china>rider, scarlet>fire....cryptical>other one?? what others????.....man i can't wait....the boys are on FIRE!!!!!

warren sang dew in atlanta a few years ago, and totally brought me down. that's either one for joan, or jerry, and we all know he ain't showing up.

i think they are saving eyes for the new jersery shows imo

Just wanted to say that the SBD recordings off Dead.net are fucking phenomenal, and even though it was 14.50 and took 24 hours, they really sound 1000000 times better than any of the AUD recordings I've heard (No Offense Tapers, We Love You)....These guys are on it, and I couldn't really tell until I heard the SBD.

Btw, who is doing sound?

Front of the house sound is being done by Derek Featherstone. I guess he has done sound for Primus and other Claypool projects, other than that I dont know much about him..

Mickey raps Samba In The Rain tonight

New to the scene? Who me? Dont think so dude. Im confident that Ive been to more shows in my life than you will ever be. My 1st show was Englishtown, so you can take it from there. Plus, I dont care how long Phil has been singin New Potato, just because hes been singin it for 10 years doesnt mean that its good. You say you never heard him do a bad version of it? Fine. I never heard him do a good version of it. And as far as Mtns...Moon,Whats Become...Baby...Rosemary.. Black Peter... and Morning Dew, the only one of those songs that he does a decent job on is Mtns. of the Moon. Why do you think that he hardly sings?

They dont need to turn up Phil's mic Art...Phil just has to stop mumbling and sing louder

nice day for a show...60+ deg

alright let's just sit back and get ready to watch this 4th night of tour unfold.

"ain't no time to hate, barely time to wait"

Prompt! 7:35

4-17-09
"The Knick"
Albany, NY


Set I:

Casey Jones

here we go

4-17-09
"The Knick"
Albany, NY


Set I:

Casey Jones >
Cold Rain & Snow

must be stretching out that CR&S

Set I:

Casey Jones >
Cold Rain & Snow
Minglewood

birdsong?

4-17-09
"The Knick"
Albany, NY


Casey Jones >
Cold Rain & Snow,
Minglewood >
Into The Mystic

How do you get Casey Jones to ">" into CRS? They are totally different tempos (assuming they sped up the end of Casey and then did the final retard refrain). The same question could be posed for Minglewood ">" Mystic... (how nice to hear them pull this tune out!) I think people are too liberal with the ">"- that used to indicate an actual jam, not stop/start with sustain/cymbal overlap...but I sure do appreciate the updates

4-17-09
"The Knick"
Albany, NY


Casey Jones >
Cold Rain & Snow,
Minglewood >
Into The Mystic
West LA

4-17-09
"The Knick"
Albany, NY


Casey Jones >
Cold Rain & Snow,
Minglewood >
Into The Mystic
West LA
Brown Eyed Women

4-17-09
"The Knick"
Albany, NY


Casey Jones >
Cold Rain & Snow,
Minglewood >
Into The Mystic
West LA
Brown Eyed Women
Cumberland

end of set

Looking good thus far...

Sweet mystic
1:05

7 songs in every 1st set so far. I know Phil likes the number 7 (and so do I...John Elway!!) but why be so rigid?
Come on boys, play some 8,9, or 10 song 1st sets like you did in prior years!

Don't take this wrong, because they ARE playing good long shows, but I do think the 7 song 1st set is getting a bit predictable.

and averaging 10 minutes a tune now (unlike shorter cowboy romps in decades past) these sets clock in at 70 minutes.... add a few more tunes and they'll keel over!

Who's got my Gimme Some Lovin'?

maybe a scarlet / fire set 2? first set looking good

any moment now they should be starting second set....waiting waiting...heheh

I called that cumberland. i agree the Casey Jones into Cold Rain and Snow takes me a moment to contemplate the transition (if there was one).

Thanks to all who are passin on the set list I appreciate it and am spreading the word!

4-17-09
"The Knick"
Albany, NY


Set I:

Casey Jones >
Cold Rain & Snow,
Minglewood >
Into The Mystic
West LA
Brown Eyed Women
Cumberland


Set II:

Viola Lee Blues

i believe there will be a scarlet>fire in second set.....

A set starting with Viola ALWAYS leads to good things!

4-17-09
"The Knick"
Albany, NY


Set I:

Casey Jones >
Cold Rain & Snow,
Minglewood >
Into The Mystic
West LA
Brown Eyed Women
Cumberland


Set II:

Viola Lee Blues >
Sugaree

4-17-09
"The Knick"
Albany, NY


Set I:

Casey Jones >
Cold Rain & Snow,
Minglewood >
Into The Mystic
West LA
Brown Eyed Women
Cumberland


Set II:

Viola Lee Blues >
Sugaree >
The Other One

Heresy, I know. No disrespect to musicians, but don't miss the drums - space.

Any updates since Other One?

Well as you can tell they have been mixing up sets quite a bit and playing songs that seem sometimes random comparitively. I think this is just one example of how they are defining their own style as "The Dead" this tour.

I was suprised to see sugaree/other one myself. They aren't going to miss drums space...perhaps they are gearing up for it. Bet they throw in a terrapin =)

other one >drums>space>comes a time>unbroken chain

throwing stones...?

it seems like for some reason it is open season on phil. when i said new to the scene, I specified post jerry. Anyone who has followed phil since 99 knows how special the new potatoe is. That was maybe of unfair of me to generalize you, or your gd experience. 100 plus shows puts me where I am today, and close to 50 phil. Personally i don't care about all your experience, really, I am happy for you. I happen to like phil singing that tune as well as the others. I guess when I write that here on the "philzone" I would expect most people posting on it are phil fans. Lots of people don't like his voice, I am not one of them. I didn't fly out to san fran for new years to see bob. Although I was blown away at his(ratdog) version of terrapin>at a siding..stunning. I can only hope if bob is the leader everyone says he is, that he can teach the boys that one! they did king solomons, why not that? Here is to hoping this band plans another tour in 09, hopefully the fall! Seriously, dude, I meant no offense, just stating facts. It seems some people on this thread forget phil has been touring for ten years, on his own. Personally, god forbid, if in the future bob decided not to tour again with the dead, I would hope that phil, bill, and mickey would put together a band that would still make killer music together and tour.

Set II:

Viola Lee Blues>
Sugaree>
The Other One>
Drums>
Space>
Comes A Time>
Unbroken Chain...

Set II:

Viola Lee Blues>
Sugaree>
The Other One>
Drums>
Space>
Comes A Time>
Unbroken Chain
Throwing Stones

E: DONOR RAP
NFA

Killer setlist.....maybe the best yet.

As the road goes on the band is getting tighter.

Towards the end of the tour at the home town shows out at Shoreline they should be some hot shows.

Yeah, from Denver on should be pretty special.....I'm doing Denver, flying to LA, driving to SF, and flying up to Seattle.....Then I'll be at Roth.....Cannot wait.

who sang what???
thanks!

after all the words being tossed back and forth - who cares - let the music play the band & and we'll keep on dancin'

looks like a nice show, cant wait to hear tomorrow! keep it comin boys!

Just walked in the door from the show and I have to say this might be the best start to finish show so far. The band really gelled and Warren played some amazing solos tonight, he is definitly raising his game. Billy and Mickey were awesome for drumz too
I also got the CD at the show and it sounded great on the ride home. More indepth review later today

Nice show tonight!! ..... the first set was very tight,Casey was a nice opener, and Cold Rain and Snow was well done. Into the Mystic was a nice suprise and both BEW and Cumberland smoked. Warren, Phil and Bobby did a nice job of sharing vocals on most of the songs

The second set was filled with Jammed out versions of Viola (25 Mins) and Other One (17 Mins) For the most part the jams were focusud but they also had time to really go out there...especially on the other one ........Warren sang beautifly on Sugaree and CAT and Bobby and Phil showed us why we come out and see these guys with excellent versions of unbroken and throwin stones.... NFA was great too

Funny little story that happened in the lot: A few super young cops were making their rounds on shakedown not busting anybody but just walking around when a large woman whips on one of her tits in front of the cop. Another guy (who i hope she knew) came over and started to suck on it! The cops were first in shock but they just shook thier heads laughed a little and walked away!

Heres the vocals breakdown


4-17-09
"The Knick"
Albany, NY
Set I:
Casey Jones (Warren, Bob)
Cold Rain & Snow, (Warren, Bob Phil each took a verse)
Minglewood >
Into The Mystic (Warren)
West LA (Bob, Warren)
Brown Eyed Women (Bob, Warren, Phil on "look like the old man's)
Cumberland (All)


Set II:

Viola Lee Blues > (All)
Sugaree > (Warren)
The Other One
Drums> (With Jeff at Some Point)
Space>
Comes A Time> (Warren)
Unbroken Chain
Throwing Stones

E: DONOR RAP
NFA

i almost forgot ....drums was a HUGE highlight ....mickey and billy went wild for about 10 minutes ....its still hard to fathom that those guys are in their 60's

Only 14 songs total? Aren't these shows on the short side?

Maybe only 14 songs but the show clocked in at a little over 4 hours. Loooong jams.

How long was the set break?

Seems like some folks insist on dividing into Bobby and Phil "camps". Maybe the Phil folks should post here, and the Bobby folks should post over at www.iwouldcrawlonbrokenglasstoteabagbobby.com

Was The Other One a runaway freight train with Phil really thumping the intro, or was it more spacey and oozy?

They started wit an other one themed jam for a few minutes .... phil did the huge intro and then it got very spacey and oozy!

set break was around 40 minutes.

How bout some more reviews from those who were there (please)....

Hey Juice..
How was NRPS last night?

Good Afternoon Zoners,
As promised here is an expanded review. I will start to say be prepared to be surprised at any show. No repeats in any of the four so far.

I think I will forget trying to call any openers until 20 seconds before they break it out!
Casey Jones was perfect, the scene was full blown and Shakedown was ragin'. The last time I heard this one was,yes you guessed it Albany 3/27/93. It was a very strong version and they nailed it." And you know that notion just crossed my mind"

CR&S was very good and they rocked it out.
Minglewood, been here before lol, had some timing issues with Bobby's lyrics but it had them working at it and it got better as it progressed. Bobby added this nasty verse about SF girls lovin to ball lol

In to the Mystic was really when this show got really good. Perfect song for Warren and he sang it with passion. Right on!
West LA was cool with Jeff added some tasty solos.They really are interacting with each other very well now. Especially Bobby and Warren and it showed in this version.

A little jam, although Phil totally gave it away after to lsiten to it this morning, into a gem of a BE Women which really set the place a blaze. It was the perfect choice.Great harmonies and playing by all.

Then an even more perfect choice, a SMOKIN' Cumberland Blues, thank you Bobby.
They raged on it!

I have to say that Bobby charged right into this one and his playing and tone was some of the best I have heard from him in years. They all traded off verses and it was a great ending to the set.
The sound was not as good as I would like in the first set. I was off to Phil right opposite end of the stage. It was loud enough but the vocals and Jeff needed to be alittle louder and clearer. Luckliy this was fixed for the second set.

During the break the halls where a total gridlock! Just like the old days. You could just make it to the bathroom and walk twenty feet in either directions before retreating. The vending was slow and very understaffed.I felt bad for them they were working their asses off.

I did meet David Lemieux at the music table, which I would recommend doing. He did agree this night was one of the best first set so far too. I offered a couple ideas for releases and he was like cool but he was not compltely sold, it is clear we have different taste. I mentioned 10/1/94, 8/10/82 and he thought they were ok. He mentioned he liked the Red Rocks run from that tour better. I will have to check that out.

I mentioned the Omni '94 and he thought it would be a good complilation down he road.I will have to work on him more, he just wants to keep releasing shows from '77. Enough already!

Set II another suprise with a full out Viola Lee, which had the band playing some of their best interactions of the night, they really grooved it out and you thought at times they might jam out of it at one point, heard some slight China Cat teases, but they brought it back to the last verse and finished it. Phil's playing was super during this song.

Sugaree was a total show case and Warren once again hit it out of the park. The crowd responded with heartfelt harmonies and joyous roars of appeciation as he and the band sailed and built the intensity to a amazing peak. Well done.

Now things started gettin good, they launch right into an Other One theme jam and it was clear where we were going. They played it out really well and although we did not get the traditional Phil bomb entry, it was still note worthy. The band was firing on all cylinders. Bill and Mickey were laying down a fierce groove.


The jam between the first and second verses was incredible and had them playing some tradional themes but also exploring some new territory. If you are a fan of the song, you will be quite happy. I was estactic!!!

I am a big fans of drumz and this may have been the best in a long time for these guys. They totally delivered and erupted in this part. It was high energy with Billy laying down a intence driving groove on his set and Micky playing a variety of things, from the hanging drums to maybe his beam. Mickey ended by playing samples and other techno/ new age type sounds that were very good.

After the short space they dropped in an majestic and heartfelt reading of Comes A Time, this was one for the faithful. Jerry would have been proud, it was beautiful and they played it out at 10 mintues.Once again Warren's vocals were inspired and the audience singing along was quite special. I was in heaven.

Now after hearing one of the best Garcia/ Hunter songs to be followed by Phil's best song was remarkable! Now I know for many folks they may, and they were around me, be bummed by two slow songs, but if you are a fan of history and the significance of this pairing it was truely a special moment.
These two songs simply speak volumes to the depth of what is the core of the GD experience.

Phil started alittle tentative with his vocals, but really made this verson incredible and the band soared. Maybe one minor misteps by Jeff, but he made up for it by playing some great solos with a variety of different tones.

Then an epic T. Stones played like it was 1983. They rocked it out big time, I thought it was clear where were were going, maybe thought they might pull out Good Lovin', but after the last verse they played it out and then Bobby ended it nicely. Another surprise lol.

When Phil came out for the Donor rap he was over come by the roar from the audience and acknowledge this and took a gracious step back before starting and shared that we help close the circuit and thanked us for doing this for them.

NFA was the obvious choice and they charged into it and rocked it out. Heavy audience partiscipation and much better than the Roseland one too.

I ended up going for the sb, had a feeling this was going to be a keeper;)
The mix on it sounds great and is very natural sounding and warm.
I am changing my plans and going to Wilkes Barre now

Great show....very strong from the start.

The whole first set was great. Cold Rain and Snow had a great groove. Into the Mystic - like all the songs that Warren sang - was done really well. The BEW into Cumberland closed it up very well. Viola Lee was good, but not sure if the entire crowd was into it. Sugaree was just epic, one for the ages. Warren did not hold back and just belted it out and also played the hell out of it. Friends who I went with said that they were not psyched to see Warren play, but completely changed their minds after. The Other One was long and very full. Drums was very nice, and kept the crowds attention, I skipped space. They came back out with comes a time, and once again Warren delivered. It seems that at this show that played a number of ballads that let him really step it up, he was the MVP the whole night. UBC was fairly standard, and shorter than PL&F versions. Throwing Stones and NFA was just like the old days and Bobby nailed it with the crowd and the band locked in. Albany has always been a good town for the Dead and this was another fantastic show.

>>>>>>>
Funny little story that happened in the lot: A few super young cops were making their rounds on shakedown not busting anybody but just walking around when a large woman whips on one of her tits in front of the cop. Another guy (who i hope she knew) came over and started to suck on it! The cops were first in shock but they just shook thier heads laughed a little and walked away!

I wish I took a picture of the cops I saw with his finger in the air looking for a ticket, one of the funniest things I ever saw in a lot. They were walking around shakedown joking it up with everybody and setting a real good vibe. Security was very chill inside also, you could go anywhere you wanted from the start. This tour is kicking some serious ass

Awesome review TED...sounds incredible. They should be on fire by the time they get to LA where I'll get to see them.

Thanks Brain.
I know I have a good buddy who lives in LA and I have been twisting his arm to go. He is finally off the fence now,plus he can listen to the Worcester show live tonight on Sirus.That should seal the deal

SO MUCH FUN is all I can say. I had tickets in the last row of the front floor section on the left, and managed to make my way up the aisle almost to the rail by the mid-end of the second. Amazing sound, very full and strong (Chimenti fills in the holes VERY well), so awesome being close up, Drums was KILLER (especially being directly under the giant lightning bolt, which lights up when Mickey nails the giant drums), I got my Unbroken, and Warren just tore shit up, especially on Sugaree. Amazing night, worth the money and the trip and more. Can't WAIT for Nassau > MSG next weekend.

is this show up for download yet

Thanks for the reviews! (Very Nice, Ted!!!)

Holy fuck was that a good show. The 2nd set opening Viola->Sugaree->Other One was about an hour long, gripping, epic and fucking fierce. I venture to say this band is quite simply a better band than the GD were in their last decade (89-91 aside probably). They are listening to each other and going places that the GD hadn't gone in years. The jamming was fucking incredible. There is no replacing Garcia and what he brought to the table...but from a purely musical standpoint, this band has put some real work into their playing and it shows. A fucking ++. See you in Buffalo.

I will echo the sentiment above as well by adding that the Drums section last night was the most intense I have seen in any of the post GD shows I have attended and ranks up there with any of them. Billy was absolutely smoking, boy did he get his chops back, and Mickey was out of his fucking mind on the effects, the huge drums in back and everything else. And probably the LOUDEST drums I have ever heard as well.

The rest of the show as great as well, 1st and 2nd set. I'll try to write a real review tomorrow. Too fried at the moment. Where's the Buffalo meet up? I think I got into Albany too late to meet anyone.

Hmmmm, what to say... Been on the bus since 1977. Many happy shows under my belt from then til now. Previous show reviews above for Albany are agreeable to me.... Please let me say this; "tribal, deep, backbeet, manny flowing gooey jams, hard and soft and really nice to listen to." Many many jams in and between. Jams are reminicent, but are Now and of the Daze we're in; not a lick of the old throw backs when it comes right down to it. Jams are todays jams, new and hardy and at times in 16 speed; hard at time to figure. Set list doesn't really do the show justice. Show was Waaay different for. Different from Phil & Friends, different from Ratdog, different from the Other Ones, Different from The Dead Post Jerry and differnt from The GD.

I guess I'm happy to see them still chugging along, Phil with his new funky bass's, Bobby filling in between and digging for the lyrics, Micky and Billy hammering down low and waay over the top. Warren is beyond words, Jeff fills in well and a solid player.

Aother show under my belt at almost 49 years old and happy to have made it, happy to hear, feel, see and taste the freshness of these old dudes. Oh yea, all this, and now I got to see this show with my 18 & 16 year old boys at my side (I love my kids) - Neither of them snickered or chuckled at my non stop dancing and cunducting; yes I still seem to cunduct, where and when they all seem to be going. And yes my kids thought the show was waay cool and want to see them again. What a joy, to be a Dad, and to still see what's left of the boys after all these years. I'll keep going as long as tehy permit, and will ensure my kids come along for the ride.
It was all so different with many, most or more of the same feelings that have kept me going for all these years.

Hmmmm go figure

I was at the show last night and was wondering this of anyone who was also there or has a copy already: the refrain at the end of Casey Jones...was it the brownies I had at Hill Street Cafe or did that go on way longer than usual? I swear it was one of the longest endings of the song I have ever heard.

Longer than the GD versions but kind of in line with PLQ-style extended ending. I actually thought it was a little shorter than they have done in recent years. Maybe it was your brownies.

Thx, Sully. I had a funny feeling it was somewhat in my head. What about Into The Mystic...was I transported to another planet (Saturn?) or was that also the brownies?

Nice review Ted. I was there and felt nearly the same about each tune. I'm happy that I'm catching 3 more on this tour.

Overall I thought that it was really a great show. As much as I love Viola tho, this particular version was really, really, performed incredibly slow. Just wish that they would have sped that one up a bit more.

Into The Mystic may be the best song I have heard this group perform yet. Thanks for mixing it up, boys! Let Warren sing!!

I was asked to put my review here. I wrote it in a few parts, within the context of a few different threads, and some of it was a conversation with a few people. I hope that you can see I did like the show overall, though I did have a serious criticism about portions of it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"""The second set gathered "Jam," "Drums" and "Space" around the frame of
"The Other One." It was a sequence that lasted over an hour and frankly had to
tax even the most ardent Deadhead."""

http://blogs.timesunion.com/reviews/?p=843


HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I couldn't have said it better myself.

LOLOLOLOLOL.


I had a great fantastic wonderful time. I love everyone I hung with and loved
loved loved the crowd and the vibe.

I loved the whole first set. It was sexy and sultry and sweet.

Second set was ok when they finally came out of their trip. Which imho was
antithetical because of a lot of wanking. Please when you wank out, provide me
with a soft leather easy chair and a bottle of cognac.

I love the Other One Jam. One fantastic syncopated jam of hot possibilities.
What was that half hour of mutual masturbation? Mule with Andy Hess blew what
the guys did last night out of the water.

Sorry but I know music and what the guys were playing last night was hey I think
what you say is bull shit. I am gonna do what I want cause I am the man.

Just as bad as the politicians they decry.

They can do what they want but don't expect me to lie. I respect their artistic
right. But please don't disrespect my right to not appreciate some of it.

There were strong and solid sections of sheer brilliance and perfect sound
especially in the second set. Though you had to tease through the wanking.

I think last night was the first time I really understood how Bobby rounds out
the sound with his exceptional rhythm guitar playing. Also Jeff's playing went
beyond my very high expectations. I loved hearing Phil sing that amazing song. I
can't wait till I know all the words to that one. And of course Phil is just a
wonderful glorious bassist. Warren sang a few songs well and his playing was
understated and moving at points.

But last night to me was a percussion rhythm extravaganza (partly due to my new
found respect for Bobby's guitar work) but mostly because it was the first
Mickey/Bill session I have ever listened to and watched. At Roseland they didn't
do a session. I loved what they did last night. Both the drums and the recorded
sounds were very sexy and sultry and put me in a good place mentally so that all
the tediousness of the jamming before was pleasantly moved to the past so that I
was able to enjoy the remainder of the set.

It was the best Not Fade Away jamming I have ever heard. What a great song to
dance to.

Was questioned about my choice of words: "sexy and sultry and sweet"

But that is what a lot of last night felt like to me and that is what I found
from the first set and the drumming portion and I felt it was brought over into
Not Fade Away.

Some of it was the company I was keeping but some of it was due to what the band
was putting out.

Maybe it was just because of my enhancements, I don't know. But I had a real
nice time save for the half hour of tedious wanking during the outro of the
Other One jam.


Oh you're comparing them to Phil and Friends: Well, I"m not comparing any
formation to another.

Just what I felt from last night's show. Overall it was good but it wasn't
great.

However, I had a great time. With the people and the music.

Concerts are concerts. A lot of people get too high. Drinks get spilled, sorry
Lyn, people act like jerks, nothing unusual with that. Mostly it was a great fun
happy crowd which is a switch from some of the heavier drinking crowds I've
experienced. Some other forms of mood enhancers seem to make the vibe a lot more
chill than the heavy alcohol crowds. (I was not pleased with the smelly people I
did come across outside, but forgot them once inside.)

The crowd from my perspective last night was really a positive happy crowd. They
were just chill. I had a great time. I enjoyed most of the music. I thought it
could have been a little less tedious.

When you see a crowd of 15,000 sit down during the second set for an hour, and
see some of them yawning, it sort of takes something out of the atmosphere for
me.

But on a personal level, I had enough stimulation to keep myself occupied. :-)
And I enjoyed my night last night overall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I think the Dead is more of a group effort with Bobby adding a lot of
authenticity to the sound and a lot of leadership to the band. Phil too of
course, but he is like water whereas Bobby is like titanium and Warren is like
gold. Don't think water is not a force to contend with when in motion. I think
Bobby knows his Dead stuff and should keep on singing. Warren's a good singer
too of course but Bobby has the right to sing the songs he wants. The jams are
very unstructured and maybe there needs to be a pow wow about them.

I think there is a mis-understanding. The audience is not the same as it was in
the hey day of the 60's and 70's or the rocket ride of the 80's. There is a new
generation of people listening. Either the band is going to be responsive and
take an honest look around them or they are going to be stuck in their own
dreams and imaginings - trying to bring back a time that just isn't going to
happen again.

Sure people do drugs and party but there is a lot of pressure to take care of
business these days, no matter what your age. From the 21 year old who is trying
to figure out weather he or she should go for a masters or start to work full
time to a 35 year old who still needs to work very hard to get the American
dream to the 40 and 50 year old who can only party on the weekends but can't
fuck up too greatly because everything that they worked for through the last 20
years of their life would be lost with a few DWI's. There are certainly a lot of
people in the audience who did it up and dropped out of the mainstream, but they
are not the majority. You just have to look at the people a little more closely
to see their variations. I have to be on the street and not just in your
isolated buses to really know the delio.

If the band wants to stay a nostalgia act and relive a point long lost in time,
so be it. They had a hard time filling all the arenas. Ticket prices did have an
impact. The longer range viability of the sound is at stake if you just think
everyone is into dropping it and dropping out. Sure they are older so they can
all sit on their fat asses, but the people I know like to get up and dance and
to be more engaged in the whole situation.

When I saw the majority of the floor sit down for a good hour, I though, Meat in
the Seat kind of music.

It is isn't for me. And I like a wide range of music from blue grass to blues to
American standards to 40's jazz and rock, hard rock and pop. What I heard was a
lot of crap at points in the jamming and space and for far too long in precious
time. So much so I would rather sit in silence and cry on a Saturday night. At
least that way I won't sit in front of the tv or computer and eat myself into
oblivion.

There are people in the younger generation who are just different variations of
the dropping it and dropping out crowd. Some have hard drug problems, some have
mental illness, some are just frivolous They just have a harder edge about them
and it feels like there is a cruelty there that I find hard to look at. But I
make myself look so that I don't walk around life with my head up my ass
thinking things are one way when in fact they are another way. The majority of
the Dead crowd are people who are into living a fairly straight life with some
flairs and paisley's to their thinking and behaving but still, they are far from
the dropping it and dropping out crowd of the Prankster days and they are not
the cocaine using disco heads either. They generally are into very exceptional
music and I just don't hear that.

Bobby's mic needs to be dialed in better and you would be surprised at how good
he sounds. The sound could be louder over all. I heard that in Albany and I hear
it on the audience recordings and the You Tube video's. Even Warren's mic could
be dialed in and Phil's could be dialed in when he begins to sing, not just
somewhere after the first verse. I wish Slim Judd was on the sound crew cause he
would have things humming along. I don't need to know the music to hear it. I
know live music enough to know that if I don't hear the words, there is
something wrong with the sound.

Nobody needs to listen to me but if I take the time to comment there is usually
a good reason. It isn't because I want to hear myself talk. I hear myself talk
all the time, but when I take the time to say or write something, there is
usually a good reason. I don't see things in black and white and know that there
was a lot of good in the Albany show, but I have been following the various
versions of the Dead incarnations around for the last eight years or so. I'm not
deaf, I won't lie just to get a smile or a nod or a pass and I can sense the
spirit of the crowd and the space. People where I was standing in Albany during
large portions of the second set were not happy and they were alienated from
what was going on on stage. I looked out at the people during that time and
there was a lot of yawning and talking going on.

That is not my scene at all. I go to the shows for the music mostly. I'm not
usually a yapper when the music is playing.

That's all.

Sorry if it wasnt your scene musically - but from where I was - the place was boogieng down pretty much the entire time. Some of teh jam segments that people are saying were disjointed or as you put it "masturbation" were in fact nicely crafted cohesive examples of stellar jam masters listening to and playing off of each other - not "trying" to make it happen but waiting for it and maximizing opportunities when they did present themselves by surrendering to the jam. It takes a certain amount of attentional endurance to follow sometimes. Anyone who was "taxed" by that ohter one jam - really didnt get the point Fri night and probably hasnt gotten the point ever. Lastly -t eh Times Useless music reviews of any Dead related event from the 80's and beyond have always been notoriously off base - from misnaming songs to misinterpreting hte scene and hte msuic entirely - nothing new there - Ive seen all teh Albany shows and read akk teh TU reviews. They are always worthless and always seem to be written by someone who not only doesnt even know the tunes names - but has no idea of how to appreciate a Dead show. The y should be taken with a grain of salt or ignored. Overall - a fantastic show.

I am an "ardent" Deadhead and I found the portion of the show that some found "taxing" to be fucking excellent. ShortTime couldn't have said it better, so ditto just about everything he said.

Whatever happened to LISTENING? If you need a 24-7 dance party go see SCI when they get together or something. As for me, I found the opening 2nd set sequence through Drums (along with the rest of the set) to be incredible.

I mean, this IS the Dead. If you (general usage, I don't mean anyone in particular) don't like that kind of music, in all honesty, my guess is you need another band, instead of griping about the Dead not meeting your expectations. There's a lot of bands out there, go find one to your liking. As for me, I would take that Albany 2nd set again in a second.

See you in Buffalo.

Skimming the review above, notice the reference to Mule "blowing them out of the water."

I rest my case. Not for you maybe, stop projecting what you think it should be.

I relistened to part of the show last night and I will humbly admit that I think that Viola doesn't hold up as well on tape as it seemed to hang live.
The rest of the show though, very well done.

YMMV

One man gathers what another mans spills...

one thing that hasn't changed over the years is the wide range of perspectives that seem to emerge from different people in the crowd

what the music means to anyone person is always related to the set of prior experiences and emotional mindset of the listener. I remember after my first show in 1974 hearing people say stuff like "that was good, but it sure isn't like the old days." Then I started saying shit like that in the 80s.

kind of like the first acid trip really, no matter how you take, nothing ever compares to the first time....