Friday, February 11, 2000
Looking at the date I can hardly believe it. A few calendar pages have turned since the last Phil show, the PhilHarmonia. Soon it will be time to look at our tickets impatiently again and ever so pleasingly! Time to see what rumors become fact and to see what Phriends come old or new.
Phil turns 60 in a few short weeks and we are all invited to celebrate. Phil and his friends at a 'new' venue for this ride. Well, not a new venue in the scene, a new venue for the new Phil. Alot of phans out there have some sweet memories of the Kaiser I'm sure. Many a Mardi Gras parade has danced through those hallowed halls and perhaps the family will join us for this merry event?
Speaking of family, in these quiet months of preparation for the exciting year ahead of us - we look to see how the saga continues. 1999 was quite a year. When it began we had just experienced a slew of family fun with the Other Ones closing out 1998 with a fantastic summer tour. The crowds cheered at Shoreline when Billy K. joined in on the fun at last re-uniting the original Dead family. As the '98/'99 transition occurred, we were brought together again by the shocking news that Phil needed a liver transplant immediately. Again, we came together in droves of healing support and helped shine the light on Phil bringing his triumphant recovery and return to the stage.
April 15,16, and 17 1999 - History was made as Trey Anastasio, Page McConnel, Steve Kimock and John Molo joined Phil for yet another maiden voyage...the new and re-engerized Phil and Phriends! All in attendance knew something special was happening. Phil had 'plugged back in' and had some new friends who could 'do it' too. It wasn't too long into that Viola Lee Blues before the Group Mind was activated and a new sound was formed.
Each month following Phil kept going for it. All of these great friends and family coming together again, the community grew stronger. But then as 1999 came to a close, we began to experience several rifts from within. What was happening? Our family was beginning to crumble? Egos prevailed and the message became blurred. Many phans were perplexed and camps were divided. How could this happen in a community based on love and inspiration? The very message of "friends" began to wear thin.
As 2000 slowly unfolds we as a community, a community that grew around 30 years of Grateful music, must remain united. We must remember the magic and shine the light where it need be shown. "…once in awhile you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right…" You just have to remember to look at it right.
If we remain true to the music, to the 'voice' of the song, we can get past any superficialities. It doesn't matter if there's a Wizard behind the curtain. Who needs to know if there is a Santa Claus? Let magic and inspiration be the source for experience. We have to remember to take life a little less drastically, no-one person is "better" then the next. It doesn't matter how much power or control someone has - "without love in the dream it will never come true…".
The Rider doesn't want to stand on any soapbox. I just want love to see us through. According to the counter, there's 15 days until Phil's first 2000 appearance. Those in the Bay Area are certainly familiar with local groove band Vinyl. Some even remember one of Phil's first public jam moments with them back in August of 1997 in that foggy Bolinas field. The Rider recalls Phil leading the groovesters through a 'Good Lovin'>Gimme Some Lovin'. It will be great phun seeing what suprises they have in store.
The Phil phun begins again on February 26 in Petaluma and shortly after the Birthday Bash will kick in the New Year. Lots of exciting rumors abound…may we see our Pheat Phriends again? Possibly Bay Area phriend Jorma? Can't rule out Jimmy Herring or Robben Ford. How about a phishy sit-in … Mike Gordon perhaps? Maybe a few jams with some Nelson phriends? Of course, we are all crossing our fingers for a very special phriend - Mr. Bob Dylan!
Well, phriends…keep the love alive. I look forward to shakin' it down with some of my fellow Phil-sters real soon!
With cosmic
pride,
The Rolling Rider
~
~ there are no strangers, only PHRIENDS
who haven't met yet ~ ~
Saturday, February 12, 2000
Excitement
got the best of me yesterday, and on a dare I got on a plane to beautiful
Newar
I took an elegant ride gone rollercoaster wild - full of Kimock's soaring solos, Sear-ing keys & scrumptious rhythm. Somehow the already saturated Wetlands got even more packed and steamy as hippies convulsed next to die-hard clean-cut jam freaks. As I looked around all I could see were smiles and raised eyebrows and an occasional frantic pair of hands performing air guitar hi-jinks.
I was able to hook up with some long-time cohorts in crime before the show. They were very fortunate to grab stage-side standing room behind Mr. Toaster. They came bearing gifts, and reveled in the "blue sparks" emanating from Steve's amp as he filled the room with tasty licks. A fine show for a debut!
The end of the second of two- hour and a half long sets was sugar coated by the magnanimously moving Stella Blue followed by the surprise of Mike Falzarano joining the festivities and transforming an all-instrumental adventure into rollicking sing-a-long versions of It's All Over Now and Going Down The Road Felling Bad. Pete squeezed some tasty accordion bellows out before the show came to a halt. The hoots and shouts gave way to a lucid astonishment as fans slowly dissembled from the intimate bowels of one of New York's most dear venues.
Here's the full setlist:
Set I: Severe Tire Damage, Samba, Bad Hair>Bad Ass Jam>Bad Hair, Rocco, My Favorite Things, Hillbillies on PCP
Set II: Poonk>Cissy
Strut, Whack, 5 B/4 Funk, Stella Blue, *All Over Now, *GDTRFB
(*with Michael Falzarano on guitar and vocals)
E: Steel Guitar Rag : Sleep Walk
Guitars - White Cream
Strat, Vega, Supro Ozark, Explorer