Ed S Posted April 22, 2009 Report Posted April 22, 2009 ....... to a Dead concert. Until last night. Fantastic - an experience like no other Quote
Soulstation1 Posted April 22, 2009 Report Posted April 22, 2009 I thought the dead broke up after Garcia passed away Lol Quote
PHILLYQ Posted April 23, 2009 Report Posted April 23, 2009 They added Warren Haynes from the Allman Brothers- he's a helluva guitarist. Quote
kenny weir Posted April 23, 2009 Report Posted April 23, 2009 ....... to a Dead concert. Until last night. Fantastic - an experience like no other C'mon Ed - gives us some details! I'm so envious. No Dead-related band has ever played in the southern hemisphere. What were the highlights, lowlights, funny incidents, people you talked to etc etc. Quote
.:.impossible Posted April 23, 2009 Report Posted April 23, 2009 A friend of ours won free tickets and went to see them in Greensboro. She said it was great! Glad to hear it Ed! I just won an auction on their first album! Quote
Ed S Posted April 23, 2009 Author Report Posted April 23, 2009 ....... to a Dead concert. Until last night. Fantastic - an experience like no other C'mon Ed - gives us some details! I'm so envious. No Dead-related band has ever played in the southern hemisphere. What were the highlights, lowlights, funny incidents, people you talked to etc etc. I've actually started listening to the Dead only recently - after my divorce and after having met someone new - new perspectives, new interests, new music, fresh musical outlook - I'd have to say that's one of the many wonderful things that has occurred in the wake of what I at first thought would be the end of me. But that's an aside insofar as the Dead are concerned. It's only relevant in that I bring no Gerry Garcia bias into the equation. First - I love Bob Weir's vocals. The inflections and the feel were perfect. I find his lower tone more appealing than Garcia's. But it's not really a with or without Garcia thing as far I can sense. It's about the Dead and the vibe and the feel and groove - and Weir's vocal fit perfectly. Warren Haynes was a great fit on guitar. He was respectful of the Garcia legacy but certainly his own player. His vocal parts were a nice contrast to Weir - but no attempt to be Garcia-like I don't know all the names of all the songs they played. And it doesn't really matter. The groove they laid down took me to places that no other rock concert I've been to has. And I was with my 14 year old son and drinking Diet Coke, for the record. They opened with a Chuck Berry tune Promised Land and played it pretty straight. They played a few other songs that would probably be familiar to most Dead fans, but suffice to say for me - it was close the eyes and groove time. I recognized Smokestack Lighting and It's all Over Now in the mix and I knew by the end of the first set that this might be the best rock concert I've ever seen. The second set absolutely blew me away. They opened up with an instrumental jam that built into Playin in the Band - the one song I told my son that I'd love to hear them play - and perhaps my favorite Dead song. The groove was exquisite. They improvised around that and worked it for around 15-20 minutes. All the while, they kept referring to the rhythm and theme, but just when I thought they'd break again into the chorus of Playin in the Band, they were into to the best performance of Me and Bobby Mcgee I've ever heard. As they finished that song off, they teased you again with more of the sound and feel of Playin in the Band but the next thing you know, they were playing a song called Loose Lucy (I think). More extended solos weaving around that song all the while giving me the feeling that at any moment they were going to finish off with another chorus of Playin in the Band. At that point, I got the feeling that their second set was designed to be a series of improvs and songs all pulled together under the common theme of the Playin in the Band. They then went into a song called Ramble on Rose - which had a great sing-along component. Made me feel that I've missed so much over the years - but also made me feel so happy that I was finally there to see them. They did an extended drum solo and an instrumental guitar/keyboard improv.ey continued with Maggie's Farm and another of my favorites (Thanks to Lon) - Eyes of the World. That song carried on for what seemed like 2 minutes but was probably 20 - 25. At that point, time was irrelevant. Next thing you know - all of the work around the groove and feel of Playin in the Band led to a a reprise of that song's chorus. The crowd went nuts and I got goose bumps and I had an ear to ear smile. Like a great jazz improv, they had played over 2 hours weaving rhythms and songs and grooves around that Playin in the Band and finally had returmed to it to conclude what might be the best set of rock music I've ever experienced. For an encore, they chose Truckin - predictable because of the reference to the city of Buffalo (where I live) in the words. I just can't say enough about the experience. I have to say that I was surprised at the age of the crowd. There were lots of 50-60 year olds but a hell of a lot more 20-30 -40 year olds. That suprised me. I do have to say that I think my son was amongst the youngest there. He got some exposure to marijuana (as in seeing people smoke it) and some concert behavior that he's not seen before (I've taken him to see Derek Trucks a few times as well as U2). The Dead certainly draw a different crowd. Our son Eric was there too. Hope he enjoyed it as much as I did - see above. A friend of ours won free tickets and went to see them in Greensboro. She said it was great! Glad to hear it Ed! I just won an auction on their first album! I've found that it's never to late to get into their music. I'm soooo glad I went. Quote
Peter Johnson Posted April 23, 2009 Report Posted April 23, 2009 Ed--given everything you (and I, parallel track) have been through, I'm just thrilled to hear about your experience. It mirrors mine. Will comment more later, but for now: Quote
jazzbo Posted April 23, 2009 Report Posted April 23, 2009 Ed, I'm so glad that you enjoyed the show. Sounds like it was one fo the good ones! And a chance to see them with your son. . .that's pretty amazing! Quote
Ed S Posted April 23, 2009 Author Report Posted April 23, 2009 Ed, I'm so glad that you enjoyed the show. Sounds like it was one fo the good ones! And a chance to see them with your son. . .that's pretty amazing! Thanks Lon. My older son is a kid of few words. But the smile on his face told me all I needed to hear. He really enjoyed it and I'm very happy to be able to expose both my sons to various types of music. So far, both my boys like Derek Trucks and Robert Cray. My older guys is a big U2 guy and now the Dead I was a late starter in the fatherhood thing - and I'm glad to be able to help them along in exposing them to music and other activities. I have them every other week and I wouldn't have it any other way Ed--given everything you (and I, parallel track) have been through, I'm just thrilled to hear about your experience. It mirrors mine. Will comment more later, but for now: Thanks Peter. Glad to hear that things are working out for you too. It's nice to be in a good place! Quote
kenny weir Posted April 23, 2009 Report Posted April 23, 2009 time was irrelevant. That says it all about my single GD live experience! (1977) Ed, thanks for taking the time to write a review for us. It's interesting to hear your perspective, coming to this from a pretty solid jazz background. You nailed it good! Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted April 23, 2009 Report Posted April 23, 2009 Email report from son Eric - " Went to 'The Dead' show Tue. night. News Thur. (Earthday), all the pseudo hippies clogged up the storm drains with nitrous balloons." Quote
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