Let’s revisit our old ‘Today in Grateful Dead History’ series today with a look back to 45 years ago to the day! March 18th, 1967 – San Francisco, CA — The Winterland Ballroom — a young, acid-fueled, primal Grateful Dead take the stage and offer two sets of blues, jug, rock, folk, and traditional music. This show highlights the band’s divergent tastes during these formative years but also their ability to mend all these different styles together into a unique and cohesive style all their own.
3/18/67 Poster
The Grateful Dead
March 18th, 1967
Winterland
San Francisco, CA
Set 1: Me & My Uncle, Next Time You See Me, He Was A Friend Of Mine, Smokestack Lightning, Morning Dew, It Hurts Me Too, Beat It On Down The Line, Dancin’ In The Streets
Set 2: The Golden Road (to Unlimited Devotion), Cream Puff War, The Same Thing, Cold Rain & Snow, Viola Lee Blues, Death Don’t Have No Mercy
If night 2 was a survey of different Grateful Dead eras, choice covers, and a classic Phil and Friends segue-heavy show, night 3 was the much ‘purer’ night of Grateful Dead music. The focus of the night was on 60s and early 70s material, with nearly every song drawn from the pre-1972 Grateful Dead songbook and only one outside-the-box cover in Layla. While the setlist may have been more straight down the fairway on night 3, the intensity and precision of the music continued to be at its highest, with Warren and Scofield most notably finding harmony and cohesion even more than in past nights.
The highlight of the night was an absolutely barn-burner set 2 opening sequence of Stephen->Eleven that featured an out-of-this-world hot bass solo from Phil and silky smooth segue into a raging Eleven. What a night and what a way to end a great run with a bang, enjoy setlist and downloads below. Also, see my previous review from night 2 which now has downloads available as well. Thanks Phil (and friends), for a real good time!
Phil Lesh and Friends, 1st Bank Center, Broomfield, CO 2/18/12
Set 1: Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion) > Viola LeeBlues > Bertha, Cumberland Blues, Friend of the Devil, Candyman, He’s Gone > Cold Rain and Snow
Set 2: St. Stephen > The Eleven > Foxy Lady Jam > Layla, Bird Song, Uncle John’s Band > Stella Blue, I Know You Rider, Going Down the Road Feeling Bad > Attics of My Life
Phil and his newly resurrected ensemble of friends stormed the 1st Bank Center last night with an onslaught of inspired music, keeping up the energy and love of what is turning out to be a seriously triumphant, and dare i say ‘Epic’, weekend run. The lot was abuzz with an old school vibe and energy not felt in years before the show last night, and some pre-show snowflakes and crisp air set the stage beautifully for a magical night of music. Everyone brought their A-Game, and it is clear this band has quickly found a groove and a way to highlight each member – a significant challenge given the many big musical voices on stage.
The show itself was a true testament to the dripping psychedelic musical exploration that only comes from Phil’s ‘make something happen, play in the moment’ Phil and Friends ensembles. The setlist read like a dream, with two quintessential Beatles songs in each set that served as the musical exclamation points on the night. Each member shined at different moments throughout the show. Scofield was other-worldly on a smoking and unexpected first set Eyes of the World, while Jackie Greene surprised everyone in the room with an out of left field top notch performance of his original Like a Ball and Chain.
Image via DeadHeadLand.com
Warren led the band through an absolute smoker of She Said, She Said, while Russo and Chimenti were the glue that held the express train together at every twist and turn. And of course, Mr. Lesh, was inspired and full of love and smiles throughout, especially during the later part of the second during the patchwork quilt of Dark Star, Unbroken Chain, and Morning Dew. What was even more impressive than each member’s individual contributions, was the tightness of cohesiveness of the band had with each other. There was countless moments of locked-in cosmic interplay and between the band, especially between Warren, Sco, and Chimenti.
One can only imagine what the boys have in store for tonight. NOW is the time of returning for Phil and Friends, and what a special time it is to be, to be, to be…
Phil Lesh and Friends, 1st Bank Center, Broomfield, CO 2/17/12
Set 1: Jam -> Althea, Estimated Prophet -> Eyes Of The World -> Mississippi Half-Step -> Loose Lucy, Like A Ball And Chain, She Said, She Said, Casey Jones
Set 2: Passenger, New Speedway Boogie, Low Spark of High Heeled Boys -> Gypsy Woman -> Caution > Unbroken Chain > Dark Star (v1) > I Am The Walrus > Dark Star (v2) > Morning Dew
Ah, Saturday afternoon. A glorious time to kick back and listen to the good ol’ Grateful Dead. Let’s rewind to 1978 and dig on this classic, tripped out show from fall tour in Springfield, MA. The boys are definitely ‘loose’ on this evening, rumored to have taken high doses of peyote or a similar psychedelic. Whatever they’re on, their playing is ON and inspired, albeit with some comical elements added in. Check out the out there Dancin’ In The Streets and the tribal, smoking Scarlet- > Fire set 2 opener. This show is full of fun and surprises and doesn’t read like your average 78′ show. The band brings back some of the more raw energy of their 60s sound mixed with their late 70s precision and catalog and fuses together a truly unique show here.
The Grateful Dead ~ 5/11/1978 ~ Springfield Civic Center ~ Springfield, MA
Set 1: Cold Rain & Snow, Beat It On Down The Line, Friend Of The Devil, Looks Like Rain, Loser, Mexicali Blues-> Mama Tried, Tennessee Jed, Minglewood Blues, Peggy-O, Lazy Lightning-> Supplication
Set 2: Scarlet Begonias-> Fire On The Mountain, Dancin’ In The Streets-> Drums-> Not Fade Away-> Stella Blue-> Around & Around
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Hey y’all. We are sick with Phil fever over here at WTN, getting excited for the upcoming Broomfield run. And there’s only one cure for that fever, it’s the sweet sounds of ‘The Q’ – Phil’s early 2000s version of Phil Lesh and Friends featuring Warren Haynes, Jimmy Herring, John Molo, and Rob Barraco. Widely regarded as the most successful post-Jerry Dead band, and for good reason, this band truly smokes. A term I keep coming back to when listening to them is ‘musical density’ — there is a lot of great music being made here, with tons of on the spot composition, interplay, and dripping psychedelic guitar work.
The Q
I want to feature one of my favorite ‘Q’ shows ever here on WTN today: from summer 2001 tour, this epic show went down at The Meadows Music Center in Hartford, CT on July 21st. Stops on this tour were Ratdog/Phil and Friends double headers, with the bands switching off headline duties. On this special night, after a warmup set from Weir and Ratdog, Phil and Friends play a 2 set smokefest with a dream second set and fun, bluesy first set with a Weir cameo taboot. Check out the full setlist below, and also feel free to stream the show over at Archive or download a great AUD version I’ve uploaded with all the songs tracked out. Enjoy folks!
Summer Tour 2001 Poster
Phil Lesh and Friends ~ 7/21/2001 ~ Hartford, CT
Set 1: Jam -> Cosmic Charlie, Rainy Day Woman tease* -> Truckin* -> Jam* -> Cassidy*, Beautifully Broken -> King Solomon’s Marbles -> Stronger Than Dirt, Doin’ that Rag
Set 2: Caution Jam -> Dear Mr. Fantasy, St. Stephen -> Eyes -> St. Stephen -> Help on the Way -> Slipknot! -> The Eleven -> Slipknot! -> Franklin’s Tower
This year’s Electric Forest Festival, set to take place June 28th – July 1st in Rothbury, Michigan, announced its initial artist lineup today. The biggest names in the lineup include SCI (3 shows), STS9 (2 Shows), Ghostland Observatory, Girl Talk, and Theivery Corporation. This lineup is yet again shaping up to be a jamtronica fan’s wet deam, and one can only imagine a lot of great artists are still to be added to the bill.
You can buy pre-sale tickets now at the Electric Forest website. You can check out a full list of announced artists also on the official site or here at Jambands.com. Check out a bunch of last year’s shows over at archive.org, or YouTubes of the action here.
Believe it or not, it’s 2012. The Grateful Dead has been an American institution for almost 50 years, longer than many people live. And it’s not just Furthur out there touring, the Dead’s music continues to live on in more bands than one could ever imagine after so many years. Here’s a sampling of what 2011 meant in Grateful Dead land, and what’s in store for 2012:
1. FURTHUR
Photo: Mary Ouellette / SoundSpike
Bob Weir and Phil Lesh’s Furthur continue to tour from coast to coast, the incarnation closest to the original Grateful Dead experience. While there are haters and lovers of Furthur, all true deadheads can rejoice in seeing Bobby and Phil share the stage and make magic. To get a feel for where the band is at today, check out this show from Madison Square Garden from November 10th.
2012 Forecast: Furthur already has a spring tour booked, and will likely continue to tour at least through the end of 2012. With more Phil and Friends shows in the works and a possible Ratdog reunion tour, 2012 may be a lighter touring year than 2011.
2. 7 WALKERS
7 Walkers
If you haven’t heard the debut album or caught a show from Billy K. and Papa Mali’s ‘7 Walkers’, do yourself a favor and check them out. This stripped down ensemble invented a whole new genre of Grateful Dead known to fans as ‘Swampadelica’. Their album is soulful, bluesy, fun, and a must have for deadheads. You can buy it from the official 7 Walker’s site here.
2012 Forecast: Next up for 7 Walkers is a series of shows with Steve Kimock aboard next week’s Jam Cruise. After that, look for continued dedicated attention and touring from Billy K. as well as a possible follow-up studio album.
3. MICKEY HART BAND
Mickey has put together a brand spanking new band for 2012 with a whole slew of new original songs taboot. Check out the YouTube above to see the cast of characters that Mickey has assembled. The band just recently finished up a winter tour that was pretty smoking from what I’ve heard. Let’s hope Mickey keeps this band around for a while and releases some of the great new originals they’ve composed.
2012 Forecast: Mickey and his new band already are still in the midst of a few January shows and then will likely be releasing an album of original material with a supporting tour to follow later in the year.
4. PHIL LESH AND FRIENDS
Phil Lesh reunited ‘Phil and Friends’ this year at Warren Haynes’ annual Christmas Jam. Check out the vid above of a playful China Cat Sunflower from the reunion. The Xmas Jam group featured Jackie Greene, Warren Haynes, Jeff Chimenti, Joe Russo, and of course uncle Phil himself.
This was just a preview though, Phil and Friends will be playing 3 shows in Colorado in February of 2012 with an amazing lineup of John Scofield and Warren Haynes on Guitar, Jackie Greene on Keyboard/Guitar, John ‘The Lion King’ Molo on Drums, and Phil. These shows promise to be nothing short of epic. To get a feel for what the shows might be like, check out the vid below of a very similar band featuring Warren and Sco from Mountain Jam 2007. I was at this show and it is probably my favorite P&F show ever out of many, many shows I’ve seen.
2012 Forecast: Aside from the February shows, rumors have been swirling that Phil and Friends will crank out some more shows in 2012. Expect to see some one-off or mini-runs at Phil’s new Terrapin Crossroads venue.
5. DARK STAR ORCHESTRA
DSO
DSO continues to tour relentlessly, from New York to San Francisco to Jam in The Dam and beyond, bringing unmatched energy, passion, and love for the Grateful Dead canon to ‘Starheads’ everywhere. With Jeff Mattson firmly settled into the lead role in Dark Star, fans everywhere (including myself) can’t stop singing the praises of the new frontman and the raw 60s and 70s style psychedelic guitar work he brings to the band. If you’re still a skeptic on Dark Star and think they’re just a ‘cover band’, stop fooling yourself and catch them on their upcoming tours, you will not be sorry!
2012 Forecast: DSO is sure to keep up the relentless touring in 2012. So far the band is playing the NE and SE in the winter, Jam in the Dam in March, and the West Coast in April. Expect a NE and festival tour in the summer, West Coast in late fall, and a return to the NE for NYE 2012.
Bonus Dead: As if this wasn’t enough, RATDOG is reuniting on January 25th for a special webcast show from Bob Weir’s TRI Studios venue that he launched in 2011. The golden road really does go on forever, and there’s nothing to do but smile about it.
Keeping in the New York City spirit, here’s a taste of Furthur’s return to the big apple tonight. This was the first of 3 consecutive nights at Radio City Music Hall for the boys, and they delivered a fun and varied setlist for the NYC faithful. First set highlights included a 1st-time cover bustout of The Clash’s ‘Train in Vain’, and 60s folk throwbacks ‘Dark Hollow’ and ‘On The Road Again’.
Furthur RCMH Marquee
The second set kept up the old-school vibe with a bluesy psychedelic journey that featured Other One, Spanish Jam, Spoonful, Smokestack, and Hard to Handle. Ending things on a lighter tone, the motley Furthur crew sung everyone back home with a fun China/Rider and Not Fade Away singalong to close the set and a Touch of Grey encore taboot. While Phil and Bob rest up for tomorrow, the night is young in the city that never sleeps, til’ the morning comes…
Furthur 3/25 RCMH
Furthur ~ 03/25/2011~ Radio City Music Hall ~ New York, NY
Set 1:
Jack Straw
Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodleloo ->
Dark Hollow
Stagger Lee ->
On The Road Again
Loser
Train In Vain*
Might As Well
Set 2:
Hard to Handle ->
Smokestack Lightning ->
Spoonful ->
Birdsong ->
The Other One ->
Spanish Jam ->
The Other One
Eyes Of the world ->
Drums ->
King Solomons Marbles ->
Dear Prudence
China Cat Sunflower ->
I Know You Rider
Not Fade Away
In the first of three nights at the Garden for New Year’s Eve run 2010, Phish laid down a rock-heavy, hits-heavy performance that didn’t miss a beat from start to the finish. The first set clocked in at nearly 1 hour and 45 minutes, with an ending suite of Bathtub Gin, Fat Man in the Bathtub (first performance since 10/31), Timber, and the double dose set closer of Golgi and Character Zero. Needless to say, energy was flying high leading into the second set.
The band capitalized and delivered a best-hits-esque second set that followed a similar path to JB II Set 2 2010, with big hitters Tweezer, Light, Hood, My Friend, My Friend, and Axilla I. The overall vibe was straightforward rock-your-face, with a playful psychedelic undertones in the form of a fun and peaking Fluffhead and a space funk’d 2001. Give it a listen, download, or audio/video stream below!
Phish 12/30/2010 Ticket Stub
Phish
12/30/2010
Madison Square Garden
New York, NY
Set 1: Cities, Chalk Dust Torture, Gumbo > Quinn the Eskimo, Halley’s Comet > Camel Walk*, Maze, Driver, Bathtub Gin, Fat Man in the Bathtub, Timber (Jerry) > Golgi Apparatus, Character Zero
Set 2: Tweezer** -> Light > Theme From the Bottom > My Friend, My Friend***, Axilla > Fluffhead > Boogie On Reggae Woman -> Also Sprach Zarathustra > Suzy Greenberg
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