The Grateful Dead

[mountain bed]

That SNACK benefit show at Kezar (3/23/75) is one of the strangest sets ever. It's seriously wierd, even by GD standards.

[jc4prez]

Damn, never herd the SNACK benefit set may have to listen to that tonight.

 

The other day I grabbed the 4/29/71 that charlie miller recently fixed up. Sounds great! Love the minglewood on this, I was never really a fan of this tune but this early take is beyond awesome. Lots of great points in this set esp. the Alligator>drums>Jam. Had never herd the boys play I Second That Emotion either. Love how after listening for over five years there is still something new always.

[Mr. Heartbreak]

I sat through about six minutes of that Blues for Allah jam and then went back to listening to Coltrane. A little too lysergic for me.

[Moss]

Whoa, listening to an acid test show from 1966 on Wolfgang's.

 

Acid test

 

 

Concert Summary

As 1966 began, San Francisco was rapidly becoming the epicenter of a cultural and musical shift that would impact the world. Dance hall promoters like Bill Graham and Chet Helms were in the early stages of opening venues where local bands could perform for the throngs of young people looking to dance socialize and listen to live music. Local writer Ken Kesey and his friends (known as The Merry Pranksters) were doing the same on a smaller scale, but adding high quality LSD to the mix, which was then still legal and readily available. As Kesey's parties, or "Acid Tests" as they were called,…entire summary

 

Jerry Garcia - lead guitar, vocals

Ron "Pigpen" McKernan - vocals, organ, percussion

Bob Weir - guitar, vocals

Phil Lesh - bass, vocals

Bill Kruetzman - drums

Ken Kesey - PA announcements

Various Merry Pranksters - roving microphone banter

 

As 1966 began, San Francisco was rapidly becoming the epicenter of a cultural and musical shift that would impact the world. Dance hall promoters like Bill Graham and Chet Helms were in the early stages of opening venues where local bands could perform for the throngs of young people looking to dance socialize and listen to live music. Local writer Ken Kesey and his friends (known as The Merry Pranksters) were doing the same on a smaller scale, but adding high quality LSD to the mix, which was then still legal and readily available. As Kesey's parties, or "Acid Tests" as they were called, began attracting more and more adventurous people, it was inevitable that The Merry Pranksters parties would merge with local dance hall venues, which is exactly what happened on January 8, 1966.

 

On that night The Pranksters and their Acid Test house band, The Grateful Dead, descended on Bill Graham's Fillmore Auditorium, loading in piles of sound equipment, projectors and strobe lights and ready to turn attendees on to LSD while subjecting them to sensory bombardment. The band had literally just become The Grateful Dead, having recently changed their name from The Warlocks, and was just one component of the overall experience. Ken Kesey, strategically overseeing everything, was also plugged in to the P.A. system and could ramble stream-of-consciousness commentary over the proceedings. Various Pranksters were also equipped with roving microphones, which could be fed in and out at any time. Mass free-form creativity while under the influence was the goal. Often it was utter chaos, sometimes it was divinely inspired and for the vast majority of attendees, it was incredibly liberating to "freak freely" with others who felt the same.

 

While no mere audio recording could ever capture an Acid Test experience, this one does manage to capture some of the spontaneous free-formlessness and remains one of the earliest (if not the earliest) examples of a live Grateful Dead recording, when they were essentially still a cover band playing for dancers.

 

The recording begins with the proceedings just getting underway and not surprisingly, plenty of chaos onstage. As The Grateful Dead attempt to get the stage powered up, Captain Ken Kesey is rambling away, welcoming attendees to tonight's journey. After several minutes of embracing absurdity, The Grateful Dead begin the slow blues of "I'm A King Bee," sounding not too different from the early Rolling Stones, but more hypnotic. Although primitive, many of the elements of the prototype San Francisco sound are in place, from Garcia's banjo style electric guitar picking and his use of twang bar to end his riff lines to Pigpen's largely improvised vocal style. Garcia and Pigpen team up on lead vocals for the next number, a bouncy cover of "I'm A Hog For You Baby," which also includes Kesey interjecting Prankster style public service announcements over the band. Although occasionally tempo-challenged, up to this point drummer Bill Kruetzman comes across as the most accomplished musician here and when others drift off, he and Phil Lesh help keep things somewhat anchored.

 

The musical highlight of this recording follows as The Grateful Dead play a solid 17-minute sequence consisting of Pigpen's "Caution" segueing directly into "Death Don't Have No Mercy." Here one can hear the promise of this band and everyone turns in a respectable performance, particularly Pigpen and Garcia, who were clearly leading the way. "Caution" soon becomes a driving hyper-jam, featuring a great early example of Garcia's shredding technique. The "Death Don't Have No Mercy" that follows is downright spooky, thanks in no small part to Pigpen's organ work, which rarely gets much mention. With the band cranking away about nine minutes in, suddenly the police pull the plug!

 

Kesey, not one to miss an opportunity for increasing the absurdity, announces "The chief security agent has taken over and has pulled the plug on the band! Completely nullifying the engines!" Several other roving microphones are also heard, including what sounds like an instantaneous tape loop of a police officer saying "Clear the house! The dance is over!" Many humorous and sarcastic comments are heard eminating from the stage as well as the room, while Bob Weir begins baiting the cops with a spontaneous monologue. As the police converge on the stage, several people begin belting out a hideously off-key rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner," just to needle the police a little more. Amidst grumbling and noise, the tape runs out with a commentary from Jerry Garcia, who exclaims, "In the end, its nothing but mindless chaos. Good old mindless chaos, hassling, ever hassling..."

 

 

[blombekr]

I saw Further last night at the Auditorium. It was a "Bob Night", opening with three straight Bob tunes, with a good deal more mixed in throughout the night. Got off to kind of a slow start, but it picked up towards the end of the set, with "Greatest", "Liberty", "Doin that Rag", and a pretty smokin "Lovelight". I am a big supporter of "Liberty"; Bob does it justice.

 

The second set rocked. In keeping with the Bob theme, "Cassidy" opened and featured a tight jam and glorious reentry into the chorus. "Dear Mr Fantasy" and "Speedway Boogie" got the crowd going, "Let it Grow" was played the way it's supposed to be played, and "Reuben and Cerise" hit the nail on the head. In all my post-Dead ventures, I had been waiting for that one, and now I finally got it. John sings it beautifully. "Death Don't" was epic, "Shakedown" was funky, and the solo in "Throwing Stones" summoned the almighty from Heaven. "NFA" rocked as well as the encore.

 

I would highly recommend seeing this band tonight if you have the means. I know everyone has differing opinions on the best post-Dead incarnations, but all those opinions are wrong if it's not Further. Except maybe '98 Other Ones, so nevermind. Either way, this is a fine band, and they got a great thing going on. John Kadlicek knows what he's doing, and it's a pleasure hearing him every time. Hopefully they'll come back this summer.

[Lammycat]

Thanks for the review, blombekr (if that's even your real name). I've liked some of what I've heard on livearchive but still am not completely sold on them. I've heard good things about this tour and how they sound in a live setting so I'll reserve final judgements until after the Denver shows this weekend. Glad you enjoyed it.

[dtram]

Thanks for the review, blombekr (if that's even your real name). I've liked some of what I've heard on livearchive but still am not completely sold on them. I've heard good things about this tour and how they sound in a live setting so I'll reserve final judgements until after the Denver shows this weekend. Glad you enjoyed it.

 

I saw them in AC this weekend. I'm in the camp that Warren Haynes is very good guitarist whose style isn't ideal for dead tunes so I really like John K. His Stella Blue was incredible to me. The China>Rider>Wheel>Dark Star>Stella was just incredible to be there for.

 

While I'd prefer as many original members as possible involved, if Mickey and Billy being out means no Drums/Space, I'm all for it. I think you'll enjoy yourself if you take it for what it is. It's not the Grateful Dead but I thought it was an amazing facsimile. Is it a little weird that they have a guy trying to sound like Jerry in that spot? Maybe. But it sounds F'in good to these ears and that's what matters.

 

The alternative is the View From The Vault stuff and of course the countless audio recordings. If you want to see this music live, this really is the only choice imo and I'm glad it's there for us. Phil's 70, there won't be many more years of this (unless that new liver reset his age :-) enjoy while it's there.

[Lammycat]

Yeah, I've seen DSO, JGB, Phil & Friends, Ratdog, etc. a lot of times and have no expectations whatsoever that it'll compare to GD music. I just want it to be better than what I've heard on the downloads/archives.....

[dtram]

Yeah, I've seen DSO, JGB, Phil & Friends, Ratdog, etc. a lot of times and have no expectations whatsoever that it'll compare to GD music. I just want it to be better than what I've heard on the downloads/archives.....

 

Hmmm, I thought the downloads sounded pretty good to me before I saw them. You how it is though, when you're there it always sounds good because you are there and you want it to sound good.

[Lammycat]

Hmmm, I thought the downloads sounded pretty good to me before I saw them. You how it is though, when you're there it always sounds good because you are there and you want it to sound good.

 

I'm not panning the band, mind you, but have yet to be floored by anything I've heard. Without the drummers (no disrespedt to joe russo, either) I'd just as soon catch a Phil & Friends show, preferably in the original quintet formation with Warren/Herring. I look forward to the shows and I'm sure it'll be a fun night of tunes I love to hear.

[dtram]

I'm not panning the band, mind you, but have yet to be floored by anything I've heard. Without the drummers (no disrespedt to joe russo, either) I'd just as soon catch a Phil & Friends show, preferably in the original quintet formation with Warren/Herring. I look forward to the shows and I'm sure it'll be a fun night of tunes I love to hear.

 

I always loved the sound of Mickey and Billy together but I thought Joe and the other guy really sounded great.

[Lammycat]

I always loved the sound of Mickey and Billy together but I thought Joe and the other guy really sounded great.

 

There's another guy on drums? I wasn't aware of that.....

 

 

The back-up singer chicks, from what I've heard, add a nice flavor to the sound. One chick's name is Sunshine Garcia something-or-other and it's NOT Mountain Girl and Kesey's kid that Jerry helped raise. Weird, eh?

[jc4prez]

So I was just reading this http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100218/ENTERTAINMENT/2190302/1114/The-Dead-finally-rise-in-Delaware

 

 

and found this to be really BEAT

 

Where do the night's set lists for Furthur come from? I see everything from Grateful Dead tunes to Bob Dylan and Beatles covers in the set lists from previous shows.

 

It's a collaborative effort. Bob has input. I have input. And so does my wife, Jill, and Bob's manager, Matt Busch. We all hammer it out together, but it's mostly Jill and Matt, to be perfectly frank with you.

[Lammycat]

Yeah, the manager's make the set lists most nights? Kinda odd. Nice set lists, though....

[jc4prez]

Yeah, the manager's make the set lists most nights? Kinda odd. Nice set lists, though....

 

 

Very odd and too many gives weight to the jill being a control freak rumors. I can see how there has been all these inner group problems with that kind of dynamic.

[Lammycat]

Should be letting the new guys have more input. Kadlicik, from what I've listened to, needs to be able to breathe outside of the confines of the Garcia role, too.

[dtram]

There's another guy on drums? I wasn't aware of that.....

 

 

The back-up singer chicks, from what I've heard, add a nice flavor to the sound. One chick's name is Sunshine Garcia something-or-other and it's NOT Mountain Girl and Kesey's kid that Jerry helped raise. Weird, eh?

 

More of a percussionist, didn't have a full kit, just a lot of stuff to bang on.

 

Yeah, the chicks really added to Passenger. Not really sure why they weren't used on Unbroken Chain though, they would have really helped there. Considering there was female vox on the album version, you would think they'd be used. Maybe they're paid by the song :-)

[dtram]

Very odd and too many gives weight to the jill being a control freak rumors. I can see how there has been all these inner group problems with that kind of dynamic.

 

Straight out of Spinal Tap. If I'm Bobby and the bassists wife is telling me what to play, I'm out of there like Nigel. It's in "doubly."

[jc4prez]

More of a percussionist, didn't have a full kit, just a lot of stuff to bang on.

 

Yeah, the chicks really added to Passenger. Not really sure why they weren't used on Unbroken Chain though, they would have really helped there. Considering there was female vox on the album version, you would think they'd be used. Maybe they're paid by the song :-)

 

other guy is jay lane from ratdog, who i personally can't stand on the drums. I'd be curious though to hear his percussion work, never herd him play without a kit.

[Lammycat]

More of a percussionist, didn't have a full kit, just a lot of stuff to bang on.

 

Hmm...I'm not seeing anything in reviews about a guest percussionist last night. It's just been Joe Russo on drums the whole tour, too. What'd you eat last night...?

[calvino]

It has been Jay Lane and Joe Russo on drums/percussion throughout the whole Furthur run (last and this year) I believe.

[dtram]

What'd you eat last night...?

 

Chinese food

[Analogman]

That's a shame they are using setlists, but I always sort of figured they were, or at least had some idea of what they were going to play at the show.

[Lammycat]

Oh shit I forgot about Jay. My bad.

[jc4prez]

Oh shit I forgot about Jay. My bad.

I wish they forgot about jay too lol