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Damn, I forgot!  Good setlist.  If this sounds good, I might go.  It will really be weird if these shows are better than FTW…which I'm sure they will be in some ways.

 

Playin'

Cold Rain

T. Jed

Stranger

He's Gone

Bird Song

Music

 

Sailor/Saint

Help/Slip/Franklins

D/S

Other 1

Stella

NFA

 

Touch

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Just back from Albany - and I must say, I was really impressed.  The first few songs of the first set were a bit shaky and the sound was muddy - they straightened that out by the time John Mayer took control of the He's Gone.  The Birdsong - Music to close the first set was superb.  The second set was really well played from start to finish.  The Lost Sailor - Saint was terrific, but the Help-Slip-Franklin's was the highlight of the evening for my ears.

 

Some Observations:

 

1) John Mayer can really play and really sing!  His guitar had a superb Garcia-like tone throughout the entire evening, but his playing was his own.  He's clearly enjoying the moment and I am sure will only get better as the tour moves on.

 

2) Weir sounded and looked a lot better (to me) than he did in Santa Clara and Chicago.  His playing was assured and his vocals (for the most part) were on point (and pitch).  He is clearly leading the band to slow some of the material down which has an uneven effect, and I think he should give up more of the Garcia songs he is singing and pass them on to Mayer.  That said, they shared vocal leads on T. Jed, NFA and Touch of Grey.

 

3) Billy and Mickey are the glue to this operation (not surprisingly).  They sounded great all night, and after the muddy sounding start - were turned up beautifully in the mix.  Otiell also sounded great - he was playing was also featured in the mix and I thought he really held his own.

 

4) This is gonna be a much more "jammy" band than the one we saw in Chicago.  For me - this is good news.

 

I will be seeing them again in Nashville in a few weeks - looking forward to seeing how all this progresses.  If you're on the fence about this - I say go!

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Just watched the PITB from the youtube link above...It really seemed that Weir wasn't directing the space which is great to see...Mayer directed the direction and intensity...He is a great guitar player - a bit redundant maybe with his licks. Still - agreed that he is a great fit and will only get better - should be a great tour. Are they heading anywhere near Madison Wisconsin?

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Head north to

 

Just watched the PITB from the youtube link above...It really seemed that Weir wasn't directing the space which is great to see...Mayer directed the direction and intensity...He is a great guitar player - a bit redundant maybe with his licks. Still - agreed that he is a great fit and will only get better - should be a great tour. Are they heading anywhere near Madison Wisconsin?

 

 Head north to Minneapolis or south to St. Louis.

 

 

Been listening the the six night 84' October/November Berkley run over the last past couple of days - good shows thus far. First shows with an official taper section, at least so I read.

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From the snippet I watched of Cold Rain and Snow, Mayer's last few years of immersion in all things Dead paid off - he's got the chops and his vocal is pretty spot on, too. The energy picked up noticeably from PITB to Cold Rain and Snow, and it looked to be connected to the switch from Weir to Mayer as the main vocal.

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Nice contribution, radiowilco. Thanks. As much as I dig and appreciate Trey, I think Mayer sounds and fits more naturally in the outfit, even after hearing only half a show. 

 

He's what the boys have needed all along.  Someone one who fits in but is not a Jerry clone.  His energy and presence is so confident.  Others in that role have been so hesitant.  I would love if Mayer could take more of a lead and speed up some tunes and sing all the Jerry tunes.  I do miss Phil, but Oteil was doing some cool stuff.  He played some different root notes here and there totally changing he sound of the songs.  So interesting.  Also, watching Billy was so fun!  He was into it! Oh, and the stage set up was so damn cool.  Big SYF.

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I agree Vacant Horizon.  I think Mayer is just what these guys were looking - but took a while to find.  As I said in my earlier post on the Albany show - Mayer really had the Garcia-like tone down cold.  Couple that with the fact that he couldn't/shouldn't be a Garcia clone (think John K) - the whole thing really works.  Again, there were some tempo issues last night that Weir was driving that don't serve the songs - in my humble view.  Also, and again, would be much better if Weir gave all of the Garcia tunes to Mayer to sing...

 

Oteil could be the hidden gem of this group.  After listening to a couple of songs from last night - I was reminded of just how good he sounded.  He clearly feels this shit down deep, and to his credit, play nothing like Phil.  And I mean that in a good way...

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Oteil isn't as busy as Phil, but h really plays some totally different stuff that serves the songs.  That intro jam to Playin' was something the band has never done.  Basically playin' intro riff, but inverted or something.

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I am not surprised Mayer is sounding good with this band and this material. I listened to a bunch of the second set from the stream, and as I listened realized I am more likely now to go to Worcester. As for the comments about Weir and the slow tempo on some tunes, I don't hold much hope that will change. After FTW, Trey was quoted that he said to Bobby "do you really want to play that song so slow?"

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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This band actually rehearsed, as opposed to doing two warm up shows in San Jose instead. And removing Phil not only removes a source of personal tension among members of the band, but also one less dominant point of view on the direction the music should take. Fewer cooks to ruin the broth. Also, much less pressure and hype than FTW. I think those factors are more significant than what Mayer brings to the table, but certainly everyone's perception is reality in the land of the Dead. Just one show so far, kinda have to roll my eyes at how hyped it is getting. The last Dead tour with Warren had some incredible lows, but when they were on, those night would blow the Albany show out of the water. 

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This band actually rehearsed, as opposed to doing two warm up shows in San Jose instead. And removing Phil not only removes a source of personal tension among members of the band, but also one less dominant point of view on the direction the music should take. Fewer cooks to ruin the broth. Also, much less pressure and hype than FTW. I think those factors are more significant than what Mayer brings to the table, but certainly everyone's perception is reality in the land of the Dead. Just one show so far, kinda have to roll my eyes at how hyped it is getting. The last Dead tour with Warren had some incredible lows, but when they were on, those night would blow the Albany show out of the water. 

 

Good points. It's just so glaring how much better this band is playing than the FTW gig.  But, FTW did have some moments and was a completely different vibe.

 

Really to bad about the tempos.  Stranger used to just be this monster of a song.  Now it's like a dirge.  

 

I really wasn't a fan of '09 Dead.  Warren does not fit and was a hesitant player, unlike Mayer.  Again, IMHO.

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SET 1: [7:15-8:30]

 

Samson and Delilah, New Minglewood Blues, Bertha1 > Sugaree1 , Friend of the Devil1 > Crazy Fingers2> Uncle Johns Band1

SET 2: [9:15-10:40]

 

Scarlet Begonias>Fire on the Mountain, Shakedown Street>Dark Star>Drums>Space>Wharf Rat>Playing in the Band3 > Going Down the Road Feeling Bad4

ENCORE: [10:44-10:50]

 

Ripple

Setlist notes:

 

1 - Mayer doing Jerry's vocals

2 - FOTD tease at the end of Crazy Fingers

3 - Reprise, to finish 10/29/15 Albany version

4 - Bobby and Mayer trading lead

 

While I'm far from an expert, last night was the best Dead-related show I've seen in a long time. Garden was absolutely electric.

 

And we got a Going Down the Road as the Mets were choking another game away ;).

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I agree Vacant Horizon.  I think Mayer is just what these guys were looking - but took a while to find.  As I said in my earlier post on the Albany show - Mayer really had the Garcia-like tone down cold.  Couple that with the fact that he couldn't/shouldn't be a Garcia clone (think John K) - the whole thing really works.  Again, there were some tempo issues last night that Weir was driving that don't serve the songs - in my humble view.  Also, and again, would be much better if Weir gave all of the Garcia tunes to Mayer to sing...

 

Oteil could be the hidden gem of this group.  After listening to a couple of songs from last night - I was reminded of just how good he sounded.  He clearly feels this shit down deep, and to his credit, play nothing like Phil.  And I mean that in a good way...

I agree with all of you guys. I was surprised upon listening to the Jack Straw and especially on the Playin' In The Band>Cold Rain and Snow (was that really the first song this group had played in front of an audience?) at how good Mayer's playing was.  I was pretty sure I was going to like his guitar playing better than Trey's in the GD setting, but wow!  Way stronger crescendo in Jack Straw and some really focued, intent, purposeful and exploratory playing in Playin'.  I'm impressed.  I wish this show was coming to Phoenix.  I'd go for sure.  I still won't travel out of state for this, but I'm glad things sound so good right off the bat.  Mayer is the right guy for the job.  Good vocals, too, far better than Trey's.

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Dave's Picks 2016 subscription announced.  I bought the subscription for the first time.  DP 17 will be the Fresno July 19 '74 show, another '74 monster wall of sound show.

 

http://www.dead.net/almanac?cmpid=dn/2015November3/AlmanacIsHere-main-image-1&eml=2015November3/2862202/6131962&etsubid=27625223

 

Wow...cool...I know the second set gets most attention, but the first set is really remarkable. The Bertha, Deal and BIODTL are simply fantastic. But, the highlight of the whole show in my opinion (including the second set) is the Scarlet Begonias. Check it out....If possible, the audience is not the best quality, but it gives a better feel. I have always thought the sbd was a bit "flat" sounding...not crisp...

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I agree with all of you guys. I was surprised upon listening to the Jack Straw and especially on the Playin' In The Band>Cold Rain and Snow (was that really the first song this group had played in front of an audience?) at how good Mayer's playing was. I was pretty sure I was going to like his guitar playing better than Trey's in the GD setting, but wow! Way stronger crescendo in Jack Straw and some really focued, intent, purposeful and exploratory playing in Playin'. I'm impressed. I wish this show was coming to Phoenix. I'd go for sure. I still won't travel out of state for this, but I'm glad things sound so good right off the bat. Mayer is the right guy for the job. Good vocals, too, far better than Trey's.

 

Based on what I've heard and reports I've read, I bought a Worcester ticket.

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