Thanks for asking! Warning: crank factor. I have mixed feelings since I saw the band in pretty good years, 1973-1987. I haven't seen anyone but Phil (once in 2000) since then. But I really missed Jerry last night. When "I Know You Rider" was going into "I wish I was a headlight, on a north bound train..." I felt like I was punched in the gut. But I knew what it was and what it wasn't going to be, so I tried to enjoy myself as much as possible, as I brought my 22 year old Deadhead niece. She had a blast and it rubbed off on me, so I mostly enjoyed myself. Except for the annoying cellphones everywhere. It's sad how people can't escape for a while and enjoy the moment. Really, they're playing "China Cat Sunflower" and you're texting your friends to tell them that? Kind of defeats the whole purpose of what the trip is all about. Anyhow, it was a lengthy show, well-played by all except for the boring bass player and hoppity boppity Mayer, who was technically very good but needed a little bit more soul. And put on some pants, you clown! The highlight for me was actually the percussion break. I wish that it could have been at least twice as long and dissolved into some space jamming. I liked the split "Viola Lee Blues" and the song selection was mostly top notch. Except for "Looks Like Rain." God I hate that song with a passion. At least it got everyone to sit down for a few minutes of what seemed like an eternity. I liked the sound mix a lot, except for Weir's obnoxious guitar effects. I really really dug Jeff Chimenti's playing, and had a few Brent flashbacks during "Don't Ease Me In." Very tasteful piano playing and he took a lot of chances that mostly paid off. I thought Bill and Mickey were always just a tad short of exploding out, until their break. But they kept a great beat and didn't sound like the popcorn machine I remember from the later years. I really liked being in a Dead crowd again, and especially enjoyed checking out everyone's shirts. Four hours sleep and back at work, but glad I went.
Jerry said....."But I REALLY missed Jerry last night....I wish I was a headlight, on a north bound train..." I felt like I was punched in the gut."..... I went to an "Other Ones" show once that was a pretty good show overall but when the band got to that exact same part, I just burst into tears totally unexpectedly. I'm so grateful there is still great music still being played by the survivors and there are more recordings of Jerry playing than I can ever listen to in my lifetime. Life is GOOD!
I guess "hoppity boppity" is a more relevant complaint than the notion that Mayer makes "douche faces". Your review has just the right mix of honesty, enthusiasm, emotion, and pre-Touch-Head snobbery. I enjoyed it!
Yes! Because it's the same two guys. It's the most authentic part of the show because it's the only authentic part of the show. I'm just about in your camp with D&C. I like to go, but I don't have to go the way I felt I had to go to GD shows. And if I don't go, in my mind, I'm not missing anything. But I'm glad the music is still on the road. And my experience so far is that it's a good crowd, with enough folks that were there for the original band.
One minor complaint I have is that I thought most of the crowd would pass a drug test. The air didn't smell at all like it used to. Then again, I didn't have lawn tickets....
One of my best shows with this crew was with 'heads I had just met on the lawn. I will say no more. You were in the high-priced area, which is sort of antithetical to the experience you probably remember. Back in the day those tickets didn't cost any more than the cheap seats, or only a few dollars more. So the "right" people were up front.
BTW, full disclosure. This was the first time ever in about 200 shows of The Grateful Dead and their various offshoots that I had nothing but caffeine in my bloodstream. That failing was made more apparent when the first notes of the opener "Feel Like A Stranger" were played. It was a long, straight trip.
If you have Sirius XM, the Grateful Dead channel is going to broadcast this Saturday's CitiField show. (..........the only Dead & Co show I'm going to this summer)
My friend offered me tickets to see them at Shoreline next month. If I still lived in the Bay Area, I'd go, but live in the foothills now about 2-3 hours from site. I explained it's just not worth it to me. While I applaud his ability to enjoy these shows and even continue to open his doors of perception (glad to hear that's still around btw), I just feel too similarly to you Jerry and wavethatflag. I had a spectacular run of seeing the dead from 71' up to Jerry's passing and without Jerry, just feels too much like a cover band to me. Garcia was all heart, as you know and I still miss him excruciatingly so, that I don't think I'd have a great time. Those moments in "Rider" would be frequent for me. I also far prefer Warren or Trey to Mayer, but that's just me. I find their playing far more interesting and original and would be more inclined to see D&C if one of them were with them, particularly Warren; that guys knocks me out. I too am glad the live music continues and thrilled folks are enjoying it. At this point in my life, I'd rather listen to the multitude of recordings we have and save the money and energy. PS: Just personal preference of-course, but I have always loved Looks Like Rain. When they first began playing it in 71' with Jerry on pedal steel it knocked me out then and continued to over the years. It's a gorgeous song IMO and one I can sadly relate to, though the subject of it in my life can no longer be loved unconditionally while hurting me, as the song so ideally suggests. On some high level in buddha mind, I certainly can see how one can still sing love songs to another that runs them round and hurts them again and again. On this human plane I struggle with, that is a much more difficult and painful thing to do...but I digress. Cheers -Zafu
I am enjoying following this thread. The crowds and environment are still great at these shows. We met a great crowd of people at our hotel in Saratoga and were amongst friendly people at the show. This is still part of the allure of a Grateful Dead experience. As to the comments about the lack of foul air, I think much of that has moved to edibles and vapes – especially among the set with kids. More importantly than the friendly scene, I really enjoy the music. Personally I love John Mayer’s playing. I think it is lyrical, creative, and goes into some great places at times. Check out the Cassidy and Uncle John’s from Saratoga for example. Chimenti is a better player than Brent IMO and Bob is still Bob. Where this band falls short of the original Dead is in gravitas and depth. There is no equivalent to Jerry doing Stella Blue. When Jerry does Stella there are moments when you feel the world has stopped in its place. That doesn’t really ever happen with this band. However, what you do get is a lot of great playing and a fun experience.
So Weir came back out for the encore tonight wearing a Misfits shirt? Hells yeah. Too bad he had it all the way unbuttoned leaving nothing to the imagination.
Went on a bit of a long strange hike to just get this show set up. Quickly: I ask wife in presence of college age son if we should all go to a show given son's yearlong interest in live Dead (on Spotify ) and great words about current Company. At first, she's shocked I asked. A week later, she's heard good things. It's Ok if I go with son and friends she says. Last night we bought her ticket. On top of that she was suddenly convinced that taking our 16 year old would be a good idea. It took two months to turn that train around. We will now be steaming into Alpine Valley this Friday with the whole family and a Wharf Rat state of mind!!
Garcia especially came to dislike putting on shows in stadiums, which was something that the band was practically forced into by popular demand, especially on the East Coast. An occasional stadium gig seemed like just another extension of the rock festival concept in the 1970s. But by the 1990s, the huge ampitheaters and stadiums were the rule for Grateful Dead gigs. I think the Greek Theater in Berkeley (cap.8500) was the smallest venue they played in the 1980s. In the 1990s, the smallest venue might have been Cal Expo in Sacramento. Certainly nothing much smaller. A lot changed about the rock concert experience over the course of the 1990s. It got a lot more organized as a business. I'm still not sure what's responsible for the massive increase in ticket prices. Given the massive increase in underwriting rock tours by huge corporate advertising sponsors, you'd think that prices could have at least held steady.
I saw them in Saratoga in 1988 and said "They'll never be able to play here again", and sure enough, that was that (until the post-Jerry iterations). As for the massive increase in ticket prices, I subscribe to the George Carlin "Why does a dog lick his testicles?" theory. Because they could.
It seems like artists are getting less of a cut, but revenues are higher than ever. Ticket 'services' don't help either, but something's out of whack. I've just stopped going to big name concerts. (Though I may make some exceptions depending on the act. On his last tour, Robert Hunter played a tiny theater in the next town over from me (I live in semi-rural North Central CT) on his last tour, it was like 80 a ticket, I'd probably have paid double that, if I'd been paying attention. But that's kind of a once in a lifetime experience anymore, since he's getting old, barely tours, and I've never seen him.
I saw Hunter a couple of times as the opening act for "The Dead" in, I think, 2004. Very happy I got to have the experience.