The Grateful Thread

[Vortex]

Ugggg I'm a GDTS REJECT. First time ever rejected.

Rejected as well. waiting on the 28th. I think that will just be another frustrating day.

 

[deadheadskier]

What I said long ago is I thought for the 50th they should do one East Coast festival and one West Coast festival then call it a day. Host it at a venue where as many people who want to see the band can go. Not sure where that would be out west, but I was thinking Watkins Glen in the East.

That would have been the best way for the most fans to enjoy them one last time and have closure for that part of life. It is what it is, but there are going to be thousands upon thousands of fans shut out of these shows. Really unfortunate. It's nice with today's technology to have the pay per view option, but still not the same.

I didn't go the mail order route as I figured the only people getting tickets were those putting in for the most expensive seats and for all three nights. They practically instructed you do put in for that with your order. To date, I do not know one single friend who has been successful in getting tickets.

What will be doubly frustrating on the 28th is that it's a ski day. I'll probably be sitting in my car furiously hitting redial on one cell phone and refresh on the TM website on another phone hoping to get through.

 

[Funky_Catskills]

Going to be a complete sheeeet show... I hear there may be some modifications to the way the seating is laid out inside the event.

I also heard a band members had to be coerced into agreeing to do this... i doubt they could push for more events..

I trust my Phish phamily to find me tickets if I can't get em... It's what we do...
Will try the 28th..

I can't wait for Phish tour.. Actually.. I've not been paying close attention to all the Dead vs Phish BS.. But what I hear from both sides makes me sick.. I wonder if this event will harm the Phish scene like Touch or Grey/In The Dark affected the GD scene with more people piling on.. I worry about our cool little scene... mostly under the radar..

Any rate... Stoked to go on the 4th... Mainly because SO many people that I know are going to be there...
Road tripping out.. R&RHOF on the way... See some Jerry Guitars...

 

[crank]

I was almost sure they would play at Gathering of the Vibes. My feeling is that if they can only stand to be together for these 3 shows then I don't even want to go see them. I have a friend who is connected enough to get us tickets and she is going, but not me.

I did hear that Rat Dog will be at Peach Festival and I will probably attend that as it was great fun last summer. They were really good at Mountain Jam last June, just before Weir cancelled all his shows for the rest of the year. Better, imo, than Phil and Friends who bore me to death.

 

[deadheadskier]

Pretty cool Trey interview about how he is preparing for the shows

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/f...shows-i-dont-want-to-just-copy-jerry-20150217

 

[Funky_Catskills]

I did hear that Rat Dog will be at Peach Festival and I will probably attend that as it was great fun last summer. They were really good at Mountain Jam last June, just before Weir cancelled all his shows for the rest of the year. Better, imo, than Phil and Friends who bore me to death.

IMO...

I'm just the opposite from you - I'll take the exploration and craziness of a Phil show any day..
Especially with Medeski and Scofield... Russo... Cast goes on and on... Saw P&F at Terrapin in October with Stanley Jordan.. Was sooooo Sick.. P&F at Levons was amazing... Every show is different with different players stepping up... I love that model...

I found Ratdog to be slow and dirgey at mountain jam.. I'm just not a fan..

Now I LOVE JRAD... Stuff is an awesome take on the GD...

 

[Funky_Catskills]

Pretty cool Trey interview about how he is preparing for the shows

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/f...shows-i-dont-want-to-just-copy-jerry-20150217

Amazing... Now I REALLY want to go...

"Then, since I don't want to go out there and just copy Jerry, the next thing I do is play it in all 12 keys, so that I get it into my body, with the intention of forgetting it again."

 

[crank]

IMO...

I'm just the opposite from you - I'll take the exploration and craziness of a Phil show any day..
Especially with Medeski and Scofield... Russo... Cast goes on and on... Saw P&F at Terrapin in October with Stanley Jordan.. Was sooooo Sick.. P&F at Levons was amazing... Every show is different with different players stepping up... I love that model...

I found Ratdog to be slow and dirgey at mountain jam.. I'm just not a fan..

Now I LOVE JRAD... Stuff is an awesome take on the GD...

Wow we really are opposites. I saw Phil and Friends with Scofield and Medeski and did not like either of them. Got no problems with Russo though. lol

I did find Kimmock's playing with Rat Dog a bit sterile I admit but Weir himself sounded better than he has in years.

Medeski, when I saw Phil at GOTV had a super shrill distorted tone that I found grating. Plus I feel like their jams generally go nowhere and then Phil gets tired of what is happening, or not happening and forces his way into a new song. Nothing like the Grateful Dead used to do when the would flow from song to space jam and into another song.

 

[Vortex]

Wow we really are opposites. I saw Phil and Friends with Scofield and Medeski and did not like either of them. Got no problems with Russo though. lol

I did find Kimmock's playing with Rat Dog a bit sterile I admit but Weir himself sounded better than he has in years.

Medeski, when I saw Phil at GOTV had a super shrill distorted tone that I found grating. Plus I feel like their jams generally go nowhere and then Phil gets tired of what is happening, or not happening and forces his way into a new song. Nothing like the Grateful Dead used to do when the would flow from song to space jam and into another song.

Crank,

Love the opinion and could not disagee more.
Kimock makes Ratdog something I will go to again. In the early days of Phil and friends we use to say the songs were just space to fill between the jams. The transitions and combinations and myriad of teases are core to the Phil and friends sound.

I don't discount anything you said and like that you have a postive opinion. Just different sides of the fence.

Back to stressing about tickets again.

I did buy DSO tickets for Hampton beach if anyone is going to catch those shows look me up.

 

[deadheadskier]

My preferred Phil Ensemble is the Quintet. Phil, Molo, Barraco, Haynes and Herring. This is probably because Herring is my favorite lead guitarist. (huge Panic fan here) They've only rebanded I believe for one run of shows in the past ten or so years though. Scofield is my least favorite guest of the various Phil incarnations. I just really am not a fan of his tone for GD music. Love him with MMW, but not with Phil. Plenty of other members I immensely enjoy, Barry Sless, Larry Cambell, Kimock. The best Phil show I may have ever saw was back in Worcester 1999. Rumor was Kimock and Jill Lesh had an argument, so Steve walked out on a show. Derek Trucks (only 20 years old then) was called in on one day's notice and absolutely CRUSHED it.

https://archive.org/details/1999-11-14.paf.akg.vernon.6418.sbeok.flacf

I don't remember a thing about the Dylan set that followed. I think I walked out before the end of it. I wanted three sets of a Phil at that point. haha

I side with Funky in that I prefer Phil over Ratdog. I've seen some inspiring Rat Dog shows, but plenty of lounge bobby snooze fests as well. Sometimes Phil shows can get sleepy too if the jams aren't productive and become just noodle fests. In either situation, I give them both a pass. They're older than my parents.

It's pretty crazy to look at all the people who have played in Phil and Friends over the years. Just look at the right side of the Wiki listing and that's likely not everyone. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Lesh_and_Friends I think that's a more interesting approach to keep expanding GD music into new waters vs. RatDog which hasn't really evolved tremendously over the years.

 

[Vortex]

My preferred Phil Ensemble is the Quintet. Phil, Molo, Barraco, Haynes and Herring. This is probably because Herring is my favorite lead guitarist. (huge Panic fan here) They've only rebanded I believe for one run of shows in the past ten or so years though. Scofield is my least favorite guest of the various Phil incarnations. I just really am not a fan of his tone for GD music. Love him with MMW, but not with Phil. Plenty of other members I immensely enjoy, Barry Sless, Larry Cambell, Kimock. The best Phil show I may have ever saw was back in Worcester 1999. Rumor was Kimock and Jill Lesh had an argument, so Steve walked out on a show. Derek Trucks (only 20 years old then) was called in on one day's notice and absolutely CRUSHED it.

https://archive.org/details/1999-11-14.paf.akg.vernon.6418.sbeok.flacf

I don't remember a thing about the Dylan set that followed. I think I walked out before the end of it. I wanted three sets of a Phil at that point. haha

I side with Funky in that I prefer Phil over Ratdog. I've seen some inspiring Rat Dog shows, but plenty of lounge bobby snooze fests as well. Sometimes Phil shows can get sleepy too if the jams aren't productive and become just noodle fests. In either situation, I give them both a pass. They're older than my parents.

It's pretty crazy to look at all the people who have played in Phil and Friends over the years. Just look at the right side of the Wiki listing and that's likely not everyone. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Lesh_and_Friends I think that's a more interesting approach to keep expanding GD music into new waters vs. RatDog which hasn't really evolved tremendously over the years.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxx
Nice perspective.

I saw UNH, Worcester, Umass, and the Meadowlands shows that 99 tour. I came in hoping for Kimock. Trucks, and Jorma and Warren were excellent.l. I bailed on some of the Dylan parts too. Love Dylan. Just left work to hit the shows, drove home and went to work. I think I was in bed by midnight each night of the NE shows.

Best Phil and friends run of shows for me were the Barry Sless and the Hammerstein shows in 2006. I saw those with Beano and others.

Tied would have to be Buffalo with Scofield. The Althea may well be the best post 95 music I have seen.



Any of the Gimme Shelters with Joan were fantastic too. Can't remember they year, but last show of a tour was in Phili and they opened up the 2nd set with it and it shook the house. Caught it another time or two..

Favorite for the scene and location and combinations Were the last of the Q shows at Red rocks in 2002 I believe. Rat dog opened one night Willie the other. Caught 9 shows that summer of the Q. Great times.

back to stressing about tickets

 

[crank]

Crank,

Love the opinion and could not disagee more.
Kimock makes Ratdog something I will go to again. In the early days of Phil and friends we use to say the songs were just space to fill between the jams. The transitions and combinations and myriad of teases are core to the Phil and friends sound.

I don't discount anything you said and like that you have a postive opinion. Just different sides of the fence.

Back to stressing about tickets again.

I did buy DSO tickets for Hampton beach if anyone is going to catch those shows look me up.

I respect all of your opinions as well...hey to each his own. I did like Kimmock's playing but he just seemed too wooden and controlled to me. I am probably older than you all and was more if a dead head back in the 70's. To give you an idea, my favorite Jerry era sound wise was back when he was still playing a Stratocaster, pre Alembic and heavily effected guitar tone days.

 

[Vortex]

I respect all of your opinions as well...hey to each his own. I did like Kimmock's playing but he just seemed too wooden and controlled to me. I am probably older than you all and was more if a dead head back in the 70's. To give you an idea, my favorite Jerry era sound wise was back when he was still playing a Stratocaster, pre Alembic and heavily effected guitar tone days.

119 Dead shows and over 100 Phil and friends shows. Mid 350s overall for band members, is in the ball park.
Everthing from 85 on. I call your favorite, the Piano era.. Never got to enjoy the 70's Piano sound or when the music sounded, well better. Closest to the Piano sound was Bruce in the early 90's for me.

My Opinion Kimock sounds held back, cause Bobby holds him back in due to his personal sound structure. I get its his band. We should catch a show. Many of my buddies have the exact same feelings as you. More are with Funky Catskills and myself these days that I see shows with.

I have been telling Funky Catskill for almost ten years I am done seeing shows. Getting closer.

I think I spent too much time in the Q mob.

Sounds like you have about 10 years on me.





Nice back and forth.

 

[Funky_Catskills]

The Grateful Dead is awesome... And the fact that people see such different things and feel such different things in the music is a testament to it's awesomeness..

I also think Bobby holds guitar players back.. I don't know why it happens... But I felt that way with Kimock like you did Bob AND I felt they held Warren back a bit with the Dead.. Bobby play some pretty complicated "rhythm" guitar - he knows it..
When I saw Bobby do Levon's and then Bearsville solo. He seemed to do a one to one - his rhythm parts to acoustic and the first attempt failed.. His parts are way to crazy to hold down a song and almost needs traditional acoustic guitar rhythm to hold things together.. By the Bearsvile show he locked things down... I just wish the girl in the front row would've shut up...

But to me... I'm in for the exploration of the acid test days..
I think that's the basic alignment of Deadheads..
Phil saw them as whole explorations.. Sights sound vibe...electrons.. dance..
Bobby was more into the party...

Both very acceptable feelings for an acid test...

 

[Funky_Catskills]

Wow we really are opposites. I saw Phil and Friends with Scofield and Medeski and did not like either of them. Got no problems with Russo though. lol

I did find Kimmock's playing with Rat Dog a bit sterile I admit but Weir himself sounded better than he has in years.

Medeski, when I saw Phil at GOTV had a super shrill distorted tone that I found grating. Plus I feel like their jams generally go nowhere and then Phil gets tired of what is happening, or not happening and forces his way into a new song. Nothing like the Grateful Dead used to do when the would flow from song to space jam and into another song.

Yeah... I loved that Medeski performance at the GOTV... He's my hero..
He gave me the best drum lesson i ever had... For real..

Also - for me - I prefer bands take chances.. It doesn't always work out.. But when it does it's magic..
Maybe they get noddle'y but when it's a lock it's sublime..

 

[crank]

I have this to say about that.

I saw the Dead a couple of times with Warren Haynes on lead and I really liked the lineup. I felt like Warren was laying back a bit and almost forcing Weir to be more in the mix. that sounded good because I have never heard Weir's playing as well. Don't get me wrong I am a huge Jerry Garcia fan, and while he was definitely the musical leader of the band, I often felt like he was...well maybe too busy of a player. But that is me and I love dynamics and hate playing with players who overplay. I have been playing guitar for over 40 years and he is one of my many influences - but I am no Jerry clone and I actually do not like Dead cover bands that really try to copy the as closely as possible. In my twisted mind, one should put their own sound, spin, interpretation on the music and not try to play note for note.

The last time I saw Phil and Weir with Haynes in the Further configuration, Warren was playing a ton of stuff with an octaver effect, trying, I guess to sound more like Jerry, and in my opinion that completely sucked. I want Warren to sound like Warren playing Dead...if that makes any sense.

Medesky gave you a drum lesson? I thought he was plays keys?

 

[Funky_Catskills]

Medesky gave you a drum lesson? I thought he was plays keys?

He is - but if you want to approach playing drums musically - sitting down with a horn or keyboard player is the way to go..
I've taken lessons from Billy Martin.. Need to restart soon... He suggested i get a sitdown with John.. it was amazing..

If you like a bands spin on the music... go see JRAD... modern take on the GD..

 

[Funky_Catskills]

IDon't get me wrong I am a huge Jerry Garcia fan, and while he was definitely the musical leader of the band, I often felt like he was...well maybe too busy of a player.

this is another fundamental difference between us.. Jerry's picking style through songs like Let It Grow was absolutely brilliant to me... Bobbys style and the rhythmic force the the band allowed him to do that kind of stuff...

 

[crank]

Getting away from the Dead for a moment... It's funny how people interpret these things like style and the interplay of instruments and musicians. I am playing in a cover band these days and I love the way our drummer plays - he just lays down the perfect bed for me to work with and we have a good back and forth thing going on. I also love my bass player who is a great groove player... yet the drummer and bassist seem to have issues with each other. All that leaves me thinking wtf is wrong with me and wtf am I not hearing there? In my mind the most important thing in band dynamics is listening to each other and leaving space for everyone.

 

[Funky_Catskills]

If your drummer and bass players have issues... that's bad..
At least in my world.. I have 2 bass players i like to work with...
They are my world.. One is funky like Phish style and the other more classic rock...
But they are my secret weapons.. They make me look good...

The notes are important -but the space between the notes is what makes the groove..

Try what Phish does at rehearsal.. MMW does this too..
Play a groove - just settle into it..
Then one at a time each band member changes that groove just slightly and everyone drops in on it...
then the next guy then the next guy...