All things Grateful Dead.

[marignygreg]

I like what I'm hearing. I think Trey was a good choice. To bad they can't keep it going.

[cp_deb]

... I am very impressed with the improvements from last weekend. Looks like they got all the memos: Letting Trey lead, turning up Jeff's keys, adding some nice Bruce backing vocals to Bobby, a la Brent. Letting Trey sing! They got it all right.

Too bad all those deadheads in Santa Clara paid to see their rehearsals and sound checks.

[Lit]

My only complaint is the vocals. None of them are great. Bruce has the best voice but he's reading the lyrics and he often screws up the phrasing.


In addition to pretty impressive and inspired guitar work, Trey has done a great job with the lyrics and phrasing, and he knows his vocal limits and stays on key most of the time--but it's not a great voice and certainly not as emotional as Jerry's.

Bob has been better but not great, especially not on the Jerry tunes.

Phil has been Phil, which is pretty terrible.

[Guest]

I missed China>Rider (thought the second set would start with it) and then fell asleep before the second set started. Oops. Their set breaks were probably my biggest complaint. Damn they were long. Looks I missed a doozy too.

I had a blast listening this weekend. Yeah, it had a terrible feel of a money grab in the beginning, and there were some dreadful moments (He's Gone, being one), but overall it exceeded my expectations. I really didn't think they had it in them anymore, especially Bobby. And there were some real sweet spots that made it worthwhile to listen. Trey was a great pick and really was phenomenal.

And I did I read it right that they already waffling on this being the end?

[Kemp]

The Dead won't stay Dead.

[ohio]

Ungrateful Dead

[Kemp]

Quite grateful, really. I think they hear the ringing of The Cosmic Cash Register, and more power to them just bring ticket prices down. I enjoyed most of what I heard from Fare Thee Well on XM this weekend and think Trey did a good job.

[Guest]

Looks like balloons were being sold at commemorative prices too.

Multiple armored cars were on hand to haul away the cash (and tax dollars) generated by everything from $11 beers to $120 hoodies.

After security personnel rousted independent vendors from the parking lots, they migrated to nearby areas of Grant Park to hawk t-shirts, jewelry and other paraphernalia. By far, the most popular merchants were those who had set up nitrous oxide tanks to sell gas-filled those who had set up nitrous oxide tanks to sell gas-filled balloons for $20 a pop.

[DougNSharon]

The balloons were quite popular in Santa Clara, too.

[UncleBuckDabs]

I don't really know what to say, so I will tell you my One Last Saturday Nite story. First, THANK YOU. Thanks to all the Deadheads for making this the spectacle I never imagined I'd see. I've been to dozens of Panic and Phish shows, none hold a candle to the atmosphere and energy I experienced on Saturday. Shit, as a fan, I went to the Saints Super Bowl victory and that isn't even on my radar of comparable events (mainly because I was surrounded by corporate fukkers who couldn't care less about the outcome). It is possible to compare the atmosphere to that of LSU tailgating camaraderie, I digress. I flew in Saturday just before noon, jumped in a cab destined for Soldier Field. I brought a five strip with me and against my better judgement, I ripped it in half and ate it in the cab. The next 7 hours I frolicked around the venue, museum, and lake just soaking it up mingling with the faithful. My friends finally showed up to usher me into the venue, so I ate the other half. Walking inside Soldier Field I felt like Rudy's dad walking into Notre Dame Stadium, "This is the most beautiful sight these eyes have ever seen." Shakedown Street opener, I became unglued. As for the rest of the show, everything was perfect for my eyes and ears. I had a blast rooting for Trey. Everyone one around me, including the Phish haters in my Krewe, couldn't stop gushing over Trey. That gave me an odd sense of satisfaction. The 70 year old Deadhead turned to at set break and said he may have to catch Phish for the first time this Summer. I'm a natural pessimist, so it would be easy to sit here and complain about everything that has been complained about, but here is one gripe. Leaving was an issue. I bought tickets for a 1:30 boat show. I didn't get out of the stadium till 12:45 and couldn't make it to the Navy Pier in time. Nitrous tanks were everywhere. Seemed like every corner on Michigan Ave was selling 3 for $20, some hot corners 4 for $40. As the sun came up over Chicago, I headed back to the airport for my 8 am flight (no hotel, no luggage, 20 hour mission complete). Once again, thank you to all the Heads that followed this band for the first 30 years. You are all remarkable. Congratulations... Phish will be on fiya going forward; it's not too late for some of yall.

[ohio]

Best review so far, Uncle Buck! If I had gone I would have liked to sit with you, though I'd have brought an eight strip.

[cp_deb]

Now that it's all over, I'm ready to catch a Phish show. I'm sure Trey will be in fine form.

[duende]

I got to listen to a bit of the stream at the Dr. Bonner foam booth at High Sierra Music Fest over the weekend - very good stream, and pretty powerful sound! But I was there to see and experience Joe Russo's Almost Dead, so that was that... for me. For the utterly disengaged, the Silent Disco folks were renting headphones to stream the show, which hundreds brought into the venue. Because you wanna dance, right? Hey, there's a live band playing Dead tunes over there - win-win! That I will never understand.

[bennyboy]

Funny but at High Sierra, NOBODY seemed to care. Not one person even tried to discuss Chicago the whole time. I didn't know about the Silent Disco either....We did discuss the crap out of the "rehearsal shows"seeing how almost everyone at High Sierra was there though. Glad you all had a great time, I know I had a good time watching them rehearse (???) in Santa Clara.

I'll be popping in the shows with a fresh ear today.....

[bennyboy]

What was also funny is that at High Sierra I saw ONE GD cover song the entire weekend, (The T Sisters fabulous "Attics of my Life") even in camp jams.......except for JRAD (which were so amazing I cannot begin to tell you).