Grateful Dead - Fare Thee Well - July 7/3-7/5 at Soldier Field

[sophist]

Some funny stories: 

1) So as I mentioned for night one, I made my way to the stadium and caught most of set two outside.  By the time I got back to my hotel, it was close to 2am.  I took the elevator up with several heads, wooks, and what looked like a couple working girls.  One of them condescendingly asked a wook, "so...how long are you visiting Chicago for?"  She got no response which pissed her off.  Wooks and heads got off on their floor.  So it's me and the hookers.  One of them says, "what the fuck, are we in Portland in the 1980's?!?!?!  That guy had dreadlocks." 

It took everything I had to not lose it laughing.  Hookers were nice to me, told me to have a good night. 

2)  On the plane ride to Chicago.  I heard the best story of my life.  These two old heads (I heard them mention they were in their 50's), were talking about seeing the Dead and Allman brothers at the Gorge, and how on one night they came across this old lady in a motorized wheel chair, and that she literally was packing a bowl for herself every five minutes for some reason had me awkwardly burst out laughing enough to draw attention on the plane.  I don't know, I just love the imagery of an old lady out puffing people. 

3) Saw a goat on lot.  So there was that.  Also someone had a pet rabbit too. 

4) on my walk back to michigan ave on saturday, I was dying laughing at the pedicab drivers trying to haggle with all of the hippies.  It was a total shit show. 

Post thoughts on the show:
So I've had a chance to run through the tapes of this run (without the aid of added recreational chemistry), and for me, I do see some replay value for these shows.  I think there is slightly more slop on tape than I noticed at the shows.  I utilized the zman source for all three nights (as he is one of my favorite tapers).  I think actually the underlying weakness of this unit is the vocals.  I get Bobby and Phil were there from the beginning, but they also just flat out can't sing worth a shit anymore.  I thought Trey and Bruce did a good job with the vocals, but it's the main lacking component that is missing and would have sent these performances to the next level in my opinion.   

In terms of Trey, I still stand by the fact he's made some real strides with his playing.  He hasn't sounded like this in years.  I still see comfortableness in some instances, and a reversion back to some bad habits too (incessant double note taps to "cap" off a peak to a solo, leaning on a single scale in lesser used keys, awkward stops in the middle of a run, etc); however, I also see some improvements too.  Some of the ideas he was churning out were about as evolved as they have been in 3.0.  Someone said the best since 2000.  I can't sign onto that.  In 2000, he was still an other worldly jedi with his tone, with his aggressive playing, and with his command of the room.  I think he's getting that back.  I saw him do what he is known to do, which is to hit a stride that pulls everyone in the room together as one.  That's the Trey of old.  It moved me to a powerful place.  He's still not on 2.0 level either in terms of creativity.  But he's certainly at his best since Coventry.  I'm excited for this tour.  I think a lot hangs on it.  It could very well be a turning point for them creatively, or they could continue to linger on the break of something bigger and better. 

I got an email this morning that my Phish tickets by mail have shipped, and it took me back in time to a feeling of excitement I haven't felt in a long time to see Phish.  I was thinking this morning to last year as to how when I walked into Charlotte and Oak Mountain I wasn't excited, and I knew what the ride was going to be, and how that pretty much left me feeling empty.  And then the thought of the unknown for me this year.  Questioning if the tide has shifted, and the waves finally are crashing in the right direction.  It's got me all jazzed up. 

My heart is still very full to have been a part of this.  I'm very happy to have spent the time, the money and the effort to make it happen. 

[VDB]

Note, I said "best since 2000," not "as good as 2000." Still haven't listened back yet so this remains just my thought at the time. 

[gah]

Terry, cool digs and thanks so much for being an excellent host. Great times. Fantastic finally meeting you.

Who's got that group shot?

saw it on FB over the weekend good shit 

Looks like V00D00 is getting frisky inside my shirt with his left hand. Or I have a huge abdomen tumor.

Or I guess the wind just blew a weird direction at the right time.

Time to dump the colostomy bag Double-A.
Not quite your best look.

wait, what? does it look like that?

Sweet pic tho. What a sweet view and spot to hang before the show. Big time thanks to T and his wife, who were incredibly gracious hosts and very accommodating. And what a great crew! One of the best paug meet ups ever. Also, I'd just like to point out the heavy VA representation! Solid work everyone!  :rawk:

[rowjimmy]

Much thanks to Terry
And his bride for hosting this
Paug baker's dozen

A beautiful spot
To pass a beautiful day
With friends old and new

[McGrupp]

Much thanks to Terry
And his bride for hosting this
Paug baker's dozen

A beautiful spot
To pass a beautiful day
With friends old and new

you doing that thing again eh?

[rowjimmy]

Much thanks to Terry
And his bride for hosting this
Paug baker's dozen

A beautiful spot
To pass a beautiful day
With friends old and new

you doing that thing again eh?

Felt appropriate
Since Trey sang Crazy Fingers.
I'd doubted he would.

[Buffalo Budd]

Much thanks to Terry
And his bride for hosting this
Paug baker's dozen

A beautiful spot
To pass a beautiful day
With friends old and new

you doing that thing again eh?

I was afraid of this.

[antelope19]

Much thanks to Terry
And his bride for hosting this
Paug baker's dozen

A beautiful spot
To pass a beautiful day
With friends old and new

you doing that thing again eh?

I was afraid of this.

Yeah. He's no more than a nostalgia act at this point. Such a shame.

[PIE-GUY]

Much thanks to Terry
And his bride for hosting this
Paug baker's dozen

A beautiful spot
To pass a beautiful day
With friends old and new

you doing that thing again eh?

I was afraid of this.

Yeah. He's no more than a nostalgia act at this point. Such a shame.

#cashgrab

[mbw]

I enjoyed this ode.
A summer day for the books.
Shut the fuck up, Neely.

[McGrupp]

I enjoyed this ode.
A summer day for the books.
Shut the fuck up, Neely.

[rowjimmy]

I enjoyed this ode.
A summer day for the books.
Shut the fuck up, Neely.

A+ work my friend
Neely can indeed get fucked
We're celebrating!




On that joyful note
LazyLightning has posted
some Chicago vids

[zimbra]

Nice, thanks for sharing, RJ. +K

[gah]

The giddiness of Trey during the start of Scarlet was amazing to see. To think from that early recording of 12/02/83 in a cafeteria at the univ of vt, playing scarlet fire, to 32 years later getting to play it with those guys in front of 70k people in a stadium...i think that was one of my favorite things about this weekend, seeing trey so happy, like he was totally aware of how this was all a dream man. His humility, respectfulness towards the other guys and the music, the appreciation for getting to do this, it all was just exuding from him all weekend. If he hadn't turned his life around a few years ago, none of this would be happening. I'm super proud of him.

[susep]

The giddiness of Trey during the start of Scarlet was amazing to see. To think from that early recording of 12/02/83 in a cafeteria at the univ of vt, playing scarlet fire, to 32 years later getting to play it with those guys in front of 70k people in a stadium...i think that was one of my favorite things about this weekend, seeing trey so happy, like he was totally aware of how this was all a dream man. His humility, respectfulness towards the other guys and the music, the appreciation for getting to do this, it all was just exuding from him all weekend. If he hadn't turned his life around a few years ago, none of this would be happening. I'm super proud of him.

well said gah.