Unbelievable. I didn't think I could see a show better than Albany, but the second night of Boston absolutely blew me away. UJB and a rousing Minglewood got the crowd up and moving. Doin' That Rag and W LA Fadeaway were great, and the China->Rider 1st set closer was amazing. Wasn't expecting repeats so early... much appreciated boys!
Second set opening jam seemed to have Phil pushing Bobby into St. Stephen, and Bobby would have none of it. They settled on Morning Dew and away we went. After another awesome jam, which could have turned into Cryptical. Phil reasserted himself and the band ripped off a wonderful St. Stephen. Bird Song was next, and I actually stopped dancing and just thought about how awesome this show actually was. BIRD SONG! Drumz and a nice little Space came out into a strong and loud Wheel. The crowd was back in play and another jam ensued. This one wound its way down and into Dark Star. They slid into a Beatles tune (know it, can't name it) and then back into Dark Star a bit. Bobby took the reins and led us all into a full crowd participatory Lovelight that had everyone up on their feet even though we were worn out by this show! They never left the stage... and finished with Aiko, Aiko. Then when everyone was waiting for an encore... the Fleet threw on the houselights and that was that!
Unbelievable!
JayBone, Waltham, MA
The band was pretty tight most of the show. The jams were awesome to hear again, but I thought they were too long. The second set was a bit down. They started the second set with Morning Dew, and I don't think it really picked up until the next to last song and that was huge. Susan T and Bobby trading off on Turn On Your Lovelight was awesome. She looked lost up there a few times during the set, but Lovelight clicked so good. If she hangs with them for a while it will really add a dimension we haven't heard since DJG. They clicked good on the first set; Uncle John was great and Minglewood was like a flashback.
Jimmy Herring is great. He played Jerry's licks huge, and with the vocals from Phil and the keyboard player, I closed my eyes and Jerry was there. The other stuff he added was great to hear. A great addition to the band.
I Know You Rider.... SO COOL !!!! Even coolier: AIKO-AIKO. I hope they come back. I ALWAYS WILL
Kevin D, Clinton, MA
The second of the two Boston shows was a fine complement to the first. One key to discussion Grateful Dead and related shows is subjectivity: One person may have loved a show whereas I may not have cared for it due to a variety of reasons: playing, song selection, vibe, and numerous intangibles. I enjoyed this night very much, as this was musically a strong, consistent show, its roots in deep space and psychedelia. The first set started out fairly pleasantly with a faithful "Uncle John's Band" that did contain a moment where a different tempo was attempted in the song's first jam but went nowhere (to which percussionist Mickey Hart shrugged). For me, the set got going with a crisp, faithful reading of an underrated old Dead gem, "Doin' That Rag," sung with feeling by Rob Barraco (who also sung this in recent years with Phil Lesh & Friends). West LA Fadeaway was sung by Weir with lots of gruff, but the next level was reached with a long-fabled Dead pairing of "China Cat Sunflower"->"I Know You Rider", Garcia's lead parts sung again by Weir. However, it's the jam & segue between the songs that has long been the identity, and it was a fine facsimile handled tastefully.
Robert Hunter's set was more interesting in that he remained faithful to most of his songs performed. On this night, he stuck to the structures and was more successful. Highlights included a cool take of "Mission In The Rain" (one of the most criminally underrated songs in the Garcia songbook!) and a fun "It Must Have Been The Roses."
Whereas set two of the previous night shined in terms of sheer intensity, the final set of the Boston run dug deeper into pure space. A brief but dense jam led into "Morning Dew." While this is one of my favorite pieces of music in the Dead repertoire, this is a song where Garcia's presence is most difficult to compensate. While Lesh is a masterful bassist, he has his vocal shortcomings, and the "Dew" was choppy and uneven in that department. There was plenty of heart, but this is one that I'd like to see The Other Ones handle a la "Stella Blue" in Albany: as an instrumental tribute.
The "Dew" spiraled into another fresh E-keyed jam then dissipated into deep space, then after a moment of silence, one of the most infamous intros to any Dead song emerged--the coveted "St. Stephen." Loaded with spirit and numerous power instrumental flourishes, The Other Ones again taught me that "one man gathers what another man spills." The final jam had its moments of fury not unlike the previous night but gently flowed back into deep space until it found a natural place with "Bird Song." Originally written as a tribute to Janis Joplin, "Bird Song" had effective vocal harmonies by Lesh and Susan Tedeschi, then flourished into another tangent completely outside the structure before gracefully returning to the final reprise. Both the DRUMS and SPACE segments were very short this night, most likely due to the 11 pm curfew and the emphasis on songs.
A soft, if slightly off kilter, reading of "The Wheel" maintained the set's overall flow, but that led to many Deadheads' favorite tetragram of "DARK STAR." For me, in terms of space, this song IS The Grateful Dead. Its lyrics among the most essential of psychedelia, it is also been a deep source of optimism. When the band asked, "Shall we go, you and I while we can," the audience obliged. For ten minutes, a lovely space ensued that veered into a bizarre two-minute vocal tangent: Was it an "Uncle John's Band" vocal reprise like one reported? For me, it was the bridge between the "Star" and a Beatles nugget the Dead explored in the early 90s, "Tomorrow Never Knows." Although the Dead would generally remain faithful to the original arrangment, The Other Ones stretched this further with a hyperkinetic rhythm from Kreutzmann & Hart, a rumbling bass line by Lesh, and some pretty guitar figures by Herring. However, I felt the vocal side was significantly weaker, still attempting to find an identity for a harmony blend. The band wasted no time in returning back to the "Star" for more space and the second verse.
However, there was one last burst of energy left in the set-capping "Turn On Your Lovelight," ignited by a stirring blues vocal from Tedeschi. Although Weir had started the verses, he gradually handed them off to Tedeschi, who ignited a vocal rave-up that lifted both the music's intensity and overall energy level. With inspired passages by the keyboardists and Herring, The Other Ones ended a spacecake tasty set on a strong note.
Curfew was approaching fast, so the band didn't bother to leave the stage. After less than a minute of applause, the band charged into "Iko Iko," a N'Awleans classic made famous by the Dixie Cups and a longtime staple in the Dead's repertoire. Weir handled the vocals (originally sung by Garcia) and added in several verses from the Cups' version ("see that girl all dressed in red" and etc.) and the band crackled with energy to the end. Not to mention professionalism: When the last note was struck, the clock read 11:00 pm on the dot!
Overall, a very strong, cohesive evening of music. While both sets were strong in its consistency, my favorite set of music was Monday night's second set because of the song selection and its juxtapositioning, and its overall sheer intensity and fiery emotion. Regardless, we left the Fleet Center well sated and happy just to experience Grateful Dead music again.
John J. Wood, Marlborough, MA