Furthur / The Dead / The Other Ones | OtherOnes.Net

Joan Osborne is a terrific, much needed addition to the Dead who brings sweet, powerful, soulful vocals that none of the boys could even come close to matching. Her Sugaree was simply amazing and her China Doll (originally titled "the Suicide Song") almost had me in tears. The first set they played for all the radio fans who knew Touch and FOTD and for the most part was relatively disappointing and somewhat boring. It was nice hearing Alabama Getaway and Viola Lee Blues though. The Instrumental Black Muddy River was great to hear. I enjoyed the Unbroken chain with inverted Space> Drums into Dark Star (which they'd been teasing for the previous 45 minutes and happened to actually pull out when the full moon rose from behind the clouds on the horizon... not that they could see it from the stage, but it still looked really cool). St. Stephen was played better on the Other Ones tour last year, as was The Eleven and Rider. Attics took my breath away. Joan had lead with the rest of the boys backing her up. This is one of the most beautiful songs the GD ever wrote, IMO. Nice to see it done justice once again.

Each successive Dead/Dead-related (i.e. Phil & Friends) show I see makes me forget how fantastic the last one was. The Pittsburgh Other Ones show blew me away, and seeing as how this was the beginning of the group's first full tour as The Dead, I was expecting nothing less than a complete retransfiguration of my psyche. I was also thinking that it would take quite a lot to top my Bonnaroo weekend up to that point.
     Well.... they took it there. Fo' sho'. I'll run through the set by song (forgive me for the parts I have trouble remembering... as I said, it was quite a weekend...):
     First Set:
     Touch of Grey -- Nice opener, got people going. >>
     Fire on the Mountain -- A good version, but strange placement. This song has the power to really make you crazy, which is why it always fits so well near the beginning of the second set.
     Sugaree -- Joan Obsbourne fills in for Donna and Susan pretty nicely, but her voice is in a lower register, and well, she kind of sounds like a man. I would have preferred Susan, but Joan gave "Sugaree" the soul it needed.
     Friend of the Devil -- First-set highlight for me. Bobby on acoustic, and a stepped-up tempo much closer to the original. Loved it.
     Alabama Getaway -- The energy level is stepping up a bit, everyone's getting more into it...
     Viola Lee Blues -- Whew! Smokin'! Originally thought it was going to be "China Cat," the way they were tinkering with it. A lot of people made the comment that this first set seemed like they were "playing an anthology," but this was the first number where I really got a sense the band was really starting to lock into one another. It was during Viola Lee that they started to "take it into the weird," as I've come to identify it. But it stayed tight and was a fine choice to cap the first set.
     Second Set:
     Box of Rain -- Interesting choice. They closed with this in Pittsburgh, so it was nice to hear it again. >>
     Black Muddy River -- I'm not too familiar with this one, but I'm pretty sure it was somewhere around here that I started to lose my mind. >>
     Sugar Magnolia -- VERY strange placement. For a second, I thought the show was about to be over! But then again, I didn't have the CLEAREST concept of time. Hehe. >>
     Unbroken Chain -- Booooy, I was out of my gourd. I never recognize this song no matter where they place it in the show. >>
     Space >> Drumz -- The stage was a gigantic barn with a UFO inside it... that's all I can think to say... >>
     Dark Star >> China Doll >> Dark Star -- Mesmerizing. "Dark Star" was all we've come to expect of it, and the "China Doll" nearly brought me to tears, I was so overwhelmed. They went back into Dark Star and then brought it around to...
     St. Stephen -- Everyone (meaning me and oh, somewhere between 80- and 100,000 people) rose to their feet for this one. >>
     William Tell Bridge >> The Eleven -- That William Tell thing just cracks me up, and the Eleven always gets everyone going. >>
     I Know You Rider -- It's never quite the same when it doesn't follow "China Cat," but nonetheless, this was a great way to close the second set.
     Encore: Attics of My Life -- Slow, deliberate, beautiful harmonies wafting through the cool Tennessee night. I really could have gone for about 20 more minutes of music (i.e. another encore), but we were all spent.
     Thank you Bonnaroo, and the Dead, for making this past weekend one of the best ever.

I thought the show started off okay. The Touch of Grey was a good opener, but I felt like it took them a while to get things together as things didn't go over well vocally especially with Joan. The Fire on the Mountain Rap is not one of my favorites, and I don't enjoy Mickey's voice too well, but during the refrain the band sounded okay. Sugaree I thought Joan was smoking here and truly came to appreciate what she brings to the band, as after this one song I loved it. All during this time I felt like Herring had finally come into his own with this band and played great solos and riffs. It seemed to me that FOTD was pretty good and thousands were singing it at the same time and the Getaway was moving real well and I always enjoy a Viola Lee Blues.
     In the 2nd set, the reversed 7-9-95 thing was great and loved the Muddy River, and Phil's voice sounds good on Box of Rain most of the time so I enjoyed that. The end of the show > Dark Star> China Doll> Dark Star> St. Stephen> William Tell Bridge> The Eleven> I Know You Rider was tight. Even though they play St. Stephen too much, it was enjoyable.

Tennessee Tennessee there ain't no place I'd ratter be. Another 3 days back down south with Neil, Panic and The Dead. First show of the tour and the first full show with Joan.
     The first set was just great. Touch Of Grey was a very powerful opener and Fire On The Mountain was keep everyone moving after they FIRED IT UP! Sugaree was cool, I will hand it Joan, but I really wanted Warren to come out and kick with them on that song. Friend Of The Devil was sweet with Booby on acoustic. Alabama Getaway>Viola Lee Blues close it out just fine.
     Set Two was really something esle. Box Of Rain I'm a Phil fan and I have always loved that song. Black Muddy River was nice. Sugar Magolia was great and Unbroken Chain was cool to hear. Drums>Space was kicking, I loved Joan on Space. Dark Star>China Doll>Dark Star man did they jam that one. St. Stephen Hell Ya can't go wrong with that one. William Tell Bridge>The Eleven was good, but I Know You Rider seemed to say it all for me and The Attics Of My Life almost made me cry. What a way to end Bonnaroo.
     The show was just good, thats the only way i can put it. I think adding Joan was good idea she blends really well with Phil & Bobby. I want to point something out to every one. If you look at the set list Set two went Box Of Rain>Black Muddy River>Sugar Magnolia>Unbroken Chain>Drums. Now check this out at the Grateful Deads last show at Soldier Feild on July 9, 1995 the second half of set two go's Drums>Space>Unbroken Chain>Sugar Magnolia E: Black Muddy River> Box Of Rain was that planed oh well see ya next year BONNAROO

My first Bonnaroo, my second Other Ones show, first as the Dead, so let's get to it:

Touch of Grey: Teased "Bertha" before throwing it into the "Grey" beat. Not a huge fan of this song, but the chorus and the end really get you into it

FOTM: Unexpected, and it seemed a little rushed. I could do without Mickey singing it, also...

Sugaree: Nice with Joan on vocals, very strong towards the end.

FOTD: Good tempo, nice sound with Bobby on acoustic

Alabama Getaway: Got everyone moving, just in time for...

Viola Lee: The first song where you could feel the "call of the Weird" starting to take over, the jam before they got back into the main rhythm spaced me out nicely.

Box of Rain: Nicely executed, vocal harmonies are a little off, but it's Phil, what are ya gonna do? >

Black Muddy (inst.): Every time I hear the opening bars, I get a chill, very spiritual and stately. >

Sugar Magnolia: Standard version, good, energetic, nothing spectacular >

Unbroken Chain: MAN, the 7/4 break in this song got everyone wide open! When they hit the bridge, 80,000 gentle swaying people kicked into seriously high gear. >

Space/Drums: I will swear up and down that the stage was a giant UFO inside a barn at one point during this, I'm goddamned serious... >

Dark Star: I can't help it, I really like the older versions, I mean waaay old, like '68-'72, where this was more of a jazz-oriented improv. The new version of the band makes it a lot meatier, which I guess can be expected, given the additional players, but still, a good version. >

China Doll: Tears during the coda, stunning and beautiful >

Dark Star: see above >

St. Stephen: How come no one ever yells the "WOOO-HOO!" from the album version at the proper time? I did, fo' sho'. >

William Tell: Nice and dramatic >

The Eleven: Always a crowd-pleaser >

I Know You Rider: Not as strong as I'd hoped for the end, but a favorite of mine, so I'll take it, no doubt.

E: Attics: Again, strange selection for a crowd that was 80,000-strong and looking to end the Bonnaroo experience with a bang, but sweet and tender, nonetheless.

All in all, for a tour opener, pretty good. The interplay isn't as strong as when I saw them at the Mellon Arena, but judging by later setlists, the chemistry got better and better.