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

i was really impressed with furthur last night. the show really had the feel of a concert rather than the bar band atmosphere that ratdog can bring at times.

first experience with furthur live. there is alot of equipment on stage. it is hard to see both drum sets knowing that billy and mickey are at home. great to see bobby and phil sharing the stage together.

I thought last night's setlist really put bobby on center stage. Fine with me as I am a bobby/ratdog fan these days. stranger>minglewood>lucy was a solid start. john sang roses and the crowd lost interest. lots of chatter while he was singing. i think folks were checking him out because everyone was on board with him the rest of the night.

i think phil's donor rap and the nfa encore were the only times he stepped up to the microphone all night.

bobby's capri pants and pink guitar are a little much together.

i really liked the greatest story, liberty and the lovelight closer in the first set.

loooong set break. lots of drunk people in the second set. security was doing a fine job of letting people have fun while maintaining order in the aisles etc. good smoke in the house all night.

i thought the band really found their groove in the second set. i don't know how to describe this but furthur really "sounds" like the grateful dead of the 1990's. they are making "sounds" that really takes me back. bobby's guitar sounds great in the mix. phil is phil with no doubts. you can't really compare robin sylvester to him. john has his jerry thing going and for the first time since his passing it is fun to hear the music in this presentation again.

I kept thinking about warren haynes last night. didn't seem to miss him in this mix. Don't know that that back up singers are needed but they don't take anything away from the band.

let it grow, death don't have no mercy and throwing stones were very strong. nfa encore was fun and the crowd was ready for more when the lights came up.

if you get a chance to listen to this show, check out the doing that rag. i think it was th highlight of the night and showed some great jamming and music that this band can call their own.

looking forward to tonight. check this band out if you get the chance. I think you'll like what you hear.

am i the only one who is underwhelmed with this line-up? i only saw the atlantic city show on this tour, but almost 100% of reviews from the entire tour are ultra-positive including that one. i like john with dso, but he just does not take the lead guitar role anywhere in further. his effects and overall sound are somewhat jerry-esque, but he just does not seem to rip off any great licks. for any of the warren detractors out there, i hear you, but at least warren plays a true lead guitar and can sing a little bit. and no offense to the current percussionists, but their sound is so empty feeling compared to the last other ones lineup. i know it's a little unfair to compare them to bill and mickey, but doesn't anyone else think that the last tour sounded much more powerful and multi-layered compared to this one? again, no offense because i do like him, but i just do not think that chimenti is the best keyboard option out there. i would take rob barraco over jeff anyday. on a positive note i am glad they brought in some other vocals on this tour. i know it will not happen but i would love to see bobby and phil get bill and mickey back into the fold, and add melvin seals on keys plus stu allen on guitar (not much of a learning curve needed on the songbook). they could either keep the current back-up singers or preferably bring on jaclyn and gloria from the old jgb as well. would anyone else like to see them tweek it one more time before the end???

"Well the music's thunderin', restless and hot." Yes, what a great freaking start to a fabulous freaking show. I sure hope all the miracle searchers found entry in but I sadly believe most were left out in the cold. The auditorium theater was packed to the rafters and nary a soul stopped dancing the entire night. Great setlist expertly constructed with beautiful peaks and valleys. Chicago deserved a great showing after that quasi-non Dead show last May (shows I loved, just strange setlists).

Anyway, this band is tight. When the tour was announced a few months back I was a little concerned that fatigue would play a factor and poor Phil would need a LazyBoy to finish the second set. Not the case. The boys and girls came to rock. Bobby's vocals were very powerful. Not much talking of lyrics, just gut-busting singing. He wisely pulls back on tone and volume when he approaches a lyric he knows he can't hit anymore, and that didn't happen to often last night. Clearly the band director, he's like a flippin staff sergeant up there, all giddily gruff and pointing and flailing and kicking and signaling and smiling like a schoolboy doing an acid test show. Not sure I'm a big fan of the Man Capris he was styling, but hey, he can wear a freaking tutu for all I care. Thank you sir for keeping the flame lit.

Phil was on fire all night. Huge grin the whole show. The dude is loving life right now and you can feel it. Content to keep the groove on track and back away from taking a song, he is and always will be the glue. He didn't take a song last night, sadly for me anyway, but his backing vocals with that deep Wise Man By the Riverside kind of tone, is so sweet. His two backing honeys, Zoe and Sunshine, are phenominal singers who really bring some great texture to the songs. I would have liked to see them featured a little more last night though.

Jeff is the man. You don't have to worry about that dude. If he's sitting there playing with this band, any night's gunna be a good night. Rock solid. Same with Joe and Jay. I love the smile Russo gets when things are really going well and perhaps taking off in a new direction. The dude's in rock and roll heaven. Jay was stellar as well, though I do think he took too long of a nap before the show. Not a lot of jumping and flailing and dancing, but a lot of great banging and smashing and whacking. It is the cold and flu season, maybe that's it. He too, loving life.

JK. I too believe Jerry is smiling down and encouraging him to keep the sound moving forward while developing his own voice. He clearly plays second fiddle to Bob and Phil, but that second fiddle is on fire. Great riffs, great vocals. He did have some feedback issues more than once but no one seemed to mind and the rocking just kept rocking. Talk about one lucky dude. He has to wake up in the morning, like the rest of us, and say to himself, "really?" Fuck yes.

Loved the list. Loved that I got my Shakedown (ironic considering based on the show's venue, there was no Shakedown Street). Fantasy>Speedway was awesome. Stranger>Minglewood>Lucy awesome. Shit it was all good.

Congratulations northeasteners. All your good karma is coming back to you. I'm payin it forward myself and crossing fingers for Fall Furthur in the midwest.

Turn on your lovelight...

As far as the above reviewer's comments on the lineup, I will say this: First, I LOVED Warren with the Dead and could never understand how some thought he detracted form them..that man has more soul in his pinky than most of us combined...I think the musicianship is very solid overall, while, sure, throw in Mickey, Bill, Melvin, Jacklin and Gloria from JBG as well, get Warren back and you have The Dead equivalent of Ringo Starr and his All-Starr band..would be quite a treat. Again, though, these guys CAN really play and sound tighter than I expected...

As far as THIS show, What can be said other than some real Gems last night...Doin that Rag was incredibly tight...Reuben and Cherise a treat to hear as was New Speedway...other highlights Greatest Story and an Extra-Bluesy Death dont have no Mercy..I like the Lovelight in the 1st set as well - feels like you're getting away with something when it doesn't end the whole show!

People made some noise here about the transitions and its true they were closed out a lot of the tunes outright rather than flowed from one to the next..

I have a couple of qualms...Cassidy was perhaps not great 2nd set opening idea and it seems we got shorted a song because of time...likely they were going to play Not Fade right out of Throwing Stones like days of old, but they put the kybosh on it and played it as the encore instead of...????

My only other thing is that I don't get to see as many shows anymore and really just when they're in Chicago, so it would be nice if they thought about what they last played here and switched it up...Throwing Stones, Let it Grow (though it was hot), Liberty..all played here just last May.

I'd give the show a solid B..some A material in there for certain.

Can't wait for tonight!!!

I came with no ticket, but I had a dream! A dream to see this Furthur thing unfold like a daisy in the morning Dew (hahaha) I stood in line from 3:15 to 6:something at the box office window...4th in line awaiting, hoping, digging the scene and trying to exude a mighty spoonful of positive vibe on the ticket guy at the Auditorium...My friend Bob, AKA the Ticket Wizard was scouting the streets and periodically checking on my progress-only to return to recon in the blustery cold. 5:30 comes by, sales happen! But only to the first two guys...SEAN From Kenosha you owe me ten bucks! ( know about the wheel comin' round). I am now second in line...me and Jeremy from O-HI-O hangin' and waitin with the crowd pressing forward in the lobby and kindly yet steely glances to attempted crashers at the window...we speculate that the black and white sold out sign really can't be true, and say, hey the window is still open and the light is on, and it has only been about three hours of waitin'...could of done mail order...done that before..mmmmmmmm, then a rustle of activity and the J-man from O-Hi scores, and then I am in the front---I throw my plastic into the undercarriage, and come out with two face value Orchestra Seats YEAHHHHHHHHH Me and Ticket Wizard Bob...back now from recon are goin' to the show!

So pleased I can't eat the potbelly and give half to a cute hippie chick with a cold finger raised in the error (haha)..I hope it came true sister, and I hope you liked the vegi sub! She asked me if the 'shrooms were portabella, and I said they are what they are...enjoy. Tried to return to the car for a toke of the sweet sweet, but Officers of the CPD were taking down a hapless soul right next to my ride...leave it alone...yeah .

After an Anchor Steam with Virgin Matt and Dave from Peoria (works at CAT BTW) and Paula and Tye and another Sean at the Artists Cafe on Michigan, Ticket Wizard Bob and I metaphorically fell down the rabbit hole into the jubilent chaos of the Audiotorium's monolithic embrace lalalalalalalalalalala

After a shot and a Dead Man we went downstairs to discover Jerry Playin with Muddy and Prince and Bruce and Elton on the wall and 70's Phil Man Austin in the BABABAR- he and I tried a store room for a smoke, but only got a promise of 1/2 time...still waitin' on half man, but I appreciate the offer tenthousand.

Went and discovered our seats in the wide expanse, yawning like a pagan ritual temple, complete with golden gods and exotic worshippers, excited to be at the alter wondering when the musical orgasm will begin, wonderin' when the lights will go down to steal a puff, waiting for the waiting to cease, and then diggin' their neighbors, I saw Familiar Regular Rob from Peoria, always wears a hat.

Sittin near Virgin Matt and Catman Dave from Peoria...and the dreadlocked crew, I reject from Mike a tab, but we riff all night...my mighty Mushroom Tie die shining like a million suns, TM Bob more than ready to lunge at the stage...pause...feel...aware, ponder the greatetst American Experience of our Lifetimes, TW Bob says he digs that. GD is singularly American...whoa..................Feel like a Stanger, feel a stranger....preach to me Bobby I too was Born in My own kind of Desert chiming Guitars, Phil oh yes it is my our privelege-Phil, It must have been the roses and on and on. After all these many moments, this was a fine opening thanks to Jaime FINALLY for the Kind ; ) ) Lazy Lighting was a blaze of hard edged Bobby madness and Joe was stellar, I love his ability to call spirits of the past but sound so fresh and personal. We all danced children, and we smiled. Threads of Reggae , Heavy Mercy Mercy Blues Let it shine Jeff let it shine !

It's always been for me about the entire culture of the scene, come on in the weathers fine! The Cassidy to Open the second Set was a turn on, and the throwin' stones made me shake my bones..TW Bob busted out a move like man in a monsoon and sidled up to the rail for a closer view. Back to set 1 I dug the Hurricane with the All Along the Watch tower jams, and later I the "fame" mixed in deep withinthe second set. I still wonder why the call her the woodcutters daughter.

The night ended we smiled, hugged, shook hands "I'll see you down the road" You know our love will not Fade awayyyy. The scene evolves, but so do you. Enjoy the ride...SCATTERED LIKE LOST WORDS................(dropped TW Bob off at the train Station for his car) Can't be with any of you tonight at the show, thanks for yesterday : )

In a word: No I sum Up: AN amazing psychedelic experience tinged with Bluegrass, Reggae and Blues and a heavy dose of that old time religion...meant for dancing...

I'm feelin it too, yahoooo! I wasn't there but I got off just looking at this setlist and then it happened last night again too. woooshhhhh, I'm glad all over crazy crazy. Get yer dogs in a pile, there's nothing left to do! Welcome to the Dance yall, bring yer good loving and dancing soul the whistle is screaming TERRAPIN! Bop,bop,bop bop!

Chris from Abington, I agree with you about this not sounding as exciting as the spring 09 tour with Warren, Billy and Mickey. I think a lot of people are just mesmerized by how JK sounds more like Jerry, even if it is the sadly beaten down version of Jerry that predominated 93 -95. Anybody who includes 'Best since 95' in their review, clearly doesn't have a very critical ear, and that is the most overused phrase out there. Phil's quintet with Warren, Jimmy, and Barraco was better, the 04 version was better and the 09 version was better. Some show with Larry Campbell and Barry Sless were more interesting than some of these shows. I happen to think Warren did a better job replacing Jerry's vocals just by being himself than anybody else out there could, plus he lifted the backup harmonies without the need for the ladies. Matthew from Chicago is spot on about his soul. I think Jeff does a good job with the keys. The big surprise is how much less powerful the drums are. You would think two well-regarded younger guys could bring the intensity, but Billy and Mickey blow them away. The object shouldn't be to make it sound like a 95 Dead show or even a 73 or 77 Dead show, but to take the music new places. Even if Warren doesn't sound like Jerry, he made interesting, fun, and sometimes inspirational music with the boys. He's not available though, so it's nice that Phil and Bob are out together, just wish Billy and Mickey were with them.

i am in complete agreement matt. warren plays a great lead guitar and sings his ass off. no incarnation of any of the dead family bands has had someone that sings with soul like that since brent. which brings me to jeff. i think 1 of the reasons some of those phil / other ones lineups sounded strong was barraco. his keys always sounded better to me than jeff, and he could sing a little too. just my opinion. i really hope after this year they have 1 more go at it with phil, bob, mickey and bill. who knows, maybe they'll do something wild like getting hornsby to go round one more time.