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

I did not attend the first night....so when I saw the list, I thought saturday night was going to be dreadful. Fortunately, it was not. I thought it was a pretty good with the Dew being GD caliber. Listen to the 3/27/94 DEW if you want to hear an awesome recent GD Dew.

Only small issues were: the backing vocals are so loud that sometimes you lose the feel of Bobby and Phil and feel like this really is a cover band. I know Bob's and Phil's vocals are not as powerful as they used to be and maybe thats the way it needs to be. Also, listened to the CD and Phil was overall weak and really had to try hard to hear him at the show and on the CD. It was not the same Bob either. I give them props...I know they are old, but the three J's carried the show.

With that being said:
Minglewood is questionable as opener material, but well played. Dire and Mama were fine. The Doing that Rag was the highlight of the set with a great JK solo...gotta listen to it. Mason's is always good...still love Hampton more. Passenger was energetic...backing vocals a little much. Caution was nostalgic, but nothing crazy. I thought the Get Back was uninspired, but I am sure 99% of the folks loved it...I guess the beatles tunes don't do it much for me musically.

Knew the Sailor/Saint was due...really strong versions. Mountain song was a snoozer, but the jam into the Rider was well orchestrated and the band was on the same page. The final Rider jam was not as good as the last Chicago run, but solid. The Dew was GD good and I thought was the highlight of the show. The Unbroken Chain was 15 minutes and had awesome exploration...the Terrapin was great also. I was so tired after this and I think they were too...an average 11 and O1 followed and closed. I think the second set was 2 hours...whew. Saturday night encore was fine...I was in the CD line.

Really nice show...listen to the Doing that Rag, Dew, Unbroken Chain, and Terrapin.

Great, great show. I think any long-time fan walked away with a big 'ol Ken Kesey smile after that one. While Friday was funkier, Saturday felt like you were at one of the Dead's free trailer concerts near the Haight. What a great trip. Is it me, or was this not a fan's wetdream? These compositions are complicated and they pull it off like nuthin'. Super super tight. Jeff P and Sunshine add a fantastic layer. I'd say that this was not only a great Dead night, it was one of the best live music nights (combined with Friday) I've ever experienced...and in 48 years I have seen a sh!tload of live music. And not a single radio "hit" all night - awesome. During intermission, I could see into the band's curtain fortress/dressing room while they did a 30 second group hug/team prayer/who knows what. For me, that was pretty cool. And like CG in the previous review, they whooped my @ss too-that was a long show. Great sound. Forgiving security. And, more Fat Tire vendors than the night before.

Thank you Bobby. Thank you Phil.

What's so cool about the Furthur concept is how deep they go into GD's early stuff and pull it off with mastery and humility...all at the same time. I mean really...when did you EVER hear the Dead play the entire Terrapin suite? At a Siding is just awesome composing and demands masterful individual and team playing on the band's part....and it was done solidly, to say the least. I love Unbroken Chain, but think Phil could back it off a little and shorten the live version as they do it now. But this show was good ol' hippie jams and good ol' hippie dancers...a lot like the old days....but with just more attention to detail. THANK YOU BOBBY AND PHIL, YOU OLD MF's, FOR KEEPIN IT ALIVE AND COOKIN'!!!