Wowza, not even gonna say too much about this, except congratulations to everyone lucky enough to be in the building last night - all good children go to heaven! Really didn't think they would have done the rest of the album side last night (and still think it would have been amazing to have Sir Paul join them onstage), but the opening notes of "Sun King" made it plain to see we were getting the whole enchilada, with plenty of mustard to boot. What can you say except that it was truly amazing, a fine moment in rock and roll Grateful Dead history. I feel truly sorry for the folks in Fairfax who were hoping to get the rest of the medley tomorrow night...
The rest of the show didn't sleep either. The first set was VERY solid and upbeat (still want to hear those disco Dancin' BWAM-bwam-bwam-bwam-bwam-bwam-bwam riffs of '77-78 pedigree, hopefully someday), and got especially tasty with Crazy Figers/So Many Roads, culminating in a stomping Mason's that proves it's not the same band I first saw 16 months ago in Asbury Park. The vocals were a little off at times, but the playing was solid, as it has been at all their shows lately.
Expected the second set to start with the Abbey Road song of the night, but they started yanking our chain right off the bat with Golden Road (raucous), then Scarlet (tight and tasty), China Cat, Ramble on Rose, and the only real Phil song of the night, Caboose. And then of course, came the real magic of this show, followed by of all things Built to Last, and ending with a Truckin' that showed everyone in the house who the boss really was. After a brief Happy Birthday Phil interlude, it was still only 11:25, so we wondered how much more was coming, and they launched, unexpectedly again, into Stephen. After coming down from the "millenium jam", I wondered how much more was to come since it was still only 11:40, but they ended it on a graceful note with the timeless coda to Abbey Road.
There are 5 Grateful Dead experiences which rank highest in my mind, and last night was certainly one of them.
Jose, bayonne
2nd set, yeah yeah yeah, LOL!. I want to talk 'bout the 1st set. "Because" it came 1st...and they shredded it:-wink/smile.
Jose is right, still waiting for a Dancin that truly represents. But this one was pretty nice for what it was, JK played as much guitar as Bob allowed on it but, alas, still too short. Loose Lucy after it confirmed that we were indeed at a party and there was happiness from the git-go at this show, I've rarely seen so many smiling faces around me for an entire show and that's a very good thing. Miracle, yes Bob, it was a miracle to be at this show and he let us know it. Extremely well-played as the song goes. TJed was just a continuation of the party, a festive sing-along that no one 'round me, including myself, had a problem singing along with the band.
Then the party took an unsual turn and for myself, went to a whole different level with one of my favorite songs, Corrina. I know that it is a bummer to some but I totally adore the song and truly believe that this band is playing the song better than any previous incarnation before it including the GD and I'm proud to say that many 'round me enjoyed and absorbed my enthusiasm for it and was told that by them during intermission. That morphed into a totally beautiful and jammed out Crazy Fingers into a song that I was afraid they might pull out, So Many Roads, and it did what I expected it to do, pull the tears out of my eyes. I'm sure that Jerry was smiling wide from above overlooking the proceedings...:-smile. At its conclusion, a pause then total ecstacy in the form of a rip-roaring, set-ending Mason's Children. Wow. And, yeah, there was still another set to come...:-wink.
Intermission was great, happiness abounded. After it the question was to Abbey Road or not to Abbey Road. In what had to be considered a musical curveball, they instead opened with a racous Golden Road into a really well-played Scarlet sans Fire, replaced with China Cat and I dare anyone to say that they predicted the Ramble On Rose that followed it. Or the New Potato Caboose after it. Wow. It was party central in the Best Buy then they borrowed the Silver Hammer from Maxwell and hit us over the head with it utilizing the Abbey Road Medley. Yes, it was everything and more, a fantasy for many heads fulfilled. Damm! And then came a mission statement from the band in the form of Built to Last. Yes, indeed, JK sang it as if his life depended on it. And yet another mission statement in the form of Truckin. "New York, has got the ways and means..." and love for this band and especially for Phil, who acknowledged the love given to him during his 71st Birthday Party. But he had a couple of more gifts for us, a rocking St. Stephen and a poignant Her Majesty and a collective bow from the boys in the band and, afterwards, "...the band was all packed and gone..." and in its wake leaving a roomful of very happy celebrants...:-smile.
Happy Birthday, Phil! "And thank YOU for a REAL good time.":-wink. Doesn't get much better than this.
Peace,
Alex
PS: Thank you, Jose , for the tickets...:-smile
Alex, Sunnyside, queens, NY