Greg from Chestertown

NFA somewhere around good lovin’ . The tunes are creeping back in to my memory.

Better off Dead at the Cult Classic Brewery down on Kent Island. Holy Fuck, I don’t know how I am going to make it through work today. Big RR blues till the morning comes about a six or eight song gap of forgetfulness on my part. candyman Cumberland. china/Ryder BTW Black peter some tune off the first album, drawing a blank. cryptical>TOO>cryptical good lovin’ Bertha Sugar Mags midnite Hour Music never stopped I am forgetting about half the show but it was pretty incredible. High energy, happy crowd.

There’s gotta be something bigger going on here. Last Halloween they did three nights at Fredrick fairgrounds, Maryland. It went so well they came back in the spring. Why can’t that be something we’re looking forward to right now? They’re not even scheduling outdoor shows. Makes you wonder if those drive in shows were financially worth their while for the band. Sure hope I’m wrong and dates get announced. Orchestra withdrawal is the worst.

Isn’t that around the equinox?, the 21st.

We’ve been here before, not too long ago. A little different that time, scheduled shows were postponed then canceled. DSO found a way and they came back, playing to cars in parking lots. It worked, felt good. That evolved into outdoor shows. That’s fine, it’s summertime. Now Covid is evolving (because its still hanging around) , there’s great concern if we are honest with ourselves. It is simultaneously to be feared and respected. It is wise on the band’s part to not have anything scheduled for the fall (yet!) some more outdoors shows would be nice but I understand how they’re not scheduling indoor events yet. We just don’t know. They need and love us as much as we need and love them. They’ll find a way. They haven’t let us down yet. ….seems a common way to go….

I’m kinda concerned about the lack of shows on the horizon. When you think about the work it takes to get a venue booked, lead up time for ticket sales, etc., I get more concerned. It’s not like this Covid shit is easing up and indoor venues are ok. There’s still time and we all have plenty of hope but yikes! I need a show, Especially after reading that set list from the last show.

How ‘bout Billy, Joel?

Damn. I’m genuinely sorry I missed that one. Second set looks hard to handle. It starts out killer and never lets up. I’m wondering, is that the first ‘piece of my heart’? Yea, Lisa is the secret weapon. She’s a natural for channeling Janis. I’m amazed again by Dark Star Orchestra and I wasn’t even there.

HaHa! That’s a typo but fitting. Yes, you were dancing with everything, AKA all you got, but I meant to type ‘everyone’.

Thank you! You can’t deny the LTGTR opener. That’s gotta get things and people moving. I dig the nod to Charlie Watts, excuse me, Mr. Charlie, and the Stones. I’m still waiting for my first Sugar Mags sandwich and my first Visions from DSO. I don’t even know what Mystery train is, gonna have to hit the books to learn about that one. I’m true Grateful fashion, Dark Star Orchestra is not the best at what they do, they’re the only ones who do what they do. Thanks. Happy Birthday North East! I have a short clip of you dancing with everything at Fredrick but lack the technological wherewithal to deliver it to you. Some day, you’ll laugh when you see it.

Lest we not forget those less fortunate than ourselves who will not be at the show but would still love to know what they play. Don’t be like me after the slower Delaware show and totally drop the ball and forget to report set lists, etc. enjoy yourselves, shake it out while we wait to hear how much fun we missed out on.

Just gotta poke around…

I was considering Stella Johnny B Goode but figured there would always be a sugar Mags in between. Saw a spectrum show first half of the eighties open up with gimme some lovin’ , Phil singing ‘so glad you made it’! My first time seeing Phil sing. Interesting conversation, though. They make us think.

It’s all over now, Loose Lucy? No deadbase so, 65-95?

Nah, that’s not what happened. They’re just fucking with our heads. It’s all about goofing us while we’re tripping our faces off. They got the last laugh. Pretty sure. I think so. Yea, that’s what happened.

Nice ramp up to the tune itself, a bunch of percussion.

A great grouping of tunes, coupled with a polished delivery gave me my best Dark Star Orchestra show ever. So far. I’m pretty sure they’ll send me into a state of deep appreciation some time in the future but for now, that was scrumptious. The Venue, the weather, the set list, and the band made for some great memories. I stopped and visited my new Granddaughter on the ride up. Two months old, had a blast. Saw one of the most beautiful things ever at the show. Down in front, the young girl that stood up, out of her wheelchair, dancing with the man that brought her.

That’s what I said after the show. They’ve never been better. Brok n arrow, keep on growing, midnite hour, stir it up, I’ll take a melody, all first time for me. Or so I think. You know they’re doing something right if I can still catch a lot of new tunes. When I am playing Dead music in my house and A deer wanders into my backyard, I know they’re just getting closer so they can hear better. They have a look on their face like, ‘is that Jerry?’ Beautiful nite, perfect venue.

I witnessed the same thing from Eaton. I. Felt that he was reaching out to the crowd, trying to get things going.(things were going for me!) He went to the front edge of the stage a couple of times. He was putting out. Not fair to him for me to say it was a Lisa night. Not totally. Another thing that I gotta comment on, in the middle of Black Peter, someone in front busted out laughing like they had just been told a joke. It really pissed me off because Jeff was giving his all, one of the most intimate moments of the night and he was literally being ignored by someone in the crowd. I don’t know how they can tolerate that. Hopefully, tonight will be all good. I’m an hour away from the venue, visiting my daughter and new Granddaughter on the way. Nice pre show stuff.

Holy Fuck! I’m so sorry! I had more fun than a man should. Amazing night! Not a perfect night but the faults were all mine. Shoulda eaten better beforehand and shoulda brought my regular glasses. Blind and hungry is not the best way to enjoy a show. Rookie move. Enough about me, the band is never better. Great set list made for an elective feel , at least for me. That is a good thing. I thought the sound was off for the first couple songs but they got dialed in pretty quickly. The musicians were on point right out of the gate. We were off to the side but I never stay in my spot anyway. Traveled everywhere, found the best and loudest sound was straight back from the stage. I kept migrating back to the best sound, front and center. After watching numerous people walk out of the belly of the beast with their soccer mom chairs, I moved up front for the home stretch of the second set. Saw so many people that I ‘know’ , talked to many new friends. Did I say the band is never better? They are never better. I used to rate GD shows by their personality . I would say it was a Bobby night, or a Jerry night, good old Grateful Dead, etc. I would say last night was a Lisa night. The band rocked in their usual incredible fashion but Lisa belting out heart of me was incredible. The white Rabbit filler was my first. Also felt Peggy-O, shakedown was nice. Iko was earth shaking, literally. Just a fun night. Sorry for the delayed reaction, I was stuck in the afterglow. Wake up in the morning, do it all over again.

Saturday rest because Sunday schedule is fishing. Rockfish season opens back up on the Chesapeake in Md. I’m taking my twelve foot mega yacht out. Tight line!

My schedule for the next four days; Wed- DSO Thur- rest Fri- DSO Sat- rest

You win again! Wow! I love that set list. Yea, I have three cousins, a nephew, and a Niece who are dead heads. I’ve shared quite a few shows with them and had quite a few stories told to me about shows I missed that they saw. Naturally, they have heard my stories. Kinda crazy when you go to your uncle’s funeral and we all gather up and talk about the Dead.

I hope you get your white whale. I’m watching a video of the original show, Desolation row, right now. Bobby seems to be handling it quite well. He does seem to have a cold though.

I love that list. Actually, a Playin’ sandwich. The whole show was a sandwich!