Greg from Chestertown

I love that pic. Lisa rocks !

Great question. Hard to say. Things would have been different but I think the cover bands would still be around. Some were there when Jer Bear was alive. Local bar bands. Would they thrive like nowadays? Probably not. Heck, if you ask me, Dead and company is a dead cover band. Dark Star Orchestra has captured that intangible that the he Dead had. Experimental group music moving forward into uncharted waters. That’s what separates them from all of the others. What was your original question?

Isn’t today Mickey Hart’s birthday?

I saw Dead Reckoning play the night after I caught Dark Star in Atlantic City this summer. Not perfect, not polished, but a great night of music nonetheless. Two guys on acoustic guitars and a keyboardist. Nothing but Dead. A small crowd that all seemed to know each other well. I was the new guy they welcomed with open arms. Beautiful music that is still stuck in my head, wonderful people, great conversation with perfect strangers. The next morning, I took myself out to breakfast at the airport diner in Ocean City, New Jersey. When I was leaving, an older fella was setting up out front to play for the people waiting to be seated. He was strumming a ukulele, playing songs from the twenties and thirties. He opened with ‘ in the jailhouse now’. Most of what he played either Jerry had played or sounded like something they could have but never got around to it. I listen to him for about an hour. ....in the strangest of places, if you look at it right.

Ship of fools, war frat music festival September 8th, Egg Harbor City, N.J. Camping, Grateful Dead cover bands, warf rat sober music festival. Pretty cool.

Yea, you heard $15 bill too? I commented on that in an earlier thread about lyrics changes, someone said they heard $50 bill. $15 bill is more funner. I heard Jerry sing in ship of fools once, forty years upon my head.....

He has crop insurance. He grew up farming, had great success in the medical profession. Now, he’s doing it more or less for the challenge. Some people call people like him gentlemen farmers. Some call them hobby farmers.

Wow! Nice! Yea, what we grow goes to feed cows that produce organic milk.

When I got to the farm this morning, I saw that he had tilled the field under, soybeans and weeds. Gonna plant wheat and try to salvage the year. Nothing’s for certain, it can always go wrong....

Frank and I planted 110 acres of soybeans on his organic farm early summer. A flush of weeds took over after the last cultivating, choked out the soybeans, no light getting through. It will be unharvestable. Long story, but problems with the organic alfalfa also. He’s gonna lose about a hundred grand but still bought the seed and did all the work. Humbling.

So, I’m working for an older couple today who are from England originally. When I finished, stepped inside to get paid. The husband comes in to the kitchen and says, ‘today is the fiftieth anniversary of ‘Hey Jude’. The English are proud of their Beatles. She has told me about how she saw them perform in England when she was a young lady. She said she was a little older than most of the girls in the crowd. (Funny, she never said anything about male fans) but you couldn’t hear them playing for all the screaming. I told them how the Grateful Dead would intertwine that song with Dear Mister Fantasy, literally play two songs at once. They weren’t impressed. Today is the fiftieth anniversary of Hey Jude.

so, I’m at my nephews wedding about ten years ago. My other brothers son came down from Maine for the wedding. We’re all hanging out on the dance floor at the reception, talking, dancing, oh, and drinking. I tell my nephew from Maine about Dark Star Orchestra and how he needs to catch them when they play up that way. He proceeds to tell me the best story. His mother, before she met my brother, went on a date with this guy who took her to a Grateful Dead concert in Philly. She was not a deadhead. Before the show, this guy takes her out to lunch with his friend. So, they go to the show and the band comes out on stage. My sister-in-law says, ‘hey, that’s the guy we had lunch with.’ It was Jerry. My sister-in-law had lunch with Jerry Garcia and was clueless. True story.

I’m glad you brought it up. It’s the silence between the notes that makes the song. For me, the down time between shows is what makes the shows precious. I have always done it differently than most serious fans. I wait for the band to come around. Not a whole lot of traveling. Also, not a ton of shows but I get my share. It’s always new and exciting for me. I look forward, I get my show, I relish in the memories and the songs stuck in my head for a while, then I start thinking about and realizing I need a show. Note, silence, note. It took me fifteen years to catch thirty eight Grateful Dead shows. They were always as Fun as the first one where I knew what was going on. Come on, we were all awestruck at our first show. I dug up and counted my Dark Star ticket stubs. I’m on pretty much the same pace. It was as exciting for me last week as it was thirty eight years ago. I am so appreciative of Dark Star Orchestra. I look forward to shows with as much excitement as I do being at the show. It keeps me going. No pun intended.

Go ask Alice.

That part of Bertha took on new life and meaning after Jerry got busted. Kinda like Black Peter post coma. Sounds like a good pastime to go back and listen to the different versions and hear the evolution.

Couldn’t agree more. DSO played sing me back home in Dewey last year(?) it was right after Merle had passed. I was up front, it brought me to tears, thinking about my mother who had recently had a stroke that rendered her alive but speechless. I could see that the band was effected by that song also. If I ‘m not mistaken, Lisa missed some lyrics, being caught up in the power of the song. As far as the dancing goes, yea, dance your face off. I certainly don’t dance as to be judged by others. You might not like me, but you’ll never forget me. Yea, the bottle and Cork is vastly improved with the changes made to the back area. I still struggled with finding that sweet spot where you’re at a show with the band, far enough back to be able to flail about wildly ,yet, not be in a bar full of neon. I feel very fortunate to have caught the Dark Star shows that I did this year. I blew off New Years cuz it was nine fucking degrees out, got blessed with a nice handful of shows that really demonstrated the talents and abilities of every one in the band, onstage or backstage, individually and as a whole. I saw Baltimore, Jerry band show, seventies in Wilmington, Atlantic City was awesome, and first night Dewey was scrumptious. What a nice mix of shows. It’s part of who I am and I am greatly appreciative. Thank you, Dark Star Orchestra, on stage and back stage.

Nice!

So, Aretha space, is that a typo and really Althea or did they do some kind of tribute to Aretha? Did you guys get a psychedelic RESPECT or did auto correct strike again? I gotta ask.

Yea, I had a couple interesting interactions with other people at the couple of shows I caught last week. I hate to go negative but it takes all kinds. At the end of the day, I pray for those people. They’re really missing the boat on what’s important and what matters, to be able to enjoy life. I’m pretty excited about simply being alive. I dance like nobody’s watching or everybody is watching. Take your pick. I don’t care.

Yea, after being taken to school, I looked up the original set list as performed by the Dead. No drums. I lost my head, forgot where I was, didn’t think of the era. I’m telling ya, the first night at Dewey wiped me out. I overplayed my part. I’m half glad I ‘m back at work, getting the rest I need.

And the ongoing education continues.....Thanks!

No drums?, or just no drums on the list? I love sing me back home. They played that in Dewey a year or two ago. Sorry I missed it but the night before left me physically incapable. I overdanced. I love it when Dark Star comes around. My favorite time of the year. Thank You, band.

Yea, I was thinking about guys who like the early songs. A night full of them. If that’s what you like, you needed to be there. Dark Star Orchestra is as much of a gift to the world of music as the Grateful Dead.

the most interesting Box Of Rain I’ve ever seen. Lisa stole the show. I’m so glad I was there to experience it. A fun night of great older songs.

Let’s keep perspective. 35 minutes scarlet fire was followed up by estimated Eyes. Jam and then, jam. A slice of good lovin’ On one side with a slice of sugar mags on the other. Delicious and filling.