Sparklewell On Freebird 2.9.11 (7.2.71 Fillmore West)

[rubadub555]

I was in the sweet spot last night for Dark Star Orchestra's performance

of the closing of the Fillmore West, 7.2.71-

at Freebird, the saloon across the street from the foamy Atlantic.

Go here to stream this epic show,

http://www.archive.org/details/gd71-07-02.sbd.backus.11798.sbeok.shnf

Pigpen in full bloom, the Hard to Handle arrangement

that would go down in audience taping history

a few weeks later on 8.6.71 (see The Phil Zone release),

and the raging Cryptical Other One that Phil dedicated

to "Owsley, our sound man, who's in jail."

And before the encore Johnny B. Goode, (over 4 minutes worth!)

Mattson slyly announced,

as Garcia had, that night; "Alright folks, here's the one it's all about."

Last night was my first viewing

since John Kadlecik was replaced by Jeff Mattson in the Garcia slot-

Mattson is a genial unmade-bed-of-a-Garcia, t-shirt and glasses,

who appears to be spanking a Strat with Dimarzio super II's and an

onboard effects loop (George L's cables Boss Tuner and MXR distortion plus)

into an SMS preamp, a Bryson power amp, and HardTrucker cab w/JBL's-

the sparkly clean sound with a volume-knob induced creamy filling is

as vintage-approved JG circa 1971 as can be-

and he played with authentic voicings and signature solo style,

with emotional dynamics ranging from a whisper to a scream

from a cowboy melody to a Jurassic meltdown w/ease-

and Barraco's Pigpen vocals were uncanny, and Eaton's Chinacat bridge

and actually all his propulsive wide voiced parts were

delivered with authentic lunging grimaces and hammered-on 3rds and 4ths and 5ths

on his red 335, more detailed and precise than Weir himself, these days-

and the rhythm pocket was swinging and thonking like a woody Alembic should-

DSO is a Portable Grateful Roadshow, Laboratory, Museum and Incubator,

jumbling up hungry greyhairs like us with young hipster gen X'ers with pinwheeling eyes,

in an authentic solution of this important music, recharging the vets and

cultivating a whole new generation of fans with facsimile shows that will have to serve.

DSO gets renewal of the Sparklewell "Seal of Close-Enough."

sincerely,

Hambone Sparklewell

[chuckvegas]

"...recharging the vets and

cultivating a whole new generation of fans with facsimile shows that will have to serve."

The facsimile shows I've seen served above and beyond the call of duty.

[Dstone5553]

DSO is a Portable Grateful Roadshow, Laboratory, Museum and Incubator,

jumbling up hungry greyhairs like us with young hipster gen X'ers with pinwheeling eyes,

Nice.

You've got some Gonzo in ya.

[nwnj steve]

great read ,thanks

[TJed]

Very well-written, indeed.

Wish I could have been there!

[Evangeline]

Enjoyed your review a lot, rubadub.

[nwnj steve]

Gary did this ,hard to handle

[TJed]

Another awesome greyhead youtube contribution.

Wow!