Chesterfield 5.17.12

[Supplicated Velvet Thunder]

Mighty Quinn

Minglewood

Duprees

Brother Esau

Blow away

Roses

Passenger

Waiting for a miracle

Stuck outside of mobile

The weight

Jack straw

Half step

Stranger

Eyes>drums>space>truckin>comes a time>good lovin

Encore

Forever young

Marvelous 80s flavors to chew on til we get to MIGHTY HIGH (actual review later)

[chuckvegas]

Just reading several of these set lists (for the umpteenth time) while waiting to take off on my red eye to EWR whets my appetite for dance even more. Soon, very very soon now...

[John A]

A 6 song 2nd set? Who do these folks think they are, The Grateful Dead?

[Rbarracoph]

A 6 song 2nd set? Who do these folks think they are, The Grateful Dead?

Curfew, curfew!!!!

[Mango]

they packed in all the goodness that was needed!!

awesome venue, awesome show, awesome time.

awesome.

[Supplicated Velvet Thunder]

Aw, you guys, this was my 50th show and it was 45 mins from where I grew up.... really special and lots of special things happened. I had spent the whole day at my parents and the only thing I had wanted to hear after seeing my dying step dad was this band sing "across the rio-grande-io, across the lazy river" and when they opened second set with half step and then went along the river I entered a new space of emotional musical bodily out of body connection state as I remembered his talks of that particular river and the journeys in the motor home "out west" as a child and let him know its ok, he can go across the river now...... let me know, you know? if i have ever manifested a needed song it was this one in this moment and it was so freaking good i had to mention it right here from the get go.

The venue was gorgeous and I knew it would be impossible for the whole place to not explode in joy by the end of the night and since they opened with Quinn there was just no break, period, and the band and the crowd just had a great night start to end. Duprees was quite jiggly and bouncy with the jury knowing they couldn't let their feet stop moving.

Roses was quite moving and they played it at my first show so I got really blissed out for it and by Waiting for a Miracle which they played at my first show and Mango's and is just such a special one that this band gives such proper attention to so delightfully.

Blow away and Passenger had the place going nuts and those kinds of moments are some of the best in life.... the thrill! hehe

stranger was strange indeed and we got crowded out by college kids but they seemed to still be enjoying it through being drunky so we let them do so and found our space further down the line and eyes really took us away as it was especially great this night and the drums>space REALLY got me then truckin mmmmm hmmmmm indeed nice! I felt the comesatime (this should be in the dictionary "comesatime" one word) but as always couldn't have truly been prepared despite the awareness of its happening and it really was just perfectly heavenly in every way THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU Jeff and all of DSO for the best 50th show a girl could ask for!

complete with forever young that is ALWAYS special when Jeff plays it specifically because I really connect with his energy during it as an encore cause he encored it at one of my first (maybe first- first he noticed me up front) shows I saw him at. and perfect for my step dad- bless him and keep him always.

fun to dance barefoot in the grass that we stomped quite thoroughly and if DSO is gonna play VA it should def happen in this venue more often.

oh, and there were some AMAZINGLY kind folks in the crowd, the people connections were some of the finest this night.

[Tom Banjo]

What a Beautiful Trip

I almost skipped this one. Hell, I was going to skip this one. I didn't see the point of driving south before the start of Mighty High. I had a lot of friends going to Mighty High and wanted to camp with a large group of them. Logistically, a show the night before, almost 8 hours away, didn't make very much rational sense. However, in my experience, the greatest highs and I must admit the greatest lows of my life, have occurred when I suspend rationality and follow the music and my heart where it will lead. Thus, after great urging from a great friend (cnjbrian), I added the acoustic show in Alexandria and the outdoor show in Chesterfield to my tour schedule. As it turns out, I wouldn't miss a date on this long East Coast run; it was quite a ride.

I arrived to the state park several hours before the show. I've done some hiking in the Shenandoah Valley so I was aware that Virginia had some beautiful sights to see, but I've never thought very much of the places I've seen DSO play in VA. I had been Norfolk, Richmond, and most of the Northern VA/DC venue DSO has played. They were mostly indoors at bar or club like venues. They did play an outdr show outside of Richmond several times. This venue was a pleasant deviation from that standard. The park was beautiful. Although we were eventually asked to leave, we spent the first few hours wondering the venue and chatting it up with some of the band and crew. I think they were listening to some Pig era dead through the PA system. The show was well attended and I saw many familiar faces - some expected and some not. It was great to run into Stillrockingout and some other VA folk that I don't see too much out of VA. Although to his credit, he did make the trek to Mighty High as well. I have always found the GD community in VA to be a great crowd, especially once you got away from DC. This crowd was probably the best of the crowds and scenes I have scene VA. Well attended by respectful loose adults as well as families. I hope DSO is invited back and I even think a 2 night run with some camping in the state park might make for an interesting gathering of like minds.

The show itself was fantastic. My energy peaked during the first set and that seemed to be just all right with the shorter 2nd set to come. The Duprees was great and although I could be wrong, I think it was the first time I had caught that tune in several months. Def the first time I have had enough clarity to remember. Passenger, like the Jack Straw to come, is always such a high energy number for me to dance, spin, and prance around. The tune also seemed very fitting, as immediately after the show, I would start my trek to Mighty High. The weight, jack straw was the a fantastic way to close the set. Although the elective had already become apparent, it was interesting to hear the weight not in an encore or closing spot. I would be interested to know if the GD ever did such a thing. It worked. I think the crowd really dug the energy of the first set. Lots of dancers - old and young alike.

The 2nd set may have only been 6 songs long, but it had some serious highlights. I love me a stranger and the eyes was mind blowing, but the real highlight would have to be the comes a time. Although I don't really have a favorite, if pressed to name one song, I would say 3 out of 5 times I say comes a time. The lyrics speak to me like few others songs and the music and solo move me and touch my soul in a way I would say no other song, except maybe stella blue, can. I absolutely love that song and the band managed to captivate an otherwise loose and raucous crowd into very still and obedient listeners as they went through this gem. I had a good view of the crowd by this point as I had moved up the hill to sit in some chairs some friends of mine had brought along. I wanted to rest up for the drive. Despite spending most the 2nd set sitting, the music was still very rich and rewarding. Although I headed to the car during the encore, I was very touched and moved. That song is hard for me to listen to, as it was played as one of the 4 or 5 songs in the background of a slideshow to commemorate my father's passing. I understand where suppplicated is coming from in it being a very fitting song that puts an uplifting spin on tragic events, but the thought of his passing more than a year later can still make me an uneasy. The greatest man I will ever know in my life.

I would have to say that this was one of my favorite shows of the may run. The venue great, the people great, and the music amazing. I am very grateful to cnjbrian giving me the necessary prodding to ensure my attendance at this great show. I remember him repeating are you going to skip the first outdr show of the yr or something to that accord. The answer would turn out to be no and what a great decision that turned out to be.