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Phil, JK, etc at TXR - 10/24/14


John A

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I probably shouldn’t post anything under the rule of "if you have nothing good to say just shut up."   But Tea told me to give a report.  Therefore, this is purely his fault.  B)

 

The first set was okay.   Some fun songs to kick things off, and the NFA jam to close the first set was far and away the highlight of the show.  If you're familiar with Stanley Jordan, he is somewhat avant-garde and has distinct style where his two hands are right next to each other high up the fret board. This is pretty cool, but it seemed to have limited range as far as what it could do for this music.  He looks like a bizarre combination of Printz and a teen-aged girl.  :huh:

 

The second set completed what is now the total subjugation of JK.  In fact, Phil sang the entire set.  Including Terrapin.  Look at the set list and think about that.  And no, he was not having a "good vocal night" as that is likely impossible.  Moreover, I can't think of a single riff JK played the entire night that caught my attention.  What was visually arresting were the respective stacks of gear behind Phil and JK.  Phil had a 7-foot high stack of multiple Meyer cabinets.   JK had, sitting atop a lonely stool, what approximated a large bookshelf speaker in a college dorm room.  If JK walked off that stage thinking that was a satisfying musical performance than I don't know what to say.  Still, I'm sure most Phans left thinking they had just seen the shit.  More power to them, I suppose.

 

On a positive note, the bit of Stu Allen's band I caught in the restaurant during intermission sounded quite good (there was a Beatles tune then Stir It Up).  With the combination of all the music, the World Series game, and a Bob Minkin book signing, the place was as hopping as theoretically possible. Bob's coffee table book of photographs looks stunning.  Why TXR would schedule this signing on a night that Phil and Friends were playing I don't know.  Lines to get into the parking lot were dozens of cars deep at 5pm.

 

I walked out during Terrapin to compose myself back in the restaurant area.  So the encore is via those who stayed until the bitter end.

 

1:
The Golden Road
China Cat ->Jam
Cosmic  Charlie
8 Miles High->
All Along The Watchtower ->
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
Not Fade Away

2:
Amazing Grace (instrumental)->
Eyes of the world ->
The Wheel ->
Dark Star ->
Mountains of the Moon ->
Saint Stephen ->
??? (Phil singing) (with Dark Star type lyric toward the end so I guess this was a transition back into a portion of the 2nd verse) ->
Terrapin Station
Encore: Somewhere Over the Rainbow

 

 

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Thanks for sharing, John. I'll admit, without trying to claim that my opinion is truth(not saying you are either), that I find most of Phil Lesh's current music to be complete crap. First of all, I don't ever want to hear him sing any Jerry songs, ever. EVER. Secondly, it just feels fake to me. Contrived, lacking the real magic that I love the Grateful Dead for. Forced, with Phil using his annoying pedal that allows him to talk to the band without the crowd hearing it. It's like he has no trust in the music or the guys he is playing with. Additionally, I agree about the use of JK. What a waste. I really don't want to assume such things of a guy like Phil, whose contributions to the grateful dead are immeasurable, but at times it feels like he is power hungry and ego-centric. It seems to me that he took JK from dso more to hurt them than to benefit from the quality of his playing. So many other examples....scheduling a 'recreation' of a dead show the same night that DSO is playing just nearby. Scheduling an east coast new years show for the first time since when? in the same state as DSO's new years show. Perhaps I am deluded here, or DSO-centric or something like that. And I don't want to squash anyone else's good time, try to say that the music is inherently bad, because that is stuff of opinion and opinions are not truth. 

 

In terms of non-DSO grateful dead music, I much prefer Bobby's contributions over Phil's. I actually enjoy the current lineup and sound of Ratdog, minus some of the vocal parts. To my ears it has some authenticity. I greatly enjoy what Stu Allen is doing on a weekly basis and would recommend to you, John, checking out Mars Hotel sometime. 

 

The good thing is that we all have the choice. I live 2 hours from TXR and for me that is 2 hours too many for most of the acts that play there. Add to that the disrespectful and talkative Marin crowd and you have a recipe for a lame experience. Even listening to the soundboard recordings of DSO there you can here so much talking.

 

I'm in for the music, my for experience and connection to it. I have no loyalties and I do not worship the people who play the music. If DSO suddenly started to sound not good to me I would stop seeing them. For now, and likely the future, that is not the case.

 

Let it be known that I just drank a cup of coffee and am feeling rather opinionated.  :lol:  Now to channel this energy into my research paper that is patiently waiting for my attention....and maybe dropping a duece  :o  did I just say that? ha

 

:cheers:

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Thank you so much for posting. Caught a lot of flack for those opinions yrs ago. Stop seeing Phil around 5 yrs ago. Could not take his singing. Felt like His Ego had got the better part of Him. I agree with these point of views. Love the new Ratdog. Saw them in D.C with John K and the show blew my socks off. Like that Bobby changes the Music in a good way. Been listening to Dick's Picks 25. Quite amazing. I miss Jerry a whole bunch. i REALLY DO WISH THAT PHIL WOULD NOT SING TERRAPIN.   :unsure:

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"Let Phil sing", used to be an inside joke among Deadheads.

No doubt. A Box and a Tom Thumbs are one thing. Singing Eyes, Terrapin every time ? Not feelin it so much. I hope JK can cast off the 'governor'. He is wickedly talented and needs to do his own thing. His take on JGB is mostly strong - ballads too. Maybe a couple vision-quests would help him better push the envelope with his playing. Not all risks are bad risks ... break on through to the other side!

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Guest loser12

Loved the we want phil chants, like you stated Tom Thumb and Box only. These days i can stomach the Peggy O thats about it. Hope there arent any spelling police here. LOL

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Wonder why JK gets such a short leash but the boys don't seem to mind playing backup roles in the warren Haynes dead. Not bangin too hard on the guy but when he's up there he seems to dominate the sound when Id rather see/hear everyone else. Have seen all of that I need to. All that said I will likely try to get my boys to a show or 2 regardless of lineup. As long as it's not NY/Cali only and astronomically priced.

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I just never think it is appropriate for major Phil bashing on this site.  My guess is the band probably thinks it's distasteful as well since they just played at his venue and there would never be the entiity called DSO if Phil Lesh never existed. Not only that, Barraco is tight with Phil and plays with him on a regular basis.  Also JK is a big boy he will be fine. No one has any clue what is in the guy's head.  Poor taste.  Just one guys opinion.

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Muddy,

 

Normally I am only up for minor Phil bashing, but Friday's show was just simply that bad.  Not to mention $87 after the service fee.

 

That said, as this is essentially Taper Ron's site, if he has any issues with my post I am happy to take it down.

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Those are fair points, and I am not about censorship.  Just thought it was not really necessary here.  I do respect your opinion on the quality of the show as I have seen other reviews you have written. It's just my personal opinon that the core four generally get a pass from me on most things simply because they are part of the reason Dark Star Orchestra even exists at all  to give us so many moments locked into the groove.   Maybe I am too easy on them.  Who knows. Assuming they are still around I believe  DSO will become an even bigger touring entity when Lesh and Weir call it quits or are forced too for health reasons. I just know I will miss them when they are gone, DSO or no DSO. Particularly Weir who I think is one of the greatest figures in the history of American music, who in my opinon does not get the respect he deserves because the easy and intelectually lazy "Grateful Dead" stereotype.

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I still find Phil's bass playing to be superb. And given the right lineup of musicians I think he does some great stuff too. I really enjoyed the show I saw with stanley jordan and barraco a year or two ago. I've had great times at furthur shows. I don't think that anyone gets a free pass, ever.

 

I will say this, though: when i'm at a live event I generally turn my opinions off and just dance. Definitely helps the whole experience. Listening to recordings or streams is a different story- no dance medium to help it along. I know plenty of people who LOVE dso but can't listen to it later on. Goes to show.

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I  know plenty of people who LOVE dso but can't listen to it later on.

Hey - I resemble that remark.  

 

And on a positive note, you'll all be happy to hear that Bobby was at Sweetwater last night watching the Giants game (well, at least until after the 2nd inning) and he looked GREAT.  And he was drinking a root beer. :cheers:

 

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Phil is an incredible bassist, and based on interviews and documentaries and books I've seen and read, an even more incredible sound engineer. That said how can he subject his fans to his singing. I know he's heard it played back with surgical accuracy and he must think it sounds great, cause he keeps doing it. It must be like when you think your own fart smells good but somebody else's makes you gag. Aside from a hanus crime, there nothing Phil has done or can do to cause me to lose the unwavering reverence I have for him and his contributions to a music and culture I love. And it's not bashing if it's true. Hell I criticize my own kids when they've earned it, but it's because I love them and want them to be the best they can be. Rock on Phil!

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Guest loser12

Dont forget the lineups suck these days and for the record his singing has always sucked. Besides box and tom thumb. I saw that interview a while back and came across very nerdy and strange. Cant touch his bass playing and for me he didnt play a major roll in the gd. He took better care of himself after his new liver than rest. Its clear when he sold his soul to shappy it was all about the money.

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