Advisory Board Dr. Barry Posted June 29, 2015 Advisory Board Report Share Posted June 29, 2015 Re-creation 10/16/88 My first time at Summerfest and I was surprised to find it a minimally elevated hick Carnival. I thought it would be a big deal given what one hears about in Chicago. I think my view was skewed by how rude the cops were, how clueless the staff was and how silly the rules were (no straws allowed for drinks etc., no signage anywhere and nobody knowing where anything was (who was playing on what stage etc.), not to mention the bathrooms making me wish for a port-a-potty on a bad day at the Jubilee (which were actually pretty good past 2 years...). Now the show. Guess what? It was great. The band is always great. Nothing more to say about that. With DSO you always get great. Did I say it was great? For those wanting detail you may not know from the setlist, Filler was White Rabbit (Lisa). Her microphone was mostly non functional with the band not too thrilled by that based on the looks on their faces. I was close enough to hear her and...she was great! Now on to the venue. Really nice pavillion, but folding seats fixed on the floor and assigned seating. In other words restricted space. First few rows in front seemed like local older folks (that's funny coming from me) with some kind of season pass not sure why they were there or what they were getting into. First set filled with talkers. So loud you could not hear the music at many times. During "To lay me down" it was so loud I asked the 2 cheeseheads next to me to please be quiet and really pissed them off. The guy told me during the set break that he wanted "to punch me in the neck". No kidding. Sound was great as far as the mix, but was low in volume. Second set louder and less talkers. What really messed things up was the needless zeal the security exercised on the crowd. Despite a lot of empty seats they vigorously checked seats and harassed people. It was hard to focus because if you weren't being hassled the person next to you was, despite lots of room and a docile crowd. But the band was great and that's what we always get. So much so that it is easier to review the venue and crowd. That is the variable that either fosters "ego death" ( a good friend of mine used that phrase once, quite a propos) or distraction. So many of us look forward to a DSO show for a cathartic release. You can always count on the band to bring that toolbox (Nature), the environment is the Nurture. Sometimes a cold monkey wire mother. All in all, glad I was in Milwaukee rather than Santa Clara! Dr. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted June 29, 2015 Report Share Posted June 29, 2015 On July 2, 1978 when I was 15 me and my friend took the Train from Lake Forest to Union Station in Chicago, and transfered to a train to Milwaukee for Summerfest to see the Grateful Dead. Much to our dismay when we arrived to the Grounds the show had been cancelled because of monsoon rains. I loved Summerfest. They had played at Arrowhead Stadium in KC the night before and was pretty geeked up for the show. Major bummer but we still managed to have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP Rude Posted June 29, 2015 Forum MVP Report Share Posted June 29, 2015 You werent allowed to drink your beer or Mai Tai's through a straw?????? I'm guessing they were afraid people would try that old potato trick and use the straw as a weapon. If high winds picked up you would hate to read the headline "Grateful dead tribute act impaled by straws. Most injured at summer fest since the 2009 lime-a-Rita incident" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP Tea Posted June 29, 2015 Forum MVP Report Share Posted June 29, 2015 Well, that pretty much left the line-hoofers and spit-wad shooters clamoring for a different event. I guess any mouth-breather can put on an event and get the local gestapo to enforce it. I'm glad the band brought the heat as per usual "Ego Death" huh? I will provide proper attribution when I use it - Great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advisory Board Dr. Barry Posted June 29, 2015 Author Advisory Board Report Share Posted June 29, 2015 Attribution for "Ego Death" is Mason's Child. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liquidsmoke Posted June 29, 2015 Report Share Posted June 29, 2015 Yeah Summerfest isn't all that impressive. Eat, drink, ride the sky glider, enjoy the cooler temps on the lake, and see bands. Sit on a Harley if you feel like it. That's about it. I didn't notice weird attitudes from patrons, cops, or security thankfully. Song wise I really wasn't very into the first set. There definitely was too much loud talking too. Does Mattson actually forget lyrics that every fan knows or does he fake it when Jerry forgot the lyrics? I don't listen to DSO at home and don't have many memories of him missing lyrics live. He is of course a human being, just wondering. Second set was good and made for a nice ending to a long weekend of Dead music for me. Looking forward to the Vic Friday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP Mango Posted June 29, 2015 Forum MVP Report Share Posted June 29, 2015 pretty sure those were authentic mistakes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sudds94 Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 "There definitely was too much loud talking too. Does Mattson actually forget lyrics that every fan knows or does he fake it when Jerry forgot the lyrics?" Well, obviously the loud talking distracted him..... I really dislike talkers, they need to just shut it or leave in my opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liquidsmoke Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Well, obviously the loud talking distracted him..... I really dislike talkers, they need to just shut it or leave in my opinion I agree and can see how it would be distracting. I've noticed since my early show going days that people will talk during acoustic bands, soft songs by rock bands, whatever, they just don't seem to care and it really aggravates me. I'd love to see a DSO acoustic set but I can only imagine that it would be talk city the whole time with some 'fans' more than simply threatening to dish out punches to the neck in response to being shhhh'd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sudds94 Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Have to say that the best Acoustic DSO show I've ever seen with the crowd actually quiet and respectful for the most part was at Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, NY Nov. 2011. Couldn't hear a peep during Chimes of Freedom and just such a great experience, but that def. doesn't happen much. And I find flailing in circles around the talkers sometimes works to shut them up or make them move Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP Evangeline Posted June 30, 2015 Forum MVP Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Yeah Summerfest isn't all that impressive. Eat, drink, ride the sky glider, enjoy the cooler temps on the lake, and see bands. Sit on a Harley if you feel like it. That's about it. I didn't notice weird attitudes from patrons, cops, or security thankfully. Song wise I really wasn't very into the first set. There definitely was too much loud talking too. Does Mattson actually forget lyrics that every fan knows or does he fake it when Jerry forgot the lyrics? I don't listen to DSO at home and don't have many memories of him missing lyrics live. He is of course a human being, just wondering. Second set was good and made for a nice ending to a long weekend of Dead music for me. Looking forward to the Vic Friday! Authentic, I assure you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP Rude Posted June 30, 2015 Forum MVP Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Yeah there's no figuring out dead lyrics if you forget unlike today's pop songs. And Dylan is even worse. Plus you see Jeff get completely "lost" in the music during jams and coming right back to the song when you have been in a long improv has to be tough to remember exactly where you are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liquidsmoke Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Authentic, I assure you. I'm glad to hear this. I think that would be a little over the top although I hope he's doing okay. The other guys rolled him onto the stage in a chair which amused me in the best way. At some point during the second set I thought he looked like a giant baby and this seemed profound Normally I only notice that stoned out open mouth stare thing he does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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