Your 2017

[Rude]

This was the best years of my life funwise, so I wanted to throw out a post. I got to see 37 DSO shows(41 in last 12 months), 5 Deadco, 1 JGB show and 1 Stu Allen with rob b and both Dso drummers in Berkeley. Saw DSO in 16 different states!!!  Had the time of my life. Did my 1st west coast run of any type ever. Flew to Colorado twice. The gf got 25 Dso and 5 deadco and she’s become a full blown deadhead which I’m very proud of and it makes shit a helluva lot easier. I had 5 round trip flights covering around 10k miles and drive prob another 10k, got to do jazz fest, do the 1st Dso legal weed tour for 2 weeks in February which was very surreal. I think only 1 show on their winter tour wasn’t a legal weed state. I made many more lifelong friends and my mind is filled with so many funny and fantastic memories from this year.  I can’t count how many times I’ve cried laughing on tour this year. Luckily the gf is a picture taker so we can look back at the good times and solidify those memories in our mind, as I’m bad about that(took 4 pics last weekend and all were of the anthem). Next year won’t be as big, but I’ll cherish the memories of this year the rest of my life. 

 

Love you all!!

[DaysBetween]

Way to go Rude.  Congrats on your epic year!   Your 37 beats my personal best of 34 in 2001.  We had kids in 2002, so those days are long gone lol.  Those days being the days where work was the only thing restricting my show-going.  These days it's about 8 per year, which I'm happy with and it keeps me going, but if only I could get it to 20 or so!  Ahhh a man can dream

[chuckvegas]

A year devoted to your bliss can be like no other. I’m glad you got it, Rude. There’s no way you can double down next year?

 

 

[Hardpan]

Sounds like a great year. I had my best year for seeing live music, too. Saw DSO 17 times and Dead and Co twice. Everything within 3-4 hours of home, thanks DSO!! I don't anticipate being able to go to as many next year, having had our second little one just last Monday. She was kind enough to wait until the end of the stretch of shows I was able to attend this fall. Wifey's water broke two hours after I got home from Huntington night 2, 19 days early!!! 

[Island Bro]

Congrats on your new addition to the family! 

[Dead duck]

Congrats on the new addition man. 👍 

[Dancin' Fool]

Congratulations Hardpan!

[bs69]

Congrats on the big year. I made Jubilee, Springfield and a smattering of others, but that's about it. Youngest is now in high school so maybe I have a big year coming up in s few years, one can hope

[Hardpan]

Thanks, everyone, she's doin great 😁😁😁

[2muchfun]

Thanks to my second jubilee ever (caught inaugural)  double digit DSO gigs was achieved again in 2017. Nothing like Rude, Mason, Chuck, Joseph (RIP), and the other nearly full timers for parts of their existence but a lot of consistency, double digit DSO shows for double digit years.

 

I know its only rock n roll but I like it.....yes I do

[PoetryGirl]

I love hearing about people’s bliss! I had a ball this year. At least a GD based show a month, each month. 

 

I will see 17 DSO  by the end  of this year, only 4 of which were within an hour of home!  I am psyched for NYE shows!! 

 

Oh,  the fun! Our friends made the times rich and beautiful memories. Sharing the  blissful space with you that “get it” is like a drink from the fountain of youth in this crazy, upside world. . I number many of you among my dearest friends even if I only see you so often because it comes down to quality, not quantity in my book. You enrich my soul space. 

[Rude]

Waiting for Sml  to give us his tally. I’m guessing 68??  I was just about tied for the lead after Birmingham as April Midwest was prob only tour segment this year he did none of. 

 

Lets hear it, champ. 

 

Also curious what MC is gonna have as his final tally.  I’d have to guess I was prob 3rd after those MC and sml. Bix had a big year too. He may be above me. Saw him at every big weekend. 

[sml]

Through newyears will put me at 62 I believe .  (But who's counting ;3)

Best year of my life for sure, and with no signs of letting up any time soon.

Love you all dearly.

 

I'm with Chuck, everyone double down - 2018's gonna be the one.

[Dead duck]

Last year I did Wanee, highlights included Dr John, late night Bowie and prince tribute, DSO (obviously), Bobby, and all the allman stuff. Trey and Panic were fine too.

 

Did the Hendrix Experience. That was a nice show. Buddy Guy has been a bucket list guy for a while. 

 

Went back to the cave cave for Rumpke at the Bluegrass Underground. Highly recommend catching a show here. They have a few shows a year that aren’t bluegrass for the non BG fans. Although they are moving to a different cave for 2018. May try to get back down there in April for Del McCoury band and Sierra Hull 

 

One of of the most fun shows of the year was the Pink Floyd cover band that they handed out free tix for after the Louisville DSO show last year. Great time. Big party. 

 

Double digit (give or take) DSO in all the usual spots. 

 

Looking forward to see what 2018 brings. With ultimate goal being a trip to Red Rocks in July. Happy trails everyone!!

 

[Vic81]

Amazing year with amazing people!! I will end up in the high teens maybe low 20's by New Years. If I could make double that, fuck it triple,  I would!  Black mountain was my highlight of this year, super close runner up Albany weekend. 

[Dr. Barry]

I never count and have no idea. I do like to think about all the different states I have seen DSO in since my beginning. That’s a stat that I want to increase for no real reason other than I think it’s cool. 

 

One of of the greatest things for me about seeing lots of shows is getting to see parts of our awesome country that I wouldn’t otherwise have a compelling reason to check out. Now I need to try and remember how many states I have seen shows in. More than 10 for sure. More than 30 I am sure not. Probably less than  20 but closer to 20 than 10. 

 

Dr. B😎

[Supplicated Velvet Thunder]

It's true- lot kids go to more shows than most forums members. 

This year was special to me cause I got to host people like Chris n Nina n Steve at my place multiple times as "my place" moved about the country. I got to do Berekely and have a van travelers party at my place in AZ. After I came east and found Jesse, I went to the best show I have ever seen in Columbia and managed to still see em from New Orleans to Maine since I've been here, including more home stays bringing fam home after nearly every show. Got to play music w my sweet Mango for his bday and introduce Jesse to the family. Got tom waited over at the bar by my two fave musicians on the planet. Got to meet Doc in person after thinking of that guy from my first shows ever that I was too shy to speak to  made it to a ton of festivals and saw a ton of other local Dead groups all over as I travelled. I jammed for the first time in lot at Dead co with that saxophone guy (on guitar that moment) and others to Deal etc. I got pussy again for the first time in years. Got my first van n took her on tour and lived in her hard. I started writing again and I finally have a story worth telling brewed up. I got my first buck and twenty spot for playing music. I hitchhiked to shows for the first time. I came home.

As with every event since my first DSO in 2009, I place all the wonderful moments at the feet of this band because they brought me to everyone I know now. Any fucked up shit was my own damn fault but honestly I can't think of any shit that's happened this year. At least, my experience of it wasn't shit  

love y'all more than words can tell and can't wait to twirl and smile w y'all again next time  

kiss kiss

 

[sml]

MC, the only one who ever sees this as competitive seems to be you.

Some of us are just OCD ( ._.)

[Tea]

I’m wired for keeping score - no doubt.  Somethin like this tho - everyone finished 1st.

 

Happy for those that can make a DSO a lifestyle - dfinitely good for the soul!  I gotta live vicariously when not immersed in family and work so it’s nice when people can recount their experiences.

 

Keep it rollin in 2018 ❤️

[jj3down]

I don't see competition.  I see people keeping track of their personal statistics.  In order to be competing with others, you also have to be paying close attention to what they do.  Acting and reacting based on your "opponents" actions.  If there was really a competition, no one would need to ask how many anyone has because they would already know. 

 

I keep my list of shows in my profile organized and up to date.  Anyone could look at them I guess, but they're not for anybody else, they're for me!   I do it so I can browse through the shows I've seen and relive some of those memories.   I like to see the progression of seeing 3 shows my first year to what I've done in the past few.

 

The only person I compete against is myself!  And I'M WINNING!  I saw 6 shows two years ago, 13 shows last year, and will do well over double that this year.  I don't have to count because they're all organized in my profile.  As Taper Ron [might have] intended!  I'm ripping my own personal high score a new & shiny one!  Wooooo!

 

As others have mentioned DSO provides a wonderful excuse to go to places I likely wouldn't otherwise.  I've seen DSO in 13 states!  Seeing them in all 50 would be a neat goal.

[Rude]

On 12/9/2017 at 1:05 PM, Dr. Barry said:

I never count and have no idea. I do like to think about all the different states I have seen DSO in since my beginning. That’s a stat that I want to increase for no real reason other than I think it’s cool. 

 

One of of the greatest things for me about seeing lots of shows is getting to see parts of our awesome country that I wouldn’t otherwise have a compelling reason to check out. Now I need to try and remember how many states I have seen shows in. More than 10 for sure. More than 30 I am sure not. Probably less than  20 but closer to 20 than 10. 

 

Dr. B😎

 

Thats one of the things mei and I talk about. When would We ever have any reason to go 8 hours to Milwaukee or Madison or Chico, CA or Eugene or Providence or the countless other cute cities I get to “view” because of this band and this music. This music gives me the excuse to absorb the vibes of all these great places and they are all great when you visit for 1-3 days. My favorite times ever have been shows where because of a reschedule like providence that it’s me and 200 others with all the space in the world getting down and then the crowd all gets in the spirit because they are like if rude, Mc and goingbacktowhere are looking like crazy people(still talking about the Providence show 2016), then if the civilians let go they will look nowhere as crazy as us. I want to inspire others to experience that freedom I can only feel at a dead show and in today’s age, only at a Dso show.  I want these guys to sell 20k seats and be multimillionaires but when dealing with only true heads who are there strictly for the music vs a half tourist crowd at deadco wanting to take a pic of bobby the same as 10k others with cameras just took, I’ll take the Dso crowd all day long. Besides boulder we were harassed by security at every deadco for dancing. In Columbus after ignoring the ushers with a group of 100 other dancers they called the troopers in to disperse us. When u see Ohio state troopers, trust me, u need to disperse. U don’t get that at Dso. I can be a freak for 4 hours and sweat and be free and no ones recording me like they have at deadco. No one likes to spin around and see a dude videoing u. So I just thread drifted badly, but just thinking about shows as I typed brought a lot of joy to me. Thinking about me and goingbacktowhere each having our own 15x15 platform to dance on solo in Providence is a cherished memory I’ll never forget. Even thinking of the drunk guy after the show trying to start a fight with the nitrous mafia was funny. Seeing MC trying to break up the fight to keep the Dso scene positive now seems chivalrous. At the time I thought he was an idiot trying to intervene in a fight in the middle of the street downtown providence with cars stopping etc. this was even 1 time the nitrous mafia was chilled. Dude was trying to attack them and they just ignored him...mostly. He took a punch but they said just leave. Dude got crazy lucky. He just kept coming back to fight them. Mc may have saved dude a stabbing. Luckily the Uber finally got there so we could get the fuck to the hotel.   How many crazy stories do I now have because of this. My mind now has so many outs when feeling sad. I can reflect on so many great times and flip that switch in my head to happy. Great friends and great music. The best entertainment combo in life!! Love u guys  

[Mango]

A slow year for me, I think 19 after this run upcoming. I enjoyed them all thoroughly. Next year will likely be even slower. One west coast tour a year makes it tough... But who knows how life will unfold. Doubt I'll ever do 60 in a year again...

[DesertDead]

Cool thread.  Thanks Rude and everyone for sharing.  Really enjoy hearing about escapades.  Takes me back to my heyday.  LTGTR.  

 

Special congrats to you, Hardpan.  The best high of them all!

 

Happy New Year to all Sisters and Brothers!

 

 

 

[darkstar12]

Solid year