My first dead$co show

[Brian NJ]

This was my first and last Dead and Co show! It was a nice payday for the band.. The weather was threatening all day so I checked the radar and saw that once the front hit it was not going to stop with the rain and lightning.  I predicted it would start about 9:30 ish. Accuweather put out a flash flood warning from 6 PM to 6am for Camden. I don't doubt for a second that the band was not aware of this ( it's not too difficult to understand weather radar)! To play a first set then take over an hour break then come back onstage as the first drops of rain started falling then "postpone" the show for an hour knowing they would not come back on is ludicrous. ANY BAND that cared about their fans and not just a paycheck would have either not taken a break or taken a short 15min break then come back onstage and announce there is a front coming in and we will play as long as we can... I will continue to see Dark Star Orchestra where the music is played at a tempo that is conducive to dancing and the performances have integrity!!!

[Brian NJ]

I know this is conjecture and my opinion but after all isn't that how our perceptions of life are created? We take the data we experience and sort through what is real, imagined by cynicism, or just hoped for through technicolored glasses. 

Fact - at 3pm accuweather issued a flash flood alert for Camden area from 6pm to 6am

Conjecture- the band was well aware of the weather forecast.

Conjecture- the band was aware of the radar showing the sky would unload at about 9:30-10pm

Conjecture- the venue or unions do not dictate how long their first set must be.

Conjecture- the venue and unions do not dictate how long their break must be.

Conjecture- the old guys could have played a two hour first set without any permanent disabilities.

First second and third conjecture I believe to be truth or very close to true. 
Forth conjecture I believe is a good possibility.
My perceptions of reality- the band is more concerned about a payday than the fans... 

They used to play for life now they play for silver...

I might be right or I might be wrong but I am definitely genuine  

[PoetryGirl]

So was the Hell in a Bucket full of good falsetto?

Did you like the Hurts Me too?

Did you like Oteil's singing of Ship OF Fools?

Don't you think it would have been awesome for them to go back into MNS after Easy Answers (🙄)?

I heard the Weight was less than good

I heard the jams in Playing were good and the Other One jams were furious and quite spectacular. Do you agree?

[Brian NJ]

He'll in a bucket was a joke! Hurts me too was good. Cumberland was good. Ship of fools- not sure what they were trying to do but it didn't do it for me!!! MNS was about as blah as it could have been. Playin jam... Good. The rest was painful at best! Overall experience- I would rather wipe my ass with sandpaper!

[Greg from Chestertown]

It’s surreal to me. Jerry was the leader of the Grateful Dead. These guys seem lost without him. I enjoyed quite a few Furthur shows, always thought John K. Should be teamed up with Phil. And Bobby. That was their best try at moving on, didn’t last. I thought Bobby was destroying Jerry’s legacy after watching him lay out Jack A Roe. On the other hand, Dark Star Orchestra ! They have survived members leaving, passing away, the test of time. I’m not sure if it’s all of them together or I have a feeling it might be Eaton, but DSO is a ship with a captain. Forging ahead with grace and class. They are wonderful stewards of the music.

[PoetryGirl]

You know Barraco and Jeff go way back...... 

[John A]

Thoughts on the Dead discusses the rain shortened evening. 

 

The humor there can be admittedly merciless, and isn't for everyone, but....

 

https://www.thoughtsonthedead.com/man-without-hat/

[DesertDead]

Bobby Weir = 70 years old.

 

May want to consider cutting the guy some slack re:  the 15 minute setbreak thing.  

[Rude]

 

I saw the Bobby and Phil duo and thought the playing was top notch!!  I don’t think it’s just Bobby. I think there’s no chemistry at all in this band. 

[Tom Banjo]

Musicians and athletes have this same problem but if you take the field or the stage don’t bring up age as an excuse. Bobby has chosen to keep the mother rolling. Got to take the positive and negative that comes with it. 

 

I appreciate brian sharing his heartfelt and true feelings. 

[Rude]

Phil worrying about how fans would react having spent a ton on fare thee well led to this predicament. 

[Greg from Chestertown]

We loved Jerry to death. I wonder if that’s what’s happening to Bobby and /or ‘the Grateful Dead’.

[2muchfun]

Popped Dead &Co cherry last night at Cinnci.

Enjoyed the shakedown...

Found it better than You tube.

Good moments and horrific ones.

Maher has some guitar going but those vocals.

There is a certain spectacle to it all.

All bands at Jubilee better.

Not in rush to see again.

[Rude]

Deadco is a big party. Lower % party than any other dead tribute but higher overall numbers. Was watching the crowd during the Boston show and I’ve never seen a crowd so still during shakedown. But I’ve never heard one so slow too. There are lots of vendors outside. There’s that. If u want to find GD wares it’s the spot to go. If u are looking to meet the opposite sex it’s prob a better scene. If you want yo impress people with your dead knowledge, you will likely do that more than at Dso or JRAD. Very few tourists ever see them. Lots of tourists at deadco. Seeing them at a normal venue won’t be my thing but Folsom or wrigley type events are cool just for the atmosphere. Had a chick tell us you can’t snoke cigs in wrigley. I’m like have you looked around. She’s like if u smoke at a baseball game here they will arrest you. Im like this must be your 1st time at a dead type show. U tell someone not to do something and they will. We ain’t big on authority. Plus we are outside. Free air. On another note wtf are these rules about no smoking in outdoors venues. That’s bullshit. 

[Dead duck]

I was at Cincy show last night. Weather was perfect. Shakedown scene one of the largest I’ve seen around here. (Complete with fireworks) 

 

 

Those were the highlights. 

[Brian NJ]

People going to shows placing getting high and shakedown over going for the music almost brought GD show scene to a halt in my opinion! Remember Virginia, formerly the warlocks?  

[DesertDead]

10 hours ago, Mason's Child said:

Musicians and athletes have this same problem but if you take the field or the stage don’t bring up age as an excuse. Bobby has chosen to keep the mother rolling. Got to take the positive and negative that comes with it. 

 

I appreciate brian sharing his heartfelt and true feelings. 

 

I don’t disagree with any of this, including the part about Brian sharing what he thinks if not venting a bit about his experience.  I’d be pissed, too.

 

Maybe I’m naive, but I just don’t see a guy who has dedicated his entire life to playing live music, who also happens to have more money than he could ever spend, scheming about how to orchestrate set start times to coincide with severe weather fronts in order to rip off a bunch of fans who paid good money to see his concert.

[Brian NJ]

Desert,   I am not pissed about half a show. I went mostly because an old friend and his brother (heads from the 70's ) lost their younger brother tragically last week and I went to see them (even if only brief) before he flew back home.

 

i am pissed about the charade this band is pulling off to a bunch of sheep that are obviously following a band and not the music or philosophy of what the GD were about. 

 

The scene was created largely by the spirit that the GD brought through their desire to play for the people. To turn as many people as possible onto a new anti-establishment fuled way of experiencing life. The music being the catalyst that brought it all together...  

 

The events in Camden are evident that philosophies have changed! The band was aware of the weather and giving the sheep what they came for was secondary to their comfort.... Let's just fulfill our contractual obligations and fuckem...

 

In my opinion the musical performance by dead$co lacks any type of spirit to it... Just my opinion...

 

If I offend anyone with the sheep comments, oh well sorry it's just how I see it. I would much rather be genuine than politically correct, putting on a persona trying to have everyone like me, lying and conning to manipulate you into thinking I am "cool" . 😉

 

[Brian NJ]

Desert I don't think they conspired to rip off the fans. 

 

They could have started on time instead of 25 min late.

They could have played one long set.

They could have taken a short break instead of an hour.

 

None of this happened.

 

Conclusion: it wasn't important.

 

Result: Many felt they were ripped off.

 

My opinion: Very much what the GD were Not about.. (My main gripe)

 

 Oh yeah maybe they were unaware of the weather forecast....  BULLSHIT!

[Brian NJ]

Seriously if I offended anyone with the sheep comments, I won't edit it but I apologize.

i think I may have had too much caffeine tonight... 

 

[DesertDead]

Ha, no way,  Brian.  LOVE having conversation here.  Appreciate your thoughts.  

 

I know you don’t know me, but I promise I would never attempt to deny you something that is yours, man.  That’s not my point at all.  

 

Similiar to what you express about sharing what you think, I am merely offering a contrarian point of view on the topic.  I can’t imagine an ongoing dialogue where everyone always agrees.  Impossible as well as boring lol.

 

I feel that Dead and Co is a bit Disneyfied, certainly compared to what used to be.  And I continue to know that I would (also) see DSO all day long before I would go back to D&C, but the piling on seems a bit one-sided, and there is a flip side to most thoughts.

 

So right on, man.  Thanks again.

[acududeman]

I hear you Brian.

 

Your sentiment is exactly the reason why I decided to stick with the DSO recipe over a decade ago, with the exception of a couple of Furthur shows.

 

My recommendation to all......take what you need, and leave the rest.

[Brian NJ]

Thanks DD. Please come introduce yourself when paths cross, dso show. I'm not hard to miss I've been told lol. I appreciate intelligent discourse on any subject that I may have a little knowledge of.

Even mixed in with opinions. I have plenty... 

I am only righteous in my beliefs, not self righteous, people can go or do what they want. Just do it with all your heart!

[Tom Banjo]

I don’t think anyone was really implying they schemed to play as little as possible and use the weather to get out of town with your money. 

 

I think what more is being said is that adjustments could have been made. Should have been made to bring the fans as much music as possible given the difficult circumstances. 

 

Adjustments were not made. It puts off the appearance they didn’t care. 

 

No one schemed to bring you less music but conversely nobody schemed to bring you more. 

[Tom Banjo]

Weather can be real mother fucker.  Remember a Dso show at Jays peak that was cut drastically short. Sometimes it truly is beyond the band. 

 

In the spirit of the dead, the fans rallied. Some good friends of mine loaded their dead dance sound system into the lodge and we  danced the night away. Rob Eaton even joined us a bit and did a little weeble wobble. The night was not lost and was special in its own way. 

 

I know some serious Tour cats that ride with Bobby wherever he goes. I am sure they took lemons and made lemonade somewhere

 

BUT I feel for Brian. He wasn’t looking for lemonade. Some all night party listening to tunes and chasing girls. He was looking to renew a spiritual connection to the music and the family and the scene. And I know my brother. I’m sure that wasn’t completely lost but it was diminished by what transpired.