I really wanted to title this piece Shadowboxing the Apocalypse. Hearing Bobby sing that line the other night from Brother Esau just seemed to feel right, and I really dig that song. (Bob admitted once that even he thought the lyrics to Esau were too opaque and obtuse.) But I got to thinking about the show. The people at the show, the people in the band, the music, and the very air we were breathing. Although the show started with Playin’ in the Band; the second number was what really got me cogitating on this theme. Cold Rain and Snow. Fitting for the winter we have been having for sure. But think about it. That song is from the source. The first album. Released on March 17, 1967. That’s almost 47 years ago to the day. I mean really think about that for a minute. And that’s just from the Dead. The song itself pre-dates them by far with its roots going way back into the Appalachian hills as far back as 1916. Through generations, wars, global depressions, global warming, movements, revolutions, the good and the bad; to where we were tonight…an Unbroken Chain.
Tribal gatherings such as the one at this show have been going on for as long as the band has been around. There were lots of greybeards like me there all the way down to young’uns that probably weren’t even alive when the Grateful Dead played their last show. But for the most part all use the very special language the tribe uses that is both verbal and visual. The sense of community, the dialectics, the discussion of previous shows and the anticipation of what this show will bring, the clothes, the opening of the doors of perception just a wee bit more are all a part of the culture of the Dead that is at once equally subtle and vibrant. Strangers stopping strangers just to shake their hand.
But back to the show…
It all started with a sweet little jam into a brilliant thirteen minutes of Playin’ in the Band, and the afore mentioned Cold Rain and Snow, into an amazing version of I Need a Miracle, which was one of the best songs of the night in my opinion. It’s always one that the crowd gets into, and tonight was no exception. Next up was Ashes and Glass, a Rat Dog original song I had never heard before. The first set rounded out with long and excellent versions of Brown-Eyed Women, My Brother Esau, Sugaree and Deal. Wow. What a set.
We had some nice seat neighbours that helped to pass the intermission. There was quite the haze in the room and people were pretty mellow.
Bobby started the second set on acoustic. The classic Peggy-O, and a totally mesmerizing Fever. From there it just exploded into more classic material… Victim or the Crime, Cassidy, Estimated Prophet, and an unexpected reprise of Playin’ in the Band. Bobby then left the stage for a bit while the band noodled away on some stuff. Not really like Space, but I guess sort of in the same context. When he returned he played Dear Prudence (love that woman) and since this was Saturday after all…the volume was cranked up a notch and the set closer was One More Saturday Night. So what do you top that off with as an encore… U.S. Blues. Wave it wide and high…
What a great night. But late. We had to drive back to Illinois and catch a few hours before we went climbing.
The band lineup was:
Jeff Chimenti: Keyboards
Steve Kimock: Guitar
Jay Lane: Drums
Robin Sylvester: Bass
Rob Wasserman: Bass
Bob Weir: Guitar
