From The Road

Bill Kreutzmann, Oteil Burbridge & Scott Murawski Kick Off Tour May 28, 2008

ccasal — Mon, 05 May 2008 16:08:45 -0700

Legendary drummer Bill Kreutzmann, bassist Oteil Burbridge (Allman Brothers Band) and guitarist Scott Murawski (Max Creek) have joined together to form a POWER trio sure to capture the interest of music lovers of many genres of music.

Kreutzmann and Murawski were introduced in Costa Rica at a meeting facilitated by none other than PHISH bassist Mike Gordon. Their musical chemistry was limitless and compelling. Shortly after, Burbridge joined the band and it became obvious that the trio should pursue further musical adventures. The trio is currently working on a debut release slated for the fall of 2008. In the meantime, KBM is hitting the road this summer where fans can capture the MAGIC of this electrifying combination. Confirmed tour dates thus far:

Wed, May 28-Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel- Providence, RI

Thurs, May 29-State Theater- Falls Church, VA

Fri, May 30-New Alhembra Arena- Philadelphia, PA

Sat, May 31-Recher Theater- Towson, MD

Sun, June 1-Rocks Off Concert Cruise- New York, NY

Tues, June 3-Tupelo Music Hall- Londonderry, NH

Thurs, June 5-Roxy- Boston, MA

Fri, June 6-Toad’s- New Haven, CT

Sat, June 7-Higher Ground Ballroom- S. Burlington, VT

Sat, Aug 2-Gathering Of The Vibes Fest- Bridgeport, CT

Sat, Oct 25-Magnolia Fest- Live Oak, FL

Information about tickets may be found on-line on the websites of the individual venues.

Phil Lesh & Friends Summer Jamboree 2008

ccasal — Mon, 05 May 2008 11:24:38 -0700

Phil Lesh & Friends will take to the road this summer as their Summer Jamboree 2008 will find them performing at most of the major musical festivals: Bonnaroo, Milwaukee Summerfest, Rothbury, All Good, 10,000 Lakes, and the Gathering of the Vibes, along with stops in Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, St. Louis, and Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Wantagh, NY. Phil Lesh will again be accompanied by his all star band featuring: Jackie Greene, Larry Campbell, Steve Molitz, and John Molo. Joining Phil Lesh & Friends at several stops along the tour will be The Levon Helm Band. Come join the party!

Phil Lesh & Friends Summer Jamboree 2008 Tour

6-12 Columbus, OH ~ LC Pavilion

6-13 Chicago, IL ~ Charter One Pavilion

6-14 Manchester, TN ~ Bonnaroo Music Festival - Special Midnight Set

6-15 Manchester, TN ~ Bonnaroo Music Festival - Special Acoustic Set

6-17 Glen Allen, VA ~ Innsbrook Pavilion

6-19 Jim Thorpe, PA ~ Penn's Peak

6-20 Philadelphia, PA ~ Penn's Landing

6-21 Boston, MA ~ Bank of America Pavilion

6-22 Gilford, NH ~ US Cellular Pavilion

7-3 St. Louis, MO ~ The Pageant

7-4 Milwaukee, WI, Milwaukee Summerfest

7-5 TBD

7-6 Rothbury, MI ~ Rothbury

7-8 Charlottesville, VA ~ Charlottesville Pavilion

7-9 Myrtle Beach, SC ~ House of Blues

7-11 Masontown, WV ~ All Good Music Festival

7-12 Rochester, NY ~ Highland Bowl

7-13 Wantagh, NY ~ Nikon @ Jones Beach

7-26 Detroit Lakes, MN - 10,000 Lakes Festival

8-2 Bridgeport, CT ~ Gathering of The Vibes

Phil Lesh & Friends - 5 Night Run at Warfield Theater

For up to date information please visit: www.phillesh.net

Mickey Hart Band Featuring Steve Kimock & George Porter Jr. Confirm Summer Run!

Analise Dubner — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:24:51 -0700

Grateful Dead drummer and percussionist Mickey Hart will launch a 20 city tour this summer including appearances at many of the nations premiere festivals. The outing comes on the heels of the Shout! Factory releases of The Mickey Hart Collection out this spring. The Mickey Hart Band will feature Steve Kimock on guitar, George Porter Jr on bass, Jen Durkin on vocals, and talking drum master Sikiru Adepoju. After headlining appearances at Harmony Festival in Santa Rosa on June 6 and Wakarusa on June 8, the group will head out on an 18 city trek beginning July 3 at the Rothbury Festival and continuing through July 24 at 10K Lakes Festival. The shows will feature the Robert Hunter penned songs debuted by the Rhythm Devils in 2006 including Fountains of Wood, The Center, and Your House, in addition to Grateful Dead staples such as New Speedway Boogie and Fire on The Mountain.

This spring, Shout! Factory will release The Mickey Hart collection which includes the Grammy winning Planet Drum in addition to At The Edge, Diga Rhythm Band, Superlingua, and Mystery Box. Hart’s Planet Drum won the first ever World Music Grammy and still stands as one of the genre’s benchmark albums. Mickey reunited with some of his Planet Drum band mates including tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain, to form Global Drum Project in 2007 and released a record to critical acclaim followed by an extensive tour.

Mickey has kept quite busy over the past few years including tours with Hydra, Rhythm Devils, and Global Drum Project in addition to continuing his work with the Library of Congress. He also performed at Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s inauguration in 2007 and more recently appeared at the “Deadheads For Obama” event along with fellow Dead members Bob Weir and Phil Lesh. On April 20, Mickey will headline Golden Gate Park with a mass drum ensemble in celebration of Earth Day as part of the Green Apple Music Festival.

Fans will also be treated to a new Rhythm Devils DVD this summer filmed in Chicago during their fall tour in 2006. TheDVD will be available this summer on The Mickey Hart Band Tour and online at various outlets.

The summer run will take the band to festivals, theatres, and outdoor events across the east coast and Midwest beginning July 3^rd at Rothbury Festival and continuing on to Milwaukee’s Summerfest, Lakeview Music Festival, and Nelson Ledges rounding out July 4^th weekend. East Coast stops include Great South Bay Festival on Long Island, Penn’s Peak in PA, and Thursday in the Park in Buffalo . Select tour dates will offer pre-sale and VIP tickets which include a special after-show meet and greet with Mickey. Check out the new www.mickeyhart.net website for all tour dates and on-sale information.

June 6-Santa Rosa , CA-Harmony Festival

June 8-Lawrence, KS-Wakarusa Festival

July 3-Rothbury, MI-Rothbury Festival

July 4-Garretsville, OH-Nelson Ledges

July 5-Chicago, IL-Lakeview Music Festival

July 6-Milwaukee, WI-Summerfest

July 9-Alexandria, VA-Birchmere

July 10-Morristown, NJ-Morristown Community Thr.

July 11-Jim Thorpe, PA-Penn’s Peak

July 12-Patchogue, NY-Great S Bay Music Festival

July 15-NY, NY-Fillmore NYC

July 17-Buffalo, NY-Thursday in the Park

July 18-Binghamton, NY Magic City Music Hall

July 19-Pittsburgh, PA-Palace Theatre

July 20- Baltimore , MD -Ram’s Head Live

July 24-Detroit Lakes, MN-10k Lakes Festval

www.mickeyhart.net

www.myspace.com/mickeyhartmusic

www.myspace.com/rhythmdevils

Bob Weir & RatDog: Getting Out the Vote With HeadCount

almanac — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:16:38 -0700

The RatDog spring tour is underway, with Mark Karan back on board and the band, by all reports, right back at the top of its game. And while Bob Weir is out there gettin' the job done, as he has for more than 40 years, he's taking the time to do some work he finds equally important: encouraging members of his audience to make their voices heard as participants in the democratic process. Bob is a member of the Board of Directors of HeadCount, a not-for-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to registering voters, with a special emphasis on outreach to live-music fans. In this historically pivotal election year, HeadCount has launched its most ambitious effort to date, with a stated goal of adding as many as 200,000 new names to the voters' rolls. Bobby and RatDog, along with numerous other bands, are doing their part by inviting HeadCount volunteers to set up voter registration and information tables at their concerts.

When RatDog visits the Baltimore/Washington, DC area for a pair of shows in April, Weir and Jay Lane will also participate in a private, intimate event to benefit HeadCount. It's an invitation-only affair, but the organization has set aside a handful of spaces for fans. Those few spots will surely be grabbed fast, so if you'd like a chance to attend, visit the HeadCount site now, or directly contact events@headcount.org

Phil Lesh & Friends - 5 Night Run at Warfield Theater

Analise Dubner — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:39:37 -0700

Phil Lesh & Friends Announce Unique 5 Night Run at Warfield Theater to Celebrate 29 Years of Grateful Dead History

(San Francisco) Phil Lesh and Friends have announced that they will be performing a Spring tour beginning May 8th & 9th at The Fillmore in Denver, CO, May 11th at The Greek Theater in Los Angeles and will conclude with five unique evenings at The Warfield Theater in San Francisco that will celebrate 29 years of Grateful Dead history in that hallowed theater. Phil Lesh & Friends have also signed on for Bonnaroo Music Festival, the Rothbury Festival, The All Good Festival, the 10K Lakes Festival, and the Gathering of The Vibes ~ with more summer dates to be added soon. Joining the former Grateful Dead bassist will be a world class band consisting of: Americana music sensation Jackie Greene (guitar, keyboards, and vocals), multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell, (Bob Dylan, Levon Helm), electronic keyboardist Steve Molitz (Particle), and drummer John Molo (Bruce Hornsby & the Range). Tickets for this tour are on sale now through Phil Lesh Ticketing and GDTS-TOO.

Phil Lesh & Friends will play the following places.

May 9-10 The Fillmore ~ Denver, CA

May 11 The Greek Theater, Los Angeles, CA

May 13 -14, 16-18 Warfield Theater, San Francisco, CA

For more information:

www.phillesh.net

http://www.philtickets.musictoday.com/PhilLeshFriends/calendar.aspx

www.gdtstoo.com

Donna Jean & The Tricksters Celebrate New CD With Rex Benefit, Live Sirius Broadcast

almanac — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 21:34:28 -0800

Photo: Susana Millman

Donna Jean and the Tricksters celebrated the release of their self-produced, self-titled debut album in style, before a packed house at New York's Knitting Factory. The release party, which officially kicked off a lengthy tour in support of the CD, also served as a benefit for the Rex Foundation. A splendid time was had by audience and band alike, for a great cause.

Just before the event in New York, DJ and the gang stopped in Philadelphia, for a live broadcast on public radio station WXPN at World Café Live. The performance has been archived for your listening pleasure here.

Next up: a live in-studio appearance on Sirius Satellite Radio's Grateful Dead Channel, on Monday, March 3rd at 9 pm.

For all Donna Jean and the Tricksters tour dates and info, visit the band's official website.

Bob Weir & RatDog Spring 2008 Tour Dates (P.S. - MK is BACK!!!)

almanac — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 02:26:55 -0800

It's about that time again: Bob Weir and RatDog take to the road beginning March 21st, cutting a swath through the Midwest and Northeast before finishing off down Florida way.

UPDATE

This happy news got to us shortly after we first posted the tour dates: As we've all been hoping, our dear pal Mark Karan has been given a clean bill of health and will be back on the bus for spring tour!

Details here.

Note also the newly added date in South Carolina (April 11)

The Dates:

MARCH

FRI 21 St. Paul, MN O'Shaughnessy Auditorium
SAT 22 Milwaukee, WI Riverside Theater
MON 24 St Louis, MO The Pageant
TUE 25 Covington, KY Madison Theatre
WED 26 Cleveland, OH House of Blues
FRI 28 Royal Oak, MI Royal Oak Theatre
SAT 29 Syracuse, NY Landmark Theatre
SUN 30 Upper Darby, PA Tower Theatre

APRIL

TUE 1 Stroudsburg, PA Sherman Theater
THU 3 New York, NY Beacon Theatre
FRI 4 New York, NY Beacon Theatre
SAT 5 New York, NY Beacon Theatre
TUE 8 Baltimore, MD Rams Head Live
WED 9 Baltimore, MD Rams Head Live
FRI 11 N. Charleston, SC North Charleston PAC
SAT 12 Live Oak, F Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park
(Wanee Festival)

MAY

Sat 31 Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom Hampton Beach, NH 6:00/8:00
PM $34.00 General Admission

AND LOOKING AHEAD TO SUMMER...

JUNE

SUN 1 Hunter, NY Hunter Mtn. Ski Area
(Mountain Jam Festival)

Sun 29 The Greek Theatre Los Angeles, CA 5:30/6:30 PM $54.00
Pit & General Admission
$44.00 Bench Seats

JULY

Tue 1 Humphrey's Concerts by the Bay San Diego, CA 5:00/6:00 PM
$76.00 Reserved

Wed 2 Humphrey's Concerts by the Bay San Diego, CA 5:00/6:00 PM
$76.00 Reserved

SAT 5 Quincy, CA Plumas/Sierra County Fairgrounds
(High Sierra Music Festival)

AUGUST

Sat 8/16/08 Tweeter Center Mansfield, MA 6:00 PM Show
w/ Allman Brothers Band

Sat 8/23/08 Tweeter Center @ The Waterfront Camden, NJ 7:00 PM
w/ Allman Brothers Band

Details at:

www.rat-dog.com

www.ratdog.org

Ticket info at:

www.gdtstoo.com

New Show Dates from Phil Lesh & Friends

Analise Dubner — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 09:35:45 -0800

Phil Lesh & Friends

Phat Phriday 1/25/08 -- Phillmore, San Francisco
Mardi Gras Ball 1/26/08 -- Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco
Crystal Ballroom 1/28 & 29/08 -- Portland

More Info:
phillest.net
Phat Phriday

Bob Weir & Ratdog

"The Music Never Stops" A Rex Foundation Black Tie-Dye Ball - December 15, 2007
Warfield Theatre, San Francisco

For more info:
The Music Never Stops

Hot Nights in NYC: Phil & Friends Complete Their Marathon

blairj — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 12:04:11 -0800

Well, the New York City Marathon is over, and for a change the winner wasn’t a Kenyan runner—it was Phil Lesh & Friends’ fans, who reveled in the group’s just concluded ten-night marathon at the new Nokia Theatre on Times Square.

On this last leg of their fall tour, the band pulled out a number of new tunes, and also welcomed a couple of special guests along the way: Ryan Adams played at two different shows (11/2 And 11/5); singers Amy Helm (of Ollabelle) and Theresa Williams turned up on 11/2, and Los Lobos keyboardist/saxophonist Steve Berlin (who is also Jackie Greene’s producer) laid down some cool riffs on the first set of 11/5. The cavalcade of new tunes began with the wild Halloween show, which included Jackie’s “Don’t Let the Devil Take Your Mind,” Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ menacing “I Put A Spell on You,” Phish’s “Story of the Ghost,” The Who’s “Boris the Spider,” Jimi’s “Voodoo Child,” the Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil” and, of course, Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London” (which was also the encore at RatDog’s show the same night!). Other songs introduced at Nokia were a new Jackie tune called “Like A Ball and Chain,” the Louvin Brothers’ “Lorene,” the Stones’ “Dead Flowers” (the last two during the acoustic set 11/2), Pink Floyd’s “Eclipse,” Jackie’s “Downhearted,” The Band’s “Chest Fever,” The Beatles’ “Revolution,” Bill Monroe’s “Jerusalem Ridge” and a bunch from the Dead repertoire—“Beat It on Down the Line,” "Peggy-O," “One More Saturday Night,” “Till the Morning Comes” and “Attics of My Life.” Wow—good times!

A slew of MP3 and FLAC downloads are available for sale from phillesh.net, and you can audition audience recordings of most shows from the tour at archive.org. Next up for Phil & Friends: Jackie Greene’s Birthday Celebration at the Warfield Theater in SF on November 27!

SET LISTS

10/31/07 Nokia Theatre, NYC

Shakedown Street> Loose Lucy, Don't Let The Devil Take Your Mind, Candyman, I Put A Spell on You> jam> Story of the Ghost> Casey Jones

Jam *> Cryptical Envelopment> Boris The Spider> Caution (Do Not Stop On the Tracks)> Voodoo Chile> The Other One> Cryptical Envelopment> New Speedway Boogie> Fire On The Mountain, Sympathy For The Devil> I Know You Rider, E: Werewolves Of London

* Offstage, Phil reads from Poe’s “The Pit and the Pendulum”

11/01/07 Nokia Theatre, NYC

Friend Of The Devil, Gone Wanderin’, Deep Elem Blues, Ball & Chain, Deal, Seven Jealous Sisters, Alabama Getaway

Jam> China Cat Sunflower, Althea, I’m So Gone> Cumberland Blues> Uncle John's Band> Don't Let Me Down, Help On The Way> Slipknot> Franklins Tower, E: Ripple

11/02/07 Nokia Theatre, NYC

Jam> Birdsong> About Cell Block #9, Dire Wolf, Midnight Rider, Passenger

(acoustic) Friend Of The Devil, Lorene, Cry Yourself Dry, Big Mon, Dead Flowers, Mama Tried

Wharf Rat> Franklin's Tower> Stella Blue> Fire On The Mountain> Dark Star> Eclipse*> Terrapin Station> Sugar Magnolia / Feedback jam> Darkstar> Box of Rain

Third Set with Ryan Adams. * with Amy Helm and Theresa Williams, vocals

11/03/07 Nokia Theatre, NYC

Good Lovin'> Downhearted, Pride of Cucamonga, This Wheel's on Fire, Mississippi Half-Step> So Hard to Find My Way, Big Boss Man

Playing in the Band> Spots of Time> The Wheel> Loan Me a Dime> Jack Straw> Unbroken Chain> St. Stephen> The Eleven> Lovelight / Casey Jones

11/5/07 Nokia Theatre, NYC
Brown Eyed Women , The Golden Road+ ,Viola Lee Blues*> Operator*> Viola Lee Blues*> Next Time You See Me*> Viola Lee Blues*> Chest Fever*> Sugaree*

+ Steve Berlin on keyboards

* Steve Berlin on saxophone

Happy Birthday Ryan, Eyes of the World> Scarlet Begonias> China Cat Sunflower>
Bird Song> Goin’ Down the Road Feeling Bad> Ripple> I Know You Rider> Uncle Johns Band> Dark Star> Franklins Tower> Dark Star / Wharf Rat

Set two with Ryan Adams

11/06/07 Nokia Theatre, NYC

Bertha, Deal, Big River, Gone Wanderin', Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Cosmic Charlie

Brown Sugar, Shakedown Street, Revolution, Beat it On Down the Line> Cryptical Envelopment> The Other One> Death Don't Have No Mercy> The Other One, Brokedown Palace / Not Fade Away

11/08/07 Nokia Theatre, NYC

Passenger, I'm So Gone, Mexican Girl, Pride of Cucamonga, Deep Elem Blues, Bird Song, Alabama Getaway

Playing in the Band> Althea, Cold Black Devil, Caution (Do Not Stop On The Tracks)> New Speedway Boogie> Jam> Unbroken Chain, Scarlet Begonias> Fire on the Mountain / A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall

11/09/07 Nokia Theatre, NY

Loose Lucy, Mississippi Half-Step, So Hard to Find My Way, Cold Rain and Snow, Tell Me Mama, Loan Me A Dime, Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad

Ball and Chain, Next Time You See Me, Lovelight, Down in the Valley Woe, Don't Let Me Down, Mountains of the Moon> Terrapin Station> Viola Lee Blues> Mason's Chidren / Johnny B. Goode

11/10/07 Nokia Theatre, NYC

Good Lovin', Friend of the Devil, Spots of Time, Dire Wolf, Operator, Beat It On Down the Line, Shakedown Street

China Cat Sunflower, Jack Straw, The Wheel> Eyes of the World, China Doll, St. Stephen> The Eleven> Help on the Way> Slipknot> One More Saturday Night> Franklin's Tower / Box of Rain

11/11/07 Nokia Theatre, NYC

Golden Road to Unlimited Devotion, Chest Fever> Brown Eyed Women, Candyman, Bird Song> Sugaree

(acoustic) Attics of My Life, Till the Morning Comes, Jerusalem Ridge, Deep Elem Blues, Ripple

Peggy-O *, Cumberland Blues> Uncle John's Band> Cryptical Envelopment> Dark Star> Morning Dew> I Know You Rider> The Other One> Cryptical Envelopment> Dark Star> Sugar Magnolia / Unbroken Chain

* with Theresa Williams, vocals

Notes from the Phil Tour II

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 16:52:57 -0700

Updated Set Lists and Another Chat with Jackie Greene, Boy Wonder

With the Phil & Friends tour now on a much-deserved break before the big ten-night “New York City Marathon” at the spankin’-new Nokia Theatre in Times Square, we thought this might be a good time to look in at the second leg of the tour and point up some highlights and cool happenings.

There seems to be near-unanimity among the band members that the group has gotten stronger as the tour has gone on, tighter in some ways but also looser and more flexible in the big jams that have become more frequent; indeed, who would expect otherwise? The mood has been very upbeat out on the road and by and large the tour has garnered strong, favorable reviews from most fans. Since our last tour update there have been a few song breakouts, including versions of Dylan’s “Leopard-Skin Pill-box Hat,” “All Along the Watchtower” and the triumphant return of “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues” (a Phil standard since the mid-’80s); the rarely played Mars Hotel nugget “Pride of Cucamonga”; a smokin’ take of Big Walter’s mid-‘50s R&B hit “Pack Fair & Square” sung by none other than former J. Geils lead singer Peter Wolf during the Boston run; the spry, fiddle-fueled instrumental showcase “Big Mon”; “Wharf Rat,” “Unbroken Chain”; and a few more Jackie Greene tunes, such as “About Cell Block #9” (from his Sweet Somewhere Bound album), “Cry Yourself Dry” (from Gone Wanderin’) and “The Gambler” (from the recent Small Tempest EP). There have been two more acoustic mini-sets since the first go-round at Red Rocks: one at the Riviera in Chicago and one at the Tweeter Center in Jersey; good stuff! And fans (and synapses) are still buzzin’ from the appearance of Trey Anastasio at the Glens Falls concert: The band played two of his tunes—“Shine” and “Plasma”—and from all reports, the T-Man definitely added some psychedelic gravitas to the proceedings. Yowza!

As was the case with the first part of the tour, there are a of number audience recordings of shows from the latest leg up on archive.org which you can access by going to that address and then typing in “Phil Lesh and Friends 2007.” The big news since our last update, though, is that now there are also downloads for sale of any show on the tour at Phil’s official site, www.phillesh.net. The live soundboard recordings have been lovingly prepared for release by long-time Grateful Dead mastering engineer Jeffrey Norman, so you know they’re gonna sound fantastic. Downloads are available in two formats: MP3 and the beloved top-quality FLAC. (There’s technical information on the site about format differences, etc.)

We managed to track down Jackie Greene on the P&F bus as it sped from Atlanta to Baltimore, and peppered him with a few questions about the tour…

So how’s it goin’ out there on the East Coast?

It’s goin’ really well. The shows are going good, we’re playing a lot of different songs, and I think the band is really playing well together and getting better. I think we’re all getting a better sense of how each other play these songs. It’s still really lively and free, but I think it’s also gelling a little better.

What would you say has been the hardest aspect of it?

For me it’s been learning some of the songs that I have to sing that I wasn’t as familiar with. It’s funny, though, the same thing that’s hard about this gig is the thing that’s easy about it.

How so?

Well, Phil is fearless. He likes to try new things and it’s okay to come within inches of falling on your face every night. It takes a while to get used to that notion, but when you can embrace that idea, it makes it sort of an easy thing to go out there and try new things all the time. It’s a cool way to do music.

That’s the Grateful Dead ethos is a nutshell. What have you discovered about a song like “Dark Star”?

That’s been a lot of fun for me, because it’s one of those songs we’ve been doing that always goes into other songs and other songs go into it, so it’s a challenge figuring out how to develop it and play with it. Phil sings that one so I’ve been enjoying being back there making sound effects and stuff and playing off Larry [Campbell] and Steve [Molitz]. It’s only a two-chord song, so there’s so much room to interpret the mood of what direction it’s going. From my perspective—and I don’t know how it is for the audience—I really get off on the fact that when we get into stuff like that, we have the freedom to interpret it however we want, all of us at the same time. It can turn into something really, really beautiful, or really aggressive and nasty. It can even sound kind of sexy and smooth, which isn’t maybe what you’d expect from it. But it can go anywhere, really.

How has playing your own songs in the context of all these Grateful Dead songs affected how those songs sound to you?

That’s an interesting question. I’m not sure. A lot of the songs of mine we’ve been doing seem to be going over pretty well and seem to work well in that framework. There have been a couple of times we’ve been able to go out of one of my songs into one of the [GD] staples, which is cool. God bless Phil for figuring that out; I would never thought they would fit like that, but he heard it somehow. Of course a lot of my songs are a lot longer with this band than they would be in mine. [Laughs] We jam on them more and we change around the groove sometimes. There’s one song of mine we’ve probably done four different ways already—“Tell Me Mama, Tell Me Right.” It’s a blues tune, basically, but we’ve done it acoustic; the other night I turned around and said, “Let’s do it really slow, 6/8 time”; and we also did it sort of as a faster boogie-woogie on the piano one night. That’s a lot of fun for me.

What’s this instrumental you guys have done a few times, “Big Mon”?

Oh, that’s a really fast, barn-burning, traditional fiddle tune.

So I presume Larry brought that in?

Right, it’s Larry. He’s so great. Actually, some of the most fun I’ve been having on this tour is on the bus playing music with Larry. It turns out he knows a shit-load of old folk and bluegrass songs, and I grew up with a bluegrass influence, too, so we’ll jam for hours on the bus. That’s how that one came into the set, I guess. It’s a good chance for Larry to show off! [Laughs]

Are you the one who brought “Loan Me in Dime,” which I presume you got from Boz Scaggs’ first album?

Yeah. I thought it would be a good slow song that would give the band a chance to stretch out a little and also get really big. I thought it would be a neat moment for us. It’s pretty straight forward, but it can be really powerful.

And I see you played “Leopard-Skin Pill-box Hat”—nice choice!

Phil likes to do Dylan songs and I like to sing no more than one a night—I already get enough flak for being like Dylan, so I don’t want to overdo it! [Laughs] I figured that was a pretty easy one for everybody to learn. It’s a blues, and so you can make it funky, do it as a shuffle, whatever.

Your song “Cold Black Devil” has been sounding good.

Thanks. It’s kind like of swamp jam; it’s a good excuse to jam, which is probably why Phil likes to do it.

Are you enjoying playing this big variety of places, from Red Rocks to those intimate theaters in Chicago and Boston?

Oh, for sure! Chicago was a little rough because the building was very old and it was packed—it was like 90 degrees in there. We were a having a hard time in there even though we had fans on us. The crowd must’ve been miserable.

Ah, they can take it. They’re troopers. Every one of ‘em has been through worse, I guarantee you!

You’re probably right. [Laughs]

Why have there been so few acoustic sets?

I don’t know. I’d like to do it more often. Probably because it involves a whole ’nother level of setup for the crew and we haven’t always had the luxury of a lot of time in some cities. I like ‘em a lot. The Red Rocks acoustic set was definitely one of the highlights of the whole tour for me, because I really got the sense that it meant something special; it felt “important” maybe. It’s such a nice way to present some of those songs. I really love a lot of those tunes.

Have you had much interaction with fans?

A little bit. But we’re on a pretty tight schedule here. We’ve been leaving after every show and getting on the bus. But what interactions I’ve had, everyone has been really nice and warm. They seem to be digging it. I know I am.

Phil looks and sounds like he’s digging it, too.

Phil is having a great time. He’s smiling, dancing…he’s excited. He can’t wait to get out there. We have to hold him back sometimes: Wait, Phil. It’s not time yet! He’s pretty amazing, actually.

Set Lists for the Second Leg

10/03/07 Uptown Theater (Kansas City)

Alabama Getaway, About Cell Block #9, Big River, Candyman, Leopard-Skin Pill-box Hat, Mississippi 1/2 Step, Cold Black Devil, Good Lovin’

Brown Sugar, Bertha, Uncle John's Band> Scarlet Begonias> The Wheel> Sugaree> Tom Thumb’s Blues, Casey Jones, Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad / Ripple

10/05/07 Riviera Theater (Chicago)

Deal, Mississippi 1/2 Step, Deep Elem Blues, Loose Lucy, When You're Walking Away, Cumberland Blues, Seven Jealous Sisters, Cold Rain & Snow

Cosmic Charlie, China Cat Sunflower> Eyes Of The World> St. Stephen> Mountains Of The Moon> Midnight Rider> I Know You Rider> The Golden Road> Sugar Magnolia / Tom Thumbs Blues

10/06/07 Riviera Theater (Chicago)

Good Morning Little Schoolgirl, Pride Of Cucamonga, This Wheel’s on Fire, Scarlet Begonias, Spots of Time, Althea, Tell Me Mama Tell Me Right, Bertha

Playing In The Band> Uncle John's Band, Birdsong, Loan Me A Dime, Dark Star> New Speedway Boogie> Fire On The Mountain> Dark Star> Viola Lee Blues / Alabama Getaway

10/07/07 Riviera Theater (Chicago)

Good Lovin', Mexican Girl, Candyman, Let It Ride, Sugaree> Casey Jones

(Acoustic) Ripple, Cry Yourself Dry, Friend of the Devil, Big Mon, Brokedown Palace

The Wheel, Cryptical Envelopment> All Along the Watchtower> Other One, Help on the Way, Slipknot > Franklin's Tower, Lovelight / Not Fade Away

10/09/07 Orpheum Theater (Boston)

Jam> Friend Of the Devil, Pride of Cucamonga, Big River, I'm So Gone, Loose Lucy, When You’re Walking Away, Pack Fair and Square*, Brown Sugar*

Spots Of Time, China Cat Sunflower> Eyes Of The World> A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall> Viola Lee Blues> Althea> Viola Lee Blues> Cold Black Devil > Viola Lee Blues, Scarlet Begonias> Fire On The Mountain / Ripple

* with former J. Geils Band frontman Peter Wolf

10/10/07 Orpheum Theater - Boston, MA

Cosmic Charlie, So Hard To Find My Way, Deal, Tell Me Mama Tell Me Right, Cold Rain and Snow, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Alabama Getaway

Shakedown Street, Mississippi Half-Step> New Speedway Boogie> Loan Me A Dime> The Other One, Down in the Valley Woe, St. Stephen> The Wheel> Sugar Magnolia / Brokedown Palace

10/12/07 Tweeter Waterfront (Camden, NJ)

Good Morning Little Schoolgirl, Deal, Mexican Girl > Scarlet Begonias > I'm So Gone, Lovelight

(Acoustic) Lost Highway, Tell Me Mama, Deep Elem Blues, Friend Of The Devil, Big Mon

Playing In The Band > Cumberland Blues > Uncle John's Band > Mountains Of The Moon > Terrapin Station > I Know You Rider / Help On The Way > Slipknot > Franklin's Tower

10/13/07 Charlottesville Pavilion (VA)

The Golden Road> Bertha, Candyman, Bird Song, Big River, Gone Wanderin', Cold Rain and Snow

Althea, The Wheel> This Wheel's On Fire, Cryptical Envelopment> Dark Star> Eyes of the World> Dark Star> Sugaree, Cosmic Charlie / Not Fade Away

10/14/07 Echo Project (Fairburn, GA)

Friend of the Devil, Pride of Cucamonga, Loose Lucy, Deep Elem Blues, Tell Me Mama Tell Me Right, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Althea, Alabama Getaway

Shakedown Street, Casey Jones, Midnight Rider, New Speedway Boogie> Loan Me a Dime> Fire on the Mountain> China Cat Sunflower> St. Stephen> Franklin's Tower / A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall

10/16/07 Lyric Opera House (Baltimore)

Playing In The Band> This Wheel’s On Fire, So Hard To Find My Way, Mississippi Half-Step, Deal, Mexican Girl, Good Lovin'

Gone Wanderin'> Cumberland Blues, Jam> Eyes Of The World> Brokedown Palace, The Golden Road> Viola Lee Blues> Why Don't We Do It in the Road> Viola Lee Blues> All Along the Watch Tower> I Know You Rider / Box Of Rain

10/18/07 Shea's Performing Arts Center (Buffalo)

Good Morning Little Schoolgirl, Big River, Leopard-Skin Pill-box Hat, The Wheel> I'm So Gone, Scarlet Begonias> Fire On The Mountain

Cosmic Charlie, Althea, Cold Black Devil, Cryptical Envelopment> The Other One> Caution, Help On The Way > Slipknot > Franklin's Tower, Sugar Magnolia / Lovelight

10/19/07 Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT

Shakedown Street, Gone Wanderin', Mississippi Half-Step, The Gambler, Candyman, Loan Me a Dime, Brown-Eyed Women

China Cat Sunflower, Uncle John's Band, Down in the Valley Woe, Mountains of the Moon > Terrapin Station > St. Stephen > Stella Blue (instrumental) > Sugaree > I Know You Rider / Not Fade Away

10/20/07 Glens Falls (NY) Civic Center*

Alabama Getaway, Pride of Cucamonga, Friend of the Devil, Deep Elem Blues, Deal, Bird Song, Bertha

Shine, Viola Lee Blues > Cumberland Blues > Viola Lee Blues > Cumberland Blues > Viola Lee Blues, Plasma, Unbroken Chain, Dark Star > Wharf Rat > Dark Star > Help on the Way > Slipknot > Franklin's Tower / Box of Rain

*entire show with Trey Anastasio on guitar

10/21/2007 War Memorial at Oncenter (Syracuse, NY)

Ripple, Gone Wanderin', Althea, Sugaree, Spots of Time, The Wheel> Cosmic Charlie

The Golden Road> The Other One> Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad> Eyes of The World> Scarlet Begonias, New Speedway Boogie> St. Stephen> Terrapin> Fire on The Mountain / Brokedown Palace

:: Phil & Friends Tour Schedule

Global Drum Project -- 2007 Tour Dates

Analise Dubner — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 12:43:52 -0700

Date	City, State	Venue
11 Oct	Annapolis, MD	Maryland Hall
12 Oct	Storrs, CT	U Conn
13 Oct	Burlington, VT	University of VT
14 Oct	Poughkeepsie, NY	Bardavan Opera House
16 Oct	University Park, PA	Penn State
17 Oct	New York, NY	Highline Ballroom
18 Oct	Pittsburgh, PA	Byham Theater
20 Oct	East Lansing, MI	Michigan State U
21 Oct	Columbus, OH	Southern Theater
22 Oct	Glenside, PA	Keswick Theatre
25 Oct	Glen Ellyn, IL	College of DuPage
26 Oct	Madison, WI	U of Wisconsin
27 Oct	Minneapolis, MN	Minnesota Orchestra Hall

More Dates TBA

Click here to purchase the new Global Drum Project CD in the Dead.net Store.

Bob Weir & Ratdog '07 Tour Schedule

Analise Dubner — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 12:41:42 -0700

Date	City, ST	Venue
10/26/07	Hampton Beach, NH	Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
10/27/07	Hampton Beach, NH	Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
10/28/07	Lebanon, NH	Lebanon Opera House
10/30/07	Westbury, NY	North Fork Theater at Westbury
10/31/07	Westbury, NY	North Fork Theater at Westbury
11/2/07	Burlington, VT	Memorial Auditorium
11/3/07	Albany, NY	Palace Theater
11/4/07	State College, PA	Penn State Univ-Eisenhower Auditorium
11/7/07	Norfolk, VA	The Norva
11/8/07	Charlotte, NC	Ovens Auditorium
11/13/07	St. Petersburg, FL	Mahaffey Theater
11/14/07	Jacksonville, FL	Florida Theatre
11/16/07	Lake Buena Vista, FL	House Of Blues
11/17/07	Boca Raton, FL	Mitzner Park Amphitheatre

Phil Lesh & Friends Fall Tour '07

Jonathan Lane — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 12:04:35 -0700

(San Francisco) Phil Lesh and Friends have announced that they will be performing a fall tour beginning in Santa Barbara, CA on Sept 22nd and will conclude with shows at the Nokia Theater in New Your City. Joining the former Grateful Dead bassist will be a world class band consisting of: Americana music sensation Jackie Greene (guitar, keyboards, vocals), multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell, (Bob Dylan, Levon Helm), electronic keyboardist Steve Molitz (Particle), and drummer John Molo (Bruce Hornsby & The Range). Tickets for this tour will go on sale beginning July 25th through Phil Lesh Ticketing and GDTS-TOO.

for more information:

http://www.phillesh.net

http://www.philtickets.musictoday.com/philleshfriends/calendar.aspx

www.gdtstoo.com

Day	Date	City, ST	Venue
Fri	10/19/07	Uncasville, CT	Mohegan Sun Arena
Sat	10/20/07	Glens Falls, NY	Glens Falls Civic Center
Sun	10/21/07	Syracuse, NY	War Memorial at Oncenter
Wed	10/31/07	New York, NY	Nokia Theater Times Square (16 years & older)
Thu	11/1/07	New York, NY	Nokia Theater Times Square (16 years & older)
Fri	11/02/07	New York, NY	Nokia Theater Times Square (16 years & older)
Sat	11/03/07	New York, NY	Nokia Theater Times Square (16 years & older)
Mon	11/05/07	New York, NY	Nokia Theater Times Square (16 years & older)
Tue	11/06/07	New York, NY	Nokia Theater Times Square (16 years & older)
Thu	11/8/07	New York, NY	Nokia Theater Times Square (16 years & older)
Fri	11/9/07	New York, NY	Nokia Theater Times Square (16 years & older)
Sat	11/10/07	New York, NY	Nokia Theater Times Square (16 years & older)

Big GD Family Presence at Gathering of the Vibes 2007

almanac — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 21:32:37 -0700

For more than a decade, the Gathering of the Vibes has been one of the highlights of the summer festival season. It started in 1996 as a Jerry Garcia memorial event called "Deadhead Heaven," and has been growing in size and reputation ever since. Many musicians number the Vibes, as it's called for short, among their very favorite events to play, and audiences feel much the same.

On August 9-12, the Vibes will return, after several years in upstate New York, to Seaside Park in Bridgeport, CT, a gorgeous 370 acre space on the shore of Long Island Sound that hosted memorable editions of the festival in 1999 and 2000.

This year's Vibes will live up to the event's original "Deadhead Heaven" heritage in a big way, with several members in good standing of the Grateful Dead alumni association providing some of the musical thrills: Bob Weir and Ratdog make their third consecutive appearance; the Mickey Hart Band will feature a very special lineup of players, including Steve Kimock, George Porter, Jr., John Molo, Jen Durkin and Sikiru Adepoju; Donna Jean Godchaux-Mackay will be on hand with her new band, Donna Jean and The Tricksters, and also is slated to sit in with Zero.

There will be plenty of friends of the GD family to be seen and heard as well, including Dark Star Orchestra, Los Lobos, Buddy Guy, George Clinton & P-Funk, The Wailers, Dickey Betts and the Great Southern, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, David Gans and many others on three stages. Also: an area hosting a variety of vitally important non-profit organizations, a "kids' corner," and much more.

For full details and schedule, visit the official website.

Phil Lesh & Friends San Francisco Show July 21st

ccasal — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 16:03:00 -0700

We are pleased to announce that on Saturday, July 21st, Phil Lesh & Friends will be performing at The Independent in San Francisco. Phil Lesh, Jackie Greene, Larry Campbell, John Molo, and Steve Molitz will be joined by special guest Barry Sless in what will be Phil Lesh & Friends’ first San Francisco appearance in over a year. Opening the show will be Vice, who will be performing an acoustic set to complete this exciting evening of music.

Tickets will go on sale on Tuesday July 17th at 10AM PST and will be available at www.ticketweb.com

Tickets will also be available on Wednesday, July 18th through Phil Lesh Ticketing, visit www.phillesh.net; to get additional information. Be sure to continue to visit Phil’s homepage for other exciting announcements in the coming weeks.

Check out the Phil Lesh Tour Dates Page for a list of upcoming fall shows.

Phil Keeps It Small, With Big Results

Analise Dubner — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 22:31:02 -0700

Jackie Greene and Phil at Sweetwater, 7/7/07
(Photo: Bob Minkin)

Phil Lesh, while showing that he can still rock a large crowd in a large way (as he did in June at the Mountain Jam in upstate New York, with a Phil & Friends ensemble featuring the formidable guitar tandem of John Scofield and Warren Haynes), continued his recent trend toward off-the-cuff, under-the-radar shows at some remarkably intimate venues. Last month we reported on his quick hop into New York City for two club dates. And in the days around the Fourth of July, Phil, in collaboration with the Unbroken Chain Foundation, presided over a very special series of events to benefit a cause dear to his heart: Homeward Bound of Marin, a provider of transitional and long-term housing and support services for homeless people in Marin County. For this endeavor, participants were asked not just to donate funds, but also their time, skills and sweat in helping Homeward Bound build a new classroom for children of homeless families. As thanks for their efforts, the volunteers were invited to a party at a private residence in Marin, complete with a barbeque dinner and a poolside performance by Phil and some of his talented Friends. To warm up for that shindig, Phil decided to do another stealthy little gig the night before the pool party, at the tiny, legendary Mill Valley musicians’ hangout, the Sweetwater. Along with old Friends John Molo, Barry Sless and Steve Molitz, Phil welcomed someone new to the fold: the phenomenally talented young singer/songwriter/guitarist Jackie Greene. The evening (which was dedicated to Mark Karan) featured a generous helping of Grateful Dead standbys and some intriguing covers, and the consensus among the lucky throng that made it into the cozy saloon was that the Phil/Jackie connection could be the start of another beautiful friendship.

NOTE: Just after we went to press (or whatever the heck it is we "go to" in this post-paper age), it was announced that Phil Lesh and Friends had scheduled another Bay Area club date, on July 21, at The Independent in San Francisco. Larry Campbell rejoins the lineup for this one.

Phil and Friends, Rockin' By The Pool, 7/8/07 (Photo: Bob Minkin)

Global Drum Project Tour

ccasal — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 12:55:46 -0700

The GLOBAL DRUM PROJECT Tour brings Mickey Hart, Zakir Hussain, Sikiru Adepoju, and Giovanni Hidalgo together again in a reunion sparked by the 15th anniversary of the ground-breaking album Planet Drum.

For more information visit:

mickeyhart.net

Click here to purchase the new Global Drum Project CD in the Dead.net
Store.

RatDog Rocks NYC for HeadCount

almanac — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 01:16:46 -0700

Photo: Gary Lambert

On June 14, Bob Weir and RatDog slipped stealthily into New York City to headline a party/fundraiser for HeadCount, a non-partisan organization devoted to using the multi-faceted power of music to enable voter registration and participation in democracy. The organization’s volunteers have been a familiar and welcome presence at major music festivals as well as concert appearances by RatDog, Phil Lesh & Friends, Dave Matthews Band and numerous others. Since its inception in 2004, HeadCount has registered over 50,000 voters, more than any all-volunteer group in the U.S.

The event, held at TriBeCa’s intimate Canal Room, also featured a solo performance by Warren Haynes, who sat in with RatDog for a couple of tunes later in the evening.

After the show it was back on the bus and off to Tennessee for Bonnaroo, and the official start of RatDog’s summer tour.

Look for the good folks from HeadCount out there on the road this summer, and if you haven’t registered to vote yet, please do! Our democracy’s only as good as the people who make use of it.

For more on HeadCount, visit their website: www.headcount.org

Canal Room
New York, NY
June 14, 2007
Jam> Shakedown Street> Easy Answers> It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue*, Big Boss Man*, Lucky Enough, Me and My Uncle@, Desolation Row@/#, West L.A. Fadeaway> Stuff> Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door> Throwin’ Stones.
E: Bertha

*with Warren Haynes, guitar; @Bob on acoustic guitar; @/#Bob on acoustic, then electric.

-GL

Phil Lesh Tour Dates

PatRhino — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 17:26:10 -0700

Day	Date	City, ST	Venue
Sat	9/22/07	Santa Barbara, CA	Santa Barbara Bowl
Sun	9/23/07	Berkeley, CA	The Greek Theater
Fri	9/28/07	Denver, CO	The Phillmore (16 years & older)
Sat	9/29/07	Denver, CO	Red Rocks Amphitheater
Sun	9/30/07	Santa Fe, NM	Paolo Soleri
Tue	10/2/07	St. Louis, MO	The Pageant
Wed	10/3/07	Kansas City, MO	Uptown Theater
Fri	10/5/07	Chicago, IL	The Riviera Theater 18 years & older
Sat	10/6/07	Chicago, IL	The Riviera Theater 18 years & older
Sun	10/7/07	Chicago, IL	The Riviera Theater 18 years & older
Tue	10/9/07	Boston, MA	The Orpheum Theater
Wed	10/10/07	Boston, MA	The Orpheum Theater
Fri	10/12/07	Camden, NJ	Tweeter Waterfront
Sat	10/13/07	Charlottesville, VA	Charlottesville Pavilion
Sun	10/14/07	Atlanta, GA	The Echo Project
Tue	10/16/07	Baltimore, MD	Lyric Opera House
Thu	10/18/07	Buffalo, NY	Shea's Performing Arts Center
Fri	10/19/07	Uncasville, CT	Mohegan Sun Arena
Sat	10/20/07	Glens Falls, NY	Glens Falls Civic Center
Sun	10/21/07	Syracuse, NY	War Memorial at Oncenter
Wed	10/31/07	New York, NY	Nokia Theater Times Square 16 years & older
Thu	11/1/07	New York, NY	Nokia Theater Times Square 16 years & older
Fri	11/02/07	New York, NY	Nokia Theater Times Square 16 years & older
Sat	11/03/07	New York, NY	Nokia Theater Times Square 16 years & older
Mon	11/05/07	New York, NY	Nokia Theater Times Square 16 years & older
Tue	11/06/07	New York, NY	Nokia Theater Times Square 16 years & older
Thu	11/8/07	New York, NY	Nokia Theater Times Square 16 years & older
Fri	11/9/07	New York, NY	Nokia Theater Times Square 16 years & older
Sat	11/10/07	New York, NY	Nokia Theater Times Square 16 years & older