Bob, Phil, Mickey and Friends Rock for Barack at the Warfield

Features

February 5, 2008
https://www.dead.net/features/news/general-news/bob-phil-mickey-and-friends-rock-barack-warfield

Bob, Phil, Mickey and Friends Rock for Barack at the Warfield

Word began to get out on the afternoon of Friday, February 1st, and quickly spread like a prairie fire: Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart and Bob Weir were getting together to play some music for the first time since 2004, in the service of a common cause: the presidential election campaign of Senator Barack Obama. At 5 o'clock that afternoon, tickets went on sale for Dead Heads for Obama, a benefit concert on Monday the 4th at The Warfield in San Francisco, designed to raise funds and get out the vote for Obama in the Super Tuesday primaries being held across the country on the 5th. Not surprisingly, the show sold out in a few minutes, but Dead Heads who couldn't get to the Warfield could avail themselves of a streaming video feed on iclips.net, or pick up the audio on Sirius Satellite Radio's Grateful Dead Channel.
Photo: Susana Millman
Just before the band took the stage, Senator Obama himself appeared in virtual form, in a video message recorded especially for the occasion.

The Senator's stirring words were immediately followed by music that was no less inspired and uplifting. From the first notes, it was clear that Mickey, Bobby and Phil hadn't lost a bit of their ability to read each other's minds and create a musical language unlike any other (as Mickey noted at the pre-concert press conference, "it's in our DNA"). They were aided by a great supporting cast, including Jackie Greene, Steve Molitz and the mighty, mighty John Molo from Phil's latest touring group of Friends, and the most welcome presence of unannounced guests Mark Karan and Barry Sless on guitar and pedal steel, respectively (alternating on some songs, appearing together on others to create a gorgeously orchestrated ensemble sound.
Photo: Susana Millman

We'll have more news and photos from this unforgettable evening soon. For the moment we'll just let you know what they played, and remind you to get out there and VOTE!
DEAD HEADS FOR OBAMA
The Warfield
San Francisco, CA
February 4, 2008

I.
Playing in the Band*>Brown-Eyed Women†, Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo†>New Minglewood Blues*, Come Together*

II. (Acoustic)
Deep Elem Blues, Friend of the Devil, Deal, Ripple

III.
China Cat Sunflower*†>The Wheel*†>The Other One*>Sugaree* Eyes of the World*†>Throwin' Stones*>Iko Iko>*†>Playing reprise*†

E. U.S. Blues*†%

Bob Weir, guitar and vocals; Phil Lesh, bass and vocals; Mickey Hart, drums and vocals; John Molo, drums; Jackie Greene, guitar, keyboards and vocals; Steve Molitz, keyboards and vocals.

* with Mark Karan, guitar; †with Barry Sless, pedal steel guitar; %with Hippie Bill, flag

Some Reflections on the Warfield Show…

By Blair Jackson

Many fingers in the air looking for tickets as we arrive at the already forming line outside the Warfield around 4:30, an hour and a half before the doors open. One person offers $300 for a single ticket… Cold winds are whipping down Market Street; many people are under-dressed for the chill… A couple of small, noisy pro-Obama marches go past the line a couple of times… With door opening at 6 and literally every person having to go through will-call, the odds do not look good for everyone getting through the ever-lengthening line by the 7:30 showtime… About half an hour before doors they decide to split the line alphabetically, A-J and K-Z, causing much temporary confusion and frustration and re-jockeying for position. We luck out and move ahead about 20 feet when all the K-Z’s in front of us depart… We get in pretty quickly and score an excellent spot on the first level behind the pit with some friends. We are surprised to see large TV cameras in the center spot right off the pit; we’re thinking the webcast could be pretty cool and call my teenage daughter at home to tell her about it…The place fills up very slowly, which could only mean one thing: the line is moving slowwwwwwly, with nerves on the street no doubt fraying as the 7:30 start time approaches…. But 7:30 is just a number, it turns out, and it’s a whole ‘nother hour before the lights finally dim, a screen lurches down in front of the Warfield’s big red curtain, and there’s Barack himself, on his campaign plane, saying howdy and thanking Bobby, Phil and Mickey for putting the event together. Lots of whooping and hollering; it’s a cool moment, though we all laugh when he tells us to sit down and enjoy the concert—obviously never been to a Dead show!

The curtain rises and it’s a septet onstage, left to right: Steve Molitz, Bob, John Molo, Phil, Mark Karan, Jackie Greene and Mickey. They waste no time launching into “Playing in the Band,” with everyone hitting their marks nicely and a big jam ensuing, driven mostly by Mark Karan, who throughout the evening, is the guy who really pushes the envelope in song after song. So great to have him back, maybe better than ever. Phil is all smiles watching Karan get into it, and the rapport that Mark and Bob have had for years together in RatDog is instantly apparent… “Brown-Eyed Women,” with Jackie on lead vocals, Barry Sless joining the fray on sweet pedal steel, comes next. The sound is still coming together and even standing in front of Jackie’s area, I can’t hear his vocal too well. Karan, is a monster on this song, too…. “Half-Step” gets Phil up to the mic and this version really soars, especially the back half with the solos and the “across the Rio Grande-io” singalong…. After a bluesy Bob-sung “Minglewood” (with Jackie on organ, sounding good), the short first set closes with The Beatles’ “Come Together,” a RatDog staple for a while, but new to Phil and his band. Co-sung by Bob and Mark, it's chunky and snaky, with a nice little jam at the close… All in all, well-played, less tentative than I’d expected. The vibes onstage and in the crowd are good!

Phil comes out in front of the curtain a few minutes later to talk about how he’s fired up about Obama, and that he represents our chance to really change the direction this country if headed, a sentiment echoed by Bob and Mickey, who also come out briefly to talk about the importance of voting…. I call my daughter and she informs me she couldn’t get the webcast, a complaint, alas, echoed by many… A while later, the curtain rises again and the stage is set up for an acoustic set, with Phil and his stand-up bass looming in the center. Bob leads the band down to the mean streets of “Deep Elem,” then spearheads a spry version of “Friend of the Devil.” Jackie sings a rockin’ acoustic version of “Deal” and then the mini-set concludes with a lovely, poignant “Ripple,” with the Warfield Chorus of 2,000 helping out at the end, of course.

Set Three turns out to be the Big One, where it all falls together in that magical way we’ve seen so many times before--sound is perfect, everything is clicking… “China Cat” is sparkling and in the jam following the tune, Bob and Mark and Phil really get the thunder going… You can hear “The Wheel” pulling itself together for a long spell before it actually arrives, and this version is great, one of the real highlights of the show, with five guys in the band harmonizing, the playing powerful and precise, the peaks as big as you’d want ’em… That eventually rolls into an extended, heavily jammed-out “Other One,” which finds the guitar army onstage slashing and crashing and building and receding, only to build again, many times. At the close of the second verse, it sounds like they might go into the “Cryptical” reprise, but instead it drops into “Sugaree,” with Jackie on lead, about which I can only say, WOW! This has become one of Mr. Greene’s best tunes in P&F (and he’s been playing it with his own band, as well) and he freakin’ nails it at the Warfield. He and Mark and Steve are all magnificent soloing between the verses—in fact, after one of the last solos, the crowd erupted into a sustained ovation for half a minute or so before the last verse!... I love Barry on the steel for the loping “Eyes of the World.” In fact, I loved Barry on every song he played on; a great addition to the line-up… It seems somehow appropriate that Bob chooses to play “Throwing Stones” at what is ostensibly a political event (“Well, the kids they dance, they shake their bones/While the politicians throwing stones”), although he always said the song was anti-political--so is it ironic, then? Who knows… I totally assume that “Not Fade Away” will follow, but am pleasantly surprised to instead be treated to “Iko-Iko” (the night before the real Mardi Gras.) Mickey barks it with spirit and gusto and the crowd is in deep party mode by that point, clapping and singing along, of course… And then, to close the third set, the music meanders back to where it had started, as the “Playing reprise” emerges from some fascinating, dissonant extrapolations on the “Playing” riff before resolving joyously--as it must!... Encore is “U.S. Blues,” sung by Bob, punctuated by a grey-bearded guy named Hippie Bill running across the back of the stage waving a giant American flag on the first two choruses, and then, to wild cheers, a version of the flag with a peace sign where the stars would be; I think, “Yeah, that’s my flag!”

We rocked. And I voted...

Photos by Bob Minkin

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Bob, Phil, Mickey and Friends Rock for Barack at the Warfield

Word began to get out on the afternoon of Friday, February 1st, and quickly spread like a prairie fire: Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart and Bob Weir were getting together to play some music for the first time since 2004, in the service of a common cause: the presidential election campaign of Senator Barack Obama. At 5 o'clock that afternoon, tickets went on sale for Dead Heads for Obama, a benefit concert on Monday the 4th at The Warfield in San Francisco, designed to raise funds and get out the vote for Obama in the Super Tuesday primaries being held across the country on the 5th. Not surprisingly, the show sold out in a few minutes, but Dead Heads who couldn't get to the Warfield could avail themselves of a streaming video feed on iclips.net, or pick up the audio on Sirius Satellite Radio's Grateful Dead Channel.
Photo: Susana Millman
Just before the band took the stage, Senator Obama himself appeared in virtual form, in a video message recorded especially for the occasion.

The Senator's stirring words were immediately followed by music that was no less inspired and uplifting. From the first notes, it was clear that Mickey, Bobby and Phil hadn't lost a bit of their ability to read each other's minds and create a musical language unlike any other (as Mickey noted at the pre-concert press conference, "it's in our DNA"). They were aided by a great supporting cast, including Jackie Greene, Steve Molitz and the mighty, mighty John Molo from Phil's latest touring group of Friends, and the most welcome presence of unannounced guests Mark Karan and Barry Sless on guitar and pedal steel, respectively (alternating on some songs, appearing together on others to create a gorgeously orchestrated ensemble sound.
Photo: Susana Millman

We'll have more news and photos from this unforgettable evening soon. For the moment we'll just let you know what they played, and remind you to get out there and VOTE!
DEAD HEADS FOR OBAMA
The Warfield
San Francisco, CA
February 4, 2008

I.
Playing in the Band*>Brown-Eyed Women†, Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo†>New Minglewood Blues*, Come Together*

II. (Acoustic)
Deep Elem Blues, Friend of the Devil, Deal, Ripple

III.
China Cat Sunflower*†>The Wheel*†>The Other One*>Sugaree* Eyes of the World*†>Throwin' Stones*>Iko Iko>*†>Playing reprise*†

E. U.S. Blues*†%

Bob Weir, guitar and vocals; Phil Lesh, bass and vocals; Mickey Hart, drums and vocals; John Molo, drums; Jackie Greene, guitar, keyboards and vocals; Steve Molitz, keyboards and vocals.

* with Mark Karan, guitar; †with Barry Sless, pedal steel guitar; %with Hippie Bill, flag

Some Reflections on the Warfield Show…

By Blair Jackson

Many fingers in the air looking for tickets as we arrive at the already forming line outside the Warfield around 4:30, an hour and a half before the doors open. One person offers $300 for a single ticket… Cold winds are whipping down Market Street; many people are under-dressed for the chill… A couple of small, noisy pro-Obama marches go past the line a couple of times… With door opening at 6 and literally every person having to go through will-call, the odds do not look good for everyone getting through the ever-lengthening line by the 7:30 showtime… About half an hour before doors they decide to split the line alphabetically, A-J and K-Z, causing much temporary confusion and frustration and re-jockeying for position. We luck out and move ahead about 20 feet when all the K-Z’s in front of us depart… We get in pretty quickly and score an excellent spot on the first level behind the pit with some friends. We are surprised to see large TV cameras in the center spot right off the pit; we’re thinking the webcast could be pretty cool and call my teenage daughter at home to tell her about it…The place fills up very slowly, which could only mean one thing: the line is moving slowwwwwwly, with nerves on the street no doubt fraying as the 7:30 start time approaches…. But 7:30 is just a number, it turns out, and it’s a whole ‘nother hour before the lights finally dim, a screen lurches down in front of the Warfield’s big red curtain, and there’s Barack himself, on his campaign plane, saying howdy and thanking Bobby, Phil and Mickey for putting the event together. Lots of whooping and hollering; it’s a cool moment, though we all laugh when he tells us to sit down and enjoy the concert—obviously never been to a Dead show!

The curtain rises and it’s a septet onstage, left to right: Steve Molitz, Bob, John Molo, Phil, Mark Karan, Jackie Greene and Mickey. They waste no time launching into “Playing in the Band,” with everyone hitting their marks nicely and a big jam ensuing, driven mostly by Mark Karan, who throughout the evening, is the guy who really pushes the envelope in song after song. So great to have him back, maybe better than ever. Phil is all smiles watching Karan get into it, and the rapport that Mark and Bob have had for years together in RatDog is instantly apparent… “Brown-Eyed Women,” with Jackie on lead vocals, Barry Sless joining the fray on sweet pedal steel, comes next. The sound is still coming together and even standing in front of Jackie’s area, I can’t hear his vocal too well. Karan, is a monster on this song, too…. “Half-Step” gets Phil up to the mic and this version really soars, especially the back half with the solos and the “across the Rio Grande-io” singalong…. After a bluesy Bob-sung “Minglewood” (with Jackie on organ, sounding good), the short first set closes with The Beatles’ “Come Together,” a RatDog staple for a while, but new to Phil and his band. Co-sung by Bob and Mark, it's chunky and snaky, with a nice little jam at the close… All in all, well-played, less tentative than I’d expected. The vibes onstage and in the crowd are good!

Phil comes out in front of the curtain a few minutes later to talk about how he’s fired up about Obama, and that he represents our chance to really change the direction this country if headed, a sentiment echoed by Bob and Mickey, who also come out briefly to talk about the importance of voting…. I call my daughter and she informs me she couldn’t get the webcast, a complaint, alas, echoed by many… A while later, the curtain rises again and the stage is set up for an acoustic set, with Phil and his stand-up bass looming in the center. Bob leads the band down to the mean streets of “Deep Elem,” then spearheads a spry version of “Friend of the Devil.” Jackie sings a rockin’ acoustic version of “Deal” and then the mini-set concludes with a lovely, poignant “Ripple,” with the Warfield Chorus of 2,000 helping out at the end, of course.

Set Three turns out to be the Big One, where it all falls together in that magical way we’ve seen so many times before--sound is perfect, everything is clicking… “China Cat” is sparkling and in the jam following the tune, Bob and Mark and Phil really get the thunder going… You can hear “The Wheel” pulling itself together for a long spell before it actually arrives, and this version is great, one of the real highlights of the show, with five guys in the band harmonizing, the playing powerful and precise, the peaks as big as you’d want ’em… That eventually rolls into an extended, heavily jammed-out “Other One,” which finds the guitar army onstage slashing and crashing and building and receding, only to build again, many times. At the close of the second verse, it sounds like they might go into the “Cryptical” reprise, but instead it drops into “Sugaree,” with Jackie on lead, about which I can only say, WOW! This has become one of Mr. Greene’s best tunes in P&F (and he’s been playing it with his own band, as well) and he freakin’ nails it at the Warfield. He and Mark and Steve are all magnificent soloing between the verses—in fact, after one of the last solos, the crowd erupted into a sustained ovation for half a minute or so before the last verse!... I love Barry on the steel for the loping “Eyes of the World.” In fact, I loved Barry on every song he played on; a great addition to the line-up… It seems somehow appropriate that Bob chooses to play “Throwing Stones” at what is ostensibly a political event (“Well, the kids they dance, they shake their bones/While the politicians throwing stones”), although he always said the song was anti-political--so is it ironic, then? Who knows… I totally assume that “Not Fade Away” will follow, but am pleasantly surprised to instead be treated to “Iko-Iko” (the night before the real Mardi Gras.) Mickey barks it with spirit and gusto and the crowd is in deep party mode by that point, clapping and singing along, of course… And then, to close the third set, the music meanders back to where it had started, as the “Playing reprise” emerges from some fascinating, dissonant extrapolations on the “Playing” riff before resolving joyously--as it must!... Encore is “U.S. Blues,” sung by Bob, punctuated by a grey-bearded guy named Hippie Bill running across the back of the stage waving a giant American flag on the first two choruses, and then, to wild cheers, a version of the flag with a peace sign where the stars would be; I think, “Yeah, that’s my flag!”

We rocked. And I voted...

Photos by Bob Minkin

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April 26, 2007

The Season of “What Now?” (Again!)

Now... Where Were We?

Well, we’ve been pretty much right here — that is, wherever “here” might happen to be at any given moment in this strange, still-pretty-new world…

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The Band

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Bob Weir

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Mickey Hart

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sleepinthestars

16 years 9 months ago

Right On
The Grateful Dead were there when students in this country were looking to pull us out of war and making real political statements on campus and in the street. Supporting people with the power to change for peace. While not directly supporting one candidate or the other, they were there nonetheless with their unique ability to give a nod to the powers of peace. Yes, I agree that the Grateful Dead were much more neutral in the later years, and perhaps too much so as so many brothers and sisters were jailed and harassed. Our country has suffered greatly in the last few years, and we are once again at war. Television and violent media has made us all numb to the reality of the destruction and suffering. The youth on our campus have been accused of being more interested in their ipod or iphone than they are in the pursuit of peace and justice, but for one moment in our history, our band has come together to support a man that has a greater vision and inspiration to assure our future, and I hope everyone comes out to support Obama. There is simply not time to hide behind a mask of ambiguity - these guys have come forward and proudly supported a man that they and I believe will lead us out of war and back to peace and prosperity. I disagree with anyone who thinks that we have the luxury of sitting idle at such a critical time in history. Obama is our hope for the future, Bob, Phil, and Mickey have recognized this as our opportunity to move away from the destructive politics of the past. The only way to move forward is to band together and work for peace. I sincerely hope that everyone will see the importance of our place in history. Thank you to the Grateful Dead, and please vote Obama into the White House, you will be glad you did!
Totem

16 years 9 months ago

Re-Cast
Hey there lookatitright, the show is to be replayed today on Iclips. The 3rd set seemed to be worth it, but I bonked out during Sugaree on the East coast myself. The first 2 sets were uneventful IMO, but check out the 3rd!! I suggest we all stop the political comments. I tire of it. Vote for whoever you want. The whiners probably won't vote at all. Sorry. Just tired of it. There are other sites to cry out loud on about this stuff. Recast tonight.
AlanSheckter

16 years 9 months ago

Aging gracefully with Weir, Lesh and Hart
Alan here, a longtime dead head who's live Dead show career spanned '76-'95. It was nice to see Weir, Hart and Lesh, all in their 60s, do such a fine job on short notice. And thanks to the Internet, I and many of you, were there. Though I live in the Sierra Nevada foothills, "only" four hours from San Francisco, I just couldn't get over to the city for this special show. If it was 30, 20 or even 10 years ago, I would've done what it took to get there, but at 48 tears old, with huge responsibitities at work both Monday and Tuesday, I couldn't swing it. Which brings me to the joy of the iclips.net feed (I also have Sirius satellite radio, which simulcast the audio). I say joy, because while the video buffered a bit at times and had an intermittent crackle that almost sounded like someone just needed to push a plug in tighter, it was awesome. (Remember how bad our hissy cassette tapes sounded in the 70s?) The band had a plan and offered a fine set list, sandwiching a little acoustic set 'tween two electric sets. Lesh was smiling all night and Weir was workmanlike and gave his usual quality effort. Hart, a Global Drum world music master and ambassador, was comfortably transfomed back to Grateful Dead duties. To me, Mark Karan was a special surprise and was an obvious choice to man the Garcia-reminiscent lead. John Molo was excellent, and Particle's Steve Molitz on keyboards and blues phenom Jackie Greene, mostly on keyboards, added an infusion of youth. The pedal steel on selections such as "The Wheel" and "Brown Eyed Women" were awesome. A big downer on the iclips feed were the comments. Some commented intelligently about the music and today's presidential primary election. Many others, however, made fun of Greene with immature and disrespectful comments. Others made infantile comments about Obama, Hillary Clinton oand others. Yes, freedom of speech is great, but too many inane - and anonymous, of course - comments from the peanut gallery sure took away from the spirit of the cause and the music. Overall, though, thanks for the powers that be that let me sit at my compuer, sip hot chocolate and watch a wonderful evening of music and witness the latest red-letter date in now 43-year Grateful Dead timeline. Alan Sheckter, Magalia, Calif, 2-5-08

Word began to get out on the afternoon of Friday, February 1st, and quickly spread like a prairie fire: Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart and Bob Weir were getting together to play some music for the first time since 2004, in the service of a common cause: the presidential election campaign of Senator Barack Obama. At 5 o'clock that afternoon, tickets went on sale for Dead Heads for Obama, a benefit concert on Monday the 4th at The Warfield in San Francisco, designed to raise funds and get out the vote for Obama in the Super Tuesday primaries being held across the country on the 5th. Not surprisingly, the show sold out in a few minutes, but Dead Heads who couldn't get to the Warfield could avail themselves of a streaming video feed on iclips.net, or pick up the audio on Sirius Satellite Radio's Grateful Dead Channel.

PressConference

Photo: Susana Millman

Just before the band took the stage, Senator Obama himself appeared in virtual form, in a video message recorded especially for the occasion.

The Senator's stirring words were immediately followed by music that was no less inspired and uplifting. From the first notes, it was clear that Mickey, Bobby and Phil hadn't lost a bit of their ability to read each other's minds and create a musical language unlike any other (as Mickey noted at the pre-concert press conference, "it's in our DNA"). They were aided by a great supporting cast, including Jackie Greene, Steve Molitz and the mighty, mighty John Molo from Phil's latest touring group of Friends, and the most welcome presence of unannounced guests Mark Karan and Barry Sless on guitar and pedal steel, respectively (alternating on some songs, appearing together on others to create a gorgeously orchestrated ensemble sound.

Photo: Susana Millman

We'll have more news and photos from this unforgettable evening soon. For the moment we'll just let you know what they played, and remind you to get out there and VOTE!

DEAD HEADS FOR OBAMA
The Warfield
San Francisco, CA
February 4, 2008

I.
Playing in the Band*>Brown-Eyed Women†, Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo†>New Minglewood Blues*, Come Together*

II. (Acoustic)
Deep Elem Blues, Friend of the Devil, Deal, Ripple

III.
China Cat Sunflower*†>The Wheel*†>The Other One*>Sugaree* Eyes of the World*†>Throwin' Stones*>Iko Iko>*†>Playing reprise*†

E. U.S. Blues*†%

Bob Weir, guitar and vocals; Phil Lesh, bass and vocals; Mickey Hart, drums and vocals; John Molo, drums; Jackie Greene, guitar, keyboards and vocals; Steve Molitz, keyboards and vocals.

* with Mark Karan, guitar; †with Barry Sless, pedal steel guitar; %with Hippie Bill, flag

Some Reflections on the Warfield Show…

By Blair Jackson

Many fingers in the air looking for tickets as we arrive at the already forming line outside the Warfield around 4:30, an hour and a half before the doors open. One person offers $300 for a single ticket… Cold winds are whipping down Market Street; many people are under-dressed for the chill… A couple of small, noisy pro-Obama marches go past the line a couple of times… With door opening at 6 and literally every person having to go through will-call, the odds do not look good for everyone getting through the ever-lengthening line by the 7:30 showtime… About half an hour before doors they decide to split the line alphabetically, A-J and K-Z, causing much temporary confusion and frustration and re-jockeying for position. We luck out and move ahead about 20 feet when all the K-Z’s in front of us depart… We get in pretty quickly and score an excellent spot on the first level behind the pit with some friends. We are surprised to see large TV cameras in the center spot right off the pit; we’re thinking the webcast could be pretty cool and call my teenage daughter at home to tell her about it…The place fills up very slowly, which could only mean one thing: the line is moving slowwwwwwly, with nerves on the street no doubt fraying as the 7:30 start time approaches…. But 7:30 is just a number, it turns out, and it’s a whole ‘nother hour before the lights finally dim, a screen lurches down in front of the Warfield’s big red curtain, and there’s Barack himself, on his campaign plane, saying howdy and thanking Bobby, Phil and Mickey for putting the event together. Lots of whooping and hollering; it’s a cool moment, though we all laugh when he tells us to sit down and enjoy the concert—obviously never been to a Dead show!

The curtain rises and it’s a septet onstage, left to right: Steve Molitz, Bob, John Molo, Phil, Mark Karan, Jackie Greene and Mickey. They waste no time launching into “Playing in the Band,” with everyone hitting their marks nicely and a big jam ensuing, driven mostly by Mark Karan, who throughout the evening, is the guy who really pushes the envelope in song after song. So great to have him back, maybe better than ever. Phil is all smiles watching Karan get into it, and the rapport that Mark and Bob have had for years together in RatDog is instantly apparent… “Brown-Eyed Women,” with Jackie on lead vocals, Barry Sless joining the fray on sweet pedal steel, comes next. The sound is still coming together and even standing in front of Jackie’s area, I can’t hear his vocal too well. Karan, is a monster on this song, too…. “Half-Step” gets Phil up to the mic and this version really soars, especially the back half with the solos and the “across the Rio Grande-io” singalong…. After a bluesy Bob-sung “Minglewood” (with Jackie on organ, sounding good), the short first set closes with The Beatles’ “Come Together,” a RatDog staple for a while, but new to Phil and his band. Co-sung by Bob and Mark, it's chunky and snaky, with a nice little jam at the close… All in all, well-played, less tentative than I’d expected. The vibes onstage and in the crowd are good!

Phil comes out in front of the curtain a few minutes later to talk about how he’s fired up about Obama, and that he represents our chance to really change the direction this country if headed, a sentiment echoed by Bob and Mickey, who also come out briefly to talk about the importance of voting…. I call my daughter and she informs me she couldn’t get the webcast, a complaint, alas, echoed by many… A while later, the curtain rises again and the stage is set up for an acoustic set, with Phil and his stand-up bass looming in the center. Bob leads the band down to the mean streets of “Deep Elem,” then spearheads a spry version of “Friend of the Devil.” Jackie sings a rockin’ acoustic version of “Deal” and then the mini-set concludes with a lovely, poignant “Ripple,” with the Warfield Chorus of 2,000 helping out at the end, of course.

Set Three turns out to be the Big One, where it all falls together in that magical way we’ve seen so many times before--sound is perfect, everything is clicking… “China Cat” is sparkling and in the jam following the tune, Bob and Mark and Phil really get the thunder going… You can hear “The Wheel” pulling itself together for a long spell before it actually arrives, and this version is great, one of the real highlights of the show, with five guys in the band harmonizing, the playing powerful and precise, the peaks as big as you’d want ’em… That eventually rolls into an extended, heavily jammed-out “Other One,” which finds the guitar army onstage slashing and crashing and building and receding, only to build again, many times. At the close of the second verse, it sounds like they might go into the “Cryptical” reprise, but instead it drops into “Sugaree,” with Jackie on lead, about which I can only say, WOW! This has become one of Mr. Greene’s best tunes in P&F (and he’s been playing it with his own band, as well) and he freakin’ nails it at the Warfield. He and Mark and Steve are all magnificent soloing between the verses—in fact, after one of the last solos, the crowd erupted into a sustained ovation for half a minute or so before the last verse!... I love Barry on the steel for the loping “Eyes of the World.” In fact, I loved Barry on every song he played on; a great addition to the line-up… It seems somehow appropriate that Bob chooses to play “Throwing Stones” at what is ostensibly a political event (“Well, the kids they dance, they shake their bones/While the politicians throwing stones”), although he always said the song was anti-political--so is it ironic, then? Who knows… I totally assume that “Not Fade Away” will follow, but am pleasantly surprised to instead be treated to “Iko-Iko” (the night before the real Mardi Gras.) Mickey barks it with spirit and gusto and the crowd is in deep party mode by that point, clapping and singing along, of course… And then, to close the third set, the music meanders back to where it had started, as the “Playing reprise” emerges from some fascinating, dissonant extrapolations on the “Playing” riff before resolving joyously--as it must!... Encore is “U.S. Blues,” sung by Bob, punctuated by a grey-bearded guy named Hippie Bill running across the back of the stage waving a giant American flag on the first two choruses, and then, to wild cheers, a version of the flag with a peace sign where the stars would be; I think, “Yeah, that’s my flag!”

We rocked. And I voted...

Photos by Bob Minkin

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Gary Lambert

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CNN

how does the quote go "reports of my death are greatly exaggerated".on CNN.com there is a sweet video clip of i believe the entire playin' opener, without any annoying CNN reporter making stupid comments, just the music, under the title "surviving dead reunite". however, the text accompanying the video refers to "three remaining members of the dead" strangely enough, i couldn't find an obit for billy anywhere on the site

Twas ever thus...

Esau, the mainstream press never let facts get in the way of a good story!

SO true...

so much so I wonder if it's worth starting a topic on the subject...

Cue it up!

Hey, at 9:20 a.m. Wednesday here in Cali. the show is on iclips.net right now, lookin' and sounding really good IMO. Visuals and sound good so far...

I'm sorry

I do not mean to be "unkind," particularly not to any individual. Nor am I interested in censoring anybody for any reason. Nor again, however, am I interested in reading complaints about how the musicians and their corporate affiliates are making decisions that don't square with how any other individual thinks they"should be" behaving. Therefore, I am going to a) quit reading the comments on this site, and b) shut up myself. peace all

Great Show - DVD/CD Release??

Best show I've seen the boys do in ages - much better ensemble chemistry than 2002, 03 or 04. This group *really* needs to tour! And, more immediately, they need to release this show as a DVD/CD/Shirt package - PRONTO - like this weekend. Get the music out, and give the proceeds to Obama.

t-shirt

I would love to get a t-shirt from this show. Anyone know if there's going to be any?

t-shirts

At the show, the T-shirts sold out really quickly. I was bummed I didn't get one...

blairj

I really dug reading your memories from the show. Thank you for you kind words. I think I have a case of "I need to be AT a show Fever" Help Me Boys!!

DVD Please

Hoping the band - with the help of David Lemieux and Gary Norman - are already in preproduction for the official DVD of this wonderful, amazing show, and that we get a pre-order announcement from Dead.Net by week's end. Peace, love and music, Jackaroses

If you tour, we will come

Just finished watching this afternoons repeat. That sounded real good! These guys need to tour. If Molo or Mickey cant make it, Im a drummer and available. For free! ;-)

Download the Show!

Hi there - http://thepiratebay.org/tor/4012956/The_Dead_(Bob_Weir__Phil_Lesh__Mick… - decent copy. Go for it! Pete London

Great Show

This was one the best dead shows I have been to post jerry. When New Minglewood was playing I was back at home. If it was a little loose the frist two sets, would you have expected otherwise?, no time to rehearse and they hadn't played together in many years. Plus the mix of Ratdog and P&F was not common. Cheers to the guys for making a statement! All the best to evreryone, hopefully they'll turn it into a DVD so everyone can have a touch of that night. Peace, Brian

I'm not thrilled with the

I'm not thrilled with the political endorsement, but "c'est la vie." On the other hand, the music was great/grate. Jackie's Sugaree was amazing!

disgusting

Since when do we deadheads support the draft? Did'nt Obama say on Mtv a few nights ago national service is an honor and privledge, and his plan offers $4000 and $1200 a year for college? I noticed Bob and Phil donated money to the Edwards campaign, and Edwards made no secret about his support for national service. National Service Act http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.393: I can not believe the band is endorsing political candidates under the Dead banner. Whats next boys, you gonna start endorsing specific religions? Jerry is rolling in his grave. Why don't you guys have some dignity, spare whats left of your fans any further shame and please just die already.

searchin'

And why don't you keep your bilious bad vibes and presumptuous bullshit (like you have ANY idea what Jerry would think about ANYTHING) to yourself, instead of polluting the planet with your vile opinions... You should be ashamed of yourself, bro...

Enjoyed it immensely

At first, I couldn't get on iclips.net, but I tried and tried and finally it responded. Then I hooked up my laptop to my big screen LCD tv, and rocked out for the rest of the night. Big fun!

This land is your land - lets take it back!!!!

If Jerry were at this Rally, he'd been singing this song!!!!A friend posted this on my myspace and I just had to share it!!!! "Take this Country Back Tour!!!!" Woody www.myspace.com/woodyinthebasement

Yeah!

That's awesome, Woody! I forgot about that one!

Yeah baby

This land is our land!! Love it!! :) I never saw that befaore Thanks Woody!!

Thanks guys - it was one

Thanks guys - it was one helluva show. I missed you so much I kept tearing up during the show. Hearing Mickey sing was fantastic!! But why am I still here ? I never wanted to live in a world without Jerry

New Name?

I don't think the Coen Brothers would mind if y'all renamed the band to The Little Lebowski Urban Achievers. Just a thought ; - ) "If the forms of this world die, which is more real, the me that dies or the me that's infinite? Can I trust my habitual mind, or do I need to learn to look beneath those things?"

Too Sweet...

Love to see the boys back together. How about a show in Orange County now...?Always Grateful, Dave in HB

Dead for Obama travels into Deep Space

The following link was posted to the Eurotraders mailinglist :http://www.unconfirmedsources.com/index.php?itemid=2993 and I am sure you will like the story. andré

Vote for somebody...

I'm really sorry I missed all the fun. Had my Internet disconnected and didn't catch all the buzz until after. Any chance you can re-broadcast this on Sirius? I mean I'd sit in my car all night long if I needed to...got to get the connection for the house.

Wow And I missed it

I do not have the ability to get Sirius right now,and did not find out about it till about 2 hours afterwards, with a fellow Deadhead ...I hope this can be either put on the site here, or the AArchive can pick it up...I'd love too hear it. Peace

andré

Cool story Thanks for sharing :)

Check out the iclips.net

Check out the iclips.net link above every now and then. Who knows, they may re-broadcast it. Thats how I found out they were re-broadcasting it the other day. Hearing it is one thing but seeing it full screen was kick ass. Really made my day. How bout it boys, one more time? Or many more!

Thanks, Andre

That was funny.Head of Security Dewey Tazem... and Howe! Reminded me of Garcia's actual comment on why they were approached to do the theme music for The New Twilight Zone series, which IIRC went along the lines of "We've been there so long ourselves I guess it only makes sense." Conversation is always more interesting than recitation, so speak your mind and not someone else's.

sing me up for summer tour.

what a great show. thanks for the review Gary and Blair.

Register to Vote

I also don't approve of the politics. The Band was never about that.. It was always about the music.. Register to Vote. Make your voice heard. Become an organ donor. Never liked politics preached at me by public personalities.

obama

I can't believe The Grateful Dead are supporting a politician first of all. Even more sickening is that they are endorsing a presidential candidate who turns his back to our flag. Whatever happened to "wave that flag...wave it wide and high" ? Obama's middle name is "Hussein" for God's sake ! Bobby, I love ya man, but come on now.

3 Adults Musicians Can Do Whatever They Want

The musicians involved are adults. Really old ones, too. I'm 100% certain that they've earned the right to do whatever they want. And so long as they're playing music, anyone interested can listen. In fact, here is a link to an audience recording: http://tela.sugarmegs.org/_asxtela/DeadheadsForObama2008-02-04SanFranci… and another: http://www.archive.org/details/dfo2008-02-04.dfo2008-02-04.mk41.flac16 | I'm just a, well...porpoise. |

Hey LefthandMonkeyWrench

Yeah, and don't forget about "Don't lend a hand to wave no flag atop no ship of Fools" I think life's a little more complicated than a middle name..

I always appreciated the

I always appreciated the Dead's nonpolitical stance, but it's not the Dead anymore for one thing. I do wonder if it makes you outside of the Dead family now if you support Hillary Clinton or even Mcain for that matter?

political dead

I do not think that bands, celebrities, etc should use their clout to back particular political candidates. To back CAUSES is fine, but I feel it is abusive towards your audiences trust and love of your music to tell them who to vote for. And if you are a voter who just votes a certain way because someone, anyone, tells you to, please do not vote. Know the issues, make a decision yourself, or get out of the way.Keep up with the music. Stay out of the politics!

Someone's got to turn the page

Even the purest of romantics compromise. It fills me with joy, love and happiness to know that my brothers want to practice their art together...that they might change consciousness with their art in a way they see as positive...wow, how great is that...if you do not like it...well that is how art is...Frankly to suggest that an artist shouldn't be political is to misunderstand art...what you describe is an entertainer...the Dead are artists and at this point in their creative run if they wish to use their art to communicate more directly more power to them.

sken!

long time no see! Welcome back!

Thanks Mary!

Thanks for the welcome back. I haven't really been that far off, but I've been trying to learn from Ani Difranco who put this lyric together: "I think I communicate best now the less I say." Words to live by! This discussion may now return to its regularly scheduled banter. | I'm just a, well...porpoise. |

no bama

Glad to see the members put aside their differences for a nigh to play a show together. The downer is that it was for promotion of a political candidate. I boycotted Bruce Springsteen during his Rock for Change tour, and will do the same here if it comes my way. Greg SC

Obama

Maybe most of you are to far out west to have heard about this candidate that you are supporting. We here in Indiana forgot it seems (I didn't vote for him) about "Our Man Mitch" being involved in scandal's and now we got the biggest joke of a Governor in our history. Are voters gonna turn their heads and close their minds to the fact that Obama was involved in real estate scandals and causing trouble in Illinois? If so, we mite have a joke of a President. I usually vote straight Democrat, but it looks like I wont this year. Don't let the joke be on us ALL.

thats me in the kitchen with

thats me in the kitchen with ginger and bogey

please vote

the concert was wonderfull and all but, what about deadheads for Hillary. I just sold all of my Dicks Picks and sent the money to the Clinton cause, you can do what you like, now I'm going back out into space, God Bless..................

Please Vote

Bravo, unclebearzo!!!!!!!!

The music was great

I just listened to parts of the concert on Grateful Dead Hour. Thanks David. I thought the playing was great and agree with Gans that this was the best live Dead music being played for at least the last 15 years. Too bad "the powers that be" wouldn't agree to provide him with the soundboard (what's up with that?), but it was a joy to hear. As far as I am concerned, I never pay any attention to the political views of celebrities, and my decision on who I will be voting for will certainly not be influenced by this concert. I am just glad that Phil, Mickey and Bobby got back together for whatever reason and hope that this group, or something close to it, plays together in the future.

I was there!

I was sitting front row upper Balcony....Sweet show....I see Wavy Gravy at each and every show now

ahh yes the warzone!!my

ahh yes the warzone!!my first time in the warfield was the 9 day jerry band shows with dylan,all while the rodney king riots raged outdoors...the tl was lit up!..anyway,the polotics dont belong,and i dont buy the fact obama is here to save our ship of fools..however if they want to play a show for another dopeless hope fiend,then let them! ... moon

Corporate America

I just read about this for the first time tonight, and I have to say I am really disappointed. Not necessarily because they are involving themselves in politics, but because they chose to support the corrupt two party system. Do the Dead seriously want to be associated with the greedy corporations and the politicians that are their puppets? Republicans.. Democrats.. they are one in the same. If they really want to make a difference and bring about change they should look outside the two major parties. Those are the people that truly care and are not afraid to speak the truth about important issues.