Grateful Dead

I just saw the commercial for the show on Comedy Central. I made that face when I heard the words Allstate Arena. I love this band and all variations of it. My first show was JGB 75 at the Auditorium, followed by the full band the next year at the Auditorium. I was 16. Then came the Uptown, Alpine Valley, The Greek, The Kaiser, Worcestor, Providence, Foxboro with Dylan, Edwardsville, The Stone, Soldier Field, etc etc I didn't miss many shows. I saw you at the Auditorium again, was it 2 years ago? The sound in that place and seeing you guys again there again was magical. That place is damn near acoustically perfect. The Allstate? It's great for hockey. Music, even yours, sounds like mud in that place. Which brings me to my question. Why are you guys playing this shithole again? You are some of the worlds premiere musicians, you know sound. The Allstate has none. There is virtually nothing that would get me to see a show at that place again. That could be why you guys are running commercials? p.s It was genius when you had John K join the band. He's amazing and I've been loving his playing for years. Peace, love, and birth control guys, Happiness in everything, even at the Allstate. Bob

The highlights were: Cold rain & Snow; Money For gas; Two Souls In Communion;; Wheel>Death Don't Have No Mercy In This Lans Having said that, this show was a bit flat. Will have to give it another listen but based on last night's experience we're giving 2.5 stars.. There were plenty of moments to dance even so. Red Rocks is a beautiful place and I'm really glad I had a chance to visit. The people running the shows are mellow (except for the Nazi searching people going in to the show). If you ever get a chance to see a show here (if you haven't before) you definitely want to see this place overlooking the Den ver skyline. Obviously, my rendering of the Stones song We Love You is wrong. I'll try to post the lyrics here. It is the best new cover they are playing IMHO. Over'n'out, back through the looking glass!

But it's not Chris Robertson...it's Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes variety. Hope you all had an awesome show, wish I was dancin with ya on Saturday! Have fun my Dead.Netters!

I:Mexican Hat Dance tuning> Aiko-Aiko> Greatest Story Ever Told; Cold Rain & Snow; Me & My Uncle; Ramble On Rose Loser; Money For Gas; Box Of Rain II: Easy...> * Hard Too Handle" Two Souls In Communion Cryptical Envelopment> The Other One> Cryptical> The Wheel> Death Don't Have No Mercy; China Cat Sunflower> I Know You Rider. Phil;s Donor Rap E:he Attics Of My Life With Chris Robertson(???)

Love with your handsLove him with the dance Everybody Everybody come on come on Listen Listen We lift our voices to bless you We lift our hands to reach you We lift our hearts to love you Holy years of wonder We presents in times our body's Living sacrifices Holy and acceptable Hold on to you We love you Lift up your voices and say this We love you lord we love you (say that with me say) We love you lord, we love you We lift our voices to bless you We lift our hands to reach you We lift our hearts to love you Holy years of wonder We presents in times our body's Living sacrifices Holy and acceptable On to you We love you lord we love you (say it again we love you lord we love you) We love you lord, we love you How can i repay you All you done for me How can i say thank you A million times Strong and mighty and able Prompt and great in your favor My heart proclame the truth That i'm in love with you We lift our voices to bless you We lift our hands to reach you We lift our hearts to love you Holy years of wonder We presents in times our body's Living sacrifices Holy and acceptable On to you (x2) (Let me see your claps those hands and say) We love you lord we love you We love you lord we love you (and he is good) good (good) good (real good) good (beter than) good (mighty good) good (on the bad day) good (still good) good (anybody now) good (that he is holy) holy (holy) holy (is it love) holy (gotta be) holy (clean) holy (richeous) holy (holy) holy (holy) holy (wonderful) wonderful (ah!) wonderful (jesus) wonderful (he is) wonderful (incredible) wonderful (phenomenal) wonderful [ These are We Love You Lyrics on http://www.lyricsmania.com/ ] Good call JFSC, I thought it was a Beatles tune!

Salt Lake to Denver is not such a bad hall. Saw the buses posting up at the rest stop at I80 & I25. Even as I made it in around 8:00pm after visiting friends in Fort Collins, there were many heads already registered here, 10 miles from the venue. The prevailing opinion on tour among "deadheads" (those who have seen Jerry play) is that they are playing better than any post-92 Grateful Dead. While I wouldn't go that far, I am willing to say that this band is really hitting it's stride and rocking out. If you have a chance to see anything on this tour I strongly recommend that you go for it. All those back east and Mid-West will have their chance in the Fall, but it'll be a grueling schedule for the boys and they may tucker out some, 'specially with two runs of 5 different cites in in 5 nights. The shows are sold out at red Rocks this weekend with a few thousand people looking for tickets. This should be the most intense crowd energy of the whole tour. People are psyched and generally very happy and upbeat. The by far lesser amounts of intensity in the crowd at Furthur distinguishes it from the day (as well, of course, as missing Jerry). There are a lot of people in the 45-60 and subset 60-75 crowd who just aren't up to partying liike it used to be. It's really chill to deal with people who have it together and there generally being a lot of space. Play list for Day 11: E72 Vol. 15: Rotterdam New Riders Of The Purple Sage: Greatest Hits Texas Blues w/other famous blues hits (Etta James doing Wang Dang Doodle, etc.) ~ The east is the beast But the West is the best ~

Have a grate time and say hi to GypsyCowgirl.

Red Rocks beckons! Meet up w Gypsy Cowgirl and Gr8ful too. I'm lounging in the mountains, wading in a few streams, until the Sunday show. Grate American Beer Fest is in Denver. What can we call it, shall we call it by a name?

So Lamagonzo and I did get to meet up and have lunch together and excellent talk the day of the show. Great to meet you Gonzo. Ended up on the floor about 20 feet in front of Phil. Generally very good vibes. Lots of young heads on the floor around us, many whom never had seen the GD, but they knew the songs and lyrics, which some of them sang too loud and out of tune. But also some down there in 50s, including us. Deep in the vortex in front. A Stones song, a Dylan song, a Beatles song. Scarlet into Fire was excellent and of course Fire on The Mountain is what we live with here so folks really felt that one. King Solomon's Marbles and Viola Lee Blues - wow. Have a good time at RR - Oroboros, Jackstraw and Gonzo. They played Missoula - that alone is worth a huge beaming smile for those of us that live in the region. We didn't have to go to the coast! Shakedown Street scene made me flash back into the mid 80"s. Nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile.

A Stones song. I've been away for a few days, am catching up on the Gonzo tour report and am jealous as all get-out. I did see Wilco a couple of nights ago, with Nick Lowe opening and showing up for a couple during Wilco's encore. Same venue in Raleigh as Furthur in July...fun, fun, fun!