Grateful Dead

....I took that personally Mr. Ones.
I prefer having a seat these days, but I'm flexible. Just bought Widespread Panic tix for here in March. Options for floor with no seats or loft with seats. I picked seats this go around.

The new kids in town at our house. Only shot of them together at the moment. They move too fast. Need to work on a beauty shot like Mr. Ones has. The ginger boy is Tigger (shelter name) and we're thinking of going with Hobbs or Otto. The tuxedo boy is Pepe (Le Pew? shelter name) and Checkers or Big Boy Pete are in the running. Feel free to vote on those choices. Both strays from the shelter in Ridgway and Tigger was one of those two days from death cases that made it. Tough row to hoe but it's all good now. So far they like the Dead more than classical.
Cheers

...The Harder It Is To Stand Up!!

I almost hate to admit this, but these days, if I can sit and listen, I quite prefer that now. I realize that I cannot dance sitting down, but at my tender, advanced age, sitting and listening is good!!
Occasionally, I'll get front row seats of this section or that, and really look forward to being able to SIT!! and don't you know usually, there will be rude, entitled fans up dancing, and blocking my view. Phish fans are notorious for going to areas that they have not purchased tickets for and feeling like they own the place.
I know, I know, "Hey kids, get off my lawn". I guess I AM that guy now. Sad.

Last 5:

Chicago-Live at Carnegie Hall-Disc 4 of 4-disc set from early '07
Jeff Buckley-Live A L'Olympia
Jeff Buckley-Mystery White Boy
Peter Gabriel Live '87, first of 2-Bonus Discs from So re-issue
Monkees-Disc 4 of new Headquarters 4-cd box

Kind of surprising, but not really, to see that the TTB's outstanding "I am the Moon" has been completely ignored by the Grammys and critics' year-end best of lists. It seems clear that once you get pegged as a "jam band" the recording industry and critics decide that there's no point in taking your music seriously, no matter how many people flock to your shows or how good your recorded output actually is. It happened to the GOGD, it happened to Phish, and to pretty much everybody who's gotten pegged as part of the jam band scene. Now it's happening to TTB, and it'll happen to Goose or whoever else comes along.

Have to say: I've never understood this. Bands that can actually play their instruments in a live setting, and who can even improvise on them, and develop devoted audiences on that basis, they don't count somehow. Probably because their music doesn't lend itself to radio or tik tok, and doesn't have much to do with the trends that wannabe hipsters pride themselves in being up on. Meanwhile, you get "bands" that are basically one guy and his girlfriend with a laptop in mommy's basement, who would get eaten alive if they tried to play in front of more than a couple dozen people, and that's considered a cutting edge rock band these days.

I guess it doesn't matter anyway. The jam band world is its own ecosystem, sustained by us die hards who like to stand up at concerts (maybe even dance) and who want to hear bands that can actually play for a couple hours without endlessly repeating the same three licks and the only groove they know.

OK, end of rant. Last five!

Charles Mingus: East Coasting
The Meters: Look a Py Py
ABB: The Cream of the Crop 2003
GOGD: The Warfield October 1980
Sturgill Simpson: Cuttin Grass

If I remember rightly, a lot people used to lie on the floor waiting for Hawkwind to come on. And then struggle to their feet when the band came on. Maybe it was just me.
I saw Pink Floyd in a huge air hangar on the Animals tour in 1977. After hours of sitting on the floor, the band came on, and one bloke in front of me stood up. The guy next to me shouted at him to sit down, and then turned to me and said, "The Floyd deserve to be listened to." It was partly this attitude that led to punk.
Mind you, that was the opposite end of the spectrum . Short haired herberts jumping about, barging into you. You've heard of the blues - that was the black and blues.

Sixtus, a good 5-6 years back, Bonnie Raitt's show at Red Rocks -- for the first time -- featured reserve seats down front. With most acts in the past, including hers, the first 20 rows was Gen Admission -- and the rabid fans (why are you looking at me?) would line up at 8-9am on the east stairs for the dash into the front rows as doors opened at ~6pm. Long haul but that's the cost of the first few rows at the Rocks. This always guaranteed that the core audience really wanted that artist, that show and we (yes, '78 til, say, 3-4 years ago) made sure every artist we saw (GD, ABB, Dylan, Raitt, etc) knew we were in support.

Fast forward to the first year that Bonnie made reserved seats out of the first 20 rows. We assumed it was a sop to an aging fan base. (I manned the stairs from my earliest 20s to my latest 50s before slacking off.) But with reserved seats, a lot of newcomers were really enamored of their oh-so-tiny territory and everyone remained seated. Bonnie delivered but was clearly mystified by the lack of froth coming from the audience. Oh well, everyone finally decided that it was okay to get up and boogey during the encore and Bonnie stayed for a few more tunes. But I was appalled at the lack of audience excitement and involvement in giving the performer something to work with or off of. Same thing once with a Lyle Lovett show -- apparently, it was date night. Lyle's Large (swing) Band hits the stage hot and I jump up and start dancing (in my peculiar way). Some woman behind me yells "Sit Down!" and I look around and I swear I am the only person out of 10,000 on my feet. Oh boy. Later, when it rained, it was "okay" to stand up...

If it's a theater show, I've sometimes sat down. But outdoor arena ala Red Rocks?! Only for the occasional break from the boogeyinig. Thankfully, that was a one-off and Bonnie killed it this past summer. But that sitting down jive can sure kill the vibe.

Dennis, VGuy: I too have on many an occasion pondered how the world might exist if we were thrown backward technologically speaking; this discussion and Dennis' reference invokes the ever-awesome Twilight Zone post-apocalyptic episode with the guy who loves to read and gets locked in the vault when the world ends and finds he has all of the books in the world to read but then breaks his glasses.

Same reason I still send my bills through the snail mail, people. That one has just stuck with me though more as a habit than really thinking the world will end; but these are heady times

Recovering from COVID, tested positive on Monday but feel myself coming out of the swamp. The well of gravity was inescapable for the first 24 hours, then my antibodies kicked into overdrive - it was noticeable. Second time in a year (Jan'22, first timer) despite vax & boost, but hey, now I am super-vaxxed, amirite?

Daverock - that's really cool you're falling into a Fleetwood Mac-hole. they are a solid pillar in the halls of music. Saw them about 8 or 9 years ago, Iggy got us tickets and while I loved the music at the show, I was astounded how everyone just sat in their seats. I haven't been to a rock show in a looooong time (if ever?) that no one was up and moving. It felt weird. But then again the demographic did sway upward, so I get it on that level. It was still weird. But the music was phenomenal as was the production.

Be Well People.
Sixtus

Thanks to all those who recommended "Then Play On" by Fleetwood Mac. ( and apologies to those who are sick of hearing about it). An incredible album - I can't believe I had never heard of it, or seen it recommended anywhere else in all these years. The cover reminds me of those on the early 70's Quicksilver Messenger Service albums a bit. And the first track reminds me of QSM of that period, too - slightly Latin in feel. That track is okay, but the album really picks up after that . Great guitar sound, songs, rhythm. Maybe I should have got one of the boxes featuring it...although I am guessing there is nothing else in their catalogue quite like this one.

Last Dead, to keep it sweet, the second show in Dicks Picks 33. 10/10/76. Also great -I'm tempted to get the vinyl now.

....I know you're a Motorhead fan. But if you are also a Vans footwear fan, check out the Vans/Motorhead collaboration. Pretty cool Christmas idea from Mrs Proudfoot?

What the hey?
(Insert sound of crickets)
Must be shoveling?