Grateful Dead

Philly SpectrumSaturday, March 18 SUMMARY: 1) It’s All Too Much 2) Mean people suck! First, the usual disclaimer -- I was sitting fourth row center tonight. I mention this, again, not to brag, but for two specific reasons: one is that being that close definitely affects your opinion of the show; the second is in the interest of “equal time”; I got this swell seat from GDTS -- I don’t know anyone there, and my order was not unusual in any way (GDTS has been trashed a lot recently for poor ticket selection.) ANYWAY... Life on tour is hell -- Bobby comes on stage with his arms out in front of him like a sleep-walking zombie! Hell in a Bucket was fine to open; or at least as fine as it usually is. Followed by major tech problems, with Parish and Jerry kneeling behind Jerry’s stack, shaking his guitar upside down. Bobby jokes about something that MIGHT have implied that they were trying to get the pick out of the inside of the guitar! Much time passes. Bobby tells us that it’s Bill’s birthday. Or maybe he said that it’s BOTH of the drummers birthdays. Not true in either case, and brings back memories of the good old days. I hate to be a whiner (yet I do it so well...) but with Jerry’s guitar down for so long, I wish those incredibly talented musicians on stage had done SOMETHING, even if it was just off the cuff noodling. Bobby! Tell us the yellow dog joke! West L.A. Fadeaway, followed by El Paso with the acoustic. For the first time all night Jerry looks pleased and semi-awake. Follows up with a scorching Ramble on Rose that has a great jam with shifting time signatures (do I have ANY idea of what I’m talking about?) a la Tennessee Jed. The crowd yells for Phil to do something, and Phil mutters, “How do you know WHAT I’ll do?” before launching into an up-tempo Just Like Thom Thumb’s Blues. Jackaroe is fine, and Promised Land scorches (i.e., Jerry stays awake for the entire song.) Dose dog behind me during intermission keeps screaming for Jerry, so I keep screaming for Jorma. (Hot fuckin’ Tuna!) If you haven’t been recently, the crowd in the first few rows is pretty weird -- they all seem to know each other, they all seem to have some sort of secret ticket connections within the band, and they all seem bored out of their minds. During the space tonight (which I love!) one guy is screaming, “Let’s go! It’s too long!” So THIS is where the intelligentsia hang out! (And, as an aside to all my moaning in last night’s post about feeling old at the show, now I know where all the old deadheads have gone -- they’re all behind the soundboard in the tapers section with all manner of microphones, cables, batteries, flashlights, flight jackets, road cases, etc. etc. Now I don’t want to complain about the good folk who bring us all those great tapes, but, personally, I DON’T WANT TO BE A TAPER! I’M A DANCER, NOT A TAPER! EVERYONE MY AGE IS TAPING! HELP! But I digress...) Second set opens with The Beatle’s It’s All Too Much, sung by Vince. I’m sure it’s been played before, but someone please tell me when. It was great, and a terrific surprise! Iko Iko follows. A pretty pedestrian version in my book... until the end. Jerry latches on to the chorus and won’t let go! He keeps singing it over and over, louder, more guitar... Bobby looks worried and the crowd goes nuts. Playing in the Band starts fine and leads into a terrific jam -- really first-class Grateful Dead musicianship before settling in nicely into Uncle John’s Band. A different transition here, and a different jam at the end of Uncle John’s -- not the usual big crescendo. Bobby is dripping sweat so much from his head that I worry that he is about to fall over. He doesn’t look happy at all, and his voice is good but a long way from its potential greatness. Jerry has so many cords leading to his guitar (I counted four) that when it’s time to leave for the drums he turns to Parish and throws his hands up. “Mr. Wizard... get me outta here!” The drums/space were terrific! Really interesting sounds leading to a wonderful funk jam -- VAGUELY reminiscent of the old Dancin’ In the Streets circa late ‘70s, or when Shakedown was played with more of a disco beat. The closest the Dead have come in my experience to House music. Excellent! Vince is key during the space, and throughout the evening. This guy deserves more credit. The Last Time rocks. Visions of Joanna (sp?) is wonderful. Nice to see that Jerry has that TelePrompTer (I guess) because this song has a million words, and I’m not sure ANYONE could remember them all. The song was beautiful, but from where I was (up close) I could make out very few of the actual lyrics. Either Jerry is mumbling, the sound is weak, I’m going deaf, or all three. One More Saturday Night. Yay! Again, rocks pretty hard. Jaded folks start to walk out (of third row seats????) and miss a truly splendiferous version of Rain to end the show. (Lucy in the Sky last night; Rain tonight. Are all you folks who complained about Liberty and I Fought the Law taking note? So much for my brief sojourn to the front of the stage. See you all BEHIND the stage tomorrow night, where the sound may actually be better, and the Deadheads may actually be nicer! Love GG (Written immediately after the show)

The Iko that night was a once in a lifetime experience! All too much was the icing on the cake. Twelve years later and it seems like yesterday. As for GDTS - I thought they played fair with us. We had front floor for March 18 and higher up on the side for March 19. Two unforgetable shows. My only regret is that my husband couldn't share the experience.

it was a great 7 year run for me - the band was tired at this point. I remember yearning for better days at each and every show from about 93 on.............I'll miss these guys

This really WAS the last time we saw Jerry w/ the Grateful Dead!!! Looking back it was remarkable that they played this song! Unbeliveable!!

What can i say,Visions was right on!The crowd was amazed and when Jerry backed away from the mic,He knew He had just blown our minds!..for sure.

Anyone know ware i can get this show??

I'd take a look in the Vineyard in the forums, for a start.

IKO IKO ONE OF THE GREATEST GIVE AND TAKE IN THE MOMENT ENERGY FOR AN AIKO I WILL NEVER FORGET PHILLY HEARTBOOGIEIN AND SANGIN AIKO AIKO IN WITH THE BOYS IN THE CITY OF BROTHERTLY LOVE MAN PHILLY LOVE MY STATE AND THE GREAT AND EXTRAORDINARY PEEPS THAT NOW HOW TO BOOGIE DOWN IN THE MOMENT AND MAKE MUSIC WIT THE BOYS..ILL NEVER 4 GET THE LOVETHAT NITE.

This was as good a show as they produced in the last years. By this time, Jerry was weakening, and it showed on stage. The Friday-night show was rife with technical problems and was difficult to listen to. I think Jerry knew the sunset was on the horizon. Speaking with him backstage after the show, he was extremely tired and indicated (body language and all) that he was forging on for the 'Heads, although I sensed that his heart was elsewhere.