4-17-99 -Phil & Friends- Warfield Theatre, San Francisco, CA

4-17-99 -Phil & Friends- Warfield Theatre, San Francisco, CA

if you have a review of this show, email it to me at dws@www.phish.net
Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 23:20:06 -0700 From: Martin Acaster martinacaster@SPRINTMAIL.COM Subject: Re: The Deafening Sound of Silence--4/17/99 Yet another wow this weekend was great report first the thanks: to Charlie Dirksen (ticket, floor, logistical coordination), Jeremy and Elise (pre-show hospitality), Shawn (ride to the show), Patty (ride from the show).....everyone else (being there) Allow me to preface what will follow with this very important statement: I loved the show, I am VERY happy that I was there, I would not have given up this opportunity for anything BUT some of what I am about to say may make some of you uncomfortable....I apologize in advance....after all these are just MY thoughts feelings and opinions regarding the one show I saw...feel free to dismiss any of this as meaningless ramblings from somebody who wouldn't know good music if it bit him on the ass So to begin again, I am overjoyed by the fact that I made it to this show. Now that I have had two days and a long drive to reflect on what I shared with those of you there, I am still having a difficult time putting the experience into words. The emotions the night has evoked, some buried for almost four years now, have left me quieter than usual. As a result this post may come off slightly garbled or confused. I tried in the days leading up to the show not to set my hopes too high. The last time I saw the Dead was 6/30/95 at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. Of course the Matrix worked it out that my first exposure to Live Dead of any kind would be in a form generated out of the confluence of three mighty rivers of improvisational music. The blending of Phish, KVHW, and the Dead was conceivably a super group of the highest caliber, a band that could change the face of improvisational music forever. As I said, I tried to eliminate such thoughts from my mind. The goal was too lofty. The pressure to great. I needed to just enjoy what came. Whatever it was good or bad. I did indeed manage to enjoy it for what it was...unfortunately I was also aware of what wasn't a part of the show. I am left with a thirst for more. But not for more Phil and Phriends. I want more KVHW. I want more Phish. I want Jerry Back. Nowhere was his absence more obvious than in what I can only describe as a PAINFUL rendition of Friend of the Devil. I have always felt, and I know others share this opinion, that the greatest strength of Dead songs is the lyrics. It has always been the words of Robert Hunter that have stuck the fork in my heart causing it to burst open with joy or sorrow. After this weekend I am now sure that the messenger was just as responsible. The magic is lost on ME without Jerry singing the songs. As a counterpoint to that....and the only other musical dissapointment of the evening I have to mention...Down With Disease without Mike and Fishman is just not right. Phil picking the bass line over a half-step slow John Molo marred what may have been one of the finest versions of Disease I have ever heard. Trey played the HELL out of the song to try to coax Molo into picking up the pace. I can say unequivocally that Jon Fishman is a God amongst Rock and Roll drummers. Superhuman...an Electric Octopus Drum Machine. The bad stuff now behind me....all I have to say is...DARK FUCKING STAR...wow....The first set was a finely woven Tapestry of sight and sound. Trey Page Kimock and Phil blending together wrapping me in velvet poking my brain with tender fingers, caressing the temples. It seemed to go on for ever and I wish it had. Its Up to you and the Days Between rolled effortlessly in and out of the magic carpet. If the tweezer had actually emerged from the dark star I would have soiled my boxers. There were Other One teases in the first set also I am pretty sure...once I have tapes I will be certain. Prince Caspian was lazily floating down the Mississippi River. Bird Song flew me on its wings back to the show in Pittsburgh. During the setbreak Wish You were Here washed thorugh my brain...so perfect...since there were so many people I wished were there...friends..lovers...Jerry... The Terrapin to open the second set was another tear-jerker...the Jam was stupendous...the flood of memories sucking my breath away...stealing my face. Down with Disease as I said was torn apart by Trey. A volcano jetting molten sound into the room. If not for the "composed" segment of the song this would rank with the finest of diseases ever. The Jam slid once again effortlessly back into Dark Star, flirted seriously with the Other One...(another mini-bummer that they abandoned it)...then self destructed in Friend of The Devil. Casey Jones restored the high energy to the room which the Devil had sucked out. Cocaine will do that I guess. The somewhat ironic drug anthem was followed by what I consider to be the most magnificent version of Morning Dew I have ever heard. If there is a better one please feel free to tape it for me because I NEED to hear it. I needed nothing more for the show to be complete and the remainder of the set did nothing to disrupt that thought. Going down the road feeling bad seemed an Odd choice of song...since I hope noone there would be leaving the Warfield feeling bad. It was cool to have Donna Jean come on out to do some of the vocals too. The bottom line.....A great show...I wish you were there...if you were I'm happy to have shared the moment with you...if not...GET THE TAPES!!!
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 04:58:26 -0700 From: Charles Dirksen cdirksen@EARTHLINK.NET Subject: 4/17 Lesh and Friends Review Saturday, April 17, 1999 THE WARFIELD PHIL LESH & FRIENDS (aka "The Better Ones" -- which appeared on a sticker being passed out by an ecstatic fan outside the show) Trey Anastasio (Phish): Languedoc Hollowbody Page McConnell (Phish): Grand Piano & organ John Molo (Other Ones): Drums Phil Lesh (Grateful Dead, Other Ones): Lead Bass Steve Kimock (Zero, SK&F, KVHW, Other Ones): Guitars (5+) Special Guest: Donna Jean Godchaux SET ONE (1:17) Dark Star (instrumental) -> It's Up to You Days Between (Phil lead vocals) -> Dark Star (first verse; Phil vocals?) -> My Favorite Things (instrumental) > Mississippi Half-Step (Phil and Donna vocals) Birdsong (Page l.v.?) SET TWO (1:18) Terrapin (Phil, Trey, and Donna vocals, I think) > Down with Disease (Trey vocals) -> Dark Star (second verse; Page l.v.) -> Other One Jam (short; aborted) Friend of the Devil (Phil l.v.) Casey Jones (Trey l.v.) Morning Dew (Phil l.v.) Goin Down The Road Feelin Bad -> (w/Donna) And We Bid You Goodnight (one verse only) ENCORE: Box of Rain I must begin with an apology. In the review of Thursday's show that I sent out, and in the comments that I made about the "Shakedown," I referred to an "aging control hippie couple." Well, I met the male half of this couple earlier this evening, pre-show, and we discussed what happened the other night. He was quite understandably offended by my comments about him and his wife in that review. Mark is a wonderful man, and I owe him and his wife Martha a sincere apology, which I hope they accept. The "wildly dancing girl" was The Real Problem and the Main Distraction for me in that Shakedown the other night, but in my review, I quite unfairly took my anger out on Mark and Martha, and implied strongly that they were at fault. In truth, Mark simply behaved in that Shakedown like any good man would have behaved if HIS wife were insulted with an obscenity -- and then violently danced into and shoved -- by a drunken, inconsiderate girl. Mark and I both agreed that it might have been better to have dealt with this girl (who had elbowed me in the ribs a few times before she rudely danced into Martha) *after* the Shakedown, and not during it. Nevertheless, given how rude this girl was to Mark's wife, his aggressive and prompt handling of the situation during the Shakedown was understandable. Again, my apologies to Mark and Martha, who, btw, appeared to have enjoyed the shows at least as much as I did. All that said... I spent tonight's show stage right, about ten feet or so back from Page's grand piano, on the floor. The first set of tonight's show was one of the most incredible sets of improvisational rock music that I've ever heard or seen. Everything was well-played, with beautiful, moving, mystical solos all over the place. Kimock was **ON FIRE** in this set. His solos in everything were GENIUS! Page also played some amazing, brilliant solos during Dark Star, Favorite Things, and Birdsong, mostly on the grand piano. Trey took a gorgeous solo during Birdsong, too! It was a spectacular set and you MUST hear it as soon as possible. The jam out of "Days Between" was incredible, too. Kimock went off. He led a jam out of it that is NOTHING like what you've usually heard in this tune! My favorite set of the run, easily. (for those of you that don't know, Kimock's band KVHW plays "It's Up to You" -- a Kimock original -- and "My Favorite Things (instr.)" regularly) The setbreak music was Floyd's "Wish You Were Here." Once again, very appropriate. And quite nice! A huge THANK YOU to whomever it was that made this choice (if you want any KVHW tapes, I'd like to miracle a few on you!). The second set contained some awe-inspiring jams, to be sure, and was a lot of fun overall... but there were several sloppy errors (probably due simply to exhaustion). I know *I* was exhausted, and I hadn't even been working the last few nights! The Terrapin was very shaky in the composed sections (i.e., the set opened weakly, imo), but the jam segment was TRANSCENDENT, with captivating soloing from Kimock, and lots of Dark Star teasing (and great playing overall) from Trey. Phish fans in particular MUST hear this "Down with Disease." Phil played a variation of the real bass line of the song, and Molo played a variation of the real groove of the song, and Kimock didn't contribute much at all... BUT *DAMN* DID TREY TAKE A VOLCANIC SOLO!! Both Kimock and Lesh gave Trey looks of admiration for his efforts! An excellent version, which, if memory serves, just sorta petered out, until Phil kicked in Dark Star. (?) I can't remember this segue, though. Might be wrong about this. Dark Star's second verse and jam were wonderful, as you'd expect. Phil then let loose a bunch of bombs which, to me and many others, signaled THE OTHER ONE! However, before I could get into the zone, it suddenly ended. I'm very interested in listening to this again on tape. My eyes were closed at this time during the show, and I wasn't sure what happened. It just stopped. Dead. And then Phil began FOTD, after a few seconds. "Friend of the Devil" contained a brief (but very uncomfortable) moment of silence (I think Phil almost forgot, or did forget, some lyrics), but it nevertheless featured passionate solos from both Trey and Page! I don't recall Kimock soloing on the Vega at all in this one. "Casey Jones" amused the audience a great deal, but this version didn't go anywhere special. It was definitely a good choice for the setlist, though, to be sure. Crowd-pleaser. I hadn't seen it live since 6/20/92 RFK. MORNING DEW!!!!! Oh, MORNING DEW!!!!!! Just you wait. I won't give it away. You'll just have to check it out. GDTRFB was a lot of fun. I was exhausted but still trying to dance (well, ok, Head&Knee-Bob). I can't recall whether anyone raged during this one... it definitely wasn't the "best version I'd ever heard" or anything close, though. Good segue into AWBYG, which was too short. Just one verse I think. The last time that I saw this live was 9/26/91 at the Boston Garden! I don't know if the Dead ever played it again, come to think of it..). Box of Rain was a pleasant encore. God I love Phil! THANK YOU PHIL! All things considered, this run of shows was, well, one of the best musical experiences of my entire life. And I'm seeing SANTANA at the FILLMORE TONIGHT! (thanks, Web!) I've been blessed! Again, special THANKS TO PHIL LESH AND THE UNBROKEN CHAIN FOUNDATION for making these soon-to-be-legendary shows a reality. And THANK YOU STEVE, TREY, PAGE, AND JOHN! two cents, charlie p.s. I, charles andrew dirksen, being of sound mind, hereby express an irrevocable desire that my organs be donated upon my death, in honor of Phil Lesh, this day, the 18th of April, in the year nineteen hundred and ninety-nine. [signed]
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 18:08:03 GMT From: DeadLedder deadledder@AOL.COM Subject: P&F 4-17-99 notes Dear friends, A disclaimer, to begin. I did way too much partying and way too little sleeping this weekend, and last night it caught up with me. Funny, when I was twenty this was never a problem. Hmm. (Tragic error: failure to properly caffeinate before the show. Don't *you* ever make this mistake, kids!) So, at the show last night, I was *tired, damn tired*. Down on the floor again, about six boogiers (isn't this the French for nose-pickers?) back from the stage, my knees actually started to buckle during the second set. I briefly considered the advantages of collapsing and letting Rock Medicine carry me out of there, but in the end I did the right thing and retreated to a table where I could sit down. Another disclaimer: I was so utterly blown away by Friday's show that I really don't know what they possibly could've done for me last night that wouldn't have been a kind of letdown. That said, it was an awesome show, to be sure. More objective and better-tuned minds will elaborate on its virtues, and I've already heard it said by people with good ears and heads that last night was in fact superior to Friday. Nevertheless, I thought that Friday night was *the show*. It's odd to say this of a set that starts and middles with Dark Star, but I had a lot of problems with Saturday's first set in particular. The Dark Star opener felt a bit perfunctory, if you can believe that. At the very start, I got this weird, kinda cool feeling that the show was simply a continuation of Friday night, that the band had just gone off for a longish break. Or maybe they'd just been standing behind that curtain, in suspended animation. :-) It didn't feel like the *start* of a show. Especially after that monumental Help opener on Friday. (I went to lots of full runs of Dead shows, but I don't specifically recall this feeling of direct continuation.) While I'm thinking of it, I had an interesting conversation with a friend after the show last night. He was pointing out that Kimock had made some "serious mistakes" on Friday. I had written (and I regret doing so without hearing the tapes first) that during Thursday's show some of them "didn't seem entirely certain of how some of the songs went." And, last night, there were some songs that should have been towering and were merely great, occasional mis-steps, etc. What I'm getting at is this: These guys have NEVER PLAYED TOGETHER BEFORE! This is a one-time only (well, you never can tell...) summit, the world's greatest pick-up band, or as Phil so charmingly put it as he introduced the band on Friday, "this ad hoc organization." So, of *course* they screwed up. My god. What's amazing, truly dazzling, is how together and tight they were. Trey sounded like he's been singing Jerry songs all his life (well, maybe in the shower, huh?). Phil wrapped that big bass of his around the Phish tunes like he'd written them. The weird changes in Terrapin? *Perfect*! So, I for one will resist the urge to be picky about every little detail. This was not the one-thousandth Dead show or Phish show or Zero show. This was a pearl in your oyster. Imperfect. Oh, yeah! Dark Star instrumental opener into It's Up to You (prayers answered for a Kimock tune--thank you St. Jude) went 25 minutes. I was pleased to hear Days Between, having called it on Thursday (never too late to claim credit!). It seemed like such a quintessentially appropriate song. Like so many of Hunter's magical lyrics, this song has blossomed with new meaning since Jerry's death. Phil sang well all night. Trey took his first noticeable (if mild) solo in Days. A great moment: when Phil commandeered the return to Dark Star. This first DS reprise of the night had Steve and Trey co-soloing, sounding to my ear like Jerry jamming with himself. (I never thought I'd hear Grayfolded performed live!) Phil sang the first line of the lyric, then Trey, then Page. Altogether on "Shall we go...." It was lovely, profound. Page's solo here was the first of his general stepping out in this show (another prayer answered, thanks again). Nice segue into Favorite Things. Page solos again, very early in the song, almost a continuation of his DS work. Fantastic! Steve drove the jam into what I'd call a Jerryesque Other One tinged jammy solo. Very dark and jazzy. Competent though he was, Kimock really didn't come anywhere *near* to stepping out on either of the Kimock oeuvre songs (It's Up to You and Fave Things). If you want to hear what Steve can do, run do not walk to a KVHW show! Or, at the very least, get yourself a tape. The little toaster is a giant, as Phil Lesh clearly knows. Phil didn't wait for the applause before counting out the beats to begin Mississippi Half-Step. I noticed at the start that Steve consulted his music sheets. With Donna onstage, the quartet vocals on "Across the Rio Grande-io," were superb. Nice alternating solo work from Trey and Steve. I think Trey took the early, Steve the late. (For you Kimock freaks--and I plead guilty--Steve played this one seated.) On Birdsong, Page had a little trouble with the vocal high notes. I love his voice, but there was something a bit off about his handling of this tune. At the end (and his last verse was the strongest), I decided his voice is too sweet, too young, too clean to carry off the weary, bittersweet sorrow of this song. (Can we ever hear Birdsong again without thinking of Jerry, btw?) Ultimately, I think Trey carries off the Jerry vocals better than anyone I've heard, including Hornsby. Note: Page's vocal triumphed on Casey Jones! On BS, Trey soloed, with color by Steve. Everyone in the band for these shows stayed pretty much put except for Steve, who would occasionally wander from his guitar collection over near the piano, to stand near Phil and Trey, especially when they were all workin' the jams. They'd often look at each other, but these times were especially intimate. Steve also likes to stand, sit on a chair, sit on the floor, when he plays. He's just so comfortable performing, it's like he's in his living room. Incidentally, as long as I'm going on about Steve's physical perfomance, he holds that guitar rock-steady, his torso like a statue, his fingers and face the only movement. Well, except when he dances. :-) At one point last night, during a particularly tasty jam, with one of his trademark bemused smiles and eyes closed, he sort of moved as if to sit, then to stand, then to sit, doing a kind of chair dance. Birdsong moved into a very spacey Trey-led jam, SK sitting on the ground practically at Trey's feet, watching him with a blissed-out expression. My pen ran out of ink at the beginning of the second set, so my comments will be (thankfully?) brief. The second set was extremely strong, but alas I was not. As I earlier mentioned, I bailed from the floor just before Casey Jones. Terrapin soared. Since I've only been a casual Phish phan (I like them *very* much), I can't comment much on Down with Disease, except to say that, like all the Phish material played at these shows, it was a gorgeous monster of a song--potent, grand, mysterious. I look forward to learning much much more about these boys. (I think they may have a very promising future in rock and roll. (I'm kidding! Don't flame me! :-)) Dark Star got stronger and stronger all night. I'm glad to see Charlie D. listing an Other One jam, so I don't have to argue with him about its existence. Yup. The rest is kind of a blur, I'm afraid. Morning Dew was awesome. Phil sang it well. GDTRFB was like comin' home, Bid You G'nite a sweet confection. And, Phil never, ever sang Box with more soul. Thank you Phil. We love you. best, ~mark
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 17:18:10 GMT From: DeadLedder deadledder@AOL.COM Subject: Re: P&F 4-16-99 Complete Report In a message dated 4/17/99 9:26:26 AM, DeadLedder@AOL.COM writes: >You ain't *NEVER* been loved like this, baby. Now that I've had a couple of hours of sleep, let me elaborate a little, though words will do poor, pathetic service to the grandeur of what we heard and saw last night. It was a supernova. It was the molten center of the earth. It was all that is good about humanity concentrated into one tiny little theater in San Francisco. This was the big bang, folks. Predictions of historical significance were miserably understated. In reaction to Charlie's puzzlingly tepid review, I gotta say that, from my spot one man and one dog deep from the stage, it was just a tiny bit better than my most optimistic expectations for heaven. Kimock played gloriously. They all did. One of the funnest parts of being so close was watching the looks of stunned amazement on Trey's face when Kimock soloed. Trey Anastasio, my friends, is a Kimockhead. Trey played (and sang!!!) brilliantly. Page *RAGED*. Molo was a wild man, holding that monster to the earth, grinning his ass off. And Phil stood amidst them, looking like a happy lizard, sunning himself on his favorite rock. I just don't know where to begin to tell you the details. I truly didn't think there was a *moment* of this show that wasn't superb, amazing, transcendent. It was so much more than mere technical wizardry. The artistry was both subtle and profound. This *is* the Heart of Gold Band, kids. On a personal note, the last time I saw Donna Jean perform was at my first Dead show, 22 years ago, 5.8.77. (In fact, they played a few of the same songs that night. Can't these guys come up with any new material, fer chrissake? ;-)) It was the icing on the cake for me to see her last night. She looked *fantastic*. She sang beautifully. She was utterly delighted to be on that stage, in the middle of that magic. What a treat! The jams! The jams would come out of nowhere, swirling, delicately dancing, rising suddenly monstrous, then vanishing into a whisp of smoke and ruins, going into directions that seemed to surprise the musicians as much as they did us. Space was everywhere. Disregard any suggestion that either Steve or Trey is "holding something back." There were no limits, only infinite kindness. And the truly astonishing thing was how they'd go off into these fantastic realms and then magically alight back at the song. It will melt you. Page played (and sang) magnificently. Why doesn't he solo more? He seems to feel his role is "color," and his pallette is the rainbow. (From our vantage point, we could only see his feet and legs under the grand piano. He has very nice shoes.) Since the early P&F shows, going back to the first time Phil "sat in" with Gans' band for a few hours, through the Other Ones, and during the odd "special event" like David Murray's octet, I'd come to feel that it was possible that other guitarists and various instrumentalists might manage to do justice to Jerry's playing, to at least put us back into "that" space. But, I'd concluded that, somewhat ironically perhaps, it was Jerry's *voice* that was lost to the ages--that no one would *ever* find that quirky, ethereal place where Jerry's singing took us, that that had left with his soul. Well, without exactly "doing" Jerry, Trey found that soulful voice last night. Listen to Slip, Jed, SCARLET!!!!!!! And, to follow that rockin' Tennessee Jed (with joyous audience participation, of course, and, if memory serves, a truly weird and inspired jazzy midsection) with a Kimock-centered (on slide steel) *instrumental* Stella, was perhaps the most exquisitely tasteful decision of the night. I think that was Jerry's time on stage last night. Wish You Were Here. Safe to say it was the biggest surprise of the night? Did anyone else hear it as being addressed to the Fat Man? Phil sang it passionately. Alligator achieved exit velocity. She's gone. One tiny, eentsy weentsy quibblet: um, how about a Kimock tune? I won't try to describe it, so find a photo. For those who were there, I have a name for the "sculpture" on the stage behind the band. "Forces of Nature." Check it out. A lot of thought went into it. I'd love to know who is responsible for it. My take on a comparison to Thursday's show (which was indeed phenomenal): Thursday ---> dressed rehearsal Friday ---> performance Saturday ---> ????!!!! According to Mr. Latvala, these shows are being recorded on 24-track tape. These shows *must* be issued, in their entirety, ASAP! Are you listening, Dick? :-) Folks, I'm looking at the second-set list and I just can't believe it wasn't all a dream. I don't know where to begin. I think I'll give it a rest and pass the conch shell now. My daughter wants me to play with her. "But, what are you writing about, Daddy? Did you see another good concert last night?" She's five. What a relief that there's such music in the world for our kids to enjoy. Without love in the dream it'll never come true. Oh, shit. Now I'm crying again. Oh, did I forget to mention Ripple... Peace, ~mark
Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 11:49:20 -0700 From: Chris Bertolet bertolet@EARTHLINK.NET Subject: Re: 4/17 Lesh and Friends Review ^�The Many-Headed Slithering Serpent of Joy,^� or ^�The Love That Ate the Warfield^� DISCLAIMER 1: To those of you who weren^�t at these shows, whether you wanted to be or still can^�t admit you wanted to be, I love you. I Wish You Were There. But in a very real sense, if you^�ve given a piece of your heart to any of the music that was represented, you were there, at least in spirit. Besides, tapes (and even video, I^�m told) will be circulating imminently. So get over it already. DISS-KLAY-MUR 1.1: The following is not intended as a ^�review^� but as a recollection of my experience. As a long-time Grateful Dead -and- Phish fan, I was extremely inclined to at least ^�like^� whatever I saw, so you should take my bias into account. Though I am sincere, some of you may find this fountain of superlatives hard to swallow ^� so if ye seek jaded Phish commentary, go ye no furthur. DISK LAMER 3.B For the record: I have been an organ donor for some time, but would like to make public my desire to be harvested thoroughly like a field of winter wheat and stuffed with sawdust when I slip off into the yonder. After this weekend, however, I think it might be best to disqualify my brain... THESIS: ***No one should be born, play out their stay and go into the beyond without experiencing such primal, inspired and soaring music as was made in San Francisco between April 15th and April 17th, 1999.*** My wife and I were lucky enough to score tickets to the Friday and Saturday Phlesh shows at the Warfield, and flew up Friday morning after giddily pulling the Thursday setlist off the net. Our friend Neil Cherry, Dead/Phish compatriot and benevolent supplier of beer and couch space, raved about the previous night ^� especially the Shakedown, the Wolfman's->Uncle John^�s and the Viola Lee Blues (which apparently emitted enough kinetic energy to set some folks^� watches either back or forward seven minutes). I had already built these shows up in my mind; unavoidably, I suppose, since a Dead/Phish collaboration has been the house band of my daydreams for a few years now. Before the Thursday reports, I knew I had set myself up for a fall, but now suddenly anything was possible. First, a few words on the ^�scene.^� As magnificent a space as the Warfield is, its environment is still...well, a war field. There was plenty of tension between ticketless, dirt-surfing hoards and the local hustler contingent, including a few fights. Fortunately, Smith and Wesson made no appearances. Inside was a different story. While I^�ve read talk of ^�bad vibes^� between Dead and Phish loyalists, I witnessed *absolutely nothing to support that.* The overall vibe was one of family and communion and rebirth, and I personally think that anyone who couldn^�t pick up on it is either part of the problem or needs to retune his/her radar. On to the music. Before these shows, I predicted with friends that the ^�star^� of these shows would not be Trey, nor Phil, nor Kimock, but Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia (in other words, the songs). This show saw my prediction fulfilled early. A chill shot up my spine when the curtain pulled back and I heard Trey counting off what I recognized immediately as Help On the Way. I don^�t think it^�s been noted yet, but this urgent version of Help was jammed extensively, much more than any Dead reading I^�ve heard. Trey clearly loves the lick, and he was clearly ON and primed to play. Slipknot reached back...back...back into the ooze, with Phil smiling playfully at Trey and Kimock as they repeatedly left the theme to explore together. Easy, fruitful interplay and one of my favorite jams of the weekend, certainly. Though the transition into Franklin^�s was a little dodgy, Page nailed the vocals, and the jam sparkled like a gem. Though Wish You Were Here was tastily appropriate and Tennessee Jed gronked along nicely, the instrumental Stella Blue that followed really punctuated the emotion of the set. No one needed to explain what it meant...all you had to do was watch Phil and it was perfectly clear. CAUTION: When preparing to listen to this Alligator, secure your pets in another room and strap yourself into a chair. If you do not follow these instructions, you^�re likely to damage your furniture or yourself. That^�s all I^�ll say. The second set that followed was, to date, my personal peak music experience EVER. By way of context, I saw the Dead on 10/9/89 and 9/10/91. I saw Phish on 12/6/96. While those shows shattered barriers in my mind, this set was one boundless, spinning Universe of bliss and groove, all contained in an old Victorian theatre. Bertha ripped shit up right out of the gates, and Prince Caspian saw Kimock taking a more central role than he had all night. Apologies to Trey, but he^�s struggled to achieve this tune^�s potential, and I almost felt like Kimock was giving a clinic on how to take a simple song and walk it around the realm of human experience. More on Kimock later. OK...St. Stephen->Eleven???? Are you fucking KIDDING ME???? Actually, it wasn^�t as stellar as you might think ^� it was better. Phil, Trey, Page, Molo and Steve didn^�t only play the suite perfectly through the composed sections; they jammed it reverently and with the kind of heart and soul that such a timeless tune demands. Soaring, jaunty and declaratory, and easily worth 7.6 times the price of admission. :-) Unbroken Chain, a tune I haven^�t heard since my last Dead show, seemed tailor-made for Phish, and while Chalkdust isn^�t the same without Fishman or Mike, fuhgeddaboutit ^� it shredded. Phil left craters in the floor. SCARLET-FIRE now??? Holy Jerry Sandwich, Batman, have I died and gone to Deadhead heaven? Please do not listen to this Fire on the Mountain with anything but empty bowels. It was jaw-dropping improv. And if that doesn^�t make a case for the transcendancy of this set, I have two words for you: Ripple encore. Trust me -- there wasn^�t a dry eye in the house. Now here^�s the funny part: Saturday quickly turned Friday into the second most amazing night of music I^�ve ever seen. In fact, Saturday night is the reason I see live music. When the Hose is gushing as hard as it was this evening, the world of haste and consciousness and need and prejudice and grief peels away, and everything is reduced to what is elemental and important. Music, as this show affirmed for me, is the speech of angels. In my world, to act as a vessel for music this inspiring and truthful is to be a hero, and to be one of 2,300 to hear music this inspiring and truthful as it was created is a blessing I^�ll never forget. As it used to do now and then, Dark Star served as the fabric of the tapestry that the band wove on Saturday night. It made, to my count, four appearances, not including short teases. My distinct feeling was that the songs that appeared within Dark Star were part of that greater theme, which elevated the rest of the experience for me. Bird Song was like a dream. Page turned out an impossibly graceful solo, seeming to channel DeBussy, Bill Evans and George Shearing at the same time. Goaded persistently by Trey, Steve Kimock also chose this song to finally emerge in all his glory, where he would remain for the rest of the evening. The second set Terrapin opener wasn^�t a surprise, but it felt like one. Who gives a rat^�s ass if the Lady was a little rusty ^� Trey^�s vocals in the ^�Inspiration^� section were letter perfect, and the jam blew the roof off the house. Trust me ^� this version made the Virginia Beach Phish cover sound like the wailing of a dying mule. This song has always made me cry when played well, and tonight was no exception. Thank you, Mr. Hunter. Disease served as one of few doses of true Machine Gun Trey that we^�d get over the weekend, and Phil^�s straight pluck attack on Mike^�s slapped bass line was hilarious. While it won^�t go down in history as one of the epic, wandering versions, it was still glorious to hear in this context. Trey's solo was, as I think Charlie noted, volcanic. The return to Dark Star out of the haze, followed by the extended Other One tease, was one of the most exciting moments I^�ve ever witnessed. Unfortunately, it was quickly extinguished by the FOTD, which is the sole quibble I have with the setlist. Honestly, this song was placed horribly, and proved to be an egregious momentum bomb. Still, it didn^�t take long to recover, especially with Casey Jones on deck. Nice to see that Trey still remembers Dead lore from his prep school days... :-) Morning Dew, to be as brief as I can be, was simply one of the purest and poignant artistic statements I^�ve ever seen, and I mean ever. Trey and Kimock wove through each others' leads effortlessly, evoking images, squeezing every drop of bittersweet emotion from the structure of the classic song. At its second climax, Phil unleashed a bay full of bombs that brought plaster chunks crashing down out of the ceiling (not really) and made three or four people in my immediate vicinity fall over (really). This was titanic, timeless, epic, mighty music straight from the Creator, and left me literally quivering in awe. In fact, though the rest of the night was fun, nothing else is worth talking about in the shadow of that Dew. Please hear it, and play it for your children. A few general notes. There was a wonderful dynamic between Phil and the rest of the band, but particularly Trey. Almost a father/son thing. Trey was also, despite my concerns, very gracious about getting out of Steve's way. Almost too gracious. I^�ve heard people call Steve Kimock a story-teller, and I guess I get that analogy, but I think of him more as a painter ^� a fucking space alien Picasso with big buckets of gooey paint on his fingers. When he improvises, he splashes primary colors on the musical canvas generously and at genius whim. He has truly come into his own. I am also fairly sure that he isn^�t the aloof prima donna that his stage manner indicates, and I look forward to seeing him play adventurously with Phil and KVHW at Mountain Aire next month. Donna Jean was more than the novelty I thought she^�d be. She was beautiful and tastefully reserved in her singing, and with the sheer metaphysical insanity coming from the other players on stage, she was the only thing that kept the Warfield tethered to Mother Earth. In fact, she sort of seemed like the den mother for the youngsters on stage; perfect complement to Phil^�s patriarchal presence. Her appreciation for Page^�s playing was especially evident, almost as if she heard a little of Keith in him. Page, though I couldn^�t see him a bit, won a lot of fans this weekend, myself included. I^�ve criticized him in the past for being a bit of a shrinking violet in Phish, but in comparison with Steve Kimock, he^�s David Lee Roth. His piano playing was stupendous and thoughtful all weekend, and his voice was silky, never-waivering. John Molo remains a very capable drummer. He held together in some very risky and tenuous moments, and made some amazingly fluid and nimble changes. Trey takes too much shit from Deadheads in my opinion. If you ask me, he swung into the captain^�s chair with mighty authority and anyone ^� ANYONE ^� who dares question his soul and spiritual gift as a guitarist after hearing these tapes is deaf as a yak. ^�Nuff said. Finally, Phil. Phil Lesh doesn^�t play notes. He *gives birth to them.* They have size, shape and color, sure as life. He is the Palace Guard, the Keeper of the Key, and it is heartening to see him in such good form and spirit. God Bless you, Phil, and please, please invite all these musicians back. You made history. Thank you to all the kind folks whose paths I crossed over the course of this weekend (who are too many to name). I hope you feel as full of light as I still do. Till next time, Chris ------------------------------
Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 02:31:58 EDT From: MrCoasters@aol.com To: dws@archive.phish.net Subject: 4/17 review Hi again, I really feel compelled to write about these incredible shows as I was very lucky to have been in attendance. The following is just one fan's opinion, YMMV. Woke up this morning still smilin' from the spiritual overload from last night : ) Another unreal show that for me was the pinnacle of emotion and music. This time the doors were already open when I arrived at 982 Market St., and the crowd was in more of a frenzy than I remembered from the night before. I saw several people with $200, begging for a ticket and one guy was offering $300! (I wonder if he ever got in?) The line moved quickly and I was inside moments later. Upstairs at the bar I ran into Phillip Zerbo, we had met in line the night before. (Thanks for the Sierra, Phillip, it was a pleasure to meet you : ) Tonight's seat was much better than the night before, right behind Chris Kuroda and I could see the stage really well. The Warfield is a truly magnificent theater. It's very ornate and one of the finest places imaginable to see a show of this stature. The stage was set up the same as Friday night, with everyone in the same place. The first set started about 8:35 and I was not familiar with Dark Star, but the jams that came out of this opener were amazing. Someone else wrote that the show started like a continuation of the previous night and I agree completely. Dark Star -> Rigor Mortis (Zero original) -> Dark Star -> Rigor Mortis > Days Between -> Tweezer-like Jam -> Dark Star > I wasn't familiar with any of this music and was in complete awe the entire time. It was interesting to watch Trey play rhythm through many of these sections, even though he was simply hitting a chord here and there, it was unmistakably Trey! The texture, timing and placement of the accents were recognizably Trey. Hard to explain, you'll have to hear the tapes. (which I do not have yet < grovel, grovel >) Also, John Molo is an incredible drummer, he gave a flawless performance. I tried to focus on him from time to time, but the leads always seemed to draw my attention. He was the only member of this "ad-hoc organization" that I had never heard before and he was an excellent choice for the line-up. He appeared to be having the time of his life. He even got up and gave a few mid-show kudos to other members after especially hot jams. It's fun to hear favorite songs where I know every note, but I also love to experience new music live, especially when played by some of my favorite musicians. (I had never listened to the VU until Phish introduced me in Vegas. IMO the freshness of the material is what made Halloween '98 so special : ) The interplay between Trey and Steve picked up where it left off on Friday, with Kimock really stepping up and creating beautiful melodies and some of the sweetest expressions that I recall from the two shows. A word about Kimock. I've seen 2 KVHW shows and 2 of these Warfield shows, and I've never heard the man speak or sing. I point this out because it *seems* like I should know his voice. He can speak so clearly and directly with a guitar that he doesn't need to speak I guess. He doesn't really move his jaw or mouth the words, like Trey does when he's pickin' out a melody. He's very casual in his stage manner, even sitting at times, but the man can speak volumes through his guitars. It has to be witnessed to be understood and man when he's playin' off Bobby Vega, WHOAA! (oops sorry, back to the Warfield : ) My Favorite Things > Mississippi Half-step, Bird Song Favorite Things, I've heard KVHW perform this and it's really a sweet thing to hear Kimock play, especially with Trey's spicy accenting. Mississippi Half-step! Yah, this was great and excellent placement after MFT. Phil sounded great and looked even better. Man can he still sing or what? The vocals both nights were superb. Hearing Page and Donna and Trey and Phil in different combinations and altogether was so beautiful and melodious. And Donna was awesome! She added so much to the energy and vibe of the shows. Once, when she left the stage (to roaring applause) she went side stage and gave someone a very huge and long hug while the band played on. It was already a very emotional show. And then Bird song^� The performance of this song defies description, but I'll give it a try. I heard the first few notes and was immediately touched. Then Page started singing! OMYGOD! I LOVE PAGE'S VOICE! "She sang a little while and then flew off^�" Oh man, I lost my shit right there. I doubt that I was the only one with a tear running down my face. "Don't, cry now, don't you cry^�" This song lifted my spirit to a place that I can't explain. I felt like I had been transported to another world, where everything was beautiful and right and peace was the norm. (No, I wasn't on psychedelics or anything else for that matter, well maybe a few brewskis and a fine contact high from the smoked-out crowd.) I wouldn't call it a life-changing event, but it was definitely the closest thing to an OBE that I've ever experienced. The jam seemed just a little slack at first at first and then Trey picked it up and we went on a magical ride. When the jam was winding down, I realized that such a powerful number would most likely end the set and so it did. WOW! Another long (and much appreciated) set break allowed the crowd to catch their collective breath as we anticipated and discussed the final set of this amazing event. Set 2: Terrapin Station > Down w/ Disease OH MY! There was a lot of speculation that would play Terrapin, I figured it might end the set or be the encore, but I didn't expect it to open set 2! This was a very special Terrapin, with Phil singing the opening verse and then passing off to Trey and then Page, each singing an individual part, they way Phish does Roggae. This immediately gave the song a special vibe that seemed to include all the members, except maybe Kimock. Through the 'inspiration' part it was fairly straight forward. IMO Trey picked up a little slack here and there. But into the jam this song raged! Trey and Steve are amazing, I really hope that they'll play together more often. their styles are so complimentary. The ending kinda faded and slowed (as I recall) and then Phil busts out with opening riff to Down with Disease! HOLY SMOKES! It wasn't *exactly* the same as Mike plays it, it was Phil's quick-pickin' version and oh man did he NAIL IT! That's a tough riff and Phil was on fire! He obviously liked the tune and really enjoyed rockin' it out on stage. Phil still has "IT" and he wrapped himself up in DwD and really made it his own. I can NOT wait to hear this on tape. Dark Star (2nd verse), Friend of the Devil, Powerful stuff here. I'll let others describe DS2 and FOTD, I recall being swept away again for a few moments and then returning just before FOTD, which was played very well with the vocals really standing out in my mind. Casey Jones NO FRIGGIN' WAY! I would have never expected this in a million billion years. I now have this permanent memory of Trey up there, sportin' that infectious shit-eating grin and leading the crowd through them famous words. Damn! It was powerful and really raged IMO. They even jammed a little on it, great smokin' version that should translate well to tape. Morning Dew Very touching and beautifully sang. I can't emphasize enough how wonderful the vocals were at these shows. And Donna added so much, thank you Donna! Goin Down the Road Feelin' Bad Hmmm, I thought this was a strange choice, considering how *good* everyone was feeling. It seemed strange to see the entire crowd grinning like chesire cats and singing about feeling bad. Don't get me wrong, it's a great song and I really enjoyed it, although I felt that it would end the set after they really jammed it out. But no, we were treated to an abbreviated version of We Bid You Goodnight, which did end the set. This night, the curtain stayed up after the encore and Phil took a seat at the back of the stage in plain view. After a while he got up and explained why it's so very important for all of us to make our wishes clear about organ donation. Tell your family and put it writing. In California, there's a sticker you can put on your driver's license. Think about it, it really is important and saves many lives every year. Then everyone came back out and played a heartfelt (albeit expected) Box of Rain to close the show. These were the most emotional and awe-inspiring shows that I have ever seen. Can't really compare 'em to a Phish show or a Dead show or even a KVHW show, they were a little of each, yet much bigger than the sum of the parts. Huge, simply HUGE! I really hope some of the moments translate to tape 'cause these were epic shows and I'm very thankful to have been in the house. It's the evening after the show now as I finish up this review. (24 hours ago I was listening to Page sing Bird Song : ) That warm fuzzy feeling still hasn't worn off as I've been glowing all day, I can't get it out of my mind. I even took a nap today and awoke in a great mood, remembering the musical journey that transpired over the weekend. I wish you all could have been there. THANK YOU THANK YOU Phil Lesh for making these shows possible. Thanks to the friends, Page, Steve, John, Trey and Donna who played and sang their hearts out and *really* gave it up. Thanks to Jules and her splendid FahtHarpua updates which allowed me to get my mail order in on the first day : ) And a huge thanks to my beautiful wife Brenda who returned home from a long trip Saturday and *understood* when I told her at the Sacramento airport that I was going to drop her off and then drive back to San Francisco for another concert. Life is good and I love you all! -Randy out "Box of rain will ease your pain and love will see you through."
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 12:48:45 -0700 From: crowley9@IX.NETCOM.COM Subject: Re: 4/17 Lesh and Friends Review Well again, since I was at last night's show, I'll comment on your review and add things I think of that you didn't comment on. Charles Dirksen wrote: > I spent tonight's show stage right, about ten feet or so back from > Page's grand piano, on the floor. I must have been pretty close to you because I was on the floor against the railing on Page's side. Some serious human pressure being in that crowd. > The first set of tonight's show was one of the most incredible sets of > improvisational rock music that I've ever heard or seen. Hmm. I definitely thought Thursday's first set was better. The first set last night sounded like they were a bit (and understandably) tired, unlike Thursday's first set. Thursday's first set started off with a raging Viola Lee Blues and the energy stayed at that level for just about the whole show. Last night's first set was a much mellower set. > Everything > was well-played, with beautiful, moving, mystical solos all over the > place. Kimock was **ON FIRE** in this set. Hmm (again). I didn't get the sense that anyone was *on fire* on that first set though it was still enjoyable. > His solos in everything > were GENIUS! Page also played some amazing, brilliant solos during > Dark Star, Favorite Things, and Birdsong, mostly on the grand piano. Yeah I was really impressed with Page's playing and wish I heard more of it (despite him playing a bigger role in last night's show than Thursday's). He's does play beautiful stuff. I was digging it big time whenever he was the prominent player. > Trey took a gorgeous solo during Birdsong, too! It was a spectacular > set and you MUST hear it as soon as possible. The jam out of "Days > Between" was incredible, too. I thought that the Days Between did not work at all with Phil on vocals. Maybe I'm too used to Jerry on it though I'll admit it's also not one of my favorite Dead tunes (too long and never really goes anywhere musically). I'm only talking about the singing part of it, not the jam as I don't specifically remember the jam out of it. I also thought Phil's vocal phrasing on Half Step was off (he was coming in one beat too late where he sings "Half Step Mississippi ..." so that he had to rush that phrase to get back in correct time) which kind of threw everybody off a little. > Kimock went off. He led a jam out of > it that is NOTHING like what you've usually heard in this tune! My > favorite set of the run, easily. Really? Amazing how different our takes on it are. I thought it was the weakest (though I wasn't at Friday's show and am assuming both of those sets raged). I was hoping they'd go way out on the Dark Star but instead got a jazzy somewhat mellow impotent Dark Star that never lifted off the runway. I thought very little got off the runway in the first set other than the My Favorite Things jam (really dug Page's playing on that one). I enjoyed the first set but you obviously enjoyed it a lot more than I did. > The second set contained some awe-inspiring jams, to be sure, and was > a lot of fun overall... but there were several sloppy errors (probably > due simply to exhaustion). I know *I* was exhausted, and I hadn't > even been working the last few nights! But the second set had a lot more energy than the first IMO and I certainly got into it a lot more in the second set overall. > The Terrapin was very shaky in the composed sections (i.e., the set > opened weakly, imo), but the jam segment was TRANSCENDENT, with > captivating soloing from Kimock, and lots of Dark Star teasing (and > great playing overall) from Trey. It was shaky at parts leading up to the "Inspiration ..." part but from that point on, it smoked. It was a joy to see Donna up there harmonizing on it. Then Trey, on the jam after the final vocals, really pushed the show to an excitement level it hadn't reached yet. > Phish fans in particular MUST hear this "Down with Disease." Easily the best song of the night for me (and I know only a few Phish songs and this isn't one of them). It finally pushed the show over the line into the raging zone that it hadn't reached up to that point for me (except for the last half of Terrapin). > Phil > played a variation of the real bass line of the song, and Molo played > a variation of the real groove of the song, and Kimock didn't > contribute much at all... Yeah I noticed Phil having a blast with that tune (along with Trey). > BUT *DAMN* DID TREY TAKE A VOLCANIC SOLO!! > Both Kimock and Lesh gave Trey looks of admiration for his efforts! Trey clobbered that one. I was finally loving it as the show went up a few notches on this tune. Try was on fire! That was the highpoint of the show IMO. > An excellent version, which, if memory serves, just sorta petered out, > until Phil kicked in Dark Star. (?) I can't remember this segue, > though. Might be wrong about this. > Dark Star's second verse and jam were wonderful, as you'd expect. I thought it was a short Dark Star jam that never went anywhere and was surprised they went back into it given that they had started it in the first set. > Phil then let loose a bunch of bombs which, to me and many others, > signaled THE OTHER ONE! However, before I could get into the zone, it > suddenly ended. Yeah it was too short. I would have liked to see them rage on it but it just put it's head above the water for a few seconds then went under again. > I'm very interested in listening to this again on > tape. My eyes were closed at this time during the show, and I wasn't > sure what happened. It just stopped. Dead. And then Phil began > FOTD, after a few seconds. > > "Friend of the Devil" contained a brief (but very uncomfortable) > moment of silence (I think Phil almost forgot, or did forget, some > lyrics), but it nevertheless featured passionate solos from both Trey > and Page! I don't recall Kimock soloing on the Vega at all in this > one. Yeah I really dug this Friend of the Devil. Page was the star of it and really showed what an incredible musician he is. > "Casey Jones" amused the audience a great deal, but this version > didn't go anywhere special. Defnitely disagree on this one (seems we had completely different views on much of this show). Casey Jones, like the earlier Phish tune, pushed the show into the raging zone. I heard them noodling on it before it started and I thought it sounded like it but figured I was wrong. Well they not only did it but they smoked it! Trey's vocals were excellent, inspired, and a joy to listen to. Then he took an excellent Jerry-like solo leading to a nice little jam. The ending singing part of Casey Jones ("driving that train hiiiiigh on cocaine ...) with everyone including Donna screaming their lungs out and really going for it was a definite highlight of this show for me. > It was definitely a good choice for the > setlist, though, to be sure. Crowd-pleaser. > > MORNING DEW!!!!! Oh, MORNING DEW!!!!!! Just you wait. I won't give > it away. You'll just have to check it out. Yep that was a sweet one. I thought Kimock really shined on this one when he took the baton from Trey. Definitely Kimock's highpoint of the show for me. > GDTRFB was a lot of fun. I was exhausted but still trying to dance > (well, ok, Head&Knee-Bob). I can't recall whether anyone raged during > this one... it definitely wasn't the "best version I'd ever heard" or > anything close, though. It was a little shaky at points but still had lots of exhilirating moments, especially the last half of it and was another reason why I enjoyed the second set much more than the first. Again a real joy hearing and singing Donna (with everyone else along) screaming on it. I was so glad to see her up there. Thanks Donna for showing up. > Good segue into AWBYG, which was too short. > Just one verse I think. Yeah it would have been nice to hear a somewhat fuller version. Last night's was a throwaway version but I suppose they didn't know it very well. I was hoping for a real gospel-inspired version. > Box of Rain was a pleasant encore. God I love Phil! THANK YOU PHIL! Yeah it was sweet to hear Box as always. > All things considered, this run of shows was, well, one of the best > musical experiences of my entire life. I really dug seeing the two shows I saw (I was pleasantly surprised that the amount of chatting during the quieter points of the music was much lower than Thursday's) As I said, I definitely thought Thursday's was the better of the two but still had a blast at last nights (TK, if you're reading this, thanks for the tickets!). Were they the greatest concerts I've ever been to? No they were damn good with some special music in a special venue with some special people collaborating so it definitely will hold a special place in my memory of concerts I've attended. > Again, special THANKS TO PHIL LESH AND THE UNBROKEN CHAIN FOUNDATION > for making these soon-to-be-legendary shows a reality. And THANK YOU > STEVE, TREY, PAGE, AND JOHN! I agree and thanks also to Donna (was great seeing you!) and to all the crew, the lighting, and sound people who helped put it on. > two cents, > charlie > > p.s. I, charles andrew dirksen, being of sound mind, hereby express > an irrevocable desire that my organs be donated upon my death, in > honor of Phil Lesh, this day, the 18th of April, in the year nineteen > hundred and ninety-nine. [signed] Well I've got my red donor circle sticker on my driver's license but getting something in writing and alerting those close to me of my wishes too wouldn't be a bad idea. Bill
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 10:35:57 -0700 From: Chris Garton To: dws@archive.phish.net Subject: 4/17 Phil Lesh & Friends There's not much more to add to what the other reviews have said for this night. The one notable thing that nobody has toched on was Trey's impromptu lyrics during Casey Jones. Phil was wearing a red shirt this night. When the lyrics came to the fourth verse that normally go,"Trouble ahead. . . the lady in red, Take my advice you'd be better off dead", Trey sang, "Trouble ahead. . . Phil in red". The audience (and Phil) loved this! Trey couldn't help but laugh through the "Take my advice. . . " line and then continued with "Switchman's sleeping, Train hundred and two. . " verse. Hopefully, these shows will be (or already are) uploaded to the net somewhere as they are a must to hear, again and again and again. Thank you Phil for bringing these three great musical worlds together on one stage! Phorever grateful, Chris G.
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 04:49:13 GMT From: PZerbo pzerbo@AOL.COM Subject: Re: how happy is mike gordon? [4/17] tsl@netcom.com (Tom Livingston) writes: >Had a good view of the stage and stage right from about ten people back >for the second set of the show 4/17. Had a great view of mike sitting >off to stage right. I actually checked him out quite a bit, because he >didn't look very pleased. I never once saw him looking like he was >enjoying himself at all, while the rest of the (very full) side stage >at least bopped their heads along. At times, I would swear mike looked >pained or seriously unhappy. > >Is this just rock star distance? Or is he really unhappy about what was >going down on stage? I mean, after all, it is a one time only show, right? I noticed this, too, especially on Saturday night (we were far Page-side balcony and couldn't help but notice the goings on backstage, as it was in the line of sight of Phil and Trey). I dunno, Mike is a wierd dude. I recall thinking the same thing in Winooski a few months ago at the Amfibian gig, where he was kinda stone-faced during the music. Maybe that is just how he enjoys music, maybe something else, but in any event, I think that speculation as to his state of mind is kinda pointless. I'd guess that he was just concentrating on Phil... he is the best bass player on the planet, after all. Another minorly funny backstage anecdote: right in the middle of Casey Jones, Fishman comes strolling behind stage with his Residents Eyeball shirt on, takes a seat, and lights a big fat bowl, starts groovin' to the music. :-) >Off to the left side of the balcony someone was hanging a really nicely >done multi-colored hand sewn banner. I guess if I had been Mike and >I had to sit and look at that all night I might have been edgy too. >The banner read: "Phriends: 12-31-99?" > >I have to say I was shocked to see the banner. I also know I'd wait for >days to buy a ticket. If I was Mike or Fishman, or anyone in their employ, I'd have to be a little concerned, too! Especially as the rumors of additional shows with that lineup start to float around. I'd -walk- to California to see that Phil & Phriends lineup again... Trey and Page already have a pretty good job, but man, if you were them and just experienced what they did, you'd have to have at least some thoughts of a more permnanent alternative, dontha think? -Phillip
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