Author: Sarah Bourque

Hearing Aide: Circles Around the Sun “Interludes For the Dead”

Back in July, two giant stadiums, one in Santa Clara, CA and the other in Chicago, IL, held five shows between them in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead. When fans arrived for the Fare Thee Well shows, they were welcomed to soothing sounds that filled the air before the show started. Set break and post-show also played this same music to fans as they were heading from their seats to grab a drink, meet with friends or leave the stadium for the evening. Fans were curious as to where this music was originating, as it had never been heard before. Touches of Grateful Dead notes were hinted at throughout, but it was never an exact replica or clear match to being the Grateful Dead. However, the music had a familiar touch about it, but it could not be pinpointed. Who was behind this magical music?

Not long after the reunion run ended, it came to light that Neal Casal was the man behind the music between sets at the reunion shows. Casal, best known as the guitar player for the Chris Robinson Brotherhood, was approached by Justin Kreutzmann to assist with the musical side of the production during the breaks. Casal got together with three other musicians, bassist Dan Horne, drummer Mark Levy, and keyboardist Adam MacDougall, to create the music that would soon become a part of the Grateful Dead history forever. Over the course of a few days, the group put together over four and a half hours of “walk in music” for the reunion shows. The album, Interludes For the Dead, contains the music that grew out of these magical recording sessions over a short period of time. Though the music was originally created specifically for use at the reunion shows, due to an overwhelming demand by fans, it has been put together and released in album form.

When the tracks were being created, it was all done free-form, as the musicians flowed to where their hearts brought them musically. What they created was simply magical. Never anticipating the music being released to the public, the artists pushed some songs to over 25 minutes in length, which tests the boundaries of fitting on one side of a vinyl album. The longest song, “Farewell Franklins,” clocks in at 25:05 minutes.

The flow of the music throughout this album maintains the same continuous mystical aura, as the notes hint and touch upon slight rhythms of Grateful Dead tunes. In addition, some songs follow the same themes of particular Grateful Dead tunes. For example, “Scarlottas Magnolias” has obvious hints of “Scarlet Begonias,” and “Scarlet Wheel” touches upon “The Wheel.” In addition, some tracks are named for specific people or stories. “Gilbert’s Groove” is named after Gilbert Shelton, the artist behind the cover artwork for The Grateful Dead’s Shakedown Street album. “Hallucinate a Solution” was named for a quote Phil Lesh said before going onstage one evening during a Phil and Friends show. Casal had been performing with him, and a discussion came up regarding a difficult transition between two songs. Lesh’s solution was to “hallucinate a solution,” hence the song named in his honor.

Overall, the album that was never to be is crammed with mysterious tones that overlap transcendental notes and waves of creative bliss from beginning to end. This unexpected release easily hits the heart of fans of all genres, as it clearly falls into a category all its own. Allowing the music to flow from the heart, without the added pressure of producing an album from the get go, is what makes this album beautiful. A delight to the eardrums, each tune offers up gorgeously fluid sounds that take listeners on a journey of pleasurable surprises as the tracks drift from one to the next.

Each track is completely different, yet similar, with the low key grooves that are maintained. “Hallucinate A Solution” is chock full of hip beats, while “Gilberts Groove” brings it down with a funky vibe. Jazzy edges are sliced into “Kaseys Bones,” while the mood takes a 180 with a mystical “Space Wheel.” The longest track, “Farewell Franklins,” picks up the beat with a soulful organ and crisp guitar chords that join arm in arm. The album closes with the shortest tune, “Mountains of the Moon,” at just over five minutes in length. This spacey jam takes listeners on a trippy ride through quiet tones intertwined with cosmic hues, sculpting a perfect ending to this remarkably harmonious recording.

Overall, Interludes For the Dead takes listeners from soulful jazz lines to funky, psychedelic punches and everything in between. The free style jamming the musicians put into each track takes you on a magical ride through riffs that soothe the soul, relax the mind and provide endless colorful vibrations of energy. This is perfect music for any occasion, whether a long car ride, stretching to yoga or trying to calm from a hard day’s work. This is the album that belongs on everyone’s playlist. This will soon become one of your top albums played again and again.

Key Tracks: Hallucinate A Solution, Farewell Franklins, Saturdays Children

December 10, 2015
Hearing Aide: The Werks ‘Inside A Dream’

The Werks have released their fourth studio album, Inside A Dream, which takes listeners through the wonderment of a dream. Their concept album is full of twists, turns and surprises. The Werks consists of Chris Houser on guitar, Dan Shaw on keys, Dino Dimitrouleas on bass, and Rob Chafin on drums. Hailing from Ohio, their new album treats fans to fresh sounds with each new song.

The first track, “The Answer,” draws listeners in immediately with slowly building guitar chords full of crunch, as if the music were running from something. Ever present touches of psychedelia flow throughout. Funkalicious “The Drop” highlights itself as a tune that is perfect for jamming. Extended guitar play leaves wide open spaces for live performance experimentation on this track. Fans should keep an ear out for this one during upcoming shows just to see how they take this to new depths over time.

Chopin’s “Opus 66” gets a ghostly twist with haunting organ and mysterious guitar melody accentuated throughout, taking listeners to a darker dream state with this track. An upbeat “For You” is infused with lighthearted piano and sunlit lyrics, drawing listeners out of the darkness from the previous track. This tune calls for you to get up and dance.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/232745620″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

The distinctive sound of an old piano in a smokey bar takes over during “Give or Take,” maintaining that hopeful feeling as the album continues a dreamy ride. “Find Your Way” is packed with complex arrangement, offering pause and time to reflect on life.

“Inside A Dream,” the title track, shares touches of jazz and funk while it carries a wave of confidence as they sing, “Your dreams are calling out your name.” Don’t be surprised when hitting the repeat button for this track again and again. “Alive” continues the spirited atmosphere of the album as husky vocals and commanding guitar, combined with pounding piano, maintain that ‘can do’ attitude when chasing a dream.

“Not Alone” is the track that lifts self-doubt within a dream. Full of synth and psychedelic undertones, this tune takes a journey through melodic and exploratory notes from start to finish. “Transformational” begins to awaken the album from a dream state with a refreshing touch of African drum beats before seamlessly easing into this dynamic song.

The album finishes with “Waiting Room,” bringing the dream concept full circle. An uplifting song full of harmony and softened guitar is a perfect ending to the album, as it returns to reality. Inside A Dream fully captures the focus and intent of the band’s concept, having taken listeners on a journey and are able to reflect on their own personal adventures through life. This well balanced album, full of surprises at every turn, captures the imagination and really nails the concept on the head.

Information regarding the new album, along with tour dates for The Werks, can be found on the band’s official homepage.

Key Tracks: Drop, Inside a Dream, Not Alone

November 20, 2015
The Apple Jam Welcomed New Venue, National Acts

The Apple Jam festival is in its sixth year, though its first at a new venue set on the beautiful grounds of Camp Moses in Russell, MA.

The Apple Jam festival was last held two years ago. The organizers took a year hiatus to reorganize and plan for a larger festival. The last event was on a much smaller scale, with many of the artists performing being friends and family of the organizers. This years Apple Jam exploded, with a new, spacious venue and the inclusion of performers who play on a much bigger stage, some nationally known. In other words, Apple Jam just stepped up its game and took the festival to a whole new level.

Photo Credit: Jacqueline M. Sidor

Apple Jam is family friendly, with many of the events encouraging interaction by all ages. A kids tent was set up, offering arts and crafts, face painting and a scavenger hunt. An art wall was available inviting attendees to paint and show off their creative flair. A paved basketball court was taken advantage of by many attendees, while several others enjoyed playing, and being part of, the human sized foosball game. Later on in the day, the court was turned into a large work of art with chalk drawings splashed over the black top. With so many activities available for festival goers, the fun kept going all weekend.

The weather held out on Friday, with the threat of rain in the air. The festival eased into the music and featured many Massachusetts’ home-grown acts on the bill, such as Dead Collective, California Widows and Opel. Blue grass wound its way onto the bill with the first performance of the festival by Cricket Tell the Weather. Holy Ghost Tent Revival and Spirit Family Reunion brought Friday’s opening night to a close, as crowds continued to stream their way in throughout the evening.

Saturday not only had a beautiful day in store, but a jam-packed schedule full of high-energy performances as well. The morning started off with some feel good bluegrass Americana jams by Livestock. Sugar Blood Jinx followed with their bluesy southern charm of a sound that featured growling vocals commanding your attention and begging you to put on your dancing shoes. Otis Grove, a band that’s been starting to make waves around the New England festival circuit, gave an energy-packed performance and continued to turn up the heat on stage. Groovy jams and feel good vibes were thrown out as The Sun Parade took the stage. Lucid had a Dave Matthews Band meets Rusted Root with horns tone as they cranked out their intense set. With the double stage setup, the audience didn’t have to wait long between bands as the gorgeous day continued to rotate acts without missing a beat.

The Mutherload, another band from the local Massachusetts area, provided a solid rock and roll groove. Gary Phelps, the man behind the entire Apple Jam organization, cranked out a crunchy guitar sound as his band jammed out to the delight of the crowd. A festival and crowd favorite, Primate Fiasco, did not disappoint as they blew everyone away with their funky Dixie sound. Known for cranking out the grooves down in the field area, this time, they took their funkiness on stage where everyone could hear them throughout the venue. The concert field began to get packed as the sun started to go down and the jams turned up the vibes.

Photo credit: Jacqueline M. Sidor

Fresh off tour, a throwback vintage band, with a hint of the 10,o00 Maniacs sound, took to the stage as The Blind Spots belted out the tunes with powerful female vocals. The evening wrapped up with Parsonsfield, a get on your feet and dance jam band that filled the air with mandolin and banjos.

The first big headliner of the three-day run took the stage after the sun went down. Amy Helm and the Handsome Strangers wowed the audience. With Helm’s smokey and sultry blues tone, the set was off to a steamy start. Sprinklings of the steel guitar added depth and it was nonstop dancing during their set. Helm, the daughter of the famous Levon Helm, of The Band fame, is currently on tour promoting her debut album. Her set did not disappoint. Apple Jam was also the debut appearance for Ryan Scott, the guitarist with the Handsome Strangers. He was noticeably having a blast during the performance as his excitement shined through. Here’s a clip from their set:

The final performance of the evening was Anders Osborne. Everyone was waiting for him to take the stage. Wow. His energy was addictive. Osborne’s raw performance was no holds barred. The soulful, bluesy guitar work tapped into his New Orleans roots and he did not hold back as they eased into their set. The attendees were thrilled to be able to catch him perform at the newly expanded festival, and felt it a true honor to have him be a part of the bill this year. Osborne performed for a solid two hours as he kept the party going to a concert field full of dancing fans. As the last notes dropped, cheers could be heard throughout the venue, to include campers that were set up in the forest area behind the stage. It was an incredible end to a fantastic day at Apple Jam.

Photo credit: Jacqueline M. Sidor

Sunday’s performances were more relaxed and cooled down as bluegrass filled the air at the Stone Temple stage, located near the lake on the edge of the venue. Acoustic Brew, The Rambling Kind, and a second performance by Cricket Tell the Weather closed out the festival. Overall, if you haven’t been to Apple Jam, put this on your must see festival list next year. With beautiful, spacious grounds and plenty of activities for all ages, this is one not to be missed. The music is nonstop and attendees will walk away on Sunday refreshed and recharged with a pair of worn out dancing shoes as a souvenir of the amazing experience.

August 30, 2015
What a Phreak: Dave Brunyak Discusses Guitar Smashing, Chicago and More

Pink Talking Fish, hailing from New England, is one of the most interesting tribute bands out there today, combining the music of Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Phish into one. NYS Music recently had the opportunity to speak to Dave Brunyak, the guitarist for Pink Talking Fish, to discuss his thoughts on the music scene in general. He’s made a few waves on the festival circuit and we were interested to find out more about him.

Sarah Bourque (SB): Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into Pink Talking Fish.

Dave Brunyak (DB): I’ve been playing guitar since I was 14 years old so that makes about 20 years this year. I’ve been writing music and playing in my own original bands for a long time. In 2010, I started a Phish tribute band called the Phreaks. We had a four-year run and had a lot of great shows. Built up a pretty nice fan base in New England. At the end of last year, Eric Gould (bassist for Pink Talking Fish) came to Electric Haze in Worcester and saw me and Zach [Burwick] our drummer at a Phreaks show and decided that we were the best fit. He talked us into doing a few shows and we never turned back.

(SB): At Disc Jam you smashed your guitar on stage Pete Townsend style, which is pretty badass. What prompted that?

(DB): It was something I’d never done before. I’m always looking for something interesting to do to make the show a little bit more special than the one before it, but it’s fair to say that people, in their lives, go through peaks and valleys, experiences and emotions. At that particular time, I was in the valley, so it was something to help me turn the corner and get out a little bit of stress.

Credit: Amanda Sandwicch Photography

(SB): At Buffalove, you soloed on top of a speaker tower. Were you in the same kind of mindset at that time ?

(DB): Smashing the guitar set a precedent. People are looking for me to do the next crazy thing so we dragged a few speakers out on the stage just to give me something to climb on. It’s fun to do something a little bit out of the ordinary that people don’t expect. I have no idea what the next thing is going to be but it will be awesome.

(SB): It seems like you play your guitar pretty hard and have a few extras on stage because of broken strings. Is it common that you just play your guitar hard?

(DB): It’s a combination of my style of playing and the way my guitar is built, and using a heavy pick. One day I will have a guitar tech who will fix some of these things for me at a show but, for now, I just bring a few extra guitars to the shows.

(SB): How do you balance your music obligations with every other part of your life? Finding the time to practice, come up with new ideas? Where’s the balance come from?

(DB): It’s not easy. I’m lucky that the Pink Talking Fish business and itinerary is designed very efficiently and streamlined. I know where I need to be, and what I need to do, well in advance. For instance, in the Phreaks, I was wearing all the hats. I was doing the booking, the promoting, the websites, the posters, learning the tunes, teaching the tunes. Now that I’m in Pink Talking Fish, it’s liberating, actually, because I can just be a performer and just worry about playing the tunes, and playing them well. As hectic as it seems to be all over the country, playing the music and traveling, it’s actually a little bit easier than what I was doing before.

(SB): Let’s talk about Chicago. During Pink Talking Fish’s pre-show on the 4th of July, you were miracled a ticket to a Fare Thee Well show. What’s the story behind that?

(DB): The miracle, in the sense of the term, wasn’t that it came from a stranger. Actually, it was a friend that I had invited who came all the way from central Massachusetts. I didn’t even know that he had a spare ticket. He came in and watched the show. In between songs, said “hey, I gotta get outta here, do you need a ticket?” He handed it to me, gave me a salute and said, “see you in there.” I didn’t actually go in. There was a special lady I brought with me who I thought would enjoy it more than me. I love the Grateful Dead and it’s a big part of my musical vocabulary, but I’m more of a Phish guy. The girl that I brought with me is a Dead head through and through, so I gave it to her and she went in and had a good time. I went to a bar down the street and watched it on webcast.

(SB): How did you enjoy the PTF are Dead shows in Chicago? What vibe did you get from people who came?

(DB): Since I’ve been playing Trey [Anastasio, of Phish] for four or five years now, that material comes pretty easy to me. The cerebral kind of precise playing that comes along with that role. Embracing Jerry [Garcia]’s flavor was a little bit difficult for me. It’s something I didn’t have as much experience with. In the vein of Trey being in the Jerry role, I was kind of embracing the same feel. I found that everybody seemed to be really accepting and embraced the topic. We came off with some great mashup ideas that really hit home. We did this Tennessee Jed > Ocelot transition that is just crushing it. We did a Rock and Roll > Casey Jones thing, where the transitions in between made it a lot more fun, and I think that’s what brought a twist, or a little more level of interest, from the Deadheads. I don’t think they would have expected us to do something like that. Everybody really enjoyed it. I enjoyed playing for everyone and I’m happy that I got the opportunity to do it.

(SB): Did you get to meet a lot of the fans and introduce yourselves during your shows in Chicago?

(DB): When our shows were over, people were there for the Grateful Dead. That was the focus. After our shows, people were moving and had destinations in mind and that’s really what the vibe was like. I wasn’t going out there so much to chat and mingle but more to immerse myself in the moment. It may have been the best weekend of my life. I’m not sure yet.

(SB): What’s your take on playing clubs versus festivals. What’s the dynamics between the two that stand out?

(DB): They’re all awesome. It’s a different dynamic when you’re playing a club or theater show. It’s very focused because you’re the center of attention. Everyone there has come to see you. It’s a controlled environment. You get to do your sound checks and really dial everything in nice and play for a longer period of time. The exposure you get to new audiences is really beneficial.

The festival scene, though, has it’s own merits. It’s an exciting experience. There’s really so much energy in the air and you’ve got to help and get your stuff up there really fast. You’re playing, in most cases, to huge crowds. The response you get from hitting the nail on the head can be really, really exciting. They’re both great. They’re both different. We just need to be able to flex and roll with the punches and make it all work for us.

Credit: Earl Gardner

(SB): You just played at Jerry Jam, a really small festival that celebrated their 20th anniversary. How did you enjoy the festival that was all about the celebration of Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead?

(DB): It was definitely my first time there and I was really impressed with the venue, with the rolling hills, and the natural amphitheater style of a venue. I think people there were really excited because it was an anniversary party so it had a little bit of an extra oomph to it. Everybody there was in a good mood. I only got to spend the day there. I got to walk around and meet some people and play some acoustic songs on my guitar afterwards. All in all, it was just a wonderful experience.

(SB): What’s next for you? Do you have any side projects in the works?

(DB): That’s a good question. When I spoke to Eric [Gould] at the beginning of the year, we talked about what was going to happen this year with the intensity of travel and what we were going to try to accomplish. I told him that I was going to lay aside most everything, musically speaking, to give Pink Talking Fish everything that I could. So far it’s paying off and the dividends are huge. I think we are on a great path to success and it’s only going to be better next year.

Eventually, I would like to get back into writing my own music and performing it. It’s been a long time since I’ve written music. I’ve got a catalog of 200 songs from my original band and I’ve got it all charted down and I can go back play them. I have recordings. I listen to them and stroll down memory lane. Right now, I’m really just excited to see what Pink Talking Fish can do and giving it my all.

I’m really into country music. It’s something I just got turned on to in the past year. I’m in a country project called Heartland Radio with my friend, Dustin Snyder, and I’m trying to fit that in here, there and everywhere doing acoustic country songs. It comes as a shock to a lot of my friends. On the radio today, I really think the best guitar playing you can hear in contemporary music is in country. It’s great to listen to and it also gives a chance for my mind to rest. Playing Pink Floyd and Talking Heads and Phish is very cerebral and I have to think about it, analyze it and be very precise. With country stuff, I just let it be what it is and it gives me a chance to just relax. So it’s a nice little change of pace.

(SB): Is this original stuff or covers?

(DB): No, this is still all covers. It’s interesting because I went to Berklee in Boston and graduated at the top of my class in songwriting, and music ed too. Songwriting is like an engine. It needs to be well lubricated and running. You need to keep it active for it to be as efficient and productive as you want it to be. I still come up with great ideas but I’m just cataloging for now to turn into songs later. Like I said, I need to be able to put a lot of time and energy in to make that engine run. That’s just not something I can do right now.

(SB): Is there anything else that you would like to tell your fans out there?

(DB): I am very grateful for them showing up and seeing me play. Pink Talking Fish is a really wonderful experience. I look forward to seeing meeting as many of you out there as I can.

For more information on Pink Talking Fish, and tour dates, please visit their website. For more information regarding Dave’s side project, Heartland Radio, please visit their Facebook page.

July 30, 2015
A Grand Fare Thee Well From Final Performance in Chicago

It has been one week since the Fare Thee Well shows graced us with their presence on the stage at Soldier Field in Chicago. Sunday’s closer was too incredible to even put into words. Time was needed to decompress and arrange all the thoughts and musical moments of these shows before admitting defeat that the weekend has really, truly, honestly, come to a close. Months of build up to a magical weekend slipped by quickly and before we all knew it, poof, it was gone.

The events in Chicago over Fourth of July weekend has become more than the Grateful Dead. The music that was so heavily anticipated has become greater than the sum of all their shows, albums and memories of the past. The energy surrounding the weekend was filled with nothing but positive vibes and bliss. Have you ever seen so many people in one place that felt incredibly happy to be alive and living in the moment? That’s what Soldier Field contained. It was a gigantic stadium filled with great joy that weaved in and out of the seats, the floor, the walkways, and spilled out into the lot, to Shakedown and beyond. Smiles were everywhere, including Soldier Field staff, security and police. The magical happiness was contagious throughout the city, including hotels, restaurants, and bars. What other band can create a ripple effect felt far beyond the reaches of the stage?

As for Sunday’s closer, they held nothing back for the final performance. For the three shows, it appeared that Friday’s opener was designed to help fans release all that pent up energy they’ve been holding onto for months. Saturday’s show was a breather, a time to relax and take in the moment. Sunday’s show was the icing on the cake, the big bang, the epic show fans have been waiting for. All the big songs came out to play.

Trey Anastasio and Bruce Hornsby gave an incredible vocal performance with the opener of “China Cat Sunflower,” a song not often played at the starting position of a show, though maintained its familiarity by properly sliding right into “I Know You Rider.” A crowd favorite, “Estimated Prophet,” and one that has been eagerly anticipated, made an early appearance on the setlist. When the first notes of “Estimated” dropped, the stadium went absolutely insane. Everyone was on their feet jumping up and down, with arms in the air and ecstatic cheers of joy expressed aloud. “Built to Last,” from the Grateful Dead’s last studio album, came right onto the set and reminded fans that their music is timeless. “Samson and Delilah,” another heavy fan favorite showed up before going into an unforgettable, tear filled “Mountains of the Moon.” “Throwing Stones” had fans stomping their feet, creating a thunderous pounding throughout the stadium. It was an incredible way to close the first set on such an intense high.

During set break, a surprise fireworks display was set off to the delight of attendees. There were two nights of fireworks in a row? Again, this show was unstoppable with huge surprises in store. No one wanted the evening to end.

After a 45 minute set break, followed by a long trippy jam session to open, the second repeat of the five show run came into play with “Truckin’,” which made its original appearance in Santa Clara to open the first set of the first performance. How appropriate to have such a dynamic song materialize, once again, during the last set of the last show. Fans went crazy. The energy continued as they grooved into “Cassidy,” a tune that guaranteed everyone was jumping up and down, dancing their asses off; set two was on fire. “Althea,” a song many thought may open the show, finally emerged with Anastasio on vocals. This cruised right into the big one everyone had been waiting on.

Credit: Jay Blakesberg

The song that every single person wanted to hear, whether they were in the stadium, listening in their car, or watching on the webcast, finally came out to play. “Terrapin Station” crawled onto the stage and sat there to the thrill of thousands who have been patiently waiting to hear the notes begin. Teases of this tune were hinted at throughout the weekend and to everyone’s delight, finally came to light. Everyone went into a wild frenzy as this mystical melody filled the air. Not surprisingly, it seamlessly meshed into “Drums,” with the Rhythm Devils once again giving a performance that blew everyone away. The trancelike rhythms created by the duo included notes created by what’s known as “The Beam,” an 8-foot instrument that is strung with 13 bass piano strings all tuned to the note of D. Ghost-like sounds danced from the strings when Mickey Hart strummed this unique instrument. The very last notes of “Drums” included blasts from the locomotive horn, which woke everyone up in the stadium, before a psychedelic “Space” took over.

An incredibly rare performance of “Unbroken Chain” appeared mid-set, having only been performed live by the Grateful Dead 10 times before this evening. The same sequence of “Space>Unbroken Chain” was last performed at the final Grateful Dead show on July 9, 1995 at Soldier Field. Phil Lesh sang the notes to this song beautifully, and many of his emotions picked up, as fans in the audience cried tears of joy to hear this rarity being performed at the last show. Bob Weir then sang “Days Between” exceptionally well before the evening ended with “Not Fade Away.” What a way to end the evening it was indeed. As the performers slowly walked off stage, the Rhythm Devils kept the beat going as the audience belted out the lyrics, “You know our love will not fade away.” Even as the drummers left the stage, the stadium kept the lyrics going. It was only when Lesh walked back on stage to give his donor rap that the audience chant came to an end.

The evening was brought to a close with a double encore performance that included “Touch of Grey” and the final, tender rendition of “Attics of My Life.” Weir performed on an acoustic as Lesh and Anastasio put their instruments down to sing in tandem to this tearful, grasp at the heart performance. The evening ended with Mickey Hart’s very last words to everyone, “Please, be kind.”

Now that it has been a week of decompressing and digesting what was witnessed last weekend, many fans are finding it difficult to transition back into reality. The energy and vibe felt by all wants to be held onto forever. Something magical happened last weekend in Chicago. There’s no denying it. The feeling of euphoria still lingers with the phantom brush of wristbands still wrapped on an arm, the desire to check the Ticketmaster app for one more ticket drop, and that feeling of wanting to blurt out, “Anyone have extras?” What a long, strange trip it’s been, but this is not the end of a legacy; it’s just the beginning and there are so many roads left to explore. Until then, fare thee well…

Set 1: China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Estimated Prophet, Built To Last, Samson & Delilah, Mountains Of The Moon > Throwing Stones

Set 2: Truckin’, Cassidy, Althea, Terrapin Station > Drums > Space > Unbroken Chain, Days Between > Not Fade Away

Encore: Touch Of Grey

Encore 2: Attics Of My Life

July 12, 2015
Fare Thee Well Celebrates July 4th with Fireworks and Empire State Building light show

The Grateful Dead is an iconic piece of American musical history. It could not have been more fitting to have their second show of the three-night run on the 4th of July in Chicago. The evening opened appropriately with “Shakedown Street”, which was loaded with extended jams. “Liberty” followed, fitting perfectly in tandem with the holiday theme. Bob Weir had strong vocals while the band gracefully provided a flawless backing.

Trey Anastasio delivered a tender “Standing on the Moon” before the band picked things up again with “Me and My Uncle.” The band strolled into a lazy “Tennessee Jed.” There was a relaxed vibe in the air and the band was super tight. “Little Red Rooster” slowed things down before closing the set with “Friend of the Devil” and an energy packed “Deal.”

©Jay Blakesberg

After an hour long break, set two opened with a fifteen minute “Bird Song.” The energy took off with the classic “Golden Road.” The crowd went crazy with their dancing shoes. No matter where fans were in the stadium, from the pit to behind the stage, the suites, or the very top row, people were enjoying the show full of energy and bone shaking vibes.

Mickey Hart donned a sailor cap during the gentle “Lost Sailor” but then removed it before heading into an energetic “Saint of Circumstance”. “West LA Fadeaway” fully came onto the set, as they were dropping teases of this tune the previous night.

Once again, the Rhythm Devils blew the crowd away with a mind blowing “Drums.” The huge screens at Soldier Field pulsed with flashes of colorful swirls and psychedelic images as the duo created otherworldly sounds. It felt like thunder throbbing through the stadium as they pounded on the giant drums before moving into a trippy “Space.”

The set ended with a heartfelt “Stella Blue” before finishing with the appropriately placed “One More Saturday Night.” With two nights of dancing in a row, this song had the crowd jumping out of their seats and dancing their asses off.

The show closed with a hot “U.S. Blues”. Anything other than this song to end the night would have been a wrong choice. Images of the Empire State Building were shown on the giant screens. It was later learned that a light show was created in honor of the band and set to the arrangement of “U.S. Blues.” The show ended on a glorious note with incredible fireworks going off over the stadium for all to enjoy in honor of the 4th of July.

Set 1: Shakedown Street, Liberty, Standing on the Moon, Me and My Uncle, Tennessee Jed, Cumberland Blues, Little Red, Rooster, Friend of the Devil>Deal

Set 2: Bird Song, Golden Road, Lost Sailor>Saint of Circumstance, West LA Fadeaway, Foolish Heart, Drums>Space, Stella Blue, One More Saturday Night

Encore: U.S. Blues

July 5, 2015
Fare Thee Well Opens in Chicago on High Note

Chicago has turned into Deadheadland.

Fans have descended upon the city from all over the world to see the last three performances from the “core four” members of the Grateful Dead. Since Jerry Garcia’s death, the band stopped playing as a unit and have branched off into other directions. The 50th Fare Thee Well opened with two performances in Santa Clara last weekend and those shows paled in comparison to last night’s three-day run opener.

After a few minutes of the band noodling around, the show opened with Phil Lesh singing “Box of Rain.” The evening took off from there. The energy in Soldier Field was off the charts. Fans have been waiting for these performances since the announcement of the run earlier this year. Trying to get tickets put many on emotional roller coasters, as they were in high demand and extremely hard to find. The first note that dropped finally released all that pent up anticipated energy from the crowd.

The band grooved right into “Jack Straw” followed by a surprisingly early appearance of “Bertha.” Trey Anastasio took the lead on vocals and nailed it, as the crowd went into a dancing frenzy. The notes rolled right into “Passenger” followed by an improvisational extended jam of “Wheel>Crazy Fingers.” The first set ended on an appropriate note with Bob Weir on vocals to “The Music Never Stopped.”

After an hour-long set break, second set opened with “Mason’s Children” followed by the powerhouse fan favorite duo of “Scarlet Begonias>Fire on the Mountain.” When “Drums” pops its head, many make a beeline for the bathroom, however, this psychedelic version had many running back to their seats. The Rhythm Devils really pulled out all the stops for this arrangement. Words can’t describe how blown away the crowd was when this flowed onto the set.

Second set was heavy with fan-favorite jams, including “Playing in the Band” and teases of “West LA Fadeaway.” The set closed with an impressive “Help on the Way>Slipknot>Franklin’s Tower.” Encore of “Ripple” had fans shedding tears of joy across the stadium. Night one was just the beginning, but the three day run is off to a incredible start.

Set One: Box Of Rain, Jack Straw, Bertha > Passenger, The Wheel > Crazy Fingers > The Music Never Stopped

Set Two: Mason’s Children, Scarlet Begonias > Fire On The Mountain, Drums > Space > New Potato Caboose, Playing In The Band > Let It Grow, Help On The Way > Slipknot! > Franklin’s Tower

Encore: Ripple

July 4, 2015
Colorful Fare Thee Well Kicks off in Style

It has been 20 years since the Grateful Dead last performed on stage together. Upon the passing of Jerry Garcia, the band’s lead guitarist, in 1995, an era abruptly ended. Since the band’s announcement of its Fare Thee Well 50th reunion shows over the Fourth of July weekend in Chicago earlier this year, fans have been counting the days to see them give their last performances. However, due to the overwhelming ticket demand, two shows at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Ca., were added. Those two performances occurred this past weekend, and what a weekend it was.

It has been a long strange trip building up to these performances. Fans had to endure a wild ride just to get tickets, along with a frenzied scramble to book hotels and air fare that weren’t astronomical. These shows have not only been incredibly emotional, up to the point of the first note dropping, but they have also brought the Grateful Dead community, as a whole, back together. Strangers helping strangers just to get them in the door has been a consistent theme across all Grateful Dead fan sites on the internet.

Beginning on Saturday, June 27, 2015, original members Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, and Mickey Hart were joined onstage with special guests Bruce Hornsby, Jeff Chimenti and Trey Anastasio. It was anyone’s guess as to what song would open up the five-show run. To the delight of many, it opened with two heavy fan favorites, “Truckin’ ,” followed by “Uncle John’s Band.” A brief jam on “The Other One” opened the show. The evening completely surrounded the early years with songs that dated back to the late 1960’s and early ‘70’s.

As the band wound around their early beginnings, Phish frontman Trey Anastasio presented his first solo experience to the crowd during a 20-minute “Viola Lee Blues.” A hot topic of conversation with Grateful Dead and Phish fans alike, many were skeptical if Anastasio could fill Jerry Garcia’s shoes in an honorable way. He appeared to hold back during the first set while trying to find his groove, though without a doubt, he showed his stuff and melded gracefully into the vibe of the evening. The first set came to a close with a delightfully surprising rainbow over the stadium, as if it was a smile from Garcia in heaven to the crowd below.

Second set opened with a hesitant start, as band members were still working out the kinks and finding their footing. Fans were also treated early on in the set to fireworks that were being set off in nearby Great America Park. With a slower start to the set, the energy built right up as they jammed into “St. Stephen.” The second set blasted info full energy mode as the band finally tightened up and found their groove. The improvised “Space” crept in, showing off the percussive talents of the Rhythm Devils, Kreutzmann and Hart. The evening ended with an encore performance of “Casey Jones,” with Hornsby on vocals. Before leaving the stage, Kreutzmann indicated the rainbow earlier in the evening was in honor of the Supreme Court decision passed to legalize gay marriage in all 50 states. If the rainbow was fake or real is anyone’s guess. Either way, it was beautiful.

Set One:

Truckin’, Uncle John’s Band, Alligator > Cumberland Blues, Born Cross-Eyed > Cream Puff War, Viola Lee Blues

Set Two:

Cryptical Envelopment > Dark Star > St. Stephen > William Tell Bridge > The Eleven > Turn On Your Love Light > Drums > What’s Become of the Baby > Space > The Other One > Morning Dew

Encore:

Casey Jones

As jam band fans like to say, never miss a Sunday show. The second performance of the run did not disappoint the packed stadium. After a bumpy start, the band fell into a fluid groove. Sunday June 28th’s performance was more of a greatest hits for the hometown crowd. A well-placed classic opener, “Feel Like a Stranger” started the first set with Weir on vocals. The piano and keyboard sound mix was vastly improved from the night before, where, at times, you had to strain to hear those instruments. The band was much more in synch this evening, as they strolled through “New Minglewood Blues” into “Brown Eyed Women.” Hornsby, once again, showcased his vocal talents on “Loser,” a favorite that many fans hope is repeated in Chicago.

Anastasio took the lead vocal position on “Alabama Getaway.” He visibly appeared increasingly comfortable on stage. Chimenti jammed right along by tapping his fingers with ease on the organ to pump out that deep sound. The almost two-hour first set closed with “Hell In a Bucket,” with Anastasio, once again, surprising the crowd with a high energy, get your bones jumping up and down, guitar solo. The set came to a close with Weir’s infamous “we’ll be back in just a few minutes,” before the group walked off stage for set break.

Second set opened strong with “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo.” It was chock full of extensive, improvised jams before seamlessly transitioning into “Wharf Rat.” Not a dry eye was to be seen when “He’s Gone” showed up on the set. Even Weir appeared to have a moment as he was singing the lyrics to a song that most fans relate to the death of Jerry Garcia. “He’s gone. Nothing’s gonna bring him back.”

The Rhythm Devils once again showed their creative, improvisational percussion skills with “Drums” as the rest of the band took a break from the show. This time around they had a guest join in, with Sikiru Adepoju, a percussionist and recording artist from Nigeria, on the talking drum.

Another big fan favorite, “Sugar Magnolia,” rounded out the second set and the weekend closed with an encore of “Brokedown Palace.” If these shows are any indication of what’s to come in Chicago, fans are in for a spectacular Fourth of July weekend chock full of hidden gems and long winding intricate jams. What a way to kick off the reunion tour.

Set One:

Feel Like A Stranger, New Minglewood Blues, Brown-Eyed Women, Loose Lucy, Loser, Row Jimmy, Alabama Getaway, Black Peter, Hell In A Bucket

Set Two:

Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodleloo > Wharf Rat > Eyes of the World > He’s Gone > *Drums/Space > I Need A Miracle > Death Don’t Have No Mercy > Sugar Magnolia

Encore:

Brokedown Palace

June 30, 2015
Searching for Solace as Dead Letter Blues Set In

The Grateful Dead reunion shows were announced back in January and since have created nothing but an insurmountable volume of rumors, drama, stress and high anxiety with fans around the world. Three days in Chicago were planned. Just three days. The 50th reunion of the joyful music that the Grateful Dead brought to millions of people has been foreshadowed by the snowball effect of events that have evolved since the announcement. For those who aren’t remotely interested in these shows – they have no idea what people are going through. What has this event created? Let’s break it down.

Upon the announcement, hotel rooms and flights to Chicago were immediately booked. Some fans booked several different rooms at various hotels as a back up plan to help out friends and strangers in need – who may not have even decided if they were going yet. Price gouging? Damn well better believe it. Hotels that were $200 or less before the announcement suddenly shot up to $500 or more a night. Threads popped up all over the internet discussing rooms, planes, trains, road trips, you name it. At this point, ticket prices had not even been released yet. At least this situation could be worked out in time. The shows aren’t until July, right? No big whoop. At least people are working on their scheduled time off. That’s a start.

The next order of business was the announcement of the mail order fiasco. To those who have no idea what is meant by mail order, let me explain. Directions were indicated to send in an envelope with money orders requesting what days you would like for the shows in Chicago. To be clear, these directions were VERY SPECIFIC. Money orders had to have EXACT AMOUNTS. Exact directions needed to be followed to even get a shot at a ticket. Fan art on envelopes were created in hopes of scoring the free golden ticket into the show. The art work of magnificently designed envelopes starting popping up all over the internet. However, the highs of getting a ticket through mail order were quickly dashed upon the realization that requests may be up against hundreds of thousands of other envelopes. This is where the drama, and the waiting, began.

News of the Dead letter office in California receiving a record amount of envelopes started surfacing. People were scrounging news stories and internet postings to see if their designed envelopes were in a photo. However, this is also where reality started setting in. Not a recycled envelope? Whoops! You put the requested dates on the wrong side? Into the decline pile you go. Off by fifty cents on your money order? NEXT! Envelopes were dropped in the post office slots only for certain fans to realize the mistakes they initially made, which soon was followed by the dread of not having a shot at tickets. Well, there’s always round two with Ticketmaster, right?

The first confirmed decline letter was posted on the internet. The almighty hated “pink slip” of declination surfaced, and some were even auctioning them off on e-bay as souvenirs. The anxiety of, “did I get a ticket?” soon followed. The misery of checking the mail box began. The stress of finding a “thanks for playing” letter slowly started building immense tension with fans. Meanwhile, VIP and travel packages were posted on the internet, with prices and sale dates, which were scheduled to be up for sale prior to the public sale on Ticketmaster. Almost $2 grand for a VIP package? Holy hell. Who has that kind of money? There are only three shows, after all. Meanwhile, the pink slips started creeping in with more and more fans. The anger and drama of “how can this be?? I have NEVER been denied a mail order!” starting being thrown across the internet.

With an unforeseen amount of envelopes that were sent in, the initial sale dates had to be pushed back. Now fans were really getting on edge. What if prices change? What happened to the VIP package that was cheaper? The shows were now creating a multitude of soap opera quality drama for the ages. Meanwhile, those dreaded pink slips continued to pour in. When will fans find out if they’ve received tickets?? Why is there little communication? WHAT’S GOING ON????? AAAAHHHH!!! People were ready to pull their hair out.

The updated sale dates were released and fans who were still in limbo upon hearing if their mail orders were accepted or rejected were starting to get angry. Why had they not heard? One week led to two days which led to one day before the sale with still no word. With fans’ money tied up in money orders, what should they do? The confusion upon getting tickets, and the anger at not having heard from the Dead letter office created havoc and panic. Who the hell was running this anyway? The lack of communication and poor planning set in motion a wave of anger and criticism towards the shows. This is not what the Grateful Dead is all about. It was turning into a money hungry fiasco. Panic was running amok across the world.

The first online sale was for VIP and Travel packages. Now the true scramble for tickets, any tickets, began. Some got lucky, some didn’t. Even those who did manage to get through on the dreaded Ticketmaster site may have only managed a ticket or two and not enough for friends and family that were hoping to grab some. The Ticketmaster “circle of dread” began. Fans hoping to get a ticket were faced with staring at a screen that just circled and circled and circled in wait. Maybe you got the captcha wrong. Start over! The misery of getting tickets was deepening. The sadness of “maybe I won’t be getting tickets” started to set in. The super expensive tickets were gone in a flash. Some fans managed to get all the way through to the credit card entry and were kicked out. What in the HELL?? Anger, resentment and misery followed suit. There was still another chance tomorrow, right? Tensions started to get higher.

Oh no, what’s this? Stubhub has VIP tickets online? How? These should go to fans, not some money crazed scalper!! Anger started to build again. The wave of misery was in a constant ebb and flow. Well, there’s one more shot with the public sale, right? Alarms were set, phones were shut off, computers were ready to go for the last possible sale, and hope, of scoring tickets. Again, posts began flying across the internet of who should have gotten tickets, who deserved tickets, who felt they were entitled to tickets, and who didn’t get tickets who should have at the last-minute started. The drama was all over the place. It was like a train wreck. People didn’t want to get caught up in it, but couldn’t help themselves. Trying to look away from an internet thread without responding was like trying to pass on a free ticket. People just couldn’t help it because it was becoming very personal. Everyone has their reasons for needing to see these last shows. Everyone wants one last enjoyment with the band and to relive what the Grateful Dead once was. However, it was becoming maddening.

One more shot at tickets was left. The general public sale with Ticketmaster was the last hope for so many. Once they went on sale, the scramble began. Once again, the “circle of dread” fell upon so many computers and phone apps. The high of “I got through!” was quickly followed by “GODDAMNIT, #*@#$”, as the site experienced load difficulties for many as purchases were about to be made. At this point, many fans still had not heard if their money orders were accepted or rejected. Once again, money was tied up and the hope of getting a mail order ticket was fading fast. Tickets were impossible to get. The seats to the side and behind the stage were opened up, which led many to believe they would have a good shot. Those hopes were quickly killed. SONOFA!!!!! The pain of not getting a ticket was too much. Tears, anger, fights with loved ones broke out. The drama had reached an all time high. The stress of getting just one ticket was getting unbearable. People were losing friends due to arguments involving scalpers, and the idea of even buying a ticket from a third-party seller led to frustration. Once again, the wave of anxiety set in.

Now that the ticket sales have come and gone, there’s still hope. Maybe someone ordered too many on Ticketmaster and they will release extras? The constant checking on Ticketmaster has become a ritual. Cashortrade? That’s a hope. However, right now, with resale prices on third-party sites in the thousands, people are starting to give up. Anger and disappointment has set in. The only way fans can control these tickets is by not buying from scalpers. At least that’s the hope. However, everyone knows that if someone has the money, they will go for it because, why not? These are the last three shows. Allegedly.

To all the fans out there – the pain of getting in the building is felt. You are not alone. We are one big Grateful Dead family. Keep the focus of the music alive by helping others out. This is a once in a lifetime event. Try not to get caught up in the negativity that has grown from this. The madness won’t end until the last song is played on stage. Until then, keep the faith and don’t give up. Just try to smile, smile, smile. After all, isn’t that what Jerry would have wanted?

*Editor’s note – at the time of publishing, the Dear Jerry: Celebrating the Music of Jerry Garcia show at Merriweather Post Pavilion in MD on May 14 has also been announced.

March 9, 2015