Tag: gd50

2015: The Year Trey Anastasio Came Full Circle

Heading into 2015, Trey Anastasio had 32 years of accomplishments on his rock and roll resume. Fronting the most successful touring band of the last 20 years, Anastasio really had nothing to prove to fans and naysayers alike, yet Big Red barreled forth into possibly the most demanding year of his life.

Fresh off a well-received New Year’s run in Miami with Phish, Anastasio didn’t take any time off, as a letter from Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh had requested the then-50-year-old step in to handle the role this scene was built upon: Playing lead guitar at a string of concerts celebrating the Dead’s 50th anniversary, essentially filling the shoes of a guy named Jerry Garcia.

The Grateful Dead formed a massive traveling family built around improvisational music and the most dedicated fans on earth from 1965 until the band’s final show at Soldier Field in Chicago on July 9, 1995. Garcia would pass away one month later, and the Dead would go on in various incarnations since.

While the Dead were ruling the hippie world, Phish was honing their craft, relentlessly playing the bar scene in Vermont, before spreading to a Northeast band in the late 1980s. By 1994, Phish had arrived and had a head of steam that just wouldn’t let up. On December 30, 1994, Phish headlined a venue that the Dead made into a second home: Madison Square Garden.

In the clip above, Anastasio commands the biggest stage in music with authority, head held high, strutting around and picking his Languedoc while brandishing a huge grin. After more than a decade of incessant honing of their craft, Phish — undoubtedly Anastasio’s band at the time — had arrived.

There is so much debate about which year of Phish is “best” among the fan base, and the correct answer is that there isn’t a wrong answer. Phish fans cannot be objective, since the band and its catalog are highly subjective. Experiencing Phish is a purely personal thing. That’s why there is endless internet discussion on everything the band has ever done.

I would argue that 1995 was the most transitional year in the band’s history, as it signaled a full shift from playing medium-sized theaters to headlining the biggest venues in the country on a consistent basis. Their sound, and notably Anastasio’s, shifted for the bigger rooms and sheds.

Then, in the summer, Garcia passed away, leaving an asteroid-sized hole in rock music. The Deadheads that planned their lives around when their band was touring suddenly had nothing to look forward to. Every music critic, journalist, writer and pundit have argued every angle since, some saying Phish only got so big because the Dead went away, others saying their fresh sound gave birth to a new generation of fans.

Whatever the case, the two bands were completely different in every way aside from the ethos of what they did: The live show is why both groups have their respective followings. Outside of that, Phish and the Dead couldn’t be more different, but I will let you all continue that discussion.

For the remainder of the 1990s, Phish was the biggest band in America that nobody knew. Anastasio was a guitar god, with his ability to play complex songs without error or hesitation. In 1999, Lesh returned to the stage after some health issues in San Francisco with a band that included Anastasio on guitar and Page McConnell on keyboards. The three shows performed are some of the most highly regarded post-Jerry Dead music, and for good reason. Everyone was in fine form and the music felt inspired and not stale.

Skip to 2000, and the rigors of the road had burned the band out. Anastasio has admitted that the backstage party that was once an intimate setting for Phish in the early years had become an out-of-control animal. Often erratic playing by the band, which in a band like Phish is highly amplified when its leader flubs a composed section of a song he has nailed hundreds of times, led fans to speculate on the guitarist’s health and state of mind.

The final two shows before the break were at Shoreline Amphitheater in California. The first night featured a sit-in by Bob Weir for takes on “Chalk Dust Torture,” “West L.A. Fadeaway” and “El Paso.”

The Dark Days?

Following a 15-month break, Phish returned for a triumphant 2003. The next year, however, spelled doom for the band, as Anastasio announced in a letter on Phish.com that the band “had run its course” and they were breaking up after the Coventry Festival in August, 2004.

Anastasio looked and sounded like a man who needed a break. The guy who used to practice hours every day appeared to be uninspired, aside from a few magical moments, in 2004.

It was an up-and-down 2006 for Anastasio, who formed a group with Mike Gordon, Marco Benevento and Joe Russo, and co-headlined a summer tour with Phil and Friends. Many of those shows featured Anastasio sitting in with Lesh, and speaking as someone who saw the majority of them, I can say it was magical. My favorite guitarist playing my favorite songs was the highlight of my music-going life.

Later that year, in December, Anastasio was pulled over in Whitehall, N.Y., and arrested for possessing prescription drugs including painkillers. Fans’ worst fears were validated: Anastasio wasn’t doing well.

I will call that the turning point, because since then, Anastasio hasn’t missed a beat. He successfully completed Drug Court and stayed out of the public eye for a while. Fans wondered if Anastasio would come back, and if so, how would he be? A healthy Anastasio, though, was all we really wanted.

Then, BAM. October 20, 2007 happened, at the Glens Falls Civic Center in Glens Falls, N.Y., just a few minutes from where his arrest happened. Phil and Friends had a show that night. I just had a deep feeling that we would see Anastasio that night, in one way or another. All of my friends told me I was nuts, that he wasn’t playing with Lesh that night. I was convinced, and to this day, it is one of the only concerts I went in as early as I could.

As I ran down the steps of the bowl, I could see a familiar sight directly in front of me: Anastasio’s unmistakable Languedoc sitting on its stand in the middle of the stage. Throughout the night, Anastasio and Lesh were all smiles, tearing through favorites such as “Help on the Way>Slipknot!>Franklin’s Tower,” “Bertha” and a magnificent “Unbroken Chain.”

That was when I became convinced not only that Phish would one day return, but that Anastasio was a different person. He looked relaxed on stage, he had an enlightened look on his face and he was simply happy to be doing what he was born to do.

The Rebirth

In 2008, Phish announced they were playing three shows in Hampton, Va., in early March, 2009, nearly five years after Coventry. The subsequent seven years have been thoroughly documented and Phish has played better and better with each passing tour.

In 2013, the band broke their Halloween tradition by performing their new album in its entirety instead of choosing a classic record to cover. Last year, they took creativity to another level with Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House.

When it was announced early this year that Anastasio would be playing guitar with the Dead in Santa Clara and Chicago, I was among the absolutely elated. Others were skeptical, and a six-month internet board argument ensued between those who thought he was the right choice, and those who didn’t want him there.

Anastasio entered what he called Dead Camp, where he basically dropped everything he was working on and spent months learning the ways of the Grateful Dead (even though he had years of experience under his belt.) He told veteran journalist David Fricke, in an interview for Relix Magazine, that he basically set out to help the Dead, a band he envied so much growing up, be happy.

With all eyes on him heading into the Santa Clara shows, Anastasio hit a grand slam. His tone, which he spent so much time working on, was immaculate and Jerry-like, but you still couldn’t mistake it for anyone but Anastasio.

It didn’t take long at all until Deadheads were clamoring to the idea that Anastasio was, hands down, the only person to play Garcia’s parts for these shows.

The Chicago run was even more magical, as Anastasio stepped to the lead for a majority of the jams and was the driving force behind, and connective tissue of the band onstage. For me, Anastasio singing “Standing on the Moon” and “Althea” were the highlights, along with his reinvigorated guitar playing.

“I just loved it, absolutely loved it. All this planning and rehearsing, back and forth, tempos and all this shit, arguing about where you’re going to set up, and we walked onstage, and then it was the Grateful Dead. It was amazing. I was freaking out. I loved it.”

— Anastasio, Relix Magazine, October/November 2015

The five GD50 shows did something special to Anastasio. On July 21, in Bend, Ore., Phish opened their tour and Anastasio immediately turned heads. His guitar playing had something that seemed to be lacking in previous years. He wasn’t taking a backseat the majority of the time; he was back to leading his band, with those fun microbursts of notes and flurries of scales that had propelled him to Guitar God many years prior.

“When Trey is leading on guitar, that is when we are at our best.”

— Page McConnell, Relix Magazine, October/November 2015

He even wrote a handful of new songs that Phish would go on to perform (Mike Gordon gave NYSMusic a little preview back in July), songs like “Blaze On,” “No Men in No Man’s Land,” “Shade” and “Mercury,” among others, that have already become fan favorites and jam vehicles.

This 2015 Summer Tour was the best Phish has sounded in a very long time and you can thank Anastasio for that. At the Mann Center for the Performing Arts on August 12, Phish played one of its best sets in years, with highly notable versions of “NMINML,” “Twist” and “Bathtub Gin,” as well as a personal favorite bustout of “Scents and Subtle Sounds.”

In the Relix article, Anastasio even references that show as being a highlight of the summer, saying how free-flowing and easy-going of a set it was.

Then, Magnaball. Phish’s 10th festival is already highly regarded among fans. Tickets sold out in advance. There was a serious buzz in the community. The band, and Anastasio, delivered one of the most memorable weekends of my life. For an idea of just how great Anastasio has been, take a listen to the “Run Like an Antelope” from Magnaball. It’s a throwback to the mid-90s, and Anastasio rips his guitar to shreds while building to a manic peak that I cannot get enough of.

Vintage Trey, if you will.

That’s a pretty successful year, right? Anastasio isn’t done, as he’s about to embark on a tour in support of his new album, Paper Wheels, with the Trey Anastasio Band this weekend.

This year isn’t over, but it’s already Anastasio’s most successful. Thirty-two years ago, he and some guys in a band called Phish were playing Grateful Dead covers in the basement of some building on the University of Vermont campus at an ROTC dance.

In 2015, Anastasio was the leader of the Grateful Dead for five nights in front of millions of fans.

In 2015, Anastasio led Phish on one of their best tours in years.

In 2015, Anastasio came full circle.

October 27, 2015
Bob Weir Hints at More Performances with Fare Thee Well Lineup

With Dead & Company hitting the road later this month, starting at The Times Union Center in Albany, Bob Weir shed some light on the the upcoming tour as well as the potential for more shows with the Fare Thee Well “Core Four” in the future.

Weir had high praise for John Mayer, filling in for lead guitar with this modified FTW lineup. “John’s enthusiasm for this is amazing — I couldn’t believe it. He learned the songs, has great enthusiasm, and he’s a great guitar player. So he fits in perfectly.” Mayer addressed his role in a humble manner, referring to his role by saying, “I don’t feel the pressure, but I would say I feel a responsibility.”

For those looking to see the Core Four perform together again, Weir offered hope to Deadheads hoping for more shows with bassist Phil Lesh. “Phil doesn’t want to hit the road. He’s 75 now. It’s kind of not an option for him, the way he puts it. And so, you know, that’s still where we are; that’s still where we’re going to live, at least I am. And so, if we’re going to see him, we’re going to see him around here or around someplace where he is.”

Suffice it to say, if there were to be shows, they would be similar to the two and three-day events held in Santa Clara, California, and Chicago this past summer, and not a full-blown tour.

October 11, 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
NYSMuse: A Conversational Review of Dear Jerry

A few of us from NYS Music made it to the Dear Jerry show at Merriweather Post Pavilion on May 14, mostly for the fun of attending an outdoor show early in the season and celebrate the music of the Grateful Dead. Afterward we couldn’t help but discuss the show and found we had several similar and differing thoughts. Even though we went without intending to review the show, we thought it would be a different twist to bring you some of our back-and-forth thoughts.

Set 1: The Wheel, Uncle John’s Band, Standing On The Moon, Liberty (Communion featuring Phil Lesh), Get Out My Life Woman (Allen Toussaint with Bill Kreutzmann), Shady Grove (David Grisman & Sam Bush), I’m a Roadrunner (Peter Frampton with Bill Kreutzmann), Deal (Buddy Miller), Sugaree (Jorma Kaukonen with Barry Mitterhoff), The Harder They Come (Jimmy Cliff), Attics Of My Life (Jimmy Cliff with Bob Weir and Mickey Hart *One verse, acapella), Fire On The Mountain (Jimmy Cliff with Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, and Dave Schools)

Set 2: Help On The Way> Slipknot!> Franklin’s Tower (Billy & The Kids), Scarlet Begonias> I Know You Rider (Disco Biscuits with Bill Kreutzmann & Tom Hamilton), Loser (moe. Chuck on vox), St. Stephen (O.A.R), Not Fade Away > Bertha (Los Lobos with Bob Weir), Brown Eyed Women (Trampled By Turtles), Shakedown St (YMSB), Days Between (Bob Weir), Friend of the Devil (Grace Potter with Bob Weir, and Matt Burr), Tennessee Jed (Eric Church with Bill Kreutzmann, and Mickey Hart), Morning Dew (Widespread), Touch of Grey (Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann & Mickey Hart), Ripple (almost all of the evening’s performers & the crowd)

Steve Malinski: Mickey and Bill were part of the last few songs too, right?

Graig Adler: Yeah. Bill was also in the house band as well as Dave Schools.

SM: I didn’t have the greatest of starts to the show — thanks to DC traffic I was delayed getting there from Alexandria and didn’t arrive until “Shady Grove.” I didn’t know who was on because I couldn’t see more than some of the crowd from the gate but knew pretty quick from the mandolin that it was Grisman. It was a good first song to hear after the hassle of getting to Merriweather. I’ve always loved the Garcia/Grisman collaborations.

SM: There were several times I was pleased with the performances and interpretations; obviously there were some better than others and one in particular that ranked lowest. But overall I wasn’t as impressed, as my expectations were high for the show. Some groups did a couple of Dead tunes and others did just one, which was cool, no big deal. The flow of the show was a bit jagged and staggered logistically, so there was a bit of down time which for me dampened the vibes a little bit. More continuity would have made the experience better, in my opinion.

GA: Yes, it was impossible to get in a groove. But will make for one fine $29.99 DVD, lots of professional recording equipment on stage. Biggest surprise of the night was how good O.A.R. was and how good The Disco Biscuits would be if they stopped playing that crappy jamtronica.

SM: I thought Disco Biscuits had a pretty good groove going, especially with adding their own style jam in the middle. Billy and the Kids too. I think what made their sets stand out is they did more than one song and had the opportunity to loosen up and bloom a bit on the Dead tunes.

GA: Also, Bill Kreutzmann on drums and Tommy Hamilton on stage — two guys who play dead tunes for a living.

SM: O.A.R.: It was cool to hear the island vibes from the song but they had a shaky start with the opening riffs and that set the tone for me. It wasn’t bad, but not my favorite of the night. I did enjoy the one O.A.R. show I had seen before outside of that though. I really enjoyed the refreshing arrangements by Trampled by Turtles and Yonder Mountain String Band playing stripped-down Dead. YMSB’s version of “Shakedown Street” had everyone’s attention.

GA: O.A.R., I thought they sounded great. His mic wasn’t turned on to start the song.

SM: It was tough to notice that in the wash of the crowd where I was. I don’t recall seeing Phil Lesh on stage throughout the night. Was he there at all? It would’ve been awesome to see them all play together, especially since I just missed getting a Dead 50 ticket.

GA: Communion (Phil Lesh, Stu Allen, Grahame Lesh, Ross James, Alex Koford and Jason Crosby) played the first four songs.

SM: I’m sad I missed Phil. I heard people mention him in passing and I hadn’t realized he was on the bill.

GA: It seems he still doesn’t want to play with these guys. Which is concerning for Dead 50. He really only seems to play Terrapin and Shapiro events these days.

SM: I do hope Phil settles his differences or whatever is going on for Chicago. I’m sure no one — the fans or the band — want to see the farewell shows dampened by differences.

GA: Audley Freed and Buddy Miller were also in the house band.

SM: The house band was pretty solid. Unfortunately, I couldn’t see the stage well so it was tough from the projector to keep track of who was up there except for the announcements of the guest artist for a particular song.

SM: For me, the end of the show made up for what I missed at the start. It was a bit emotional and a tear-jerker. “Ripple” is one of those pretty songs to begin with. Now add a slide show with images of Jerry along with the song’s lyrics to encourage a 19,000-Dead Head sing-along. This was probably the best way to end the show, with something that rings out.

GA: I’m surprised that nobody mentioned that the house band drummer for the show was Raymond Weber, the legendary funky NOLA drummer and former member of Dumpstaphunk. He’s SOLID! There was a very funny exchange involving him in an episode of Treme that went like this: Bass player Cornell Williams asks with surprise, “I know you didn’t just tell Raymond Weber that he dropped the beat, did you?” “Yeah, I did,” Antoine replies. “Ray, when was the last fucking time you dropped the beat?” Williams asks. “Me? ’83,” Weber responds.

May 20, 2015
Initial Lineup Announced for PhanArt Presents: ‘In All Good Company’ Chicago July Fourth Weekend

Whether or not you have a ticket for one of the Grateful Dead’s Fare Thee Well shows at Soldier Field -Chicago will be the place to be 4th of July weekend. The windy city will host dozens of after shows and one very special art event. Part of the mix for the Dead Head invasion of Chicago is “PhanArt Presents: In All Good Company, Celebrating 50 Years of Grateful Art.” The one-of-a-kind free art show will take place Friday, July 3 through Sunday, July 5 2015 from 12pm-6pm daily at the Congress Plaza Hotel in Chicago, IL – only a mile from Soldier Field.

Exhibited art includes limited edition posters, clothing, pins, tye-dyes, books, photography and other unique Grateful Dead inspired art from a variety of vendors and artists. Musical performances from Chicago bands Jack Straw and Under the Willow will compliment the artists throughout the art exhibition.

The lineup of artists and exhibitors for “In All Good Company” so far includes:

John Warner Art
Phil Kutno
Richard Biffle
Rhoney Stanley
Tye-Dye by Courtenay Pollock
Uncle John’s Outfitters
Tripps Prints
Kingpin Designs Good Thoughts Printing
Not Fade Away Artwork
Michael Boyer
Dr. Wookles
Serlo Studios
Pin Me Down Dead Images by Robbi Cohn
Heady Teddy’s Outfitters
Erin Cadigan
The Shakedown Shop
Andrew Bryant
Pinsanity
Get Shit Done
Scott Harris Photo
Eden’s Rose Foundation
Grateful Girls Scarves
Zenster

May 20, 2015
The Music Never Stopped GD50 Pre/Post shows announced

An impressive group of musicians will play a group of pre- and post-party shows in Chicago billed as The Music Never Stopped to complement the Grateful Dead Fare the Well GD50 reunion run.

The Music Never Stopped run kicks off Thursday, July 2, with shows at different venues by Thievery Corporation with special guests yet to be announced, Gene Ween with special guests Mariachi El Bronx, and a Rex Foundation benefit called High Steppin’ Into Town featuring Greensky Bluegrass, Keller Williams’ Grateful Grass and the Infamous Stringdusters.

On Friday, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe will start at 10 p.m., and Edwarde Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros will perform at another venue from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Saturday, the Fourth of July, Railroad Earth will start a show at 11 p.m., and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros will again play another venue with an 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. show.

Sunday is the big culmination with the Fiyawrapper All Star Jam starting at 11 p.m. This group features Jennifer Hartswick of the Trey Anastasio Band as musical director and will include two other TAB musicians plus members of the Allman Brothers Band, Soulive/Lettuce, the Revivalists, Big Gigantic, Snarky Puppy and Break Science/Pretty Lights.

Silver Wrapper, a group of Chicago-based independent promoters, assembled the shows. Tickets are available via their website.

April 10, 2015
Grateful Dead 50th Anniversary Celebration Continues with Santa Clara Shows Officially Announced

After much speculation we finally have an official announcement about additional shows celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead, with members of the original band. Today’s announcement was for the anticipated shows at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The shows will take place June 27 & 28 and an online ticket request period is underway until Tuesday April 14. For all ticketing information please visit Santa Clara Fare Thee Well.

The line-up for these shows has also been debated among heads for weeks and today we learned that the line-up will include – Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzman and featuring Trey Anastasio, Jeff Chimenti, and Bruce Hornsby.

The core-4 made the announcement on the GD50.net site and personalized it to Deadheads and gave a heartfelt explanation of why they chose to add more shows after announcing originally that the Chicago shows would be the only ones.

Dear Heads,

Although none of us knew it when we walked off the stage at Soldier Field on July 9, 1995, the Grateful Dead’s long strange trip ended in Chicago that night. As you are aware, twenty years later, we’re returning to Chicago to properly say Fare Thee Well.

But every good ending must start with a beginning. For us, it all began fifty years ago when we grabbed a bunch of instruments off the walls of a music store in Palo Alto California and began banging away on them in the back room, at night after the store had closed for the day.

Since we made the decision to go back to Chicago to say our final goodbye, it has become clear to us that we first need to return to our beginnings, where we first said hello — to each other and to all of you.

And so it is that we have decided to plug in for two additional shows on June 27 and 28 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California — just a dozen miles south of where Dana Morgan’s Music Store once stood. At Levi’s — as at Soldier Field — we will have the pleasure of being joined by Trey Anastasio, Bruce Hornsby and Jeff Chimenti.

Ours wasn’t just a long, strange trip — it was a VERY long, VERY strange trip. We weren’t sure what it was going to be like to put a punctuation mark on the end of it. None of us anticipated the overwhelming outpouring of love and interest following our initial announcement of the shows at Soldier Field, and we were blown away by the response.

We have tried to do the right thing wherever we could for the Chicago shows by honoring the roots of where we came from, while dealing with the realities of the current times. But that’s hardly comforting when you’re shit outta luck for tickets and your only option is inflated prices on secondary ticketing websites. That would piss us off too.

From the moment these shows were first talked about, we have been thinking about what we could do to honor the roots of our Deadhead experience, even in the face of changing technologies. (Remember: Ticketmaster didn’t even go online until we got out of the game.) These shows were always intended as an expression of our gratitude, to both the music and the fans, so it’s important that we get things as right as we can.

We have always been proud of our in-house mail order ticketing process, and the phenomenal way our fans have built a tradition out of turning a standard envelope into a frame-worthy piece of art. Some 60,000 mail order tickets were issued for the Soldier Field shows by the good folks at Grateful Dead Ticket Sales — yet we were still crushed to see how many of your beautifully designed envelopes did not get tickets.

For shows of this magnitude, it’s impossible to eliminate every scalper. However, we offer you this: Working with our partners, we are using an online ticketing platform for the Levi’s shows that will help ensure that the tickets for these shows will get into the right hands, the hands of our true fans. We believe that this process is the best way to give each of you an equal opportunity to obtain tickets at the most affordable possible prices. We are are proud to announce that 65,000 tickets per night will be available via the “online mail order” for the Levi’s shows. For the nuts and bolts, go to Dead50.net.

We will not be adding any more Fare Thee Well shows. The three Chicago shows will still be our final stand. We decided to add these two Santa Clara shows to enable more of our fans to celebrate with us one more time. But this is it.

We love you guys more than words can tell, and hope to see you in the Bay Area or Chicago. If you can’t make it to the shows, we are working on ways for you to still experience our Fare Thee Well, from wherever you might be. Stay tuned for those details.

Gratefully yours,

Billy, Bobby, Mickey & Phil

April 10, 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