{"id":182,"date":"2021-02-17T14:30:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-17T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.nysmusic.com\/2021\/2021\/02\/17\/jerry-garcia-band-creates-lake-effect-sound-at-suny-oswego-february-17-1980\/"},"modified":"2021-02-17T14:30:00","modified_gmt":"2021-02-17T14:30:00","slug":"jerry-garcia-band-creates-lake-effect-sound-at-suny-oswego-february-17-1980","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.nysmusic.com\/2021\/2021\/02\/17\/jerry-garcia-band-creates-lake-effect-sound-at-suny-oswego-february-17-1980\/","title":{"rendered":"Flashback: Jerry Garcia Band Creates Lake Effect Sound at SUNY Oswego – February 17, 1980"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is it about Upstate New York Winter’s that make great music artists bring their multi-colored California concepts here to heat things up? Forty-one years ago today, Jerry Garcia Band came to be an act for the Lake Ontario sound at Laker Hall on SUNY Oswego campus February 17, 1980.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A then 37-year old Garcia had his second touring band outside the Grateful Dead since collaborating with Howard Wales on hooteroll<\/a>?. His four piece ensemble consisted of John Kahn on Bass, David Ozzie Ahlers on Keyboards, and Johnny De Fonseca on drums. The band set up atop the cold brick Route 104 venue on the hill, overlooking Lake Ontario, for three hours of music played to around 2,000 people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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They certainly let Jerry’s influences play out in the performance with covers of Allen Toussaint, Marvin Gaye, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Cliff, J.J Cale, The Beatles<\/a>, and his own material with the Grateful Dead<\/a>. Like a typical New York Winter, Syracuse Deadhead Vinny Randazzo remembers the drive to the Oswego show as \u201ccovered in snow and sound.”
The group immediately stretches out for fifteen minutes to start the show on Toussaint’s “I’ll Take A Melody\u201d to let you know \u201cI understand why the old fisherman, sails along, someday he’ll be gone.\u201d Perhaps it was a quick nod to the windy docks of the Great Lake that sat next to all. There’s some devil out there that’s for sure, which launched them into \u201cFriend of the Devil,\u201d a friend Jerry normally plays with. Just three days after Valentine’s Day and three songs into the performance, love for the faithful is shown on \u201cHow Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You).\u201d The band then casts a line out to the crowd at shore, for a muddy version of \u201cCatfish John.”<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jerry Garcia, Laker Hall, SUNY Oswego <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Grateful Dead <\/a>anthem \u201cDeal\u201d comes up next, with Jerry reminding you of tours past: \u201c If I told you all that went down, it would burn off both of your ears!\u201d There is a 4th Street in Oswego, and Jerry covers the waterside corner during his take on Dylan\u2019s \u201cPositively 4th St\u201d singing, ” You see me on the street, you always act surprised, you say “How are you?,” “Good Luck” But you don’t mean it.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They close the set with a rockabilly tribute to Elvis for \u201cThat’s Alright Mama.\u201d Yea, that first set was more than alright for all in attendance… “any way you do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lake Ontario Winter Melody: “The Sky was Grey with a Spec of Blue, Peek through a Hole in the Clouds, The Sun was Screaming “Hey You!” <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After the set break, Elvis had not left the building. The quartet kicked off with the King’s version of \u201cMoney Honey,\u201d that got everyone in GA hound-dogging back on the floor. During the set break the crowd certainly felt like they had been \u201cSitting Here in Limbo,\u201d which is what the band dropped next. David Ozzie Ahlers brings you to Jimmy Cliff’s islands with a two part keyboard solo. Jerry reflects on an American working day for the the next track “Later in the evening when the sun is sinking low, all day I’ve Been waiting for the Whistle to Blow” on \u201cLet It Rock.” Garcia lights up his delta licks on this Chuck Berry classic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Up next is one of the greatest live improvisational segue ways in rock and roll history. On the famous tape you might recognize the \u201cAfter Midnight —> Eleanor Rigby Jam—>After Midnight\u201d jam that was only played in the beginning of that decade. This is one of Senor Garcia’s sweetest unplanned moments to be captured. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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