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Aspen


Tom Banjo

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You guys..... Did that really just happen?!?! Dark star w a deal sparkling out..... Million song 1st set and a second set to send us unable to drive.... So now we r at a cozy spot to celebrate the best tour ever and dream of Boulder family and homecomings.... I love the life we live!! Kiss kiss freaking kiss!!!!

Dime a dozen indeed....

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Not sure I could've done much else but drive. No way I was ready to sleep. Saw a black bear at set break.

Ol' Uncle John used to always say that if you see a black bear during set break then a Dark Star was surely on the way for 2nd set,,,a good omen, he said

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Wow - a marathon sprint of a 1st set!!

Set 1

Bertha

Me And Bobby McGee

Mr. Charlie

China Cat Sunflower ->

I Know You Rider

Beat It On Down The Line

It Hurts Me Too

Cumberland Blues

Jack Straw

You Win Again

Run Rudolph Run

Playing In The Band

Brown Eyed Women

Mexicali Blues

Big Railroad Blues

Brokedown Palace

El Paso

Casey Jones

Set 2

Dark Star ->

Deal

Sugar Magnolia

Turn On Your Lovelight ->

I'm A King Bee ->

I'm A Man ->

Turn On Your Lovelight ->

Two Trains Running ->. ??

Turn On Your Lovelight

Encore

One More Saturday Night

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The King bee was perhaps the crowning moment of the whole tour.... Buzzed outta the lovelight rap and ridiculous play along by the band in a way that I still can't wrap my head around..... Incredibly smooth and sexy then would just rattle and shake you right outta your skin. I can't really explain what else happened during the lovelight...... It was life changing or something like that...... This band is mighty frightening when they get to playing like this.... Without my unicorn hat chin strap I have NO way to try and maintain my face. It's gone.

But back to the beginning..... Rewinding...... Whoa..... We finally made it to Aspen and had a great time exploring town. No one stepped to the front to stand until I finally did- then it was like a call and everyone came to hang around.... They started bout 10-15 later ;)

Bertha is a song that continues to evolve in specific and sentimental ways in my heart and I was happy to get a good helping this tour but this one was especially wonderful and the band seemed really happy. Bobby McGee made us dance harder cause we had been listening to the Janis collection a lot this ride. But that mr Charlie...... I think that is about when the band grabbed the crowd by the balls and people started getting down!!!! Really amazing performances from everyone..... Wow! Oh yeah- some really drunk kid had shown up and he dropped his beer in the middle of our dance space so we had to get it up and save the day for friends..... This was only the beginning of a rather unruly night in Aspen.

China rider took us all back to Colorado and everyone rejoiced. At some shows you can hear this eerie but comforting whisper in the air of chanting lyrics (happens a lot in the Bay Area and during certain special shows) from the crowd but this was some screaming of lyrics in absolute bliss and that was cool too. Maybe the night with a 5 beat BIODTL....? Lol.

Hurts me too was really special.... From Rob since Lisa was only coming in n out to blow amazing harp so it was special for me to hear it since it is my special song to all my friends in so much pain from their relationships that miss shows and go do all kinds of things that break their hearts.... I know what that is like and it hurts me toooooooooo! I love all of u so much and am really getting excited about coming to a ridiculous amount of shows starting with New Years (I worked the idea of this next tour thru my system and it doesn't register due to cold and other really fun obligations on the west coast!) as that is my New Years resolution I guess ;)

Good ol Cumberland in the mountains... Can't beat it!!! Mellow and relaxed jack straw but everyone was really into it. You win again was awesome and I was really stoked at this point that the set was still going.....

Run Rudolph was hilarious ridiculous fun and as I can't get enough playin I simply gave up on remembering what had been happening and gave myself to the night.... I know it comes out right. BEW was a good call back to the roots and grounded the strung out set in some continuity and I kinda wished a lil I had someone to say won't you come to me to.... But only a lil ;)

Mexicali was big huge fun and the rr blues tore the house down. They still were not finished! Holy shit!!!!! Brokedown took my breath away and I am still watching my weeping willow grow into the most amazing family tree I have ever seen!!! Planted it at JKs last show and it still grow grow grows right there in the front row of DSO.......

El Paso then Casey jones and I was giggling remembered the guy that had shown up last time they closed a set at Aspen with Casey jones and a guy rolled up a piece of paper n pretended to do lines off the stage..... It was not so benign this night...... But first set was without a hitch.....

Second set was way too much to handle. The dark star was next dimension musical interactions in ways I never thought possible and for deal to slip out of it...... Good golly!!!! Sigh. That's one for the record books! THEN sugar mags!!!!! So divine! Just perfect!!!!! Coulda just been happy there but they still had that whole lovelight business to take care of and I tell you ey cooked it up and delivered one hell of a set..... Perhaps my favorite 2nd set to date?!?! Now that I am remembering it really does stand out in some ways I can hardly grasp..... Sooooo amazing to watch them all craft this masterful experience of music and lights that takes me so far and brings me so so close. It is simply the best thing ever. I don't see why I should have to do anything else.... My heart is true!

OMSN was killer but made me feel sad that the last day of tour was coming Saturday. The woman enough....ok- confession time. I was getting really into it with my girls and we were laughing and singing along with Lisa in jubilant glee.... As this woman showed up with her oh so perfect Aspen outfit and jewelry and makeup and she seemed to wanna mock us as she made mean appalled faces at us for dancing so hard and I couldn't help but sing along "you can buy em anywhere" right into her ear as I spun around and caught my girls eyes and you know what? She actually looked like she realized she was the one out of place this particular moment in Aspen and she walked away with a very curious expression. I know I got carried away and I wasn't trying to be mean but...... Seriously...... Dime a dozen!

I want this show to go on. Least we had 3 more nights.

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Oh yeah- a drunk cowboy tried to leap on stage after taking out half the front row in drunk stumbling and it was prevented by family up front! Crazy!!!!! Then at end of show he tried again and we 3 girls stood in front of the stage and stopped him as his buddy came to take him away. He mumbled something about hippies and death and I laughed..... Don't they know I am already dead? That is how and why I tour. Nothing to lose.

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I know its been said before and I've certainly echoed these sentiments, but this show embodies why you have to catch as many as you can.  Despite the BellyUp in Aspen being very small and the start of the show to be more full of stress than full of joy, this turned out to be an epic dance session (hard to call it a party as my final dancing place was only in a group of 3 to 4).  Like SVT stated, no one really congregated upfront until very close to start time.  The venue being very small had created some anxiety about where I would be able to get my groove on in this show.  This place would fill up and everyone would want to enjoy themselves the way they enjoy themselves.  I wasn't sure there would be any room left for me.  I decided that I would try to stick it out upfront on the floor (not a decision I make often).  No one was really gathering up there and I knew that the rail riding tour kids would at least keep a groove at what I would consider 50 to 60% steam.  With the right luck and the right energy, we might dance at 75% tilt.  I consider that to be a very good time and something that is achieved in less than half of the shows DSO plays nowadays with sold out shows, seated venues, and other factors that interfere with dancing.  I made the wrong choice. 

 

As the band jumps into Bertha, we break into a dance.  I'm spinning, but being mindful of others space and trying very hard to be respectful of others good time.  The area upfront fills up.  I'm not on the rail.  I'm more in a blocking protecting spot for those that are on the rail.  I'm not fond of this position.  Those in this position rarely do what I call dancing and I wasn't really dancing myself, but I stuck it out for quite a few tunes.  By Rider, I was being less respectful as I threw my hands around peoples heads and threw from my hips closer and closer to their bodies without making any contact.  I had seen quite a few shows on this tour and as the mind turns more and more psychedelic, I find my spacial awareness and my balance to increase.  At this point of the tour, I had quite a bit of a body control.  Unfortunately, I was mostly using it to try and push others back and in a clear expression of my frustration.  I much prefer to dance with joy, but dancing out any and all emotions feels good.  I think during Hurts me Too a frat boyish looking young male (He's probably more trust fund ski bum but I know I need to work to avoid these judgments) comments to me mid-spin that the stage is that way with a point.  This makes me chuckle.  Regardless of how this kid came to be, he was with a large group of talkers and drinkers.  It was shortly after these comments that I made my retreat.  The front like most nights was not for me and instead of dance hard in this kids face I am quite sure that it was better for all for me to walk away.  Something about being the bigger man and stuff, but I'm not sure that really applies here.  By Playing, I have relocated to a spot in the back that a mutual friend had found out.  Outside of a few passerby's (including staff running drinks), I found myself in a quiet respectful of the music place.  The 5 to 6 people that generally occupied this place were all at the very least receiving the music and remaining present in the music.  A few of us were dancing.  I wouldn't say it was ever full tilt, but it was definitely a good workout and allowed me to enter into a spiritual connection with the music as I tuned outside distractions out and honed in on the words and sounds I was receiving. I certainly had begun my day break on the lamb.  Brown Eyed Women hits home.  Not that gone are the days.  I'm not sure my ego will ever allow me to accept that, but I've certainly become more accustomed  to accepting the glances and the gestures and moving along.  I have a firm belief that the values expressed by Christ and more directly formulated by St. Augustine's writings at the end of the day hold true.  The clearest path to happiness or enlightenment is the elimination of desire.  Thus, one fulfills all his actual necessities and identifies and eliminates through self-discipline his unnecessary desires.  For most of us here on Earth that accept this as truth, this is a life long process.  After all, I, like I assume most, am a flawed human being.  I'm pretty sure certain flaws may have led me to this music of healing.  Maybe others here share in that sentiment? Hell, come to Jamaica and you will see that I clearly suffer from the disease of hedonism and the flaws are very apparent.  Mexicali continues a similar reflection but lightens the mood as we dance the cowboy.  Big Railroad Blues always gives me a cosmic smile.  Whoa should've listened to what mamma said.  Brokedown is heavy as I reflect on lovers come and lovers gone with no real promise that this isn't coming and going again.  El Paso and Casey break the somber reflection and provide a vehicle for plain old fun dancing expression.  Trouble ahead.

 

This 2nd set was huge for me.  The whole show is right up my alley.  I've been dreaming of an April 71 recreation.  I've seen one or two of these, but really crave April 17 and 18th.  This recreation gets pretty close to that vibe, feel, and energy of April 71, although the energy has started to shift towards the feel of Europe 72.  Pigpen is still the dominant force at this show, especially during the 2nd set.  DSO opens with a Dark Star that contains periods too spacey to dance and other moments that create ecstatic dancing.  It was long, but I don't feel it was one of the longer version I've heard.  Not the greatest Dark Star, but definitely one that touches on many of the themes one hopes to hear.  Deal breaks us out of Dark Star and the dance is very fun and playful during Sugar Magnolia.  What a great Bobby tune to dance it out too.  The overall theme isn't too heavy and tempo really gets the feet moving.  At this point, RB (Pig at the original) steals the show.  RB, with accompaniment of heavy guitar grooves from Mattson and rest of the band deep in the rhythm, delivers a stellar lovelight complete with a rap and very powerful King Bee.  The music was buzzing around the hive.  I'm not sure on the two trains running thing as I'm not sure I've heard the original.  Maybe RB can chime in himself.  I will listen to the original show tonight.  I do know the lovelight sandwich was raunchy silly fun.  Tough not to be hedonist after this type of inspiration, but alas the night was coming to an end.  OMSN provides one last chance to enjoy a great rock-n-roll groove and bounce one's feet.  

 

I needed a few beers after the show to help digest that mind explosion and I accompanied some tour kids and the band over to a local bar for a few drinks. Before making any poor decisions or at the very least making staying in Aspen the only choice, I left the bar and grabbed some shit pizza next door.  I saw some kids laughing and giggling that had clearly been at the show.  After I struck up a brief convo, I shared some Love with my new strange brothers.  I let them know to say hi when they see me again.  Then, I tore off into the night.  Despite telling myself since arrival that I would take the long way home, I take the short way.  Even though I will be without service for an hour on tires that Honda said were currently at 1/32nd's and clearly in need of replacing, I choose to risk sleeping in the back of the car in the cold to save about an hour.  I'm not going to call that the most prudent decision, but it paid off.  I got home before daylight.  

 

I want to thank old friends and new for making this a wonderful run of shows.  I caught something like 10 shows on this tour.  I haven't been that active in a long time.  A real special thanks to the band and crew for making this lost boy feel like he's at home.  I can't wait to catch many familiar faces at the peak.  

 

MC

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along the lines of masons frat boy comment.  five years ago or so I bought a NEW (cats down under-SHINY) tee-shirt since all (dozens ofcourse) mine from touring days were unwearable.  Some KID says to me "never been washed huh"? - with his point obviously being that I must be a new head.  I saw 150 shows and here's some kid born AFTER the fat man died ridiculing me - hilarious.

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along the lines of masons frat boy comment.  five years ago or so I bought a NEW (cats down under-SHINY) tee-shirt since all (dozens ofcourse) mine from touring days were unwearable.  Some KID says to me "never been washed huh"? - with his point obviously being that I must be a new head.  I saw 150 shows and here's some kid born AFTER the fat man died ridiculing me - hilarious.

I feel ya - I've had more than a few dredded-out flat brimmers assume they had more experiential IQ and were poised for a "Deader than Thou" encounter with me.  I used feel like I had to make sure they knew that this wasn't my first rodeo.  Boy I'm glad I gave that up - what a waste of time and energy that was!

 

Now I just relish the precious few times I can channel the wonderful energy into dance.  It is especially coveted when this expression happens in a group of folks who are all on the same wavelength.  Few things top that rush. 

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I feel ya - I've had more than a few dredded-out flat brimmers assume they had more experiential IQ and were poised for a "Deader than Thou" encounter with me.  I used feel like I had to make sure they knew that this wasn't my first rodeo.  Boy I'm glad I gave that up - what a waste of time and energy that was!

 

Ask them what song the Dead played more times - Kansas City, or Salt Lake City.  That'll throw 'em for a loop! :unsure:

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The newness of my shirts has more to do with the growth of my gut over the years than anything else. The old wearable ones i pass down and let the boys wear, but ive got quite a few in the closet that are more rag than shirt at this point.

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I'm still lost. lets let this one go. speaking out ie. somebody born after he died or newbie is the same thing basically - no? and I didn't do that - I just told a story of some clown coming up to me and speaking drivel. I didn't even comment to him in return. I laughed. he probably thought my laugh was confirming his suspicion. I couldn't care less. your gay guy story just reminded me of it.  

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