Jump to content

York Pa


Brian NJ

Recommended Posts

There is nothing like a DSO show. And unless you were lucky enough to see the GD when you could have been in a venue with between 500 - 2000 people, this is the real deal. Better than some mega venue or stadium. We are so fortunate. We get to see DSO perform the best music ever, at the very top of their game, in really intimate venues, with friends from all over the country, and have crazy fun. There is absolutely no other game in town like this and when it is over there will never be anything even remotely close to replace it.

 

Well said Dr. B.  Based on your post, I assume we won't see you in Pittsburgh this Saturday?  I'm pretty sure I'm going to head out that way.

 

 

For me, DSO has been the completion of my Grateful Dead fanship that was paused when Jerry died.  The passion for tape trading and exploring the GD repertoire waned and fizzled as I tried to find a 'replacement' for what I was missing.  What was the purpose anymore?  Further Fests, Phish, The Other Ones, plenty of raves and various substances with 3-4 letter acronyms were employed.  In the decade that followed, I found myself in an assortment of dark places during those times which I'm not going to get into discussing here.

 

DSO has been the meeting of two ends that were never quite connected before.  The closing of a circle. The completion (or continuation) of my training if you will.  I look around DSO shows and see Dagobah.

 

I often say that DSO heads who didn't experience GD can't really fathom what they missed in the experience of the parking lot, the scene, the vending, the legal presence, the weirdos you'd meet, and the general insanity that ensued in any town the Dead rolled into.  It was quite the spectacle and you really had to be there.

 

But I think I'd trade the GD culture I experienced for the DSO music I'm experiencing now.  The music was always the foundation of the culture for me and the music never stopped, just paused for a little while.  Without the love of the music, I'm not sure how much I'd fit in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well,

There is no doubt that the show at the jubilee you refer too was/is widely regarded as one for the record books and I agree.

If I was going to bare my soul, I would have to admit that my perception of the music and my experience with it has evolved over time. So much of that shift has occurred over the past two years.

Even though I started seeing the GD in 1981, saw many shows etc, and then started seeing DSO in 2001 and have seen many shows, things have changed for me. A lot. While I always was a "knowledgable" Deadhead, I was also never truly free to let go at a show. I was always just self conscious enough to not be fully free to forget myself and live in the moment.

Over the recent past I have had the great fortune to attend shows with my better half, who is a really great dancer, who really loves to express herself through the music and dancing. How lucky for me! I really had little choice. Either stand around and bop and shuffle and not really let myself feel the full depth of immersion into the experience, or take the cue from my partner and share in the joy with her. That's what I did. It changed everything for me. I can never go back now.

It helped that for many years I have been in an expanding circle of friends who love to dance at shows. Really dance. Intense, tribal, cathartic, sweaty, beautiful, chaotic, silly, etc., etc.

There is nothing like a DSO show. And unless you were lucky enough to see the GD when you could have been in a venue with between 500 - 2000 people, this is the real deal. Better than some mega venue or stadium. We are so fortunate. We get to see DSO perform the best music ever, at the very top of their game, in really intimate venues, with friends from all over the country, and have crazy fun. There is absolutely no other game in town like this and when it is over there will never be anything even remotely close to replace it.

I say, enjoy it folks. Learn from my experience. This is the place where you can let go of your ego and self consciousness and become part of the tribal cathartic breakdown. You can dance alone or with others. No judgement. No style. No rules except be considerate of others' space and be kind.

So Stratton somehow was a pinnacle for me. It was the tenth or eleventh show for me on this tour. My last show until fall tour part 2. There was a lot of space on the right side of the stage and a huge speaker tower with loud and great sound. I was surrounded by the love of my life, and a small and tight group of friends (6-8 people) who were all just going all out nuts. It was hard to breathe. It was unbelievable for me. I heard the music, felt it, lived it like never before. Really. And it was a stunning elective, delivered by DSO so superbly, in my opinion as always.

So, there it is. I am experiencing the GD through DSO in a way that is deeper and more meaningful than I ever did back in the day. Sweet Annamarie, good friends, DSO. I am so lucky!

Dr. B

Love the soul bearing share! DSO concerts for me have become much more than a show.... I went from singing to myself the few songs I knew while standing in a frozen stance scared to move... to dancing however the song hits me not caring what I look like! Skills low but in this environment I feel completely at ease & the connection is more powerful than my insecurities.

There's a quote by someone that goes something like "they will call you a fool whether you dance or not, so you might as well dance"

Skills? Not ashamed to say I don't have much :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Forum MVP

"...been on the shelf for years." Sad but true. Hence my patience.

That soundcheck was on 7-3-07, I believe, and was unreal. It kicked off a phenomenal time at the Ledges. The one Doc Watson brought up was a blast too. Lisa's pick was Nothing But Flowers and it doesn't get much better than that.

Seems like the time is right for Low Spark.

 

My favorite Terrapin Nation set was NYE at the Keswick outside Philly.

 

Can't recall the year, perhaps someone can remind me.....2008?

 

The After Midnight jam was a lysergic dance fest, Beatles, Talking Heads......and Mississippi Queen to name a few.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Forum MVP

Yes, that was a classic. It was 12-31-07, and ran into the wee hours of '08. TN followed on the heels of a perfectly good DSO elective to begin with. Awesome classic lobby dancing all night to work up a lather, and cold cold cold outside afterwards. Let us not forget the I am the Walrus and the Ophelia. Plus wrapping it up with Ohio and Tangled. Good times!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Forum MVP

I dont think ive heard of any TN shows since i found this band in '12. I would love to see one sometime. As long as its announced beforehand. Maybe an early TN set at Jubilee one year would be pretty sweet.

That same setup was my first TN show. Think it was 2010 grateful fest at Nelson ledges, maybe 2011. We'd been getting there earlier every year to soak up the bliss that Nelson ledges offers. That was the year they played each band members pick and it was cool as shit. Happened on Thur nite. Bout a 2hr set. Maybe. Lil fuzzy. Made the weekend.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember that Terrapin Nation NYE show.  I recall some Mississippi Queen, Nobody told me there'd be days like these.  They opened the show with a set of TN, then came back and played 2 regular sets I believe.  Was also at this York show.  It was great to hear a Corrina, they rocked it.  I put that up there with the Dixie we heard in Reading.  Always good to hear DSO rare tunez.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Forum MVP

Love Corrina!

And Billy, I think that show was also Molly's last night doing merch. It was sad then to see her move on, sad to risk hypothermia outside waiting for our ride to the hotel, but aside from that compound sadness the night topped off an excellent year for Starheads.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...