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John K joins Melvin Seals and “JGB”


Poor_Sue

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I’ve gotten myself in hot water for standing up for JK here in this community. I’m with DSO through and through. 140 JK Dso shows. 400 plus since. I think those that matter know my loyalty but I don’t think JK letting Melvin tell him anything. JK taking JGB to a level they haven’t touched since Jerry. 2nd best Jerry Garcia product going right now and we have lots of products to sample from. 

 

I rememver years and years ago with red wine all over myself telling certain people at Gratefulfest. We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for John. I should just learn to hold my tongue. 

 

Just saying I believe JK thinks of himself on equal standing with Melvin. 

 

Also the slap the bag bagged wine spectacle is obnoxious. I was covered in wine because after taking the biggest swig I let the rest of the bag pour on myself so I could enjoy the show and the kids would stop slapping the bag. 

 

Oh the memories. Gratefulfest. It would be amazing if DSO even under a different name found a way to do the ledges one more time. A la the warlocks. Oh the memories that would bring back. And I know it was time to go. 

 

More importantly, we have the present. I just told Whitney about zero a few weeks ago then boom they show up on the Jubilee announcement. Can’t wait to celebrate life with all of you again. 

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I caught the Mix here in LV and in LA on that summer tour. Seems like Greg Anton and Kevin were in it too.

 

The show here was outdoors and all 19 of us present had tons of room. Good times, great music, fun dancing, avoided heat stroke. Can’t ask for more than that. Kind of like my very first DSO show, which was outdoors here in July, 2001...

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I’ve always had a soft spot for Melvin. Never saw Jerry, was just getting heavy into the dead when he died, but in ‘96 (I believe even tho I can find no record of the show happening) I saw a flier on a head shop window for “Melvin Seals and Jerry Garcia Band”

I Convinced a few friends to go and after buying some paper off a stranger in a bowling alley, green paper with red skull and crossbones, we attended the show and the hook was set for me. Felt like I floated above the crowd and the band was playing just for me. Changed my life really. Went from casual fan to deadhead in one (albeit post Jerry) show. I’ve seen them a few times I’d consider down years, but loved seeing them with Zach and it should be equally good if not better with JK. I will definitely catch them if they come close and I see Indy and Cincy are on the list so I’ll be seeing at least one of those. 

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My nephew got hooked with one of those Melvin Seals, JGB, I think they called themselves, shows. At the Music Pier in Ocean City, NJ. A few years later, he was dragging me to my first DSO show at the same music Pier. That’s not true. I lied. I went willingly. It was consensual. 

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6 hours ago, John A said:

Fascinating.  JK goes from forging a career out of sounding like Jerry, to being told by Bobby and Phil not to sound like Jerry, to doing his own stuff with the John K Band, to being told by Melvin to sound like Jerry.

Don’t forget he puts his life on the line every night for the fans! 

 

That might have have been the funniest thing he said.

 

Or that he said he never studied Jerry. 

 

Anyways... he is the closest incarnation of jerry I’ve ever seen and I got nothing but trust of Melvin. He did also play with chuck berry. 

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50 minutes ago, Greg from Chestertown said:

My nephew got hooked with one of those Melvin Seals, JGB, I think they called themselves, shows. At the Music Pier in Ocean City, NJ. A few years later, he was dragging me to my first DSO show at the same music Pier. That’s not true. I lied. I went willingly. It was consensual. 

That’s awesome. I don’t think they should use “JGB” that’s why I put it in quotes. I do like Melvin though. I began seeing DSO w/JK. And there hasn't been many better performances since my first few...

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Permission to speak freely? Great! Thanks!   When I first started catching Dark Star Orchestra shows, it was with JK. He did a great job. I was so impressed that I thought he should be playing with Bobby and Phil. I said it more than once. I never did any Bobby shows, period. When Furthur started up, I caught those shows, whenever they came around. While it was good, it was also disappointing. Jk seemed to be being held back, he wasn’t shining like he did in DSO. 

   I crossed paths one day with someone wearing a T shirt that showed that he was one of us. We started talking about Dark Star and Furthur. He said that JK was an Asshole and that Dark Star Orchestra is  better off. I never forgot that because time has shown me that Dark Star Orchestra is a happy band. They couldn’t be pulling off what they are doing if they all didn’t get along. I sometimes wonder if DSO would still be around if they hadn’t evolved away from the JK incarnation that they once were. I heard more than one person back in the JK days use the term ‘beatlemania’ to describe Dark Star Orchestra. 

 I love the evolution that has made Dark Star Orchestra what they are today. The addition of Jeff, Barracco, and Skip are all for the better. I guess it was necessary for things to happen the way that they did.  The band is having FUN ! Damn! They are so good. They just keep making lemonade out of the lemons that this life has given them. They are to be honored and respected for that. 

  I find it hard to express myself, but that’s just the way I feel. 

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4 hours ago, Mason's Child said:

Oh the memories. Gratefulfest. It would be amazing if DSO even under a different name found a way to do the ledges one more time. A la the warlocks. Oh the memories that would bring back. And I know it was time to go. 

 

Time for Terrapin Nation to get back to first principles.

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9 hours ago, BillK522 said:

Melvin and JK were members of a band

called the 'The Mix' which put out a studio

CD  'American Spring' in 2004 and 

toured on and off from 2004-2006.  I 

actually caught them at the 8X10 in Baltimore.

 

Praise DSO.

 

I too was at the 8x10 Mix show.....terrific gig.

I'm in for this one too.....just bought my ticket for the March show at The Hamilton. 

Ain't no time to hate, barely time to wait!

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The three JGB, Melvin Seals, John K and Jennifer Hartsick I caught in October had some wonderful music. I hope she sits in for some more shows. Her singing and horn playing added a special touch. Especially good was "Dear Prudence" and "Can't Find My Way Home'

Peace and Love,

Doc

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I still go to the Ledges at least once a summer with a small group of friends for a music festival / camping / friendship ...

 

over last 5 years Willie Nelson has headlined two of those festivals... the last 2 years local Grateful Dead bands have headlined .. and JK was there with a band as I recall two years ago as well ... Melvin has also tickled the keys at the Ledges in this span ...

 

solid times... usually 2 nights camping leading up to music and 2 nights camping with music ...

 

nothing like a 96 hour straight campfire going... 

 

I invite any and all to join on next year .. plenty of room to expand and welcome back Ledges veterans and have door prize giveaways for Ledges newbies ...

 

they have made campsites bigger and really the park is in amazing shape ... the festivals I go to usually more of a chill crowd ... have had zero issues last 5 years ... 

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Yeah I'm not buying the "Beatlemania" nonsense.  No one I ever knew back in the JK days ever described them as that. The Band was smoking hot, and I think you could make an argument that the Larned, JK, Eaton lineup was the most organic and soulful of any DSO line-up ever. Maybe  not as spot on as the current incarnation but describing them as anything less than a groove machine would mean you were not  being accurate.  I remember a Granada Theater Show in Lawrence,KS where they recreated my first Dead show I went to when I was 15 I was Time Travel levitating. The Band was great then.  They are great now.  Saw Melvin In September with JK in the STL.  Best Night The Drove Old Dixie Down I have ever seen and it was not close.  I don't know JK personally and perhaps I would be disappointed if I did but he has been a positive force musically for me.  Full stop.

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