Greg from Chestertown

I like that set list. How was lost/ Lay Down Sally/Saint?

Within every Hunter song is a couple of lyrics that are words to live by, Bobby songs too, Black Throated Wind comes to mind. Dylan lyrics too. Their cover songs that stand the test of time also contain lyrics that are words to live by. That’s what makes a show work. You shake out the angst by boogieing your sneakers away. Your head gets filled with words you need to hear. So, yea, they all invade my mind.

She was Jerry’s favorite female singer. I enjoyed learning about her earliest work from the Ken Burns documentary on Country music. She goes all the way back to the roots.

A couple that get me because they show just how well read and intelligent Robert Hunter and Bob Dylan were. In Casey Jones, “Trouble ahead, trouble behind” makes me think of the true story of Casey Jones. He pulled his train into a railroad siding to let another train through. Unfortunately, his train was longer than the siding so he had to put his engine back on the main track so that the other train would make it past his caboose. Train kept A- rollin’ right into Casey and his engine. In Desolation Row, “The Titanic sails at Dawn, everybody is shouting which side they are on.” The word “Posh” comes from Port out, Starboard home. Leaving Europe, that would put those passengers in the sun for the entire voyage. I’m sure there’s more like that but those two have invaded my mind and set up camp. That’s what I think of when I hear those lyrics.

I describe Dark Star Orchestra to the unknowing as such, “ if you were blind, you would think that you’re at a Grateful Dead concert”.

Something in there had a really cool intro, I just can’t put my finger on it. I wasn’t sure what the song was until they were into it a little bit. Worth mentioning the Skip zone was in full force. He had the floor vibrating all night. Everyone in the band was in full force and spot on. I tried my best also. I never got lost in the music, though. Shame. After Black Peter, I thought we would get a truckin sugar mags, Beatles tune was a nice surprise and changed my guess from 82-83 to 84. Sitting in the first row, I think I was too close for good sound. The speakers were behind me. Just saying.

Eh, I was overwhelmed with negative thoughts on the ride home. Some of the people around me pretty much ruined it for me. This is dominating any memory of the music. Sorry, folks, that one didn’t get it for me. It’s not the band’s fault. I got a real bad taste in my mouth this morning. I don’t know now, I just don’t know….

I went to the eye doctor today. Long story short, he lives in Columbia, Md. and lived there when the Grateful Dead came to town to play Merriweather. He said he knew they were coming because of the advertising. He had a conference that weekend that was out of town. When he got back into town, he said it was all over the news and how they wouldn’t be invited back. I tried to explain. He said they were just, no.

I’ve always wondered why Dark Star hasn’t reached another plateau with larger venues. Reading reviews on this last tour, the larger crowds were noticeable. I’m sure Bobby’s passing caused a spike in sales but I bet it stays. Sometimes, shows weren’t crowded because Dead and Company were playing somewhat nearby. That’ll never happen again. As far as dancing space, I go through that same scenario at some shows. You spend a lot of time searching out a spot and sometimes it never happens. The best is when you’re on the rail and there’s enough room right there. When things get sardine like, only my hands dance. Like a couple of butterflies doing a mating dance to Jeff’s noodling. That is a shame , though. I go to shows to relieve myself of the stress. It’s supposed to be on oasis. With my studying of native Americans, I learned that they might not care for each other out in the field but if they encountered others at a source of water, stone, etc. , then that was a sacred place where all shared politely. Community

No. They busted it out at the Grand in Wilmington as an encore a while back at this point. They closed a tour with that tune.

There’s Bye and Bye

So glad you made it and you got your Tennessee Jed.

When I read set lists like this one, I say to myself, Well, I’m just going to have to sell everything and just go to every show.

Interesting placement of Shakedown

Ruben &Cherise ? No way !

No encore in the original show, either. Hhmm.

It’s amazing how focused they must have been to keep it random, yet, there seems to be some order here. I like hearing early tapes where they tell the audience, hold on while we figure out what to play. They perfected something they had been doing all along. After all those years and all those songs, yea, What a long, strange trip it’s been. This facet of the Grateful Dead universe fascinates me. I read somewhere that they would play the heck out of a song at first. Pretty much learning it on stage. Then it would do this settling into the rotation that they would or wouldn’t do. You couldn’t script it, yet, I think they may have. You know, as they were going along.

Still a showstopper

I wonder if they did that with any other tunes.

Donna has got to be a factor in that. She used to be a big part of that song. For me, I look forward to Jerry’s noodling as it builds up to the crescendo in more recent versions. As Bobby called it, “Balls out Rock and Roll”. Gotta be in the second set. I think.

The band is throwing some serious love to the town that I am really from. Tour opener in Wilmington, De. I know they did a tour closer there before and maybe another one. That show closed with a first time played, Bye and Bye. We got acoustic, 70, I think, with a first time played, Frozen logger. Interesting story associated with the grand Opera house in Wilmington. It is run all by volunteers. Othel Heaney is one of those volunteers. When I was growing up, we shared a back door neighbor. I was super close with her son Rodger when we were in like 5-7th grades. Rodger died young in a car accident on the night before Thanksgiving. His brother, Kevin committed suicide a couple of years later. Othel has channeled all of that grief and works with others who are experiencing tragedy and grief. Just google Othel Heaney and click on the article from Delaware on line. They tell the story better. I have been to every Dark Star show they’ve played at the Grand and Othel has been there every time. I hope to see her again.

Combine that with the randomness of Deadheads, image if that was one of your first shows.

I caught the previous page bug the other day, been coping with my inability to like anything for a long while now.

Beautiful. I have been on this planet for 64 years and have come to the conclusion ( only recently) that the secret to life is service to others. It will keep food on your plate and a warmth in your heart that can only be achieved through giving away a part of yourself. Find out what your gift is and give it away. Look at Jerry. He gave it all and left it on the stage repeatedly. He never really had a home. He went out and gave and gave until he had nothing left in the tank, laid down and died, with a smile on his face.

So many thoughts and they are all beautiful. so many memories and they are all wonderful.