Denver Music Blog

@ozziehof: Uh, couple quick points of clarification: Adam Perry actually wrote this review. I neglected to change the byline (which Moveable Type automatically populates with the name of whoever posts the item -- in this case, that would be me). And the previous link you're referring to was written by Amber Taufen. Similar scenario: Before we upgraded to the newer version of MT, we had to manually insert the byline. When we upgraded, all of the posts were automatically subject to the action mentioned above. Apologies for the confusion.

@ozziehof: You bet. Again, sorry for the confusion.

while the executio8ns of the songs were pretty good, I have downloaded and listened to most of the shows. I have found them lifeless and pretty bad. A classic like china cat>I know you rider was performed in albany, and stopped entirely, and the words lets do it were heard before I know you rider began.
Most songs were played slowly, and by slow, I mean painfully slow.
Bobby's voice is shot. There is no way any of these performances were worth over the previous tours ticket price of $42.50. I of course am spoiled by the tours of the early 80's, but I do expect a lot more than what I heard for $100 tickets.

This idiot actually said that they didn't play any "standard classic Grateful Dead heavy-hitters" -- i.e. the big songs with the big moments and big jams like "scarlet > fire" and "dark star" and "help > slip > franklin's," all of which I believe they went on to play in L.A. and at Shoreline tonight. But Denver was a phenomenal show in some ways, yes. The acoustic set was an unexpected and beautiful treat, as was "king solomon's marbles." Other than that, the setlist was pretty weak and the playing was pretty safe but enjoyable. Or that is just my taste talking. Thanks for the response, though.

Wow! We're all looking at the same glass but to me the glass is half full or rather three quarters full. It seems like many of you think it's half empty. What a shame.
These guys are in their sixties and are at the top of their game. Talk about inspiration.

A big problem in dead head land is being too much of an expert. Tonights show is never as good as "insert some other show here".

I love that they go out every night and put it all out there on the line. It's always different since it's a different day, a different city, a different mood, different weather, what have you. They go out there night after night and play their hearts out. Sometimes it works beautifully. Sometimes it doesn't work quite as well but it's always a beautiful thing.

Well said. The energy at the Pepsi Center was beautiful, as was the interplay and comraderie onstage. My desire when seeing the Dead just happens to lean more towards hearing the "heavy hitters" like "Terrapin" or "Help on the Way" but classics like "Casey Jones" and "Loser" are wonderful too. It was a fun night all-around.

However, I'd have to disagree "these guys are at the top of their game." They've lost some steps musically with age, haven't had an album of new songs in nineteen years and their most famous and important member (who sang the four songs I mentioned above) has been gone for fourteen.

Then again, that's admittedly a glass half-empty point of view. I mostly just enjoy seeing Phil, Bob, Billy and Mickey onstage together again.

Very nice and smart review.

Thankfully, there was PLENTY of intelligent jamming last night at Shoreline, sounding very much like Sonic Youth meets Miles Davis, in fact.

I thought the Boys -- that is, Bobby, Phil, Mickey, and Billy -- were in superb shape.  I was particularly impressed by Bobby, who has seemed distressingly out of it the last few times I've seen him.  Not last night: he was fully present and sharp.  If anything, Bobby and Phil almost sounded better than they used to.  They've evolved. And the drummers were the four-armed beast of legend.  The whole band was glistening, dark, like an obsidian sportscar, hungry to go anywhere.

Warren, as hard as he works at it, and as much as I like his vocals, is the weak link, but it could be that no one alive could adequately fill that chair, with the notable exception of Trey Anastasio, who is all about the transcendence and release that is strikingly missing from Warren's playing, and proved it during his own stint in Phil & Friends.  Warren plays with too much distortion, too "dirty," and never comes across like the complex ray of sunlight we recall shining from that spot on the stage.  He's got something else, and the Dead, being listening musicians, then coalesce around that -- but it's a little too downbeat for the gig, even when he's playing at his best, which he was during the second set.  In a sense, the Boys have to work a little too hard to make up for Warren's deficiencies;  and there are times that the obsidian sportscar seems driverless.  But it's not an easy problem to solve.

It's a darker Dead for a darker era.  There's still nothing on Earth like it. If Jerry had never lived, and last night's band was all the Dead there had ever been, they'd still be mopping the floor with other jam bands. It's  just much more sophisticated playing. They're masters.

QUOTE> Steve Silberman says:
"Very nice and smart review.....

It's a darker Dead for a darker era. There's still nothing on Earth like it. If Jerry had never lived, and last night's band was all the Dead there had ever been, they'd still be mopping the floor with other jam bands. It's just much more sophisticated playing. They're masters."

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Cosmic sez:

Show reviews about the Dead have always seemed absurd to me. A music critic going out on one particular night trying to surmise what the band is up to. Even one who may believe they are somewhat of a deadhead. Most of who never got on the bus & never went on tour. Only a seasoned tour head with hundreds of shows under their belt could possibly form some sort of opinion about a show. And even then should know enough that they may or may not have seen the pinnacle performance of the tour. Thats the reason a tour head would go to so many shows; to hopefully see that one diamond in the rough. Anyway, I would not expect anyone to give up their lives to follow a band around for years to write a true review or formulate some sort of opinion. It still would not diminish the absurdity of the one night review concept. The Dead show experience should be taken as a whole, collective ensemble, not just a glimpse here and there to say what is what. In that case, what a long wonderful, beautiful strange trip its been.

On the Trey Anastasio part, I humbly do not agree. There is some sound reasoning why Warren is there, and debating the issue is neither here nor there, since Warren is with the band. Suffice to say guitar playing style is not the only issue. Even if it was, I'd still choose Warren over any other guitarist (Mattson, Herring & Kimock too)!

That the band is still, "The Greatest Show On Earth" is something we are in agreement with. I hope the band keeps playing as long as they have the energy to muster up.

AND: Haters notwithstanding, during some crystalline moments this tour - I smiled to think of Garcia giving a nod of approval to this band. Once you get over crying about Jerry, the MAGIC will come back to you. It will never be the same magic (how could it be?), but its magic nonetheless.

Remember, it's not about the set list (see LA Forum 1st night), it's about the execution. Cumberland brought my personal house down. I was listening for Jerry licks, I mean how could I not? and Jer wasn't there, but Warren was, and by that time of the night, he was absolutely rockin and they threw me a big 'old Cumberland party in the 6th row. Very memorable. And I happen to be a fan of the Sailor-Saint duo and it was really nice to hear it again after all these years. Maybe personal years have something to do with it?!

sorry for the double post, i didn't realize it'd take some time to show up.