Hey UNC71-00 (or anyone else who cares)

[Raising Heel]

What do you make of the Grateful Dead reunion shows in Chicago over 4th of July weekend? Trey Anastasio (of Phish) filling in on lead guitar, with a few other special guests like Bruce Hornsby (longtime Dead fan who has toured with them in the past).

I saw a headline saying some tickets were going for $10,000 a pop. Haven't verified that. If true, I have to imagine they're very good tickets, possibly with perks like backstage access. My younger brother may have a connection through his in-laws to get in for at least one of the nights.

Trey shouldn't try to be Jerry. He shouldn't try to be Trey, either. IMO he needs to be Trey playing in honor of Jerry, if that makes any sense.

 

[UNC71-00]

I have mixed emotions about it. First, I think I am going. I mail ordered tickets and my money order hasn't been returned yet, so I think that is a pretty good sign, but not certain. It's an easy trip for me though- my brother and his family live in Chicago, my new bride has never been to their house and she has also not seen any iteration of the Dead unless you count Dark Star Orchestra, which I don't. We are only going to the shows one night though, assuming we get tickets and assuming I don't sell them.

As far as tickets, they are starting @ $500 on Stubhub, and that's with no view of the stage. As in behind the stage. General admission tickets on the field are starting at a grand. So even if I get tickets, I might still sell them, because nostalgia ain't worth more than several thousand dollars. Just have to see what the going price is when they arrive in June, if they come. I think the price has been blown out by a combination of things with an influx of Phish fans playing no small part.

The shows won't be the same though, of course. They can't even be close without Jerry. I have seen shows with Hornsby before, and he was fantastic, maybe as good as Brent and maybe even better. Trey better not try to be Jerry, because he will fail miserably as would anyone- Jerry was a one of a kind. Garcia was just so subtle and his interaction between him and Lesh was so familiar Neither of those can ever be replicated. But still, I will look forward to going just for one last throw, as it were, and the fact that Mrs. 71 hasn't seen them.

I miss Dead shows. A lot. I still listen to at least 3 a week. But this whole shindig isn't going to come close to the music of even the early to mid 90s, let alone the great runs. So if I go, it will be to take it all in without expecting much from the band.

Also, I know the Hitler youtube spoofs are overdone, but this one is a must watch. I will give you a double your money back guarantee that you will lol for real.

 

[Raising Heel]

I chuckled at "Trust Fundafarians."

I LOL'd at "I hope they play Drums and Space for half the show."

But I lost it at "At least Donna isn't supposed to be there."

 

[Louigi]

I saw the Dead 7 times in the 80's. I loved the first couple of shows. By the seventh show I was very disenchanted and thought the fans were a bunch of lazy vagrants begging for money, using the bathroom in public places, women with hairy pits wearing petuli to cover up their B.O because they had not showered in a week while playing hackey sack.

I was over the Dead by that point.

Sometime in the 90's I went to widespread panic and Phish shows and realized where all the deadhead and deadhead wannabees ended up.

Jerry Garcia is dead and has been for a long time and he made the Grateful Dead and is irreplaceable. To me that is like having a Jimi Hendrix concert now. Any "Grateful Dead"show with out him is ridiculous and nothing more that a cheap money grab by the artists playing.

 

[UNC71-00]

That's the thing about a Dead show Lou. Most of the time, you will find what you are looking for. If you are going to hear some music which might be ok, might be good or might be phenomenal, dance your ass off however you so choose, want to hang out with your friends and tailgate, be in a carnival like environment and do some interesting people watching, then a Dead show couldn't be beat. However, if you can't tolerate people who act like freaks (albeit without hurting a soul), then it's probably not the place for you.

In fact, of all the regulars and semi-regulars on the board, you would be in my top 3 of posters least likely to enjoy a Dead show. That's cool though- to each his own, especially regarding entertainment.

However, Phil Lesh is a hell of a bass player and Kreutzman and Hart are excellent drummers. And Hornsby does kind of ok on the keys. And given that these guys are all worth in excess of $20mm, I don't see how anyone would call it a money grab- it's their way of saying good bye, which is pretty cool if you ask me.

 

[Raising Heel]

Originally posted by UNC71-00:
Most of the time, you will find what you are looking for.

100% my experience as well.

I was blown away by the aftermath of a show in Vermont, fall of 1994, that took place in a farmer's field in the middle of nowhere. The land was predicatbly trashed after the concert -- garbage everywhere. A group of people appeared and began laying garbage bags all around. Without a word, people throughout the crowd began picking up the bags and filling them full of garbage. Within 15 minutes, the field was as pristine as it had been when the crowds arrived. It wasn't a coordinated effort...it just happened.

Just one of dozens of good stories I've experienced. But yes, of course there were some bad ones too.

 

[JuleZ '02 HEEL]

I saw the Dead, post-Jerry, with some great friends sometime around 2004/2005. Branford Marsalis played with them. We had lawn tickets but managed to get up to where our friends were in about the sixth row for the second set. We had each picked out a couple of songs we wanted them to play. My wife got to hear Not Fade Away. I had seen that they had played All Along the Watchtower a couple times on that tour, and we got to hear that too. Chowed down on some pad thai afterward. I am not a Deadhead by any means but it was a great concert experience.