Furthur has pretty much established itself as a real solidified, awesome post Grateful Dead band. I think its fair to say that they have become THE post Jerry Grateful Dead act.

This between tour down time makes me take a look back at what we've gone through, enjoyed, complained about, and been totally stoked for in the line-ups that have arisen in the years since Jerrys passing.

So, I ask you this, what are some of your memorable experiences (shows, songs, road stories) POST Jerry and PRE Furthur?

My response to my own question,

www.archive.org/details/ratdog2009-10-23.flac16
- I didn't know how good Ratdog could be until I attended this show. The first and only time I ever saw them. And also, one of the last Ratdog shows before Furthur took over the scene. Glad I got to see em. Who knows if they'll ever get back together, but if they do I hope they'll still be able to tap in to what they had. (I guess I broke my own rule, Furthur had already been created at the time of this show, but still, they hadn't completely "taken over the scene" the way they eventually did)

www.archive.org/details/TheDead2009-04-1...68_LaPorte_16bitFLAC
- The Dead 09 with Warren Haynes. This was the first time I ever saw the boys (I'm a young guy) I was totally stoked for this show, it was the old Knickerbocker in my home town with Bob, Phil, Mickey, and Billy, it was a beautiful day with a nice community set up in the parking lot. In retrospect, the music at this show was lacking (along with all the other Dead 09 shows IMHO). But it was the experience for me. I was rightfully caught up in all the excitement that was surrounding that tour.

livedownloads.com/live-music/0,3454/Dark...eater-Albany-NY.html
- Dark Star Orchestra with John Kadlecik in 2008, my first dead related live experience. At the time I was wondering whether or not a cover band could really pull it off. My answer- YES, without a doubt in my mind. I've grown to really appreciate this band. The group that gave me not only my first, but a stellar musical experience was Dark Star Orchestra.

That Albany show was pathetic, IMO, both inside and out, lol. And really was not one of their better shows by the standards of who was on stage, IMO. Warren had at least a dozen opportunities to explode during that show and didn't deliver once. Was very disappointing. BUt by the end of the tour Warren was running wild at times and really showed how he could drive this music, but I enjoy him A LOT more with the ABB or Mule.

Post GD shows of memorable experience -

The Dead's whole summer run in 03 starting with Roo, opening with Touch then playing the last Soldier Field set backwards, was a very special moment to be there and witness that energy. Vernon Downs 03 was otherworldly and very cosmic.

Free The Dead in 09 or whenever that was, lol. That was fun.

Like to see em RAISE The Dead (this time with John K at the helm) if only for a couple festivals during the summer or a few spring/fall runs at a couple choice places, it's just not the same without Billy and Mickey. The Space and Drums stuff from the last go around with The Dead was some of the very best they've ever done. IMO. The deep space sounds Mickey was playing with that were recorded by the Hubble were stellar. The Drums at the Gorge some of the best ever - complete with fire dancers and all. :0)

DSO in Ithaca 5/7/07 was another fantastic night of music.

Phil has put together some stellar lineups. I loved the lineups with Jackie Green and Steve Molitz (Elevator), Larry Campbell, and the one with Al Schnier too.... :0)

Furthur at the Sherman Theater hottest show of the summer, the first set of Herkimer was unreal as well.
Have a listen to this SMOKIN first set. Golden Road opener right on through Viola just straight FIRE....

Buckeye Lake '94...... I've written multiple poems, short stories, written a song, painted pictures of it, still can't convey the truly life-changing experience of that show.
Traffic opening. My lady & I sit on the hill watching a clearly big storm approaching. The fun-guys began to tingle as lightning flashes across the sky to the tune of "Low Spark of High-Heel Boys." Big, fat-ass drop of rain falls onto my gyro. We grub right quick. Rain kicks down hard & folks hightail it to the sparse trees on the side. Torrential rain, thunder, lightning, fungus amongus, can barely talk for all the stormnoise. "Surely their not gonna cancel the show!" I think. Poooouuuuurrrrring!!!! Thunder! Then, as if on cue, everybody starts heading back to the field. Um, okay,,,,,, we follow.... to the opening strains of "When the rain comes, you run and hide your heads, you might as well be dead......." of course!!! "I can show you that when it rains it shines, it's just a state of mind!" Hee-hee! Grok! ,.,.., soaked to the bone, shivering from.....? and halftime begins the dry-out. "Foolish Heart" set opener, and the big, fat, sweaty drunken dude swingin a violent 3/4 empty gallon of vodka around and blathering a circle in the crowd all to himself until everybody starts "booing" him. "Boo! Boo! We don't like your show at all! Boooo! This movie sucks!" and security materialize taking him away. "Looks Like Rain" "Samba in the Rain" (*uRp!*) Me, in the pudding, feet in the mud, fist clutching comets, my girl shooting stars and suns from her eyes.......
(the performance, incidentally, was pretty damn good, all things considered. Needed recordings to, um, verify certain aspects, dig. Jerry seemed present, and the band was really on. UJB, Saint of Circumstance, just wonderful. SOTM brought tears. And the Mighty Quinn encore found me too hoarse to sing!)

Three days later, a year away from graduation, we both decide to change our majors.

as far as dead '09 goes, the 2nd shoreline show was the only one i personally made it to and i thought it was a hell of a show. awesome jack straw opener, huge morning dew, china > rider, scarlet > fire > deal encore and drums with fire dancers. beautiful night and great vibe too.

phil & friends at gathering of the vibes in '08 was a special show while we're on the topic of crazy thunderstorms...

bokb wrote:


I was there too ! My 30th birthday, and the dead play practically in my back yard !
Electric skies ! the biggest shakedown you have ever seen ! Do you remember the shock wave that hit the audience during Traffic's set ? And best of all, I have a VHS tape of the entire show from one of the camera men inside the venue !
Good times !