That's a personal experience though..I've been caught up in the lights multiple times before. Other times, it's irrelevant, and the music is so powerful (lights or no lights). I've seen both sides, so I can't say a show with lights or without lights is better its just different, practically everywhere I go

I would say that any GD/TOO/Ratdog/The Dead/P&F/Furthur show I've been to (with or without lights) is better than any phish show ever, period.

i'm in the camp of i don't care about the light shows. i never notice them.

i liked the backdrop from november 2010 midwest/east tour.

some tie dye and plain lights do the job just fine.

Band gripes....that's funny

I just think they should speed up the tempo of 'Days Between' a little bit. That's all for me.

I would like a full Viola without the sandwich!

bluetrainsugaree wrote:


you weren't here for the NYE run?

Please Let JK sing Loser and Peggy O all the time.

Esaus Brother is my Son wrote:


To each his own. If it works for you then embrace it. Historically, the GD were never about the light show. Therefore to hint that some cosmic light show would have added to the experience is unfounded.

People have made it clear enough this is not the dead its Furthur. Some times the use of multimedia can present a unique and new form of art. I've seen people like Alex grey live paint at shows and it is quite interesting to see sometimes. I guess I go to so many shows that when one thing happens that's a little different it doesn't bother me as much as it would someone who sees very few shows across a small spectrum of music. The old school dead performances were filled with crazy audio projects done with microphone speaker loops, light shows, and performance pieces along with all the people there for the show that night. Granted they moved beyond that firecracker. Using lights well can be akin to painting in three dimensional space. I've seen some amazing optical effects both in shows and in museums that inspire creativity that flows with the music. Some bands like Tool use light effects, video sequences, and massive pieces of artwork extremely well. Maybe its not for the dead scene but it can provide unique and new ways of utilizing the depth and proportions of a concert hall or arena.

The last time I gave 2 shits about a light show was at the planetarium for Pink Floyd's the Wall.

While lights and visuals might be cool, especially under certain "conditions", I never bought a ticket to a light show concert. It's always been for a music concert. When I'm really really into the music, my eyes are often closed anyways.
My only gripe would be that there has yet to be a Montreal run.
Since someone brought it up, I saw laser Floyd once at the Toronto planetarium on June 12 1993, which happened to be one day before my very first Grateful Dead show.

No one is claiming that people should be buying tickets to a "light show" or that the lights at a Dead show "enhance" the music in anyway. Nor have I ever bought a ticket to a music performance on expectation of seeing "a good light show." Though there have been many performances across many forms of music were it was used particularly well. Alternative forms of artistic media can sometimes be used in tasteful, creative and elegant ways. Some people just happen to be a more visual person when it comes to the way their brain works. I always try to leave myself open to new experiences and ways of expression. It can be a vulnerable place for many people to do this as often people do not like things that are off from their approved, predictable and subjective personal center. People are often repugnant when new experiences are presented to them. Comparing visual artists who work in the medium of light both in museum settings and at concert halls to Pink Floyd lazer shows is short sighted and insulting to them It is very obvious that "those" types of people are not welcome at a dead show. Who would think the dead scene could become so exclusive ?

If all my life is going to be is what happens to me, then I choose to have my experiences be unpredictable and dynamic in order to encounter the widest range of sensations and inspirations that will lead to a more complete picture of the universe in which we live. Looking for joy and beauty in ALL experiences is a way to be happy forever. Not that anyone believes that nowadays anyway.