am i the only one who dislikes "the scene"??

i think it's a laughable joke at times.

1 in 10,000 that come for the show.

OK, lets give examples please...

Let us know why you feel that way.

LOL you asked for it bill

there are all these people promoting peace and hippie vibes, but the parking lots are destroyed after shows, garbage and recyclables everywhere. then wait til the lights go on after the show, a disgusting mess. where i was once able to sit down is now a puddle of puke and/or beer, sometimes piss.

you have these people eating heavy amounts of psychadelics, some of them think they're reaching new heights of awareness but they're really just dancing backwards into you, not even realizing it, talking to their friends about how high they are. they don't realize their awareness isn't there at all.

these venues oversell, to the point where you're shoulder to shoulder, barely able to lightly sway. the lines to the bathroom are enormous, fuck getting a sip of water. then they have the audacity to tell you about fire codes and safety when they are violating tons by selling that many tickets.

there are all these scumbags who rip people off constantly. light 8ths of grass, bunk doses, weak molly, etc etc. if i hear one more person tell me they bought fake LSD i'm going to scream.

most of these people on tour aren't on tour. they drive around when it's convenient to make money. half the time they don't even walk into the shows. as they come to me i will deliver more if you so wish.

i am slowly learning that the music is my passion, not goin to these shows.

I have loved the dead and their music since the late 80s. I also love live music of just about any type. And while I don't get to as many shows as some, I get to plenty to feed my jones ( i think 1 saw my 12th furthur show this past week).
As for the lot scene, I do find it obnoxious most of the time. Of course, it is nice to get what are often for me "those hard to find items". I am also an admitted lot shirt junkie, and like to support creative folks who want to see the band.

Thank you Burt, you definitely have a point, well actually a few points.

I'm not here to defend that either. It is what it is.

I guess I idealize what I believe what the scene is to me and have an easy time overlooking the bs that's always present. I try to feel the good vibes and love and not let the negative get me down. I have my show blinders on and am glad that I can look at what I want. Other than being bunked, which I always hope I can find the rat bastard later, I let my mind wander to the positive. I try to do that with the forum too, but have fallen short in the past.

Then again, your post is why not to go to a lot of shows.

I love the music, I love the band, I love the history, I love the energy, I love travelling, and it is one of the things my dad and I have always done together.

My wife asks me this same question every tour. She was not happy when I bought tickets last Friday without consulting her. I bought tickets for her also but so far she says she is not going. Before the tour (i will still call it a tour for lack of better word) was announced last week I found myself getting antsy and irritateable. I needed to know when my next show was going to be. I have't seen a show since Bethel last summer and I need my Furthur Fix. The "scene" last summer was the best I've seen since the "old days"

As previously stated, the music is what brings me to shows. To hear live music played well, with a body of material that I enjoy, plus improvised and open ended stuff going on, keeps me coming back for more. It doesn't always work, but once in a while it works really well. The musicians bring new approaches and a sense of joy to the sound that still to this day works (IMHO) well.
For the most part, the 'scene' is what it is. I've been to a bunch of shows (that east coast location obviously helps) and understand Burt's concern about some of the 'stuff' that go on in the 'scene.' Their is a Pransker saying, stating "never trust a prankster." When talking about that expression, one of the Pranksters (I forget who) said that what was meant by this was that Pranksters were human and subject to human failings. People getting trashed, hurting themselves, trashing the environment, doing everything possible but listening to the music, etc does not serve as a model for what humanity is capable of. I have also seen positive loving compassionate understand and empathetic behavior exhibited at shows. Over the years I have learned to accept the good with the bad. I have no expectations that people who like this music will behave any better or worse then people who gather for other music, sports events or whatever. Once in a while you can get shown a light which reflects well on others, even Furthur fans. This is no excuse poor behavior, however...
This did turn into an interesting thread, so to the person who started it, here's hoping that you and your new cat are getting along, even though you might want to find a cooler name for him! At one point you stated that he is not even aware or could care less what you call him. One never knows!

Don't get too down on the scene Burt. I totally agree there are too many fools that show up to these shows but man I just think about hanging out with you all and other people I've known through the years and I guess those relationships make up for the other BS you have to put up with if you want to see this music live. It's the same with sports - I have season tix to the Broncos but there are Bronco fans that are more obnoxious than the fans from the other teams... I don't know I guess there is always some shit you have to deal with to ultimately enjoy whatever it was you went to see.

I've learned a few things to help make my concert experience the best it can be. I'm with you - some of the venues get over sold, I knew the Ogden would be that way, so I went in there expecting that and it really helped me actually because I don't like crowds and being crowded. I was just really grateful that they played there and I let that appreciation over ride my discomfort with overcrowding. I have never really liked hanging on the floor, here and there and depending on the band I don't mind but generally the floor annoys me. I try to get the best reserved seat I can because I like knowing that little area is "my" space and I always get the aisle seat if at all possible, that way I can step into the aisle and dance away with enough room to do my thing.

As far as the general disrespect for the environment (i.e the lot) yeah again I 'm with you that sucks. So I try to pick up what trash I can and just know that it takes people to make up for the slackers out there, I don't like it but what can you do? In the end I refuse to let all that kind of shit ruin what I love the most.

Take care everyone. Let's just remember to respect ourselves, our neighbors, the environment, the security who really are just trying to do their jobs (I know there are exceptions but ...) and our community. Peace love and light to all.

I'll also add I really don't get into shakedown anymore. Maybe a quick jaunt through to see what's selling but in my experience the true ugliness is shown in the lot. I'll never forget the first shakedown we took our daughter through (Dead at Rothbury '09) this jack ass was so fucked up that he was freaking out and starting fights with people, I so badly wanted to walk up and knock the fool out and from that point on I really don't care too much about hanging out in the lot and would rather just get inside the venue asap..

I agree with you 100% Burt. I am about the music, though the scene is better than any other scene by far, it is still not why I am there. I was upset about this and another thing this last run... The other thing is I can no longer go to shows solo, I cant afford it, and I have only met a handful of people in all of the Phil, Bob and Furthur shows who I call friends and that would do anything for me. There are definitley some true gems of people out there, but they are hard to find in my experience. I dont lead the trash everything, trash myself party party lifestyle that I feel a lot of people at the shows do. But then again I lead a pretty different lifestyle than most people that go to these shows. Not trying to sound high and mighty, but I feel that I lead a disciplined healthy lifestyle. So I have been having a pretty hard time with this on the last run, I am very particular about who I surround myself with and really it seems like about 90% of the people at the shows I wouldnt really want to hang out with outside of the show, but the music is SO GOOD, I mean that band is doing it and they will keep on doing it. So I really think I may be done for a while, and its heartbreaking to me... The music means the world to me.... I teared up every night except the Ogden. Anyways, kinda needed to vent.... By the way Burt it was nice seeing you and getting down with you during the Sunday show


As far as the topic, I wasnt able to legally leave the state for 8 years so I had really been missin out on out of state shows for a while, and now with the way everyone is playing so well and me not knowing how much longer exactly they will be playing (for a while I am sure). I have to see them as much as I can before they stop all together. What this band is for me is a very special thing, probably similar to the way people feel who got to see Jerry. The music is beyond description



wlewis wrote:

Oh and another reason: Jack Straw from ths past friday, In fact that whole show is outstanding. The Jam>Jack Straw>Shakedown>Mtn. Song>other one (with heavy cryptical teases) was great, and is ultimately what brings me back time and again. By the way, at least to my ears, the soundboards from this past run sound pretty damn good, maybe a little low on the vocals, but the instruments are clear, and John's tone is damn near perfect. I won't comment on Bob's.

nycdave wrote:


Dave has a point about the body of work. We're very familiar with and look for the different ways its played. Furthur is sounding great these days, and the show in and of itself is well worth the price of admission.

I have to disagree with the second part. I do have a higher expectation of people at Dead related shows. I've seen it in the past, and it was very prevalent at RR. I behave differently at shows, I'm more polite and nicer to people than usual. I see most people there are the also, and its what I've come to expect. Its why I continue to go. For that matter, over time its made me nicer in daily life overall. Its what has make us Dead Heads, that unique group of people who behave the way they do.

I also expect to see things I don't really appreciate going on, just like my first show in 1982, all the tours, and currently. I looked past it then and that's become my standard. We all know its not perfect, and the band does too. We all still go, so it can't be that bad. Look at Phish tour for example, I didn't even go to the local show last year because of the scene.

As for the cat, well I claim he doesn't know his name or respond to any name, but I will tell you this...when I'm mad at him for making a mess or something and I call him using his full name including the middle names, "Chester China Cat NYCDave Mushroom Man Zenobious Pigpen you come here right now!", he knows he's in trouble.