Terrapin Sedation wrote:
Sorry for your stream difficulties, but I'm not surprised it was difficult for us to communicate in the building with our Dead Spun Spawn.
I'll start with climate: It was steamy until about 5:30 when it got overcast and the breeze picked up. Show started at 7:30 and at about 7 dark clouds started rolling in and there was wild lightening (I'm thinking if they don't play Lazy Lightening today we'll never get it. But they did get a lightening song in there at the end) and wind for about 15/20 minutes. Which cooled things down a bit, but no rain. The Mann was prepared this time. No problems getting in at all. Although we were among the first rush.
First set just blistered. Trucking opener, what can you say. I heard Cold Rain teases and the Bird Song somebody mentioned, so when it rolled out it was fun to be surprised (although CRS would have been just fine too). Nobody's Fault was a good follow because it has that Smokestack feel to it. Then the FIRE ... which I was hoping for because it didn't follow Scarlet on Friday. It was just what you want, thick and chunky but creamy too. A nice Cassady, Weir just doesn't disappoint me with this song. On Temp and in tune and into Peggy-Ohhhhhh. Although it was not immediately recognizable to me.
Then the Jed, which honestly was one of many highlights, which you don't really expect with a Jed, but the crowd loved it and gave the band an ovation, which gave them a pause before launching into Esau. I loved it and so did lots of others. Then the Deal, which is always a money in the bank closer.
Of course me and Homey J (my wife)were drenched after the first set and the second set didn't let up with a scorching China>Rider to open. Reminiscent in its energy to 2010 Mann. Props to Jeff P. for strong lead in the harmonies leading an 8,000 folk sing-a-long.
The spacey jazz jam was a surprise after that jumping start, but honestly I don't think any of us could have kept up the pace with the heat. Joe Russo was a monster in the space and Caution Jam between Dark Star. His trio chops coming out with strong support from Jeff C. Gypsy woman was another highlight with JK and Bobby playing so hard and tight together into the St. Stephen which I thought was heavily teased in the spaceyjazzjam. One issue, JK was in a zone going Furthur and Bobby gave everyone the abort signal. It all crumbled but then it built back nicely into.......
..... Unbroken Chain...missed the breakout by a day in Philly in 1995 so they owed that one to me for a long time. I loved it, but was struck by the dissonance of Chementi.Purely intentional and it worked as everything reassembled and fell into Prudence. Which if there was a clunker for me this was it. Just because Weir insists on singing and playing at a slow tempo (don't mess with the classics dude!) once it got to the JK/JC part everything good and Jeff and Sunshine save the vocals. All was well when a sweet Wheel (there's the lightening) followed which I had also heard teases of in the spacejam.
Homey J was hearing GDTRFB all night and yep there it was. Boy did she boogie during that. It was fun to watch her blissed out like the girl I fell in love with 25 years ago. Couldn't have ended any better with WBYGN great version JKs lyrics a bit garbled but the emotion in the voice was unmistakeable. That was church bitches.
OMSN. somebody got it right when they wrote about the tie-dye shirt and cargo pants wearing folks heading to the gates while the kids (an old folks) in the hall shake their bones ... it was fun fun fun especially with the Bobby scream.....Those bones are achy today and my face hurts from grinning.
i'd like to thank you for writing my review for me...couldn't agree more
i'll add: picked up my buddy in nolibs and cruised up girard->lansdowne, past the please touch museum and a few family reunions in the park and right into the parking area...i love hanging out here due to the trees and park-like setting...lot was chill if you were just hanging out, but L & I was cracking down on the unauthorized sale of anything (food, drink, wares, gas)
weather was MUCH better than last year...feel bad for anyone that bailed due to weather because it was totally manageable, both in the afternoon and especially with the aforementioned pre-show cool breeze
security was MUCH better behaved this year it made for an infinitely better experience, both on the way in and during the show
the band's energy was relentless pretty much throughout the night and the crowd was very energetic and responsive...the sound in the shed (we were orc B, LC, row e) was fairly dialed, and i was stoked to hear phil well represented in the mix and out front and leading a lot of the music...2nd set was wayyyy out there...they really got me where i itch with the exploratory stuff, which i thought was both sufficiently out there and purposeful, a musical high-wire act
great night in the park...thank you weir, lesh and furthur...as always a pleasure and a privilege
