I just posted an analysis of Furthur's 8-night run at the Beacon this past April to the Grateful Dead's 9-night run at Madison Square Garden in 1991 on my blog:

rockandrollnerd.wordpress.com/2012/07/17...-square-garden-1991/

I would love to get your feedback.

Thanks!
-Ed

Reading through, and I love the fact that one undertook this large task and wrote, at length, about it! So kudos!

Some things I noticed that might be skewed: Jill and Bob's manager run the setlists for Furthur, not just Jill alone. I do not know his name, though. Also, "Let the Good Times Roll" was played not only in 1991, but they played it from 1988 to 1995. In addendum, "Victim or the Crime" has been played pretty heavily by Ratdog since 1995 (and The Other Ones from 2000 played it 3 times). It's not like Bob has hung it up. Maybe you should add that piece of information, because when you think about it with those details, it seems like Phil is the player who doesn't want to play the song. In 2000, Phil was not part of The Other Ones, yet Billy and Mickey and Bruce all were.

I love how you also comment on the tempo of Furthur songs compared to the way the Dead did them. "Music Never Stopped" is an ok comparison, but you should have taken "Hell in a Bucket" or "Feel Like a Stranger," which these days are snail-like compared to 1991.

Love the shoutout to a Furthur forum member! Woo hoo! (discussing Jerry's 2012 'prophecy')

Jerry garcia vs Fake jerry? No comparison. Furthur is slow and lethargic. They have played some good shows, but even on their best night they can't compare to the worst grateful dead shows. Jerry on his off nights makes fake jerry look like a pre-schooler.
((I hear people say that fake jerry has a hard time dealing with people calling him fake jerry. Hey john, what did you expect you would get called after you and DSO ripped off the dead for so many years? you are basicly a poor immitation. A fake. Grow some balls and deal with it, or get out.))

Jerry garcia would pour his heart and soul all over the stage, fake jerry tries to sound like real jerry but his emotions, like himself are fake and copied, rather then inspired on the spot.
Furthur can, and never ever will be as inspired, on, energetic, upbeat or heartfelt as the good old grateful dead.
No band on EARTH can compare with good old grateful dead.
Asking this question is like asking who would win a fight between gary coleman and andre the giant.
Seriously, when comparing furthur to the grateful dead, furthur sucks.
Lets compare furthur to DSO. DSO is WAY better then furthur, specially since they got rid of jonh.
Thats my .02 and i'm stickin to it.

I just want to add that i enjoyed reading that article very much. Great job.

It's funny how a fanatical opinion can create such a pal on the silent space of these boards.

I kind of agree with you to a point about the differences between the dead and furthur, but jesus "not sure" give the guy a break. They are pretty fucking huge shoes to fill, all things considered, band expectation, audience expectation, especially those like yourself who were select enough to get it when it was sanctimonious and now you sit on that cloud throwing down fury on this guy who has been centered (albeit profiting) but centered nonetheless on recreating this enveloping experience and been so successful in doing so that he has become the final lynchpin in getting a powerful live show back on the road.

I would evaluate your hardened opinions before you go sharing them with the entire world. Yes DSO is better now with the new fake jerry, but don't strip John of all his credentials just because it's a little dif'rent than you remember it in '82, or whatever.

That's all I have to say

Hello,

I just have to put in my .02 on that comment, and I am also "sticking to it".

Hey, fellow Deadhead, are you not missing the point? Perhaps you came into the Dead later(no blame), but the Dead always were and Further still is, a revolutionary band. They were part of the whole '60's culture and all it stood for. As you well know there is NO other band in the world that has lasted so long and actually created its own culture! Please don't knock that down.

Where is the love? If the Dead have inspired another band to play their music, that is incredible! From a band that was not heard on the raido or on the pop charts or even tried to be famous, they showed what doing what you love creates!!!! They ways have and always will, play from their hearts and soul, they have created ALL of this! It is absolutely amazing and what can compare? They are an inspiration to us all! What can we create when we do what we love? Think about that??? What do you love? What do you want to do in the deepest part of your heart? Do that.

AND, ah, excuse me, but Further ROCKS!!! How can you not hear Bobby and Phil giving their WHOLE being to the songs, and night after night!!! How can they do it!!! ???? I live on the West Coast and have only been listening to it via streaming and I am so impressed and just plain in AWE at how they can play so powerfully and masterfully night after night!!! What other band in the entire world, or even in history, has done so much? And they are still doing it! For all of us!!! Don't you get it?

When I first started seeing the Dead in S.F., I remember time and again how much love I had for each and every Deadhead. Walking out of the shows, time and again, I would of given anyone whatever they needed. We were a family. I saw a lot of great music, and only the Dead created that feeling of complete and utter love. Sure Jerry's not here, but can't you hear Bobby? He is pouring his heart into each and every show! Can't you feel Phil? He is like sunshine, so grateful. How can you say what you did? Can you even imagine being able to do what they are doing? They do this for us; to keep the music alive in a world filled with techno-fake music, they play rock and roll, and with their all.

I just can't imagine why you would post such a negative, unkind comment on the Further website. "Whoo, Ohoo, What I want to know, is are you kind?" Please show some respect for ALL the people that have kept this wonderful, wild ride going all these years, maybe especially to Bobby for keeping it going after Jerry. Aren't you happy they didn't just quit? The way I see it, Bobby and Phil are responsible for this. There is nothing to compare. Sure some sunrises and sunsets are more amazing than others, but no one can fault their magic.

With much love...

"Not Sure" you're comments are so insulting and ignorant that I will not even compose a reply. Good day to you sir

The event occurred in the giddy instant when the city realized it had successfully slipped through the fingers of the Civic Grim Reaper, after it stopped being a play-land for street criminals and before it became a play-land exclusively for the super-rich, that beautiful and brief twilight period when the city was still a vast, affordable repository of all that was too weird and wonderful for the rest of America (any serious New Yorker is loath to attribute this grace period to the famously inept David Dinkins, but the years do more or less match up…)

1991 had over 2100 homicides...ha! ha! ..1990 was technically higher but you have to factor in Happy Land which skewers the number..

I wonder if not sure's comments are simply trying to evoke a reaction like CaptinTony always does. I am not sure why people find that fun??? Seems odd to me personally.

What I find strange/questionable/misguided/disconcerting (and a wealth of other adjectives) is the fact that people compare John to Jerry. I guess it must be easy to do casue a lot of people do it. Why???????

Both are great musicians, period. Can you "not sur" play the guitar??? If so can you play it such that thousands of people spend a lot of money to see you play that guitar. I don't know how anyone can feel in a position to criticize someone when they have no basis to make the criticism.

Yes, you have an opinion and thank God for the 1st Amendmant. Please share as you feel the need. But unless you can actually make music yourself, then dont question the ability of another musician.

John does not need to out-Jerry Jerry becasue he is John. They are different. Either like or walk away, but do not compare the two.......because there is comparison.

That being said I did decide to do a quick comparison of Loser from 9/8/91 and 4/10/12. Here's what I found interesting........I really liked both (though I am not a fan of post Brent Dead).

So listen to what you like, don't to what you don't and let the rest go. Life is better that way.

One final comment, the thing that make Furthur so much fun is the entire cast. Joe on the drums (sounding like 2 in the Terrapin Suite), Sunshine and Jeff on the vocals blowing us away, Jeff just ripping us apart with one of his emotional solos..........or John rippin up a classic of course along with my 2 favorite old timers Bob and Phil.

not sure wrote: