9/9/2000 Reviews

September 9 Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT
Jack Straw (Bobby and Bruce)
Bird Song > (Bobby and Bruce)
Loser (Bruce)
Baba Jingo
West L.A. Fadeaway >
White-Wheeled Limousine
Blackbird (Bobby, Mark, and Alphonso acoustic)
K.C. Moan (Bobby, Mark, and Alphonso acoustic, Bruce on accordian)
Lost Sailor >
Saint of Circumstance >
The Other One Jam >
Drumz/Jam > (Steve and Alphonso joined Drumz for a "Blues for Allah" jam; "St. Thomas," "So What," and "Shortenin Bread" themes among others in the Jam)
Bird Song
One More Saturday Night

Just got back from Hartford. Amazing, right down to the 2 hour trip back to NYC. I am so glad I kept a completely open mind, because it just made this show so much more fun.

Jack Straw opener; a slower tempo then maybe I would have liked, but I guess I was expecting more fire. Nice shared vocals by Bobby and Bruce. When Karan hops in with this beautiful lead. I remembered why I wanted to be President of his fan club two years ago. Completely confident, solid. A nice jam followed into a Bird Song that was light... first two verses slightly unfocused, not altogether tight, but it is, after all Bird Song. After the second verse Bruce did a very nice organ solo that pieced together everything. Very jazzy organ, and some nice Karan work. Very sweet. Very different.

Opening bars of Loser... Hornsby's vocals never sounded so resinant, so moving to me, strong, clear, yet aged. Then Karan lets this solo rip... everyone in the house frozen, rapt. Then he does it again. This guy can take you to places you have never been. Then Kimock with an astounding solo. You just did not want this to end. Raw emotion from the music, not the lyrics. It was stunning.

Baba Jingo next. Not fond of Mickey's singing, but the notes; tight and fun. The song is a good solid song. Full of life.

Opening bars of White-Wheeled Limo.. many didn't know the song. We remembered it live from the last outing. It was the same song, but tonight it was different. It took on an energy, a life force. Richly layered with unique and beautiful solos from all. It was so thick, so elegant. Like a great bottle of wine you cannot wait to turn others onto, yet the experience so profound you want to keep it to yourself. Truly a magnificent performance from all. Kimock on lap steel for the last verse, and Karan just layering these amazing notes, so that they layered upon each other. You didn't hear the last note end before there was a new one. This was perfect soloing. Flawless, and the rest of the band just backed him up.

Blackbird was fine, and quick. No over emoting from Bobby. K.C. Moan, again, nice vocals, not trying go beyond the capable range.

Lost Sailor into Saint. Good, solid performance, and a huge crowd pleaser. When these songs are performed as they should be there is no reason to wax poetic.

A quick space into Drums, which were quite short. You don't realize you miss Drums until you hear those two. Out of drums with all but Karan. A space that I swear was actually a Pat Methany tune, although the title has not come forth. Back into Bird Song. A very different Bird Song from the first set. Tighter, more fire. Very sophisticated.

Last Song, One More Saturday Night. Huge! Although many probably expected it, I didn't, so it was actually a pleasing suprise. Much fun, and many memories. No encore. a bummer, but it did get me home to NJ after a stop in Manhattan by 1:30. I cannot wait to see what tomorrow brings. YOU ARE DAMN FOOLS IF YOU DON'T MAKE IT TO A LEAST ONE SHOW, if you are in the position to do so. This is the kind of music that stays with you and "soothes your soul."

Two notes: Ziggy was way too loud. This could explain why I heard Weir only once all night. Maybe the mix is at fault. We had excellent seats, and the sound was crystal clear.

I love Phil and I believe that the April run at the Beacon was some of the finest music I have ever heard. Phil is not missed with this band. Alphonso Johnson is one of the finest bassists out there. He is wonderful with this band, as he should be. Don't compare the two musicians, or the music that is performed by these bands. Revel in the fact that the year 2000, the year Jerry was so looking forward to, has brought us all of this amazing music. It does not get much better that we can get our nourishment from two bands, after so many years with none.

--Lisa Lamborn

* * *

Quick review...I left the show pretty disappointed. Jack Straw was a nice, predictable opener, but never really took off. Bird Song is Bird Song, nothing really rockin' here. Loser, a song that I would leave behind every time I saw it when the Dead played, was actually one of the stronger tunes of the evening. Baba Jingo, personally doesn't do anything for me... nor the people around me. West L.A. was groovin and the sound started to pick up a bit. White-Wheeled Limo probably rocked the most after Saturday Night, but another song that I can leave behind. Blackbird and K.C. should stay in a smaller intimate setting with RatDog. Lost/Saint was nice to hear, but didn't blow the roof off. Drumz was one of the highlights... good to have you back Billy. A predictable Bird Song reprise which was preceded by a nice little Jam that Bruce had some fun with, but nonetheless Bird Song is Bird Song... nice to hear late first set, but not leading into the closer. Saturday Night rocked as usual and I was hoping that a Throwin/NFA or at least a NFA would follow, but nothing did. NO encore was a SHOCKER. I may be overly critical because I had some pretty high expectations after getting blown away in '98. I still recommend checking it out, but this song selection sucked. The band was loose. Bobby's volume is too low. And no encore...c'mon. Hopefully NJ and Boston will be better.

--JB

* * *

This was the first Other Ones show I saw since Alpine 98. I was disapointed by the show tonight at Hartford. The show had numerous gafs and stumbles. The band seemed to be greatly influence by Bruce Hornsby, which is a bad thing. Hornsby must go.

--Vid

* * *

I went to the show with an open mind about what was going to be played tonight. They opened up with a powerful version of Jack Straw that had everyone rockin'--Steve and Mark really were ON tonite--then the band eased into a nice Bird Song and then into a cool version of Loser w/Bruce on vocals. Mickey then had the Civic Center bouncing along to Baba Jingo, which Steve sounded exceptionally crisp on, they then rolled into West L.A. during which Mark was having so much fun jamming along with Steve he was matching him note for note and then he'd have this big ol' smile and he'd be laughing, just have a good time onstage tonight.They played WW Limo which seemed to deflate the crowd a bit, then came the acoustic songs of Blackbird with K.C. Moan during which Bruce came out with his accordian but his mic for it wasn't working because you could see him play but couldn't hear it. Lost Sailor and Saint Of Circumstance then followed both of them were thoroughly enjoyable with everyone taking turns jamming which made it sound real powerful which is what they needed to get rolling into an Other One jam which was about 15 minutes. long before giving way to Drumz. Welcome Back Billy!!!! It seems that with Billy and Mickey back there the backbone of the group is much stronger than in years past. After the Dumz came the conclusion of Bird Song which was fantastic. Then is when it got a little strange. After Bird Song was finished Bruce ran over to Bobby and said something to him. BANG--they ripped into One More Saturday Night; at that point I looked at the clock in the corner of the Civic Center and it read 10:15. Now I'm thinking to myself, great they're playin Saturday Night now, that must mean one of 3 things..
(1) that there will be at least 30 more minutes of music left
(2) I will get something else besides Sat.Nite as an encore,...or...
(3) both.
but there was a 4th possibility that i had not thought of which was........
House lights on, thank you, good night, leave our city now... it's 10:24 pm ... what happened?..... why no encore?........ why did they stop so early?.. What did Bruce say to Bobby?... I hope nothinhg serious happened, but this is the 2nd time the Other Ones have done this to Hartford (1998 was the other time, no encore). It's as if they're say here's your 2 hrs of music now lets get out of this stinkin' state,well if that's the case' gentlemen please skip our state. It will make it an easier decision for us on whether to go Jersey or Mass,or Ct. to catch a great show with an encore. I mean the music that was played in Hartford was great but, you guys cut us fans in Connecticut short once again.

--GeeWiz

* * *

Alright, here we go. This was my first show of this tour. Overall I thought it was a pretty decent show and tons of fun. I was stoked for the Jack Straw opener which I thought was strong played very well. When I head the beginning of Bird Song I knew that it was going to be the bottom layer of a decent sized sandwich. I am not a huge fan of this tune, just wasn't too tight.The Loser was sweet. Bruce sounded great, and occasionally he hit a few falsetto notes. Both Mark and Steve had some buttery solos on this one.

Baba Jingo...I didn't think it got the respect it deserved. It was the first song of the night that really had a moving tempo and lit a fire under Billy. Bruce Hornsby went off in the song--there is no other way to put it he just went off!! and just threw out this incredible solo. I thought that this was one of the tightest tunes that was played all night.

West L.A. was next, I was glad to hear this song as I haven't heard it in quite some time, and i thought that Bobby's vocals were pretty strong on this.

Alright now it was time for WW Limo, another tune that I feel just didn't get the respect that it deserved. This tune was one steady climax, before really slowing down at the end then building up and exploding at the last section with some terrific solos, and Kimock on Slide. Solid overall performance.

Blackbird, and K.C. Moan were nice to hear, but I think a little out of place after such an explosive ending to WW Limo. Bruce was having a little trouble with the accordian sound.

Lost Sailor>Saint...... nice, very nice. Sailor was sweet, also a long time since I had heard this. However the Saint was all over the place, everybody was missing cues, I don't like to be too critical because as a musician I understand that sometimes during and show there are off moments, and nobody is perfect so I am in no way commenting on the musicality of the musicians, but it seemed that this song was a little under rehearsed.

Drumz was great. Not too long which is nice, but just long enough for both Mickey and Billy to make us realize how much we've missed Billy. I thought I was a pretty good combination of sampled and electronic sounds with natural drums. Really fun to hear and watch as those two look like they never left each others side.

Then we had a little jazz sort of thing going on which I thought was really neat, This is the first time all night that I could really hear Alphonso well. The guy was on fire during this. He could have been turned up in the mix a little more during the whole show. What a tasteful bass player he is. After this, back to Bird Song. I knew it was coming eventually it was just a matter of when. Like I said before it was alright, not always one of my personal favorites but nice to hear. I thought that the ending was tight.

Sat. Night was full of fire and just showed what this band is capable of. They were having a lot of fun during this was as was everyone in the Civic Center. Mark had a burning solo in this one. But that was the end of the show. No Encore for the second time in Hartford, a bit of a bummer, but an overall solid show. Loser, Baba Jingo, and WW Limo were the real standouts for me. After seeing this show I am without a doubt going to hit a couple more shows before the tour is over.

--DeadMTS

* * *

After reading the other reviews, I have to agree with most of them. Overall a GOOD show, not great. Jack Straw was solid and always a favorite. I expected the Bird Song theme, but this version was unfocused BIG time! It had its moments and is a BEAUTIFUL song but then the band would seem to lose the flow, which turned out to be the story of the night. Loser--same thing, great guitar work, nice vocals when Bruce can remember the words in time!!! Baba Jingo rocked with the SK and MK having a great time, which they did all night--laughing and loose throughout.

West L.A. was groovin' and solid. Needed a little more low end on the guitar riff. Bobby seemed too reserved all night like he was concentrating way too hard and not enjoying himself. His vocals WERE mixed too low also. I say this because I am a HUGE Bob fan and was a little disappointed. Oh, well you know how it is, sometimes Bobby rips the place up and other times its like he doesn't want to be there. White-Wheeled was excellent especially when the boys finally woke up and kicked off a great climaxing Jam!! Blackbird was nice and K.C. Moan was a filler--too bad there's not much else too say here but sometimes a song's just a song.

Then into a SWEET! LOST SAILOR, and I was happy and smiling even more. What a classic tune. Well-played and sung (it fit Bobby's mood for the night) then into another personal favorite St. of Circumstance. Now I LOVE this song and they nailed the first verse & chorus, but then they seemed to get a little lost. Bobby playing band leader and neither lead guitarist taking charge. Not bad (I'm sorry if this sounds harsh--it really was ok) but a little under rehearsed. I believe its the first time they've played it this tour so its expected. Then into the Other One jam > a good Drumz > and then this jazzy tune jam (Matilda??) sounded like some old Jazz Standard. Very nice!! Into a LONG, will they make it all the way back, Bird Song REDEMPTION. Once they made it back to the Bridge it was EXCELLENT! The jam ws nice too! Finally Bobby woke up for a great Sat. Nite which brought back many fond memories.

They all came back for a group bow and that was it! I don't know if Hartford has a 10:30 curfew or what. My last show before this was at Alpine in 98 - 'nuff said On a scale of 1-10 7.3

--Mike Lewis

* * *

Addendum to GeeWhiz:

Bruce said to Bobby: "Watch the time - we're running late". I knew it was gonna be a short show right there. No encore was a big disappointment - would have been a great show if it was 20 minutes longer. Also, Ziggy's sound was much better. We were 9th row and everything went right over us - couldn't even hear Bobby.

--Ted Busch

* * *

I have to agree that this show was weak. It never really got going, and the boys could never seem to find the groove. This is the risk we take when we see bands that don't over rehearse the same set that will be played night after night. The rumor from the floor was that Hornsby was sick. I don't know if this is true or not, but it would explain the abrupt end to a tepid show. I really like Hornsby, but I have no doubt that the band could have played a couple of more songs without him. I guess the best thing to do is buy tickets to more than one show, so maybe you have a good chance of seeing something better than Hartford.

--Jeff MacLaren

* * *

I agree with GeeWiz. I caught the Hartford Furthur in '98 and it does seem they cut Ct. short. C'mon guys, hook it up. I'm going to the Fleet Center and they better have an encore or I will be thoroughly disappointed with TOO this year. It was a great show and I had a blast but no encore was a surprise. The lights just came out of nowhere. I was feeling a Not Fade Away at the end but then the lights came on. I hope the Fleet Center is better. Ziggy was awesome. I only caught the last few songs but what I saw rocked. He puts such a good vibe to the show. All I have to say is the next time TOO come to Ct., please give us an encore. I don't want to sound like I'm complaining or anything because it was a good time but next time I hope they play a little longer. It seems as the tour moves on, the setlists get shorter and shorter. I hope this changes. It is definitely a show to go see.
Peace,

--Chris Cummings

* * *

The songs played during the jam out of drums were about 2-3 minutes of 'St. Thomas' (Sonny Rollins), a few bars of 'So What' (Miles Davis) and what sounded to me like
'Shortnin' Bread' (as in 'mama's little baby loves shortnin', shortnin' ....). also, interspersed between these jams were a few aborted attempts to get back into Bird Song,
before they finally did reprise it. it was a very choppy jam to be sure, but hey, at least they were trying.

Maybe it was this particular night with this particular setlist, but to me they almost sounded like a glorified Ratdog. I did find it to be pretty enjoyable for the most part, but
not an earth-shattering experience by any means.

Also, DO NOT miss Ziggy's set. IMHO they were better than TOO!

--Chuck Schwartz

* * *

Upon reflection the morning after the show, I can say for sure that I cannot wait for the next one. After taking in my first Other Ones show this time around, my experience begs the question: "Phil who?"

If there was any glaring difference between the current incarnation of the band from the one that took the road two years ago, it was the absence of Dave Ellis, whose saxophone work added a nice touch the sound that was missed at times last night.  Conversely, Alphonso Johnson's solid though often understated playing more than made up for the absence of Phil Lesh's dynamic runs on the bass.

Jack Straw started off the show and the boys hit it right on the head. The vocals started off a bit low, but that was corrected in short order. The lack of a third part to the vocal harmonies was apparent at many times during the show, probably most during the beginning of Jack Straw, where Jerry's vocal part was conspicuously absent from Bob's melody and Bruce's flawless high harmony. Mark Karan and Steve Kimock each took a solo and both of them soared, as they did for much of the show.

Bird Song, save for Bobby and Bruce trading vocal lines, sounded exactly like RatDog's version; evidence that Weir's influence over the band's sound has increased with Lesh's departure. The execution was not flawed in the least bit, however, as the jam into Loser flowed meticulously. Bruce's vocal approach to the song was a bit different that we all were accustomed to throughout the years, but his unique take on the song was not a detraction from its beauty. And while Garcia's typical guitar solo in Loser is one of several that simply cannot be improved upon, Karan first and Kimock following stamped their own sounds, the latter building and building his solo until the explosive return into the song's bridge.

The band plodded through West L.A. Fadeaway next, with Bobby apparently struggling with the vocals and the rest of the band not together like they were for most of the show. Baba Jingo allowed Kimock to showcase his immense talent and in may ways, stole the spotlight from Mickey in his only vocal appearance of the show. White-Wheeled Limousine followed and was absolutely killer, obviously well-rehearsed. The end jam was very intense, with Karan's soaring guitar and Kimock's lap steel playing off each other like they had been sharing the stage for many years.

The acoustic portion of the show, featuring only Bobby, Alphonso and Karan (and, occasionally, Bruce on accordion, which regrettably was barely audible) represented a nice change of pace. Weir's version of Blackbird was strong, and K.C. Moan is a tune that Bobby obviously loves doing. Alphonso's standup bass provided the backbone and complimented Weir's rollicking blues acoustic guitar. Karan's leads were just about perfect: strong enough to punch through and give the songs a kick but not flashy or distasteful in any way. Karan's time playing with Weir in RatDog has certainly paid massive dividends.

Bobby continued on acoustic guitar for Lost Sailor. One must wonder why he ever retired the song with the Dead way back in 1986. Though Bobby's falsetto seems nearly gone, he sung the song with plenty of passion, which he carried into Saint. Trouble was, the rest of the band, save for Billy and Mickey's excellent drumming, was not up to the complex changes of the song. Much of the band seemed a bit out of place during Saint, but they still managed to wow the crowd and overall, they pulled the song off well; far better than the Dead often did in their final years.

Hearing Drumz makes you realize how great it is to have Billy back. And this is coming from someone who usually took a leisurely stroll during drums and space. The jam out of drums touched on many themes, including a brief jam on Miles Davis' So What as well as a jazzy jam featuring only Billy, Bob, Bruce, Alphonso and Kimock. The return to Bird Song was delayed by several short jams, each taking a different interesting path, showing that the boys were not averse to some tried and true improvisation.

As always, One More Saturday Night, regrettably the final song, was tons of fun. Bobby's scream towards the end showed that he still has some howling left in his voice.

Though I was disappointed that the show didn't go on longer (perhaps Hartford has a 10:30 p.m. curfew?), this band is for real, and I hope will continue touring. It is surely different from the Other Ones circa 1998 in ways positive and negative.

Though Ellis' sax playing is often missed, Kimock and Karan's dueling guitars are far less reserved then they were two years ago. That is especially true for Kimock, who really let loose at times and proved once and for all that he is comfortable playing in front of large crowds and not just in the confines of small night clubs and theaters. This all despite his static stage presence, which sharply contrasted that of his partner in crime, Karan, who moved about the stage with vigor and was visibly smiling and surely in a joyous mood throughout.

The drumming was a bit changed from the last tour as well. When he was playing with John Molo, Mickey took more liberties with steel drums, congas and other various types of esoteric percussion instruments.  Playing with Billy again saw Mickey play as he did in his years with the Dead, with more emphasis on conventional drumming, though still not a "drummer" in the strictest sense of the word. Kreutzmann played with an enthusiasm that has not been heard in many years and his addition to the Other Ones was definitely welcome given that resurgence.

What was not missed by today's Other Ones from the band two years ago was hearing Lesh futilely attempt to sing many of Garcia's chestnuts. Vocally, Bruce does a far more admirable job in substituting for what there is truly no substitute for. And as I mentioned before, Alphonso filled Phil's bass chair admirably.  In summation, I can only say to all the net-heads reading this is catch them while you can!

--Jay Jaffe

* * *

I was at Hartford last night and enjoyed the show, even though it was definitely ragged. Steve Kimock was definitely the star and seemed to be inspiring the whole band. My brother, who is not into the Dead and related stuff, enjoyed it also. I'm just writing here to comment on why the show ran short. During "Baba Jingo" some idiot threw a metal object that just missed Bobby. I think that's why they cut the show short and left without an encore. I remember a show back in Providence in 1986 where Billy got hit in the head with an object and they bolted without an encore that night. I guess some people will always be idiots.

--John Thomas

* * *

I also wanted to add that I really see the difference without Phil. Alphonso is great but he either wasn't mixed loud enough or was content to lay a mellow baseline over everything. Only during the Jam after drums did we really hear how good he could sound.

--CDogleW

* * *

Ziggy came out REALLY LOUD and muffled. The Other Ones came out quiet and muffled. Could anyone hear Bobby? I moved around and the sound did improve the closer to the front, but make no mistake, it was not "crystal clear" liked I read in another review. When the band was on they were on, but it seemed they fought the sound all night. I saw 3 Other Ones shows last time around including Hartford which completely rocked, no encore was needed because they gave us 3 hours of great music. One of the reasons I chose Hartford this year was because I enjoyed the venue's sound last time around. This year was short and for the most part mellow. I wouldn't attribute that to the lack of chemistry with the boys, just on off night with the sound. Still a really fun time and although this band doesn't need Phil at all, it'd be nice if we could all get along.

--Tripp Gebhard

* * *

Quick comments... Show was filled with a thick and rich blend of sweet sounds that was pulled from all genres of music. The new arrangements were great. The intro and the trading of lines between Bruce and Bobby of Bird Song, the vocal range on Loser by Bruce, and even Baba Jingo seems to be finding it's niche with that increase in tempo and timing. I'll be in Boston. For all those who take the sudden end of the show personally, blame Hartford and the Civic Center; they have a 10:30 curfew. I'd rather have straight music than go through that whole encore ritual, personally.

Also: To the mad drummers and dancers on the streets of Hartford after the show (probably 200+ people) ... Thank you!

--Jesse

* * *

Snooze fest in Hartford.... just about every song (other than opener Jack Straw and closer One More Sat Nite) were absolute slow, laid back, and sleepy time....Come on Bob, play YOUR songs, not BIRD SONG, LOSER, WEST LA, etc. They played more Jerry tunes than Bob tunes... I think Ratdog in a smaller venue is a better show than this. The lighting setup is small, there were no speakers setup for side stage seats. Our local Dead-clone band "Slipknot" is better than this crap, for $5 a nite cover charge. The sound was terrible and song selection was weak....and needed a little longer after the drums section, not just a 2 minute Bird Song reprise into a 5 minute Saturday night.... I'm bagging Boston, just not worth it......

--RayB

* * *

The Hartford Furthur show was very disappointing, Bobby does not seem to have the magic that he once had, It actually seems like he still has it, he just doesn't want to use it. No encore hardly any upbeat dancing songs. PHIL has the magic this tour needs Phil, even though Alphonso Johnson is not the problem drums was the best song all night this band doesnt have the magic the former Furthur shows did can't wait for Phil's theater tour.

--Karen Kwiatek

* * *

DON'T MISS THIS TOUR!

Read Lisa's review--I couldn't have said it better. This isn't the Dead and it will never be, so get that out of your head and enjoy it. It is a fine fine band that really likes to jam. It was great to see Billy and Mickey again--the rhythm devils were "out there" as only those two can get. Bobby is great guitar player and is still bringing the music to the people night after night. Some day we won't have him and then you'll know just how good the guy is. Bruce is an incredible musician--we are lucky to have him in the Dead family. Mark Karan and Steve Kimock are excellent guitarists. There were excellent jams throughout this show--from Bird Song, to Loser. West L.A. was severely jammed; so was White-Wheeled Limousine and the Lost-Saint was very nice.

I've been seeing shows in Hartford since the early seventies at Dillon Stadium and I can't beleive how lucky we are to still be getting this kind of music in the new Millenium. So take it for what it is--enjoy and get on the tour!

BTW Hartford has a 10:30 curfew now which sucks but don't blame TOO.

--Jeff Briggs

* * *

One thing missing from all the Hartford reviews, was I the only one that caught Steve and Alphonso playing the Blues For Allah theme behind Mickey and Billy at the end of drums? It was the highlight of the show for me.

I really wish they would turn Alphonso's bass and Mark's vocals up so we could hear them.

--Rick Winfield

* * *

By now everyone knows the setlist, so I thought that I'd just give some over all impressions.

I am VERY puzzled by negative reviews of this show. The only explanation that I can come up with is that some folks came in feeling that they MUST hear certain songs. I think that is a grave error.

The overall feel and texture of this show was beautiful. The boys really explored the nuances of every song. No, it wasn't a night for dancing til you drop, it was a night for gorgeous sounds by a band that has not even begun to hit their stride.

The lack of an encore even though it was only 10:22 was border-line insulting. This was probably the best concert I've seen by any band all year.

--Frim

* * *

I thought that this show was absolutely killer. Very nice, tight jamming along with fantastic musicianship, and even the band vocally sounded great. Definitely having Billy back makes a huge difference. I loved hearing Mickey and Bill together again, such as treat for me. I was a little upset at first to hear that Alphonso was turned way down in the mix for most of the show. But suddenly after the Drums segment and he and Kimock came back out, his bass came to life. That whole jam after drums was controlled by Alphonso; I don't think they could have picked a better bassist to play with them. He's inventive and is always right on top of everything all the time. Also I thought Bobby was awesome all night long. Great vocals, he was energetic, his guitar sound really creative; I was very pleased with what I saw and heard from him. Also did anyone else hear the "Estimated Prophet" tease during the jam after "Drums". I'm not sure if it was Kimock or Karan who played the intro riff, but I heard Bobby change keys right away,and then Alphonso killed it by going into that "Shortening Bread jam." But still a very entertaining segment. With all that said, I thought Jack Straw was a solid opener with great singing from Bruce (who was awesome) and Bobby. Karan's lead was fantastic and had me jumping the whole way through. Listening to it I knew the band was hot and we were going to be in for a serious treat and boy was I right. "Bird Song" was extremley creative and jazzy. This version was reminicent of the Dead's great '72 readings; it had that kind of a feel to it. Bruce's organ was fantastic, and danced all over the jam. Loser was extremley soulful. Karan's solo gave me goose bumps and brought tears to my eyes, that's how emotional it was. To me it was almost to painful to listen to at some points. Bruce's vocals added a great touch to version, his voice sounded fantastic all night. I loved Baba Jingo, very upbeat and great to groove to. Nice playing by Kimock in this one. Then it happend, White-Wheeled Limousine. I was dying to hear this song. Before the show my friend asked me which song I wanted to hear the most tonight, and I said WWL. I don't know why but I just had this hunger to hear this song, and sure enough I got it. And it was all I could have hoped for. Once again Bruce's voice in top form. The Band was fully inspired and ripped right through it. The Drums was my fav Drums segment I have ever heard, very creative and fun to watch. The One More Saturday Night closer didn't dawn on me till the opening riff that it was Saturday night. I couldn't have picked a better closer. Bottom line this show rocked! Begining to end, I also met some awesome people around me to. All in all a magical evening.

--Matt

* * *

All I can say about this show is "WOW!" Maybe it had something to do with all the psychedelics, maybe not.   I have not felt that alive since summer '95. Most of the reviews I have seen are minutely critiquing every single aspect of every song. Are we forgetting one of the reasons why we all did Dead tour in the first place? It's about the vibe, stupid. The vibe was there, that feeling you only get from a Greatful Dead show. So what if they made some mistakes here and there.  Jerry screwed stuff up all the time. I could feel the love eminating from the band and to me that was the most important aspect.  I became a born-again Deadhead at that show. It was the same spiritual experience I had when I first became a Deadhead. The cosmic energy was back in effect, and so what if it wasnt perfect. When the show ended, I didnt need to hear anymore. I had become enlightened once again and I could walk away happy. Overjoyed to be exact.

So what I say to all the people who are dissing the shows, drop some acid, free your mind and your soul will follow (to paraphrase George Clinton). Stop dwelling on all of your perceived negatives and focus on the postives. The vibe is back and that's what counts. If you want to hear perfect recreations of songs, go buy an album. If you want to feel the love, go to the shows and stop complaining. If you don't want to feel the love, there is a Phish tour going on right now. Furthur on forever.

--phatpaulyg

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I am from CT but live in California and while on vacation back east was stoked to see Further because I missed the rocking Shoreline show. I saw my first Dead show here in Hartford on 3-26-87 and I have decided that Hartford is the right place for me to leave behind the Grateful Dead from my life except for the wonderful bootlegs I have.

The show sucked. The tunes were well played but the song selection absolutely blew, and no encore. I saw the sets for the shows previous to this one and the sets after this show--they all seemed hot. This show, however, really left me irritated. NO ENCORE! One song after Space! The Jack Straw opener was great as was Bird Song and Loser then the show fell apart as the band started to jones for the backstage party or just didn't feel like playing this night.

What where they waiting for!? All of the new material, i.e. Baba Jingo and this limousine song absolutely suck! I am not paying money to be the guinea pig for Hart's new lame material. Nor am I here to advance Hornsby's career! PLAY DEAD SONGS! REAL ONES! not this KC Moan bullshit or this Blackbird crap!

I was absolutely thoroughly disappointed in this show and am happy to leave the Grateful Dead X-men out of my life for good- I have a message for you boys: play good long sets with the good tunes, not some bullshit songs- we are not paying for that.

I am back to Phil and Friends when the two set shows come back.

If this line up did a two set tour I would go, but this one set crap sucks. One show is Scarlet Fire and China Rider and Franklins St Stephen etc... then we get some bullshit crappy night with no encore?? I put up with that BS when Jerry was around but I don't dig hold out shows with out Jer.
Thanks but no thanks,

--Brendan