9/21/2000 Reviews

September 21 Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC
Playin in the Band >
She Belongs to Me >
Loser > (Bruce)
Playin Jam >
Only the Strange Remain
The Music Never Stopped >
Circles (Bruce)
Victim Or the Crime (Bobby acoustic, Bruce on accordian, Steve)
Deal (Bobby, Mark, and Alphonso acoustic, Bruce, then Billy and Mickey; Mark vocals)
White-Wheeled Limousine >
Drumz/Space >
Banyan Tree >
The Wheel >
Jam >
Playin Reprise
E: Touch of Grey (Bobby)

Very nice, mellow show in Greensboro.   After the insanity of the night before, it was a good break to calm things a bit.   Playin in the Band opener got things going, and a great Loser followed Dylan's She Belongs to Me.  Mickey got the half-capacity crowd howling in Strange Remain, and a fun Music Never Stopped led into Bruce singing "Circles," a jazzy 70's hit that's recently been seen on Trey tour and a Burger King commercial, strangely.   White-Wheeled and the Jam out of Wheel, and definitely Touch were highlights of the night, and the song selection seemed appropriate to the events of the night before.   Shakedown was mellow until the police came around telling everyone to shut down, even telling one vendor "Your shutting down, right? Because the next step is riot gear and mace."  Things wound down, except for all the crackheads and their nitrous tanks, litter, and stupidity.  Eventually, friends of mine were running from flying bottles like the night before.  Still a fun time with great music though... Ziggy!

--Dave

* * *

Well the boys came back through Greensboro again last night. Last time we folks in Greensboro were graced with their presence was 1991 as I recall and Bruce Hornsby was with them then too. It was very different but I can't over-express our gratification for their return. It was great to see the city turn into our home again. An elder family population returned. I've missed seeing our elders at the shows to show the youngin's the ropes. Nice energy in the lot.

First I must concur with previous reviews that Ziggy Marley is bringing strong energy. Not a very good-sounding set, but full of great vibes. Don't miss their set - you paid for it after all.... Ziggy obviously has it in his blood.

Then the boys came on and immediately felt their way into Playin. Playin right out of the gate gets the kids dancing and shaking their bones from the first note. The set is jumbled in my brain (looks I did something right) but we got some strong jam vehicles - Playin', Music Never Stopped, the Wheel... The stage was set - the vehicle was in motion, the drivers were behind the wheel. But rarely did our brothers stand up to drive this oversized boat.

I don't want to make ridiculous analogies between Other Ones and the Dead but with the Dead (on occasion) the boys listened as Jerry drove the bus. Jerry couldn't help but drive. They would boldly follow where ever he might tread. Bruce Hornsby is the epitome of that vibe. Wherever Jerry would go - Hornsby was behind him as if to musically announce - I'm with you, go there. He pushes the soloist to find new places and achieve those heights. Bruce has that magic. Still does. Last night no one could reach the gas pedal for more than 8 bars. Don't get me wrong - the price of improvisation is steep. Sometimes it works and historically that isn't always. But I felt as though Kimock was in a muck pool, spinning his wheels but never getting traction. Last night we had 3 guitar players. That's plenty of strings. But rarely could they find each other, or real energy flows.

That is in reference to the jamming. They are not afraid of taking the long way home and we got many jams, but the content for the most part was as indicated above. As soon as I would think "who is driving this horse," someone would step up and then fall down.

Then Mickey and Billy turned around and did their rhythm devils. These guys still have the juice. They have been doing this for 30 some years. Still, in their glorious older age they gave 100% and delivered for us.   Not only was this a real throwback to the good old days, but these fellas picked up right where they left off and are still growing and developing. Mickey's eccentric, ornamental nature and electronic gadgets of late, Billy's insistence on the groove, the pushing and pulling. The chaos and the tribal, feel it in your body, grooves were all there. Some very fine energy. The high point of the set, IMO.

Strange Remain, the acoustic tunes (an acoustic Victim, who woulda thunk it?), Hornsby's White-Wheeled Limousine. Some nice treats; still I left satisfied but unsure.

I was curious to see what Alphonso would bring. Obviously a great player - but I assumed his time with Jazz is Dead would have set precedence for how to attack the material. I thought some of the magic and looseness was absent in Jazz is Dead without Phil. I wasn't sure what to expect. But Alphonso did a great job. He fell right in. Two thumbs up. Bruce had some glorious moments too. Bruce has his finger on the pulse IMO. He can't always drive the band there, but he will be the first to give someone a boost, or to help make magic happen. He is a true gem of a musician. Can't wait to see what he does over the next 20 years. Bobby had fun. Mickey and Billy - yeah they still have it.

I concur with a statement made by smitty (September 12 On Center, Syracuse, NY) - if they could put more time into rehearsing and tour more, they could deliver some great sets. All the elements are there.  I sensed disorganization and the fact that everyone is also in different bands. Their heads aren't all there. Too many factors. They will continue to get *it* in spurts during the tour I am sure. I would enthusiastically recommend going to the show. Have an open mind and let us know how it went. It was great to see the family again. Remember delivering this music isn't easy for anyone and they are putting real human effort into filling the void. Thanks for that. I needed one.

--Folkswaggin' Dave

* * *

I went to this Other Ones show at the last minute, having previously planned only to go to Atlanta for the big tour closer. Friends had been working on me for the last couple of days, and finally I broke down and agreed to go. My history: 104 GD shows, 5 JGBs, a handful of furthur 96-97, 8 Other ones, 5 Phil & Friends, a couple Ratdogs.

I’m not going to go over the songlist, but let me say that I was less than impressed with both the song selection and the playing, for the most part. There were nice moments, like Loser and She Belongs to Me, and MNS, but these were small consolation for missteps like Only the Strange Remain and Banyan Tree, both of which seemed worse than on the last tour, not better. Karan’s acoustic Deal made me think of the version that would be used for a Budweiser commercial. Acoustic Victim was okay, but nothing groundbreaking.

Drums was exciting of course, and I was a little choked up at seeing the Rhythm Devils together again.

I was also a little emotional during MNS, as from my vantage point on the floor, I could see only Bobby and Billy through the crowd, and I imagined for a fleeting moment that Garcia might be standing up there just out of my sightline. I looked up at the stage backdrop, which included what looked like chunks of the old arch from the GD stadium setup. I thought it was an apt symbol, pieces of the old days sort of hung up there, a reminder of the state of the GD after five years. Pieces, in many ways, that don’t fit together anymore.

Touch of Grey to close out the evening furthur underscored these feelings, although it was a good version, solid, loud, an anthem.

All in all, TOO just seems like a pickup band, with nothing really new to say, and no real purpose other than to… what? Sell tickets? Traffic in nostalgia? I think that if they want to have a band, they should rehearse, write new material, tour more often, make it seem real and not just some act. Because that is all it seemed to me in Greensboro, just some act. A long way from the old days. Maybe I'll like Atlanta better.

--skutch

* * *

The third show i saw this tour and once again, a vibrant and passionate effort. Weir does Dylan with great passion and grace. "She Belongs to Me" was no exception.... I was feeling and hoping for "Playin" and was blessed with it.I found all references to this opus throughout the night to be adventurous and balls out, Kimock, Karan and Alphonso all finding great new space for themselves. Hornsby's version of Loser is a killer... The Wheel was angelic.

I thought the show was short and was hoping for a second encore, not to be. Love to see weir swinging his arms and jumping around, clearly this band is invigorated... I can't see it ending here. Fall tour please?

--DKnows8