"If you tell the Truth, you don't have to remember anything"
-Mark Twain
"You realize, of course, that everything I say is horseshit." -Kurt Vonnegut

Sunday, September 30, 2012

THE DAYS THAT STILL ARE TO COME

Today we go back on this date 36 years ago. The band found itself at Ohio State University at the Mershon Auditorium, which can be downloaded HERE and HERE.
They opened up the show with a rockin' "Music," which leaves the band in perfect position to jump into "Sugaree." There is some intense jams that are laid down by the band in this song. Two rockers in "Minglewood" and "Ramble on Rose" pump up the Buckeye crowd. The first travesty of the recording is the first half of the "LL Rain," which is missing. Another tender song in "Peggy-O" easy the crowds soul. The featured jam of the set is the "Crazy Fingers." The light reggae beat entwines the playing of Phil and Jerry till the song starts to easy to close. Before it does Jerry, picks up on the a rift that quickens to be "All Over Now." As the cap the set with a bubbly "Scarlet."
It is common in 1976, to find a lot of uncommon song choices in a show's setlist. So it is here with the "Lazy Lightning" opener, a song which usually comes towards the close of the first set. A beautiful "It Must Have Been The Roses" comes next and features a lyric change of "All I know is I should not leave her there." A raucous "Samson" comes next and feeds into the featured sandwich jam of "St Stephen/NFA/Drums/Wharf Rat/NFA/St Stephen." Wowser. That is a spicey meatless ball. The energy of the "St Stephen" leads into the thickness of the "Not Fade," which they don't get around to singing until about five minutes in. A brief "Drums" solo drops into a delicate "Wharf Rat." The music quickens as it sounds like there might be an "Other One" bomb but instead they circle back to reprise "NFA" and "St Stephen."
Garcia sang two of his tendentious of songs in the second set in "Roses" and "Wharf Rat," so the band comes out to encore with a song that they would never use again as an encore, "Morning Dew." They had only encored with it about five times beforehand, not including  the show that I have previous posted about 9/23/76. You know how you can look back on something and say "If I had known I'd have done it differently," well this is not one of those cases. Garcia caresses the lyric, graces his guitar, and build the solo from a whisper to a roar. A final farewell.
I: Music, Sugaree, Minglewood, Ramble, LL Rain, Peggy-O, El Paso, Crazy Fingers, All Over Now, Scarlet
II: Lazy Lightning, Supplication, Roses, Samson, St Stephen, NFA, Drums, Wharf Rat, NFA, St Stephen, Around E: Dew

Sunday, September 23, 2012

STEAL YOUR FACE

In case you missed it last night, Furthur closed out their three nights at Red Rocks by using their song titles to spell out STEAL YOUR FACE. Matt Busch has been credited with coming up with the setlist for the show that pays homage to Phish's FUCK YOUR FACE show from earlier in the summer.
Set I
Samson & Delilah
Tennessee Jed
Easy Wind
Alabama Getaway
Loose Lucy
You Win Again
Operator
Uncle John's Band
Set II
Reuben & Cherise
Feel Like a Stranger
Alligator
Cumberland Blues
Eyes of the World
He's Gone
Viola Lee Blues
Caution
Viola Lee Blues
Black Peter
Encore
Brokedown Palace

Now not only did the spell STEAL YOUR FACE but with the second half of the second set they spelled VCVBVB, which of course means absolutely nothing.

THOUGHT I HEARD

Looks like we got ourselves a good old fashion debate, from this date 36 years ago. Download the show HERE and HERE, and you be America's Judge.
What is the issue? Where is the debate? The issue doesn't have to do with; is this the best "Slipknot," did Bobby sleep with Donna after that "LL Rain," or is "Samson/High Time/Dancin'" the most awkward combo ever? No. It is whether or not the "Morning Dew" was an encore or just the end of the set.
The question was first posed to me by GD Notebook on twitter because of a conversation that The Dead Blog had started when he asked, "I don't have a favorite Wharf Rat, what's your favorite?" My reply was "12/2/73 where they open up the second set with it after Bobby asked, "How many of you were listening to the radio last night?" I also added, "Is any show with a Morning Dew encore not just fantastic." The retweet of that got GD Notebook to suggest that I check out how the show ends.
When one looks at the setlist, right before the "Dew" is the "Other One." How many shows end with "Other One?" For that matter how many shows open with it? (Bill Walton had a show in the infancy of the GD Channel on Sirius and he said every show should open with that explosive baseline.) But as the second chorus comes to a close the music peaks and fizzles as the music dies. Jerry doesn't let the song or set die. It's possible that all his band mates put down their instruments and walked of as Jerry ran his scales up and down his guitar neck until they returned to the stage, hence the Encore labeling on some tapes.
Now there is the tape splice that comes at the end of the "Other One." The soundboard is not reel to reel master, they were probably taken directly from the PA, so it is possible that some of the show is missing from these boards.
What do I think. Well maybe it's both. Maybe it felt like an encore to the band and that is why they didn't return to the stage. (Look at Furthur's setlist from last night, "Dew" appears as the set closer but then is changed to be the encore.) So what did we solve, absolutely nothing.
I: Half Step, Minglewood, Ramble, Cassidy, BE Woman, Lazy Lightning, Supplication, Crazy Fingers, El Paso, Roses, Music
II: Help, Slip, Franklin's, LL Rain, Eyes, Samson, High Time, Dancin', Wharf Rat, Drums, Other, Dew

A very special happy birthday to three people. First my Dad, who influences me more than I care to admit, my friend Jeff Yurfest who always makes me laugh, and Bruce Springsteen.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

PLAYIN' COLD MUSIC ON THE BARROOM FLOOR

It was just another night in Boston, when the Grateful Dead rode into town and shook the world from its axis. The band had just concluded a 9 night run at Madison Square Garden, and though it was exhausting, this show gathers steam and features a real show stopper.  Download the soundboard of set I and set II.
 The show opens with "Touch," and unfortunately Jerry sounds tired on it. His normally bright, tongue and cheek singing is missing from this version. So next Bobby howls a "Rooster," before a quick "Jack A-Roe." The set really starts to take form when Bobby bust out "BT Wind." Bruce's piano runs are too much for the mates to ignore and the pace and the show really amps up with Bobby's falsetto. He then channels that energy into his slide playing for "Stagger Lee." Then "Masterpiece" features some brilliant harmonies. Bruce starts branching out on a little piano piece as Jerry launches into a space spreading "Bird Song." An journey into the atmosphere, where for 15 minutes your feet don't touch the ground. A beautiful odyssey that is spearheaded by Bruce and Jerry.
Tim Wakefield didn't make his professional debut until 1992 and no word if this is where he learned his knuckleball from, because the band opens the second set with "Help/Slip/Fire?" This is the first time since New Years 1976-1977, that the Dead has broken split "Help/Slip" from "Franklin's" and it would be the last time.
Dispute the Jerry oddball, this is a very Bobby energized show. A mammoth "Estimated" follows "Fire," which feature some venturous licks by Hornsby and Jerry doing his best Branford imitation on the Midi. The music builds as it twist until they get fixed on the two notes of "Truckin'." The power chords of the "Truckin'" open up as band interplays take over. Each one pick up on each other's grooves, which makes for a compelling jam the builds. Lots of Midi play durning the jam, a sound feast.
During "Space," Hornsby plays a descending chord progression, which sounds like "The Way It Is," but later reveals itself as "Watchtower." The long intro is where this "Watchtower" gets its punch as it fades quickly into "Dew." The end solo features some beautiful piano playing by Hornsby. Bobby sings a great "Lovelight," which is punctuated by Jerry on the Midi.
Tuesday night, the NBC show "Parenthood" featured the studio version of "Franklin's Tower." Ray Romano was listening to it and earlier in the episode he mentioned that in high school he, "hung out and listened to the Dead." In the episode, a couple had a code word for sex; "Funky Town," it would have been a lot cooler if they used "Lovelight" as their euphemism.
There were two other shows I considered for this date but I elected this show because "Help on the Way."
I: Touch, Rooster, Jack a-Roe, BT Wind, Stagger Lee, Masterpiece, Bird Song
II: Help, Slip, Fire, Estimated, Truckin', Drums, Space, Watchtower, Dew E: Lovelight

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

COUNTING STARS BY CANDLELIGHT

Words get thrown around with discussing favorite concerts and whenever I talk about this date 25 years  ago, the only word I use is; EPIC. This is my favorite show from the 80's. It has the best version of "Morning Dew" in the 80's and is packed full of other great version of great songs and unique versions of their classic "Good Lovin'."  So download the soundboard of the show HERE and HERE.
The show opens with the new Bobby single "Bucket," and this leads into a rambunctious "Sugaree." One of Jerry best love first set jam vehicles. Bobby elects to play "Masterpiece," for all the people that couldn't get tickets to Letterman the night beforehand. They close the set with another of Jerry's experimental jam tracks, "Bird Song." The band uses this to vary their variation on the song as the drift into a collage of Jackson Pollack sound. Before Garcia pulls them back to the break of the songs, beautiful.
The wah-wah petal indicates that this town's heart is about to grow like the Grinch on Christmas. What a present as the band gets down with "Shakedown," which features some great interplay between the two guitarist.
"Woman are Smarter" comes next and is honestly the most uneventful song of the whole night. Next Jerry plays "Terrapin" with all the valor and honor of the storyteller quest. As the band gives way to the "Drums/Space."
Listen to the brief pause, like the band in taking a collective inhale, so they can rip through two feet pounding, head bopping numbers. As they slowly descend into a perfectly played "Morning Dew." The band caresses the song. They are in unison as the engage the audience with its enchanting beauty. Watch Garcia's head nod as his voice cracks of pain, "I guess it doesn't matter, anyway." As the ascending solo builds to a point at the 10:18 mark of the video, lightning striking notes that electrifies your seat. (One night on the way back from Great Woods, Dan, who inspired me to start this blog, woke up and said, "Oh my God, there is nothing like waking up to a ripping Dew.)
Now, I'm not a fan of Bobby trying to cap off the night after a "Dew," but here it works because of the uniqueness of this "Good Lovin'/La Bamba/ Good Lovin'." Although Garcia is of Spanish descent, he never spoke Spanish, so it is quite humorous to hear him belt out these lyrics. This perfectly inserting "La Bamba" (The movie had come out earlier that summer) the band tops off the perfect set.
I: Bucket, Sugaree, Walkin' Blues, Candyman, Masterpiece, Bird Song
II: Shakedown, Woman, Terrapin, Drums, Space, GDTRFB, Watchtower, Dew, Good Lovin', La Bamba, Good Lovin' E: Knockin'
Next blog Thursday.

Monday, September 17, 2012

LATE NIGHT TV

Here is what Jerry and Bobby decided to do on there night off. This is the full clip of them appearing on the Late Night with David Letterman program, back when Late Night TV was worth watching. Nowadays they would rather interview Paris Hilton or Kim Kardashian than a musician that might have a Parlor trick. But as Jerry says, "It's amazing what you can get people to do on TV."
Thanks Jonas for sending over the clip. Next blog tomorrow.
I guess I can't ignore this story anymore. Charges are being brought against Mickey Hart in Kentucky. A man is claiming that Mickey's crew invited him on the bus that Mickey was renting from him. Mickey brought him into the back of the bus and beat him up, this supposedly happened 4 days before Mickey turn 69. Mickey is claiming that he is the victim in this instance.
What it sounds like to me is a money grab. Sounds like the guy wants more than what he got in the rental agreement and is looking to get bought out. Mickey is a 69 year old man that has never been accused of a violent crime. Someone should tell this guy that Mickey isn't a Brooklyn mobster.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

CLOCKS ARE RUNNING LATE

On this date, 25 years ago, the Grateful Dead took the stage at Madison Square Garden for night number two. Download the soundboard copy of set I and set II.
Before the show the publicist for the band, Denis McNally, held a band meeting where he told the group, "Touch of Grey is now a top ten hit on the Billboard charts." To which Garcia replied, "I'm appalled." And he should be, the scene was now bigger than ever and it was never going to be quant again.
The band jumps out of the gate with the sparkling combo of "Touch" into "Scarlet." While the "Scarlet" is short the fluffiness of the "Touch" lively up the "Scarlet." The transition is seamless and is a glowing example of the there how intuitive the band could be. After the "Esau," Jerry plays a whole verse of "Dupree's" before electing to start "High Time." Maybe he realizes that he didn't remember all the lyrics of "Dupree's," but he doesn't play the song in any of the three remaining nights at the Garden. A fabulous "Let it Grow" comes right before the set is closed with "Don't Ease."
The combo night continues as the band opens the second set with "Bertha/Greatest." Bobby makes it sound like he is trying to reprise "Greatest," until Brent screams out the Little Richard song "Devil with a Blue Dress/Good Golly Miss Molly/Devil with a Blue Dress" combination. Then the key of E combo of "He's Gone" and "Truckin'" is split up by "Drums/Space." Garcia wedges "Wharf Rat" in and so he ends up messing up the first couple of lines of the song. Before "Throwing Stone/Not Fade" duo closes the set.
As the band returns for the encore they reprise the "NFA" before playing the instrumental "Bid you Goodnight" leads them into "Black Muddy."
I: Touch, Scarlet, Rooster, Dire Wolf, Esau, High Time, Let it Grow, Don't Ease
II: Bertha, Greatest, Blue Dress, Good Golly, Blue Dress, He's Gone, Drums, Space, Truckin', Wharf Rat, T. Stones, NFA E NFA, GDTRFB, Black Muddy

Next blog tomorrow.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

ROLL ON UP GONNA ROLL BACK DOWN

On this date, 25 years ago, the Grateful Dead played their first show in New York City since Jerry Garcia recovered from his diabetic coma. They had played two shows in at the Meadowlands and one at Giants Stadium, but Jersey ain't New York.
Download the show HERE, this is a very good audience recording. Given the significances of the show, it is important to hear the crowd interactions with the band beyond description.
The show opens with the Brent Mydland cover of "Hey Pockey Way." "Feel good music in your soul, makes the body want to Rock 'n Roll" yes in deed. The keen listener will notice that they don't hear Bobby's background vocals, so when "Minglewood" starts his vocals are absent through the first lines of the song. They "Push" their way through one more song before Steve Parrish has to rescue them from the Communist (as Bobby says). The crowd exclaims for the line, "broken heart don't feel so bad," because they didn't lose Jerry there. A very lively "Music Never Stopped" ends the set. I was re-listening to this on 9/11 and the line "A cool breeze came on Tuesday, Balls of lightning roll along" jumped out at me as I was thinking about all those "Tuesday Kids" that were created 11 years ago.
The second set comes alive with two popular combos, first is the roaring "China/Rider." Full of the crashing lyrics and the smooth transition. That is contrasted by the "Estimated/Eyes" which stutters and stumbles like an alcohol induced side step as the transitioning jam. (Pic below is Bobby, "Raise up to Glory.") "Wheel" is pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle out of "Space." The crowd enthusiasm is busting the Gardens round seems when they sing, "So glad you made it." Fitting considering this is Garcia's first time back in NYC, not to mention the 2 disc set the comes out next Tuesday. Then we get to the main event. A whisper of the wind. An acknowledgement of his own mortality, "Black Peter." The band and audience hang on to each word as if it spoken by the second coming. Garcia really lays it all out on the table vocally. The response that he gets is from the love he is putting into the song. The whole concert could have been over right there and nobody would have complained. "One more day, I find myself alive, tomorrow."
I: Hey Pocky Way, Minglewood, Push, My Uncle, Mexicali, Row Jimmy, Queen Jane, Jed, Music
II: China Cat, Rider, Estimated, Eyes, Drums, Space, Wheel, GS Lovin, Black Peter, Sugar Mags, E Baby Blue
Next blog tomorrow

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

WHOLE PAIL OF WATER

69 years ago today, Michael Hartman was born in Brooklyn, nowadays he is better known as Mickey Hart. Mickey along with Bill Kreutzmann were nicknamed the Rhythm Devils for there expansive drums solos late in the second set. Although there relationship was fractured when Mickey left the band after the Port Chester gig on 2/18/71.
Mickey joined the band on 9/29/67 as the bands second drummer. His New Yorker energy was a welcome addition to the lay back San Francisco attitude of the band. So when the band was looking for a new manager, Mickey suggested his reformed con man father, Lenny. Lenny managed the band alright. He managed to steal all their royalties from the two 1970 masterpieces, "Workingman's Dead" and "American Beauty." When it was discovered that he was stealing from them, Lenny fled the country with a girlfriend, who would later leave him when he was arrested and sent to jail for another con man scheme.
A depressed Mickey left the band to do some soul searching. He recorded his first solo album called "Rolling Thunder," which featured the "Greatest Story Ever Told" as the "Pump Song" and the instrumental march to "Playin' in the Band," which is "The Main Ten" jam.
In October of 1974, the Grateful Dead played 5 shows at Winterland Arena. The final night, Bill Graham printed "The Last One" on the tickets. Mickey Hart showed up to the concert with his drum kit in the back of his station wagon. Billy didn't want him to join them on stage. His point was, that they had played some of their best tours of date (Europe 72, Fall 73, and Wall of Sound) as a one drummer band and he didn't see the need. The other band members forced upon Billy, and after the show, he realized that he was wrong. His partner in crime was back for good.
Mickey didn't play the song that was written about his father, "He's Gone," 1976.
On Mickey's 30th birthday, the Grateful Dead played a show at the College of William and Mary. A soundboard of show can be downloaded HERE and HERE. This is the first show where Martin Fierro and Joe Ellis sit in with the band for "Weather Report Suite," "Let Me Sing Your Blues Away," and "Eyes of the World." All songs they had rehearsed parts for in the studio while recording "Wake of the Flood."
The show also features a 22 minute "Dark Star." The song explodes as Phil strong baseline are dropping the heavy sounds of the zone. Usually Phil will use these zone times to vault into "The Other One," but these baselines have more soul to the in between areas of plucked notes. Enabling the band to sink into "Dew." After the "Sugar Magnolia" closer the band is treated to a unique type of encore. A solicitation by Phil see the band again tomorrow for 3 bucks!
I: Promised, Sugaree, Race is on, Loser, LL Rain, Jed, Straw, China Cat, Rider, El Paso, Half Step, Playin'
II: Let Me Sing, Weather Report Suite, Row Jimmy, Big River, Deal, BIODTL, Dark Star, Dew, Sugar Mags

I'd also like to wish my mother in-law a happy birthday. She of course is not as old as Mickey. 
And if you want to listen to another Mickey birthday show, The Professor is currently posting 9/11/90 on his Deadpod found HERE

Saturday, September 8, 2012

SONG BORN TO SOAR THE SKY

On this date in 1973, the Grateful Dead played their second show of their fall tour at Nassau Coliseum. It was their forth gig in the new Coliseum, because the building had just opened a year beforehand. The proximity to New York City made it a regular venue for the band between 1979 and 1994.
Download a soundboard copy of the show HERE and HERE.
The Dead had just finished recording "Wake of the Flood." At this show they premiered two new songs; "Let Me Sing Your Blues Away" and "Weather Report Suite" in all three parts. "Let me Sing" was the only song that Keith Godchaux penned for the Grateful Dead. "Weather Report" was the first epic song that Bobby wrote, because "Other One" and "Playin'" developed into epic jams. He wrote the song in three parts and compiled them into one big song. In a way he did this same thing when he went running through the Wally Heider studio with the coda that Hunter had just penned for "Sugar Magnolia."
The show opens up with not only "Bertha" but extreme level problems. The first verse, you essentially can only hear Phil's pumping baseline. Then Bobby appears in the mix followed by Keith and Billy, and right in time for the solo, Jerry's guitar. Also note that this is the first time the band encores with "Stella Blue." They only encored with this song twice.
Towards the middle of the set, Bobby debuts the complete "WRS." The "Prelude" was played in jams starting in 72 and "Let it Grow" was debuted the night before. Bobby hasn't settled into the vocals of "Part 1" yet and so each word is pronounced correctly and he jumps the gun on "Just like a song that was born to soar the sky" line, singing it twice. As the music transforms into "Let it Grow" the structure of the song is dictated by the scales that Garcia runs throughout the song. I wish that one time Bobby would have giving a nod to Garcia's playing on the song and "Listen to the thunder shout, He is, He is, He is, he is."
I don't know if it's ever been pointed out but this triage isn't in order. "Let it Grow" is the voice of God giving order to the world and facilitating the ability to create. "Weather Report" is man creating food and continuing life. I guess that is why the band was inclided to separated "Weather Report" from "Let it Grow."
After the Bobby started to play the triage again with Ratdog, The Dead, and Furthur, every time I went to a show or three, the next night he would play "WRS." It was madding for me. I would say, "Tell Bobby, I'm not coming so he plays 'Weather Report'" I would say to my friends. Then the first concert I went to after my son was born, I finally caught one. Maybe my luck had finally run out. Maybe it was my son's blessing. Maybe it was the "angels dancing on the pin."
I: Bertha, My Uncle, Sugaree, BIODTL, Jed, LL Rain, BE Woman, Straw, Row Jimmy, WRS, Let It Grow, Eyes, China Doll
II: Greatest, Ramble On, Big River, Let Me Sing, China Cat, Rider, El Paso, He's Gone, Truckin', NFA, GDTRFB, NFA E: Stella, Saturday Night

Happy wedding day to Phil and Jessica. Thank you for letting me share the celebration with you.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

JUST GOTTA POKE AROUND

On this date in 1979, the Grateful Dead played the first of three nights at Madison Square Garden. While it is an exception show for that year, the shocking thing is that this show is the most downloaded Grateful Dead show ever on Archive.org.
All Grateful Dead tape collections start with two shows; Venture 72 and Cornell 77. The next show that belongs in this classification of excellence has to be the Branford show with from Nassau 90. Especially if your ripping them off of archive.org. Then what? Red Rocks 7-8-78, Hartford 7-31-74, Fillmore East 5-15-70, Port Chester 2-18-71, Denver 11-21-73, or MSG 9-18-87? And if you are stranded on a dessert island, you know that you're gonna take your first show, so does half of the New York City DeadHeads think that this is their first show. Is that why this show has and continues to be the archive.org featured show?
The show features a "Straw" opener that leading into an open ended "Sugaree." The jam in this is expanded on as the band gets the Garden in the groove. Later in the set they play "Sailor" and "Saint," with the original lyrics, before closing with a killer "Deal."
The second set jumps with the "China/Rider" opener. A sublime "Ll Rain" peaks into a wide run "He's Gone." That features a jam features some nice entwining from Phil and Jerry before Billy and Mickey drums take over. A beautifully fragile "Wharf Rat" emerges from "Space" before "Around." closes out the set. The crowd picks up the wah-wah before the band "Pokes around" in a 12 minute tour de funk.
This is the Grateful Dead's second run at MSG in 1979. They played their first two shows in the big room in January of that year after playing the Felt Forum (the Theater at MSG) in 1971.

I: Jack Straw, Sugaree, My Uncle, Big River, Candyman, Minglewood, Jed, Sailor, Saint, Deal
II: China Cat, Rider, LL Rain, He's Gone, Drums, Space, Wharf Rat, Around E: Shakedown

This past weekend I was at the Baseball Hall of Fame. As I made through the museum, I came across the San Francisco Giants locker replica. Front and center in the locker was the Jerry Garcia bobble head from August first of this year.
Next blog on 9/8

Monday, September 3, 2012

MAKE A WISH

In 1988, the Grateful Dead was approached by the Make-A-Wish Foundation with an unique request. A terminally ill young fan of the band, wanted to see the band preform his favorite song, "Ripple." The band had given up playing the song electrically because it lost its quaintness when it was preformed on an electric. Unlike some of its fellow acoustic masterpieces on "Workingman's" and "American Beauty," the song sounded choppy plugged in.
In 1971, at the second to last gig in the Fillmore East, (the Dead's last show there) they played "Ripple" electrically for the last time. They did not give up on the song though. The Dead played "Ripple" at every acoustic gig they did after that. Garcia also incorporated the song into his acoustic side projects like JGAB and Garcia & Grisman.
The band was told which show that the young man was going to see them at, which was the Capitol Center in Landover, Maryland on 9/3/88.
The young man must have been full of excitement walking into the venue. He was the first fan the band was willing to take a request from, not including piers like Kesey or Bill Graham. But when and how would they fulfill his request.
The band opens with a jovial "Let the Good Times Roll" and follows that with a dark "Stranger." Jerry and Brent pick up a riff that they play off of throughout the jam until busting into the closing jam and into "Franklin's." The blues roar of "Rooster" is followed by a quite jam, which I'm sure peaked the ears of the sick young man, as Jerry sings "Peggy-O." The band takes a long pause, which probably got the MAW kid very tense, as the go into "My Uncle" and "Big River." Then launch into a beautiful dark "Bird Song" to end the set.
The "American Beauty" companion, "Box," opens up the second set. A song that Phil was definitely singing to the friends and family members that were at the show with the MAW boy. Jerry singing "Foolish Heart" is a little bit of a tongue and cheek moment. Is it a warning that they could disappoint the kid later on? "Never give your love my friend, unto a Foolish Heart" really? Jerry then redeems the kids spirit with, "sometimes the songs that you sing are just songs of your own."
Durning "Drums" and "Space" the kid had to be thinking, will they do it out of space or as an encore? It could have been cool to hear it out of "Space" like "Wheel" or "I will take you Home." But the rockers "GDTRFB" and "Miracle," Drop the band into "Morning Dew." Like Jerry is singing every song this set directly to the kid as he rips into the line, "I though I heard a young man moan today, though I heard a young man moan this morning, I can't walk you out in the morning dew today."
The first time I heard this story, I was told that when the band came out and started "Saturday Night," that the kid started cursing about how he should have known better and left the venue before the last "Ripple" in Grateful Dead history. There is an awkward crowd reaction to the "OMSN." But I hope the kid stayed and sang every word to that "Ripple."

I: LTGTR, Stranger, Franklin's, Rooster, Peggy-O, My Uncle, Big River, Bird Song
II: Box, Victim, Foolish Heart, Woman, Eyes, Drums, Space, GDTRFB, Miracle, Dew E: Saturday Night, Ripple

Next blog coming tomorrow.
This is also the second anniversary of the loss of my dog Althea. It was the Sunday morning of Labor Day and when the the phone rang at 5 AM, I knew something was wrong. It was a horrible day, that I'm glad I'll never have to relive. 
I must have listened to about 12 different versions of "Althea" that day. Although the song is a playful court of a young lady, there are lyric is the song that appeased my mind set. "I told Althea I was feeling lost, Lacking in some direction." "There are things you can replace and others you cannot." Were lines that jumped from Jerry's voice and stung my broken heart.
Maybe it was the suddenness of the lost even though she went peacefully in her sleep. Sometimes when I would watch her sleep she would move her feet and would bark through her closed mouth like she was chasing a bunny in big grassy field. Hope she got that bunny that night.