Still Searching For The Sound

November 13, 1999 at Meadowlands Arena

Phil Lesh and "friends" blew into town this Saturday night. His band consisted of our favorite bass player, the luckiest keyboard player in the world, from Zen Tricksters Rob Barraco, John Molo on drums, and Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks on dual lead guitars. Following Phil’s admirable mission statement, the band jammed…and jammed, and jammed. Their set lasted an hour and forty minutes and consisted of 2 seconds of silence and 98 minutes of jamming. Oh sure, they played a few songs in there too, like 37 minutes of the classic Youngblood’s song "Get Together", or was it 35 minutes of Mountain Jam and 2 verses of the "Get Together", regardless it was 37 minutes of pure bliss, the choruses were the closest thing to mass ecstasy that this listener has experienced in ten years, (10/16/89 same venue!). Derek Trucks is like Duane Allman reincarnated, the slide riffs flowed out of him like magic and Warren answered back in authentic Dickey Betts fashion. His guitar playing is very fluid and linear. I never thought I’d get to see the Allman Brothers in 1971. After developing several thematic jams, including some very nice discordant, swirling cadences that erupted around the melodic guitar lines, only to flow back into those classic, searching pentatonic Allmanesque melodies, the friends pulled into a nice Dear Mr. Fantasy, sung by Warren in true Brent fashion. The instrumental bridges were powerful and tight, but sorely missing Brent’s overdriven Hammond organ. The second verse was inexplicably reggae. The band seemed surprised too. Then they jammed so more. Why they were flipping pages during the jams was beyond us. What did it say on the next page "jam some more"? Eventually an Other One Suite started, the guitarists seemed very comfortable with the opening guitar lines, reminiscent of the Anthem version. However, once they got the thing going it was clear they just didn’t understand the power of the song. Plus, no one was playing rhythm guitar. This song is not just a vehicle for trading fours. Phil sang the verses, trying to impersonate Bobby Weir. His timing was a little off and the lyrics, clearly autobiographical by Weir, sounded a little forced. Of course the rhythmic interplay just wasn’t there with one drummer and no Weir. Phil enjoyed himself though, and dropped a couple of mini bombs. And then they jammed. The jamming was nice, Rob Barraco deserves a medal for creativity as well as being the glue holding most of the songs together. His Organ playing was fine, and he must have been happy at the piano gleefully using both hands, not having to "stay off the bass player". His piano was the primary rhythmic component of the music, and his chord changes held it all together. John Molo is no Billy K, his style is very heavy and it doesn’t swing. I am not seeing the same thing that Phil, Mickey Hart, and Bob Weir see in his playing that earned him a spot in TOO’s, Planet Drum, and P&F. Next up was a surprise detour into the Days Between! A sweet thought, sung by Phil, but this song seems to really belong to Garcia, with a big help by Vince’s piano part. The guitarists obviously thought this was a Pink Floyd cover as they did their best dark side of the moon impersonations. The song dissolved, as it was meant to do, and the Friends, led by Rob Barraco, perked up with a bouncy version of John Coltrane’s Blue Train. Rob, obviously relived that Days Between was over, played some nice Oscar Peterson style bebop improv. Derek, obviously out of his league on this one, laid out. The big surprise here was Warren Haynes, who looking like a 70’s Lnynrd Skynrd refugee with his Gibson Fire Byrd, layed down an authentic jazz rhythm, followed by a bebop guitar solo that was the musical highlight of the night. Upon running through the theme of the song once more the band stopped! ...for 2 seconds, before launching into Help on the Way/ Slipknot/ Franklin’s Tower. It was nice to hear Phil’s bass lines featured prominently, though the guitar parts of Bobby ace and Garcia were not represented. Rob Barraco carried the vocals and the changes on this one, and dragged them into Slipknot only slightly scathed. A nice slipknot jam was lead by Phil. The changes into Franklin’s Tower were shaky, but Rob got them through and the second they make the change from Slipknot into Franklin’s Tower all hell breaks loose. People go wild in the second moment of near mass ecstasy. Or is it mass near ecstasy? Regardless, the song, sung by Phil, was as pleasant as a two chord jam could be. After finding the ending, the band called it quits to a roaring crowd. Phil introduced his friends and their respective bands and then gave a heartfelt thanks to the organ donor who gave him a new life to continue making music for himself and all of us. He urged the quiet crowd to be sure to designate themselves as organ donors and to give the gift of life.

All things considered, the band was fine. They played just what you would expect from the players involved, inspired transformational music. They certainly had a good time, as did the audience. After 30 years it is nice to see the band members step out and each do just what they want. It gives an appreciation of what each individual brought to the Grateful Dead.

Observations: Very little tie dye in attendance, less than 1%. Many people drinking to excess, both inside and outside. Overheard from concession vendor "this crowd is nothing like a Grateful Dead crowd, they are all drunk". The parking lot was a zoo, people there from early afternoon partying. Brought back images from summer 95 when the parking lot scene was at it’s worst at Giants Stadium. The vending area was packed, where have these people been the last 5 years? Clip on dreadlocks? Parking cost $10, the tickets had a $7 service charge, what else is new. Shakedown Street indeed.