They were dancing in Chicago again last night at Solider Field. The second of three Fare Thee Well showcased some big jams, quintessential Dead, and one heck of an ode to the Fourth of July. Musically, the energy wasn’t quite as high as it was on night one, but there were moments on night two that clearly spoke to the progression this collective of seven musicians has achieved in just four shows of performing live together.
Highlights
“Shakedown Street” Yeah, it could’ve been saved to open set two, but I ask you, is there a song in the catalogue that sets the tone for a set/show like “Shakedown”? I say no, and that’s exactly what happened Saturday night in Chicago. A massive get down party to kick things off, crisp sounds, solid vocals and they even stretched it out a bit once again showing that no matter if it’s the first song of the night, there’s always room to explore new territory.
“Liberty” In an ode to the holiday at hand, this fine selection was a great selection to follow up the massive opener. It’s a tune that could’ve easily been passed over with everything available over the course of this five-show run, but it fit the day, moment and place perfectly.
“Standing on the Moon” It was a surprise to not have Bob Weir on the vocals for this one. Weir has taken that role numerous times since the passing of Jerry Garcia who originally sang the tune, but last night he passed the torch on to Trey Anastasio. Trey did an exceptional job here just as he’s done with every show on this bill. His voice was clam, his playing was clear, and as one of the tougher to pull off ballads, the band as a whole did a great job.
“Little Red Rooster” What’s that? A song so many have zero likes for as a highlight? Yes. This choice was like saying, how many Grateful Dead shows have you seen? If you were around for the late 80’s/early 90’s then you saw the boys play this Willie Dixon number, traditionally performed in the style of Chicago Blues. With very little covers of any kind going on at these shows this was a moment for the late, great Brent Mydland, for Bob Weir to get fired up, and many to forget it was 2015 and take a trip to another time of forgotten space.
“Bird Song” and “Golden Road” Although there was no proper segues between these two, the formula of opening with two solid tunes and letting each breathe has been a nice recipe for this band over the last four shows. Saturday was no exception. “Bird Song” was loose and allowed everyone to snap back into the show after yet another extended set break. The sharing of duties across the band has grown so well over the last four shows, and it was evident in “Bird Song” with Phil Lesh offering vocals, Trey Anastasio being true to himself and honoring Jerry Garcia at the same time with his transcendent guitar riffs, and more creative use of the keys between Jeff Chimenti and Bruce Hornsby. “Golden Road” continued the flow, got the crowd rocking, but like “Bird Song” opened up to explore improvisational spaces with unique jamming that continues to punctuate the performances of many songs offered over the course of this run.
“Lost Sailor”> “Saint of Circumstance” On the one hand you have “Little Red Rooster” speaking to the direct feel of being at a Dead show way back when. We had a “Me and My Uncle” and blistering “Tennessee Jed”. On the other hand, you have a pair of tunes here, beloved by many, that barely saw any live action from The Grateful Dead after the mid 80’s. Regardless, it’s one of the biggest Bob Weir stories out there, the band crushed it last evening, and the “Saint of Circumstance” jam led by Trey Anastasio continued his mark of effort to the highest places.
“Foolish Heart” Heading back in time to the late 90’s, this was another interesting song selection, and yet another great moment. Trey simply sent this one. With a fresh take on a tune even those still regularly attending Phil Lesh shows and other Dead related projects barely hear, it was snappy, crisp and another hit of that elixir of adventure and compelling song selection/placement that’s identified so much of this run as a whole.
“Stella Blue” It’s not meant with an ounce og disrespect, but when Bob Weir stepped to the microphone to sing this beloved ballad, I think more than a few fans in attendance were on edge. But here is arguably the most salient moment of the night. Bob Weir singing his heart out, honoring his longtime band-mate and friend, and doing a song justice that if I might say, is next to impossible to do after the owner of the song left this world physically back in 1995. Trey once again took the opportunity from a guitar standpoint to blow the crowd and energy of Solider field through the roof. What could’ve been a train wreck ultimately turned out to be a moment that will be etched into history, and as much as it was a collective effort, Bobby really nailed this one.
“One More Saturday Night” Plain and simple, this was BOB WEIR time. With Phil grinning ear-to-ear, Trey bouncing around the stage like a child, the drummers wailing away and the keys on point, this was a major dose of Grateful Dead. On what is “the last” Saturday night, it was one more time to get down and dust off those rusty strings one more time.
“U.S. Blues” Predictable, perhaps, but it was a perfect way to end a grateful celebration for the Fourth of July. Add on a fireworks display that blew away what the city of Chicago set off (no offense) and there you have one of the finest places in the U.S.A. to celebrate Independence Day.
Lowlights
As I mentioned in the piece recapping Friday’s show, it’s not really accurate to call these lowlights per say as much as general critiques. The “too big to fail”, cash grab scandals and all the other B.S. going on in the review world is for anyone that needs to be explained what this American institution is. If you don’t get it by now, no worries, try to get in tonight and see the light. If not, there’s always a way to bring critique. But from one perspective, the overall energy of the fans attached to these show continues to be blinding, and with the band continuing to deliver the spirit that they have, all is right in the world of The Grateful Dead. Perhaps it was a bit odd to see our first repeat of the run in “Cumberland Blues” last night. The song went off a bit bumpy, much more so than in Santa Clara, but with so many songs that are bound to be left off the table as we look to only one more night at Solider Field, what was the rational to play “Cumberland” again? Not a big deal, maybe they didn’t mean too, but does this then open the potential for another “Truckin’”, “Sugar Magnolia”, “Other One”, Dark Star”, and the most likely repeat of them all for this string of shows, “Brokedown Palace”?
In terms of consistency, the same issues experienced at every show with this band surfaced on Saturday. It’s the missed marks when, for example, traditionally The Grateful Dead would jam out of “Shakedown” and arrive back at some mystical point, with a huge turn, drum bomb, and one more round through the bridge that signifies the songs over. Those moments in many songs have been spotty, but then again, have turned into songs of their own played by a group of musicians that over four shows have become some much more of a band than what we saw in Santa Clara just a short week ago. The big question, what do we have in store for us tonight? I think it’s safe to say there are few “big ones” left out there-namely, “Terrapin Station”, but with such a fresh look at setlist construction and how diverse the band has been overall, there’s no guarantees except the prediction that band will be bringing their all, and the fans are ready, willing and able to spin free for one more night in Chicago.
Photos by Jay Blakesberg and Chad Smith.
2 Responses
No harm in just love for the boys right now
That’s exactly what I was feeling at the time, and am still felling right now, Mike:)