Furthur, the new vehicle for music exploration featuring Phil Lesh and Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead, just recently brought summer to a close with a swing of dates up and down the Pacific coast. After two nights in Oregon and another in Washington, the band headed to Southern California, playing the Santa Barbara Bowl and Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre on September 20th and 21st. For those who showed up for the band’s SoCal gigs, it was two nights of fantastic musicianship celebrating the Grateful Dead’s legacy, as well as a beautiful present and promising future.
Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara, CA 9/20/10
Dusk was creeping in, and just blocks away from downtown’s restaurants, galleries, and unique shops, lines formed outside the front gates to the Santa Barbara Bowl, the 4,562 seat amphitheater located within a quaint hillside village. While slowly advancing in line, the ever-faithful, road-warrior Deadheads shared stories of shows past; the various jubilees in the Bay area, the big city and college town gigs of the northeast, the sweltering summer festivals. All stories were told with much enthusiasm and esteem, whether they were addressing the band’s chemistry, or the new songs that they’ve been playing, or their place amongst the post-Grateful Dead projects that bassist Phil Lesh or Bob Weir have participated in. Many believed that the band, which also features Ratdog keyboardist Jeff Chimenti, Bennevento-Russo Duo drummer Joe Russo and former Dark Star Orchestra lead guitarist John Kadlecik, could be the best. A short while later, Furthur took the stage and validated such praise.
The chemistry of the band was truly phenomenal. Together, the band’s grooves were beautifully clunky and funky like the jam-band forefathers on Europe ’72. Their sound was as dreamy as the faraway ocean fog seen creeping over the city a couple of miles away. Their solos soared like the birds of prey flying over head throughout the night. When they segued from one song to the next, their dazzling explorative jams, were as impressive as the songs themselves.
Every band member had a hand in such a wonderful night of music. The band kicked off the show with the straight-rocking’ “Hell in a Bucket” and almost immediately one had to be blown away by how much Kadlecik’s guitar playing echoed the late Jerry Garcia’s sound. Not only did he play like him, but his singing was uncannily similar, especially on the stunning “Comes a Time.” Lesh’s versatility on electric bass added bubbling melody to songs like “The Eleven,” and funky bottom to songs like “Viola Lee Blues.” Chimenti’s lovely work on keys enriched the songs with layers of euphony that weaved through songs like “Althea” and “Lovelight,” while his sorrowful intro to “Days Between,” nailed the song’s heartrending beauty. Weir’s ageless voice glistened, particularly on the new song “Seven Hills of Gold,” and staples like “Me and My Uncle.” His hiccupping guitar work and the blues grit that comes with it still had that wonderful strangeness that makes him one of the most unique rhythm players. All these musicians were held together by Russo, whose exceptional polyrhythmic drumming kept excellent time, but equally added color and mood with hoppin’ jazz, barn burnin’ rock and complex prog measures. Also, there should be mention of background singers Zoe Ellis and Sunshine Garcia Becker (no relation to Jerry) whose angelic vocals served as a mini choir on songs like “Franklin’s Tower” and a cover of Traffic’s “Feelin’ Alright.”
Following Phil’s organ donor wrap, the band slyly eased into a slick cover of the Beatles’ “Come Together” and then closed things out with the folksy soul of “Attics of my Life,” nailing the song’s warm, Crosby, Stills and Nash-like harmonies under the bright moonlight. After an uplifting night like this, day two had a lot to live up to.
The Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA 9/21/10
After an incredible show in Santa Barbara the night before, Furthur headed two hours south to play Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre, the 5,700 seat amphitheatre nestled in Griffith Park. For the second night of their SoCal run, the band heavily explored the Grateful Dead’s 60’s and early 70’s catalogue, while leaving enough room for two new songs. Once again, the band displayed an amazing chemistry that gave birth to jaw-dropping jams and gorgeous musical landscapes.
The band took it way back with this show, mostly playing songs from the Grateful Dead’s early days as a psychedelic tornado flooring fans from Frisco’ to Europe. Throughout the night they had covered the entire 1968 album “Anthem of the Sun.” All but four songs played on this evening were written when Ron “Pigpen” McKernon was still out there on the long, strange trip, singing the blues or leading a rave-up. The band dropped a hat trick of Pig jams, kicking off the show with a spectacular “Alligator,” then following it up with the runaway ghost train rock of “Caution (Do Not Step On The Tracks) and the fiesta that is “Good Lovin’.”
The night included plenty more from the days of the Haight and Hendrix. The cosmic tale of “The Other One” roared of wicked thunder and hit like crashing waves as Weir delivered the cryptic lyrics. There was also the hearty sing-along “Ramble on Rose” and the jug band funk of “China Cat Sunflower.” Then of course was the ambient beauty of “Morning Dew,” which was arguably the night’s highlight. Kadlecik’s vocals and lava lamp guitar sounds quietly hypnotized and eventually it burst right open at the song’s outer worldly climax with a solo that was just as much David Gilmour as it was Jerry Garcia.
Then, there was the rock and roll bark of “Mason’s Children” and the kaleidoscopic “Unbroken Chain,” which featured every band member firing on all cylinders. There were also two new songs, “Muli Guli” and “The Mountain Song,” both sung by Lesh. The former had a nursery rhyme swing to it while the latter was an ethereal gem with great storytelling.
Two masterpieces composed by the Grateful Dead vets closed out the evening; Weir’s “Playing in the Band” and, for the encore, Lesh’s “Box of Rain.” For these two men who have been through so much and seen so much over the past forty plus years, it’s simply a blessing to see them play these songs today in 2010 with such grace, passion, and aptitude. What’s also great about the present is that the lyricist of these classics and others, poetic genius Robert Hunter, has resumed a working relationship with Lesh and Weir, resulting in new songs. With this material added to the set lists and an amazing new ensemble of musicians wowing their audiences night after night, there is surely a reason to keep truckin’ on.
Santa Barbara Bowl Setlist (9/20) – Set 1: Hell In A Bucket, Cream Puff War, Feelin’ Alright, Me And My Uncle, Althea, Money For Gasoline, Come A Time, Turn On Your Lovelight, Set 2: Viola Lee Blues, Seven Hills Of Gold, Viola Lee Blues (reprise), The Eleven, King Solomon’s Marbles, Days Between, Help On The Way, Slipknot!, Franklin’s Tower, Encore: Come Together, Attics Of My Life
Greek Theatre Setlist (9/21) – Set 1 – Alligator, Caution (Do Not Step On The Tracks), Good Lovin’, Muli Guli, China Cat Sunflower, Ramble On Rose, Mason’s Children, Set 2: Born Cross-Eyed, New Potato Caboose, Cryptical Envelopment, The Other One, Unbroken Chain, Let It Grow, Mountain Song, Morning Dew, Playin’ In The Band, Encore: Box Of Rain
