2011

Review: Furthur @ Best Buy Theater

Furthur @ Best Buy Theater, March 13

Phil Lesh and Bob Weir’s current group, Furthur, continued a run of shows at the Best Buy Theater in Times Square last night and offered quite a contrast between the band’s two sets. While the first set was song oriented to fault, the second stanza was filled with dynamic improvisation thanks in part to the contributions of special guest Warren Haynes.


With the passing of Owsley “Bear” Stanley, a patriarch of the Grateful Dead scene, earlier in the day, many attendees were discussing how Furthur would tip its proverbial hat towards Bear. Bassist Phil Lesh wasted no time as he started the show by saying a few kind words about his old friend and told the crowd he did something he hadn’t done in nearly 20 years – ate a steak – as a tribute to Stanley who famously subsisted on an all-meat diet. With that, the band launched into a Samson and Delilah opener propelled by drummer Joe Russo’s meaty beat.

There wasn’t much improvisation during the a first set that was at times a bit too mellow for its own good. Queen Jane seemed to go on forever, West L.A. Fadeaway lacked the punch and grit that many Grateful Dead versions contained and They Love Each Other was performed at a drowsy pace. John Kadlecik provided one of the highlights of the set with his ferocious guitar work in After Midnight. Because, the eighth track off of The Beatles’ Abbey Road, closed the set in fine fashion as the difficult composition was nailed by the ensemble. In fact, the vocal harmonies on Because were so good, you’d almost think they were prerecorded.

READ ON for more on last night’s Furthur show in NYC…

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