Great write up. Regarding the "benefits and unfair expectations" conferred on musicians playing with Dead members, Kimock sort of has the worst of both worlds, given his falling out with Phil in the fall of 1999. Since then, very little direct financial or artistic gain, but everyone still thinks of him as a "Jerry chair" guy.
Fantastic recap on the 25th anny of this run. Your perspective is honestly one I've never heard before - I think most people are ready to canonize these shows without a second thought - but completely well-founded, articulate, and much appreciated.
Can't speak to the Dead perspective as I was slightly aged out of that category, but I was heavy into Phish - and to a lesser degree, KVHW - at this time and just remember thinking it was a pretty monumental feat. And then after attending the Phil & Phish run at Deer Creek the next year, felt like vibe (not on phish lot, but just between the 2 communities) was great and the connection was still pretty strong.
I'd give the Phish jams from this run slightly more credit, even though DWD is incredibly short, I really enjoy the syncopation and then thrashing hi-hat play from Molo. Definitely a different feel than Fish, but that portion of the jam - since they never really hit the "breakdown" - can be largely repetitive usually so I found it refreshing. Wolfman's and Caspian find a nice, minimalistic space but other than that yeah, could come off a bit pressed/meandering.
But again, this review & perspective was incredibly enjoyable and appreciated. I hadn't thought about the makeup and history of the lineup so it provides fresh context. Also agree about Page being the quiet MVP. Even his pseudo-salsa intro to UJB was a nice touch, although a year or two later I would associate with every SCI song - it was cool at the time.
I enjoy all of your recaps but these were especially great. Well done.
So many memories of this run… they were soooooo sold out (much like the sphere shows coming up). I couldn’t get in either of the first two nights but finally night three (my birthday show) I got the nod from the Warfield garbage crew (thank you forever Space Ghost) and picked up trash out front all afternoon and then finally as the first few notes of dark Star tinkled… my efforts paid off and I was miracled into paradise.
For someone who had started seeing the dead in 89 and phish in 91 this was the synthesis I had been waiting for.
The confirmation that there was continuity. That phish even being their own thing were really on the bus.
Not being a music critic I don’t hear these shows quite the same way the author does. Instead with tears in my eyes I heard sublime surreal syncopated saturnalia . I finally felt I had come home (mind you this was after going to Europe with phish in summer 97, after having been at such legendary dead shows as the final Alpine Valley run in 89 or the Grateful Dead shows in Chicago in 95).
Tears in my eyes, and tripping on a sonic flashback, this show will always be to me sonically both unique and nostalgic, the signifier of the magic that was the dead and the magic that was phish in that moment.
Nothing ever came close again, not the shoreline Phil sit in, not Fare the Well, not Bobby sitting in with phish in Nashville a few years ago… those were fun, but this was cosmic.
Maybe the phish critic doesn’t go cosmic. Maybe he never saw the dead, or took psychedelics… but for those of us who crossed the lines and the generations this was a timeless moment unlike anything else and a confirmation that we were still in the same movie as Kesey was back in 1964.
As Janis said on the train, it’s all the same day.
I will never see Jerry again, I may never see phish again (that’s for fate to decide) but I saw this and boy did it resonate.
For work reasons, I was out of town until this Sunday night, so I missed the first two nights and had no idea what had gone on when I showed up. I asked my neighbors in line how last night's show was. They all stared at me like I was a moron, then someone said, "I've been seeing these shows for 30 years. Last night was the best night of music I've ever heard." Everyone within earshot nodded slowly. No discussion. The reverence was intense, and I was excited.
I most remember seeing Donna for the first time. I started seeing the Dead in '89 when I was 17, so I never got a chance to experience Donna. The main thing was, she is gorgeous, and her vibe is awesome. She smiled at the band, and the band blushed back, over and over. I would see Trey exchange a look with her, turn even redder, and then produce some monster riff on the guitar. She just brings a lot to the vibe on the stage without singing a note, and also, her singing was great. No complaints. I was an instant Donna convert.
I remember that some (drunk) people didn't seem to understand that they weren't in the back row of Shoreline where they can be belligerent. One dude in particular was singing back terribly and just shouting from the pit, and I could see Phil react directly, giving a scowl in that direction. It didn't help the music.
As already a bigger Phish fan than Dead fan, I was proud of my boys. Trey and Kimmock found a lot of ways to communicate, and Trey's fire ignited the stage several times, without puncturing the safety of the Grateful Dead vibe. As you described, Page was absolutely the MVP and the Miss Congeniality winner. He saved the day so many times, and yes, he could actually sing.
Thanks so much, Rob, for your insight and your hard work. Great stuff.
Great write up. Regarding the "benefits and unfair expectations" conferred on musicians playing with Dead members, Kimock sort of has the worst of both worlds, given his falling out with Phil in the fall of 1999. Since then, very little direct financial or artistic gain, but everyone still thinks of him as a "Jerry chair" guy.
Fantastic recap on the 25th anny of this run. Your perspective is honestly one I've never heard before - I think most people are ready to canonize these shows without a second thought - but completely well-founded, articulate, and much appreciated.
Can't speak to the Dead perspective as I was slightly aged out of that category, but I was heavy into Phish - and to a lesser degree, KVHW - at this time and just remember thinking it was a pretty monumental feat. And then after attending the Phil & Phish run at Deer Creek the next year, felt like vibe (not on phish lot, but just between the 2 communities) was great and the connection was still pretty strong.
I'd give the Phish jams from this run slightly more credit, even though DWD is incredibly short, I really enjoy the syncopation and then thrashing hi-hat play from Molo. Definitely a different feel than Fish, but that portion of the jam - since they never really hit the "breakdown" - can be largely repetitive usually so I found it refreshing. Wolfman's and Caspian find a nice, minimalistic space but other than that yeah, could come off a bit pressed/meandering.
But again, this review & perspective was incredibly enjoyable and appreciated. I hadn't thought about the makeup and history of the lineup so it provides fresh context. Also agree about Page being the quiet MVP. Even his pseudo-salsa intro to UJB was a nice touch, although a year or two later I would associate with every SCI song - it was cool at the time.
I enjoy all of your recaps but these were especially great. Well done.
Amazing write-up — Dead on takeaway about the meaning of this run of shows and Phish's relationship to the Grateful Dead's song catalogue/legacy.
So many memories of this run… they were soooooo sold out (much like the sphere shows coming up). I couldn’t get in either of the first two nights but finally night three (my birthday show) I got the nod from the Warfield garbage crew (thank you forever Space Ghost) and picked up trash out front all afternoon and then finally as the first few notes of dark Star tinkled… my efforts paid off and I was miracled into paradise.
For someone who had started seeing the dead in 89 and phish in 91 this was the synthesis I had been waiting for.
The confirmation that there was continuity. That phish even being their own thing were really on the bus.
Not being a music critic I don’t hear these shows quite the same way the author does. Instead with tears in my eyes I heard sublime surreal syncopated saturnalia . I finally felt I had come home (mind you this was after going to Europe with phish in summer 97, after having been at such legendary dead shows as the final Alpine Valley run in 89 or the Grateful Dead shows in Chicago in 95).
Tears in my eyes, and tripping on a sonic flashback, this show will always be to me sonically both unique and nostalgic, the signifier of the magic that was the dead and the magic that was phish in that moment.
Nothing ever came close again, not the shoreline Phil sit in, not Fare the Well, not Bobby sitting in with phish in Nashville a few years ago… those were fun, but this was cosmic.
Maybe the phish critic doesn’t go cosmic. Maybe he never saw the dead, or took psychedelics… but for those of us who crossed the lines and the generations this was a timeless moment unlike anything else and a confirmation that we were still in the same movie as Kesey was back in 1964.
As Janis said on the train, it’s all the same day.
I will never see Jerry again, I may never see phish again (that’s for fate to decide) but I saw this and boy did it resonate.
For work reasons, I was out of town until this Sunday night, so I missed the first two nights and had no idea what had gone on when I showed up. I asked my neighbors in line how last night's show was. They all stared at me like I was a moron, then someone said, "I've been seeing these shows for 30 years. Last night was the best night of music I've ever heard." Everyone within earshot nodded slowly. No discussion. The reverence was intense, and I was excited.
I most remember seeing Donna for the first time. I started seeing the Dead in '89 when I was 17, so I never got a chance to experience Donna. The main thing was, she is gorgeous, and her vibe is awesome. She smiled at the band, and the band blushed back, over and over. I would see Trey exchange a look with her, turn even redder, and then produce some monster riff on the guitar. She just brings a lot to the vibe on the stage without singing a note, and also, her singing was great. No complaints. I was an instant Donna convert.
I remember that some (drunk) people didn't seem to understand that they weren't in the back row of Shoreline where they can be belligerent. One dude in particular was singing back terribly and just shouting from the pit, and I could see Phil react directly, giving a scowl in that direction. It didn't help the music.
As already a bigger Phish fan than Dead fan, I was proud of my boys. Trey and Kimmock found a lot of ways to communicate, and Trey's fire ignited the stage several times, without puncturing the safety of the Grateful Dead vibe. As you described, Page was absolutely the MVP and the Miss Congeniality winner. He saved the day so many times, and yes, he could actually sing.
Thanks so much, Rob, for your insight and your hard work. Great stuff.
Loved the three recaps of these famous 'and very pleasing' shows.