My beautiful and smart girlfriend Casey scored us these very tough tickets during the pre sale. I had some friends that haven't been to a show in years who were surprised how fast they sold out. One of the downsides of technology. For big shows, you almost have to bite the bullet and overpay for a ticket. I did it for part of the Phish West Coast Summer Tour 2013 and NYE 2010. But we got tickets at face value and I had been counting down the days until the show.
You can stream the show here
Dear
Jerry: Celebrating the Music of Jerry Garcia
14 May
2015
Merriweather Post Pavilion
Columbia, MD
Mickey Hart, Bill
Kreutzmann’s Billy & The Kids, Bob Weir, Allen Toussaint, Bruce
Hornsby, Buddy Miller, David Grisman, Eric Church, Grace Potter,
Jimmy Cliff, Jorma Kaukonen, Los Lobos, Moe., O.A.R., Peter Frampton,
The Disco Biscuits, Trampled By Turtles, Widespread Panic, Yonder
Mountain String Band And Communion Featuring Phil Lesh, Stu Allen,
Grahame Lesh, Ross James, Alex Koford, And Jason Crosby.
Communion with Phil Lesh
The Wheel > Uncle John’s Band, Standing on the Moon, LibertyAllen Toussaint with House Band Get Out My Life Woman
David Grisman & Sam Bush with House Band Shady Grove
Peter Frampton & Bill Kreutzmann with House Band (I’m A) Roadrunner
Buddy Miller with House Band Deal
Jorma Kaukonen with House Band Sugaree
Jimmy Cliff with House Band The Harder They Come
Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, Dave Schools, Bill Kreutzmann & Jimmy Cliff with House Band
Attics of my Life > Fire On The MountainBilly & The Kids
Help On The Way > Slipknot > Franklin’s TowerDisco Biscuits with Bill Kreutzmann & Tom Hamilton
Scarlet Begonias > I Know You Ridermoe. Loser
O.A.R. St Stephen
Bob Weir & Los Lobos Not Fade Away > Bertha
Trampled By Turtles Brown Eyed Women
Yonder Mountain String Band Shakedown Street
Bob Weir with House Band Days Between
Grace Potter, Bob Weir, Matt Burr with House Band Friend of the Devil
Eric Church with House Band Tennessee Jed
Widespread Panic Morning Dew
Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann & Mickey Hart Touch of Grey
Most Of The Evening’s Performers Ripple
I hit traffic on route 29 right as you get off the exit for MMP. I have never hit traffic here for any show including the crazy late 90's Phish shows. It took us an hour to get into the Lot and parked, about a mile or so. Why? Because they set up Shakedown Street right where everyone had to drive into the Lot. People milling about everywhere, rather disorganized but as it is with most things associated with the Dead.
This bus was at every Dead show I was at. Just don't drink their Kool Aid.
Once I got parked, I was able to truly appreciate how great the Lot was. The police didn't bother anyone vending. They were extremely chill for Howard County police and I must commend them for that. The variety of goods that were being hawked was rather mind blowing. Amazing wood carvings, some beautiful hand blown glass dab/nail rigs, original t shirts, and so much more.
The Lot and crowd itself were very different from a Phish or Panic Lot. I can't really describe it other than a lot more older people but it was definitely a Dead lot, even more than what I saw at Furthur shows IMO.
After scoring a great Pigpen shirt, we headed into a really packed lawn. More packed than I ever saw it for a sold out Phish show. Phil was up first and it was great. I haven't even heard Communion before but the harmonies were tight. Allen Toussaint is an old school New Orleans musician who wrote Sneakin' Sally through the Alley among other tunes. He also arranged the horns parts for all the Band's songs. If you ever saw The Last Waltz, you know how talented this guy is. I was also pleased they were playing tunes from Jerry's solo career in addition to the Dead tunes.
I haven't seen Grisman live since 1996 and never saw Sam Bush who laid down some tasty fiddle licks. Peter Frampton was an odd choice and kept his reputation up as the typical classic rock live album 1970's rock star he is. In light of some of the artists that were cut, he should have been at the top of the list. Buddy Miller was an unknown to me but was good. It was great to see Jorma up there. He was there at the beginning with the Jefferson Airplane and through the years with Hot Tuna. Check out Tuna's early 70's stuff to experience his greatness.
Next up was reggae legend Jimmy Cliff. His voice is still as silky smooth as it was in the 70's. Check out the movie Harder They Come. The version I saw on a VHS tape had such thick Jamaican accents it had English subtitles on it. The Fire On the Mountain that had everyone on it was super cool as well.
Following him was another band I was really looking forward to, Billy (Kruetzman) and the Kids. They were high energy Dead, much like Joe Russo's Almost Dead is. No offense to Furthur or Bobby/Phil's solo stuff, but these youngsters tear this shit up. The Scarlet>Rider>Scarlet with the Biscuits was the best versions I've heard Billy do with them. The Barber sang better than I've ever heard him. And after the traditional peak part during the transition, they took deep into Bisco territory. It was really cool to hear that. Flashed back to the first Camp Bisco way back in 2000. Good times indeed.
Moe. was up next and did a decent version of Loser. But unfortunately, I had to work the next day at 5 am and had worked the day of the show at 5 am so I was freaking exhausted. I got to see everyone I wanted to except for Panic and them they had to cut a song due to the curfew. They also had to cut Railroad Earth and Greensky Bluegrass. How you don't cut O.A.R. and Frampton before those two bands is beyond me. And Phil not coming out at the end with everyone else? Weak sauce. I know one can build up a lot of grudges over 50 years, but this show as all about Jerry but I guess we should feel lucky he is doing the fare Thee Well shows if that is how he really feels. Remember, he did skip the 2005 Jerry celebration at the Greek Theatre.
So there you have it. Feel very blessed such a great event took place at Merriweather, so close to my crib. And it was great seeing so many friends down there. For you youngins who never got to see the boys, that Lot scene and crowd were a pretty damn close approximation of what it was like. Next up, 20 Years Ago Today stories about Phish Summer '95 tour and my final 2 Grateful Dead shows.
Dave Kemp
BA American Studies
PhD Rock and Roll
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