Furthur announced their summer tour a week after Phish announced theirs. Once again, a band schedules a Tour that really looks good if you live in Hanover. People may poop on this fair city from time to time, but if you live the life you love and love the life you live, Hanover is a centrally located place to live. They had a Saturday show at the Mann Music Center in Philly and the following night at my backyard, aka Merriweather Post Pavilion.
I was hitting the Mann show by myself but meeting people in the Lot. And just like last year, it was incredably blazing hot. The high was supposed to be 103 and if you told me last year (when it was 104) it would be just as hot, I would have called you insane. However, it was only 78 degrees at midnight this year, a vast improvement over the 95 degrees at midnight last year.
I know the way to the Mann blindfolded but for whatever reason I had the destination plugged into my GPS. Just as I was getting off the Turnpike onto the Schuykill Expressway, it warned myself of extreme congestion ahead. So I got it to find a route avoiding the congestion. Cut 20 minutes off of my trip. The route took me through Upper and Lower Marion and Bryn Mayr, 3 areas of Philly that are wealthy and beautiful.
Then my route took my through the ghetto. I saw a dazed addict in the middle of the street. I saw a drug deal go down and saw a lot of abandoned houses. Right out of the Wire. But then only 2 blocks away from the blight, I rolled into Fairmont Park and the Mann Music Center.
I parked in my usual area, under the trees by the fountains. Shakedown St. was all but nonexistent as the Bureau of Licenses and Bullshit was out in force, shutting people down.
Ran into 2 of the Brown Clowns and my buddy Dion. I also saw a few of the Heads I see at all the Philly area shows. One older guy named Ernie. I’m sure this guy has been seeing the Dead in Philly since the early 80’s. I sold him a tix for Mule in Harrisburg back in 2006. See him at shows all the time now.
I also saw another older head. He looks like typical Italian American from Philly who is also a Head. At the Phish Nov 2009 preThanksgiving run in Philly, read about it here
http://www.kempepedia.blogspot.com/2011/11/phish-1124-and-1125-2009-philadelphia.html
Megan used her skills and got a tix for 20 bucks from this guy.
Christine and her crew , which consisted of her fiance Todd and Vanessa from way back in the day and her husband Jon. They were staying at the hotel until much later and I was gonna meet them on the lawn in our usual spot.
I got in early in a much more streamlined approach then they’ve had in years past at the Mann. As I was chilling on the lawn, massive waves of dark and foreboding clouds rolled in. We got a lot of lightening and just a smattering of rain, no need to break out the poncho. The breeze was nice but it was still raging hot.
1st Set
Opening Jam>Truckin>Nobodys Fault But Mine>Fire on The Mountain>
Cassidy, Peggy-O, Tennessee Jed, Brother Esau, Deal
2nd Set
China Cat Sunflower>I Know You Rider>Spacey Jazzy Jam>Dark Star, Caution (Do Not Stop On The Tracks)>St. Stephen, Unbroken Chain, Dear Prudence>The Wheel>Goin Down The Road Feeling Bad>And We Bid You Goodnight
E: One More Sat Night
You can stream it here
http://archive.org/details/furthur2012-07-07
I called the Truckin opener based on their tuning up beforehand. Paired with Nobody’s Fault, it was like it was 1974. The standalone Fire sounded just like it did in 1978, with that fat Telecaster tone that cut right through the humidity. I also called Tennessee Jed. My Brother Esau was nice cause I used to rock out to that tune on my In The Dark cassette tape, way back in the 80’s.
The second set is what this show was all about. The China>Rider was absolutely top notch. The Jam before they get to the first verse of Dark Star was the highlight of the night for myself. Once again, Furthur rips up Dark Star, fulfilling its potential as a jam vehicle in ways the ones I saw with Jerry never came close to. The Caution was outstanding and a great reminder that we would not be here dancing our asses off if it was not for the great, late Pigpen.
St Stephen, Unbroken Chain, and Dear Prudence were all stellar (although I do prefer the way Phish does Dear Prudence). I left during the Wheel ‘cause I had to drive back to Hanover. Avoided traffic and rolled into my crib around 2 AM
After trying to get to get back to normal levels of hydration, Ben Hockensmith of Winter House Band fame came over and we rolled down. Got to the Lot around 3 and there was no one directing traffic. Everyone was parking where ever they felt like parking. I was right by my normal spot at the entrance and no one was parking near us. Never saw so much unused space.
Ran into Ty (the tallest Head I know) and Matt Kliendenst, who I know from way back in the day at Penn State. I ‘ve known him as long as I’ve known Dion. I hadn’t seen Matt in well over 5 years and it was good to catch up. He jogged my memory about the best Dead cover band in State College, King Solomon’s Marbles.
07/08/12 (Sun) Merriweather Post Pavilion - Columbia, MD
Set 1: Hell in a Bucket, Candyman, Althea, Cumberland Blues, Looks Like Rain, Cold Rain and Snow, Cosmic Charlie
Set 2: Lost Sailor > Saint of Circumstance, Bird Song > Help on the Way > Slipknot! > Passenger > Slipknot! > Franklin's Tower, So Many Roads, Throwin' Stones E: Samson and Delilah
First set was solid. A few songs about the weather were a nice touch. My first Cosmic Charlie by Furthur was really sweet. At set break, I got to hang with my friend’s Aunt Linda. She lives in Marin County, 3 miles from Terrapin Crossroads. While she may have a few years on me, I think I’m in love.
The second set was good and really well played but I’ll admit Sailor, Saint, and Bird Song are among my least favorite of the Dead’s repertoire. Bird Song I’m just burned out on but this version was a million times better than the ones I’ve seen Phil do with his band. Stolen' raaaaiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnn..........
The Slipknot Passenger sandwich was outstanding, and Passenger was another tune I really wanted to hear. So Many Roads is one of my favorite later era Jerry ballads and Johnny K nailed it. Samson was played as the encore just in case you all forgot it was Sunday.
Now while I may know A LOT about Tour and the Life, I do occasionally get a few things wrong. First, I thought Furthur was gonna be a lightly attended affair. Boy was I wrong. Packed lawn and pavilion on a Sunday night show with insane heat? Way to represent people. All those people and all that space around us in the Lot.
I blew it big time before I even left by forgeting to put my beer in the cooler I took with me. Plenty of water and gatorade but no beer. But I did support my local Shakedown St, so that’s important.
Also had my fill of the Beltway. Saw 2 different motorcycle accidents. 22 years of that is enough
So now I get to catch my breath and save a little bit of cash for my next adventure. No shows until Labor Day weekend when I fly out to Denver for a full weekend of Phish with my West Coast and Rocky Mountain HMLL's.
Dave Kemp
BA American Studies
Ph.D. in Rock and Roll
Very nice weekend of the Dead.
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