Some thoughts on the recent #DeadAndCompany shows I saw, in case anyone cares. This might go on for a few toots. Apologies in advance.
The Band: well, first off, I think it's extraordinary that Bob is still doing this at 75. Thank goodness for CrossFit or whatever he's doing, because his stamina is impressive. It's really poignant to hear him as a grizzled old man singing songs like Stella Blue, finally embodying the same weary old voice that Jerry carried in his early 50s. Unfortunately Bob's guitar sounds like ass and I really wish his tech would make some executive decisions.
Plenty has been said about John Mayer, and I don't need to weigh in on the parts of that that get people up in arms. He's a fantastic guitarist. Having only seen them once before, I think he was even better on this tour. His playing was patient, relaxed, and intuitive. He seemed deeply locked in with the rhythm section. I take him at his word that the experience of being in this band enriched him musically beyond description, and for that I'm happy for him.
Watching Oteil for two nights was very special. He was one of my late brother's favorite bass players and I always hold that sentiment close when I see him play. Oteil is a consummate sidemen. Empathetic, tasteful, adventurous, technically able to do absolutely anything. This band needed a Zen master on stage, and I think Oteil was it.
Jeff was the biggest surprise for me. Maybe he was mixed differently than when I saw the band in 2018, but it felt like his contributions were much more present in the mix. I loved how much he drove the improvisation and played off the rhythm section. His feel is impeccable, and the ease with which he switches between styles is really impressive.
Going into the summer, I was treating these shows as an opportunity to say goodbye in my heart to Billy. It was pretty disappointing when he dropped out of the tour. But holy shit, Jay is a monster. I'll take two of whatever he's having. His tenacity and groove while driving the jams absolutely made the shows.
I am guilty of treating Mickey like an afterthought. But to my surprise and delight, watching him get to be a freak for 20 minutes every night ended up being the part that actually felt like the end of an era. These songs will live on in various forms, but anyone else trying to do what Mickey does will feel like an imitation.
The most special part about the shows was getting to experience them with my best friend Mike. He is a late arrival to the Grateful Dead, and had never seen any of the members in any form. The staying power of that music is magical. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to share it with my buddy and 20,000 other people.
@drummmerandy Beautifully written — thanks for sharing! ️
@Nolasox you're welcome, and thanks for reading!
@drummmerandy I was also surprised to find that Drums and Space were highlights of the two shows I saw. I love D>S from Grateful Dead shows but didn’t really connect with it at previous D&C shows I’d seen
@GoldenBrown I was surprised at how reverential the crowd was. At least where I was on the lawn, most people laid down in the grass as soon as drums started and just blissed out looking at the lights in the sky for the whole segment.
@drummmerandy the Lane/Chimenti combo is a good one and those guys really know how to work with and around Bobby. That dynamic clicked for me at the Wolf Bros last fall. Between them they're very attuned to the Weirness of it all and have become adept at contextualizing his sometimes very oblique phrasings on the fly. It's an interesting skill set and really helps him look good
@mrcompletely I have known about Jay since the 90s but this was my first time seeing him live. He is an exceptionally good drummer and, as you said, possesses a unique skill set that happens to work very well in this lineup. I would pay good money to hear Jay, Jeff, and Oteil play as a trio.
@fogelnet @mrcompletely thank you! I will dig around for some live stuff from these guys.
@fogelnet @drummmerandy @mrcompletely GGW is a good group. Got the see and interview them several years back. Great night
@fogelnet @mrcompletely @rowjimmy is that interview in your podcast archive or was it for something else?
@drummmerandy @fogelnet @mrcompletely it’s in the BdPod archives for sure…
https://brokedownpodcast.blogspot.com/2018/04/017-golden-gate-wingmen.html
@drummmerandy we were quite pleasantly surprised by our one wolf Bros show and that dynamic is at the heart of the whole thing imo
@mrcompletely - The Lane/Claypool combo is the hippest.
@drummmerandy - Weir seems to love that abrasive sound. Ugh. Ask Dan Healy how it goes if you fuck with Weir’s preferred sound.
@harveyroad i'm thinking there could be some sort of tech invention where Bob gets to hear his shitty guitar in his monitor, but the rest of us get something different.
@drummmerandy Brilliant. This needs to be invented. And not just for Weir!
@harveyroad they invented the wall of sound 50 years ago. Surely they could figure this shit out!
@drummmerandy - Bear is dead.
@harveyroad @drummmerandy Watching and hearing Bobby play slide guitar in 1986 was painful.
Watching and hearing Bobby play slide guitar in 2023 is painful.