Entertainment
A GRATEFUL DEAD FAMILY REUNION? PRICELESS
Wed, Aug 07, 2002 12:00 am
Brian Jarvinen
Photos by Susana Millman
Forging ahead of the hard-rock pack, Los Angeles-based Puddle Of Mudd are currently selling out shows across the country in support of their resounding platinum debut, Come Clean (Interscope). Despite being labeled the latest "bad boy of rock" for a recent arrest involving an abusive girlfriend, lead singer/rhythm guitarist Wes Scantlin deserves better headlines for the unwavering perseverance and hook-filled, post-slacker grunge-metal his quartet unleashes.
Seven long, strange years after the death of Jerry Garcia, the Other Ones appear poised to put the bus back on the road with all the trimmings. The highly anticipated Grateful Dead Family Reunion shows at Wisconsin's Alpine Valley Music Theater on August 3 and 4 went off so smoothly that a November East Coast fall tour will go on as planned.
The media hoopla surrounding the announcement that Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann would play together for the first time since 1995 made it seem like yesterday once more. The off-again, on-again shows seemed to be stuck in the shadow of '95's infamous summer tour from hell, as an ever increasing list of warnings and rules made the idea of using music monopolist Clear Channel Communications to manage the chaos of 35,000 Deadheads seem dubious at best.
When Saturday, August 3 rolled around, dire warnings and worries melted away, and no ticketless horde appeared; by Sunday, it was difficult to even give away a miracle ticket. Police spotters in an observation tower did generate some revenue arresting tokers in the parking lot, and vending was mostly shut down, but persistent shoppers could find what they needed.
The best news of these shows remained the simple fact that, after an ugly few years of business disputes and interview sniping at each other, the four main members of the Grateful Dead are in harmony again. This latest combination added only one guitar and dispensed with a full-time sax player, leaving plenty of room in the spotlight for new members Jimmy Herring on lead guitar and keyboardists Rob Baracco and Jeff Chimenti. (Herring and Baracco regularly play with Phil and Friends.)
Surrounded by one of rock's greatest rhythm sections, Herring had a blank check to redefine any given Grateful Dead song. He did so with gusto, throwing out solos in his own style. He's quite different from Garcia: using less attack and more drawn-out notes, he's more reminiscent of Duane Allman. Dead music has always been co-led by Phil Lesh's bass guitar, and occasionally Herring was forced to wait while Weir and Lesh plotted the next jam.
Opening Saturday night with "He's Gone > Cryptical Envelopment" (a nod to the missing fat guy), the band proceeded to break out classic after classic: "China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider," "St. Stephen > The Eleven," "Dark Star." Pretty much everyone got to hear their favorite Dead song over the course of the two nights, as well as two new (circa 1998) Other Ones compositions, "Banyan Tree" and "Baba Jingo." Lesh handled a surprising amount of the vocals, prompting the usual complaints about his singing voice.
Seven years since the last show on such a large scale, at times a bit of inflationary sticker shock set in. A schwag corporate beer? Two bucks. Kind ice-cold microbrews? Three bucks. A possibly bunk, possibly mind-blowing dose of LSD? $5-10. A possibly cut, possibly pure roll of X? $15-20. The latest Dick's Picks CD of truly classic Grateful Dead music? $23.95. A ticket to the show? Upwards of $70 after numerous convenience charges. Partying hard with 34,999 other kind folks who love the Grateful Dead? Priceless.
Forging ahead of the hard-rock pack, Los Angeles-based Puddle Of Mudd are currently selling out shows across the country in support of their resounding platinum debut, Come Clean (Interscope). Despite being labeled the latest "bad boy of rock" for a recent arrest involving an abusive girlfriend, lead singer/rhythm guitarist Wes Scantlin deserves better headlines for the unwavering perseverance and hook-filled, post-slacker grunge-metal his quartet unleashes.
Seven long, strange years after the death of Jerry Garcia, the Other Ones appear poised to put the bus back on the road with all the trimmings. The highly anticipated Grateful Dead Family Reunion shows at Wisconsin's Alpine Valley Music Theater on August 3 and 4 went off so smoothly that a November East Coast fall tour will go on as planned.The media hoopla surrounding the announcement that Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann would play together for the first time since 1995 made it seem like yesterday once more. The off-again, on-again shows seemed to be stuck in the shadow of '95's infamous summer tour from hell, as an ever increasing list of warnings and rules made the idea of using music monopolist Clear Channel Communications to manage the chaos of 35,000 Deadheads seem dubious at best.
When Saturday, August 3 rolled around, dire warnings and worries melted away, and no ticketless horde appeared; by Sunday, it was difficult to even give away a miracle ticket. Police spotters in an observation tower did generate some revenue arresting tokers in the parking lot, and vending was mostly shut down, but persistent shoppers could find what they needed.
The best news of these shows remained the simple fact that, after an ugly few years of business disputes and interview sniping at each other, the four main members of the Grateful Dead are in harmony again. This latest combination added only one guitar and dispensed with a full-time sax player, leaving plenty of room in the spotlight for new members Jimmy Herring on lead guitar and keyboardists Rob Baracco and Jeff Chimenti. (Herring and Baracco regularly play with Phil and Friends.)
Surrounded by one of rock's greatest rhythm sections, Herring had a blank check to redefine any given Grateful Dead song. He did so with gusto, throwing out solos in his own style. He's quite different from Garcia: using less attack and more drawn-out notes, he's more reminiscent of Duane Allman. Dead music has always been co-led by Phil Lesh's bass guitar, and occasionally Herring was forced to wait while Weir and Lesh plotted the next jam.
Opening Saturday night with "He's Gone > Cryptical Envelopment" (a nod to the missing fat guy), the band proceeded to break out classic after classic: "China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider," "St. Stephen > The Eleven," "Dark Star." Pretty much everyone got to hear their favorite Dead song over the course of the two nights, as well as two new (circa 1998) Other Ones compositions, "Banyan Tree" and "Baba Jingo." Lesh handled a surprising amount of the vocals, prompting the usual complaints about his singing voice.
Seven years since the last show on such a large scale, at times a bit of inflationary sticker shock set in. A schwag corporate beer? Two bucks. Kind ice-cold microbrews? Three bucks. A possibly bunk, possibly mind-blowing dose of LSD? $5-10. A possibly cut, possibly pure roll of X? $15-20. The latest Dick's Picks CD of truly classic Grateful Dead music? $23.95. A ticket to the show? Upwards of $70 after numerous convenience charges. Partying hard with 34,999 other kind folks who love the Grateful Dead? Priceless.