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Well, there wasn’t any glue on anyone’s shoes last night. Our favorite musicians came out swinging and tore through 2 sets of furious Dead. I’d say any rust or dust that collected in our favorite band was clearly removed. Dead & Company blasted off on night two in San Francisco and left people with that face on that says, “OH Fuck! That shit just happened!” It was obvious early and often that The Bill Graham Civic was getting a thorough dose of everything that rocks. When you get started with Music-> Shakey Ground(The Temptations)-> Music, you’re serious as a heart attack about makin some shit happen! I’d have to imagine that’s what Willis was talkin about all along.
whatchu talkin about willis

Jams were inspired and fluid all night long. It was clear that all parties involved were fully engaged in the experience. Jeff’s keys were making the wind change direction! Oteil’s bass was confused throughout the city with seismic activity! Bill and Mickey were like loose change because they never left the pocket! Weir commanded the neurology of thousands at will! John returned to fine form and brought passion to everything he played! What a fuckin night! Any time you get Sailor-> Saint, Help->Slip->Franklin’s to kick off a second set, you’ve just been hit by a tidal wave of pleasure. The brain starts firing off all kinds of patterns that resemble orgasms and swimming in chocolate. The music pulled in elements and sounds whose creator couldn’t be found. The tornado that developed within Saint of Circumstance carried over through Help On The Way and became fully realized during Slipknot. Slipknot was drawing a multitude of thousands of cumulative energies and emotions into this swirling vacuum of sound where they were consumed and presented back to the people whose energies had a hand in creating them in the first place. It was wild… Franklin’s has more bite to it every time it’s played and this time was no exception. The Band wrapped this jam around the entire room like a lasso and pulled us in from far away places on periscope and ustream as the all consuming parade of happiness spread throughout Terrapin Nation.

The drums was insane with Oteil and Zakir Hussein joining the party! Total Rhythm Devils Delight! The jam that came out of space could’ve been damn near anything. I thought for a second they were gonna bust out some Frankie Valli! The jam was packed with every ingredient imaginable. It went everywhere before settling into LLR, a tune that has found a home in this spot. It was a beautiful rendition that made people that cry during shit like that, cry. The Wheel rolled out in dreadlocks as the reggae makeover has made the tune refreshing and cool and more fun than it was before. NFA as a great way to close down the party after blowing the roof off of the place for 3+ hours. Everybody gets walked to the door with Brokedown Palace.

What a night in San Francisco. Those of us on the east coast listening by way of streams were utterly useless the past two days. Shows reaching to 3AM our time are guaranteed to cancel most usefulness in the lives of those that have participated. 9:55 and I’m going to bed… It’s clear that LA will be a jewel on this amazing run of music. The apex of the trajectory will be found during the last two nights of the best season of most Deadheads’ musical lives in a long, long time. Travel Safely y’all! Love You Long Time and Forever!

Dead To The Core,

Dean Sottile (pronounced So Tilly)
@gd50th on Twitter
Grateful Dean on Facebook

8 thoughts on “Shaky Ground In San Francisco: Dead & Company Killin It While East Coast Heads Completely Useless

  1. Chaitanya

    Dean, great review. GREAT show. Easily comparable to Vegas.
    I think John’s taking my advice: Slow down, Youngblood! The Straw was especially beautifully built, and Sailor Saint and everything else was EPIC.
    LLR and wheel were delicate and gorgeous.

    Wish you could have joined us in historic SF, the historic BG Civic.

  2. Maggiemainer

    Outrageous second set and drums/space off the charts. Well written, Dean. I’ve been waking up in the afternoon too, also east coast.

  3. shaun

    !984 is here. I stayed at “The Hostel. Anyways the shows were good, but nothing to get concerned about. Jerry remains Dead. There was no “To Lay Me Down” that you’ve missed. I also got wound out in that internet process after worcester, by the end it I had carpal Tunnel Syndrome. It was annoying but who wouldn’t be glued to their machine.

    Space before midnite? Killer best nye show all year, like 10/12/84. Does This mean all future space on NYE is at 10:30? Some people noticed that. I be like cool that was pre space, like the pre meetings I did at work or feedback on 8/12/69. It was not to be. I wasn’t planning to See Star Wars yet. Yet is a great word.

    Some LA people acted very Miracle like at the show, others acted like theyw ere from LA and had never seen this band much. It happened a few times. Overall it was easier than a New Haven show. Try 1984 on sometime. In that tour ya can hear Mickey playing Ronald Reagans voice backwards, repeatedly all year. Anyone else notice that? I should confirm it with Mickey. Its a question for Dead Jeopardy. Want proof! Try 4/29 84 nastaar, 4/21 Philly, and……………..me and my best friends favorite show 4/30/84. The best and worst space ever. Not the first 4/30 show to be a colossal historical levent. Its a nasty Day in Astrology.

    This 8/13/79 me listening is way better than any of the shows done after 1990. I was better then also.

    We want Phil, and Donna. Where’s the Donna get in here petition? Me do it? Or is she out of commission. I don’t think so. that would shake things up a lot. It it’d if ever probably be a one off event. dream on, said Steven Tyler. He would do it, if asked.

    Did anyone miss the 8 pm set due to thinking it would really start at 10? Someone must have. we almost did, but didn’t. 8 is 8 and Bob means Business. Jerry was there. He did mention They’ve played everything in their 80 song repertoire. That Dude I went with was waiting for the massive break out. I don’t know which song, did Phil take the other ones home and hide them? Or Did Alvin and the Chipmunks buy the rights to it for Road Chip Too, and all we got is that Muzaak from FTW with an accompanying slide show of Stanley Theatre.

    What Now?, East Coast head I am but lets all meet out there before we meet in Binghampton. . It was eerily quiet at those 4, even in LA, I recall Oakland Audi-Orium/Kaiseraiser having loud people playing volley ball. They weren’t there. but I did finally see some spinners. In Philly there were none.
    Happy new year, if your still reading the garbage I think, and we have this now. We’ve had it, and no one was focused really for 20 years or whatever, but tours then are also killer. Dig out yer 2004 Marysville
    If anyone has any rumors I am all ears. After complaining so much my only request is the band consider that heads must put a lot of time resources and planning intyo the thing we do, and it would be mighty fine to have a sense of where I would be in August if I can and if god and Bob gives us a western tour.

    and one last wish, get this band to Maine. I am in Boston, but after being there recently, that place is like a dead show everyday. Its’ Vacationland and its people are likely. Thinkk about Oxffod and the 80 Lewiston show.

    Someone can make a lot of cash there and if the band tries tickets canbe cheap. Up there what costs a dollar here costs 50C, unless it some weird thing tied to everything. Skip NH, unlss they just wanna make fun of Republicans, which Bob may want to.

    The bus is coming by, gotta run.

    -Me

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