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.

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