Sunday, November 30, 2008
11/7
Wow - Lots of Dead-related stuff on this day.
11/7/90 - Robert Hunter @ Lisner Auditorium - Washington, DC
Unlike my last post, where I said the novelty of his shows was wearing off, this was my very first Robert Hunter show. I was obviously familiar with his songs. He wrote pretty much all the words to every original song Jerry sang, but I was completely unfamiliar with the songs as performed by him. I still don't have any of his albums - an embarrassment I need to fix ASAP. I'm not sure I was quite prepared for this night. I knew about 80% of the songs he sang - thanks to Jerry - but they were completely reworked from what I was used to. The music, the phrasing, even the melody was different. There were different verses, different breaks - other than the lyrics, some of the songs were just completely different.
But then it hit me that HE actually wrote these songs. THIS is how he envisioned them when he wrote them. THESE are the original interpretations. Jerry and The Dead's versions were nothing more than reworkings of THESE versions of the songs. Once I had that breakthrough, I was able to enjoy this show more. By the time it was over, I was just in awe. I'll readily put Hunter's lyrics up there with Dylan. Just brilliant. Very fun and enlightening night.
11/7/91 - Jerry Garcia Band @ The Capital Centre - Landover, MD
Night 2 of the '91 JGB east coast swing. Jerry shows were just so much fun. The environment was like all of the good stuff that came with a Dead show, but only about 10% of the usual hassles. Everything was just taken down a notch - smaller crowds, less security... everyone just seemed to be there for the music rather than the scene or to party. Everyone just wanted to see Jerry. I miss these shows a lot.
When it comes down to it - JGB was really just a ridiculously good cover band. At least 10 of the 14 songs played tonight were covers. Possibly more, but I'm too lazy to look them up. But Jerry made them his own. We got the debut of Van Morrison's "Bright Side of The Road" tonight. A rare "Rubin and Cherise," another stunning "Shining Star," some Stones, Clapton, Chuck Berry and, of course, some Dylan. No encore tonight.
I had a really crappy tape of this one. So crappy that I think I only listened to it a few times. I've got it in a box somewhere around here. Maybe I'll give it another play this week.
I: How Sweet It Is/They Love Each Other/Forever Young/Let It Rock/Lay Down Sally/And It Stoned Me/Let's Spend The Night Together
II: Bright Side Of The Road/Shining Star/Tore Up Over You/Rubin and Cherise/Like A Road/Breadbox/Tangled Up In Blue
11/7/93 - Jerry Garcia Band @ USAir Arena - Landover, MD
Same band. Same venue (albeit with a different name). Exactly 2 years later.
Once again Jerry had avoided the east coast for a couple years and returned in the Fall of '93, about a month after The Dead's annual Fall tour. This was a pretty standard JGB show for the time. Nothing out of the ordinary, but nicely played and another amazing show. I vaguely remember running to the bathroom during Senor - a Dylan song I thought was quite boring at the time. What an idiot. I'd kill to see Jerry play that song now.
Unfortunately, this was the last time I'd get to see the Jerry Garcia Band.
I: How Sweet It Is/Stop That Train/You Never Can Tell/Run For The Roses/Senor/My Sisters and Brothers/Everybody Needs Somebody To Love
II: The Way You Do The Things You Do/Waiting For A Miracle/Money Honey/Knockin' On Heaven's Door/Don't Let Go/Mississippi Moon/Tangled Up In Blue
11/7/2004 - R.E.M. @ The A.J. Palumbo Center - Pittsburgh, PA
My more detailed original post about this one is here.
5th Row, right in front of Peter. Excellent. Without repeating everything from my original post, it was a pretty standard night for the tour. The rocking songs rocked. The Around The Sun songs were dull, while still being better than on the cd. They were more talkative and seemed to generally be in a better mood than they were in NYC. I wish Peter would bring back the banjo. Not much old stuff tonight.
This would be my last R.E.M. show until 2008. boooooo.
Finest Worksong / Begin The Begin / The Wake-Up Bomb / Animal / Boy In The Well / Imitation Of Life / High Speed Train / So. Central Rain / The Outsiders / Electrolite / I've Been High / The One I Love / I Wanted To Be Wrong / (Don't Go Back To) Rockville / Final Straw / Losing My Religion / Walk Unafraid / Life And How To Live It
encore: What's The Frequency, Kenneth? / Drive / Sweetness Follows / Leaving New York / Permanent Vacation / I'm Gonna DJ / Man On The Moon
(as usual - setlist courtesy of the awesome R.E.M. Timeline.)
11/7/90 - Robert Hunter @ Lisner Auditorium - Washington, DC
Unlike my last post, where I said the novelty of his shows was wearing off, this was my very first Robert Hunter show. I was obviously familiar with his songs. He wrote pretty much all the words to every original song Jerry sang, but I was completely unfamiliar with the songs as performed by him. I still don't have any of his albums - an embarrassment I need to fix ASAP. I'm not sure I was quite prepared for this night. I knew about 80% of the songs he sang - thanks to Jerry - but they were completely reworked from what I was used to. The music, the phrasing, even the melody was different. There were different verses, different breaks - other than the lyrics, some of the songs were just completely different.
But then it hit me that HE actually wrote these songs. THIS is how he envisioned them when he wrote them. THESE are the original interpretations. Jerry and The Dead's versions were nothing more than reworkings of THESE versions of the songs. Once I had that breakthrough, I was able to enjoy this show more. By the time it was over, I was just in awe. I'll readily put Hunter's lyrics up there with Dylan. Just brilliant. Very fun and enlightening night.
11/7/91 - Jerry Garcia Band @ The Capital Centre - Landover, MD
Night 2 of the '91 JGB east coast swing. Jerry shows were just so much fun. The environment was like all of the good stuff that came with a Dead show, but only about 10% of the usual hassles. Everything was just taken down a notch - smaller crowds, less security... everyone just seemed to be there for the music rather than the scene or to party. Everyone just wanted to see Jerry. I miss these shows a lot.
When it comes down to it - JGB was really just a ridiculously good cover band. At least 10 of the 14 songs played tonight were covers. Possibly more, but I'm too lazy to look them up. But Jerry made them his own. We got the debut of Van Morrison's "Bright Side of The Road" tonight. A rare "Rubin and Cherise," another stunning "Shining Star," some Stones, Clapton, Chuck Berry and, of course, some Dylan. No encore tonight.
I had a really crappy tape of this one. So crappy that I think I only listened to it a few times. I've got it in a box somewhere around here. Maybe I'll give it another play this week.
I: How Sweet It Is/They Love Each Other/Forever Young/Let It Rock/Lay Down Sally/And It Stoned Me/Let's Spend The Night Together
II: Bright Side Of The Road/Shining Star/Tore Up Over You/Rubin and Cherise/Like A Road/Breadbox/Tangled Up In Blue
11/7/93 - Jerry Garcia Band @ USAir Arena - Landover, MD
Same band. Same venue (albeit with a different name). Exactly 2 years later.
Once again Jerry had avoided the east coast for a couple years and returned in the Fall of '93, about a month after The Dead's annual Fall tour. This was a pretty standard JGB show for the time. Nothing out of the ordinary, but nicely played and another amazing show. I vaguely remember running to the bathroom during Senor - a Dylan song I thought was quite boring at the time. What an idiot. I'd kill to see Jerry play that song now.
Unfortunately, this was the last time I'd get to see the Jerry Garcia Band.
I: How Sweet It Is/Stop That Train/You Never Can Tell/Run For The Roses/Senor/My Sisters and Brothers/Everybody Needs Somebody To Love
II: The Way You Do The Things You Do/Waiting For A Miracle/Money Honey/Knockin' On Heaven's Door/Don't Let Go/Mississippi Moon/Tangled Up In Blue
11/7/2004 - R.E.M. @ The A.J. Palumbo Center - Pittsburgh, PA
My more detailed original post about this one is here.
5th Row, right in front of Peter. Excellent. Without repeating everything from my original post, it was a pretty standard night for the tour. The rocking songs rocked. The Around The Sun songs were dull, while still being better than on the cd. They were more talkative and seemed to generally be in a better mood than they were in NYC. I wish Peter would bring back the banjo. Not much old stuff tonight.
This would be my last R.E.M. show until 2008. boooooo.
Finest Worksong / Begin The Begin / The Wake-Up Bomb / Animal / Boy In The Well / Imitation Of Life / High Speed Train / So. Central Rain / The Outsiders / Electrolite / I've Been High / The One I Love / I Wanted To Be Wrong / (Don't Go Back To) Rockville / Final Straw / Losing My Religion / Walk Unafraid / Life And How To Live It
encore: What's The Frequency, Kenneth? / Drive / Sweetness Follows / Leaving New York / Permanent Vacation / I'm Gonna DJ / Man On The Moon
(as usual - setlist courtesy of the awesome R.E.M. Timeline.)
