merry christmas motherfuckers…i can barely write and hopefully you can barely read…yeah i gave up on this stupid mutherfucker of a blog but wanted to give a christmas drunk farewell…in that regard i’m listening to chicago ftw right now and have deep mixed feelings…i have enjoyed mayer and even sung his praises…and want more because any dead is good dead..keep the scene going as long as possible…sell those beers at 2 for 5…sell that cid cause fuck if u don’t who will? fuck and fuck i’m at a loss…musically i want trey back…i think he has it more than mayer..trey’s to fucking reserved..he knows the legacy…he doesn’t want to trample on toes..mayer is like i cover hendrix…i’ll cover garcia (god) no problem…i got weir at my back and their drummers…fuck i got nothing to loose and so he doesn’t..but shit…i have to decide on who to stream this new years and for the first time in my life i’m going with trey and phish…i streamed every dead and co show..many were fun, even great…but i’ll bet trey over mayer in a heartbeat..give me the odds 1 on 1, no contest…it’s like betting on phil vs. o’teill…yeah o’teills chops are better but phil has a taste which was touched by Jerry and such.. really has no equal…it’s probably why i like van gogh vs rembrant…lsd will do that to you…a certain touch that makes no sense to those that haven’t seen that specific light…is that light artificial? are those dreams i had meaningless? most would say so…phuk i would probably say so on any given day…but what is a poor boy to do? goddamm i miss jerry..happy holidays phuckers..peace out

Fuck….it’s past 4:20 in the morning…was going to make some stupid 4:20 reference but it’s too late. Another good show..this time in in the flats of Colorado..right before the glorious rockies kick in. We got another couple of bust outs for this tour…a smokestack and finally a me and my uncle…funny back in the day an uncle would of been an also ran…but now…every tune is worth it’s weight in stolen uncle gold. Mayer continues to fit right the fuck in…loved the second set with a help/slip/frank and a truly unique darkstar (calipso?..ahh who cares it was great)…black peter rocked out of space…almost like bobby was meant to sing it…almost…good lovin ended the set and a decent touch was the encore…perhaps the most fun tonight was rappin with other friends during the show.
A true highlight was getting the fare the well boxset in the mail…still listening..but damn..well done…they turned jeff up in the mix and the crowd shots are great for picking out who you know…and who you wished you knew…short post tonight, this morning, as we all prep for thanksgiving with the family…look forward to spending more time with my adopted family though…i’d rather be with you!!!!..you crazy heads!!!! All my love…blakeout!

so another couch tour date down…9 left by my miserable count. If this shit ends then i predict more sadness than when jerry passed. At least then we were all somewhat prepared having seen his condition worsen over the years. If the mayer leaves us now their will be more broken hearts than t. swift has love songs (i don’t actually know how many love songs she has…just looking for a stupid metaphor)
The patron saint of louis broke out a couple of tunes that we have been hoping to hear all tour…one was black throated wind which was somewhat predictable in it’s lyrical cue..but still most welcome. One of Bobby’s best…hopefully they put it into rotation for the rest of the tour…and even extend it out a bit…mayer seemed a bit tentative on it tonight which is understandable, first time played and all.
We also got a long over due Let It Grow…a perfect tune for extended jamming..again a tad short but maybe my streaming ears aren’t up to their soundboard past. Man we need a great taper or soundboard connect…can we kickstart this sort of thing? I bet we raise thousands if we did.
So that being said, technology has brought us periscope/mixr/ustream which might have spoiled us all. Thanks are due to those doing the streaming..many have been shut down by the man…one would think they would have more to worry about these days but apparently not…ISIS anyone? Let the music flow…haven’t we established that this is all good for the finances of any band? More and more peeps will hit these shows due to to their efforts…and when the inevitable cd/dvd/itunes release comes…many units will be sold…the more so the as the music gets around.
Other highlights? Well it’s great to be able to say there were some usual blow outs…an opening shakedown… a beloved brown eyed women..a rousing sugaree to the recently extended music never stopped capped the first set.
Second set had an Aiko opening…with some alternative lyrics…did Bobby actually rhyme orange with something? He’s feeling extra ballsy these days..lol (let me know what the fuck he actually sang if you caught it). Eyes was fantastic..again with Oteil knocking it out the park..(Oteil is a great pick by the boys although I still miss Phil and his perma-smile, let alone his bombs). Let it grow> Terrapin before drumz was a clear highlight…although my altered perceptions has the worcester terrapin as being superior.
I still love the wheel out of space…some have mentioned it’s getting overplayed…but damn…how lucky we are to say that at this point in time!!! Looks like rain had everyone thinking about their miserable ex’s..and how maybe it’s time to forgive and forget afterall…but only for some…mutherf*cking ex’s still suck!!! The contemplative LLR led to a sugar mag which even had bobby egging mayer on for more. It’s not over yet bobby gestured before the break in sugarmag…mayer was happy to oblige as he has been cut short many a time this tour. The encore was another acoustic gem of Ripple..hard to complain about that..although I wouldn’t mind if they busted out a black muddy river for jerry’s sake…but damn..all good…the masses and couch tourer’s alike can sleep well knowing the legacy is not only alive..but growing…good night!!!…blake out!!!

To write or not is my current question..first world problems! Well it’s pretty much official at this point..the dead are back in a big way. After a knock out performance in DC, a charity gig at MSG, and last nights woostah show it seems the dead juggernaut is in full swing again. Last night was such a great show that there really isn’t much to critique. Each song was well played, the lyrics were even remembered and delivered in a professional if not heart felt manner. We got bust outs…Dear Prudence (only the 3rd time played if my old deadbase skills are correct) had Bobby looking possessed by the muse by the end of the song. It was followed by a tribute to Allen Toussaint, who passed the day before, in I believe a first time ever played Get out of My Life Woman (of course JGB covered this quite regularly…and again my deadbase skills are rusty). Ripple was spectacular to close the show with Mayer playing the upper registrar of his acoustic guitar so well it evoked the sounds of a mandolin. Every song seemed stretched out..a maturity level to the songs one wouldn’t expect with 2-3 (as a beloved critic of mine has rightly pointed out Jeff is the longest keyboard player the dead have ever had..let’s hope the spinal tap curse doesn’t strike him!!) fill-in members to the band. Was this the longest Cassidy ever played? I don’t know for sure but I wouldn’t doubt it.
So what’s left other than glowing praise from a fan boy? Not much really. I will say they should make me a soundman’s assistant of some sort. The sound was good mind you…but since the essentials are in place we could tweak it a bit..it always could be louder (a problem i had even back in the day..i’m always trying to hunt out the sweet spots..yeah i was mostly in the philzone back then!). As has been often noted Jeff needs to be turned up..particularly when he’s on Brent’s old B3..barely audible most of the night. Mayer has his tone a la 4 Paul Reed Smith’s amps and his new guitar made by the same…it doesn’t come across as much in the streams as I’ve heard live, but he could use to turn down the treble and boost the mids…it would help get that fat old tone we all know and love. Some like to criticize Bobby’s delivery on Jerry songs…not me..I’m just happy he can still sing so well!
Lastly I just want to sound like a cranky old man for a bit! With the dead’s return and popularity come the same old problems that plagued later day Jerry shows. There was gate crashing at Worcester..not a good sign..although we all know the desire is great to get in. If desperate I prefer the bribe the doorman method…much less unseemly. And a note to nitrous tank owners…try to be a little more discreet? Setting up shop right outside the main doors will undoubtedly attract the wrong kind of attention and just doesn’t seem to be the best business plan in the long term!
PS. Rumours are all ready swirling about a summer tour (Mayer is busy in spring) and I for one can’t wait…nothing better than than the dead on a warm summer night surrounded by the best folks in the world! I just hope we don’t end up like the T.Swift or one of Mayer’s other jilted lovers when he inevitably moves on to other projects (maybe I can write a hit song or two about it though!) Somebody on tour dose the hell out of that talented motherf#cker…let’s make it so he can’t leave us!!!
PSS. I’d just like to give unsolicited thanks to the http://www.mezcalcantina.com/…. after show they stayed open late to serve the deadhead masses and did so exceptionally well…their tequila list is an alcoholics dream and their food ain’t bad either….thanks for reading…blakeout!!!!

some laughs…well done…not my opinion but i will always choose humor over reality

The Totally True Story Of Dead & Company

so…apparently not only can’t i write..but when i do i write like a five year old….well your probably correct but fuck…can’t a fan fan anymore?? everyone’s got there opinions and that’s cool…here’s mine…
fuck you and your proper use of grammar…i studied for years to ignore the Chicago Manual of Style…yes i know how to properly write but fuck you…that’s no fun….especially for a blog that’s written under at least 5 beers influence at all times… I actually deleted my last review cause i’ve got a thinner skin than a recently spawned tadpole…but…no more apologies from now on…suck my big fat incorrect use of the english language…write your own shit if your so good…
jesus…well now that i got that off my incompetent chest..perhaps i can actually say something meaningful..doubtful of course!
Dead and co at MSG tonight was interesting but it had all the fun of a charity cocktail party for homeless squirrels…what the fuck happened to dancing without oblivion…st.stephen gets played at msg..where everyone got in for free mind you,and a collective yawn hits the crowd? this isn’t to rag on the band…they did their best…but when your playing to zombies who consider excitement rattling their jewels what can you do?
relive 1983 st. stephen for a bit…

the crowd goes crazy..tonight they clinked their fucking wine glasses while eating spoiled cheese…thankfully phil had an appreciative audience…so streamers could tune in to that…he had david nelson..jason crosby..barry sless..law ..and molo backing him up more than amply…i just hope this isn’t the end for him out east…if i were phil i’d only play crossroads from now on..why not? i get all the revenues and drive about about ten minutes to my gig..but fuck..i hope he realizes how much we love and need him in the east too…either way..all the best my brother from another another mother
back to dead and co…mayer is getting it..that much is clear..oteil is a beast and it was great to see him pounding the skins during drumz..turn up jeff..he needs the exposure after his pot bust!
bobby,billy, mickey…godbless…play your hearts out cause like mine it ain’t got long..so damn happy to have this music to listen to and crapily review as my 5 year old self…best to all of you too…even those that think correctly i can’t do this shit…nfa!!!

so this happened…as dead and co get their groove on we are inevitably going to get good and not so good nights…as any band would have it, your in the groove sometimes and other nights not so much….so as this idiot writer will say…albany rocked my socks off…the rest..eh…glad they played but nothing special…but then dc happened…jesus came (sorry religious freaks)…and we got another blow out.
so again i’m too fucked up to make any sense…. but we got a killer eyes with an oteil solo, plus a great scar>fire, and a looks like rain which had me crying about all the damn exes i left behind, and who left me behind..stupid fuckers!
the rest of the set list…buddha (see i mix it up) i don’t know…sailor>saint i remember…a killer loser…which obviously i can relate too..ohh….the fucking wheel…which was about time they blew the shit off of this song…damn i love that tune…even as i like bob marley’s work…

it might have had me working hard for the man, but, shit in my case at least it paid off..for you all???
touch ended the night…which left some of us wondering why throwin stones wasn’t played in dc…fuck really of all places???? perhaps the pols in the audience would have been uncomfortable? too fucking bad….you all fucked us over worse than a native american who met columbus…anyway… I look forward to a throwin at msg or better wooostha which i’ll be at …and might even periscope…whatever the fuck that is….all the best…if i offended columbus supporters or other shits….fuck you…blake out….
shit i need to give credit where credit is due…h2ogirl on mixl..taperrob and jimmy for phil…website test1…and all you fuckers on periscope

So much to say…so little ability to say it. Back from night 3 of Phil (truth be told i was present for the sat and sun…streamed friday) with a nice warm glow…nothing to radical, unlike sat. night where i’m not quite sure how i found my bed..but glad i did!
I wasn’t supposed to be here

on saturday night in the port chester…but first i got shut out of dead and co via ticketbastard…then i noticed the hotel i thought i was so smart to reserve in advance super close to msg…mysteriously went from about $200 a night to $450…I’m pretty sure that’s not legal but i’ll let someone else fight that battle.I was never big on legalities!
Luck and fate were on my side though as saturday night’s show with mr. lesh was one of the best show’s i have ever had the pleasure of witnessing. Phil knows talent..and having stanley jordan on stage was one of the those rare moments where one man’s virtuosity brought the best out of the rest of those on stage. The rock and roll expressed this night exceeds the conventional definition of the genre…of course it did..as stanley is no conventional guitarist…he is a jazz master…but unlike john scofield, who is likewise a great jazz guitarist and shared Phil’s stage, stanley seems to have truly internalized the musical canon of the dead…and is moved by it as much as we are.
Case in point would have to be tonight’s rendition of comes a time where stanley felt the emotion enough during his solo to climb up on a stool when he soared up the fretboard..and then to essentially kneel down to pray to the god that is jerry garcia when he brought his solo back to the ground.
Sat. night was the more energetic of the two nights i got to witness…as one brother told me, embedded in his story of meeting mr. jordan and helping to carry his groceries at the hotel, he told stanley dark star>voodoo child>darkstar changed his life. I don’t doubt it… not for a motherf@cking second.
here’s a portion recorded badly:

i look forward to tracking down a high quality version of the whole show…you should too!!!!
Tonight, sunday, was a recreation of 11/1/85 richmond,va grateful dead…a somewhat unusual show with many a ballad…high time, the aforementioned comes a time, sailor>saint, dylan’s she belongs to me, plus a rare gloria, dancin opener, stagger lee, and a nice he’s gone>spoonful which tonight’s band choose to interject a bit of space in between.
Halloween’s show had a ton of fun covers…after midnight opened..we got a bad moon rising, werewolves, sympathy for the devil and the closer of nfa
Friday’s show had the jazz classic greensleeves, and hendrix’s little wing…all worth the effort of checking out.
Should i compare this to dead and co? I’d mostly rather not as i don’t think music is an either or type of thing…let’s enjoy it all while we still have the groove in our bones…i will say just this..phil’s band with jordan seems like the grateful dead all grown up…no panties will be thrown on stage! the transitions and jams are thought out..worthy of study…sadly i hear next weekend might be the last time phil ventures east…i hope this rumour is wrong but if not…ty phil for a lifetime of musical fulphilment…might have to drive 3,000 miles to catch you in your home ground (fuck flying..tsa bastards)
So some final thought’s…Shapiro has done a wonderful job with the cap. theatre and garcia’s would be the place i’d be every night if i lived in port chester…the port also has some great ethnic (hate that fucking word—mexican-columbian-etc…) restaurants…otherwise the place seems a bit in need of a makeover…perhaps i just need a tour guide to show me the way though.
John Kadlecik deserves more credit..not only can he play a great guitar he can sing too…If i hear anyone mention faux garcia i just might punch them in the mouth…since when is being influenced by the greatest rock guitar player who ever lived a bad thing?
oh..and as fans we are representing well…i had cab drivers..hotel staff..waitstaff all tell me they want to go to a show because of how nice we have treated them…yeah us!!! mickey’s words of be kind has had an effect!
PSSS..thanks to those who read my last review of dead and co…i constantly think i should give up this crappy blog but getting 3,000 plus folks reading a single post will keep me going…and yes critics…i know i ignore proper punctuation and the like..it’s my b.log..get over it!!!! blake out!