FURTHUR - The Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA (2.8.2010)

Listen while you read...

Furthur - Live at The Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA (2.8.2010)


(Note: Cycle through songs using the back and forward buttons on the media player. Or just let it play... that works too. Download this show here.)

Let me begin by apologizing for the length of this entry. If you have some time, check it out. If not, well, that’s cool too. This is my first entry and a pivotal piece of writing that helped facilitate the creation of this blog. I wrote this because it was something that had an impact on me. It was something I was passionate about. So check it out, and welcome to Live. Music. Life.

As I began mapping out my winter concert calendar upon arrival in Atlanta two months ago, I ended up buying tickets for a number of different upcoming shows in advance, just to be safe. This being new territory for me, I wasn’t sure about the possibility of these acts selling out. Keller, Umphrey’s, moe. and Furthur all made the cut. I was successful with picking up these first three, but when I went to get my Furthur ticket, it had indeed been sold out. I didn’t really think much of it at the time. After all, the concert was still a month away. But as the time grew nearer, I began to realize just how hard of a ticket this was to get your hands on. I began checking Ebay and Craigslist to see what the going rate was and I was absolutely floored about what I was seeing. Now, I knew that people had been raving about Furthur. And it had only been a month or so since I had been turned on to this music. But one thing I could say for sure was that this band, although relatively new in their formation, was reinvigorated, revitalized Grateful Dead like I personally had never heard before. But was it really that good? There exists this sort of mental ceiling on the amount of money that I would be willing to put up for one single performance. Festivals are one thing, but to pay $150-$200 for nosebleed seats at a one-night show – was it really worth it? I estimated the face value of these tickets to be somewhere between $50-$70 although I’m not entirely sure. What could it be? The venue? The location? The band? I had to find out. Fortunately for me, my decision had already been made. Much like the Zappa Plays Zappa performance a few weeks back, I subconsciously knew that I wouldn’t be missing out on the opportunity to see some of my favorite music from previous decades reenacted in a live setting. And I had an especially good feeling about tonight’s show.

As I began digging a little bit deeper for a ticket prospect, I decided to conduct a bit of research about what I might be getting myself into. After reading a few tidbits about Furthur, I naturally sought a more detailed understanding of the band known as Dark Star Orchestra. DSO – I had heard of them. I know what they do. But like so many bands that I have come to know and love in recent years, I have never really taken the time to explore their music. For DSO in particular, I have always had this mindset - why would I want to listen to the music of the Grateful Dead performed by Dark Star Orchestra, when I can listen to the music of the Grateful Dead performed by the Grateful Dead? I had been sorely mistaken. Dark Star began playing together in Chicago during the late 90’s. Since then, they have achieved national notoriety as THE premier Grateful Dead cover band (although they wish to avoid such classification). DSO is unique in the sense that often times the band will choose a specific show from the Dead’s massive historical catalogue and re-create this show, presenting the original setlist, song for song, in the order that the Grateful Dead performed them. The band does this with meticulous attention to detail, often using specific equipment and tone to reflect the era that the original show took place. I read this really interesting piece on Jambase that quoted one of the members of the band using a great analogy to explain Dark Star’s music…

“Say I'm a painter and I have a setlist and this wood frame. The wood frame on this white canvas is the setlist, the order of the songs and the arrangements of the songs. All the colors and textures and patterns that get splattered on this canvas over the course of the night are the improvisations that differ on a nightly basis. I think that's all we can do, to be true to ourselves and to be true to the emotional content of the music. We play it with heart and soul, and that's really what the people get. People get the feeling. When you can transfer something you're feeling into sound that someone else could hear and feel that's a great thing. Jerry was really great at it. If we can tap into even a little part of that, that's really what it's all about.”

I really dug this quote. And I would also like to note that this past weekend I had the chance to see DSO play here in Atlanta. They stayed true to this mission, even with the recent departure of lead guitarist and founding member John Kadlecik. After 12 years with the band, John announced that he would be leaving DSO to focus on Furthur and play alongside the musicians whose music he has devoted almost his entire career to performing.

Now I will be the first to admit, I’m no expert when it comes to the various side projects that have evolved since the Grateful Dead’s disbandment in 1995. One thing is for certain though – since then, both Bob Weir and Phil Lesh have put together some of the most prestigious line-ups in all of music. I had the privilege of seeing Phil & Friends at the 2008 Rothbury Festival and it absolutely blew me away. The sounds emanating from The Odeum that night were truly magical. The following summer I witnessed The Dead play on that very stage. It was a strong performance, but something was amiss. There was this inhibiting sort of tension that really hindered the band’s obvious need to be released from their cage. Now don’t get me wrong, I love Warren Haynes as a musician. But I can’t help but feel like there is this certain grit; this certain edge to his music that I personally believe should remain in the realm of Gov’t Mule, or in many ways, The Allman Brothers Band. To Warren’s credit, and in contrast to the approach that Furthur has taken, he never tried to be Jerry. He brought his own style to the table, and whether or not this style coincided with the message that the Grateful Dead’s music is trying to communicate, is for you to decide. John Kadlecik on the other hand, has seemingly set this music free. As I mentioned before, I have only recently been turned on to Furthur. But in that short time, I have noticed the striking resemblance that Kadlecik shares with Jerry, not only with his improvisational guitar skills, but with his vocals as well. In fact, I can’t help but wonder why John hadn’t gotten the job sooner. Was he so obviously fit for the role that he had actually been overlooked? It is almost frightening to hear him sing and play some of the tunes that Jerry has made famous over the past 30 years. And there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Bob and Phil feel it too.

It was Saturday afternoon when I finally secured my ticket to the show. Good ol’ Craigslist. A half hour drive and 100 bones later, I was in the clear. And as I would soon find out later that night at the Umphrey’s McGee show, The Tabernacle is an incredible venue and my seats would be PRIME! Umphrey’s by the way, would be a whole other discussion in itself. They absolutely blew me away that night and I couldn’t have asked for a more energetic performance and jam-tastic setlist. Fast forward to Monday night... As I made my way to The Tabernacle, I began to realize that this was a much larger event than I had previously anticipated. Dead heads young and old, from all across the country gathered en masse outside the venue. Sharing stories, camping out, laughing, eating, and drinking. It was a celebration. I stood in a line that wrapped around nearly the entire block as the vendors, ticket hounds, drunks, and heads meandered in and out of the line, sparking conversation in passing. Stoned, ripped, twisted… good people. And people who all had one thing in common – they were here for the music. This music had brought all of these people from all walks of life together, and it was a beautiful thing. After roughly 40 minutes in line, I finally made it inside in time to grab a Sweetwater Ale and shuffle to my seat for the last few verses of the opening jam “The Promised Land”. They were already cookin’. Keyboardist Jeff Chimenti and Kadlecik ripped out the closing notes and the crowd was in an uproar. From there, the band went straight into “Brown-Eyed Women”. Phil chimes in a couple of times on vocals here, and the crowd really lets him know how much they appreciate his presence. As I glanced out at the inside of The Tabernacle, I couldn’t help but smile… it was contagious. Everyone in that room was concerned with nothing more than soaking in every single note that resonated from the stage. The lights were brilliant and the aroma of a dead head filled the air. I immediately took note of the nearly non-existent security presence on this night - much different from the Umphrey’s show two nights ago. The band breaks into a slower paced tune called “El Paso”. This didn’t do a whole lot for me except set me up for a stellar version of “ Just a Little Light” were John takes the reigns on vocals. From here, Bob takes over and leads the band for “Money and Gasoline”, a RatDog song. I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about this. In my personal opinion, there might be a time and a place for Bob to be doing RatDog songs… like a at a RatDog show. But who am I to make this statement? Who am I to say that Furthur should be limited to playing strictly the music of the Grateful Dead? As time goes on, this music evolves and it is really nobody’s decision but the artist’s what music they choose to play. Regardless, the band killed it and Chimenti, having logged over a decade with Weir and RatDog, clearly knew this one well as he really let loose on the keys for the first time about halfway through this song. From here we segue into an incredible 16 minutes of “Estimated Prophet”. I was really hoping to hear this one. It’s a true classic and one of my Grateful Dead favorites without a doubt. This version, however, was not flawless. After listening to the recording, it almost appears as if Bobby was playing slightly out of tune. Correct me if I’m wrong, but something seemed out of place. There were a few notes here and there that really struck me as being off. But nobody is perfect, and I absolutely love this song. I was dancing alongside the rest of The Tabernacle in a borderline embarrassing way. Without stopping, the guys chime in in unison with “Liberty” - a 1990’s Dead song that has been primarily performed by RatDog throughout the last decade. This song has a great vibe to it. A southern sort of vibe that often times reminded me of “Deep Elum Blues”. The chorus gets a bit repetitive towards the end of this one and I am thrilled to hear them bust into a Terrapin Station classic “Passenger” immediately afterwards. This song brings the first set to an epic close and leaves me itching for more. Time to take a leak and grab another refreshment.

I shuffle out to one of the numerous bars scattered throughout The Tabernacle and get my hands on a nice cold one for the second set. Did I mention that I love Georgia beer? Shortly thereafter, the band hits the stage. “Scarlet Begonias” is first on the list and I couldn’t be more ecstatic. My body moves around effortlessly as John begins to take over. JK’s ability to emulate the vocals of Jerry Garcia is bone chilling and his guitar lifts off the ground and takes flight into an endless abyss of some of the most melodic improvisation that you will ever hear. The smiles are contagious. Everywhere I turn, people are grinning, their bodies moving around in this uncontrollable fashion, seemingly unaware that they are even moving at all. Crisp vocals fill the air with harmony as his fingers dance around the fretboard with incredible feeling and precision. To my ears, his sound resembles a bird in flight. Unpredictable, yet fluid. Constantly changing direction. The madness doesn’t end here as the band moves straight into “Jack Straw”. Both Jeff and John really let loose on this classic before bringing it to a close in preparation for the next tune, “Eyes of the World”. I make note of the fact that I am already enjoying this second set much more than the first. These are the songs that capture what the Grateful Dead’s music is all about. Early on, Chimenti comes storming out of the gate with a HUGE solo that had me moving around with delightful bliss. Later on in the song, it was John’s turn. Each of them absolutely killed it and it was undoubtedly a highlight of the show thus far. Out of nowhere, and I mean out of nowhere, they break into a song called “Women are Smarter”. I had never heard this song before, and whether or not the rest of the crowd was in a similar position, one thing is for certain – this was one of the most uplifting tunes of the night and the crowd went into an absolute frenzy. If the world had been coming to and end at that very moment, it wouldn’t have made a difference. These guys were absolutely JAMMING, and that was all that mattered. After bringing it down to a barely audible drumbeat and then back up again for the closing notes, the band took a short breath and jumped into “Cumberland Blues” – a classic tune off of Workingman’s Dead - an album that I favor over almost all of the Dead’s studio work. John and Jeff exchange blows while Phil, Bob, and the rhythm section provide the undeniable foundation and color that they have been so consistently bringing for the last two hours. One thing I began to notice by this point in the show was the band’s seamless transitions. In my opinion, this falls in sharp contrast to the 09’ Dead show I witnessed. Instead of 25 minutes of space rubbish, Furthur meandered effectively and succinctly from one song to the next or from one jam to the other. You can even pick up on the subtle hand motions from Weir, or often times, Kadlecik, to signify a change in direction. Everyone was entirely prepared for these changes and the whole band seemed to move without effort as they transitioned beautifully from one song to the next. An incredible 12 minute run with Weir’s classic “Cassidy” moves virtually unnoticed into a spine-chilling version of “Mountains of the Moon” for a similar length of time. The next thing I know, John is stepping towards the microphone and belting out an absolutely haunting blues number dubbed “Death Don’t Have No Mercy”. A deeper look at the expression on Lesh and Weir’s faces says it all. As John begins to take over, the two of them stand eyes closed, swaying to the music with an almost spiritual look on their face… as if they were actually channeling Jerry through the strings of John’s guitar. Watching these guys lose themselves in this music made me realize that maybe this was something more than just a band; something more than just a show. There was a truly magical feeling in the air. Chimenti has another go at his organs and easily offers his best run at the keys all night. It was at this point that I realized I was witnessing probably the best keys performance since Kyle Hollingsworth’s display at String Cheese’s epic 2009 Rothbury performance. In addition, I feel as if JK gave his best vocal performance of the night. All of this coupled with John’s unbelievable tone and blues guitar playing made this song my favorite of the entire night. I had chills running down my spine. It’s not often when you hear music like that… music that makes the little hairs on the back of your neck stand up. And when you do, you know it. This set has literally gotten better and better with every single song and I couldn’t have spoken these words at a better time. “Fire on the Mountain” was next and it swept every single person in The Tabernacle off of their feet, grabbed them by their undies, and placed them on top of a cloud tens of thousands of feet into the air to bounce around in some sort of weightless utopia. JK smacks an enormous exclamation point on a set that has been nothing short of surreal. Now, I’m not going to go into much detail about the encore in fear of bringing a negative tone to the entire piece that you have just taken the time to read. But I will say a few things. The warm embrace of the crowd brought the guys back on stage for one measly, watered down version of the Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction”. This was an unfortunate disappointment for me. What an opportunity they had to take an incredible performance and turn it into an epic one by coming out with a couple of GD anthems such as “Truckin’”, “Althea”, “Shakedown Street” or maybe even a little “Help On The Way--> Slipknot!--> Franklin’s Tower”. I do realize, however, that I could go on and on with this list and that everyone’s list is sure to differ in an enormous fashion… you “can’t always get what you want”, and with this encore I certainly “got no satisfaction” (sorry for the cheesy punch lines). Besides, Bobby boy just doesn’t have the sort of hip jiving ability that Mick would bring to the table in order to give this song some much need flavor.

But enough about that… let me wrap this up. I can’t help but feel like JK has taken his ultimate fantasy and turned it into a reality. John Kadlecik absolutely LOVES making this music. He has probably devoted the last 15 years of his life to immersing himself deep within it. Is he living a dream? Phil Lesh and Bob Weir are no exception. Can you imagine what it must feel like to close your eyes and listen to the music that has been a part of your life for the last 40 years played alongside who I believe to be the greatest reincarnation of the Grateful Dead since the passing of Jerry Garcia in 1995? And to hear that music carry such a striking resemblance to the music that you wrote and performed in the early portion of your careers as musicians – careers that would one day be recognized as some of the greatest in all of music. Let’s face it… Phil Lesh is 70 years old, Weir 63. Their days of active musicianship are becoming numbered. Could they too be living a dream? One final hoo-rah to send them out on the perfect note? If I could offer any advice to readers of this entry – see this band. Experience this music before you miss out on the opportunity to witness it in its purest form. Godspeed all you heads… Godspeed.