Jerry Garcia’s 70th Birthday Celebration
Bob Weir hosted this show from his San Rafael, CA webcasting facility, TRI Studios, on August 3, 2012. The show was streamed live in celebration of Jerry Garcia’s 70th birthday.
The star-studded show was uploaded to You Tube in honor of the 17th anniversary of Garcia’s death on August 9, 1995.
Unfortunately, this show has been removed from YouTube …
TRI Studios ((Tamalpais Research Institute) has offered a DVD of this recording, and as such, it is no longer available in the public domain. Understandable, but disappointing nonetheless.
I’ll keep this post live on this site, in anticipation that TRI may re-release it for public consumption.
The show was long, four-and-a-half hours, but filled with shining moments throughout. This was an amazing performance, by a multitude of talented personalities, all of whom seem to share the gift that Jerry so aptly personified: Music is a Joyous Holy Experience, to be shared and appreciated with the folks immediately around you, and projected into the entire Universe at every moment.
Let the Music Play the Band
I’ll be working on this section for quite some time; I’m not up to speed on the personalities, and in some instances, even the songs themselves.
Setlist:
The Wheel
Cumberland Blues
Loser
Mississippi Half Step
Dire Wolf
Dupree’s Diamond Blues
Tennessee Jed
Ship Of Fools
They Love Each Other
Bird Song
New Speedway Boogie
Loose Lucy
Friend of the Devil
Mission In The Rain
Ramble On Rose
Catfish John
Shakedown Street
Terrapin Station
He’s Gone
Eyes Of The World
Scarlet Begonias
Don’t Let Go
Days Between
Franklin’s Tower
E: U.S. Blues
Goin’ Down The Road Feelin’ Bad
Ripple
Some Notable Participants in the show:
Mike Gordon, bassist extraordinaire formerly of Phish, took the “low-road” filling in for Phil Lesh who needed to leave after the second song.
Some Notable Moments:
Tennessee Jed, with Mike Gordon on vocals, simply wonderful.
Ship of Fools at just over 1:00 hour … mesmerizing
They Love Each Other at 1:12. Donna on lead vocals … sounding a lot like Tina Turner! And the mixtures of wah & envelope filters (1:14) blend coolly (is that a word?). Great rendition of one of my all-time favorites.
Bird Song at 1:23 — musically stunning (shame that Weir chose to do the lead vocals, but that’s all right: Bob is Bob and we love him for it!). The pedal steel guitar is reminiscent of Garcia’s early days — “late for supper” and “the wheel” — very pleasant.
Acoustic Friend of the Devil; nice & slow: at about 1:58
not sure who these guys are …
Mission in the Rain: about 2:05
2:13 or so :: ramble on rose;
2:20 ish: catfish john
shakedown street — 2:29 ish
terrapin station — 2:40 ish
the bridge at 2:35 is one of the best I’ve ever heard …
2:55 — wharf rat, with mike gordon sharing lead vocals with bob …
then an excellent eyes of the world …
3:10 — scarlet begonias … who is the guy on the vocals? Thank god the rest of the band was filling the airwaves … he has a hospital bracelet on his left wrist. Kinda reminds me of Bernard in Things to Do In Denver When You’re Dead … nonetheless, a great rendition of the classic. I so wish I knew who these guys are …
I’ve been out of touch. For about 20 years. But no fear, it’s early!
3:26 don’t let go
3:36 — 3:46 (??)
morphs into good rhythms & spacey intro to a delightful franklins tower at 3:47
4:01 — 4:07 US Blues
4:07 — Goin’ down the road feelin’ bad …