Talking to who I was ten years ago about the idea of missing a Grateful Dead event? Never. Talking about it in 2011? Cromulent. I’ve seen every incarnation of the Grateful Dead since Jerry died in 1995, and I’m just not seeing how Further is better than Dark Star Orchestra. After shelling out thousands of dollars to support the band and the businesses surrounding the venues they’ve played, I can’t conceive of spending one more dollar to support what amounts to the college fund for Bobby and Phil’s kids. Despite the lineup and despite the fervor surrounding tour, it’s missing the Essence, the spiritual aspect.
John K is seriously one of the greatest Jerry Garcia impersonators I’ve ever heard, but he should have never left Dark Star Orchestra. Sometimes meeting your heroes is the worst thing you can do in your life, and I have to believe that aside from the pay, he’s gotta be feeling that in some far corner of his mind. Just the fact that I know someone who talked to him at a local bar after a recent show proves that he’s missing that closer connection to the audience he had with DSO. He’s looking for that intimacy that made the DSO scene cool. I’m not finding it, and I’m not sure he’s finding it, especially considering that the dude I know he was talking to only got into the Dead recently. He couldn’t tell a ’74 show from an ’81 show. He’s unaware of the fact that Bobby and Phil traded places on the stage, and I’m quite sure he doesn’t know when Keith and Donna left and Brent came on board. Everyone I know who got me into the Dead and everyone I know who ever saw the light stayed home for these shows. Are there even any concentrations of old skool heads involved in The Scene anymore? I just can’t tell because I can’t afford tickets anymore to find out.
No comments:
Post a Comment