THE GRATEFUL DEAD - "FARE THEE WELL" - Final Thoughts - CHICAGO, IL - 3-5 JULY 2015

THE GRATEFUL DEAD - "FARE THEE WELL" - Final Thoughts

CHICAGO, IL - 3-5 JULY 2015

by Rockin' Randi Starrett

The final Fare The Well show, the last stand of the last original members of The Grateful Dead, is a wrap. Instead of words, I had tears.  Tears of joy, tears of longing, tears of sadness - all commingling into a feeling of melancholy.  But not a lot of words.  So I asked strangers, those walking back from the final show, ones standing at the L, people who came up to grab my Jerry doll (who spent the weekend at the shows too) for one last hug, fans at the Chicago Cubs game on Monday, and my Facebook friends, to give me one word to describe the experience. And here are those single words, though as one fan elaborated after saying "emotional" - the feelings the songs and scenes evoked and the joy of seeing old friends.  So here are those one  word descriptions (and yes, I allowed for made up words and hyphenated words):

Love, more, scrumtrulescent, life-affirming, incredible, uplifting, deadlicious, mmmm, didbobbywearshortshorts, transition, amazing, needed, deadlike, inspiration, happy, golden-road-to-unlimited-devotion, smiles, graceful, community, beautiful, bittersweet, bliss, wow, absolutelygreat, dead, rebirth, emotional, home, inspirationmovemebrightly, breathtaking, fun, grateful, magic, family, f’ingamazing, awesome and amazeballs.  

It truly was a real good time for most who attended and who all seemed grateful for the experience.  In true journalistic integrity, however, I must also mention a few words that were not as positive: typical, yawn, uninspired, time-to-move-on, controversial and a quote from the Billboard article, klunky.   Somehow, those were included as my Facebook stream was hijacked into a debate (seems following direction was a bit of a chore for some, or maybe the thread just got too long.)  It also seemed just using one word was tough, as one attendee stated, and it also seems that the feelings evoked by this monumental event were deep.  The most common word, though, in my totally random survey:  Love. 

The Grateful Dead - "Fare Thee Well" - Night Two - Set One - Chicago, Il - 4 July 2015

THE GRATEFUL DEAD - "FARE THEE WELL" - NIGHT TWO - Set One

CHICAGO, IL - 4 JULY 2015

by Rockin' Randi Starrett

Set One - Shakedown Street, Liberty, Standing on the Moon, Me and My Uncle, Tennessee Jed, Cumberland Blues, Little Red Rooster, Friend of the Devil, Deal

The morning of day three, and final, Grateful Dead “Fare Thee Well” shows has dawned (well nooned).  More detailed reviews are forthcoming, along with many pictures, but we are off to the Grisman Brunch.  Suffice it to say that waking up today with our hearts full is a grateful, grateful feeling.  

Tonight is the last show and all I really wish for is a time machine to go back thirty years or so to go on tour and follow The Grateful Dead (I do make awesome grilled cheese sandwiches).  Until those technologically savvy musicians invent that device (see cool article about the Dead being technological pioneers in Wired magazine) tonight is, well tonight is....I'm having a hard time putting it in black and white....the last show.  The last show.

Sadness and excitement combined equals a bittersweet but happy melancholy.  Some fans who already know they are missing out (not fear of, fomo, but "kimo" -  know I'm missing out) are even now headed for Chicago hoping for that one last miracle.  And there are miracles to be found, although I saw more fingers in the air in the crowds gathered in the parking lots and on the grassy hills  yesterday than tickets being waved.   One attendee even posted online that he found his miracle on the ground.  I just hope whoever lost it purposely planned this "best ground score ever!"

Last night was, although there are really no adequate words to describe the best family holiday reunion  showcasing a special musical performance by several well-known and truly well-loved musicians — well here's one word,  amazing.  Just amazing.  Yes, I called the opener (along with several thousands of you I'm sure ) including our cool row mates.  Awesome neighbors are enhancing this amazing ride — thank you neighbors!

The opening notes of....what else but “Shakedown Street” energized all 70,000 plus of us, all dancing happily to start the Fourth of July celebration.  “Liberty”, yes another good call given the holiday. Oooh Freedom...ooo  Liberty we all chorused, truly feeling for one last time we had found our way home.  The tears expected for the last of the “Fare Thee Well” shows on Sunday now began in earnest as Anastasio's vocals on “Standing on the Moon” seared our souls, filling those spots held for those we dearly miss. 

By “Tennessee Jed” this largest sing-a-long was loud.  And happy.  A true collaboration shared equally by the band and fans.  Then finally, a “Cumberland Blues”.  (I lost my bet that there would be no repeats in any of these final shows, first played this tour the first night in Santa Clara .)

“Little Red Rooster”, a real surprise to many but nicely vocalized by Weir, especially  after the band had shared the leads in the previous tune, was unexpected, unlike the Lesh-led “Friend of the Devil”.  Sleep had already become a bit of a commodity this weekend as many other musicians were hosting streaming shows and performing late night shows at venues across Chicago.  

Hornsby and Anastasia led this grateful train on the rails to set break with “Deal”, showcasing the collaborative interplay on stage.  Fans jokingly calling  the band  "Treyful Dead" as Anastasio skillfully filled the parts de Jerome.  

Although Friday night's show, night one of the tour, was also at sold out capacity, Saturday's crowd had seemingly multiplied.  The pit, well pits as the Field was blocked off into several of them, contained thousands of fans (my guesstimate maybe 25,000?) most of whom were decked out in the red, white and blue finery including sparkled top hats and flag.

Stay tuned for Set Two!!

The Grateful Dead - Fare Thee Well - Night One - Chicago, IL - 3 July 2015

The Grateful Dead - "Fare Thee Well" - Night One

Chicago, IL - 3 July 2015

by Rockin' Randi Starrett

Set One - Box of Rain, Jack Straw, Bertha, Passenger, The Wheel>Crazy Fingers>The Music Never Stopped

Set Two - Mason's Children, Scarlet Begonias, Fire on the Mountain, Drums, Space, New Potato Caboose, Playing in the Band, Let it Grow, Help on the Way, Slip Knot, Franklin's Tower

Encore - Ripple

The first night of The Grateful Dead's three night Fare Thee Well run in Chicago summed up in two words: "Ripple encore." The end. Seriously, if you were there, you felt the collective shiver as the crowd erupted when those first notes were heard. If you weren't, I hope at least you were watching one of the many streams (several options, Google "stream Grateful Dead Fare Thee Well shows"). Using only one word: supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! From the opening notes of "Box of Rain" (if you called that one, raise your hand, all none of you can have my seat tonight) through "Jack Straw" before "Bertha" went into "Passenger", all approximately 70,000 fans in Soldier Field were enraptured. Musically the band was tight and seamless. The soundcheck shows in Santa Clara last weekend did the trick (even Shapiro was quoted calling the two added pre-shows to this final Fare The Well tour by that moniker.) The music never stopped, at least for set one until the original four, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart, joined by Trey Anastasio, Bruce Hornsby, and Jeff Chimenti, instinctively jammed through "The Wheel" into "Crazy Fingers" into that afore mentioned song. If set one joyously seemed to blow by (where did the time go) set two really opened up the jams.

After the loss of band leader and lead guitarist Jerry Garcia. almost twenty years ago, the other original members have played in various configurations. Much debate ensued when it was announced that Phish's front man was chosen to fill the empty Birkenstocks. Naysayers should now be permanently silenced.

Although some seats may have had better sightlines, every seat inside the stadium was a great seat. The demand is greater than tickets available and fans are seeking miracles.

I just know, in my heart of hearts, Jerry was one of the angels sitting on the gorgeous waning gibbous moon that majestically rose over the stadium, with one of his biggest fans, photographer George Weiss right by his side. Thank you for assuring us, from the first notes of this first of the final shows, that love will see us through. You are deeply missed. And Phil, that was me you waved back at while your silver transport van was stopped across from the Field Museum on your way leaving the show. Thank you security for letting me step up to the window. And thank you Phil and the whole band. You said y'all never imagined the response you would get for these shows. We all know it's not just the shows, it's the best Fourth of July family reunion ever. But next time we all need to wear nametags affixed with pictures of what we looked like 20 plus years ago (you too Shapiro, we want to applaud the youngster who had this vision. )

And three more words: two more nights!

Grateful Grass - 02 July 2015 - Chicago, IL - Set One

As Chicago began to fill up with the colors of tie-dye on a perfect summer day, Keller Wiiliams and the Infamous Stringdusters took the stage on July 2, 2015, at the Incredibly beautiful historic Chicago Theatre. This Grateful Grass collaboration was a heady kick-off for fans in town for The Grateful Dead's Fare Thee Well shows. The packed house was a mix of jubilant patrons, young and old, including a couple of kids under ten, who stood on their second row seats in the orchestra pit to be able to see over the heads of those standing and dancing in front of them.

Few attendees sat for the first set of the Rex benefit show, which kicked off with a private reception for VIP ticket holders. Regular patrons who were lucky or observant, got a glimpse or picture of Trixie Garcia before the show began, as she came out into the audience after the toast to the music never stopping. 

Keller's sound manager extraordinairre Lou Gosain was seen in his usual spot, the sound booth (underneath the overhanging mezzanine at the back of this theatre) lending his vocal backups and smiles, along with his technical expertise.

As taken directly from Panda's set list:

Jack Straw D
Brown Eyed D
Candyman C
Stranger G
Cold Rain E
Shakedown C
Big River A
Cumberland G
Mr Charlie G
On The Road G
He's Gone E
Samson D
Scarlet B
Bertha G

The touching set opened with a rousing "Jack Straw" and had the packed capacity crowd singing along and smiling to the first of their comfort tunes. "Brown-Eyed Woman", an all-time favorite written by Hunter and Garcia (of course) was only the second of the sing-a-long set. 

No thunder or rain (and the weather prediction for the weekend in Chicago is excellent) but an incredible amount of electricity as the theatre was filled with the energy of grateful heads whose "shakin" continued through the well loved tunes and practically exploded when the first notes of "Shakedown Street" were heard. 

As one grateful tune led to another, the energy between Keller and the Dusters and their fans seemed to grow exponentially yet turned very bittersweet when the band broke into "He's Gone". Hands were held and neighbors were hugged as the poignancy of the weekend was felt.

The lightning-like energy exploded as the collaboration then segued into "Samson and Delilah". Fortunately, the Chicago Theatre building, which opened in 1905 has been restored and no one in the right mind could ever want to "tear this building down" as the grandeur of the French Baroque venue only accelerated the incredible feel. 

A chorus of over 3500 voices merged together singing "the sky was yellow and the sun was blue" as this hearts of many gold (we love you Keller, we love you Dusters) band threw out a blistering "Scarlet Begonias". "Bertha" then brought this amazing sing along set to a poignant close.

As one fan commented that he could listen to them play these well loved Dead songs all night long, the almost two hour set ended seemingly too soon, yet set two with Greensky Bluegrass was gratefully anticipated.

At set break, the street under the magical marquee outside filled up with excited conversation and mingling, reminiscent of the pre-show just a few hours prior, as the kind venue allows attendees to leave and reenter the theatre with just reswipes of tickets.

-Rockin' Randi Starrett for The Lot Scene

Stay tuned for Set Two!!