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Furthur | Santa Barbara | Pics | Review

September 27th, 2010 | No Comments

Words & Images by: L. Paul Mann

Furthur :: 09.20.10 :: Santa Barbara Bowl :: Santa Barbara, CA

Bob Weir by L. Paul
Mann

Alive and well, despite being quite Dead, Phil Lesh and Bob Weir brought Furthur to the Santa Barbara Bowl
last week. Playing a marathon show lasting three and a half hours (with a 30 minute intermission), the fathers of
jam band music and their new entourage proved they are still masters of their genre. The show began right at the
official 6 pm start time and had aging fans dancing and prancing from the moment they arrived onstage. It seemed
everywhere you looked someone was doing some sort of hippy dance. Although most of the crowd was middle-
aged and up, there were a surprising number of new wave hippies in their teens and twenties. Throw in a few
hundred young children and the crowd truly represented every demographic, resembling a sort of giant, undulating
commune.

Furthur is really just an extension of the original Grateful Dead, featuring original members Lesh and Weir with
longtime RatDog keyboardist Jeff Chimenti, Former Dark Star Orchestra guitarist John Kadlecik,
Joe Russo on drums, and backup singers, Sunshine Garcia Becker and Jeff Pehrson.
Like the original Dead, Furthur changes the setlist for every performance. It is one of the reasons that avid fans
follow the band from city to city and will attend multiple concerts hoping to hear seldom-played rare gems in the
Dead catalog.

The Santa Barbara show featured most of side one of their 1975 record Blues for Allah, including “Franklin’s
Tower,” which had the crowd chanting the chorus (“roll awayÂ…the dew”) in happy unison. In addition to many Dead
classics, the band also played “Money for Gasoline” from Weir’s RatDog project and a new song called “Seven Hills of
Gold.” Two classic covers – Traffic’s “Feelin Alright” and The Beatles’ “Come Together” – also had fans singing like a
church choir. At the end of the second set, nearly four hours after the show began, Lesh made a brief plea for
people to donate their organs and discussed the liver transplant that had saved his life. The band then played a final
song, “Attics of My Life,” and took a long bow. It has been a long strange trip indeed, and for these veteran
musicians it hasn’t ended yet.

Setlist
Set I:Hell In a Bucket, Cream Puff War, Feelin’ Alright, Me and My Uncle, Althea, Money for Gasoline, Comes
a Time, Turn On Your Lovelight
Set II: Viola Lee Blues (first and second verses), Seven Hills of Gold, Viola Lee Blues (third verse), The
Eleven, King Solomon’s Marbles, Days Between, Help on the Way > Slipknot!> Franklin’s Tower
E:Donor Rap (liver transplant recipient Lesh’s plea for people to become organ donors), Come Together,
Attics of My Life

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(Santa Barbara, CA) View Photos

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Furthur & Friends | 03.12 | San Francisco

March 17th, 2010 | No Comments

Words by: Garrin Benfield | Images by: Dave Vann

Furthur & Friends :: 03.12.10 :: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium :: San Francisco, CA

Lesh & Robinson – Furthur :: 03.12 :: San Francisco

It’s safe to say I wouldn’t have been anywhere on March 12 other than with the guys ushering in the last Golden Age of the Grateful Dead. Furthur, the latest (and possibly greatest) reincarnation of The Boys, gathered for a tour-closing three set show at Bill Graham Civic to celebrate Phil Lesh’s 70th Birthday and to raise money for Haitian Earthquake relief. And though this was a benefit for the Unbroken Chain Foundation, the preeminent concern was throwing a party with and for one of the most important musicians in rock ‘n’ roll, and certainly one of the Bay Area’s most celebrated exports.

Ironically, Lesh has become more of a household name in the outside world since Jerry Garcia died, as various groups under the name “Phil Lesh and Friends” have relentlessly toured the country and become a staple at summer festivals. But Lesh’s contribution to popular (and weird!) music was felt early. Soon after he taught himself to play electric bass in The Warlocks, he quickly established a singular, linear approach to what was traditionally an instrument strictly reserved for a support role.

It would not be an exaggeration to include Lesh in a list that includes towering figures of the low-end like Charles Mingus, James Jamerson, and Jaco Pastorius, in terms of the indelible imprint he has left on the possibilities of his instrument. Phil’s approach and tone are unmistakable once you are familiar with them: a chunky, flat-picked attack that relentlessly propels, cloaked in an EQ wave that somehow allows for both the richest low end “bombs” conjurable and the treble necessary to cut through dense aggregations like the one we witnessed on this night.

Furthur & Friends :: 03.12 :: San Francisco

Like the other members of the Grateful Dead, Phil has a deserved reputation as possibly one of the coolest geeks in rock, a reputation aided by his interest in modern 20th century symphonic and experimental music, and involvement with such out-there projects as Seastones with composer Ned Lagin. But Phil always had deep groove and soul, and though some stories suggest the contrary, he was a great ally and supporter of Pigpen and has always gone out of his way to keep the R&B roots of the Dead alive. On this night alone, Phil chose to play three songs associated with Pig: the rare “Two Souls in Communion,” “Easy Wind” and “Hard to Handle,” a clear nod to the formative days of this band that began stretching out their limited repertoire at long, four-set shows in the mid-sixties and accidentally birthed a new genre of music.

As the Grateful Dead stretched its wings in the hugely inspired period that spilled over into the early-70s, however, it became clear that Jerry was Phil’s true musical brother. Together, on a nightly basis, they wove the single note improvisations that seared the band’s identity into our cultural consciousness. At my second Dead show in the mid-80s, I recall hearing a passing Head say, “When Phil’s on, the band’s on,” a phrase that intrigued me but I did not fully compute then. The rumbling, sometimes sub-sonic importance of Phil’s playing might be the last musical element to filter into a new listener’s head – especially at a questionably mixed stadium show – but once it’s in there, there is really no substitute (even Alfonso Johnson, who subbed for Phil in The Other Ones, comes to mind). Phil literally had to conceive and build the bass that could accomplish what he heard in his head, and for that he should also always be acknowledged as a progenitor of the modern, active pickup electric bass. And though never particularly celebrated for his singing (maybe an understatement), he still managed to compose one of the enduring classics of the country/folk rock period, the lilting, gorgeous “Box of Rain,” a song that elicits rich memories and emotions from people who were alive to hear it drifting from dorm room windows in 1970 and those who first encountered it on hissy third-generation bootleg cassettes.

Furthur & Friends :: 03.12 :: San Francisco

How fitting then that Phil chose to open his birthday show with a gentle acoustic set that included three of the towering pieces of the Hunter/Garcia catalog that he has long publicly admired: “Ripple,” “Brokedown Palace” and the stunning “Attics of My Life.” Bobby sang/whispered “Ripple” with genuine, time-worn sensitivity, Jackie Greene paid perfect respect to “Brokedown,” and all the vocalists, including Chris Robinson (The Black Crowes), “the girls” (Zoe Ellis and Sunshine Garcia Becker) and John Kadlecik seemed to breathe with “Attics” until the room had truly unified. Phil’s beautiful take on “Mountains of the Moon” was also a highlight – it seems years of attempts at getting this song right have finally paid off, with Phil not forcing the vocal but rather very calmly allowing it to happen. With the new arrangement of “Mountains,” Phil has accomplished quite a feat, as the slow psychedelic dirge feels ancient in its roots and quite contemporary in its delivery. The forethought that went into this acoustic set clearly portended very good things for the night and also immediately thrust us into a contemplative state usually reserved for late in a second set. It was almost as if we were experiencing the normal emotional arc of a show in reverse. Disorienting and wonderful.

The electric segment of the evening began with a stand-alone “Scarlet Begonias,” sung by Jackie and driven by drummer Joe Russo in his first appearance of the evening. During the jam, Kadlecik revealed that over the past few months with Furthur he has been allowed, possibly for the first time in his professional career, to truly search for his own voice on lead guitar. The results were refreshingly un-Garcia like, including some microtonal bends that I associate more with Indian classical music than psychedelic rock. Weir followed with a surprise “New Minglewood Blues,” from which he has extracted the normal blues turnaround that we are so used to hearing. It’s so unexpected that the band still seems to struggle with it a bit. It was akin to the strange effect of Weir adding extra bars between verses of a song that you are used to hearing straight. This muscular version proved itself worthy of this important second set slot, though, and the rest of this long set got raunchy, bluesy and occasionally sloppy, and included so many twists and turns as to be pretty disorienting at times. “Viola Lee Blues,” the signature Furthur jam vehicle so far, was broken up into three separate appearances. Chris Robinson screamed mightily during “Hard to Handle,” and the set came to a joyous, if severely mid-tempo conclusion with “Like A Rolling Stone” and “Sugaree.” I tend to like my Dead humble and fragile, but if you lean towards the dark, heavy blues that emerges with this many people onstage, this set was for you.

Furthur & Friends :: 03.12 :: San Francisco

At just after midnight, the band casually reassembled onstage and broke into a very groovy “Not Fade Away” jam, led by Phil and the drummers (John Molo was now onstage) and decorated by the guitarists. As three floats festooned with Mardi Gras-like decorations slowly made their way across the floor, the band jammed on, but did not sing “Not Fade Away.” Instead, where the vocals would have begun, everyone broke into “Happy Birthday” for Phil and hundreds of balloons dropped onto the floor. The band resumed the Bo Diddley jam for another four minutes or so then just sort of stopped. I’m really not sure what happened at this point, but Bobby said, “Well, we’re going to take another short break, but this one’s going to be truly short.” The packed hall was vocal in its confusion, as some momentum had definitely been established, but then just laughed it off and chalked it up to one more strange Dead moment.

“Playin’ In The Band” was a good way to launch into new territory, establish a whole new direction, and erase any confusion from the last segment. The jam out of “Playin’” was dense, with three lead guitarists in Weir, Greene and Kadlecik trying to accommodate one another, and doing so quite well. Weir, in particular, demonstrated such a welcome hospitality all night to his fellow players, not indulging in any of the confusing hand signals or last minute cues we’ve come to expect from him at some of these high profile shows. “St. Stephen” began a show ending sequence of classic tunes that culminated in an inspired, unexpected choice for the ballad slot, “Comes a Time,” sung with real heart by Chris Robinson. It felt a bit off-kilter to have Kadlecik play a tearful, flanged-out solo, but then not resume the lead vocal. It occurred to me at this point in the show how little he had sung at all, in fact. (“Lazy River Road,” which he handled with grace, seemed like eons ago, being the second song of the night.) The last true surprise of the show came next, a breakneck “Cream Puff War,” played with all its mid-60s impatience and bluster intact, and accompanied by two female go-go dancers on either side of the stage. I actually heard some grousing from some Heads about this clearly ironic, showbiz move. I thought it was perfectly good-natured, especially since the song lasted all of two minutes. That’s gotta be a record for brevity for these guys!

“Franklin’s Tower” literally jumped out of “Cream Puff War” and signaled the end of an inspired night. And though the band frequently tests audience stamina these days, the huge, show ending ovations these guys have been getting attest to the feeling that few are anxious to see them go anywhere. It’s as if we are taking this opportunity to really express how lucky we feel to have been a part of this music, and how surreal it is that it’s still rumbling forward, and right here in the center of San Francisco no less, the place of its inception. Phil seemed genuinely humbled before the encore, saying, “Thank you for making this, I would have to say, THE most special birthday of my life.” The response? Another thunderous round of applause. Thank you, Phil!

Phil’s 70th Birthday :: 03.12.10 :: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium :: San Francisco, CA

Set I Acoustic without Russo and with Jackie Greene, Steve Molitz & Chris Robinson:

Ripple, Lazy River Road, Fennario, Two Souls in Communion, Brokedown Palace, A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall, They Love Each Other, Mountains of the Moon, Attics of My Life

Set II without Lane and with Jackie Greene & Chris Robinson:

Scarlet Begonias, Minglewood Blues, Easy Wind > New Speedway Boogie, Viola Lee Blues > High Time > Caution Jam > Viola Lee Blues > Hard To Handle, Viola Lee Blues > Like A Rolling Stone > Sugaree

Set III without Lane and with Jackie Greene, Steve Molitz & John Molo:

Not Fade Away Jam* Float Parade, Happy Birthday Phil!*, Balloon Drop, Not Fade Away Jam >
Playing in the Band > Jam > St. Stephen > The Other One > Elevator > Unbroken Chain, Comes a Time > Cream Puff War* with dancers > Franklin’s Tower

Encore: Johnny B. Goode

Setlist courtesy of phillesh.net

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Furthur: Summer Tour

February 26th, 2010 | No Comments

Furthur Announces Summer Tour

Furthur – Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Jeff Chimenti (RatDog, The Dead), John Kadlecik (DSO), Jay Lane (RatDog) and Joe Russo (The Duo, Bustle In Your Hedgerow) – have announced a Summer Tour. In addition to previously announced festival appearances the band will hit a number of outdoor venues along the East Coast. Furthur is on tour now.

Furthur

Furthur Tour Dates

02/26/10 Fri Mohegan Sun Casino Uncasville, CT

02/27/10 Sat Mark G Etess Arena Atlantic City, NJ

03/02/10 Tue Auditorium Theatre Chicago, IL

03/03/10 Wed Auditorium Theatre Chicago, IL

03/05/10 Fri 1st Bank Center (Formerly The Odeum) Broomfield, CO

03/06/10 Sat 1st Bank Center (Formerly The Odeum) Broomfield, CO

03/08/10 Mon Portland Memorial Coliseum Portland, OR

03/12/10 Fri Bill Graham Civic Auditorium San Francisco, CA

06/25/10 Fri Highland Bowl Rochester, NY

06/26/10 Sat MCU Park Brooklyn, NY

06/27/10 Sun MCU Park Brooklyn, NY

06/29/10 Tue Penn’s Peak Jim Thorpe, PA

06/30/10 Wed LeLacheur Park Lowell, MA

07/03/10 Sat Gelston Castle Estate Mohawk, NY

07/04/10 Sun Nateva Music & Camping Festival Oxford, ME

07/05/10 Mon The Green at Shelburne Museum Shelburne, VT

07/08/10 Thu Artpark Lewiston, NY

07/09/10 Fri All Good Festival @ Marvin’s Mountaintop Masontown, WV

07/10/10 Sat Mann Center for the Performing Arts Philadelphia, PA

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Dark Star Orchestra: Life After Dead

February 25th, 2010 | No Comments

By: Jarrod Dicker

Dark Star Orchestra by Peter Wochniak

“We are NOT the Grateful Dead,” professes Dark Star Orchestra‘s rhythm guitarist and vocalist Rob Eaton. “I think the main misconception is that we strictly copy the Grateful Dead’s music or somehow mimic their persona and none of that is true. We love this music, we live and breathe this music and when we step onstage there is no thought process of us trying to be or do anything except serve this music.”

Established in 1997, Dark Star Orchestra embarked on a single mission: reincarnate exact setlists from the Grateful Dead’s tour catalog which, throughout its 30 year existence, accumulated nearly 2,500 live performances. Dark Star Orchestra conveys these live performances by employing two distinct methods – a “recreation set,” where DSO mirrors a historical setlist of a genuine Grateful Dead performance, and the “elective set,” where the group generates their own setlist of Grateful Dead songs.

The tradition of Dark Star Orchestra’s pedigree is for members to adapt terminology and choral arrangements originally exhibited by the actual Grateful Dead. By doing this, they are able to familiarize the audience and transcend them spiritually to a nostalgic time when the Grateful Dead were an active, animate part of the rock & roll scene. Thus, rather than label themselves a “cover band,” DSO prefers a more accurate, incorporeal term.

“I say we are a spirit band,” Eaton explains. “We play the music in the spirit that it was originally conceived. The heart, soul, emotion and spirit of the music are the only things we can do to carry it through. It is impossible to copy a setlist exactly. You cannot recreate a show. You can play a setlist, but you absolutely can’t recreate it. That’s basically something that happens in the moment.”

Dark Star Orchestra by Peter Wochniak

The group’s commitment to heavy improvisation goes all the way back to the formation of their band name. The Dark Star Orchestra moniker was chosen deliberately by founding members who believed that the Hunter/Garcia song “Dark Star” was the single most fitting piece to categorize the fundamental nature of the Grateful Dead. Meagerly including a sizeable verse/chorus arrangement, the song highlights the non-structure inventiveness of the Grateful Dead more than any other song in their extensive catalog. “Orchestra” was affixed onto the group’s name to communicate the obligation these artists felt to keep this music alive by communicating to the world the classic compositions of the Grateful Dead.

“The name ‘orchestra’ in our band is so apt because when you think about what an orchestra does, they’re recreating classical work,” DSO keyboardist Rob Barraco observes. “The difference is classical work is really orchestra, but we’re kind of approaching it in a similar way. We’re trying to be true to a particular era and sound, but by the very nature of what Grateful Dead music really is, you have to live in the moment of the music.”

In October 2008, the group performed its 1,600th career show. They are one of the only tribute groups that have achieved such heightened notoriety, having played major festival’s like Bonnaroo, Gathering of the Vibes and Summerfest, as well as nurturing a devoted nationwide following with a relentless touring schedule.

This past December, Dark Star Orchestra co-founder and lead guitarist John Kadlecik announced that he would be leaving the group after 12 years to join Bob Weir and Phil Lesh with their current project, Furthur. While this news initially stalled the DSO freight train in its tracks, the band kept playing on, electing Zen Tricksters founder and Donna Jean Godchaux Band guitarist Jeff Mattson to fill the “Jerry” role… for now.

Stu Allen by Susan J. Weiand

“There is another guitar player that we’re going to be taking out and touring with in April,” reveals Barraco. “It’s only to be fair, because you don’t want to simply choose one guy and then realize later that you made a mistake. So, we’re going to be going out with Stu Allen [JGB] and doing a whole West Coast tour with him. He’s a tremendous player, has a beautiful voice and a really nice sound. Then after we play with Stu, we will have a clear idea of where we’re going to go in terms of Kadlecik’s official replacement. We’ll see after we play with Stu in April what the final decision will be.”

The current touring DSO lineup includes Jeff Mattson, Rob Eaton, Kevin Rosen (bass, vocals), Lisa Mackey (vocals), Rob Koritz (drums), Dino English (drums) and Rob Barraco. As mentioned, Kadlecik was a founding member of the group along with the late Scott Larned, and his presence and veteran role in DSO most certainly will be difficult to replace. However, with the addition of Mattson, the band believes that he will not only be able to aptly fill the departed’s shoes, but also inject a new element into the group that they have never experimented with while Kadlecik was involved.

“John Kadlecik became a Deadhead a lot later than Jeff because of the fact that he’s younger,” Barraco states. “I think John’s real forte is playing more of the later ’70s and ’80s Grateful Dead. The one thing that Jeff has above everybody else is that he really understands the earlier bend on the Dead. The late ’60s, early ’70s. He does it so well and that’s something that we really haven’t concentrated on in this band until now. Jeff brings just a little more grease, that psychedelic greasy element that was missing in John’s playing. Not to demean John’s playing, because he’s brilliant. That’s just what Jeff brings that is different.”

John Kadlecik with Furthur by Susan J. Weiand

“[Mattson] comes at it from a place of its inception almost,” Eaton interjects. “He understands where it started and how it started and what it felt like when it started. He brings to the table a really deep understanding of what Jerry meant to this music in a pretty profound way that I didn’t realize until I started playing with him.”

Mattson’s comprehension and knack to play early renditions of Dead music has transcended the group to places they’ve never been before. A few weeks back, drummer Dino English and his wife welcomed a child to the world, which understandably prevented him from attending the opening week of tour. Dark Star couldn’t play a show that called for two drummers if only one, Koritz, was going to be present. So what did they do?

“We decided to do a whole string of Europe ’72 shows and recreate those concerts [these shows feature just drummer Bill Kreutzmann],” says Barraco. “Dark Star had never done that before, all that old Pigpen stuff. Jeff was just ripping it up. It’s been so psychedelic.”

The Europe ’72 shows were chosen by Eaton, who holds the chief responsibility of deciding the setlist for every DSO performance. He is a three-time Grammy Award winning producer as well as a former Grateful Dead taper who recorded throughout the late ’70s and early ’80s. He produced all of Pat Metheny‘s records for the past 20-25 years and has recently worked with Peter Wolf and Richard Bona. Joining DSO in 2001, Eaton had always selected setlist material with one “Jerry” in mind, John Kadlecik. Have any complications come about creating setlists to compliment their new guitarist?

“Nope, not at all,” Eaton confidently proclaims. “He did five shows with us in November, mid-tour, and I threw the gauntlet at him to see what he was made of. I gave him EVERYTHING! I gave him a show from ’89, and it had some stuff we’ve never even played before. There were some songs that John Kadlecik just didn’t want to learn sometimes. Certain shows would have a song called ‘California Earthquake’ that we never got around to doing. So, I threw that at Jeff – I said, ‘Learn this song. We’re going to do this exact show’ – right out of the box without any rehearsals or anything like that. I tested him right away and he passed all the tests with flying colors. At the end of the day, the exocentric components of a specific tone are all about the heart and soul of the music and what the emotional content of it is. The emotional content with Jeff is very strong. That I think, at the end of the day, is what Grateful Dead music is all about. It’s all about the emotion.”

Continue reading for more on Dark Star Orchestra…

John Kadlecik became a Deadhead a lot later than Jeff [Mattson] because of the fact that he’s younger. I think John’s real forte is playing more of the later ’70s and ’80s Grateful Dead. The one thing that Jeff has above everybody else is that he really understands the earlier bend on the Dead. The late ’60s, early ’70s. He does it so well and that’s something that we really haven’t concentrated on in this band until now. Jeff brings just a little more grease, that psychedelic greasy element that was missing in John’s playing.

-Rob Barraco

Photo of Jeff Mattson by Peter Wochniak

The duty of arranging the setlist night after night is no simple task, and none of the others envy Eaton’s role. On a nightly basis he must satisfy the desires of the crowd as well as those of his bandmates. He and he alone holds the vital judgment of whether to execute an “elective” or a “recreation” set.

Rob Eaton by Peter Wochniak

“I look at what we’ve done at a venue and go back to the last five times we played that city on tour. If we haven’t done one of our own setlists [elective] in four or five years, then we are due for one,” says Eaton. “I plot out what it is that we should be doing and then I start going through setlists to put the Rubik’s Cube together and make it all work. It’s quite a tedious process, but it keeps it interesting for us and gives the fans something different every time we come to town. They know they’re not going to see the same thing.”

The relationship between Dark Star and living Grateful Dead members is congenial. As mentioned, John Kadlecik left DSO to join Furthur. Jeff Mattson is the guitarist in the Donna Jean Godchaux Band and has co-written a song with Barraco on Phil & Friends‘ There and Back Again. Barraco has played in The Other Ones, The Dead, RatDog and Phil & Friends. All remaining DSO members have either been involved with previous Grateful Dead affiliations or tribute groups, too. But it’s Barraco who had the grand opportunity to work side by side with a key Dead “member,” Robert Hunter. Meeting him while on a string of shows with Phil & Friends in 2001, Barraco humbly introduced himself to the lyricist and from that moment on a friendship bloomed. This segued to the production of a co-written studio album in 2007 titled When We All Come Home.

“We started talking about songwriting as a craft and I looked at him and said, ‘I got some stuff.’ He just stopped me in my tracks and said, ‘Send it to me, and let me hear what you’re doing.’ He gave me his address and I went back to my girlfriend at the time’s place in Portland and sat in the bedroom for days doing demos. I was so excited that Robert Hunter was going to listen to my music,” Barraco explains. “I sent him three songs, and three weeks later I got an email stating, ‘Your music is speaking to me.’ In that, he sent his phone number and said to give him a call in a week or so. So I called him up and he says, ‘Listen man, can you come down here to San Rafael? I got some really good stuff for you.’ I went down and visited him. I sat in his living room and he handed me these sheets of paper. In my head I’m listening to my music and reading his lyrics and I was just so blown away because he captured the spirit of it all – I basically did not have to do any editing with it, he did it perfectly. I looked at him, dumbfounded, and said, ‘Do you think you’re up for a little more?’ And he just said to lay it on him. After that, I just started sending him stuff and in a very short period of time it became an album’s worth of material.”

Dark Star Orchestra’s claim to fame with fans will always be their magical reincarnation of the Grateful Dead’s music. However, some original creative expansion is taking place removed from the Dead catalog.

Dark Star Orchestra by Peter Wochniak

“We’ve started working on an original project,” says Barraco. “We all live in different parts of the country though, and it’s hard for us to get together in the studio at given times. Rob Eaton is a Grammy Award winning studio engineer and [he's] just brilliant. He’s a brilliant producer and a brilliant recording artist. One of our drummers is a really good producer as well, and is really into recording. We all have Pro Tools on the road, so the way we do it is somebody comes up with an idea and we pass it around, see what one another could make of it. They’ll play a part and put a part down, and so on. So, we started working on that and so far it has been really cool. Unfortunately, John [Kadlecik] leaving the band sort of put a little monkey wrench in that for the time being, but whoever we end up with as our guitar player, they’re both down to do it.”

Dark Star has constantly had to deal with misconceptions about what they do. Dismissing the tag of “cover band,” the group feels that their mission and performance expands way beyond the generic label. Yes, they carry out a catalog of music created by another group, but it is in the spirit of the improvisations where they shine most uniquely. They do NOT think they are the Grateful Dead, and as Eaton puts it, they know damn well who they are.

“Here’s a great analogy I have used before,” explains Eaton. “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.”

“We honor that music like Bach, Beethoven and Chopin because we think that this music needs to live on through the ages,” Barraco continues. “It’s incredibly important, it’s uniquely American, and we want to honor it that way. We want to approach it the same way they approached it. We want to take ourselves on that journey. By the very nature of doing that, we take the entire audience on the same journey.”

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Furthur | 02.05 & 02.06 | Florida

February 13th, 2010 | No Comments

Words by: Andrew Wetzler | Images by: Susan J. Weiand (not from this show)

Furthur :: 02.05.10 :: Bayfront Park Amphitheatre :: Miami, FL Florida

Phil Lesh & Bob Weir – Furthur

Bobby, Phil and team let Miami know that on Super Bowl weekend, they meant business, too. On the first night of their tour, fresh off RatDog‘s residency in Negril, Jamaica, Furthur brought an energy into the show that matched the pulse of an already hyped town.

Just down the street from where Phish wreaked havoc five weeks ago, Furthur ran through a varied setlist that introduced both the band and a packed audience to Miami’s newest outdoor venue, Bayfront Park Amphitheatre.

Seeing both Bobby and Phil onstage was a refreshing sight. They seemed to be enjoying the spotlight together. What made the occasion even more unique was the vigor that their bandmates brought to bear. Joe Russo, a drummer with a highly improvisational style evidenced through his work with The Duo, set the pace, and keyboardist Jeff Chimenti was solid as always. Sunshine Garcia Becker and Zoe Ellis, the two women singing backup, seemed quite gifted, though never really had a chance to roll up their sleeves.

The decision to invite John Kadlecik to perform as “Jerry” worked surprisingly well. The philosophical significance of this move should not be underestimated. Warren, Bruce, Joan, Chris, etc. have all brought a respectable persona to the music, and to their credit none have tried to sing “like Jerry.” Kadlecik, by contrast, has made his living and reputation by “being Jerry” with the Dark Star Orchestra, a band he co-founded in 1997.

That Bobby and Phil would bring Kadlecik into the fold says a lot about their willingness to place the music and the audience above their personalities and anyone’s vision of what the Grateful Dead was. Kadlecik noted on his website in mid-November, “Most of you know by now that Phil Lesh and Bob Weir have asked me to play with their new band, Furthur. Needless to say, this was a great honor.” He played and sang like a wide receiver that just got called up from the Arena Football League and was determined to make the most of his opportunity.

The evening flew by even though we were there for a good while. The band seemed to be relishing the moment and never seemed to be in a rush to hurry songs or head off into the night. That is not always the case with South Florida shows. In many instances, South Florida is either the first or last night of a tour for bands, due to geographical considerations. Opening nights are notoriously rough and tour-ending shows quite often reveal an exhausted bunch ready for some R&R. Friday night was neither. Instead, this Miami audience was treated to a finely polished evening of music.

Furthur :: 02.05.10 :: Bayfront Park Amphitheatre :: Miami, FL Florida

Set I: Jam > Born Cross-Eyed > The Music Never Stopped, Ramble On Rose > Golden Road to Unlimited Devotion, Dear Mr. Fantasy > On the Road Again > Franklin’s Tower
Set II: Jam > Throwing Stones > Viola Lee Blues > Mason’s Children > Viola Lee Blues > Good Lovin, Lady With a Fan > Terrapin > Shakedown Street, China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider
E: Ripple

Continue reading for coverage of the next night in Orlando…

Words by: B. Getz | Images by: Susan J. Weiand (not from this show)

Furthur :: 02.06.10 :: Hard Rock Live :: Orlando, FL

Overheard from a father to his son after this show: “It’s about fucking time these boys remembered who they were.”

Furthur

Hustling as we traversed thru Universal Studios City-Walk in downtown Orlando, a new kind of American Beauty was on display. Modern westernization in the form of Vegas-like chintzy recreations of several things American circa 2010; a Latin Quarter, a full-on RATM cover-band, high end NYC-centric clubs, a KISS karaoke bar blaring “Rock And Roll All Nite” and lastly, NBA City, located next to the Hard Rock Live, which played host to Furthur on a brisk Saturday evening. We crossed the artificial moat and came upon hordes of ticketless miracle seekers; Orlando was definitely a tough score, and this writer lucked out shortly before we left for the venue.

Viewing the many new generation heads pouring around the front, I recalled stories of the Grateful Dead’s 1994 appearance in Orlando, when the police unleashed a series of tear gassings on many unsuspecting Deadheads. Those old enough to remember were a bit surprised the boys would book another gig in this city, as the horror stories still ring from the incident, and it was referenced by a few older cats over the course of the night.

I found myself decidedly on middle ground this evening. I was lucky enough to catch the Grateful Dead with Garcia a handful of times through my teens, enjoying the ride for the final few stops between 1992-95. This audience, however, was divided primarily between many older heads who had experienced dozens if not hundreds of shows, and a newer generation of kids whose exposure to the “Greatest Songbook on Earth” is through the myriad of post-Garcia offerings, be it Phil & Friends, RatDog, The Other Ones, The Dead, Dark Star Orchestra, etc.

Russo & Weir – Furthur

The venue was an anachronism for the surrounding scene, an intimate, one-room theater with classic royal balconies and a huge general admission floor. The acoustics were pristine and the security almost non-existent once the show began. The closeness and feel of the music hall betrayed its decidedly corporate, music-by-the-numbers underwriting.

Nonetheless, when Furthur took the stage and swiftly opened with the obligatory “One More Saturday Night,” all seemed right in the world. Tearing thru the rocker, Bob Weir immediately assumed the frontman role and wildly led the band through a lively “OMSN,” his hot-pink Ibanez juxtaposed against his aging-cowboy aesthetic with a humorous twist.

The band then delved into a bustling “Bertha,” and right off the bat guitarist/vocalist John Kadlecik unveiled a cherry guitar tone and youthful vocal exuberance. The rollicking frolic through “Bertha” allowed the band to find its footing and lock in on a few grooves, with Kadlecik singing from the axe and heart. The mics cut out at some point between songs, but Weir and Phil Lesh chatted heartily from the stage with several in the crowd.

Cowboy Weir then directed the boys into “The Race Is On” with a countrified flair that showed another early example of the diversity within this collection of players. But, it was the next selection that really allowed the band to show its true colors. “It Must Have Been The Roses,” delivered with stately elegance, had tears welling up for many during this emotional evening. Kadlecik found a snug approach to deliver the poignant lover’s lament with a bit of Garcia’s subtleties and weeping axe tone. Drummer Joe Russo‘s swift, swinging beat pushed the song a bit harder then usual, giving it a real big band flair. Zoe Ellis and Sunshine Garcia Becker added fantastic vocal harmonies from rear stage left.

John Kadlecik – Furthur

Weir then commandeered the stage for “When I Paint My Masterpiece,” the Dylan chestnut, where Bobby was demonstrative lyrically and in motion. The first of many hearty sing-alongs, percussionist Jay Lane augmented Russo with soft restraint as Phil displayed the first of several shit-eating grins as he built the walloping crescendo. “Masterpiece” was a choice slice of charged up ’80s GD, with keyboardist Jeff Chimenti getting his Brent Mydland on with big, bright ivory tickling. Weir was his quirky self, offering signals and peculiar looks while Kadlecik worked huge bends and great tone to the delight of the now firing Hard Rock Live crowd. Phil clearly got off hard because he and Weir shared a joyous high-five at the song’s conclusion. We roared!

“Rubin and Cherise” displayed even more incredible work from Chimenti, mimicking Vince Welnick-era sounds but taking it deeper. This seemed the one tune of the set where they were not methodically TIGHT, and that served the song well, with the band freewheeling along by the seat of their pants and communicating through looks, nods and winks. Their level of attention and communication made it clear this wasn’t a canned nostalgia run. Russo had the David Kemper moves down, pulsing along and bringing the beat up and down with verve, while Kadlecik shone brightly through more glorious channeling of Garcia’s magical tones. By the end of “Rubin” he had massaged any reservations older heads may have been holding about his inclusion. Again, one couldn’t hold back their emotions as this rarity was dropped on our unsuspecting heads after a very Bobby-centric start.

“Deep Elem Blues,” while solid, allowed the heads to catch their proverbial breath as Weir donned the hollow-body and took the lead, allowing Chimenti more Hammond action before directing the band to the set ending “Deal.” For all of us who have sat through ordinary versions of this tune or skipped it entirely for whatever reason, tonight’s performance excused any of these crimes. “Deal” was chock-full of wonderful interplay between Chimenti and Kadlecik, shared vocals from Bob and John (and Weir botching vocals), never-ending rave-ups, and driving rhythms from Lane, Russo and Lesh boosting the song to new heights.

A lengthy set break ensued, where I took in the magnitude of this experience. It really was strangers stopping strangers, a free flowing exchange of ideas and stories that spanned three generations and thousands of miles. For the older couple in front of me, veterans of 200+ shows, they were at once enraptured by the set and worried about the enthused youngster between us who may have had too much of something but was currently levitating blissfully. A Bay Area veteran named Andy, who also had a couple hundred shows under his belt, was asking all kinds of questions about Russo and The Duo. It was a righteous give and take; listening, learning and sharing in this joyous recreation of a truly revered catalog delivered for souls both old and new. This was an inspirational, if lengthy, set break.

Joe Russo – Furthur

A bulbous Lesh funk rumble and absolutely nasty Russo stomp announced “After Midnight” in its glorious JGB variation to start set two. Phil was up and down the now LED-illuminated fretboard with untamed, ecstatic runs reminiscent of ’77 “Dancins.” Russo was DRIVING this charged rocker, somehow aggressive and funky behind the beat, no doubt the product of his cerebral, kinetic lockstep with Lane. The drummers’ aural kinship and playing gave the tunes a unique spice all evening. Yet, the obvious star of “Midnight” was Kadlecik, who channeled a Bicentennial Keystone tone and proceeded to destroy the J.J. Cale-penned burner with screaming licks that upped the ante with every bar. This was a lengthy grooveathon that had it all and launched the second set skyward.

“Next Time You See Me” came out of nowhere, a hard left turn whilst still in the zone as they transitioned to the R&B Pigpen stomp. Chimenti again colored the blues royal with howling Hammond and dirty piano runs. Older heads seemed charged by this song choice, shouting along to Weir’s hooting vocals.

The cleanly plucked, reverb drenched, snapping guitar ascension that announced “Althea” was like a nuclear blast of energy; a time-traveling stroll back to 1982 with intoxicating Lesh, Kadlecik, and Chimenti interplay giving the song an even funkier undercurrent then it naturally possesses. Again, Kadlecik rose to the occasion with otherworldly Garcia licks that had serious tears falling. His deadpan Garcia vocals were almost too-much to handle, except he wore this huge smile as if he could not believe he was immersed in this magic thing, and that joy transmitted through his words and hands in a way that allowed us to get down with reckless, blissful abandon. Just when it couldn’t get any better, John clicked on the Mu-Tron and the Hard Rock Live began levitating.

Phil Lesh – Furthur

Phil unveiled the beautiful intro to “Cryptical Envelopment,” and then proceeded to sing it with grace and beauty. The band followed suit, playing in a way reminiscent of the late ’60s incarnation of the early song. A brief but blatant “Dark Star” tease gave way to the otherworldly “Wharf Rat.” A tall order for Kadlecik, he accepted the challenge with honor. For this writer, it is the definitive Garcia ballad, a cathartic exercise almost unparalleled in the canon. Kadlecik’s humble, watery-eyed rendition was moving and magnificent. His “dreams do come true” expression worn proudly, his vocal and guitar delivery were impeccable. The power of the song, the story, and the Fat Man shining down on JK; a truly gut-wrenching and inspirational reading that transfixed us.

Lesh and Russo silenced the band, and then constructed a monstrous “Fly Away” coda that was the evening’s emotional crescendo, with the audience belting the divine refrain with a gleeful enthusiasm that was as infectious as the music itself. Soaring Garcia style leads filled the outro, and the band sped into a segue that veered towards “Spanish Jam” and possibly “Just a Little Light” before Phil revisited the “TOO” rumble, setting up the bomb as Russo stoked the flames with rim shots and meticulous stick work.

In uncorking an unholy “The Other One,” Phil played the intro more powerfully than I’ve ever heard. Upon detonation, “The Other One” was like a runaway train full of uncompromising furious rhythms and Kadlecik’s wailing, psychedelic bolts from above. This was a fully executed, cryptically enveloped engine barreling with force, a la 1968.

Weir took it back to the bus for which this glorious endeavor has been christened, eulogizing Cassady, Kesey, Graham, and Garcia in one fell swoop, leaving only a smoking crater in his wake. The power and electricity behind this roaring “TOO” was palpable and transmittable. I think I speak for most of the building when I say we propelled into the stratosphere with this enormous rendition. Phil then brought things to a hush like a mad-conductor, and reentered the serene “Cryptical” ending with aplomb. Skull fucked we were.

Bob Weir & John Kadlecik – Furthur

As we tried to wrap our heads around the 40-minutes we’d just enjoyed, Kadlecik’s dreamy tones danced above a focused, spinning undercurrent. Aided by Lane’s soft, machine-like flourishes and a dalliance between Phil and Russo, the band succeeded in bringing it down to Earth, somewhat. Ellis and Becker’s stunning vocals rose above “The Wheel” with grandeur, their harmonies iridescent above John and Phil’s sonic telepathy, which sent the building back into orbit. Russo and Kadlecik shared some great lyrical instrumental interplay, too. Russo, a consummate professional and veteran of a cache of diverse collectives, was never a Deadhead prior to Furthur, yet vigorously served the songs with purpose and nuance. Kadlecik, as we know, is a lifelong Deadhead and made his bones emulating Garcia with the Dark Star Orchestra. Yet here they were, flanked by an absolutely giddy Phil Lesh and an astonished Bob Weir. What a scene to behold!

A spirited run through “Goin’ Down the Road Feelin’ Bad” felt like some good ol’ Grateful Dead, and arrived at a heavenly “And We Bid You Goodnight.” The emotional quotient again reached mammoth proportions, as Phil, John and Bobby all sang their hearts out, with the ladies enhancing these beautiful tones exponentially. Elation abounded, and we were blessed with an extended campfire sing-along to close the set.

A brief but thorough “U.S. Blues” might have been the lone, nondescript encore, but the boys presented a sensitive, yet high-spirited “Touch of Grey” to close the show. The song’s eternal resonance was not lost on this adoring, decade spanning crowd united in a shared passion for this illustrious songbook and the greatest American rock ‘n’ roll band ever birthed.

I could not have asked for anything else from this final song, an emotive scamper through the first sweet song I heard Garcia sing to me, rocking my 13-year-old soul on that fateful March night in 1992.

Happy 70th Birthday Phil, and God Bless The Grateful Dead!

Furthur :: 02.06.10 :: Hard Rock Live :: Orlando, FL
Set I: One More Saturday Night, Bertha, The Race is On, It Must Have Been the Roses, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Reuben and Cerise > Deep Elem Blues > Deal
Set II: After Midnight > Next Time You See Me, Althea, Cryptical Envelopment > Wharf Rat > The Other One, The Wheel > GDTRFB > And We Bid You Goodnight
E: U.S. Blues > Touch of Grey

Furthur tour dates available here.

JamBase | Sunshine State
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Furthur Add Mill Valley Shows To Bay Area NYE Run

December 18th, 2009 | No Comments

Furthur Add Mill Valley Shows To Bay Area NYE Run

Furthur

Furthur has announced a pair of pre-NYE shows. The band – Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Jeff Chimenti (RatDog, The Dead), John Kadlecik (DSO), Jay Lane (RatDog) and Joe Russo (The Duo, Bustle In Your Hedgerow) – will perform at Mill Valley, CA’s Masonic Hall on December 27 and 28. Tickets are available here. Following the Mill Valley gigs, Furthur will ring in 2010 with two shows on December 30 and 31 at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, CA.

Complete Furthur tour dates available here.

And check our recent photo gallery of Furthur in New York here.

Furthur | 12.08 | New York

December 10th, 2009 | No Comments

Images by: Allison Murphy

Furthur :: 12.08.09 :: Hammerstein Ballroom :: New York, NY

Set I: Truckin > Dire Wolf > Doin That Rag > Ramble On Rose > Reuben and Cerise > Looks Like Rain > Cosmic Charlie

Set II: King Solomon’s Marbles > He’s Gone > New Potato Caboose > The Other One > Days Between > Scarlet Begonias > Fire on the Mountain > Cold Rain and Snow

E: Touch of Grey

Furthur is on tour now; dates available here.

JamBase | The Fillmore
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Furthur To Play Odeum CO Grand Opening on 03/05 & 03/06

December 3rd, 2009 | No Comments

FURTHUR WILL PLAY GRAND OPENING OF THE ODEUM COLORADO MARCH 5 & 6, 2010

Furthur

The Colorado metro area’s newest entertainment gem, The Odeum, was formally unveiled December 3. On grand opening weekend, March 5 & 6, 2010, Furthur featuring Phil Lesh and Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead will officially open the venue.

Tickets go on sale Saturday, December 10 and can be purchased here.

About The Odeum Colorado:
Odeum Colorado is a re-launch and remodel of the former Broomfield Event Center, right off Highway 36, just 15 minutes from both Denver and Boulder. Colorado is blessed with some wonderful venues; however, the metro area has needed a great mid-sized venue set up primarily for live music with the ability to host non-music events as well. The Odeum Colorado, scale-able from 3500 to 6500 attendees, configures for a myriad of different events. The Odeum Colorado is perfect for intimate performances by superstars and just as perfect for up and coming bands to take their next step as their careers grow. To create the venue Colorado deserves, we brought together the best and brightest minds to remodel the facility into a warm, inviting and fun venue.

The patron experience starts with the environment and our mission for the Odeum is to create the best environment for a mid-sized hall in America. The venue expects to host between 50 and 100 events per year and continue to grow every year. Attractions will include other non-musical events like one-off sporting events, family entertainment shows, non-profit and charitable events as well as some events hosted by the city and people of Broomfield.

About Furthur:
Grateful Dead members Phil Lesh and Bob Weir are embarking on a musical adventure with their new band Furthur. The 24 date tour begins February 5 in Miami, Florida and will find Lesh and Weir revisiting some of the same historic venues where the Grateful Dead performed back in those thrilling days of yesteryear: Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, VA, Barton Hall at Cornell University, Shea’s Performing Arts Center in Buffalo, NY, Auditorium Theater in Chicago, and Radio City Music Hall in New Your City.

Fans can expect Lesh and Weir to push the musical envelope with jaw-dropping improvisations and loving renditions of Grateful Dead classics, with an all star band that includes keyboardist Jeff Chimenti, percussionist Jay Lane (RatDog), drummer Joe Russo (Benevento/Russo Duo, Trey Anastasio), and guitarist John Kadlecik (Dark Star Orchestra). New and old fans of the Grateful Dead will be entranced as Phil and Bob take the musical journey “furthur,” exploring some of the Grateful Dead’s most beloved songs in a tour that promises to keep the feet stomping and the bodies shaking.

Complete Furthur tour dates available here.

Furthur: Massive Tour Announced

November 23rd, 2009 | No Comments

Furthur: Massive Tour Announced

Furthur – Phil Lesh, Bob Weir , Jeff Chimenti (RatDog, The Dead), John Kadlecik (DSO), Jay Lane (RatDog) and Joe Russo (The Duo, Bustle In Your Hedgerow) – has announced a new set of tour dates kicking off February 5, 2010 in Miami, FL and concluding March 8 in Portland, OR. And as previously announced, the band will celebrate NYE with two shows at San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium on December 30 and 31. Details below.

In other Further news, the band played a surprise mini-gig last Friday night (November 20) at the intimate 19 Broadway in Fairfax, CA. Here’s the setlist from that show:

Bob Talks About “Standing Waves,” Hey Jude, Terrapin Station, Help On The Way > Slipknot! > Franklin’s Tower

E: Good Lovin’

Setlist from: philzone.com

Further Tour Dates

Furthur :: 09.20.09 :: Oakland, CA by Weiand

12/08/09 Tue Hammerstein Ballroom New York, NY

12/09/09 Wed Hammerstein Ballroom New York, NY

12/11/09 Fri Oakdale Theatre (Formerly Chevrolet Theatre) Wallingford, CT

12/12/09 Sat Convention Hall Asbury Park, NJ

12/13/09 Sun Convention Hall Asbury Park, NJ

12/30/09 Wed Bill Graham Civic Auditorium San Francisco, CA

12/31/09 Thu Bill Graham Civic Auditorium San Francisco, CA

02/05/10 Fri Bayfront Park Amphitheatre Miami, FL

02/06/10 Sat Hard Rock Live Orlando, FL

02/08/10 Mon The Tabernacle Atlanta, GA

02/09/10 Tue Thomas Wolfe Auditorium Asheville, NC

02/10/10 Wed Bojangles’ Coliseum (Formerly Cricket Arena) Charlotte, NC

02/12/10 Fri Hampton Coliseum Hampton, VA

02/13/10 Sat Patriot Center Fairfax, VA

02/14/10 Sun Barton Hall Ithaca, NY

02/15/10 Mon Stabler Arena Bethlehem, PA

02/17/10 Wed Sheas Performing Arts Center Buffalo, NY

02/18/10 Thu Verizon Wireless Arena Manchester, NH

02/19/10 Fri Mullins Center Amherst, MA

02/20/10 Sat Utica College Utica, NY

02/22/10 Mon Bob Carpenter Center Newark, DE

02/23/10 Tue Radio City Music Hall New York, NY

02/24/10 Wed Radio City Music Hall New York, NY

02/26/10 Fri Mohegan Sun Casino Uncasville, CT

02/27/10 Sat Trump Taj Mahal Atlantic City, NJ

03/02/10 Tue Auditorium Theatre Chicago, IL

03/03/10 Wed Auditorium Theatre Chicago, IL

03/08/10 Mon Portland Memorial Coliseum Portland, OR

DSO’s John Kadlecik Leaves/Replaced by Mattson

November 16th, 2009 | No Comments

Dark Star Orchestra Guitarist John Kadlecik Leaves Band

And Will Be Replaced By Jeff Mattson For The Immediate Future

John Kadlecik by Weiand

Dark Star Orchestra guitarist John Kadlecik has announced he is leaving the band. Kadlecik recently joined Phil Lesh and Bob Weir‘s new band Furthur and one assumes Kadlecik will focus on that band now. For the immediate future, Jeff Mattson of the Zen Tricksters and Donna Jean Godchaux Band will fill in for Kadlecik.

The following note was posted on Dark Star Orchestra’s website:

Letter To The Fans

Posted on: November 16, 2009

Dear DSO Fan -

Thank you for joining us and being a part of this continuing, long strange trip these past 12 years. Your support and excitement for the music has kept us going strong for over 1700 shows. Throughout the years, we’ve had transitions both difficult and uplifting, yet the positive energy of our fan base has continued to propel our mission onward for performing this important music and for keeping this vibrant scene alive.

That said, we, as a band are entering another chapter in this story.

Dark Star Orchestra’s lead guitarist and one of its founding members, John Kadlecik, has decided to resign from DSO. John’s last show with us will be on Dec 5 in Buffalo. DSO is supportive of John’s choice and we wish him the very best.

Dark Star Orchestra will continue to bring you this music at its highest level. In our 12 year history we have gone through three drummers, three keyboard players, three bass players and numerous rhythm guitarists and we have always managed to keep improving the sound and the experience. We will be taking on a new player with his own talents and energy and turn yet another chapter in DSO history.

Veteran guitarist Jeff Mattson, of the Zen Tricksters and currently with Donna Jean Godchaux Band, will be joining us this week, on the New Year’s Run, Jam Cruise, and for our upcoming Winter Tour that begins in February. We assure you all the things you love about the Dark Star Orchestra experience will continue and we ask for your patience, friendship and positive energy as we keep truckin’ on…

Dark Star Orchestra

Dark Star Orchestra tour dates available here.

Furthur NYE in San Francisco Lesh, Weir & More at Bill Graham

October 16th, 2009 | No Comments

Furthur New Year’s Eve & December 30 at San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium

Furthur :: 09.20.09 by Weiand

Furthur, featuring Grateful Dead legends Phil Lesh and Bob Weir with Jeff Chimenti, Joe Russo, John Kadlecik and Jay Lane will perform a two-night NYE run on December 30 and 31 at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, CA.

Furthur: Lesh, Weir, Chimenti, Kadlecik, Lane, Russo

December 30 & 31

Bill Graham Civic Auditorium

San Francisco, CA

Doors: 6:00 / Showtime: 7:30 p.m.

All Tickets General Admission

**12.31 Will Be A Special Three Set Show**

GDTSToo MailOrder Presale – 1st Postmark 10.17-19

MusicToday Presale 10.19 @ 9 a.m. PT -> 10.23 @ 3 p.m. PT

Presale Tix Above Available While Supplies Last

Outlet Onsale Starts 10.25 @ 10 a.m. PT

For pics of Furthur in California go here.

Furthur has a few dates scheduled for the East Coast prior to NYE; complete dates available here.

Furthur | 09.20.09 | Oakland

September 25th, 2009 | No Comments

Images by: Susan J. Weiand

Furthur :: 09.20.09 :: Fox Theater :: Oakland, CA

Set I: Samson & Delilah, Casey Jones, Mississippi Half-Step, Sugaree, Pride Of Cucamonga > Jam > Throwing Stones > Passenger

Set II: Viola Lee Blues > Cumberland Blues > Viola Lee Blues, King Solomon’s Marbles, Cassidy > Jam > Dark Star > Welcome To The Dance (first time played – new Phil song) > Dark Star > Uncle John’s Band, Sugar Magnolia

E: Cosmic Charlie

Furthur is Phil Lesh (bass, vocals), Bob Weir (guitar, vocals), Jeff Chimenti (keys, vocals), John Kadlecik (guitar, vocals), Jay Lane (drums, percussion) and Joe Russo (drums).

JamBase | Oaktown

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Furthur: Dec Northeast Dates

September 25th, 2009 | No Comments

GRATEFUL DEAD LEGACY CONTINUES

December 8 & 9
Hammerstein Ballroom
New York City, NY
Doors: 6:30 / Showtime: 8:00 PM

December 11
Chevrolet Theater @ Oakdale
Wallingford, CT
Doors: 6:30 / Showtime: 8:00 PM

December 12 & 13
Asbury Park Convention Hall
Asbury Park, NJ
Doors: 6:30 / Showtime: 8:00 PM

GDTSToo MailOrder 1st Postmark 9.26

MusicToday Online Starts 9.29 @ Noon ET

Outlet Onsale Starts 10.10 @ 10 AM ET

Lesh, Weir, Russo, Lane, Chimenti:
New Group “Furthur” for Sept.

August 14th, 2009 | No Comments

Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Joe Russo, Jay Lane, Jeff Chimenti and John Kadlecik

Form New Band “Furthur” / Set Dates For September

Phil Lesh

The Dead‘s Phil Lesh and Bob Weir have formed a new band with drummer Joe Russo (Benevento/Russo Duo), guitarist John Kadlecik (Dark Star Orchestra), as well as Weir’s RatDog bandmates Jeff Chimenti (keys) and Jay Lane (drums). The new band has taken the name Furthur.

As of now the band only has three dates set for September, 18-20 at Oakland’s Fox Theater.

Posts Tagged ‘John Kadlecik’

Furthur | Santa Barbara | Pics | Review

Furthur & Friends | 03.12 | San Francisco

Furthur: Summer Tour

Dark Star Orchestra: Life After Dead

Furthur | 02.05 & 02.06 | Florida

Furthur Add Mill Valley Shows To Bay Area NYE Run

Furthur | 12.08 | New York

Furthur To Play Odeum CO Grand Opening on 03/05 & 03/06

Furthur: Massive Tour Announced

DSO’s John Kadlecik Leaves/Replaced by Mattson

Furthur NYE in San Francisco Lesh, Weir & More at Bill Graham

Furthur | 09.20.09 | Oakland

Furthur: Dec Northeast Dates

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