Furthur live @ Patriot Center Fairfax VA 2/13/10

[Lazylion]

The mighty Phil Lesh, w/ Bob Weir and Further, laid down the groove last night at the Patriot Center.

Anyone else go?

I really enjoyed the show. I hadn't seen Phil & Bob in many years. I think the last time was early 80s, the Grateful Dead out in California. But I've recently joined a GD cover band, so I had to go & study.

There was much good Leshiness to be had! He's using an Eden rig, two 800 heads and four 4x10 cabs & a rack full of other goodies. And that crazy Ritter bass! He actually had two. He played the one w/lights in the fingerboard for the first set, second set there were no lights, I don't know if they were off, or the other bass doesn't have them. Or it has them, but they were off...

The bass was not overly loud in the mix, but he certainly had plenty of mids and highs for snappy attack, as well as low-end phatness on the lower notes. Fabulous tone! I want! Thanks to Phil, I spent some time this morning on the Eden website, looking at dream rigs. Maybe if I sold off most of what I own... but those 4x10 cabs weigh nearly 100 lbs! Not in love with that weight class.

Phil only sang a couple of songs, and a couple of harmonies, for some reason I thought he was singing more these days. So it was mostly Bob singing, with John K. doing a few, including a great version of "So Many Roads" that brought the house down. John is doing a great job in this band, being reminiscent of Garcia without being a full-on clone. He's similar in vocal and guitar sound, while keeping his own identity too. That's got to be harder than it looks! They also had a pair of ladies at stage left behind John, singing backups, and some harmonies from Jeff Chimenti, the keyboard player, and Jay Lane, the percussion guy. I couldn't see if the drummer, Joe Russo, was singing, he was directly behind Phil's rig from my angle.

So a great show, I really enjoyed it. Also ran into a number of friends there. Somehow I missed my brother and his wife... oops!

[walknbluez]

I saw them in San Francisco recently for Phil's birthday show. Rocked the house. That bass is high tech. Same string tension no matter where you fret on the bass.

[Corporate Boy]

Enjoyed the show. I noticed the LEDs were off on the bass the second set too. Wonder why he changed instruments? I have to say the Let It Grow Jam was amazing. Bob was more on then I have seen him recently. I love Warren, but this show was better then the other shows I saw from their last big tour.

[jwbassman]

Thanks for the review. I'm seeing them this Thursday at the Verizon in Manchester, NH. Looking forward to the show.

[oggdawg]

How did Joe Russo fit with them? He's one of my favorite drummers, but on the surface, seems like this band might not exactly be his thing...

[walknbluez]

Originally Posted by oggdawg

How did Joe Russo fit with them? He's one of my favorite drummers, but on the surface, seems like this band might not exactly be his thing...

I didn't know much about Joe Russo and I have to say he fit in quite nicely and in terms of drumming on a kit, I like him better than Jay Lane in Ratdog.

[Floridabwoy]

I saw them in orlando.... and I had that feeling like I really saw something. I haven't felt that way about a show in a long time. JK really nails the Jerry tone & vocals. I have seen the Greatful Dead, Ratdog, The Other Ones, and Phill has been doing something new. I was stage left right in the Phil zone. I got to experience for the the first time what people have been calling "Phil Bombs".

Joe Russo is the ****. I love the Bennevento Russo Duo. I think Marco Bennevento is going to be a legend. That guy is a genius.

[Lazylion]

Originally Posted by jwbassman

Thanks for the review. I'm seeing them this Thursday at the Verizon in Manchester, NH. Looking forward to the show.

Hope you enjoy the Leshiness! One tip, though...
Wear a baseball-style cap or other brimmed hat when you go. The lighting system at the Patriot Ctr. had many interesting capabilities, but for my taste, there was far too much lighting of the audience. There were a dozen moving spotlights arrayed over the band, which rotated around, sometimes just spots, sometimes a pattern like rings or checkerboard. Sometimes they shone on the band, that's good. But a lot of the time they were shining outward, right into our eyes. I found this increasingly annoying and distracting as the night went on.

I don't know if this light system is a house fixture, or travels with the band. But just in case... do yourself a favor and wear a hat with a brim. If you want to see the band, that is!

[Corporate Boy]

The light designer on this tour is a friend of mine from DC. A percusion player I jam with occasionally. Very Chris Koruda (Phish) influenced with the moving lights into the audience. I noticed that I kept getting flashed in the eyes too and it was annoying. Never had it happen so much before. The lights are their touring rig. It is a simliar equipment that Phish uses, but on a smaller scale. No strobes, but they use more a backdrop, which I don't think was as effective. It was still pretty cool. He got to practice with the band before the tour. His brother is the LD for Widespread Panic. Besides being hit in the face occasionally, I dug the lights. It was more of an in your face light show (literally), which I dig. When the lights feel like an extra band member performing with the group its cool.

[StephenR]

Originally Posted by walknbluez

I saw them in San Francisco recently for Phil's birthday show. Rocked the house. That bass is high tech. Same string tension no matter where you fret on the bass.

Phil's 70th birthday show hasn't happened yet, it is on March 12... his actual birthday is on 3/15.

[baba]

I always enjoyed Candace Brightman's lighting. No visor required: http://www.anarchi.com/projects/gd4.html

[Corporate Boy]

My friends got into the business by working for Candace. They happened to stay in the same hotel on tour with her and were eventually hired by her to work the 2003 tour and followed her onto WSP.

Phil has had a couple B-day shows in his 70 years!

[jwbassman]

Originally Posted by Lazylion

Hope you enjoy the Leshiness! One tip, though...
Wear a baseball-style cap or other brimmed hat when you go. The lighting system at the Patriot Ctr. had many interesting capabilities, but for my taste, there was far too much lighting of the audience. There were a dozen moving spotlights arrayed over the band, which rotated around, sometimes just spots, sometimes a pattern like rings or checkerboard. Sometimes they shone on the band, that's good. But a lot of the time they were shining outward, right into our eyes. I found this increasingly annoying and distracting as the night went on.

I don't know if this light system is a house fixture, or travels with the band. But just in case... do yourself a favor and wear a hat with a brim. If you want to see the band, that is!

Right on. Thanks for the heads up!

[Lazylion]

Originally Posted by jwbassman

Right on. Thanks for the heads up!

De nada. Let us know how you liked the show!