Rockin' Rothbury

Bonnaroo is a huge annual music festival that takes place in Tennessee and has continued to grow each year since it started in 2002. I've never been, but I know many people who have and, from what I've heard and seen, it seems to be a real good time, and a well-done festival. Lineups have been terrific in the past, with artists such as Phish, The Dead, Les Claypool, Bruce Springsteen, The Allman Brothers, Neil Young, Tom Petty, Tool, Dave Matthews, Pearl Jam, Metallica, etc. - some pretty big name bands, even Snoop Dogg. Of course not to mention dozens of terrific jambands, bluegrass infused string ensembles and great musicians of all sorts.

Up until this year, Bonnaroo was the most talked about and pretty much biggest festival around, with a 2009 attendance of more than 75,000. This is huge, but Double J Ranch in Rothbury Michigan is slowly starting to rise to meet the masses of Bonnaroo, by providing the music and the experience that festival goers all over the nation are seeking. Rothbury Festival is hands-down the best music experience I've ever had in my life. From what I heard while I was there this summer, from people who have been to Bonnaroo, it's the best festival a lot of people have ever been to.

Of course, this is subjective, because that can be based on a lot of things. There's absolutely no doubt that they have the music covered without question. Rothbury has had lineups with artists such as The Dead, String Cheese Incident, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Black Crowes, Damian Marley, Jackie Greene, Umphrey's McGee, Toots & the Maytals, Flogging Molly, Railroad Earth, Taj Mahal, Mike Gordon, Trey Anastasio, State Radio and many many more.

In addition to the kickass lineup they have numerous activities and such that people can participate in. The had Think Tanks and people speaking about the environment. In fact, the festival itself was completely green: being environment-friendly and everything green. There were people guarding every trash station with their only job to make sure people are throwing things into the right receptacle: compost, trash and recyclable. It was cool, everything was served in cups or on plates made from corn starch. Bathrooms were cleaned every few hours or so. It was very comfortable and accommodating.

Something Phishy Goin' On

As some of you may have heard, Phish has been touring the country, tearing up venue lots everywhere they go. I recently caught a show in Portland, at the Cumberland Count Civic Center. To be honest, it was the first Phish show I've ever been to. I almost saw them before their breakup at the IT Festival in Limestone, but was unable to attend. I was also a lot younger then, and probably wouldn't have had the appreciation for the music as I would today.

It was an excellent show, though I had nothing to compare it to, it was it's own thing. You just had to be there to experience the feeling they're trying to communicate to you through their instruments. I went alone to the show and ended up meeting up with some people I had met at a couple festivals earlier, and we went in to the show together. We got in a little early while everyone else was still hanging out in the lot, so we got a terrific spot. We were right at the barricade up front towards the left side of the stage. I was literally forty feet from Trey Anastasio. It was unbelievable.

They energy that they brought to the place was amazing. For anyone who hasn't heard of Phish, or hasn't heard any of their stuff, I strongly recommend that you log onto LivePhish.com and stream some live music. I can assure you that you'll truly enjoy at least some of it. They have more upcoming shows, with their last four shows being played in Miami at the American Airlines Arena over New Year's Eve. I can only imagine what the scene's going to be like outside of that place for four nights. Unbelievable!

Furthermore Furthur Tour Dates

So Furthur has extended their tour quite extensively, I am soooo excited. At first, they had scheduled shows in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and San Francisco totaling about 6 shows. They've since added on about 10 or more shows. So i've decided I'm gonna hit the Manchester, New Hampshire show.

Everybody's loving the tour so far, i've heard nothing but good things. I downloaded a recent show and it was very good. Had a more jerry-like authentic feel to it. The guitarist in place of Jerry sounds like 1980's Jerry. He has the moan-like quality to his voice that has characteristics of Jerry, and I can imagine being there all tripped out and telling myself that I'm actually listening to Jerry play. That would be great.

Furthur has much more characteristics of earlier Grateful Dead. They're jamming is great! Of course, Bobby and Phil's playing styles have changed over the years, but it happens. People find new things to play. Plus the sound at these shows has been great, awesome engineers. It doesn't have the southern rock feel like The Dead with Warren Haynes sounded, although sometimes I really like Warren cuz i think he sounds a lot like early 80's Brent Mydland.

Anyway, you should all check out the scene if you're into the Dead and wanna have your mind blown. just don't stay too long! the scene is fun and all, but it has it's evils. Sadly, I recognize them every time I'm in it and it sort of depresses me. Oh well I guess...

Downloading Music

I've been in classes before where this is a topic of discussion. I go to school for communications, so it comes up in discussions. What blows my mind is that people even buy recorded music to begin with. I enjoy music, I consider myself an well-rounded listener. I enjoy real music, not rap, not beat-generated pop grooves, not anything that isn't traditional music. I hate the industry today. I hate how prevalent electronic instruments have become. It sucks. It shows no talent, and has no value. It doesn't do what music is supposed to do.

Which brings me to the point of downloading music. I don't listen to studio albums of bands, because it doesn't emulate what the band actually sounds like, or how they play. It's fabricated. It's not authentic. So what I do is download random live shows of Archive.org. A band's true sound is their live sound, the sound they make when they're all present and playing at the same time; not what they can put on a record. If people actually liked music, they would listen to their favorite bands live and go to see them perform. That's what it's all about, you know. It's primal, for people to actually go and see the band play first-hand. That's why I like jam bands. They're great musicians and they love nothing more than to play for an audience.

That's what music is. The industry has changed, and people have allowed for the meaning of good music to change. Anyone who listens to top 40 or pop/rock/rap radio has no idea what they're missing out on. They don't listen to real music.

Furthur Review

Fans went wild when they found out that Phil and Bobby were putting together a band to do more shows. Furthur has played a few already, and has four more scheduled for the month of November. I recently spoke with a friend who went to see them. He said it was unbelievable. The lineup is sick, John Kadlecik of the Dark Star Orchestra in play of Jerry Garcia on lead guitar and vocals, original Grateful Dead members Bob Weir and Phil Lesh, Ratdog's Jeff Chimenti and Jay Lane, and the Duo's Joe Russo. I recently downloaded a show off Archive.org that took place at the Fox Theatre in Oakland, CA. It is absolutely astonishing how closely Kadlecik's guitar playing resembles Jerry's. Even his singing has characteristics of Jerry's in the late 80's, through early 90's. There's speculation about a spring tour. I strongly believe that there will be one. After seeing them at Rothbury Festival in Michigan last summer, I could see in the way they danced and the energy they showed that they're very much content in what they do. At this point, I think as long as they are able to, they will play. At least Bobby will.

Special Thanks to Barrack Obama-The Dead & Furthur

Having been a Grateful Dead fan for a while now, I was overwhelmed by the opportunity of seeing the remaining founding members unite and go on tour once again. Before spring 2009, the Dead had not toured since early 2004. The one and only reason they decided to tour was because of Barrack Obama. He requested that they play an event to benefit his campaign, and again asked them to play the inaugural ball just after his election.

It was the first time that the founding members played together in four years; guitarist/vocalist Bob Weir, bassist Phil Lesh, and drummers Mickey Hart & Bill Kreutzman. They picked up Allman Brother's guitarist Warren Haynes to take the place of Jerry Garcia, and Ratdog's Jeff Chimenti on keyboards. After this amazing and honorable experience, the guys decided to take the show on the road, and immediately scheduled tour dates.

I luckily got to see a show in Worcester, Mass in April, and caught their only show of the summer at Rothbury Festival in Michigan. The band had said that their chemistry had become so great and had evolved in the way they play their songs, that it's ever-changing and different every time. You can tell by being there that they're very happy doing what they do when they're up there on stage. Following their "final" show, the two front men Phil Lesh and Bob Weir have decided to put together a band and do more shows, the band being named Furthur, which was the name of the ever-famous psychedelic bus used in the 60's in the acid-tests, being drove by Neil Cassidy. I'm very excited to see Furthur and hopefully jump on the bandwagon for a few weeks to hit some shows.

Live music: New bands in the scene today

I've come to truly enjoy jam bands of all sorts, and many genres in general. There are hundreds and hundreds of amazing bands out there, who play these festivals but do not reach the listenership of the mainstream masses. Mainstream music is so awful, and I really feel bad for anyone who listens to it on a regular basis, and buys the albums. They don't know what they're missing.

The best music is on the underground, and is almost ALL live. I have no respect for studio recordings anymore. The Dead only made records to conform and make more money for their staff, but they played thousands of shows. Phish is a great band that's been touring for years since the 90's. I've been following more bluegrass roots bands, like one particular I like, called Railroad Earth.

I've been listening to The Brew, a band out of Massachusetts that plays an indie/rock/reggae type music, that has a poppy feel to it. But it's pure musicianship. They're each unbelievable musicians. Another great live band I've come to like is Umphrey's McGee, The String Cheese Incident, Jackie Greene, the Disco Biscuits, and others. These bands are keeping the scene going and the people following.

The Freedom of Hippie Festivals

What comes with being a deadhead, is a whole bunch of other deadheads. And when The Grateful Dead stopped touring after Jerry's death, they found other places to go, new bands to follow. The Grateful Dead had a huge following at the time of Jerry's death. If it wasn't for Jerry dying, it was predicted that the scene would have grown even larger at a much faster rate. There would have been tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of followers, traveling across country from show to show. It would have been absolute madness. Most have left the scene, going back to conformed society, while others are still holding on to the feeling, and trying to live the dream.

Phish has absorbed much of the Dead's following. And now, at hippie festivals all over the country, there are almost always Grateful Dead tribute bands. There is almost no greater feeling than the free feeling at a hippie festival. Funny way of thinking of it, but remember all the things your mother told you about manners, and what not to do in public, and privacy issues...well, at festivals, you can forget all of that. It's a place where you leave your pride in the car. Where doctors and lawyers, waiters and waitresses, farmer, politicians and dirty hippies can all come together in unity, no one person better than another. I love it. I've been going to them for over a year, and have never had so much fun.

Best Band Ever

The Grateful Dead is what I consider one of the best bands of all time. It surprises me how many people do not know hardly any of their songs. And when I ask them what songs they like, they always list off only songs that were played on the radio; Sugar Magnolia, Truckin', Casey Jones, Touch of Grey...and I always ask: have you heard any of their live stuff? and they always reply with a Nooo....Which I can't blame them for that.

Their live stuff isn't played on the radio, never really was. The band was a performing band altogether. They performed over 1000 songs over their whole touring career, a lot of them covers, of course. For the first fifteen years that they played, they didn't make much of anything for money. They were a traveling show, and all their money went to paying the crew, and transporting the gear to the next show. They were awesome. Along with Jefferson Airplane and Janis Joplin & Big Brother, the Grateful Dead started the whole hippie movement of the 1960's. People were quitting their jobs all across America and coming to the scene, and following the band on tour.

For years, people have followed the Grateful Dead on tour, living in their cars and camping at festivals throughout the country and making their living as they go. It blows my mind. I got into them by an old roommate. He played Dead constantly and the songs were always stuck in my head, I learned to love them. I bought a book that contained lyrics and meanings of songs. I've researched their history and have come to have a great respect for them as musicians.