09/14/00 Furthur Festival @ Nissan Pavilion, Bristow, VA -
Click For Setlist
Note: This show took place on the author's birthday. Any giddiness and over-excited statements perhaps should be taken with a grain of salt. However, the author is fairly comfortable with his assessment of the event.
We arrived at the lots early and parked for an easy getaway making for my best ever departure from Nissan Pavilion. My wife and I enjoyed a birthday barley wine, which I made myself exactly 2 years ago this week and, well, it's quite yummy.
We strolled around and did the usual, tracking down friends, etc. and listened to Lake Trout sound check through the closed gates. I wanted to see them play so we entered shortly after the gates opened and headed to the side-stage. On the way, I saw Mark Karan and said, "Hi" but I had a mission and so didn't stop to chat.
Lake Trout played a good set, very out and heavy. They are a young and extremely talented band whose grooves range from Acid-Jazz to Hip-Hop to Punk to Drum & Bass to Funk. They consist of two guitarists (one of whom handles lead vocals), bass/groove guitar, a triple-threat Rhodes/Sax/Flute player and a drummer whose natural break-beats will one day be heavily sampled. Definitely a nice start to the evening.
As their set wound down, we drifted around; checking out the vending inside. Overall, it all seemed pretty standard, lots of the same folks you see at every show. I picked up the new Steve Kimock Band disc (more on that later) and I saw Alphonso Johnson at the Grateful Dead Merchandising table. I stepped over and said, "Hi", and wished him a good show.
Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers came on and laid down a nice, loud set (booming in the near empty amphitheater) of roots reggae blended with dance hall and R&B. All in all, a very nice set. Highlights were Free Like We Want 2 B, Rainbow Country, and Bob Marley's Could You Be Loved. Those of us in the pavilion (we had sixth-row center orchestra seats and a full view of everything and everyone on-stage) were diggin on it.
At 8:15 The Other Ones came on stage with Steve Kimock on his Vega guitar and they kicked it of with a rousing Scarlet Begonias. Mark Karan took an excellent solo that led us down familiar territory at first but then took a surprising turn into Stir It Up! Ziggy and Co. came out and Alphonso stepped offstage to make room for Ziggy's bass player. Steve switched up to the Cripes and finger-picked a quietly laid back reggae groove while holding his pick in his grinning mouth.
Ziggy & Co. moved off and Steve took a solo that led us right on into Fire On The Mountain. I leaned over and asked my wife if she had thought we were coming to a rap concert just before Mickey got on the mic. Mickey sounded alright though, and the solos were plentiful. Each soloist took one; Kimock, then Karan, then Bruce Hornsby, then Alphonso Johnson. Then everybody brought it to a close at 8:47. After Alphonso's solo, Mark reached over and touched him with one finger as if he's sizzling hot. His solo certainly had been cooking.
A quick pause and tension building groove brought us into Playin' In The Band. Steve rocked on this number. A nice jam built up around Kimock & Hornsby trading licks and goading each other on. Clearly a lot of fun was being had on that stage. The Playin' theme came back and then dissolved into Ramble On Rose @ 8:59. Kimock switched to his customized-nearly-beyond-recognition Stratocaster. Bruce stepped up hugely once again on this song; both with his lead vocals and his keys. Simply on fire, Mark took the first solo then Steve took over. That was followed by a whole lot more Hornsby. Steve & Bruce guided the jam back to Playin' territory (9:08) with some excellent Spanish/Arabian themes bubbling to the surface before Bob Weir steered us towards It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (9:12).
Baby Blue was quite nice. It has always been a favorite of the Dead's Dylan covers (next to Visions). This was followed by a break for the Drummers, Steve & Alphonso as Bobby & Mark strapped on acoustics for Me & My Uncle (9:18). Karan was excellent here. I really like his acoustic playing quite a bit. It had a down-home feel that reminded me of a number of my favorite acoustic recordings. Bruce had the accordion out and kept it on as Alphonso brought out his upright bass for Deal (9:23). The drummers even came out and rocked out the ending of that one!
Kimock came out and everybody went electric again for a White Wheeled Limo (9:28). This song was groovy with nice jamming. I love to hear Bruce songs taken outward this way. Steve took a great solo then Mark stepped up and Steve went for his steel guitar. The steel sounded extra sweet backing up the Karan-led jam (which had flavors of Freebird!) that took us into Uncle John's Band (9:38). Bobby switched back to acoustic and Steve reached back and come up with the Mustang. Mark took the first solo then Steve, Bruce, & Mark dueled amongst one another! Definitely a highlight of the night, they took the jam out, turned it upside down and made it dance.
Rhythm Devils (9:50)came on strong with Billy Kreutzman dancing around the drums and Mickey laying into the ones called Home Plate and Right Eye. There was also a cool Gyuto Monks sampled bit towards the end of the segment. It's so good seeing Billy up there with Mickey again. Our seats were right in front of Billy and we could see that he was having a great time.
(So were we! Thanks again GDTSToo!)
Alphonso & Steve came out first after Rhythm Devils while the drummers stayed out on stage (10:02). With Steve back on the Cripes (for the rest of the show), they built a nice solid (not especially spacey) jam. Bobby & Mark came next (10:04) and the jam continued with Weir adding a little bit of a solo. Then, with Steve leading, BH came out and Banyan Tree (10:07) kicked in. Steve ruled this heady song which I happen to like. It was weird, though. The outro jam included A Love Supreme jam from Bruce, Alphonso & Steve which led to a full blown Playin' Reprise (10:15).
The reprise took us into another evening highlight: Black Muddy River (10:20). Bruce owns this song. He played and sang it so beautifully that you'd almost think he wrote it himself. This one touched me. Its a gorgeous song that has only grown in its power since Jerry Garcia passed away. Bobby had on his acoustic and I believe there was an Kimock solo (my eyes were closed and I didn't make a note for once.)
Next up, St. Stephen (10:26) brought a big audience response. In fact Black Muddy through the rest of the set were huge and fabulous. Mark ruled Stephen and, as has been noted at previous shows, when The Eleven (10:34) geared up Steve took the helm. This was very hot. I still can't get used to the way Bobby sings it but now but, hell, at least they play it. Steve led this straight into the set closing Uncle John's Band Reprise (10:38) and it wrapped up @ 10:42.
The Touch of Grey encore was nice with some excellent 3 guitar interplay. Each player had found their place in the guitar orchestra. Everybody's giving and taking a little up there. I watched Bobby as he watched Steve from off-stage during the post-drums jams. He was enjoying what he saw and had to jump in.
Maybe not the best show I ever saw but certainly an excellent one and I wish I were seeing more of this band. The only that night downer was the two guys in our seats when the set started. They we so certain that they were in the right section and were also bigger than I. As there was not enough space to share I had to get a red-shirt to remove them. Any other night of the year I might not care and I didn't like being "that guy who got security" but damn it, that was my seat. Oh well...
Other than when I enlisted the one guy, Security seemed unobtrusive from where we sat. YMMV. We did see some of Prince William County's Finest hassling and arresting some folks in the lot. Ugh. Hate to see that.
All in all. Great night! If you can, go see this tour while it lasts.
Author's addendum: After re-reading this whole thing, I'm not sure if I managed to capture how good everything seemed to me. I'm also not sure that the tapes will hold up to the my experience (It
was
my birthday show, so I was naturally gonna have fun.)©2000- JMH
About the Author jmh is a family man who is thankfull for beer, LPs, and extra guitar strings. Donations of any of these things or cash for their purchase will be happily accepted.