13-JUN-1992

the weather the last few days has been just phenomenal - real typical June weather - hot days, blues skies, big puffy clouds. The ride to Albany and back driving through the mountains of Vermont and the farm country of New York was most enjoyable.

We got lost in Albany, lost getting to the campground, lost getting back to Albany - got into the show about 20 minutes after it began - missed Bertha :-( and Minglewood...came in on Row Jimmy. I hate when that happens cause I'm all pumped up about getting in late and then it takes me a long time to get into the groove. It took me almost the whole first set to wind down. Around the time they played Loose Lucy, well, I was starting to e n j o y ........

The second set was so warped and so calming that by the end of the show, I was feeling totally relaxed. I think the highlights of the show (for me) were space and the jam after Playin' - we were located way up in the second tier - the light show seen from above was just totally amazing. I don't know if you could sense the effect if you were on the floor, but from above it was really a show by itself. Lights spirally around, shining down on the crowd, shining up towards the ceiling, zooming around the whole arena, random flashes of light zipping throught the crowd. Hard to explain, amazing to see. Both of these extended musical spaces were some very good stuff. Felt good to me!

I wasn't that thrilled with the location of our seats because I really felt like I was observing the scene more than being a part of it - I like to be right in the thick of things. It was a good perspective for the light show but the way the speakers were set up, it didn't seem like the music was being played to us.

Thursday's show got me in the mood - I came in frazzled and left feeling quite alright - but it still didn't fulfill what I came to Albany for...

It ended up that our campground was pretty much filled with deadheads. Fun to see all the colors and to share knowing smiles with folks you pass wherever you walk. Late in the afternoon, a woman that works there came by to see if we were selling t-shirts - she said they loved having us there. Actually, it seemed like all of Albany loved having us there. I got very good feelings from that place. Security was pretty cool. Lots of welcome signs on business establishments. Good scene.

We got a surprise visit from our friends Slash and Tree during the afternoon. They were camping in the same place. We spent the rest of the day hangin' out in the sun, partying, playing music, eating, LAUGHING! We all drove into Albany together and scoffed some seats in the first tier directly out from the stage. Much better sound there. I was looking forward to a high energy show and we got it - right from the first note of Jack Straw. It was ripping. The whole first set seemed to just move right along - unlike the night before which was very choppy. The vocals were right on.

During the set break we got kicked out of our seats. I wanted to stay there cause I was hoping to get some good drumz effects with the speakers pointed in our direction (squatters' rights!) ... we moved to the back row. The break was long and towards the end the crowd started getting pretty restless. They started the wave around the arena - on all the tiers - it was so funny ... and then it got faster and faster and louder and louder ... you could feel the happy energy! The lights went down and the band came out and noodled for what seemed like 5 minutes.

Scarlet Begonias was great! The space it entered went out and threatened to not return! I think the whole arena was drenched after this one! Fire On The Mountain had a mambo-like beat which I thought was great. I was pretty excited to hear Vince's new song - I was hoping to hear it and kind of figured we might because there were alot of blues strains throughout the show. His voice is great. I really like this song.

During Truckin' we got kicked out of our seats again :-( by a very angry security guy. Why they decided to clear the aisles in the middle of my dance I'll never figure out ;-)... oh well... but I didn't want to go to my seat which was on the side of the stage - I wanted so much to be in front of the speakers for drums. As soon as I got out in the hallway I ran up the next set of stairs to the 2nd tier but still in front of the stage... just in time for Smokestack Lightning! And DRUMS!!!!! When I saw Mickey and Billy being left on stage I slid down to the railing and leaned out into the arena. They were WAILING on the drums and then when they stepped away to "the toys" I finally got the treat I was looking for. Again, the lights were great. They turned the sound up it seemed - when the beam's vibrations were spinning around from speaker to speaker, a spotlight went with it. You could tell when it was coming around to you - and I could open up my arms and let it go right in my body. The whole drums section was so healing - that's the only way I can describe it. You could feel how good it was and when I looked around at the people around me I could see they were feeling it too -- ahhhhhhhhhhhh.

Space was very very ... weird. Just a lot of notes. Playing with the toys.

Into The Last Time...the whole place was swinging. Into China Doll... the whole place was listening... the vocals just a preview of what was to come...

When they started Sugar Magnolia I knew it was the last song. But the energy! The lights were pretty bright and you could see the whole audience. The whole audience was moving! Fast!

After they left the stage the crowd started a Not Fade Away clap. If that means that "our love will not fade away" to the band, that's cool. If that means we want to hear NFA, no, that's not what I wanted. I wanted to hear Baba O'Reilly. But what we got was better! Attics was SO SWEET! Their vocals were right on. I had chills and I walked (or should I say, floated) out of there with a completely contented feeling.

Ran into Slash immediately - kinda cosmic! We weaved through vendor village. Saw Jum, got stickered by dc, hugged by Phyllis, hugged by Phyllis again, and THEN, a scene which I am not too sure I didn't just envision, but the AMAZING Slash! the human slinky! We're walking to the car past this grassy park on a hillside. There's little groupings of deadheads sitting in the dark. Slash empties his pockets. And THEN he starts doing handsprings down the hill - one after another after another. Oh! It was SO funny! The crowd was clapping. He put all his stuff back in his pocket but we begged him to DO IT AGAIN! He did.

Good time in Albany!

Debess

Back to page.