I caught a plane out of Manchester after work on Thursday, landed in SF at 9:30 (their time) and got on a bus up to Marin County. Went over the Golden Gate bridge for the first time in my life!, and that was the last I was in SF for the rest of the weekend.
Met friends at a bar in Cotati where members of Zero (without Kimock) were playing. Just had to stand and dance cause if I sat at that point (after working all day and traveling for about 10 hours already), I probably woulda crashed. Out in the parking lot between sets, the first person I talked to lived in my hometown in CT for 3 years (small world). Afterwards, drove back to Ann's house, set up a tent in her backyard, and then spent some time soaking my bones in her hottub before sleeping. Woke up a few hours later - very, very little sleep all weekend long, and -somehow- I was just not tired at all!
Showday. Ann's house was ticket central with the phone ringing off the hook all morning - people looking for tickets or upgrades, plans made to meet at will call. It seemed noone used their original ticket - EVERYone was upgrading - including me - I went with lawn tickets but ended up with reserved for both nights. We walked around Berkeley on the way down to Shoreline, had brunch on a 2nd floor terrace. My only food of the day, and I could only eat half of the sandwich. Too excited!! I didn't sleep much and I didn't eat much all weekend - I was living on adrenaline.
Got into Shoreline early. Hung out in the lot for awhile - traded my lawn ticket for Fun. Hot Tuna joined Rusted Root for the Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want". Caught Hot Tuna from the gate right outside the 100s section. Great set - highlighted by Embryonic Journey that really spaced out.
The Other Ones opened their set with Dark Star!, and it was unfortunate that I was getting to my seat during the opening jam. Bobby sang just the 2nd verse. Friday was more of a spacey, jamming, out-there show than Saturday. Highlights for me were hearing BabaJingo for the first time (GREAT beat!), Let It Grow (which really brought it all down to a quiet, sacred place and then out there again), Bird Song (which they were all very serious-looking as they played, it was a tearjerker for me cause I was thinking of Jerry for this one), Uncle John's Band (done with a calypso beat and some beautiful serenading to us at the end), and Good Lovin' (a GREAT rocker to end the show). The band was such high energy all night, and they kept building up to higher and higher plateaus, that at some points it felt like my head was going to explode. Nothing left to do but dance,.. and smilesmilesmile!
Back to Richmond and my tent. Awaken to the sound of a chainsaw next door - sounded like home! but sure didn't -look- like home!! (I had to keep asking myself all weekend "where -am- I?!?") Slow morning, blueberry pancakes (again my only meal of the day), more ticket brokering over the phone, packing up to go camping after the show, waiting for Ann's partner to get home from work so we can GET GOING. Later start, and consequently, stuck in traffic. When I got to will call to get my reserved ticket, I could hear Rusted Root had already started. Everyone else was stuck in traffic too, so everyone's pre-show plans got screwed up.
I got in to see Hot Tuna play Can't Always Get with Rusted Root again. Karan joined Hot Tuna, but I can't remember now what it was they played.
Well, it was family-night at Shoreline. Around us were lots of -little- kids, joyously dancing on daddy's shoulders or in mommy's arms. When Bruce played "Preacher in the Ring", which was mostly just him and maybe the drummers too, and then Ellis joined in later, but mostly just Bruce playing and singing - Mickey's five year old daughter came out in front of the piano, dressed in a black leotard and orange-and-black butterfly wings, and did an interpretive dance/twirl that was so impressive and so pure and so innocent - she just danced right along to Bruce's playing seemingly unaware of the huge crowd watching her. Afterwards she ran backstage into Mickey's arms and he carried her over to Bruce and she leaned down to him for a kiss. During Lovelight, a young blond-haired boy (I think it was Phil's son) was standing next to Bruce and playing along with him.
This was a LONG show - when I tried to write down a set list the next day I was amazed to see over 20 songs I could remember, and none of them were done in a short version! What a show!!!
Highlights - well, of course, when Billy came out for the Other One, the crowd went nuts. You could just hear the roar ripple through the audience as he was recognized on stage and soon the whole crowd was screaming. Billy sat on the sidelines, next to Mickey's setup. He played the talking drum during the Other One - and it was loud. It was the predominant beat that you could hear. They did a closeup of his feet - barefoot! (Kimock was barefoot too). From that they went into Down the Road, the last verse was the "Jerry moment" of the night - when he sang that Jerry verse, everyone around me sorta raised their arms up to the sky, and tears were flowing. Molo let Kreutzman use his kit for drumz - and it was intense. The two of them made the most of their chance to play together again and they were just exploding with energy and beating those drums like there was no tomorrow. Billy was playing so fast. Mickey's smile was so big, until he took over the lead and then he was so seriously focused. I loved Banyon Tree - a new slinky sounding tune. Corinna was great. Playin' was great. China/Rider was great. Oh man, there were no highlights, it was all great. ok, Iko was a highlight. I LOVED it!! Billy K. played on that and St. Stephen. The Eleven was the best - those words ring so true "this is the season of what NOW..NOW is the time of returning.. NOW is the test of the boomerang" emphasized like that. Lovelight was probably the one "lowlight" of the evening. Jorma came out, and I think he just added to the confusion of all those musicians. It didn't work - he seemed lost. Karan saved the day by coming in and taking over.
Two wonderful encores. Touch of Grey had everyone singing "WE WILL SURVIVE"!!!
at the end, they wouldn't leave the stage. First Bobby took a small bow as Touch ended. But then, they all stood in a line across the stage with their arms around eachother's shoulders and took a big bow together. Bobby and Phil both held their palms together and bowed their heads (namaste) to acknowledge the audience. Mickey blew kisses. Then they all then walked around stage and hugged eachother. Took a long time for them to leave the stage. No doubt, they will continue!!
after walking and smiling back to our car, we headed down to Monterey, arriving at our hotel at 3. Next day, did the last stretch down Rt 1 to Big Sur. ahhhhhhh. Set up my tent in the middle of an old growth redwood grove - I was camping among giants - those old souls - splintered sunlight shining down. Heaven. Hiked up to 60 foot Pfeiffer falls. Drove out to and down Rt 1 to catch the most perfect sunset over the Pacific Ocean. Walked to a clearing after midnight to see the stars - never saw so many - couldn't even make out constellations the sky was so full of stars.
Early Monday morning, drove north up Rt 1, curving along the cliffs leading down to the beaches. Amazingly, no morning fog over the ocean. Clear vistas most of the way. Ran and climbed down to one beach just to touch the water once. Completely isolated beach, with those huge rocks coming out of the water offshore. Drove over the mountain thru La Honda to see if I could catch any old Prankster vibes that mights still be in the area ;-). Caught the plane back at 1 watching the skyline of SF as I took off - one last look.. can't wait to go back!!
Debess
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