The Grass is Dead!

[SKIP KILPATRICK]

My buddy talked me into going to see these guys tonight.







Yep! A Bluegrass Grateful Dead cover band!

We will prep for the concert with the trappings one might expect for such an event.

It's in the concert hall of Capital Ale House. They have the biggest and best beer selection in town.

[David G]

Bluegrass & the Dead. Seems perfectly reasonable to me.

[Paul Pless]

We will prep for the concert with the trappings one might expect for such an event.

tiedye
weed
mushrooms
nitrous balloons

[Jimmy W]

The Grass is Dead - Alabama Getaway

[AlanMc]

the bluegrass covers are entertaining. but man, i can't listen to that stuff for very long.

[amish rob]

the bluegrass covers are entertaining. but man, i can't listen to that stuff for very long.

Bluegrass, or these weirdos?

Answer carefully.

Peace,
Robert

[AlanMc]

Bluegrass, or these weirdos?

Answer carefully.

Peace,
Robert

hahahhahaha, well, it's on a scale. the cover bluegrass bands doing bluegrass versions of polar opposite type music (metallica, grateful dead, snoop dog, etc)... i find those funny, for a few seconds. but i won't ever listen to a whole song. actual bluegrass in the traditional sense, i can listen to a song or two but then i'm needing to change it up. what i appreciate most about the bluegrass is the skill level of the players. i say the same about a lot of heavy metal as well. not stuff i want to listen to a lot, bunch appreciate the skill involved.

[David G]

There were a few times when the Dead nailed the voice parts. When they did, they were most enjoyable. Excellent musicians.

But mostly... I figure that - like Dylan - almost anyone else singing their songs is liable to be an improvement.

[amish rob]

hahahhahaha, well, it's on a scale. the cover bluegrass bands doing bluegrass versions of polar opposite type music (metallica, grateful dead, snoop dog, etc)... i find those funny, for a few seconds. but i won't ever listen to a whole song. actual bluegrass in the traditional sense, i can listen to a song or two but then i'm needing to change it up. what i appreciate most about the bluegrass is the skill level of the players. i say the same about a lot of heavy metal as well. not stuff i want to listen to a lot, bunch appreciate the skill involved.

Sigh. Okay. I can accept you as you are.

How’s this for irony? I was on a LOOOONG road trip yesterday (18 total hours, including 11 driving) and guess what I was banned from playing?
Any more thrash metal or any more bluegrass. No joke.

Peace,
What Kind Of WORLD Is This?

[David G]

I'm a bit taken aback that anyone would consider the Dead as a 'polar opposite' to bluegrass...

[Bobcat]

I have a CD of Jerry Garcia playing bluegrass

[Domesticated_Mr. Know It All]

I'm from West Virginia.
I can listen to bluegrass for hours without being annoyed.
Even that high pitched, twangy voice of Del McCoury.
I am also a DeadHead so I'd probably enjoy those weirdo's.

[Breakaway]

tiedye
weed
mushrooms
nitrous balloons

And...Fluffernutters.


Kevin

[amish rob]

I'm from West Virginia.
I can listen to bluegrass for hours with out being annoyed.
Even that high pitched, twangy voice of Del McCoury.
I am also a DeadHead so I'd probably enjoy those weirdo's.

My Uncle Retch always allowed as it was West ByGod Virginia.

He never forgave my aunt for making him move to Kentucky. I miss him.

Peace,
Weirdos, In This Case, Was A TOTAL Compliment.

[Flying Orca]

Jerry was into bluegrass, big time. Check out Old And In The Way, Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band, that kind of thing. The Dead's stuff crosses over into bluegrass territory quite nicely.

That said, I mostly prefer instrumental newgrass from the likes of Béla Fleck, Tony Rice, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Mark O'Connor, Stuart Duncan, etc... but more traditional stuff (Blake & Rice, anyone?) can be great too.

[FishoutaFlorida]

Jerry was into bluegrass, big time. Check out Old And In The Way, Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band, that kind of thing. The Dead's stuff crosses over into bluegrass territory quite nicely.

Can't mention JG and Bluegrass without including David Grisman!!!

[David G]

Jerry was into bluegrass, big time. Check out Old And In The Way, Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band, that kind of thing. The Dead's stuff crosses over into bluegrass territory quite nicely.

That said, I mostly prefer instrumental newgrass from the likes of Béla Fleck, Tony Rice, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Mark O'Connor, Stuart Duncan, etc... but more traditional stuff (Blake & Rice, anyone?) can be great too.

Yup. When I lived in Eugene... it was sort of a second home for the Dead. They played a number of large concerts (drone-fests) at Autzen Stadium. But they also played at smaller venues - as a group, or some chunk of them. And they often stayed and played casually out at Kesey's farm. I saw them play a lot of acoustic bluegrass in both situations. If there was one genre that Jerry's voice was best suited for... I'd say it was bluegrass... as it has a long history of not expecting much from vocalists <G> All you Deadheads... don't bother ramping up the threats. My best friend is a longtime Deadhead (and, inexplicably, an accomplished multi-instrument musician, and banjo player)... and he has used them all up, and has begun recycling them...

Polar opposite???

[FishoutaFlorida]

Yup. When I lived in Eugene... it was sort of a second home for the Dead.

My first dead show was February 1968 at the Erb Memorial Union Ballroom.

[Flying Orca]

Can't mention JG and Bluegrass without including David Grisman!!!

Oddly enough, I don't have much DAWG music outside his stuff with Jerry or the Dead. One album with John Hartford and Mike Seeger is about it.

[FishoutaFlorida]

Oddly enough, I don't have much DAWG music outside his stuff with Jerry or the Dead. One album with John Hartford and Mike Seeger is about it.

Well outside of Dawg, Quintet and Sextet albums here's a bit of a list:

Andy Statman
Svend Asmussen
Tony Rice
Martin Taylor
Carlo Aonzo
Beppe Bametta
Denny Zeitlin
Sam Bush
Frank Vignola
Tommy Emmanuel
Stephane Grappelli
and...
Doc Watson

Gotta love that Mandolin!

[Tom Montgomery]

.
Old & In the Way was a bluegrass group formed in 1973. It was composed of Peter Rowan (guitar, vocals), Vassar Clements (fiddle), Jerry Garcia (banjo, vocals), David Grisman (mandolin, vocals), and John Kahn (string bass). When the group was forming, it was intended that John Hartford would be the fiddle player. Based on Hartford's engagements, and Clements' reputational stature in the bluegrass community, Clements became the group's fiddler.

The group performed traditional tunes such as "Pig in a Pen" as well as bluegrass-flavored versions of the Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses" and Peter Rowan's "Panama Red."

Old and in the Way's debut album Old & In the Way which was released in 1975 went on to become one of the best selling bluegrass albums of all time. The group, without Jerry Garcia and John Kahn, released a reunion album in 2002, called Old & In the Gray.



From the comments:

I was at this show. What an epic night. I gave my friend a ride to Pissache in exchange for a ticket. First thing we went to the bathroom hoping to find some LSD. We purchased some windowpane for $2. The guy was short and scruffy looking (Owsley?, he was the sound engineer for OaItW). About two songs into the set, just as the best acid I ever had was really kicking in who shows up in the seat next to me but an old girlfriend. I really didn't care since the swirling fiddle and jangly banjo had me dancing like a shaman.

The tape cuts off before the "Orange Blossom Special" encore, I vaguely remember a second "Swing Low Sweet Chariot also.

[SKIP KILPATRICK]

Very good concert .

The lead at one point brought out an instrument i didn't recognize.

It was shaped like a banjo but had a solid wood body with controls of an electric guitar .

He played it like a slide steel guitar, but could also pick it.

[SKIP KILPATRICK]

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[SKIP KILPATRICK]

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