anyone from LA going to the Forum this saturday?

(Set 1)
Viola Lee Blues
Bertha
Viola Lee Blues
Caution
Viola Lee Blues
Black Peter
Cosmic Charlie

(Set 2)
Shakedown Street
New Speedway Boogie
Scarlet Begonias
Fire on the Mountain
Drums >
Space
Dark Star
Wharf Rat
Dark Star
Satisfaction

(Encore)
One More Saturday Night

Damn, what a night.

First set was really unexpected for me. I knew they'd been pulling out old stuff like nobody's business but Viola in and out of all that with Caution to boot was not what I thought I'd be listening to. Some really cool stuff, smoking bluesy jams. I was more in the mood for different music during that first set but I really appreciated being able to hear some of that classic classic dead live. Black Peter was a really interesting version. Not like any version I've heard live before.

I'm looking forward to hearing back the show. There were a couple jams in the second set during Shakedown and Scarlet where I felt like it was kind of lifeless and not really happening but even then they hit on the choruses and got everyone singing and bopping. So I'm wondering if that was my imagination or what, needs a re-listen. Speedway was really cool. Such a weird backbeat, chilled out, smokey version. I loved it! I thought Fire was super strong. Really powerful version all the way through. To me it felt like they were the most together during that tune. Drums was epictastic! I sat back, closed my eyes, and was actually scared a couple of times. The whole place was totally rumbling! I miss that feeling. :) Dark Star->Warf Rat->Dark star was the highlight of the night for me. I love Dark Star. I know some people prefer a more rocking second set but I'll take Dark Star any night and it felt really solid, spacey, an full on psychedelic to me. I was so stoked to hear Warf Rat. I was holding out hope that we might get it since they hadn't played it yet this tour but I figured they'd save that for one of the Bay area shows. I just love that song. Then coming back and fully finishing Dark Star was perfect. Satisfaction and Saturday Night came back strong with lots of energy and got everyone rocking.

Overall, I had a great time. It was really great to be back. This is the first time I've been to anything Dead related since Jerry passed (14 years! Holy crap!). I just couldn't do it. But something about this tour called me and I'm glad I responded.