Bobby

In general terms, I think Bobby sometimes struggles if it's just him or a very small ensemble.  I believe it's the flip side of his gift of being one of the key players who helps to "coalesce and move the jam".   We've often heard people who've said the Grateful Dead wouldn't be the Grateful Dead without Jerry, but it'd just be "different" without Bobby.

I believe this is patently false.  Bobby was highly integral (if not indispensable) in helping the "spaceship to take off"; far more than people give him credit for.    I suspect that whatever allows his mind to push the envelope on this front has a weakness when it comes to striking out on his own solo or with just one or two others.  There was a TRI video a number of years ago where he just stumbles again and again while playing solo ... until Phil steps in and he's off to the races after that.   It's almost like he needs a foil to react to. 

^ there's that, and then there's age + the unknown factor that we speculate about that has shown its face a few times in the past decade (I was at the Ratdog show in Vegas 2014 where he was a "no show").

barry interview says bob will continue to be the only guitarist

https://dswiltsie.mixlr.com/recordings/1985543

I am constantly amazed that he can talk at all and I say that with the greatest admiration. I don't want to imagine what I would be like at 75 had I joined the Dead at the age of 16.

I checked out the Sneak peek videos and just thought it sounded horrible. Too bad. 

Per Setlist FM 4/3

The Music Never Stopped >
Easy Answers >
The Music Never Stopped
Lay My Lily Down
When I Paint My Masterpiece
Big River
Corrina

Deal

Know Nothing Blues*   Improvised Jam                                    
She Knows What I'm Thinkin'*
New Kid In Town*
Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me*   Duke Ellington Song
Scarlet Begonias >
New Speedway Boogie >
The Other One >
Black Peter >
Not Fade Away*
E: Heartache Tonight* >
Baby What You Want Me To Do*
* w/J.D. Souther

4/4

Friend of the Devil * Mads Tolling

Bertha

Brown-Eyed Women* Mads Tolling

Mission in the Rain

Ramble On Rose* Mads Tolling rest of the set

Throwing Stones

Weather Report Suite

Set 2:Improvised Song ** JD Souther   Same as 4/3

You're Only Lonely ** JD Souther  JD Song * Mads Tolling rest of the set

New Kid in Town**  JD Souther

Truckin'

Fever

Viola Lee Blues

Maggie's Farm (Viola Lee Blues' reprise)

Wharf Rat

Sugar Magnolia

Encore: Heartache Tonight ** JD Souther

Bright Lights, Big City ** JD Souther

Live for Music Review of 2nd Set Opener:  Souther took the stage armed with an acoustic guitar and Bobby took up his Fender Stratocaster. The two felt each other out as Bobby laid down a bluesy repetitive lead and J.D. started filling in the gaps with root chords. Eventually, J.D. approached the mic and began to holler out “What’s your name?” The line of questioning eventually expanded, forming a chant, “What’s your name / and where you going / where you come from / and how ya been / tell me everything / I’ve been missing / by not seeing / you again.” As the song took definite shape, Bobby beckoned for the Wolf Bros to return, with Lane’s pounding drums adding some muscle to the song as it built to a powerful crescendo.
 

I watched a bit of the start of both sets discribed above and thought it was just exactly as horrible as I expected it to be.

IMO, without the larger group around the three "Brothers" that trio is a disaster. Lane is a bland tippy-tap drummer, as a bass player Was is a great record producer and Bob is, well what Bob has been for decades when on his own.

I couldn't hang with Weir's cat killing for more than a couple of minutes for either set so I couldn't say if Bob seemed in his cups, but at such low-key little shows like these it wouldn't surprise me. Too bad for those that paid, but with that group, even with a few guests I'm not sure how much difference a sober or wasted Weir would make.

I did get a chuckle when at the very start of the Music Never Stopped Bob seemed to take a swipe at the endless complaining about his slow tempo's.

I took it as him expressing the basic attitude he's ALWAYS had... he's gonna' do what he feels like doing the way he feels like doing it, and if we don't like it then too bad for us.

Being drunk on stage is never a good look, but otherwise I'd say that attitude has worked pretty well for him so far.

Just my 2 cents. Bobby is going to do what Bobby wants to do with the bands he's put together throughout his career. Kingfish, Bobby & The Midnights, Rat Dog, Further, D&C. All different and maybe not what you were expecting. I saw Bob & Wolf Bros on 2/4. I thought it was an excellent well played show. I have long since given up concerning myself with tempos, and just try and enjoy how he's playing, how the material he's chosen is being played, and where he(and Phil too) are trying to take the music. As with the Grateful Dead you're going to get some good shows and some great shows and some clunkers  I for one consider myself blessed to have experienced this entire trip for well over 50 years. Enjoy it while you can, because time waits for no one and they will all be gone sooner than later. 

Love the artist but the art performed at the Guild is not my cup of tea.  See folks bopping in the crowd and it seems forced. Like some sort of flashback muscle memory - "hey paid good money so I'm gonna dance". Swell. Go for it.   Not sure which is worse the tinny sounding guitar, qualuude tempo or "you screaming at me?" Vocals. 
 

But to each his own. 
 

The man is a legend in his own time, and as bad as it is I'm happy to suffer through the video tease freebie just to check in on the old boy.   Viva Bobby! 

I went ti the Guild last night and thiught the show was outstanding. Bobby sang abd played well, the guests were fantastic and they had it going on. Cant speak to the firstvtwo nights but I was very pleased last night 

No comment.

https://archive.org/details/bw2023-04-03.flac24

https://archive.org/details/bw2023-04-04.flac24

Neither of those links are for last night so not relevant. 

Links to the first two nights of Bobby's most recent run might not be germane to the discussion of last night's show (which hasn't been posted to archive yet), but I don't think you can just up and dismiss them as irrelevant, Woz. Or maybe you can. Whatever.

I do only to the extent that I agree the trio can be sluggish and outright bad I didn't like the Sweetwater shows I've seen. But add in a few guests/instruments and it's a different thing. I thought Bobby was in great voice and his guitar playing was exactly what he does and he executed it flawlessly last night.

Listened to some af the archive links and the mix is better. Those Nugs broadcasts are very compressed. His guitar sounded a little less like squeaky bedsprings in a cheap motel. Love ya just the same Bob. 

> the trio can be sluggish and outright bad...But add in a few guests/instruments and it's a different thing

Agreed, but what can we surmise from this? Has Bobby completely lost his musical self-awareness, or does he just not give a fuck anymore?

>>>or does he just not give a fuck anymore?

I think he mostly stopped giving a fuck in the mid 80's. It just so happens that we mostly enjoy what he still puts out there, but he stopped caring what anyone thinks, with the possible exception of people who he shares a stage with, a long time ago. 

​​h

I'm not sure if I'm more surprised at JD Souther guesting

or bob weir strumming the eagles greatest hits for money cringe

no spot taken

>I couldn't hang with Weir's cat killing for more than a couple of minutes for either set

what do you mean by this lance? are you talking about weir's propensity for throwing out very noisy, metallic, grindy sounding chords? ive never know how to describe those kind sof sounds or that kind of playing, or what music theory terms might be used to describe it.

its always been one of my favorite parts of weir's playing in a full ensamble, but it really doesnt work solo, in a stripped down small group, or acoustic at all. the rest of a full GD style band(keys, drums, bass, lead guitar) is NEEDED to anchor that kind of playing into reality.

One thing about Weir's guitar tone - you know who it is when you hear it. 

What's the difference between Bob's guitar tone and a hand grenade? No difference - once you hear it, it's all over.

(formerly a banjo joke) 

Definitely a unique player. All of those guys (GD) were/are one-of-a-kind, came together with a magical alignment of the stars, and we are all very lucky to have been along for any part(s) of the journey. I'd much rather have the bickering over this and that than have nothing left at all - the latter is sadly coming soon enough so enjoy...or not.

Cool. That makes sense as he is a rhythm guitarist. He must generally be on board with that consensus too as it has been a long while since "the trio" actually performed alone as such. I agree that Weir is 'better' and more well-suited in larger band configurations with a lead player, etc.

Enjoy the show tonight - hope you get a good one!

Kimock tonight

Ratdog.org....w/Steve Kimock, Mads Tolling & Brian Switzer

Cassidy (sk/mt/bs)
Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (sk) >
Loser (sk)
Tennessee Jed (sk/mt)
El Paso@ (sk/mt)
Black-Throated Wind (sk/mt/bs) >
I Need A Miracle (sk) >
Bird Song (sk/mt/bs)

The Winners (sk)
China Cat Sunflower (sk/mt/bs) >
I Know You Rider (sk/mt)
Playin' In The Band (sk/mt/bs) >
Dark Star (sk/mt/bs) >
Tomorrow Never Knows (sk/mt) >
Standing On The Moon (sk) >
Goin' Down The Road (Feeling Bad) (sk/mt/bs)

It's All Over Now Baby Blue (sk/mt/bs)

Sneak peeks from Wednesday, April 5th:

Set 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5a54fQw-yk

Set 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8xxm57EQM0

Sneak peeks from last night (Friday, April 7th):

Set 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0vp6NhEIkA

Set 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKtUQ01Jnq0

bob wobble's 

but he don't fall down

asheville 

ryman 2x  tour closer

barry textures enveloping everything

jay and jeff, doing the thing

bobby was there 

gyming and all

Kimock again tonight. 

I like where this is going. 

Top shelf show tonight!

Having Kimock changes everything. 

Will the Wolf survive? 

What!

No Tequila Sunrise?!

I wish they played it, but not a JD tune.....

Anyway, last night was stellar. Kimock had the midas touch and everything was just exactly perfect!