Further Festival, The Other Ones, Polaris Amphitheatre, Columbus, OH, 7/12/1998

Riding on the fumes of Alpine, where my rider Tennessee succesfully didn't end up arrested for sales of large quantities of illegal substances, we made our way 7.5 hours away to Polaris Amphitheater in Columbus, Ohio. It was interesting to be back in Ohio a week later, as close to a hometown show as I could get. But honestly, though I'd only been on tour a week, and saw a few shows, the wear and tear of working the lots all day, dancing for several hours at the show, and honestly, the pure excitement of living my dreams, made me feel as though as if it were 10 years since I'd been in Ohio. 

Saw kids from my high school, and honestly, it was weird, because I was in a real funky place, but a happy funky place. I was in full blown tour rat mode, tbh. 

This was the show where I realized I didn't need to see Rusted Root or Hot Tuna any more on the tour, the setlists were pretty similar every night. This was the show when I realized some of the kids on tour would beg for free beer all day and then hop the fence to avoid paying a ticket. Good or bad, a divide began to arrange itself between the ghetto kids who didn't work and those who did work the tour. 

The show was amazing to me. I loved it. Truckin' to start the show?! At this point, the only Dead show I remembered starting out with Truckin' was Spring 1985, so I was completely stoked, Even more so when Phill started maneuvering the band into the Other One, and played his infamous bass licks to let us know how happy he was to be playing in the band again. After some pretty dismal 1996-1997 Further tours and Ratdog shows, this band was awesome. I loved Bruce's Mystery train, and the momentum continued. 

This was also the show I found myself transfixed by Steve Kimock, starting with his guitar solo on Loser. Tentative to start, he swept the stars from the sky, and the hairs on my body stood at attention. Tech issues led to Blackbird, but then a real powerful moment: Bruce played Black Muddy River, and I was hooked, completely. What a moment. The whole crowd was there maan. 

Honestly, I loved the rest of the show, the Estimated onward, & especially the Drums and China>Rider to end. 

This was a great day, a great show, and the good news: the next show was only 4 hours away in Detroit
 

The Other Ones, Polaris Amphitheatre, Columbus, OH, 7/12/1998

Truckin > The Other One > Mystery Train, Loose Lucy, Loser, Blackbird, Black Muddy River, Friend of the Devil, White-Wheeled Limousine, Estimated Prophet > Only the Strange Remain* > Samson and Delilah* > Drumz/Space > The Other One, China Doll > China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider

*- with Jorma Kaukonen ; Bruce solo before "Blackbird"