The Dead @ Rothbury

[Stevo123]

My first dead show ever and what a great one!! They played on the fourth of july and launched fireworks during U.S. Blues at the end of the second set. I felt like they were all playing with a ton of energy and vigor, and were really gelling well together. They must have been really excited to play to such a huge crowd. Although this was my first dead show, I have listened to tons of old recordings and I have to say I think this incarnation really has reached new heights. They definitely have learned a lot of new tricks over the years! I was completely impressed with Warren, too, as he's really nailed down a nasty tone and was making riffs just explode out of his guitar like I'd never heard! If anyone knows where to find a recording I'd love to find it. Did anyone else make it to Rothbury (btw THE best festival around)? What did you think?

[BuddhaG]

I was at Rothbury!!! The Dead set was off the wall good and everyone in the crowd was loving it so much - you could feel the happy trippy vibes all around!

I really enjoyed the whole show:

Set One:
Sugar Magnolia
Eyes Of The World>
Estimated Prophet
Loose Lucy
Friend Of The Devil
Into The Mystic
Help On The Way>
Slipknot!>
Franklin's Tower

Set Two:
One More Saturday Night
Shakedown Street>
China Cat Sunflower>
I Know You Rider>
Drums / Space>
Viola Lee Blues
Morning Dew
Throwing Stones
Sunshine Daydream

Encore:
US Blues
Not Fade Away

Not a weak moment in the whole show and no bad miscues or anything!!! Sugar Mags and Eyes were a really nice start and things started getting Heavy with Estimated. Loose Lucy had everyone singing along. Friend of the Devil almost had me in tears. Into the Mystic was well, magical. H>S>F was IMMENSE. The intensity of the jam from Help to Slip was just above and beyond anything I'd ever experienced in a live music setting before. When Franklin's got started the whole place just exploded!!!

OMSN was electric and Shakedown had Warren completely in his element and everyone boogieing HARD. Then without a full stop they launched full steam ahead into a funky CC which kept everyone dancing... a little confusion during the transition... I thought I heard a Foolish Heart riff... but then Rider brought the energy right back up. Deep space sounds from Mickey had me trippin hard and the Viola Lee out of Drums was a big surprise and nicely played and sung, beautifully segueing into Morning Dew which was so gentle and profound. The vibe was carried on by a really tight reading of Throwing Stones... which seemed really appropriate considering the occasion. SSDD was an Oh Yeah kind of happy moment.

As Stevo said, US Blues with the fireworks was just right and Not Fade Away had everyone rockin' out and was sweet with the swell back and forth with the band at end!!! Then Phil or Mickey told us to go and something with the good vibes

I am listening to a great audience tape of the show as I type this. Found here: http://bt.etree.org/details.php?id=526458

[BuddhaG]

Just want to add that the show was my first seeing the core 4 all together and remembering it. The first time was in 04 and I was way too drunk. This time I had the pleasure of spending the evening with our dear friend Lucy, my lovely girlfriend, and 30,000 happy heads. I spent the whole show dancing next to a couple old school heads who were very friendly and with whom we made good friends. For one of them their first show was Englishtown 77!!! We referred them to my girlfriend's sister for all of their fossilized coral needs and hung out with them checking out the geology club's huge crystal collection the next day. Met a taper from back in the day who went with his son (they hooked me up with a full set list which jogged some memories loose!) who seemed happy that the younger generation was into it. Also met an awesome dude from Cali who invited me to come hang out when I go to the Bay Area later this summer. SO AWESOME!!!

[krzykat]

this show started out a little slow i thought, but they hit thier groove during eyes. a great show! never had such a good time. rothbury is definently the best festie out there

[pskept]

this was my first dead show and the most amazing festival i have ever been to. the show was amazing although i have nothing to compare it to other than shows i have listened to. when the music started followed by the explosion of fire works my mind was blown!

[Stevo123]

FYI there's now a really good recording on the archive of this show. Check it out! The sound is fantastic and has great separation. Great show for stealing all of Bobby's newer tricks lol, he's way up in the mix and plays with a fury all night.

[Bikephreak]

Sorry to be a Negative Nelly, but this show was quite disappointing. First of al the tickets were stupid expensive. I got a weekend pass and I think it was $175. Then "all but strip searched" to enter the grounds... But to the point, basically, the HUGE PA sounded like electric MUD! If the sound at a show is poor, there really isn't much to get excited about. The Toyotafest, er, Rothbury music festival, had lame scheduling... Wait for seven hours, then the three people you. or me, want to see are playing at overlapping times on multiple stages. The forest was cool at night. Electric Lady Land meets Sherwood Forest. I had the best camping spot under a tree... nice & quiet for a festival. When the Dead came out I was expecting a really fantastic selection of songs, based on what they had played over the spring tour. Not a bad set list, just a bit of a let down in terms of hearing some choice tunes from their repertoire. I really like Warren's playing, but he was heavy handed on the guitar. He came in chorus blasting from the first note. Not real nuance. Just "ON". One of the things I love about their music is how musical passages insinuate their way into & out of existence... Didn't happen. Some little chic sprayed her "liquid love" on my arm. I got most of it off, but I don't appreciate someone removing my volition, and consequentially my liberty. Did I say the sound sucked?