Got a chance to talk to Bobby the other night

[playingdead]

Backstage at Madison Square Garden, after the show. He's very gracious and soft spoken. It's really fun to meet him, he's kind of taken on to me what was Garcia's sort of guru persona with the Dead. There's no rock star vibe around him, he's pretty humble, he gives you a deep nod, almost like a little bow, when he says hello and shakes your hand, and listens intently to what you are saying.

They did Fire on the Mountain that night in the second set, and Weir's guitar was extremely bright yet curiously thick, too ... really cut through playing those single-note FOTM riffs, almost like a keyboard would sound. He played his ES for the first set, but switched to a Strat for the second set.

Didn't talk a lot of gear with him, but my buddy Steve told him his guitar was so bright on Fire on the Mountain that it made his teeth hurt; Bobby just grinned and allowed that it doesn't sound too bright to him because his ears are pretty much shot for the high frequencies (perhaps another reason why he listens attentively). He also said on that tune, he used an octave divider with a note an octave up and another an octave down, plus an envelope filter. Very distinctive sound.

[Tennessee Jedi]

Hey Vic
Wouldn't it be cool to see you jam with Bob ?
I wonder if he has seen any of your bands vids ?
Your Bob guy is so good too .... wonder what he thinks of of other Bob's ?
great pic

[strumminsix]

Awesome! Congrats!!

[FretfulDave]

An opportunity of a lifetime! Just fantastic and sounds like it was a wonderful chat with Bob. I am jealous, like everyone else.

Great memories to have!

Dave

[jester536]

Congrats Vic...just livin' the dream!

[PaulJay]

It''s great that you got to hang with Bob.The photo is cool too. Did you happen to mention this Discussion board to him? Do you think he is aware of the extreme interest that people have in the gear the Grateful Dead used? You have my vote for President of Rukind, if you choose to run. ,Paul

[mkaufman]

Very cool!

Was Phil in the room too?

mk

[playingdead]

No, Phil wasn't there ... Jeff Chimenti, John Kadlecik, and Sunshine Becker (backup singer) were mingling with people in the VIP bar after the show, and we saw Joe Russo at the setbreak in there. Oddly, the VIP bar wasn't serving afterwards. But Bobby was back in the dressing room lounge. There were chicken wings in there, at least ... LOL ... maybe a dozen people in the room.

I was a bit starstruck, at first. I had the same thing happen when I interviewed Mickey Hart about his Library of Congress and world music series back in 95 ... but then you realize they are just regular people.

We stayed with Bob until just before 1 am, when he was off to the bus -- no more chartered planes the way the Dead used to travel, he remarked -- for the next day's show in Syracuse (and then Atlantic City the next day -- not the best scheduling). He carries a Gibson hollowbody guitar in a padded case that he wears on his back like a knapsack, he strapped it on and off he went up the tunnel. I remembered that from when we were with him at Radio City, but he didn't pull it out and play it this time. He had just been onstage for four hours, after all.

[jester536]

Sounds like you've rubbed elbows with band members quite a few times. Would be very cool...I myself have never been close...star struck would not describe me if I ever had the chance. I'm sure I would be a bumbling idiot. I know they're just regular guys...but guys I've admired my whole life.

[playingdead]

I had two close encounters with J. Garcia that were amusing ... I was *much* younger then. Both happened at Radio City Music Hall in October of 1980, when I was in high school and lucky enough to catch three of those acoustic and electric shows. Believe it or not, we bought orchestra tickets in the first 15 rows for each night from a ticket broker in Connecticut ... for about $25 a seat. Face was $12 or so. Those were the days!

Anyway, the first night of the run -- 10-22-80 -- my friend Mark and I had gone in as soon as the door opened. We were ... um ... in a bit of an enhanced state of mind at the time, and we were kind of wandering around the orchestra section. We saw this hooded opening in front of one of the rows, and we peered over the side down into the lighting pit. To our surprise, there was Garcia and Candace Brightman; she was showing him how the house stage lights and footlights were controlled. We stared down, he looked up ... there was a pause, and he said to Candace, "Looks like the natives are getting restless."

A few nights later -- 10-26-80 -- we were down there kind of early, just hanging around the back side of the place, when up pulls a plain white van, and out steps Garcia, carrying his little sawed-off Fender guitar case that was actually his brief case. He nods to us, steps up to the artist's entrance, and finds it locked. He stands there nonplussed for a few seconds, and someone says, "Hey Jerry, are you going to HUFF and PUFF and blow that door in?" and he replies, "Well, it would be a lot easier if someone had a key ..." and just then the door opens and off he goes.

[DenverEd]

I did 5 of 8 on the RCMH run. Fun, fun shows.

[jester536]

Sorry to be changing the thread...but I'm onto this RCMH thing....Was in high school also...wasn't able to get it together to get a ticket...I remember asking a girl that lived across the street (she went the first night)..."Did they play an acoustic set?" I'll never forget her response...she said..."I THINK so." I was crushed.

[Grateful Dad]

Way cool Playingdead!

Saw the A/C show on Saturday night and Bob's tone from the Gibson was real clean. He did not fiddle around with the knobs on his rack too much. He just played really well and he was nicely mixed in. From where my wife and I were (on the floor, row 22 just to the left and behind the sound board) the entire mix was well done and it was cool to hear Bobby so clearly. A great show and I hope to see them for many years to come.

[vwjodyme]

Ha! Steve Leisman just added a pic to his FB with you, him and bobby together...mayby it will be up on CNBC today

[playingdead]

My man Steve! We went back to his house after the show and played guitar till 3:30 in the morning, woke up, got coffee and doughnuts and played some more. Good times.