...

[Rusty the Scoob]

Stevo, if your bass player ever has questions and needs unnecessarily long and drawn-out answers, let me know!

RR - no apologies necessary at all! If I were in your shoes I'd be either numb from the shoulders-up or completely non-functioning. Your points are all valid and were expressed in a completely respectful way.

Definitely a perfect-storm weekend. I hope all our bands do well, even DSO... I have nothing against them except that Kevin never gets suddenly but non-seriously ill and John K never comes on RUkind looking for an emergency replacement.

[DenverEd]

We are putting together a deadish cover band here in Colorado. Talk about saturation - ya can't walk 10 feet without tripping over one.

[Laytonco]

DenverEd,
You got that right: Shakedown Street, One Kind Favor, Rocky Mountain Grateful Dead Revue, Dead Set, Steal Your Face and The Pranksters (my band); all in a state with maybe 4.5 million. At least we have a really good relationship with Shakedown and make sure we put both sets of shows on one calendar. Friendship and civility works well!

Peace,

Gil

[DenverEd]

I'm thinking hostile takeover.

[Emoto]

I'm thinking hostile takeover.

[myoung6923]

I hear you - as rusty said - on this occasion it was an oversight. We SHOULD check the other bands' schedules before booking - and in fact, because of this I already have for the last couple of bookings.

But generally it works out. Usually we are all playing in different areas and drawing crowds from those areas. So far we haven't had a night where there wasn't a crowd because of some other event.

But - your point is absolutely valid and better booking practices are absolutely in order. That doesn't mean that it will be foolproof though. Some things - like what Vic mentioned about not being able to post dates early - can make it still happen. You can only do the best you can.

Point taken though - and I agree with you.

Sorry about your cat man... I know how it goes

[China Cat]

thats awesome that boston has such a big scene though, ill be up there for college in just a few months and i cant wait to start getting involved in their music scene

[myoung6923]

thats awesome that boston has such a big scene though, ill be up there for college in just a few months and i cant wait to start getting involved in their music scene

What school?

[mikepand]

I'll have to agree with my brother Rat.

I've changed gig dates before so as not too split the scene as i have been on the other side of it. Especially if you booked it and started promoting it first...... it certainly gives you a "WTF? is the purpose of this" moment. It doesn't make sense to shoot yourself and everyone else in the foot. I think mostly it hurts the people who like to go out and see Dead bands more than it hurts the bands. I learned the hard way living and playing on Cape Cod for 20 years how easily you can burn out an area, club or crowd by playing too much in one place or area. We did 6 nights a week for years on Cape in one band in the 90's. burned it out eventually. Although there are still cheese bands down here from that era still playing! Syndicate, Cape Fear ect. I can say I am happy not to be in that thankless loop anymore. Although I miss all the cool old places to play that don't exist anymore.

I am always open and looking for new areas and places to play but you have my word I won't tread on other peoples dates or immediate areas in the same night. IE: I'm not saying I won't try to book a gig in Boston, but I certainly would book it after looking at Playing Dead's schedule, just out of respect of what you guys have done and for how long you have done it. While we can't deny it's a competition of sorts it certainly doesn't need any spite or ill will involved. I am, have been and always will be aware of it.

I think it's good that you got it out in the open tho. Viva La rat!

but alas, I know we all agree we love playing this stuff. For me I get off on it even if the turnout is low. I learned to never get too high or low with that stuff, you'll drive yourself nuts! (although occasionally in Maine, I do get too high, but then someone hands me a nitrous balloon and I'm fine! Wubba"

i hope you all did great this weekend anyway!

DSO on Cape tonight with my drummers and my lovely wife. Should be a hoot.

Mike - Big Rhythm Wine

[mikepand]

And hey PD, I don't own the Cape nor would I ever think I did or expect you not to play here. Don't turn down gigs man, ever. I appreciate the sentiment though. we barely play here as there are not many places big enough to have the whole band. Plus the Cape is filled with old people not young people. The days of college kids crashing the Cape in the summer are long gone. In my other band Care Factor Zero we thwart this whole non-dead mentality by playing setlists that include Second That Emotion, Harder They Come ect ect. Sneaky fuckin hippies that we are..........

[RiverRat]

I learned to never get too high or low with that stuff, you'll drive yourself nuts! (although occasionally in Maine, I do get too high, but then someone hands me a nitrous balloon and I'm fine! Wubba"

For the record, there is no such thing as "too high"... it should read "too high to play really well" aka "SLATHERED and SPACKLED"

Viva La WUBBA!!!

[mikepand]

How did I know you would love and gravitate towards that line?!?!?! I put that in especially for you.

oh no no no. Never ingest until after the show, or at least save it for the last 3 songs. I learned that way back in Lazy Lightning, 18 year old and acid days, you learned that the hard way the time we passed tea around and toasted the audience on the last tune at somerset jam. Only because you had concocted the tea prior and evidently had tested it beforehand! A good chef always tastes his food I guess...........ha.

I do remember THAT was a fun load out! Woooooooooo.

Be back in Maine in 6 days but who's countin'!

[RiverRat]

Only because you had concocted the tea prior and evidently had tested it beforehand! A good chef always tastes his food I guess...........ha.

I do remember THAT was a fun load out! Woooooooooo.

I wasn't the Lord of the Loo that night...But I was the keeper of the SPEAR AND MAGIC HELMET!

The saving grace was that was the 1st fest in Harmony and it was POURING that night, so there was nowhere near the usual crowd... There won't be a repeat of THAT any time soon!

Besides, I don't get naked on stage and rub my junk all over everyone... Or bring crazy people back home from gigs... or... I think you get the idea!

[myoung6923]

But For my band, I try to be deferential to the other musicians and not try to book Playing Dead shows in venues they play at or in the towns or geographical areas they already have a draw in. If I see some other band is playing, I won't book a gig the same night, or one town over the same night, which has happened to us as well (I even rescheduled a date or two as a result).

Is that why you guys booked a gig the week before us at Tammany in January? What happened there? Talk about splitting the crowd...

[jester536]

He booked one "the WEEK before"...and that's off limits?...he was talking about not trying to book gigs the same night. You can't say a band shouldn't be booking nearby you...a week before or after you're playing somewhere.