Grateful Dead Music Forum

Is it just me, or does anybody else think that David Gans should stick to being a DJ and Author. To me he just sounds like your run of the mill open mic player, or worse, and definately has no business sharing stages with the likes of Keller Williams, etc. Sorry, but no free passes to the stage should be given just because of your other associations. Bottom line, don't waste your money on his CDs or live performances.

Never heard any of his stuff, have been tempted to get some to hear what he's like but never have.

P.S - Does he still look like The Dude from The Big Lebowski!?

My only experience with him as a musician came 2 weeks ago, he was a surprise guest in The American Beauty Project at the UMass Amherst Dead Symposium. Larry Campbell was the clearly the star of the event (hell, he was the only one who was on stage for every song), but I loved the announcement of Gans' inclusion. There were so many guitarists on stage at one time on some tunes (Ripple, Casey Jones, Truckin') and I didn't think he was particularly better or worse than most of the other guitarists. And his presence and vocals made it a much more mystical event. I've never paid to see him specifically, so I can't comment on that, but as a guest musician at an event like that, I welcome him with open arms.

I have to agree. I saw him once in Chapel Hill a couple of years ago. Totally one of the worst amateur affairs I've ever seen. There were like 10 of us in the place and I had brought 6 people with me. We had to sneak out in pairs so it wouldn't look like we were all jumping ship at the same time. It was so bad, we almost went across the street to the Cat's Cradle to see a Michael Jackson cover band just to cleanse our ears. :) I think heavy drinking and Golden Tee at the local bar were the best we could do.

I've taken people to a lot of good live music over the years, but I still have people who remind me of that disastrous affair. I shall not live that one down.

OK so I thought Id at least try to be the voice of reason here so I took the time to listen to some of his stuff, his most highly rated show on the archive

http://www.archive.org/details/gans2004-08-20

and it was a painful experience. I cant put it to words but I found myself wanting to rip my ears off after only two songs. The repetition is unbearable. The riffs and progressions just stay the same . . . and as for the lyrics/singing . . . I wont even say.

the riffs stay the same because he loops the rhythm and takes a lead break himself....i think hes really cool he plays cool songs and plays the pretty well...he does a lot of charity stuff and ill gladly pass up any keller williams show to sit with like 10 people and see an intimate performance by some one who loces GD music..which is exactly what i did at gotv when he played a set in the non profit zone...

i saw him perform acoustic sets all week long all night long with anyone and evryone at gratefulfest and it was all great

Man, you people are harsh. Come on, he's not that bad. I've seen him and think he's a competent player and singer, nothing more. I wouldn't pay to see him though. I have a cd of his but never listened to it more than once.

Yes, he get's to play wit DSO and these other groups because a lot of times he promotes them on his show.

Oh man you people are being mean.

I'm listening to the archive show linked above.

Lazy River road is very pretty and cleanly played.

His rhythm playing is very good and single guitar solo is nice and not very easy to do.

see if they have his set from grateful fest....

stella blue and ship of fools were very well done

if u see him live youll love it too...u just feel his love for the music...and hes very personable

geez what a buncha creeps to pick on someone in a dead forum!

that being said, his act has improved a ton over the years and is more and more professional each time I catch it, most recently gratefulfest and gathering of the vibes.

glad you didn't like it .. too bad so sad you were offended...

for those who have noticed his improvement, check out his versions of Senor, of late, he really revives a great song..
he's not Jerry, of course, but it's like you guys who blast DSO ...
in all probability YOU couldn't do it yourself.. the act, the tour, the finances, etc. and you gotta pick on folks who NOT only DO it, but do it for the enjoyment of others..
NOW: GO TO YOUR ROOMs and don't come out till you have shredded your tye dies and broken your b*ng! Bad unpeaceful hippy! BAD!

when they pay money they earn the right to complain

that being said i dont mind this archive at all. dunno what you mean about the vocals being bad, he's got a pretty damn good folk voice and plays guitar well

everyones got their opinion, maybe if i listened to the whole thing it'd be worse, but right now i'm not too offput by gans

He sounds just as good as a lot of people on this board. Who cares if he gets to play with all the big boys. If it wasn't for Gans playing all the radio shows, some of you on this board wouldn't even have had access to the Dead before the net made it so easy. Am i the only one that remembers how frustrating it was when all of your friends had the same 20 bootlegs that you did, so you had to catch like the 1 or 2 weekly/ bi weekly radio shows to tape ( on a cassette) then the nect day you and all your friends had the same 21 boots!!!! Just rantin'. Give the guy a break. Think he would begrudge anyone here the same thing???

wow, I love gans , lately ive been having a great time just streaming his shows from archive.

I have to say I was diggin that archive recommendation. He seems kind of John Denverish, but I thought it was pretty cool.

Gil

He recently played up here with TigerStrats band.
He opened with his loop jam of several GD theme licks overlaying one another, building to an intertwining Dead themed jam.
I thought it was cool and have messed around with the idea myself, having seen him do it. It's fun!
His other tunes were kind of John Prine-ee.