Lesh helps give festival mix of old and new
By Bruce R. Miller, Journal staff writer
If you thought Phil Lesh's old friends were good, you should have heard Jackie Greene.
Fronting Phil Lesh and Friends for Saturday in the Park, Greene was the festival's biggest find -- a marvelous musician who could play just about any instrument, sing like a dream and still keep the Grateful Dead legacy alive.
Lesh? He looked like the proud mentor, letting Greene rock out on just about everything. Lesh dished up plenty of his bass riffs and sang a few back-up choruses. But his real talent lies in spotting others' and spotlighting them to the max.
Unlike Mike Love, he's not interested in duplicating the old sound. He's keen on seeing it morph in different directions.
That's what Park faithfuls got this year -- a fascinating mix of old and new.
The BoDeans, who opened for Lesh, offered up plenty of the sounds we've come to associate with the 18-year celebration. Songs like "Closer to Free" recalled an earlier time and gave the audience a touchstone of sorts.
While "The First Time," a cut from the new album, "Still," sounded old school, it wasn't quite the "Texas Ride Song," a rousing piece that got the crowd jumping. "Good Work" followed nicely, prompting Kurt Neumann to admit, "We're about as old as you get." He and fellow BoDean Sam Llanas traded lead throughout and in "Everyday" even threw in a tip of the hat to "Light My Fire."
Neumann got a little edgy talking about a woman who used to dance naked in her window, but the song it inspired, "Fadeaway," left an impression. The two still sound great and worked well on the bill -- particularly since the day was filled with "all kinds of energy," as Llanas put it.
Eclectic was more like it. The lineup ran the gamut.
And Phil Lesh and Friends just added to the discovery process.
Deadheads expecting a bunch of covers were probably shocked to hear so much of Greene's work. But, like Ryan Adams, another protege, he was worth the listen.
Lesh referenced his "monkey" analogy (to refer to the torch passing) and did some pretty neat work on a bass that was lined with blue lights. He beamed, too, whenever Greene opened up.
The young singer had a John Mayer quality without the breathiness. He did great work with "Deal" and partnered well on "Ball and Chain."
The headliners' set featured more lights than we've seen in the past and some setting tricks that made it seem like this was an Orpheum show, not a Grandview Park offering.
Surprising? That's what keeps Saturday in the Park fresh. Just when you think you know what it is, it changes.
Sort of like Phil Lesh.
If you thought Phil Lesh's old friends were good, you should have heard Jackie Greene.
Fronting Phil Lesh and Friends for Saturday in the Park, Greene was the festival's biggest find -- a marvelous musician who could play just about any instrument, sing like a dream and still keep the Grateful Dead legacy alive.
Lesh? He looked like the proud mentor, letting Greene rock out on just about everything. Lesh dished up plenty of his bass riffs and sang a few back-up choruses. But his real talent lies in spotting others' and spotlighting them to the max.
Unlike Mike Love, he's not interested in duplicating the old sound. He's keen on seeing it morph in different directions.
That's what Park faithfuls got this year -- a fascinating mix of old and new.
The BoDeans, who opened for Lesh, offered up plenty of the sounds we've come to associate with the 18-year celebration. Songs like "Closer to Free" recalled an earlier time and gave the audience a touchstone of sorts.
While "The First Time," a cut from the new album, "Still," sounded old school, it wasn't quite the "Texas Ride Song," a rousing piece that got the crowd jumping. "Good Work" followed nicely, prompting Kurt Neumann to admit, "We're about as old as you get." He and fellow BoDean Sam Llanas traded lead throughout and in "Everyday" even threw in a tip of the hat to "Light My Fire."
Neumann got a little edgy talking about a woman who used to dance naked in her window, but the song it inspired, "Fadeaway," left an impression. The two still sound great and worked well on the bill -- particularly since the day was filled with "all kinds of energy," as Llanas put it.
Eclectic was more like it. The lineup ran the gamut.
And Phil Lesh and Friends just added to the discovery process.
Deadheads expecting a bunch of covers were probably shocked to hear so much of Greene's work. But, like Ryan Adams, another protege, he was worth the listen.
Lesh referenced his "monkey" analogy (to refer to the torch passing) and did some pretty neat work on a bass that was lined with blue lights. He beamed, too, whenever Greene opened up.
The young singer had a John Mayer quality without the breathiness. He did great work with "Deal" and partnered well on "Ball and Chain."
The headliners' set featured more lights than we've seen in the past and some setting tricks that made it seem like this was an Orpheum show, not a Grandview Park offering.
Surprising? That's what keeps Saturday in the Park fresh. Just when you think you know what it is, it changes.
Sort of like Phil Lesh.
posted by Dave at 10:20 PM
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