Monday, August 18, 1997

First Set Cold Rain and Snow Minglewood Blues Row Jimmy Paint My Masterpiece Beat It on Down the Line West LA Fadeaway It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes a Train To Cry Stagger Lee Throwing Stones Liberty Second Set Here Comes Sunshine-> Bertha Playing-> Wheel-> Black peter-> Playing In the Band Good Night Irene

Visitor Last Revised: 07 Feb 2006 11:55 Next Jam: Tuesday, August 26, 1997. No Larry M.

• It was a Monday and while that means nothing good for the long week to come, it made the jam so much better. There was so little traffic on the way in I was able to get to WWI by 6:15 and I parked right in front waiting for the free parking at 7:00 to come. It gave me enough quite time to read over for the last time my addendum to bid which went in the mail the next morning. It was delightful how I was able to get that added sense on confidence that I went over it one last time. I would have had to do that when I got home if I wasn’t able to do it at WWI. It reminded me of doing studying while waiting on the taping line in a sad, grown up kind of way.
• Just as I was finishing up the id document up rolls the Brentster. I told him I would watch his car until 7:00 and asked him to run across the street to Bens so I could have an order of fries to hold me over till the half time feast. He ran in to tell everyone that he was there, as if they cared, and informed me he had half of Johnny’s corned beef sandwich. I thought to myself that I was going to eat and before I knew it, I was ordering for everyone and this set the tone for the night.
• It was the first routine Deadstein night in a long time and it felt good. The only normal guest was Spillboy but Michael Brand did show up for the second set an experienced his first type of Dead experience since Jerry’s passing. God knows what was going through his head but it was great to see him there. It hard to believe that he is going to have a freakin’ baby soon.
• It was the second week with the PA and it showed a great level of maturation. It was tweaked moved and brought back to stereo and it was sounding pretty good. I few squeals to contend with but nothing to be bothered by.
• There was some friction regarding the volume of the PA when Johnny was begging for more of it. Kevin was making the point that Larry, being the lead, needs more gain than the rest. I disagree with that from the perspective that he may need to be louder at times, which should be regulated by the other singer’s touch, if they have any, and not by mic levels. The lowering of the mics makes the more vocally challenged of us have to fight an up hill battle. Not only do we have to fight our own inabilities, but we also have to do it by screaming into the mic instead of singing. I don’t think it helps anyone out. Even Larry.
• We eventually tweaked the arrangement in the room to be a flat plain of speakers directly in front of the drums. The vortex has definitely dissipated into a calm breeze. It’s cool and refreshing.

• Bens Deli on the other hand is far from cool and refreshing. The only good thing about that place is its proximity to WWI. We ate there early and it was adequate but in no way good. We stuck with hot dogs, which were not good. Spill boy got kasha, which was not good. Johnny got corned beef (I think) which he said was not good. Menaker almost made the mistake of getting a no good sandwich but I warned him so he got no good hot dogs.
• It wasn’t all bad. The French fries were good and so was the soda as well as provision of utensils, cups, kraut, mustard and bag of ice. As long as they don’t make it, Bens can be good.
• As bad as Bens was, the concept worked. It got us to play a lot of music. We only took a small break and played many hours. Maybe we can pull of the same concept next week, but with Kid "Dine-O-Mat."

• We did a sound check type of thing during the Cold Rain and it really helped. Not that it was a great improvement but it set the tone of an improving sound for the evening. We decided to turn down a bit to let the PA get comfortable and it made us all a bit uncomfortable but we managed.
• The Minglewood was really hot. The transitions in the 3-part jam we hot and we settled down nicely during the vocals and got into a powerful yet contained groove.
• The Row Jimmy was nice and right on. Singing sounded good, the ending double time worked, we didn’t tease it at all earlier which was good and we didn’t miss a beat. Well, maybe we missed something at the beginning of the first lead but who is counting?
• We had the improvised ending of the Masterpiece that Spillboy seemed to enjoy
• Beat It On Down The Line had to be restarted for some reason and was probably one of the low points of the night.
• West L.A. was unnaturally fast and jerky.

• There was just a slight sense of warmth.

Name: Jonathan Long
Date: 8/19/97
Time: 10:01:11 AM

Comments

I liked the second set a lot. The band is really starting to sound more comfortable with the room and each other. We need to be more neat with food and drink and such. It was nice to have Michael B. at the jam although I'm not so sure he was enthralled with the music. I liken the lowered gate to the "limbo" dance because each week it seems to get lower. Ha Ha Haaaa (in a deep Jamaican-type voice). I got the Monkees coming up on Thursday. I'm hoping for a ripping "Last Train to Clarksville" and other such tunes. Bye-bye

Name: Larry B
Date: 8/19/97
Time: 8:29:31 PM

Comments

Finally some sense of order arrives at WWI Actually it's most impressive that we got it together so quickly; Kudos to Kevy on the PA and to Larry G for all the hammering on and pulling off ala Bobby. Total tightness beginning to emerge from those two drummers tucked back in their little pocket. If it weren't for the post-Ben's agida it would have been a perfect evening Now let's do something about the lighting and flooring

Name: Scott
Date: 8/19/97
Time: 8:52:13 PM

Comments

Things are really starting to roll. I'm glad everyone is into the new space. Last week was great,especially when Kevy was surprised by the appearence of Steele. I enjoyed spending time with Paul and his possy. On to this week.... WoW we had the quiet thing happening and P.A thing happening... It just keeps getting better. I'm looking forward to the first "Tuesday" Deadstein jam @WWI...Hey Johnny, sorry for the limbo exercise,that to will get worked on. Thank's for mentioning the food and such.. clean up. That alarm sounding really made the paranoia set in. But that passed as we set into a ripping 2nd set. The transition from Sunshine > Bertha was great.Playin had a nice jam and good reprise. See you all Tuesday......

Name: Larry B
Date: 8/20/97
Time: 12:23:58 PM

Comments

Looking for that kind Kevy post

Name: KEVIN
Date: 8/21/97
Time: 8:06:21 AM

Comments

It's hard to comment lately, I'm having trouble focusing. The New Era is overwhelming. There is a lot going on. I think each week we have come closer to being comfortable, but at the same time there has been a high level of peripheral Skopp distracting us. I am looking forward to the very near future when we can walk into WWI, flick a switch mindlessly and play like we used to. I.M.D. It's not that I don't love our new digs, but the proper development takes more time and concentration than usually allotted for Deadstein. It's frustrating, but I think the Freaky Grail is well within our reach. Patience and kindness will get us there safely and swiftly.