As Warren Haynes belted out the prophetic opening line to his powerful “Soulshine,” "When you can't find the light, that got you through the cloudy days," the crowd at the boxy Oakdale Theater was immediately enthralled. Perhaps a defining moment of the night, as a contemporary, non-Dead song like "Soulshine," received the grandest reception in the opening set.
Since former
Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh decided in early 1998 to play live music again with a revolving stage full of "friends," the lineups have often resembled an all-star musical cast. From members of Little Feat and Jefferson Airplane to Phish and Zero, the band has been an influx of psychedelic sit-ins, further replicating and encouraging the concept of stretching Grateful Dead
nuggets outward and upward. Five and a half years later, with Lesh heavily active in the reuniting of the now cautiously titled,
The Dead one might expect he would have little or no interest in this fledgling side project, let alone the time to dedicate to it’s progression. Yet his most recent lineup, including Rob Barraco, John Molo, Jimmy Herring and Warren Haynes, has proven worthy enough to apparently keep the train rolling a little longer.
A relatively new theater with the stale charisma of a Kmart off a turnpike in central Connecticut proved the tour's only one night-stand anti-climatic in relation to the history of songs showcased. Emotional ballads and deep instrumented sentiments meant to be played in an equally classic setting were thrown aside in favor of convenience on a midway stop between the gritty majesties of the Beacon, Tower, and Orpheum.
Capitalizing on the locomotive of power Lesh assembled, a strenuous jam that led into the Miles Davis/John Coltrane composition "Milestones," was an early highlight. Featuring daring guitar solos by both Herring and Haynes, complete with playful grins of “can you top this," got the energy within the lackluster building well within their grasp. But aside from this pace-setting piece, the quintet lacked their signature cylinders typically ignited from first light. The force of momentum and long list of segues they tackled in the opening set never challenged and absorbed the room into the feverous wave. Rather the mix tape of "Friend of the Devil," with a shining Barraco piano solo, and a "Liberty" played with more gusto than the Grateful Dead era encore ever proved possible, it was the aforementioned "Soulshine" and “Milestones” that easily stole the first set.
The festivities of the second set proved to be far more connected and adventurous. A roundabout "King Solomon's Marbles" allowed the Blues for Allah instrumental classic to bounce around to each member ended without a segue, allowing the crowd to catch their breathe and graciously respond. With a few vintage cover songs thrown in ("Watchtower" and "Good Lovin'") offering pleasant nostalgia, the band suddenly threw it into high gear with the familiar opening notes of "St. Stephen." Brought out in all it’s glory, the timeless epic lead into another old time classic, "Morning Dew," belted by Haynes, that was riveting and endearing. Clearly one of the most beloved Garcia tunes, Haynes handled the passionate vocals with the utmost delicate care.
"Unbroken Chain" followed and Lesh's vocals seemed drowned in the mix, but the band hit all the crucial points in the fugue' styled instrumental sections. And as they ended the show with a soulful "Lovelight," it appeared the band was pulling out the classics, while attempting to match it with forced vigor. There are nights when Phil and his band absolutely bring the house down and pump such new life and vigor into their classic songs, that elder Dead fans are naturally wired with a wave of energy that can make one feel 20 years younger. After this particular show, we all just felt a little bit younger, which I guess we'll take any way we can.
