Jam – 2011-06-21 – Carroll’s | my Steal Your Space book

June 21 represented the summer solstice and it also meant Deadstein could try to play the 6-21-1989 Shoreline show. This show was broadcast on pay-per-view back in the day, 22 years ago and is a very nice setlist for 1989. There were a few repeats to be played that we played over the past several weeks, but that is the chance you take when you select an historic setlist to play. Minglewood and Row Jimmy were repeats, but we played them as if they were quality repeats with some confidence that comes with muscle and mental memory.

I had a few mental slips with the setlist such as mixing up the Truckin and the Other One. Additionally, we did the Weight to satisfy Scott’s The Band urge he was having from attending this past Saturday’s Ramble concert at Levon Helm’s place, but somehow, I forget to play a lead in this one. I totally messed up the Truckin’ because I thought I had the words memorized, which for the most part I do know, but I messed up the first line (“Arrows of neon …) and never recovered all song.

I was playing well at times but at times I also had real mental distractions that messed me up, I was fighting myself all night long, but I think I won the fight. Then again, I also lost it. While we didn’t do the Ship of Fools in the 1989 key we did decide to d the Brokedown in the 1989 key and it felt really comfortable and easy to play in that key. Maybe we should think about staying in that key?

We haven’t done too many, if any Hell in a Bucket since Alan’s been playing and I’ve been doing Jerry, but this one was fun for me. I let the few remaining strands of hair I have left down and let loose with some distortion. Kevin was embarrassed by it, so don’t listen to it. I’m sure he’s right and it is a total mess and piece of crap, but even a piece of crap can be satisfying as you squeeze it out. I like the drums space, it’s fun and interesting, give people time to get a soda and candy bar during their break and it keeps us playing once again. A good technique.

We finished the Brokedown with about 30 minutes to go, and somehow Scott was going strong through the whole night and prepared to continue strong through the 12:00 finish line, which we did. It was my birthday show for 30 minutes, so I decided to give Scott the aforementioned The Weight. I also decided to pull the Helter Skelter out of my ass, not having played in for months and it was by far our best version to date. We got the structure right on and that carried us through the end of the song. It was fun.

It was a fun, non-lethargic night of music. The predefined setlist once again proved it propels us through a very full night of music and gets many more songs out of us. I like the technique. It has the gravitas to keep us on track and playing as opposed to thinking. Scott Bayer was bongo-less, the way we like him, and our only guest. He did transmit our version of The Boxer which was also fun at the end of the night. All this bonus material after an entire Dead setlist.

One last interesting thing about the night was the fact that we decided to do the 6-21-1989 setlist last week. In the interim, Clarence Clemmons of Bruce Springsteen’s E-Street Band died and 6-21-1989 was one of the Grateful Dead shows he actually played with the Grateful Dead. He jammed with them for most of the second set 22 years ago and he happened to show up dead this week. I’m just saying? By the way, Springsteen is just another Deadstein cover band.

To hear the music from the night go to the MP3s links listed below:

http://www.deadstein.com/audio/06-21-11/

7 Comments (+add yours?)

Alan W.
Jun 23, 2011 @ 07:50:38

We would be remiss not to mention the long energetic drum solo by Scott in the second set. It was his best and longest in my short tenure with Deadstein. Kudos!

“Hell” is anything but! It rocks hard, and the Gind amazingly does credible Jerry leads while singing the Bobby song. I do need to master my part.
Alan W.
Jun 28, 2011 @ 18:19:40

Some ask why I listen to the recordings after the jam. The answer is simple. Playing in a band is a lot like painting a mural. You focus on your part while taking in the rest with your peripherals. It is only when everyone puts down their brushes that you can all stand back and appreciate what you helped create. Most of the time it is pretty satisfying, and different than what you experienced at the time of creation.
KEVIN
Jun 28, 2011 @ 18:46:38

Who asks that?
Alan W.
Jun 29, 2011 @ 19:19:10

Cynics, skeptics and assorted nay-sayers, though In truth I don’t think I ever heard anyone say “nay”, at least not human.
KEVIN
Jun 30, 2011 @ 07:04:54

You need to start hanging with a more positive crowd.
Alan W.
Jun 30, 2011 @ 18:16:37

And then there are the sooth-sayers. I never heard anyone say sooth either, have you?
Anonymous
Jun 30, 2011 @ 18:43:29

…though in truth, as a youth, short of tooth, though uncouth, I said sooth.
I’m done, time to play.