Rolling away the end of summer with Phil and Friends with opening tunes from “Midnight North.”
A lively act, featuring Grahame Lesh, Phil’s wavy-haired progeny.
The “ Friends ” band was hot and unlikely. A 9-piece band showcasing harp, saxophone, and fiddle joined forces with drums, ripping guitar, and of course, the steady leading trot of Phil on bass. The grove was teeming with hippies of all ages. 8,500 fans attended a smokey sea of bopping heads, a groovy merry carnival. Folks stacked atop the dusty winding expressway to the canopy of nasturtium and eucalyptus. Twenty-somethings flopped on REI blankets and melted into the melodia. Grey hairs boogied down, anticipating Dead classics, and Phil delivered. The harp lent a baroque property to hits like “ St. Stephen” and “ Terrapin”.
Something totally different than the more corporatized makeup that Bob Weir and Mayer “the Slayer” parade down the road. A personal and differentiated Grateful Dead experience, which was refreshing. The set was a solid 2 hours of favorites. Couched inside the set was an incredible version of “Somewhere over the Rainbow” Jazzy midcentury tranquility, with hints of “I Can’t Help Falling in Love (with you)” and “Unchained Melody” resonated as I listened on. Deepening, the tune lumbered on sleepily, and Bobby’s regular Dead hit “Looks like Rain“ was teased at the end. A gorgeous “Mountains of the Moon“ became the set’s focal point. Phil’s strong and natural vocal lent to early Dead sounds. Phil grins a tight toothy smile the entire set. Stern Grove cheered for more nevertheless, but the band simplified the closing of the grove and left the motley horde with an appetite.
See ya next Summer, Stern. The free concert series is a generous gift of sharing energy with strangers for a real good time.
