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8-22-99 Santa Barbara County Bowl
Santa Barbara, CA 8/22/99 Santa Barbara -- Dave Bucholtz, 16:31:12 09/06/99 Mon Not much to say here that hasn't already been said... this blew the doors off'a this town. As mentioned, Law Enforcement personel were out in force, making sure that us vagrants behaved... some would say they were over-bearing while other were saying it was the crowds fault. You be the judge. Inside the venue was amazing, very beautiful venue with magnificant vistas of the town of Santa Barbara. The show itself was a wonder to behold. Things got off to a slow start with Cryptical, but once the Other One kicked in there was no looking back. My friend Jay immediatly turned to me within 30 seconds of Kimocks stringed attack and said quite plainly, "This is no Fucking Ratdog"... right he was. These guys took the Other One riff out to places it hadn't seen since well before Garcias Decline. The Smokestack worked well with Haynes taking the vocals... then we got re-dosed with the second verse of Other One before getting the instrumental reprice of Cryptical. 30 minute opener... not too shabby. Soulshine and Broken Arrow worked well, but it was Little Light that soared. They took this song to places the dead never dreamed of taking it. Fav. Things Jam was a gem, very solid. H>S>F was almost a religious experience, definetly the tour-de-force of this show. This was another version where one would have to look far and wide to find *any* version to top this. Very good stuff. Encores worked well... Phils speach on donation sunk in... All in all, what a great trip this was. Thank you Phil Lesh YEAH WERE FROM JERSEY -- Sugar Schnee, 12:36:24 08/26/99 Thu To all my buddies who made the trek from Kinnelon and points east . .
. Rock on. I had the best time hanging with you guys again. Molly still
has me singing those tunes from Sunday. What a show in magical SB. Looks
like were crashing at your place in November. Start getting some sleep
now because it seems he will be celebrating my 30th in NYC. Later. Santa Barbara Bowl -- Candy, 22:05:58 08/25/99 Wed The music was wonderful...What a great way to spend the 30th year of
being a deadhead!!! It is too bad the fans were so inconsiderate to the
neighborhood... 130 tickets issued....so now Phil won't be asked
back to the bowl!!!!!! Santa Barbara Bowl Rocked -- Roons, 06:10:15 08/25/99 Wed WOW, that was righteous. First time in santa barbara. spent 4 days up on mira vista blvd w/ some friends(thanks folks) and saw one of the best shows ever. Great time had by all. The bowl is my new favorite venue. Sure everyone wants a boot and the like, but if there are any cd's someone
let me know and i can do the same- have trade or.. will buy! warren h
rocked!!!!!!!! Friday Greek Vs Sunday Santa Barbara -- Dustin Naughton, 17:37:44 08/23/99 Mon Well, Let me say that having seen every incarnation of the Phil shows post Jerry, I was apprehensive coming into Friday, considering I felt the Mountain Aire show with Warren was by far the WORST Phil incarnation yet. I felt warren's guitar playing just killed any interplay and the sound if you recall was poor. That being said I was disappointed to see Warren tuning his instrument before the show Friday. Well, it turns out I was bitterly disappointed by the show, but it wasn't all Warren. 1st off the sound was horrible! I was in the front row of the lawn and hadn't heard a lower volume show ever. Everybody in our group agreed. 2nd, the set was uninspired: Tons of steel, unbroken chain, mountains of the moon in the same set? Where were the dance tunes? Finally, maybe it was the sound but I could not hear Steve! I though at first it was just overbearing Warren again, but in retrospect it just seems he wasn't on. So on we went skipping Saturday's shows to visit Santa Barbara. We had
a great time, such a great time that come Sunday night we entertained
thoughts of selling our tics. Especially after the Greek show. Well are
we glad we didn't! 1st off we got our "Lawn" seats that turned out to
be in front. As you have read below the venue is truly amazing and being
up front the sound was great. Then Phil came out. Shit! Same lineup as
Friday. I was shaking my head when they started to tear up the Other One.
Good start, I was thinking, not bad. At least the sound was good. Then
Smokestack. Here we go I though overbearing Warren again. Well, at that
point the groove, got deeper, and deeper & deeper. Kimock was on and
Warren shocked me by his inspired playing. Kang was brilliant as was the
keyboardist. It really seemed like they were playing as a band instead
of friends. Amazing "Just A Little Light" I never thought i would be happy
with a Mydland tune, especially after the Tons of Steel the other night
but this tune ripped! Warren really nailed it. Other highlights were Favorite
Thing, which I 1st saw during the April run. What a tune, makes me dance.
Finally, this Help>Slip>Franklins was AMAZING! Better than the April run
this Help was much more focused. It stretched out without losing it's
place. great transition into Slipnot and then a tasty Franklins to close
the set. A special night that reaffirmed my faith in the Phil series.
Oh, the encore was good too. Dew was great as usual and appropriate given
the fog, and the Aiko Aiko was fun. 1st I have seen of the Moe guy and
I thought he had a neat sound. All told a special night, oh did I say
that twice.....it was. Re: Friday Greek Vs Sunday Santa Barbara -- padget dean, 13:38:14 08/26/99 Thu
> Well, Let me say that having seen every incarnation of
*********************************************************** -padget Santa Barbara 8/23 -- Dr. (Josh) Livingston, 16:57:23 08/23/99 Mon The Santa Barbara Bowl ROCKED!!! As a venue this place fits somewhere
in the top of the list for intimate and scenic outdoor venues to see good
music, I recommend it to anyone who digs music outdoors. As for the scene
outside if you go to this venue in the future be careful of all the local
cops under cover, bike cops and the classic black and whites. They were
absolutely crawling everywhere before and after the show ticketing people
for anything, urinating in public, open Anyhow lets go inside, The theatre is nestled on this steep hillside and has been terraced with morter and rock, surrounded by eucalyptus and pines along with other spikey green so.california plants, all this with a view out over the town and the palms to the clean...beautiful grounds. It holds ~3,500 people and the lawn seats ironically are some the best, they are in the pit in directly in front of the stage in Shakespeare’s groundlings style and the groundlings were havin a good ole time from what I could tell. Then there was the Music....ah the Music. moe. opened the gig and they were quite alright doing their thing which they do quite well although they haven't quite hooked me yet. So enjoyable as it was I was anxious for the music to come. Gov't Mule... what a great trio! Warren Haynes....wow! This guy can play and sing, a lot of soul. The 3 of them get it goin' but good. Loved Them. Phil was absolutely Phabulous! I haven't seen him since the last Seattle
run the Dead did in Spring 95'. I also haven't seen Phil play w/o Jerry
ever, so that took some getting used to but it didn't take long. Kimock,
Hanes and Kang did quite well in spreading it out and that's what the
whole cryptical smokestack cryptical sandwich arrangement felt like; a
lot of spreading out and feeling each other as to not step on anyone’s
toes (and this is understandable with so many talented lead voices on
stage at once). I think this element adds a little difficulty in achieving
the focus, drive and punch that one melody driven lead musician can provide
when given that Things became much more focused as the set progressed. I don't have the setlist in front of me so I'll name the highlights I can remember. "Just a little light", I was so warmed by Phil to choose to play Brent tunes, Brent was the keyboardist when I began to bond with the Dead and I think he falls in as my favorite key player for them, so I have a place in my heart for him. I know that he and phil also had a definite connection together which makes it all that much warmer. Although at about this time in the show the fog from the bay was beginning to roll in, the temps outside were dropping, the natural light was dimming, and the stage lights were beginning to frame the stage. The rolling fog as the set/night progressed provided this added music box element when looking down to the stage. Magical! The "just a little light with Warren singing worked beautifully, with everyone really stretching out and exploring the jam, a journey in itself. "My Favorite Things"! Things really got interesting here as the band began to coalesce, all the voices/instruments began to clarify and gel. This selection was outstanding. All I can add is get the recording if you can. But, I would have to say the absolute highlight of this evening came in the end of the show. Help on the Way! Slipknot!!!!! Franklin’s Tower!! Complete and enrapturing
joy with this performance. The band totally came together for some absolutely
Brilliant improvisational rock in this Slipknot. Oh, they got tight on
this one and let it rip. Full on journey goin so far out around pluto
we were wonderin if we were going to get back home. Eventually with Phil
at the helm he was able to navigate the ship back into that wonderful
Slipknot wrap that brought us into the celebratory groove of Franklin's
Tower. The Franklin’s held onto the bands tightness of the preceding jam
and all members proceeded to get down for the rockin closer of the set.
Pure And yet more treats, for the encore a wonderful "Morning Dew" with the added element of the evenings thickest fog enveloping the stage as Phil and the band really took their time with this one. Phil stepped up and sang this epic ballad full of heart. Great Job Phil. The "IKO" encore 2 was perfect to send us on our merry way taking with us the bouncy fun that the wonderful world of the Grateful Dead has given us. Thanks, for a real good time Phil! Phil in Santa Barbara -- Mark, 09:26:39 08/23/99 Mon The show last night was magical. For those who have not been to the Santa Barbara Bowl it is an outdoor venue tucked into the hills right above the downtown. It's intimate, sitting less than 3,000 and the natural contours of the canyon provide fine acoustics. The set started off with... Cryptical>Other One: phil's voice was amazing and the jam out of the other one was inspired and energetic, it wound down into a blues progression that effortlessly settled into... Smokestack Lightning: Warren has an amazing voice and this song really highlights it. I was surprised at how Steve Kimock's & Warren's guitar styles meshed so effortlessly.... lightning slowly picked up momentum and began to roll down the hill back into the other one. The jam was amazing, spirited and Kang's fiddle gave it an edge that really tore the place up. Phil was on fire, dropping BIG bombs sending the place into a frenzy, the jam settled appropriately back into Cryptical about 30 minutes after it began. Soulshine was well played, short, a nice breather to take in the scenery. Broken Arrow was beautiful, Phil's vocals sounded great and the jam was very melodic and beautiful with Kyle doing a wonderful job on the piano. Just a little light was funky and Warren did a fine job singing this Brent tune. The jam went WAY out there into the funkiness of a good shakedown jam before settling back into the final verse..., so good! Favorite things was a highlight. Had the vibe of a lazy Eyes. People were skipping around the venue, smiling and the jam was nothing less than stellar. Kimock can make you fly with his guitar lines and Kyle was doing some fine Tyner/Coltrane piano soloing, very Jazzy and very groovy -long and beautiful. Help>Slip>Frank.... my oh my, I was not expecting this. INSANE. Help's On The Way was executed to perfection and I lost my mind in Slipknot. After hearing the version with Trey & Page I never thought it could be topped but this slipknot was so creative, so inspired - sooo long! I actually did not think they could reign this beast back into Franklin's but they did and everyone was glad, What a way to end the set... the solo's were so intense with Kang finishing us off with a freakout fiddle solo. YES! After some words re: organ donation phil treated us to a stunning Morning Dew. Wonderfully sung and played and the dense fog that had come in from the ocean. Amazing atmosphere. This must be heard... DOUBLE ENCORE! Iko Iko was not expected and I would have been completely satisfied with the beautiful Dew encore. This was great, spirited and uplifting after the bittersweet Dew. The boys were really getting down as was the crowd. Perfect way to close up an amazing set of music. Everyone old & young experienced something special last night... I haven't felt that vibe in years. THANK YOU PHIL!! (& of course friends) :) If anyone feels kind enough to pass along the tapes please shoot me an email. Peace... Re: how long was the Set at Santa Barbara? -- candy, 23:11:20 08/22/99 Sun
> roughly? if not exact. Re: how long was the Set at Santa Barbara? -- stephen, 00:12:28 08/23/99 Mon
> > roughly? if not exact. Sounds like the kick down show to me... How about a review for all who missed it... Re: how long was the Set at Santa Barbara? -- Greg Collins, 09:00:02 08/23/99 Mon 2 hours and 25 minutes to be exact. The show started at 7:35 and finished right at 10:00. Re: how long was the Set at Santa Barbara? -- Rich, 18:45:42 08/23/99 Mon Started at 7:35, ended just before 10. |