The importance of the event appeared to be on all of our minds.
There we have been at Stanford College’s pretty Frost Amphitheater — proper within the midst of the place all of it it started for the Palo Alto-born Grateful Useless almost 60 years in the past — and we have been watching 82-year-old Rock and Roll Corridor of Famer Phil Lesh carry out Useless tunes as soon as once more onstage.
It felt good. It felt proper. It felt like going house.
And, actually, it’s at all times felt that approach at Frost — a venue that the Useless performed 14 occasions throughout its profession.
Simply ask Lesh, who took to social media to share his enthusiasm in regards to the return to Stanford.
“Going again to the place all of it started, a dream we dreamed one afternoon, way back,” he posted earlier on Fb. “I couldn’t be extra excited to take this journey right down to Palo Alto with my expensive pals Grahame Lesh, Scott Metzger, Joe Russo, John Scofield and Benmont Tench.”
Sure, that’s the superb lineup for this present Phil Lesh and Buddies tour, which kicked off with the Frost present on Saturday (June 4). It appears good on paper — particularly with the sudden additions of jazz guitar legend Scofield and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers nice Tench to the fold — and it translated even higher in live performance.
Nevertheless, the group did get off to a little bit of a sluggish begin in its 80-minute first set, providing up a “Truckin'” that by no means actually received out of second gear after which stalling a bit within the jammed-out transition to “Enjoying within the Band.” But, the enjoyment was so tangible within the viewers that no one appeared to thoughts. Followers have been too busy shouting together with iconic “Truckin'” line — “What a protracted unusual journey it’s been” — and feeling the added poignancy from being again the place stated “lengthy unusual journey” first started.
The considerably sluggish begin was to be anticipated, provided that this was Evening 1 of the tour, and the group would proceed to seek out its footing because it rolled by “St. Stephen,” “Uncle John’s Band” and “Sugar Magnolia.”
The band loaded up on the hits so strongly — and in such a non-Useless-like method — within the first set that it was virtually like anyone had simply dropped the needle on 1974’s “Skeletons from the Closet: The Better of Grateful Useless” and let it run. I used to be half anticipating that the group would return from the set break and simply play “Contact of Gray” seven occasions in a row and name it an evening.
Fortunately, that’s not what was in retailer for followers. As an alternative, the group would open the second set with a canopy of the Jerry Garcia solo quantity “Chicken Tune” (from 1972’s terrific debut “Garcia”) after which combine issues up pretty effectively throughout the remainder of the 90-minute second set.
In fact, Scofield drew the lion’s share of the eye when this Buddies lineup was initially introduced. I assume that’s what occurs once you’ve beforehand labored with Miles Davis, Charles Mingus and so many different jazz masters. Tench additionally caught his share of eyes, with individuals questioning what this Heartbreaker would possibly deliver to the equation.
Each of them would shine mightily within the second set.
Tench added some punch to the psychedelic sounds, seasoning these Useless favorites with roadhouse grooves that drew from boogie-woogie, R&B and Southern rock.
Scofield was a bit tentative at occasions, particularly within the first set. But, he’d completely soar throughout the second — particularly throughout his breathtaking solo in “I Know You Rider” (performed with out it’s conventional “China Cat Sunflower” intro). He propelled that track to such heights that it merely towered over the rest the group would play on this night time.
Because the tour progresses, and Scofield will get extra accustomed to the fabric, search for these sorts of awe-inspiring moments to occur extra ceaselessly within the set.
General, the present was dominated by the work of guitarist Metzger and drummer Russo. The previous, specifically, was an absolute beast — wowing the group with one beautiful lead after one other. Plus, these two gamers share such fantastic synergy, which they’ve nurtured over time as they’ve labored collectively within the well-liked Grateful Useless tribute act Joe Russo’s Virtually Useless. It undoubtedly makes one wish to try Russo’s Virtually Useless when it performs at this similar venue on Aug. 13, dwell.stanford.edu.
Lesh and his son Grahame dealt with many of the vocals all through the night time — and did so fairly admirably — though Metzger additionally impressed along with his Bob Weir-like vocals on “Let It Develop.”
The group closed the second set with a terrific run by the traditional “Terrapin Station,” providing it as much as the group for what it really is — “a uncommon and completely different tune.”
Phil Lesh and Buddies return to play the Stern Grove Pageant’s annual Massive Picnic occasion on Aug. 14 in San Francisco. Admission to the live shows is free, however followers should reserve their spots upfront at sterngrove.org.