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New
Year's concert, 2002-2003, at The Arena in Ones,
with Medeski, Martin, and Wood, and Hot Tuna acoustic. The
Arena was supposed to have opened at $15
to park where you gotta, and found the parking lot less than a third full. Parked where I was sure I could find the car
again and headed on out
across the lot about 150 yards to the gathering and the gathered. Strolled
through the masses of celebrants, interspersed with merchants selling
their Dead wares, and flowed into the stream on our way to the concert. Clearly and loudly, the PA declared that no
recording devices were
allowed into the Arena, no alcohol (gotta buy it inside), no backpacks,
and on. Frisked
lightly, not even touched, actually. It
was obvious that I wasn't carrying
any contraband, I imagine. Probably the
look of being a soul on
an adventure made that clear. Or maybe I
just looked innocuous and
insignificant. Either way, perception is
just that, but so much can be
gained or never found because of it. As
Krishnamurti continually tried
to show, you have to get past the image you've created in your mind
and see what's really there. Not that
any of that matters, I wasn't carrying,
anyway. Hot
Tuna was on set. Jorma and Jack Casady
were clearly having a ball
playing for the crowd, in a laid back, welcoming way. They gave a loving
introduction to what was to come. The
music was perfect, contained
and reminiscent, and Jorma still sounds as good as ever. What
a wonder and joy to listen to these old friends play off each other and
make such beautiful, spiritual harmony together. The set ended to great
appreciation of the crowd. After
about a half hour, on came "Medeski, Martin, and Wood". Who are
these guys? I didn't know, though I'd looked them up and was impressed
by their credentials and was sure they would be a treat. On stage,
they were three closely spaced musicians on the stage right. At the
left, was one with about 5 keyboards circled around him, varieties of piano,
organ, and synthesiser. On the far right side of the group was the
percussionist, and in between the guitarist.
On far stage left were 4 brass
men. Well, that's the technical
description of the layout, but it doesn't
begin to describe who these people really were.
That was soon revealed
when they started into their first jam.
What a sound! These guys
have so much energy and create the most amazing "jazz" or whatever
you might call it music. Incredible
playoffs with each other, as
they created musical dimensions of
astonishing depth and clarity. These
guys really made a sonic world I've never imagined. It was just something
I've never heard before and cannot label.
Their energy is definitely
worth seeking. The
crowd was enthusiastic, loving, and together.
Though there was far
more beer drinking and tobacco smoking than I'd imagined might be seen
at a Grateful Dead concert, it wasn't too bad.
I gotta say, though, I
can't recall people engaging in those activities at a Dead concert before,
though this observation must be tempered with the the knowledge
that I haven't been to any concert in at least 7 years, maybe more,
let alone a Dead gathering. Hey, no problem here with drinking beer,
but c'mom folks, drinkin' beer while smoking pot is like pissin' in the
wind. What state of consciousness are
you seeking? As far as tobacco
goes, well, I'm amazed that you would even see a need for it in this
environment, but to subject your friends and fellow travelers to this poison? The
Other Ones came on at 10 p.m. sharp.
They started with "Saint Stephen",
and then soon played "Unbroken Chain". I've heard Saint Stephen
before in concert and loved it and loved to hear it again. The band
played the song for at least a half hour, probably more. I'd never heard
"Unbroken Chain" in concert before, or at least not that I remember. It was so beautifully done. I'm no Dead expert, but I think that
Phil sang the original version, is that right?
Anyway, he sang it this
night. It was beautiful and true. About
a half hour into it, when I was floating through the crowd to find a place
to dance, I began to realize that this was the first Dead concert (or
close enuf) where I wasn't high on anything other than everything around
me. I was cool with it, though I found myself breathing deeply whenever
I was in the vicinity of someone lighting up.
The music was so
beautiful and the visuals were good, and the desire to be with everyone
else was overpowering. As you would
expect, friends I'd never
known before offered to help me get high and so I did. The music
and light opened up and enveloped me.
Aside from dealing with the
burden of my self imposed overabundance of clothing, I was getting into
it better than ever. After
a while, I was really high. So high that
I felt I was beyond this life and
looking at all life and saw it all in everyone with me. I was suddenly
surrounded by people who knew me from all our past lives. My
brothers and sisters from all of eternity were there. I saw my twin when
he was about 30 and shook his hand.
People passed by and looked
at me as if they knew me and offered their love. It was so beautiful,
but I was also a little scared. How
could one possibly deal with
20,000 people who know you? No secrets,
just life and death. Ongoing
forever, no relief or peace until you make amends with everyone
you've ever known in this life or another.
I would have liked to
have made those amends, but I was so freaked out about seeing everyone
there that I couldn't evoke the "I" to approach them. I was in a
state of wonderment, though I can only say this now in retrospect. Ah, well, I do ramble on. Happy New Year! Good luck! |
