It was 1967 at Radio City Music Hall last night as Furthur paid tribute to the recently deceased Augustus Owlsey Stanley. No song written after the 1960s was played until the full Terrapin Suite busted out in the second half of the second set.
Ok, not quite accurate. During Dark Star Part One the backdrop had a Steal Your Face with the words Augustus Owlsey Stanely printed across the top. Huge cheers. Coming out of the Dark Star jam, Furthur broke into Pink Floyd's Eclipse led by the backup singers. Hugely powerful. While Eclipse was being played a shot of Owsley and Jerry went up on the backdrop screen. Again, immense cheers. Next came Mountains of the Moon during which another Steal Your Face appeared on screen with words from Brokedown...fare thee well, fare thee well, I love you more than words can tell.
Two other special Owlsey tributes: Alice D. Millionaire,played just once since the mid 1960s (Phil and Friends) and good old fashioned Space. I've seen Furthur a half dozen times in the past twelve months and followed the set lists and they don't do Space.
And did I mention during Mountains of the Moon and the Dark Star reprise the band played in front of a giant photo of the Wall of Sound, an invention of Owsley himself.
The whole evening was a lovely tribute, coming two weeks after Owsley's death.
The set list is below but I'd like to say again that you have to see this band. It is by far the best post-Jerry Dead. The atmosphere and playing are as good as the Dead can be without Jerry. And hopefully, you will be fortunate enough to catch the band perform the full Terrapin Suite. It is astonishing in its power and is the signature of Furthur.
Can't wait for tonight. Probably back to the 1970s :-).
Furthur
Radio City Music Hall
New York, NY
3/26/2011
Golden Road
Viola Lee Blues
Alligator
Minglewood Blues
Sittin' On Top of the World
Alice D. Millionaire
Cream Puff War
Turn On Your Lovelight
Playing in the Band
Born Cross Eyed
Dark Star
Eclipse
Mountains of the Moon
Space
Dark Star
Terrapin Suite
Stella Blue
Help on the Way>Slipknot>Franklin's Tower
E: One More Saturday Night
If you are going tonight, please let me know.