WEIR EVERYWHERE DEPT:
Bob Weir surprise sit in
w John Kadlecik Band
at Terrapin Crossroads,
Wed December 13 2017
Psychedelic guitar wiz John Kadlecik (of Dark Star Orchestra > Furthur fame) is playing a two night run (December 13 &14, 2017) in the Grate Room at Terrapin Crossroads, in San Rafael, with the John Kadlecik Band.
A late Wednesday afternoon Facebook post from drummer Jay Lane was the only advance notice, but lots of people spread the word: JK’s Furthur band-mate, Bob Weir (of the Grateful Dead) was going to play in the band! Kadlecik’s band also included Bob Weir’s RatDog rhythm section of Jay Lane on drums and Robin Sylvester on bass, and Todd Stoops on keyboards.
Photo by Kris QJ
(Ironically, I was somewhere else, having not seen Jay’s FB post, I went to see my friends play in Fairfax… and then I got a text that Bob was at TxR, and there were still tickets available! I jumped in the Deadheadland mobile and got to the show ASAP! )
JK, who is not shy about his politics, opened with a cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Alabama Getaway” – no doubt a tribute to the previous night’s election results in Alabama; JK also told us Bob would come out a little later in the set. He did a few more songs, including the Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter tune, “They Love Each Other“, and then Bob Weir joined up for 6 songs to finish set 1.
Opening with one of his signature pieces , the Robert Johnson classic “Walkin’ Blues” and then a hard rocking “Bertha” (Garcia/Hunter). Then they slowed it down for a beautiful take on “The Maker“, a song by Daniel Lanois that Jerry Garcia used to perform in his later years with the Jerry Garcia Band, and Bob Weir has made one of his frequent choices for “sit-ins” in 2017, including playing it with Jim James at the Sweetwater, and a few times with the Terrapin Family Band.
Another Garcia/Hunter tune, “West L.A. Fadeaway” into Weir and the Grateful Dead’s most overtly political song “Throwing Stones” (Bob Weir/John Barlow). While some lyrics are specific to it’s time in the 1980’s (Shipping powders back and forth, black goes south and white comes North) the song’s message is still relevant in today’s world, and Bob’s current update of the song includes the line “…you can buy the whole goddamned government today!“, sung with particular venom and snarl. They concluded the set, and Bob’s visit, with the GD 80’s hit, “Touch of Grey” with Bob and JK trading lines back and forth, and the whole audience singing and affirming that “WE WILL GET BY, WE WILL SURVIVE” despite it all…!
Bob looked and sounded great, sharp focus in his eyes and clarity in his voice. Occasional trouble from his monitor mix, and one point he actually asks the sound guy to turn the stage monitors off – but from where we stood he sounded real good! The John Kadlecik band also sounded great, very tight, incredible keyboard dynamics from Todd Stoop, and very tight tuned-in drumming from Jay Lane.
Set 2 included a mix of covers John is known for like the George Harrison “Any Road” several epic Grateful Dead songs (Terrapin Station, Dark Star, Stella Blue) and a few John Kadlecik originals (Sister Smiles, The Business). It was a grand and GRATEFUL night of music!
Enjoy a listen here, Mixlr Show Reel courtesy of Seaphood Puddler
The John Kadlecik Band will be at Terrapin Crossroads again tonight, and who knows what surprises and possible guests might show up. And even without guests, it’ll be a wonderful night of music by some awesome players. Tickets available here: https://store.terrapincrossroads.net/store/tickets/john-kadlecik-band-14th
SETLIST:
John Kadlecik Band
Jay Lane, Todd Stoops, Robin Sylvester,
and special guest Bob Weir*
Grate Room
Terrapin Crossroads
San Rafael, California
Wednesday, December 13, 2017
Set I
Alabama Getaway (JK)
Tin Roof Shack (JK)
Upon the Lowland Sea (JK)
They Love Each Other (JK)
Golden Wings (JK)
Walkin’ Blues* (BW)
Bertha* (JK, BW)
The Maker* (BW)
West L.A. Fadeaway* (BW)
Throwing Stones* > (BW)
Touch of Grey* (BW, JK)
Set II
space >
Any Road (JK)
Lady with a Fan > (JK)
Terrapin Station > (JK)
Sister Smiles (JK)
Seen Love (JK)
The Business > (JK)
Mile Away Jam >
Dark Star > (JK)
Stella Blue > (JK)
Alan Watts Blues (JK)
Scrivener/Turtle
Photos by Kris QJ & happycat. Setlist by Scrivener/Turtle. Video by happycat! for Deadheadland
