Ho-hum, just another JRAD concert. It was a sunny, hot and humid, breezy, end-of-August day and we had a fun time playing croquet during the day and trying to stay cool. Before you knew it, it was time to head back downtown. This time we got reservations at the new Lord Hobo (Woburn brewery) in the Seaport. We had a bit of a hard time finding it, partly because they have few street signs in the Seaport, in that charming Boston way. And when we got there the right door for the restaurant is not marked. Whatever, it was a fine evening and it was amusing to see others (many in GD uniform) get confused about where the place was themselves.
Right back to the tent after that, where we had seats in the row in front of where we'd been Friday. Strange, but though it was just one row we seemed a lot closer!?! A fellow Deadhead gave Sarah a rose! No setup for a sax that night, and there was again a real delay in spectators getting to the venue, but it eventually was packed and we were elbow-to-elbow with a full crowd, loving it:
- Foolish Heart
- New Minglewood Blues
- Bird Song
- Black-Throated Wind
- Scarlet Begonias
- Fire on the Mountain
As great as they'd been on Friday, this was even better. The sound system was still taxed, but Tommy was back to his familiar old guitar with the rainbow stripe and he was rocking it. Foolish Heart always reminds me of when it was on the radio back in the late 80s, and Tommy does this kind of song so well. Without Bogie they were able to turn on a dime and they played a beautiful set. Scott was not about to let Tommy upstage him and countered with his best, growling Bobby blues on Minglewood and BTW.
What else can I say about that long set? Not much, you have to hear it, especially the long, perfect Scarlet > Fire. Ack! We were suddenly three quarters through our time on the JRAD island. Oh well, time for the last quarter:
- Lost Sailor
- Saint of Circumstance
- Echoes (Pink Floyd)
- Terrapin Station
- Throwing Stones
- Jessica (Allman Brothers)
- Throwing Stones
- Another Brick in the Wall (Pink Floyd cover)
- Throwing Stones
As mentioned, Scott was not going to be upstaged and he did a great Sailor > Saint to open, though perhaps not as good as the one he'd done for us back in the Boston HOB, which will always be at the top of my list. But then they went off the reservation and we were back to tingling at their inventiveness and musicianship. They stretched and stretched and then suddenly were filling the tent with one of the most atmospheric Pink Floyd songs ... don't know if they'd ever played this live before as an ensemble.
They followed this with an excellent and tight Terrapin, and then Scott took over again. This had become his night and he did the first few verses of an epic Throwing Stones. They stretched this out and were suddenly doing the Top Gear theme song! Then more sonic explorations, back to Throwing Stones, and then back to Pink Floyd!?! Maybe they had the upcoming new school year on their minds. Finally back to Throwing Stones for the last bridge. What a set!
Phew, our feet were aching after two nights of dancing on their concrete floor and our minds were reeling. Many more thanks from Joe, then a quick break and the band was back. A guy up front had been waving a Ramble On Rose sign throughout the evening, and Joe pointed to him and told him this was for him, then they did a great encore of that song. Marco waved and waved and pointed to people he recognized. Tommy gathered up the setlists and handed them out to people in the front row. They're such a friendly, folksy band, and have I mentioned how excellent they are?
Same scene in the Seaport as Friday, but we got out of there with no problem (actually, the parking lot machine did not want to let us out, but luckily there was an attendant who overrode it). Back home soon, and we can't wait to see them again.
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