Seeking some spur-of-the-moment music therapy, went to the Berkeley Community Theatre to see Phil Lesh and Friends and some assorted warm-up acts. Mostly, I'm a Wavy Gravy fan and I like to support Camp Winarainbow and SEVA.

Phil's new quintet features Al Schnier (from moe.) and Barry Sless on guitar, somebody named Mookie on keys and the usual Molo on drums. The Jerry Girls also contributed some background vocals and even led on Aretha Franklin's "Think". Phil has the band more bass-driven then ever,,, to the point where everybody is playing behind him. The opening Help On The Way > Slipknot! was as fierce as any I've heard played, but the Franklin's Tower came down a notch. And so it goes with the last of the remaining jambands.

Ben Harper gave a surprise solo set. Hot Buttered Rum String Band made a good showing. Corinne West is really the one to watch... Sless is in her East Bay band, along w/ a standup bass and accordian. Her songs were the best of the night, and she's a very strong singer who doesn't over-sing. None of that vocal gymnastic B.S.

A theme through the night was the unnecessary second guitar. It started w/ Emory Joseph (god-awful) and continued when somebody accompanied Ben Harper. And during the Phil set, so many times we couldn't tell which was Barry and which was Al. During our nightcap at Becket's, we finally heard a nice sonic spread of 2 guitars from a local bar band.

The assigned-seat theatre genuinely went nuts for the entire Phil set. My buddy who went with me had never been to anything remotely "Dead" and at one point I had to say: it really is like a Dead Show. Spinners and all. Here's the setlist...

Help on the Way> (blazing...)
Slipknot!> (still blazing...)
Franklin's Tower (tedium)
China Cat Sunflower (trippin')
Uncle John's Band (ho-hum)
Alligator (nailed it!)
Mexico (moe song)
Broken Arrow
Think (the Jerry Girls)
The Wheel (monster pedal steel)
Viola Lee Blues

E: Turn On Your Lovelight (w/ 17 people onstage, a total mess)