some more thoughts...........
Tempo of songs have evolved over the years even when Jerry was at the helm
Friend of the Devil started as an up tempo bluegrass fun song and to me devolved into and electric funereal dirge...........I hated the electric version
also They love each other and Peggy-O slowed down over the years and I am sure there are others that I don't remember at the moment.
Evolution of the tunes....part of the allure and mystic is that they never played the songs the same way twice.......
I don't understand that for example if Bobby wrote Cassidy and it is his song how is that a cover
Can you cover yourself
Have the Stones been a cover band since Brian Jones died and Bill Wyman retired
How come no one complains about Phil and Friends as a cover band...more so than Bobby's band
It may be sacrilegious to say that I enjoy Otiell much better than Phil at this point in time
he can sing like a freaking nightingale.....China Doll brings me to tears when he sings it...evokes Jerrys spirit to me....also the interaction between Mayer and Chimineti reminds me of Jerry and Brent trading licks.....Chimineti kills it ....I agree that its too bad he wasn't around after Brent died...I thought Vince sucked and wish Hornsby had taken over full time....
I saw plenty of Further shows also and always cringed when Phil sang Jerry songs
Never quite got into Phil and Friends and saw them a few times...Just because they play in smaller venues doesn't mean the quality is better.....that's great if you live in the neighborhood .....
As far as DSO goes aren't they a cover band by definition
like it was so eloquently stated Dead and Company in my life is better that not at all.....
You get what you come for you're ready to go and its one in ten thousand that come for the show
Again for me its like stepping into the cosmic Wayback machine...I was 18 in1974 and am 68 now
What other musical psychedelic universe can beat that......I'm gratefully alive that I can still go to shows
Pot stirred.....Flame on