Skull & Roses 2022 was EPIC – to say the least. While I (happycat!) intended to be there the whole time, something came up that kept me at home for the first couple days, trust me I was bummed and full of the FOMO! Though I did enjoy the stream and am very GRATEFUL that our good friends at Fans.Live and Relix were able to kick down an incredible pro-shot multi-cam free stream of the entire festival.
And Deadheadland was able to enlist our friend, and fantastic photographer, Henry Hungerland, to cover the festival. He got some great shots! here are his pictures from the 1st day. Where I can I included sestlist and recording links.
Skull & Roses 2022 | Day 1 Photos| Photos by Henry Hungerland
THE HIGGS are not typically a Grateful Dead band, though they jam and you can hear the influence; for the festival the did a special set, all based on Cats Under The Stars.
BROWN EYED WOMEN were great, everyone really oved their set on Thursday, great musicians in their West Coast Debut. And yes, they are all women, though no one checked their eyes. They sounded excellent, had the crowd dancing, and that is what matters most!
Feel Like a Stranger > Eleanor Rigby > Feel Like A Stranger
Blow Away
China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider
Let it Grow
Birdsong
Throwing Stones >
The Music Never Stopped
STEELY DEAD – Dave Hebert’s pet project, a mash up of Steely Dan and Grateful Dead that is very satisfying!
Dave A Bear’s Steely Dead
Recording by Joe Logrippo: https://archive.org/details/sd2022-04-07.akg414.logrippo.flac24
Josie>
Cumberland Blues>
Bodhisattva >
Cumberland Blues
Pretzel Logic >
Mississippi 1/2 Step >
Kid Charlemagne>
Here Comes Sunshine
Rikki Don’t Lose That Number >
Green Earrings>
Slipknot >
Deal>
Realin’ in the Years>
Deal
Steely Dead – video by Grunzy Channel
Reckoning is made up of members of Dark Star Orchestra, Rob Eaton, Skip Vangelis and Rob Baracco and former Dark Star Orchestra lead guitarist John Kadelcik. Their performance of these classic songs had many claiming it was the festivals best set – so far!!! Reckoning is: John Kadlecik – Lead Guitar and Vocals Rob Eaton – Rhythm Guitar and Vocals Skip Vangelis – Bass and Vocals Rob Barraco – Keys and Vocals
Reckoning
(Acoustic DSO w John Kadlecik on guitar sans Jeff Matson)
Recording by Joe Logrippo: https://archive.org/details/reckoning2022-04-07.akg414.logrippo.flac24
Ripple
Monkey & The Engineer
Jack a Roe
Box of Rain
Birdsong
We Can Run
China Doll
Minglewood Blues
Lazy River Road
Big Boss Man
On the Road Again
Uncle John’s Band
Brokedown palace
Reckoning – China Doll – video by Ted Silverman / TedToob.com
Stu Allen and Mars Hotel brought the night to a close – first with a very rare Blues For Allah set, as the theme on Thursday night was “Egyptian Nights”. Followed by a set (no break, though one was planned) based on the set played by the Grateful Dead in London 50 years ago this same night, the start of the Europe 72 tour! Stu was played the famous Alligator Guitar, the same guitar Jerry Garcia played in Europe. This guitar and many other vintage instruments of the Dead were played throughout the weekend, courtesy of the Grateful Guitar Foundation.
Stu Allen and Mars Hotel
(Stu w Nate LaPointe, Reed Mathis, Scott Guberman & Dino English of DSO)
Recording by Joe Logrippo: https://archive.org/details/SAMH2022-04-07.akg414.logrippo.flac24
Blues for Allah >
Sand Castles & Glass Camels
Greatest Story Ever Told
Sugaree
Chinatown Shuffle w Bo Putnam
China – Rider
Big Boss Man (Gubes w Bo)
Loser
Other One >
El Paso>
Other One>
Wharf Rat>
Ramble on Rose>
Not Fade Away>
Going Down the Road Feeling Bad>
We Bid You Goodnight>
the full Stu Allen and Mars Hotel set!
Skull & Roses 2022 Day 1 video from Fans.live and Relix
OK! watch for our next post as we recap all of Day 2!
This was my first time seeing Melvin Seals and JGB since they’ve started playing wth Dave Hebert (aka Dave A’Bear). Dave has been playing for a long time with Xtra Ticket out of Arizona, and have heard from many of my AZ friends that he is incredible, both in terms of his Jerry Garcia interpertation and sound, and his exuberance and joyful playing.
Of course the centerpiece and connector in the band is Melvin Seals, and it’s always a great pleasure to hear him play. It seems he is everwhere – I’ve seen him recently with Jay Lane and Band Of Brotherz at Yoshi’s and also last December where he played with his bandmates from The Mix (John Kadlecik, Greg Anton) and the Everyone Orchestra at the Rex Foundation Run For the Roses Benefit.
JGB 2012 has a variation in shade, a different touch of Jerry, than the JGB I saw a year and half ago at Las Tortugas Music Festival. Dave A’Bear was brought in late last year to fill in for lead guitarist Stu Allen.
Stu recently married, and was on paterinty leave. In addiiton to nesting, Stu has been playing increasingly frequent close to home gigs with Ghosts of Electricity (a Dylan tribute group also featuring Ratdog’s Mark Karan), and Mars Hotel his mostly weekly Deadhead dances at Ashkenaz in Berkeley; as well as sitting in everywhere at the never ending string of benefits and special shows in the Bay area (Steve Block Memorial for example). Stu is keeping busy enough… and then, earlier this week, Stu posted to his Facebook page that he was officially making his exit from the JGB Band, after 5 years. It seemed there was no animosity or ill feelings, just time to move along…
Upon hearing Dave A’Bear in person live for the first ime, I agree he knocks out a very clean Jerryish sound that respects the original, without cloning it. And it had a nice feel. Enjoyed the jaming reparte with the mighty Melvin Seals on keyboards and the rhythm section of Pete Lavizzoli on drums and Jimmy Tebeau.
Just like no one can really ever replace Jerry Garcia, the same can be said of Stu Allen. There is nothing to not like with the A’Bear JGB, it was quite good, but it is different… can’t quite put my finger on it – then again, it shouldn’t be the same! I really enjoyed what Dave brought, and he was smiling and beaming, and listening in along with all of us. You can tell he is a fan, not of himself, but of Jerry and the music. And he played his heart out… anyone that sweats like that must be all right…
JGB 2012 delivered the goods, a fun night of Jerryesque grooves, great songs like “Forever Young”, and “BreadBox”, and a great crowd of people into the music . A young fan next to me in the first set kept telling me she was hoping for a “Brother Esau”. It would be very intersting to see them stretch beyond just the JGB catalog, maybe throw in a Weir song or two just to surprise expectation? I know they know more than just the JGB songs.
Then again, perhaps that is the distinciton, only play Jerry Garcia Band tunes, since these musicians all play with one another in other configurations, including doing stints in Jimmy’s Tebeau’s other band, The Schwag. JGB – keepers of the flame.
The second set seemed kind of short, thought that had to do with the venue’s curfew; we were expecting 2 or 3 more songs and an encore. It was still a meaty 2nd set, with a really killer jam on “Let’s Spend The Night Together” that was the peak for me musically. It should also be noted, the band always has pristine and kick ass sound, thanks to their Sound Engineers Bo Putnam and Shaun Wilson.
Catch Melvin Seals and the JGB Band tonight at the Arcata Theatre, and next week they play Grass Valley, Chico and Lake Tahoe. And then back to San Francisco on Feb. 17th. In March they play all over the New York area!
I love the Palm Ballroom, it’s a fun an intimate hall, and they are always booking my favorite bands!! Great crowd, always fun energy. Easy to get to from anywhere in the Bay, right off the 101/580 in San Rafael. Plenty of parking too! When you visit The Palm, always tell them happycat! sez hi! – happycat! >^.^<m~
Melvin Seals & The JGB Band
Friday & Saturday November 18 & 19
The Palm Ballroom
100 Yacht Club Dr. San Rafael
Doors @ 8 Music @ 9
To buy tickets
Online: click here Via Phone with visa or MC 415.389.5072
Ticket outlet: Famous4 96 Throckmorton ave. Mill Valley
Melvin Seals has been a powerful presence in the music industry for over 30 years with a long-established reputation as a performer, recording artist and producer. Melvin is most revered for his powerful, high-spirited, Hammond B-3 organ, and keyboards in the Jerry Garcia Band. Melvin spun his B-3 magic with the Jerry Garcia Band for 18 years and in doing so helped pioneer and define what has now become “Jam Band Music”. From blues to funk to rock to jazz, Melvin Seals serves up a tasty mix with a little R&B and gospel thrown in to spice things up.
Melvin and JGB brings an intuitive, expressive style, soul, spontaneity and remarkable chops to the table. With acoustic and electric ingredients and unique combinations of Dave Hebert’s guitar and vocals, Jimmy Tebeau’s savory bass, Pete Lavezzoli’s hearty drums and, of course, a heapin’ helpin’ of the wizard’s magic on Hammond B-3 Organ and keyboards. Along with backing vocals, the result is a most satisfying blend of natural organic grooves that challenges genre boundaries. Their chemistry is the focus from which they create a spontaneous and high art where the sky is the limit musically. They offer an exciting, often psychedelic musical journey that changes nightly and keeps the audience dancing and smiling (and some staring in amazement) for hours.
In addition to the often played staples, the band has recently been exploring the back catalog and performing a ton of super rare tunes, some of which The Jerry Garcia Band played only once or twice over all those years.
Adding his rock-gospel-soul-rhythm and blues touch with his funky style of playing, no wonder Jerry nicknamed him “Master of the Universe”. Melvin continues to treat music lovers to his unique brand of melodic flavor with JGB. Come see and hear for yourself!
JGB Band
Melvin Seals – Hammond B3 and Leslies, Roland RD700 Keyboard, vocals
Dave Hebert – guitar, lead vocals
Jimmy Tebeau – Bass
Pete Lavezzoli – Drums
Shirley Starks and Cheryl Rucker – backing vocals
Doors 8:00 Show 9:00
$25 GA dancing, $30 day of show, $35 Reserved Table w/table service
Reserved Tables are the only seats and are very limited
To buy tickets
Online: click here Via Phone with visa or MC 415.389.5072
Ticket outlet: Famous4 96 Throckmorton ave. Mill Valley
The second set seemed kind of short, thought that had to do with the venue’s curfew; we were expecting 2 or 3 more songs and an encore. It was still a meaty 2nd set, with a really killer jam on “Let’s Spend The Night Together” that was the peak for me musically. It should also be noted, the band always has pristine and kick ass sound, thanks to their Sound Engineers Bo Putnam and Shaun Wilson.
