Members of Grateful Dead, RatDog, K I M O C K, String Cheese Incident, Talking Heads, Dark Star Orchestra, and Sean Lennon, Les Claypool, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, and more perform a benefit for John Perry Barlow at the Sweetwater. The show was streamed to Barlow who was not there. The money raised is to support John’s ongoing health and support. More information:
johnperrybarlow-wellnesstrust.com
There we’re so many great things going on this evening musically, as we all gathered in Mill Valley to support and raise money for the great magical wizard of a man John Perry Barlow. I borrow that description for Michael Kang, of The String Cheese Incident ho was one of the many musicians there giving tributes and performing songs of John Perry Barlow, for the people who bought some very expensive tickets to support the cause of helping him with his health care and recovery. As is often the case I was the benefactor someone’s else’s generosity, and very grateful to be there. I took a few pictures and shot a few videos which will be up later, and of course our ace setlists reporter Bob Scalcione was there on the scene taking notes and staying up till 3:30 in the morning so that I could post this at 111am… Thanks Bob! Sorry it took me so long!!!
LENNON NEVER KNOWS
There were some performances of historic importance, such as a version of the John Lennon Beatles psychedelic classic Tomorrow Never Knows, performed by his son Sean Lennon, who doesn’t often do his dad’s songs… Sean also played a song of his own, co-written with Charlotte Kemp Muhl, from their band Ghost Of a Sabre Toothed Tiger, and shared how Barlow (friend of both) didn’t like the chorus when the song was first debuted for his ears only,which was the part written by Sean. But they kept it in the song anyway. Sean is also in a band with Les Claypool of Priimus, who joined them on bass for these two. Les and Sean quipped their band was named “Scorpions” and they mostly did Boz Scaggs covers.
BOB AND JERRY
|Another real big highlight of the show was Jerry Harrison, keyboardist of the Talking Heads, who spoke of his friendship with Barlow, and also got all choked up as he mentioned what rough year it has been, with the passing of Bernie Worrell – the great keyboardist who played with the TH aas well as many bands with many of themusiicians on stage, as well as Prince and David Bowie… Opening his set with the Talking Hhads song Heaven, sang by his own daughter, Aishlin Harrison. Followed by a performance of Take Me to the River, the Al Greene classic that was also a standard for the Talking Heads. Bob Weir joined in on TMTTR ~ this was a song that the Grateful Dead also performed a few times in their later years. Jerry moved to guitar, and did a song from his pre Heads band Modern Lovers, She Cracked, segued into his tribute Lou Reed’s Velvet Undergound rocker “White Light/White Heat” done in the style of David Bowie.
Michael Kang, Jason Hann and Michael Travis did a couple String Cheese Incident songs co penned by John Perry Barlow, with Bob Weir joining in near the end.
Rob Eaton and Rob Barraco of the Dark Star Orchestra did a killer Mexicali Blues, another Barlow classic, as well as a Robert Hunter tune, Jack Straw, for good measure. Rather uniquely Eaton sang most of the lyrics the song usually being a conversation between two voices.
Bob was in and out of every set, and Lukas Nelson also made many appearances throughout. There was an opening set for the VIP big donors, with Weir, Lukas Nelson, and others, that we did not get the details on… Most sets were only 2 or 3 songs, and the Barlow Band, Steve Kimock, Jeff Chimenti, Wally Ingram and Leslie Mendelson backed up as needed, and detailed in the setlist below…
Everyday Miracle: A Benefit for
John Perry Barlow
Mon. Oct. 24, 2016
Sweetwater Music Hall
Mill Valley, CA
20 Musicians in order of appearance:
Bob Weir – acoustic & electric guitars, vocals
Lukas Nelson – acoustic guitar, vocals
Leslie Mendelson – vocals
Wally Ingram – drums & percussion
Steve Kimock – electric guitars, lap steel
Robin Sylvester – bass
Jeff Chimenti – keyboards, vocals
Sean Lennon – acoustic guitar, vocals
Charlotte Kemp Muhl – acoustic guitar, vocals & percussion
Les Claypool – acoustic bass
Jerry Harrison – electric piano, vocals, electric guitar
Aishlin Harrison – vocals
Tracy Blackman – vocals
Jason Hann – percussion & drums
John “Stewball” Stewart – electric guitar, vocals
Ramblin’ Jack Elliott – acoustic guitar, vocals
Rob Eaton – electric guitar, vocals
Rob Barraco – electric piano, vocals
Michael Kang – electric guitar, vocals
Michael Travis – percussion, vocals
7:35pm – 7:55pm
Bob, Lukas, Leslie, Wally
Blue Bayou (Bob, Leslie, Lukas)
? (Lukas)
Shaky Ground (Bob)
8:20pm – 8:35pm
Bob, Steve, Jeff, Robin, Wally
Hell In a Bucket (Bob)
I Need a Miracle (Bob) w/Leslie
8:45pm – 9:00pm
Sean, Charlotte, Les
The World Was Made For Men (Sean & Charlotte)
Boomerang Baby (Sean)
Tomorrow Never Knows (Sean) w/Wally on drums & percussion
9:05pm – 9:30pm
Jerry, Aishlin, Tracy, Leslie, Steve, Robin, Wally
Heaven (Aishlin)
Take Me To The River (Aishlin) w/Bob on guitar & Jason on percussion
She Cracked (Jerry vocals & guitar) > w Bob and Lukas on Guitar
White Light/White Heat (Jerry vocals & guitar) w Bob and Lukas on Guitar
9:30pm – 9:45pm
Bob, Jeff, Robin, Steve, Wally, John
Desolation Row (Bob & John)
9:45pm – 10:10pm Words from John Barlow’s three daughters & honoring of family, friends & supporters. Auction items.
10:20pm – 10:40pm
Ramblin’ Jack Elliott
Mean Old Bed Bug Blues (Jack) w/Bob on acoustic guitar
(Bob admonishes audience to STFU)
Me & Bobby McGee (Jack & Bob)
10:40pm – 10:50pm
Rob Barraco, Rob Eaton, Steve, Robin, Wally
Mexicali Blues (Eaton)
Jack Straw (Eaton & Barraco) w/Jeff on keyboards
10:55pm – 11:25pm
Michael Kang, Jason, Michael Travis, Steve, Jeff, Robin
These Waves (Kang)
Give Me The Love (Kang) w/Leslie & Tracy on backing vocals
Just One Story (Kang) joined halfway w/Bob & Lukas on guitars.
11:25pm – 11:40pm
Bob, Steve, Jeff, Leslie, Lukas, Robin, Wally
Cassidy (Bob & Leslie)
Set list compiled by Rob Scalcione
Because the Phans want to know!
(❤️);} deadheadland.com 2016
Cassidy
