February 6 2015
Golden Sails Long Beach CA
plus special guests Cubensis
Photos courtesy of Dave Weems.
The ballroom was exactly as I pictured it, large enough to be a big party but not crowded really at all. The backdrop was beautiful resplendent in tie-dye and a screen on each side of the stage. The visual impact was really a great supplement to a fantastic show.
It was the first time I’d seen Cubensis and I was stoked about how they sounded. I knew that they were a Dead tribute but that can cover a lot of different ground these days. I was stoked that their particular take on everything was non specific, they didn’t try to emulate the exact sounds but were rather using the songbook for their own joyful purposes. I caught a bunch of different tunes and styles during their set which included Black Throated Wind, Cats Down Under the Stars, a rousing China Cat and more that I didn’t quite catch all of while I wandered around and got acclimated.
Golden Gate Wingmen took the stage and fired off a rousing Not Fade Away to open. Sister Smiles was up next, and a tune I hadn’t seen before called Tin Roof Shack, both sung by John Kadlecik. A mid set Bird Song was lengthy and showed the depth and breadth of the jamming that these cats are capable of producing. Van Morrison’s Dweller on the Threshold was strong and showed that this group is willing to take inspiration from many different places. Kadlecik’s originbal Great Vehicle closed the set and was very strong. The whole vibe of the first set was very up and joyful.
The band took a set break and came back with a vengeance.
It worked, as did the rest of the show big time. I am fully ready for round two!!
Check out the review of Long Beach night two here!
Set 1:
Not Fade Away
(The Crickets cover)
Sister Smiles
Tin Roof Shack
(Peter Rowan & Tony Rice cover)
Bird Song
(Jerry Garcia cover)
Dweller on the Threshold
(Van Morrison cover) (with ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ jam)
Great Vehicle
Set 2:
Jam
Dark Star
(Grateful Dead cover) (v1)
Desert Trance
Dark Star
(Grateful Dead cover) (v2)
Alan Watts Blues
(Van Morrison cover)
Encore:
Ripple
(Grateful Dead cover)
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