Furthur (band)
Encyclopedia
Furthur is a rock band founded in 2009 by former Grateful Dead
members Bob Weir
and Phil Lesh
. The original lineup also included John Kadlecik
of the Dark Star Orchestra
on lead guitar, Jeff Chimenti
of RatDog
on keyboards, Jay Lane
of RatDog
on percussion, and Joe Russo
of the Benevento/Russo Duo
on drums. Named after the famous touring bus used by Ken Kesey
and the Merry Pranksters
in the 1960s, Furthur is an improvisational jam band
that performs music primarily from the extensive Grateful Dead songbook, as well as their own original music and that of several other well-known artists. In addition to the original members (with the exception of Jay Lane, who left the band in March 2010 to rejoin his previous funk metal rock band, Primus
), the band's current lineup also includes backup vocalists Sunshine Becker
of the a cappella ensemble SoVoSó and Jeff Pehrson
of the folk rock bands Box Set and The Fall Risk.
in August, 1995, the Grateful Dead, officially ceased to exist, at least in the form most had come to know over the years. However, band members continued to perform over the subsequent years in other bands such as RatDog
, Phil Lesh & Friends, the Rhythm Devils
, The Other Ones
, and The Dead
. After a four year hiatus following their "Wave That Flag" summer tour in 2004, The Dead performed two 2008 shows supporting the Obama
campaign, billed as "Deadheads for Obama" and "Change Rocks", as well at one of the Obama inaugural balls in 2009, ultimately giving rise to a 2009 spring tour. During this reunion, Weir and Lesh, who admitted having great fun playing together again, decided to form a new band. In August, 2009, the musicians announced that they had formed a new band, Furthur, with Kadlecik, Chimenti, Lane, and Russo.
The band is named after the 1939 International Harvester psychedelic multicolored bus used by novelist Ken Kesey
and his Merry Pranksters
to tour America in 1964 when they attended the New York World's Fair for the debut of Kesey's second novel, Sometimes A Great Notion
. "Furthur" was the inscription on the destination placard of the bus and was also the name given to the multicolored bus. "In many ways, the "Furthur" destination of the bus - piloted by Neal Cassady
, inspiration for the character Dean Moriarty in Jack Kerouac's
On The Road
- represented the mind-set of the transition from Beat Generation
culture to the more heavily drug-infused hippie
culture and the LSD-based psychedelic
culture, with Ken Kesey, Neal Cassady, the Merry Pranksters, and the Grateful Dead - all alumni of the Acid Tests
- as ambassadors and guides on that cognitive and conceptual journey". The Grateful Dead performed as the house band
for many of the Acid Tests, which ran from 1965–1966.
As the latest post-Garcia incarnation of the Grateful Dead, Furthur retains much of the characteristic style and texture of the Dead. In addition to performing many of the songs regularly played in concert by the Dead, Furthur has tried to "keep it fresh" by routinely adding new material to their setlists. Such includes many songs resurrected from the Grateful Dead's extensive songbook, including several rarely or never performed live by the Grateful Dead, like "Alice D. Millionaire", as well as several cover songs from bands including The Beatles
, The Rolling Stones
, Bob Dylan
, The Band
, Pink Floyd
, Led Zeppelin
, Ryan Adams
, Van Morrison
and The Clash
. They have also written several new original songs which they perform regularly.
in Oakland, California
. The band, Vice (now known as Maiden Lane), featuring Phil's son, Grahame, opened for Furthur on Saturday, September 19. They then performed for a single night on November 20 at the small, 200 person capacity, 19 Broadway in Fairfax, CA, advertised only by a last minute announcement, and with tickets available only at the door on a first come, first served basis. The Oakland debut shows were followed by five additional concerts in the Northeast (NY, CT, NJ) in December 2009, as well as live rehearsal sessions and two New Year's shows in Mill Valley, CA and San Francisco, CA, respectively. During the New Year's Eve performances, the band introduced backing vocalists Sunshine Becker and Zoe Ellis, who remained in the lineup for the remainder of the winter tour.
. Zoe Ellis also left the group at this time to focus on her a cappella ensemble, SoVoSó. Backup vocalist Jeff Pehrson subsequently joined Furthur, debuting May 24, 2010.
In February 2010, official announcements were released that the group would be performing at three music festivals in the summer of 2010, including the Nateva Music & Camping Festival
in Oxford, ME on July 4, the All Good Music Festival
in Masontown, WV on July 9, and the Gathering of the Vibes
festival in Bridgeport, CT on July 30. Additional stops on the tour, which ran from June 25 until July 30 and included 17 shows, included Rochester, NY, Brooklyn, NY, Jim Thorpe, PA, Lowell, MA, Columbus, OH, Mohawk, NY, Stroudsburg, PA (which replaced a canceled show in Shelburne, VT), Ottawa, ON, Lewiston, NY, Philadelphia, PA, and New York, NY. In addition to the three festivals on the East Coast, Furthur resurrected the "Furthur Festival" at Mountain Aire in Angels Camp, CA on Memorial Day weekend May 28-30th, 2010, at which they played six of their classic albums live.
Following a performance on August 14, 2010 in Golden Gate Park at the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival
, Furthur initiated their first West Coast tour, commencing September 16, 2010 in Eugene, OR and ending September 26, 2010 in Morrison, CO at Red Rocks Amphitheatre
. A short Midwest/East Coast tour followed, beginning November 8, 2010 in Minneapolis, MN and ending on November 21, 2010 in New York, NY at Madison Square Garden
. Two New Year's shows concluded the 2010 year, with Furthur performing a total of 77 shows, and 18 live rehearsal sessions since their September 2009 inception.
in New York, NY. The 2011 summer tour (announced on April 8, 2011) began on June 3 at Shoreline Amphitheatre
in Mountain View, CA and concluded on July 31 at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park
in Alpharetta, GA, with the bulk of the shows on the East Coast.
A 2011 West Coast tour (announced on June 4, 2011) began on September 23 at Cuthbert Amphitheatre
in Eugene, OR and ended on October 8 at Monterey County Fairgrounds
in Monterey, CA. A 2011 East Coast/Midwest fall tour (announced on September 9, 2011) began November 3 at Verizon Wireless Arena
in Manchester, NH and ended November 21 at Old National Center in Indianapolis, IN. Due to "unforeseen production complications", the November 15 show at the Bryce Jordan Center
in State College, PA, was canceled and replaced with a performance the same day at the Times Union Center in Albany, NY. A three-show New Year's Eve run (announced on October 14, 2011) will take place on December 29, 30, and 31 at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
.
held a Jerry Garcia Tribute Night at AT&T Park
, sponsored by Ben & Jerry's
, the Rex Foundation
, and the 8th Annual Jerry Day. The Giants played the Chicago Cubs
, and the National Anthem was sung by Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, and Jeff Pehrson. Later that season, the Giants played the Philadelphia Phillies
in the National League Championship Series
, and on Thursday, October 21, 2010 (Game 5 of the NLCS), the National Anthem was once again sung by Lesh, Weir, and Pehrson. The following year, on Tuesday, August 9, 2011, the Giants celebrated the 2nd annual Grateful Dead Night (on Jerry Day), playing the Pittsburgh Pirates
. The National Anthem was sung by Lesh, Weir, and Giants' 3rd base coach and singer-songwriter, Tim Flannery
and the 7th inning stretch was led by Mickey Hart
and Bill Walton
.
and for creating and maintaining their fansite
, Philzone.com. In September 2009, when Furthur debuted in Oakland, CA at the Fox Theatre, a rudimentary website, designed by Bret Heisler, went live at furthur.net, including content such as tour dates, setlists, photos, artwork, as well as links to the Furthur Foundation and the Unbroken Chain Foundation websites. Subsequently, coincident with the announcement in April 2010 of the "Furthur Fesitival" at Mountain Aire, the website www.furthurfestival.com, designed by Jay Carbon of Atomic 6, was launched. Shortly thereafter, in July 2010, Atomic 6 designed the band's current website at www.furthur.net, which has been continuously updated since. Another fansite, OtherOnes.net, designed and maintained by Dave Rosenberg of Terrapin Web Design, had previously published info about The Other Ones
and The Dead
(when those bands were active), and currently publishes info about Furthur.
from August 2009 until March 2010 and subsequently by Front Gate Tickets (since June 2010). The third method is during the general sale (and occasionally, presale) from larger ticketing agencies, such as Ticketmaster
. In addition, some venues sell tickets directly to the public (including "preferred" seating for members of those venues). Finally, there are numerous unofficial and unendorsed secondary market options for purchasing tickets, such as StubHub
, TicketsNow
, eBay
, and Craigslist
.
On Tuesday, June 7, 2011, Furthur performed live at Tamalpais Research Institute (aka TRI Studios) in San Rafael, CA. TRI, a virtual venue, is the brainchild of Bob Weir, and is a state-of-the-art multimedia performance studio designed with the purpose of broadcasting live high definition (HD) video and audio streams directly over the internet. The event, billed as Furthur Experiments at TRI, was broadcast in real time over the internet in HD video with stereo sound and was available to those who ordered the pay-per-view event for $19.95. The performance included 13 songs (counting Terrapin Suite as one song), had no break, and lasted about two-and-a-half hours, beginning 6:00PM PDT. The performance was also simulcast for free in New York's Brooklyn Bowl ("BOWLcast"). While the performance was well-received by fans, several had trouble viewing the event due to technical difficulties related to server/website load balancing software (subsequently corrected). As a result, TRI Studios rebroadcast the entire concert as a continuous loop stream from June 10, 2011 at 12:00 Noon until June 12, 2011 at 6:00 PM PDT, and made it accessible to those who had originally paid for the event. Bob Weir plans to regularly host and broadcast performances by various musicians at TRI. Prior to the Furthur webcast, TRI Studios has been used for rehearsal sessions by Journey
in February, 2011, by Scaring the Children (featuring Bob Weir, Rob Wasserman
and Jay Lane) with Jackie Greene
in April, 2011, and for the First Fusion collaboration between Bob Weir and the Marin Symphony, which premiered on May 7, 2011 at the Marin Center. The first webcast from TRI, which was free, occurred on Friday, May 13, 2011 and was appropriately dubbed TRIday the 13th with "Bob Weir and Friends", featuring Bob Weir, Jay Lane, Jeff Chimenti, Rob Wasserman, Steve Kimock
, Robin Sylvester
, and a four piece horn section (Marco D'Ambrosio and Jim Radseth on trumpet, Art Austin on clarinet, and Zach Spellman on tuba). The second pay-per-view event, which cost $10, featured Slightly Stoopid
and was broadcast on September 13, 2011 (with free rebroadcast from September 17, 2011 at 6 :00 PM until September 18, 2011 at 6:00 PM PDT, as well as a full refund to those who purchased the event, to compensate for technical difficulties during the live broadcast), and featured special guests Bob Weir, Ivan Neville
and Ian Neville (of Dumpstaphunk), Karl D
of Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, and Don Carlos Reggae
. Following this, a free webcast was broadcast, featuring Chickenfoot
, billed as Chickenfoot Presents III, on the release date of their album, Chickenfoot III, on September 27, 2011 at 6:00 PM PDT (free rebroadcast September 28, 2011 at 12:00 PDT). On October 18, 19, and 20, 2011, The Fall Risk rehearsed and recorded at TRI, but did not webcast, and intend to release video of the sessions. On October 21 at 7:00 PM PDT, during their annual three-day "Communion in the Redwoods" gathering in Big Sur
, CA, Communion
artists Matthew and the Atlas, The David Mayfield Parade, and Lauren Shera
performed a free live webcast from TRI (rebroadcast on October 22 at 12:00 PM PDT). On November 21, 2011 at 6:30 PM PST, TRI hosted a free webcast headlining Planet of the Abts (POA), featuring drummer Matt Abts
and bassist Jorgen Carlsson of Gov’t Mule, and guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist T-Bone Andersson; Las Vegas funk/rock
band Moksha opened for POA.
On March 29, 2011, Phil Lesh posted a statement on the Furthur.net site community message board that he was planning to open a new live music venue in Marin County
, California in the near future. Said Lesh, "We're taking the first steps to make a long time dream - a permanent musical home - come true. We are purchasing a building in Marin, and plan on remodeling it to feel like an old barn; we're calling it Terrapin Landing. We will continue with Furthur while making music at Terrapin Landing when we are at home. The music will be varied, featuring: Phil Lesh & Friends (continuing the tradition of revolving lineups, including old as well as new friends); West Coast Rambles, based on (and blessed by) Levon Helm's historic Rambles; Album night - we pick a favorite album or two to play live; Telstar night - we put together a band for free form improvisation; Sing-alongs to monthly Sunday morning gospel music; Trivia nights; Monthly big band night; Seminars with local musicians and artists; Our goal is to create a vibrant community gathering place: beautiful, comfortable, welcoming - for members of the community to commingle and enjoy good music". In April, 2011, Lesh disclosed more details about "Terrapin Landing", originally planned as a remodel of The Good Earth natural food store in Fairfax
, California, which would then be used to host a variety of musical fare. However, in July, 2011, this initial plan was changed from utilizing The Good Earth property to the construction of a brand new structure in the adjacent lot formerly occupied by a gas station and car repair shop. On August 1 (Jerry Garcia's birthday), formal plans for what is now being called "Terrapin Crossroads" were submitted to the Fairfax Town Council for approval. The building is designed as a three floor, 16500 square foot structure (8250 square foot footprint), that will accommodate about 500 people, and which will host between 50 and 100 performances per year. If approved, construction will begin in the summer of 2012 and will be completed in the summer of 2013. The project is not without controversy, however, particularly among the local residents of Fairfax, who are concerned about the potential traffic, noise, trash, loitering, vagrancy, crime, and drugs that the venue might bring to the small, quiet town of about 7300 people (as of 2011). A Fairfax town council meeting whose agenda was to include a discussion about the venue, including a proposal for a traffic study, was scheduled for Wednesday, August 17, 2011. However, the Leshes pulled the topic from the agenda after someone anonymously posted signs reading, "No Terrapin, Please", along Phil's normal morning walking route in his home town of Ross
a day or two earlier. The Fairfax Chamber of Commerce hosted a Town Hall meeting on the Terrapin Crossroads project on September 1. Town Manager Michael Rock, Planning Director Jim Moore and Bruce Burman of Jazz Builders, the project manager for the proposed Phil Lesh-backed music venue, made presentations and answered questions. Given the ongoing controversy about citing the venue in Fairfax, the Leshes decided to ponder the situation during the month of September, and announce their ultimate decision sometime in October. On November 8, Bruce Burman released a statement from the Leshes: "After careful consideration we have decided not to move forward with Terrapin Crossroads in Fairfax. For all of you that have supported our efforts and helped to define the vision, we are extremely grateful. Phil looks forward to making music and creating a community gathering place sooner rather than later."
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
members Bob Weir
Bob Weir
Bob Weir is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, most recognized as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with The Other Ones, later known as The Dead, together with other former members of the Grateful Dead...
and Phil Lesh
Phil Lesh
Phillip Chapman Lesh is a musician and a founding member of the Grateful Dead, with whom he played bass guitar throughout their 30-year career....
. The original lineup also included John Kadlecik
John Kadlecik
John Kadlecik is an American guitarist best known for his ability to closely replicate the guitar and vocal parts of the late Jerry Garcia. He came to prominence as the lead guitarist for the Grateful Dead tribute band, Dark Star Orchestra, in 1997 and currently performs with original Dead members...
of the Dark Star Orchestra
Dark Star Orchestra
-References:* at the Internet Archive* - John Kadlecik's official website & personal pages**-External links:* , official website of Dark Star Orchestra* , official website of Dino English...
on lead guitar, Jeff Chimenti
Jeff Chimenti
Jeff Chimenti is an American keyboardist, best known for his ongoing work with RatDog. He is also a member of the post-Grateful Dead bands The Dead and Furthur....
of RatDog
Ratdog
RatDog , is an American rock band. The group began as a side project for Grateful Dead rhythm guitarist Bob Weir and bassist Rob Wasserman. After the Grateful Dead disbanded in December 1995, following the death of Jerry Garcia on August 9, 1995, RatDog became Bob Weir's primary band...
on keyboards, Jay Lane
Jay Lane
Jay Lane is an American drummer from the San Francisco Bay Area. He is currently a member of Primus, as well as Bob Weir's RatDog, Scaring the Children with Weir and Rob Wasserman, and the hip hop/jazz fusion group Alphabet Soup. In 2002, Lane was named "drummer of the year" by the California...
of RatDog
Ratdog
RatDog , is an American rock band. The group began as a side project for Grateful Dead rhythm guitarist Bob Weir and bassist Rob Wasserman. After the Grateful Dead disbanded in December 1995, following the death of Jerry Garcia on August 9, 1995, RatDog became Bob Weir's primary band...
on percussion, and Joe Russo
Joe Russo (musician)
Joe Russo is an American drummer and half of the Benevento/Russo Duo. He plays with a number of other bands, including A Big Yes and a Small No, Fat Mama, Robert Walter's 20th Congress, Danjaboots, Bustle In Your Hedgerow, Electron , Younger Brother, Shpongle, Tom Hamilton's American Babies, the...
of the Benevento/Russo Duo
Benevento/Russo Duo
The Benevento/Russo Duo is an alternative jazz/rock band from New York City, featuring Marco Benevento on keyboard instruments and Joe Russo on drums.-History:Benevento and Russo met while in junior high school in New Jersey...
on drums. Named after the famous touring bus used by Ken Kesey
Ken Kesey
Kenneth Elton "Ken" Kesey was an American author, best known for his novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest , and as a counter-cultural figure who considered himself a link between the Beat Generation of the 1950s and the hippies of the 1960s. "I was too young to be a beatnik, and too old to be a...
and the Merry Pranksters
Merry Pranksters
The Merry Pranksters were a group of people who formed around American author Ken Kesey in 1964 and sometimes lived communally at his homes in California and Oregon...
in the 1960s, Furthur is an improvisational jam band
Jam band
-Ambiguity:By the late 1990s use of the term jam band also became ambiguous. An editorial at jamband.com suggested that any band of which a primary band such as Phish has done a cover of be included as jam band. The example was including New York post-punk band Talking Heads after Phish performed...
that performs music primarily from the extensive Grateful Dead songbook, as well as their own original music and that of several other well-known artists. In addition to the original members (with the exception of Jay Lane, who left the band in March 2010 to rejoin his previous funk metal rock band, Primus
Primus (band)
Primus is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde and drummer Jay Lane. Primus originally formed in 1984 with Claypool and guitarist Todd Huth, later joined by Lane, though the latter two departed...
), the band's current lineup also includes backup vocalists Sunshine Becker
Sunshine Becker
Sunshine Becker is an American singer, who currently performs backing vocals for the band, Furthur. Despite her maiden name, Garcia, she is not related to Jerry Garcia, an incorrect assumption made by some because of her involvement with Furthur, a post-Garcia incarnation of the Grateful Dead...
of the a cappella ensemble SoVoSó and Jeff Pehrson
Jeff Pehrson
Jeff Pehrson is an American singer-songwriter who performs backing vocals for Furthur, a band that includes two former members of the Grateful Dead.-Musical career:...
of the folk rock bands Box Set and The Fall Risk.
History
Following the death of Jerry GarciaJerry Garcia
Jerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead...
in August, 1995, the Grateful Dead, officially ceased to exist, at least in the form most had come to know over the years. However, band members continued to perform over the subsequent years in other bands such as RatDog
Ratdog
RatDog , is an American rock band. The group began as a side project for Grateful Dead rhythm guitarist Bob Weir and bassist Rob Wasserman. After the Grateful Dead disbanded in December 1995, following the death of Jerry Garcia on August 9, 1995, RatDog became Bob Weir's primary band...
, Phil Lesh & Friends, the Rhythm Devils
Rhythm Devils
The Rhythm Devils are a band led by founding Grateful Dead drummers Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart.-Grateful Dead:The Rhythm Devils had their origins as an informal but frequent fixture in the Grateful Dead concert repertoire...
, The Other Ones
The Other Ones
The Other Ones was an American rock band formed in 1998 by former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, and Mickey Hart, along with part-time Grateful Dead collaborator Bruce Hornsby. In 2000, Bill Kreutzmann, another Grateful Dead alumnus, joined the group, while Phil Lesh dropped out. In...
, and The Dead
The Dead (band)
The Dead is an American rock band composed of some of the former members of the Grateful Dead.After the death of Jerry Garcia in 1995, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann formed a band called The Other Ones. They performed concert tours in 1998 , 2000 , and 2002, and released one...
. After a four year hiatus following their "Wave That Flag" summer tour in 2004, The Dead performed two 2008 shows supporting the Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
campaign, billed as "Deadheads for Obama" and "Change Rocks", as well at one of the Obama inaugural balls in 2009, ultimately giving rise to a 2009 spring tour. During this reunion, Weir and Lesh, who admitted having great fun playing together again, decided to form a new band. In August, 2009, the musicians announced that they had formed a new band, Furthur, with Kadlecik, Chimenti, Lane, and Russo.
The band is named after the 1939 International Harvester psychedelic multicolored bus used by novelist Ken Kesey
Ken Kesey
Kenneth Elton "Ken" Kesey was an American author, best known for his novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest , and as a counter-cultural figure who considered himself a link between the Beat Generation of the 1950s and the hippies of the 1960s. "I was too young to be a beatnik, and too old to be a...
and his Merry Pranksters
Merry Pranksters
The Merry Pranksters were a group of people who formed around American author Ken Kesey in 1964 and sometimes lived communally at his homes in California and Oregon...
to tour America in 1964 when they attended the New York World's Fair for the debut of Kesey's second novel, Sometimes A Great Notion
Sometimes a Great Notion (novel)
Sometimes a Great Notion is Ken Kesey's second novel, published in 1964. While One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was arguably the more famous of the two novels, many critics consider Sometimes a Great Notion Kesey's magnum opus...
. "Furthur" was the inscription on the destination placard of the bus and was also the name given to the multicolored bus. "In many ways, the "Furthur" destination of the bus - piloted by Neal Cassady
Neal Cassady
Neal Leon Cassady was a major figure of the Beat Generation of the 1950s and the psychedelic movement of the 1960s. He served as the model for the character Dean Moriarty in Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road....
, inspiration for the character Dean Moriarty in Jack Kerouac's
Jack Kerouac
Jean-Louis "Jack" Lebris de Kerouac was an American novelist and poet. He is considered a literary iconoclast and, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, a pioneer of the Beat Generation. Kerouac is recognized for his spontaneous method of writing, covering topics such as Catholic...
On The Road
On the Road
On the Road is a novel by American writer Jack Kerouac, written in April 1951, and published by Viking Press in 1957. It is a largely autobiographical work that was based on the spontaneous road trips of Kerouac and his friends across mid-century America. It is often considered a defining work of...
- represented the mind-set of the transition from Beat Generation
Beat generation
The Beat Generation refers to a group of American post-WWII writers who came to prominence in the 1950s, as well as the cultural phenomena that they both documented and inspired...
culture to the more heavily drug-infused hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
culture and the LSD-based psychedelic
Psychedelic
The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...
culture, with Ken Kesey, Neal Cassady, the Merry Pranksters, and the Grateful Dead - all alumni of the Acid Tests
Acid Tests
The Acid Tests were a series of parties held by Ken Kesey in the San Francisco Bay Area during the mid 1960s, centered entirely around the use of, experimentation with, and advocacy of, the psychedelic drug LSD, also known as "acid."...
- as ambassadors and guides on that cognitive and conceptual journey". The Grateful Dead performed as the house band
House band
For the British band that existed from 1984-2001, see The House BandA house band is a group of musicians, often centrally organized by a band leader, who regularly play an establishment. It is widely used to refer both to the bands who work on entertainment programs on television or radio, and to...
for many of the Acid Tests, which ran from 1965–1966.
As the latest post-Garcia incarnation of the Grateful Dead, Furthur retains much of the characteristic style and texture of the Dead. In addition to performing many of the songs regularly played in concert by the Dead, Furthur has tried to "keep it fresh" by routinely adding new material to their setlists. Such includes many songs resurrected from the Grateful Dead's extensive songbook, including several rarely or never performed live by the Grateful Dead, like "Alice D. Millionaire", as well as several cover songs from bands including The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, The Band
The Band
The Band was an acclaimed and influential roots rock group. The original group consisted of Rick Danko , Garth Hudson , Richard Manuel , and Robbie Robertson , and Levon Helm...
, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
, Ryan Adams
Ryan Adams
David Ryan Adams is an American alt-country/rock singer-songwriter, from Jacksonville, North Carolina. Initially part of the group Whiskeytown, Adams left the band and released his first solo album Heartbreaker in 2000...
, Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
and The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
. They have also written several new original songs which they perform regularly.
2009
The band debuted with performances on September 18, 19, and 20, 2009, at the Fox TheatreFox Oakland Theatre
The Fox Oakland Theatre is a 2,800-seat movie theater, located at 1807 Telegraph Avenue in downtown Oakland, California. The theater was designed by Weeks and Day, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and reopened on February 5, 2009....
in Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
. The band, Vice (now known as Maiden Lane), featuring Phil's son, Grahame, opened for Furthur on Saturday, September 19. They then performed for a single night on November 20 at the small, 200 person capacity, 19 Broadway in Fairfax, CA, advertised only by a last minute announcement, and with tickets available only at the door on a first come, first served basis. The Oakland debut shows were followed by five additional concerts in the Northeast (NY, CT, NJ) in December 2009, as well as live rehearsal sessions and two New Year's shows in Mill Valley, CA and San Francisco, CA, respectively. During the New Year's Eve performances, the band introduced backing vocalists Sunshine Becker and Zoe Ellis, who remained in the lineup for the remainder of the winter tour.
2010
Additional live rehearsal sessions continued for the first half of January 2010 in Mill Valley, CA. The band then toured the U.S. (primarily East Coast, with a few shows in Chicago, IL, Broomfield, CO, and Portland, OR) from February 2 through March 8, 2010, and performed in San Francisco on March 12, 2010 to celebrate Phil Lesh's upcoming 70th birthday. On March 18, 2010, Phil Lesh posted on popular fansite PhilZone.com an announcement that drummer Jay Lane had left Furthur to rejoin his prior group, PrimusPrimus (band)
Primus is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde and drummer Jay Lane. Primus originally formed in 1984 with Claypool and guitarist Todd Huth, later joined by Lane, though the latter two departed...
. Zoe Ellis also left the group at this time to focus on her a cappella ensemble, SoVoSó. Backup vocalist Jeff Pehrson subsequently joined Furthur, debuting May 24, 2010.
In February 2010, official announcements were released that the group would be performing at three music festivals in the summer of 2010, including the Nateva Music & Camping Festival
Nateva Music & Camping Festival
Nateva Music & Camping Festival was a four day, multi stage, limited capacity outdoor camping festival held July 1 - July 4, 2010 at the 100+ acre Oxford Fairgrounds in Oxford, Maine. The festival featured headliners moe., The Flaming Lips, and Furthur...
in Oxford, ME on July 4, the All Good Music Festival
All Good Music Festival
The All Good Music Festival and Camp Out is a weekend-long event held annually in July. Since its inception in 1997, it has been held at venues along the Mid-Atlantic, including Masontown, West Virginia and locations in Maryland and Virginia...
in Masontown, WV on July 9, and the Gathering of the Vibes
Gathering of the Vibes
Gathering of the Vibes is an annual four-day music, camping and arts festival that celebrates the Grateful Dead & showcases a very diverse variety of music. Over the course of the event, styles often include; Funk, Bluegrass, Rock, Jam Band, Jazz, Reggae, R&B & Folk music. Since 1996, GOTV has...
festival in Bridgeport, CT on July 30. Additional stops on the tour, which ran from June 25 until July 30 and included 17 shows, included Rochester, NY, Brooklyn, NY, Jim Thorpe, PA, Lowell, MA, Columbus, OH, Mohawk, NY, Stroudsburg, PA (which replaced a canceled show in Shelburne, VT), Ottawa, ON, Lewiston, NY, Philadelphia, PA, and New York, NY. In addition to the three festivals on the East Coast, Furthur resurrected the "Furthur Festival" at Mountain Aire in Angels Camp, CA on Memorial Day weekend May 28-30th, 2010, at which they played six of their classic albums live.
Following a performance on August 14, 2010 in Golden Gate Park at the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival
Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival
The Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival is a music festival held annually in San Francisco, California at Golden Gate Park. The first edition occurred August 22–24 in 2008, and included over 60 musical acts from around the world, as well as several art installations...
, Furthur initiated their first West Coast tour, commencing September 16, 2010 in Eugene, OR and ending September 26, 2010 in Morrison, CO at Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a rock structure near Morrison, Colorado, where concerts are given in the open-air amphitheatre. There is a large, tilted, disc-shaped rock behind the stage, a huge vertical rock angled outwards from stage right, several large outcrops angled outwards from stage left and a...
. A short Midwest/East Coast tour followed, beginning November 8, 2010 in Minneapolis, MN and ending on November 21, 2010 in New York, NY at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. Two New Year's shows concluded the 2010 year, with Furthur performing a total of 77 shows, and 18 live rehearsal sessions since their September 2009 inception.
2011
Furthur's debut in 2011 began with three shows at the Odeum Colorado in February 2011 (announced December 3, 2010), followed shortly thereafter by a 24 show East Coast tour (announced January 6, 2011) beginning on March 4 in Boston, MA and ending April 6 in Boca Raton, FL. This tour featured several multi-night runs in mid-size venues including five nights at Best Buy Theater in New York, NY, five nights at Tower Theater in Upper Darby, PA (outside of Philadelphia), and three nights at Radio City Music HallRadio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...
in New York, NY. The 2011 summer tour (announced on April 8, 2011) began on June 3 at Shoreline Amphitheatre
Shoreline Amphitheatre
Shoreline Amphitheatre is an outdoor amphitheater, in Mountain View, California, USA, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Inside the venue it has a capacity of 22,500, with 6,500 reserved seats and 16,000 general admission on the lawn...
in Mountain View, CA and concluded on July 31 at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park
The Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park is an amphitheatre located in the northern Atlanta suburb of Alpharetta. The amphitheatre is meant to hold a variety of entertainment...
in Alpharetta, GA, with the bulk of the shows on the East Coast.
A 2011 West Coast tour (announced on June 4, 2011) began on September 23 at Cuthbert Amphitheatre
Hult Center for the Performing Arts
The Hult Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts facility in Eugene, Oregon, that opened in 1982.It is located adjacent to the Eugene Hilton and the Eugene Community Conference Center, which were also completed in 1982, as part of the same urban renewal project.The Hult Center and the...
in Eugene, OR and ended on October 8 at Monterey County Fairgrounds
Monterey County Fairgrounds
Monterey County Fairgrounds is the site of the Monterey Pop Festival and the Monterey Bay Race Place.- External links :*...
in Monterey, CA. A 2011 East Coast/Midwest fall tour (announced on September 9, 2011) began November 3 at Verizon Wireless Arena
Verizon Wireless Arena
The Verizon Wireless Arena is an indoor events arena in Manchester, New Hampshire, and seats 9,852 for ice hockey and just under 10,000 for basketball and some concerts.Verizon Wireless paid for the arena's naming rights...
in Manchester, NH and ended November 21 at Old National Center in Indianapolis, IN. Due to "unforeseen production complications", the November 15 show at the Bryce Jordan Center
Bryce Jordan Center
Bryce Jordan Center is a 15,261-seat multi-purpose arena in University Park, Pennsylvania. The arena opened in 1995 and is the largest such venue between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. It replaced Rec Hall as the home to the Penn State University Nittany Lions men's and women's basketball team, the...
in State College, PA, was canceled and replaced with a performance the same day at the Times Union Center in Albany, NY. A three-show New Year's Eve run (announced on October 14, 2011) will take place on December 29, 30, and 31 at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
The Bill Graham Civic Auditorium is a multi-purpose arena in San Francisco, California, currently named after promoter Bill Graham...
.
Special appearances
On Monday, August 9, 2010, the San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
held a Jerry Garcia Tribute Night at AT&T Park
AT&T Park
AT&T Park is a ballpark located in the South Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, California. Located at 24 Willie Mays Plaza, at the corner of Third and King Streets, it has served as the home of the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball since 2000....
, sponsored by Ben & Jerry's
Ben & Jerry's
Ben & Jerry's is an American ice cream company, a division of the British-Dutch Unilever conglomerate, that manufactures ice cream, frozen yogurt, sorbet, and ice cream novelty products, manufactured by Ben & Jerry's Homemade Holdings, Inc., headquartered in South Burlington, Vermont, United...
, the Rex Foundation
Rex Foundation
The Rex Foundation was created by "members of the Grateful Dead and Friends" in 1983 as a charitable non-profit organization to "proactively provide extensive community support to creative endeavors in the arts, sciences, and education." The organization is named after Rex Jackson, a Grateful Dead...
, and the 8th Annual Jerry Day. The Giants played the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, and the National Anthem was sung by Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, and Jeff Pehrson. Later that season, the Giants played the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in the National League Championship Series
National League Championship Series
In Major League Baseball, the National League Championship Series is a round in the postseason that determines who wins the National League pennant and advances to Major League Baseball's championship, the World Series, facing the winner of the American League Championship Series. The reigning...
, and on Thursday, October 21, 2010 (Game 5 of the NLCS), the National Anthem was once again sung by Lesh, Weir, and Pehrson. The following year, on Tuesday, August 9, 2011, the Giants celebrated the 2nd annual Grateful Dead Night (on Jerry Day), playing the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. The National Anthem was sung by Lesh, Weir, and Giants' 3rd base coach and singer-songwriter, Tim Flannery
Tim Flannery (baseball)
Timothy Earl Flannery is a former Major League Baseball player who spent eleven seasons with the San Diego Padres, from to . He is also the nephew of former Major League Baseball player Hal Smith.-Minors:...
and the 7th inning stretch was led by Mickey Hart
Mickey Hart
Mickey Hart is an American percussionist and musicologist. He is best known as one of the two drummers of the rock band the Grateful Dead. He was a member of the Grateful Dead from September 1967 to February 1971, and from October 1974 to August 1995...
and Bill Walton
Bill Walton
William Theodore "Bill" Walton III is a retired American basketball player and television sportscaster. The "Big Red-Head", as he was called, achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards, while...
.
Website
At the time of the announcement of the formation of Furthur, no official website for the band existed, although the domain name, www.furthur.net, was originally registered in 1998 by Bret Heisler, best known for his association with Phil & FriendsPhil Lesh and Friends
Phil Lesh and Friends is an American rock band formed and led by Phil Lesh, former bassist of the Grateful Dead.Phil & Friends is not a traditional group in that several different lineups of musicians have played under the name, including groups featuring members of Phish, Little Feat, and the Zen...
and for creating and maintaining their fansite
Fansite
A fansite, fan site, or fanpage is a website created and maintained by a fan or devotee interested in a celebrity, thing, or a particular cultural phenomenon...
, Philzone.com. In September 2009, when Furthur debuted in Oakland, CA at the Fox Theatre, a rudimentary website, designed by Bret Heisler, went live at furthur.net, including content such as tour dates, setlists, photos, artwork, as well as links to the Furthur Foundation and the Unbroken Chain Foundation websites. Subsequently, coincident with the announcement in April 2010 of the "Furthur Fesitival" at Mountain Aire, the website www.furthurfestival.com, designed by Jay Carbon of Atomic 6, was launched. Shortly thereafter, in July 2010, Atomic 6 designed the band's current website at www.furthur.net, which has been continuously updated since. Another fansite, OtherOnes.net, designed and maintained by Dave Rosenberg of Terrapin Web Design, had previously published info about The Other Ones
The Other Ones
The Other Ones was an American rock band formed in 1998 by former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, and Mickey Hart, along with part-time Grateful Dead collaborator Bruce Hornsby. In 2000, Bill Kreutzmann, another Grateful Dead alumnus, joined the group, while Phil Lesh dropped out. In...
and The Dead
The Dead (band)
The Dead is an American rock band composed of some of the former members of the Grateful Dead.After the death of Jerry Garcia in 1995, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann formed a band called The Other Ones. They performed concert tours in 1998 , 2000 , and 2002, and released one...
(when those bands were active), and currently publishes info about Furthur.
Ticketing
Tickets for Furthur are officially available via three outlets. The first is by presale mail order (or sometimes, via fax) from GDTS TOO, which evolved from the original Grateful Dead fan mail order entity, Grateful Dead Ticket Sales (GDTS). GDTS began in 1983 and lasted until 1996, at which time GDTS TOO was formed by veteran GDTS employees, Steve Marcus and Frankie Accardi. Frankie Accardi was honored with the INTIX Patricia G. Spira Lifetime Achievement Award in January, 2011. The second means of buying tickets is via online presale from the band's ticketing site. This site was initially hosted by MusicTodayMusictoday
Musictoday is an entertainment marketing company located in Charlottesville, Virginia. It was founded and run by Coran Capshaw, the manager of Dave Matthews Band. Musictoday is a pioneer in presales of concert tickets, by starting fan clubs for hundreds of artists. Musictoday's first fanclub was...
from August 2009 until March 2010 and subsequently by Front Gate Tickets (since June 2010). The third method is during the general sale (and occasionally, presale) from larger ticketing agencies, such as Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster Entertainment, Inc. is an independent American ticket sales and distribution company based in West Hollywood, California, USA, with operations in many countries around the world. In 2010 it merged with Live Nation to become Live Nation Entertainment...
. In addition, some venues sell tickets directly to the public (including "preferred" seating for members of those venues). Finally, there are numerous unofficial and unendorsed secondary market options for purchasing tickets, such as StubHub
Stubhub
StubHub is an online marketplace owned by eBay, which provides services for buyers and sellers of tickets for sports, concerts, theater and other live entertainment events....
, TicketsNow
TicketsNow
TicketsNow, established in 1999 and based in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, is a marketplace for event tickets.TicketsNow was named in 2004 and 2006 to the Inc. 500 Index of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the U.S...
, eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
, and Craigslist
Craigslist
Craigslist is a centralized network of online communities featuring free online classified advertisements, with sections devoted to jobs, housing, personals, for sale, services, community, gigs, résumés, and discussion forums....
.
Tamalpais Research Institute (TRI)
On Tuesday, June 7, 2011, Furthur performed live at Tamalpais Research Institute (aka TRI Studios) in San Rafael, CA. TRI, a virtual venue, is the brainchild of Bob Weir, and is a state-of-the-art multimedia performance studio designed with the purpose of broadcasting live high definition (HD) video and audio streams directly over the internet. The event, billed as Furthur Experiments at TRI, was broadcast in real time over the internet in HD video with stereo sound and was available to those who ordered the pay-per-view event for $19.95. The performance included 13 songs (counting Terrapin Suite as one song), had no break, and lasted about two-and-a-half hours, beginning 6:00PM PDT. The performance was also simulcast for free in New York's Brooklyn Bowl ("BOWLcast"). While the performance was well-received by fans, several had trouble viewing the event due to technical difficulties related to server/website load balancing software (subsequently corrected). As a result, TRI Studios rebroadcast the entire concert as a continuous loop stream from June 10, 2011 at 12:00 Noon until June 12, 2011 at 6:00 PM PDT, and made it accessible to those who had originally paid for the event. Bob Weir plans to regularly host and broadcast performances by various musicians at TRI. Prior to the Furthur webcast, TRI Studios has been used for rehearsal sessions by Journey
Journey (band)
Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...
in February, 2011, by Scaring the Children (featuring Bob Weir, Rob Wasserman
Rob Wasserman
Rob Wasserman is an American bass player, who has played with a wide variety of musicians including David Grisman, Lou Reed, Bob Weir, Jerry Garcia, Bruce Cockburn, Van Morrison, Rickie Lee Jones, Brian Wilson, Elvis Costello, Mark Morris, Aaron Neville, Chris Whitley, Studs Terkel, Pete Seeger,...
and Jay Lane) with Jackie Greene
Jackie Greene
Jackie Greene is an American singer-songwriter and musician.-Career:Greene was born Chris Nelson in Salinas, California, and developed an interest in music at an early age, starting with the piano. At 14, he began to play guitar and within a short time, was able to sit in with local bar bands. As...
in April, 2011, and for the First Fusion collaboration between Bob Weir and the Marin Symphony, which premiered on May 7, 2011 at the Marin Center. The first webcast from TRI, which was free, occurred on Friday, May 13, 2011 and was appropriately dubbed TRIday the 13th with "Bob Weir and Friends", featuring Bob Weir, Jay Lane, Jeff Chimenti, Rob Wasserman, Steve Kimock
Steve Kimock
-External links:** at the Internet Archive's live music archive* at the Internet Archive's live music archive* at Internet Archive's live music archive*, San Francisco, April 3, 1999*, Unofficial Fan Forum...
, Robin Sylvester
Robin Sylvester
Robin Sylvester is a London born musician, living in San Francisco, who is best known for his ongoing work with RatDog. Although primarily a bass player, he plays several instruments, including the guitar and keyboards, and has done extensive arranging....
, and a four piece horn section (Marco D'Ambrosio and Jim Radseth on trumpet, Art Austin on clarinet, and Zach Spellman on tuba). The second pay-per-view event, which cost $10, featured Slightly Stoopid
Slightly Stoopid
Slightly Stoopid is an American band based in Ocean Beach, San Diego, California, who describe their music as "a fusion of acoustic rock and blues with reggae, hip-hop, and punk". As a band, they have released eight albums with their sixth studio album, entitled Slightly Not Stoned Enough To Eat...
and was broadcast on September 13, 2011 (with free rebroadcast from September 17, 2011 at 6 :00 PM until September 18, 2011 at 6:00 PM PDT, as well as a full refund to those who purchased the event, to compensate for technical difficulties during the live broadcast), and featured special guests Bob Weir, Ivan Neville
Ivan Neville
Ivan Neville is a multi-instrumentalist musician, singer, and songwriter. He is the son of Aaron Neville and nephew to members of The Neville Brothers....
and Ian Neville (of Dumpstaphunk), Karl D
Karl Denson
Karl Denson is a funk and jazz saxophonist, flutist and vocalist from San Diego, California. He was a member of Lenny Kravitz's band and has co-founded and led The Greyboy Allstars. Denson has recorded with artists including Jack DeJohnette, Dave Holland, Blind Boys of Alabama, Blackalicious,...
of Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, and Don Carlos Reggae
Don Carlos (musician)
Don Carlos a.k.a. Don McCarlos is a Jamaican reggae singer and composer.-Biography:He was born and raised in Western Kingston, Jamaica in a very deprived district known as Waterhouse out of which came many talented reggae musicians. One such artist was King Tubby, one of the founders of Black...
. Following this, a free webcast was broadcast, featuring Chickenfoot
Chickenfoot
Chickenfoot is an American rock supergroup, consisting of former Van Halen members Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony , solo artist Joe Satriani and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith. The band released their self-titled debut album, Chickenfoot, on June 5, 2009...
, billed as Chickenfoot Presents III, on the release date of their album, Chickenfoot III, on September 27, 2011 at 6:00 PM PDT (free rebroadcast September 28, 2011 at 12:00 PDT). On October 18, 19, and 20, 2011, The Fall Risk rehearsed and recorded at TRI, but did not webcast, and intend to release video of the sessions. On October 21 at 7:00 PM PDT, during their annual three-day "Communion in the Redwoods" gathering in Big Sur
Big Sur
Big Sur is a sparsely populated region of the Central Coast of California where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. The name "Big Sur" is derived from the original Spanish-language "el sur grande", meaning "the big south", or from "el país grande del sur", "the big...
, CA, Communion
Communion (music)
Communion is an artist led organisation that combines elements of live promotion, publishing, records and production to create a hub for songwriters and musicians to develop and flourish in an increasingly competitive industry environment...
artists Matthew and the Atlas, The David Mayfield Parade, and Lauren Shera
Lauren Shera
Lauren Shera spent her early life in New York surrounded by a wide range of musicians. When she was 13, her family relocated to northern California at the same time that she picked up the guitar....
performed a free live webcast from TRI (rebroadcast on October 22 at 12:00 PM PDT). On November 21, 2011 at 6:30 PM PST, TRI hosted a free webcast headlining Planet of the Abts (POA), featuring drummer Matt Abts
Matt Abts
Matt Abts is a Grammy Award-nominated American drummer best known as a member of the band Gov't Mule.-Biography:Abts started playing music while attending high school in Panama before relocating to Virginia where he spent the next eight years playing music regionally in vast number of local bands...
and bassist Jorgen Carlsson of Gov’t Mule, and guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist T-Bone Andersson; Las Vegas funk/rock
Funk rock
Funk rock is a music genre that fuses funk and rock elements. Its earliest incarnation was heard in the late 1960s through the mid-1970s by acts such as the Jimi Hendrix Experience , Eric Burdon and War, Trapeze, Parliament-Funkadelic, Betty Davis and Mother's Finest. The 1990s were known for acts...
band Moksha opened for POA.
Terrapin Crossroads
On March 29, 2011, Phil Lesh posted a statement on the Furthur.net site community message board that he was planning to open a new live music venue in Marin County
Marin County, California
Marin County is a county located in the North San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. As of 2010, the population was 252,409. The county seat is San Rafael and the largest employer is the county government. Marin County is well...
, California in the near future. Said Lesh, "We're taking the first steps to make a long time dream - a permanent musical home - come true. We are purchasing a building in Marin, and plan on remodeling it to feel like an old barn; we're calling it Terrapin Landing. We will continue with Furthur while making music at Terrapin Landing when we are at home. The music will be varied, featuring: Phil Lesh & Friends (continuing the tradition of revolving lineups, including old as well as new friends); West Coast Rambles, based on (and blessed by) Levon Helm's historic Rambles; Album night - we pick a favorite album or two to play live; Telstar night - we put together a band for free form improvisation; Sing-alongs to monthly Sunday morning gospel music; Trivia nights; Monthly big band night; Seminars with local musicians and artists; Our goal is to create a vibrant community gathering place: beautiful, comfortable, welcoming - for members of the community to commingle and enjoy good music". In April, 2011, Lesh disclosed more details about "Terrapin Landing", originally planned as a remodel of The Good Earth natural food store in Fairfax
Fairfax, California
Fairfax is an incorporated town in Marin County, California, United States. Fairfax is located west-northwest of San Rafael, at an elevation of 115 feet...
, California, which would then be used to host a variety of musical fare. However, in July, 2011, this initial plan was changed from utilizing The Good Earth property to the construction of a brand new structure in the adjacent lot formerly occupied by a gas station and car repair shop. On August 1 (Jerry Garcia's birthday), formal plans for what is now being called "Terrapin Crossroads" were submitted to the Fairfax Town Council for approval. The building is designed as a three floor, 16500 square foot structure (8250 square foot footprint), that will accommodate about 500 people, and which will host between 50 and 100 performances per year. If approved, construction will begin in the summer of 2012 and will be completed in the summer of 2013. The project is not without controversy, however, particularly among the local residents of Fairfax, who are concerned about the potential traffic, noise, trash, loitering, vagrancy, crime, and drugs that the venue might bring to the small, quiet town of about 7300 people (as of 2011). A Fairfax town council meeting whose agenda was to include a discussion about the venue, including a proposal for a traffic study, was scheduled for Wednesday, August 17, 2011. However, the Leshes pulled the topic from the agenda after someone anonymously posted signs reading, "No Terrapin, Please", along Phil's normal morning walking route in his home town of Ross
Ross, California
Ross is a small incorporated town in Marin County, California, United States, just north of San Francisco. Ross is located west-southwest of San Rafael, at an elevation of 36 feet . The population was 2,415 at the 2010 census...
a day or two earlier. The Fairfax Chamber of Commerce hosted a Town Hall meeting on the Terrapin Crossroads project on September 1. Town Manager Michael Rock, Planning Director Jim Moore and Bruce Burman of Jazz Builders, the project manager for the proposed Phil Lesh-backed music venue, made presentations and answered questions. Given the ongoing controversy about citing the venue in Fairfax, the Leshes decided to ponder the situation during the month of September, and announce their ultimate decision sometime in October. On November 8, Bruce Burman released a statement from the Leshes: "After careful consideration we have decided not to move forward with Terrapin Crossroads in Fairfax. For all of you that have supported our efforts and helped to define the vision, we are extremely grateful. Phil looks forward to making music and creating a community gathering place sooner rather than later."
Current members
- Bob WeirBob WeirBob Weir is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, most recognized as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with The Other Ones, later known as The Dead, together with other former members of the Grateful Dead...
- rhythm guitar, lead vocals (9/18/2009–present) - Phil LeshPhil LeshPhillip Chapman Lesh is a musician and a founding member of the Grateful Dead, with whom he played bass guitar throughout their 30-year career....
- bass guitar, lead vocals (9/18/2009–present) - John KadlecikJohn KadlecikJohn Kadlecik is an American guitarist best known for his ability to closely replicate the guitar and vocal parts of the late Jerry Garcia. He came to prominence as the lead guitarist for the Grateful Dead tribute band, Dark Star Orchestra, in 1997 and currently performs with original Dead members...
- lead guitar, lead vocals (9/18/2009–present) - Jeff ChimentiJeff ChimentiJeff Chimenti is an American keyboardist, best known for his ongoing work with RatDog. He is also a member of the post-Grateful Dead bands The Dead and Furthur....
- keyboards, backing vocals (9/18/2009–present) - Joe RussoJoe Russo (musician)Joe Russo is an American drummer and half of the Benevento/Russo Duo. He plays with a number of other bands, including A Big Yes and a Small No, Fat Mama, Robert Walter's 20th Congress, Danjaboots, Bustle In Your Hedgerow, Electron , Younger Brother, Shpongle, Tom Hamilton's American Babies, the...
- drums (9/18/2009–present) - Sunshine BeckerSunshine BeckerSunshine Becker is an American singer, who currently performs backing vocals for the band, Furthur. Despite her maiden name, Garcia, she is not related to Jerry Garcia, an incorrect assumption made by some because of her involvement with Furthur, a post-Garcia incarnation of the Grateful Dead...
- backing vocals (12/27/2009–present) - Jeff PehrsonJeff PehrsonJeff Pehrson is an American singer-songwriter who performs backing vocals for Furthur, a band that includes two former members of the Grateful Dead.-Musical career:...
- backing vocals (5/24/2010–present)
Former members
- Jay LaneJay LaneJay Lane is an American drummer from the San Francisco Bay Area. He is currently a member of Primus, as well as Bob Weir's RatDog, Scaring the Children with Weir and Rob Wasserman, and the hip hop/jazz fusion group Alphabet Soup. In 2002, Lane was named "drummer of the year" by the California...
- percussion, backing vocals (9/18/2009 - 3/12/2010) - Zoe Ellis - backing vocals (12/27/2009 - 3/12/2010)
Guest performers
- Steve Molitz (ParticleParticle (band)Particle is an American jam band formed in Los Angeles in 2000. The original members were Dave Simmons , Steve Molitz , Eric Gould , and Darren Pujalet . Simmons died shortly after the formation of the band due to a sudden illness. Guitarist Charlie Hitchcock joined shortly thereafter...
) - keyboards (3/12/10, 3/13/10, 3/12/11) - Chris Robinson (The Black CrowesThe Black CrowesThe Black Crowes are an American rock band formed in 1989. Their discography includes nine studio albums, four live albums and several charting singles. The band was signed to Def American Recordings in 1989 by producer George Drakoulias and released their debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, the...
) - guitar, vocals (3/12/10, 9/30/11) - Jackie GreeneJackie GreeneJackie Greene is an American singer-songwriter and musician.-Career:Greene was born Chris Nelson in Salinas, California, and developed an interest in music at an early age, starting with the piano. At 14, he began to play guitar and within a short time, was able to sit in with local bar bands. As...
- guitar, vocals (3/12/10, 3/13/10) - John MoloJohn MoloJohn Molo , is an American rock and jazz drummer and percussionist. He has played with a variety of bands, combos, and soloists, including Bruce Hornsby and the Range, The Other Ones, Phil Lesh and Friends, Delaney Bramlett, John Fogerty, Keller Williams, Mike Watt, Paul Kelly, David Nelson,...
- drums (3/12/10) - Grahame Lesh - guitar (3/13/10)
- Larry CampbellLarry Campbell (musician)Larry Campbell is a multi-instrumentalist who plays many stringed instruments in genres including country, folk, blues, and rock...
- fiddle, guitar (5/29/10, 5/30/10, 3/27/11, 11/10/11) - Teresa Williams - vocals (5/29/10, 5/30/10, 3/27/11, 11/10/11)
- Kenny Brooks (RatDogRatdogRatDog , is an American rock band. The group began as a side project for Grateful Dead rhythm guitarist Bob Weir and bassist Rob Wasserman. After the Grateful Dead disbanded in December 1995, following the death of Jerry Garcia on August 9, 1995, RatDog became Bob Weir's primary band...
) - saxophone (6/26/10) - Warren HaynesWarren HaynesWarren Haynes is an American rock and blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. Haynes is best known for his work as long time guitarist with The Allman Brothers Band and as founding member of the jam band Gov't Mule. Early in his career he was a guitarist for David Allan Coe and The Dickey...
(The Allman Brothers BandThe Allman Brothers BandThe Allman Brothers Band is an American rock/blues band once based in Macon, Georgia. The band was formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman and Gregg Allman , who were supported by Dickey Betts , Berry Oakley , Butch Trucks , and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe"...
, Gov't MuleGov't MuleGov't Mule is a Southern rock jam band formed in 1994 as an Allman Brothers Band side project by Warren Haynes and Allen Woody.The band released their debut album Gov't Mule in 1995...
, The DeadThe DeadThe Dead may refer to:* The dead, those who have experienced death* 'The Dead' , by Rupert Brooke* "The Dead" , by James Joyce* The Dead , adapted from Joyce's story* James Joyce's The Dead, Broadway musical...
) - guitar, vocals (3/13/11, 7/15/11) - Elvis CostelloElvis CostelloElvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
- guitar, vocals (3/27/11) - Diana KrallDiana KrallDiana Jean Krall, OC, OBC is a Canadian jazz pianist and singer, known for her contralto vocals. She has sold more than 6 million albums in the US and over 15 million worldwide; altogether, she has sold more albums than any other female jazz artist during the 1990s and 2000s...
- vocals (3/27/11) - Clarence ClemonsClarence ClemonsClarence Anicholas Clemons, Jr. , also known as The Big Man, was an American musician and actor. From 1972 until his death, he was a prominent member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, playing the tenor saxophone. He released several solo albums and in 1985, had a hit single with "You're a...
- saxophone (4/6/11) - Al SchnierAl SchnierAl Schnier is a musician most noted for being one of two guitarists for the American jam band moe.-History:Schnier was born on January 9, 1968 in Utica, New York. He attended New Hartford Central High School in Oneida County, New York before going to college at State University of New York at...
(moe.) - guitar, vocals (4/6/11)
Staff and crew
- John Warren - tour manager, tour accountant
- Matt Busch - co-manager
- Chris Charucki - production manager
- Robbie Taylor - stage manager, instrument tech (Phil Lesh)
- Anthony Joseph "A.J." Santella - instrument tech (Bob Weir)
- Dylan Carney - photography and social media
External links
- www.furthur.net, official website of Furthur
- www.otherones.net, Furthur fansite
- www.dead.net, official website of the Grateful Dead
- www.philzone.org, Phil Lesh fansite
- www.gdtstoo.com, GDTS TOO fan mail order ticketing website
- furthur.frontgatetickets.com, Furthur fan presale ticketing website
- www.unbrokenchainfoundation.org, Unbroken Chain Foundation website
- www.furthur.org, Furthur Foundation website
- Furthur collection at the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
's live music archive - www.tristudios.com, official website of Tamalpais Research Institute (TRI Studio)