Bob Weir

@goofyfoot - they're always on tour and they play everywhere, so they should be somewhere near you at least once on 2026. Dunno about parking lot atmosphere, but they play good-size venues on multiple nights to a good many Deadheads. They play Grateful Dead shows Grateful Dead style and sound much more like them than any of the offshoots. They've been going for more than 35 years themselves.

@goofyfoot 

I didn’t mean to suggest or imply that Keith played Jazz with the Dead. But Jazz was, according to an interview with him I read many years back, his preferred genre. As for Bruce’s playing being "more refined" that Keith’s, I’d have to listen to Bruce play. All I’ve heard is the stuff he had on the radio way back when and that was all in one bag, pretty much. He is clearly a "stylist" , in that he has an an identifiable sound. What sort of range/depth he might possess, I have no idea.

I intend to listen to  the ’91 Greensborough show @ezwind recommended. I’ve listened to very little Dead after ’77. My last two of the six shows I attended were in the eighties and for me, it was just not the same, at that point. 

@larsman ‘Dunno about parking lot atmosphere’ 

I was referring to Goose regarding the parking lot vibe. As far as Dark Star, I’ll take a look at when they’ll be coming around again. What little I do know about DSO, they would replicate a complete GD show. I assume they still do that.

@goofyfoot - what they usually do is pick a particular GD show from the past and play that set list. Of course, the performances are just as individual and improvisational as the GD. Sometimes they do shows though where they'll come up with their own setlist, but 'first set songs' are still in the first set and second set where they go, too.

Personally, I wish they wouldn't bother with replicating set lists - they needed that kind of gimmick when they first started, but they don't anymore - and would have them all be 'band's choice'. Lots of people like guessing what show it was though, too.

What DSO has that most of the 'other ones' don't (besides playing together for a few decades) is that Jeff Mattson not only plays like Jerry but sings just like him too. And Lisa Mackey is WAY better than I've ever heard Donna. 

And it IS cool how they switch around lineup and standing positions depending on what year the show was that they're doing. So sometimes one drummer has to sit it out. 

@larsman Sounds good. The closest shows to me will be Newport and then Columbus. I’ve typically, been in a place where I tell myself, it’s not Jerry so what’s the point. Maybe I’ve been cheating myself from having fun and suspect that seeing DSO will be nonetheless be worthwhile.