Conference rdvax::grateful

    Oh yeah, thanks to grateful for the cheapseats rec!

    
    Have an excellent trip Tom!  
    
    If you happen to see Rich Fromm, tell him I said "Frummmmmmmmmmmmmmm"
    and hope his hand is getting better.

    
     Good for you Tom. Way to go!  
    
     I just returned from SF myself. I fit some funster things
     in even though I was there for work. If you get a chance
     there's a good place to try called the 'Stinking Rose'.. if
     you like garlic everything has tons of it there.
    
     There's a good blues bar right near there called
     'The Saloon' that was pretty jammin with no cover. A small, dark
     place but cool.
    
     Guess I don't have to tell ya to have a grate time. 
              
    
    

    
    re:0
    
     >I'm pretty thrilled though it's completely irresponsible..
     >I'm going to have a blast!
    
     That says it all.......
    
     Have a grate time
    
     Divide Dave

	goes without saying but I'll say it n e way ;-) :
	take pictures to show!!
	
	have a grate time,
	
	jay

    Have a wonderful time, Tom.
    
    And thanks for getting the tapes done before you leave. ;)
    They'll be much appreciated when they find their way into the hands of
    their intended owner.
    
    Rob

    Thanks for the vibes folks.. 30" and I'm outa here!!

    Tom

    Tom, how were the shows?  where are those setlists?  did he play Lucky
    Guy???  and izn't SF a coooool place?
    
    Wes_who_should_have_pix_of_710_Ashbury_later_today

    At last!  I've caught up on (most) mail and notes.

    San Francisco rules, I felt like it was "home base", can't
    explain it; felt very at home first moment I was there.
    Have never been there.  Stuck my finger in the ocean.
    Had my picture taken.

    Flew in Friday night;  watched the Atlantic recede and saw
    the Pacific approach... way cool for someone who's never
    flown coast to coast (non stop, no less) before.  I dug it.
    (btw, if you're concerned about the population explosion	
    forget it, there's *plenty* of empty space in between!  :-) )

    Did too much, or tried to anyway.  Never made some of the
    scenes I had in mind.. like the Park or the Haight.. still
    did see some cool stuff.  George Lucas's "Skywalker Ranch"
    where his businesses are set up;  Muir Woods (big-assed
    trees!); Highway 1 along the coast (literally breathtaking,
    just like everyone always said. I was nervous sitting in
    the back seat watching my driver try to drive and see the
    scenery at the same time!);  Berkeley (no frommmmmmmm sitings
    tho); this big hill in Berkeley we climbed, you see a fantastic
    view of the Bay from up there; the beautiful (and unexpected)
    aroma of eucalyptus in the air (like god had decided to perfume
    the environment just for your personal enjoyment!); miles
    and miles of unrelieved beauty; *exceedingly* friendly people
    (I think everyone's in a good mood due to the weather!);
    weather I'd die for (gorgeous and sunny again?  yawn);
    beautiful women (maybe it's just me); you can't swing a 
    dead cat in Berkeley without hitting 10 espresso shops!;
    lots of tourists, lots of Asian folks; HILLS! (just like
    in "The Streets of San Francisco"!); beautiful architecture.
    Stuff seems clean; the salads have vivid colors and neat
    ingredients; went to Point Reyes and saw a cool lighthouse,
    then the fog just *raced* in (like that Carpenter movie!)
    like I couldn't believe, I got a good picture of that! I
    learned to take your shots when you can, you might not
    see that vista in a few minutes!);  um, gee, I guess I
    didn't see much huh?  ;-)

    Oh yeah, in between I hung with my friend Dave and his
    fiance Lesley.

    And oh yeah - TR-i!  Almost forgot! ;-)  Well Todd is Todd,
    I love Todd like you guys love the Dead (meaning, I've been
    a fan for a long time).  Two great shows, kick ass rock and
    roll, good acoustics, great venue (more on that in a sec),
    the last two shows of the tour (in his home town, so he was
    in a good mood).  Didn't get into the post-tour party but 
    there were so many great fans to meet, most of whom I have
    only met on-line.  They never fail to disappoint, however.
    It's like meeting a friend you never met before, you guys
    know how that is.
    
    Now about the Fillmore.  (side question, is this self-same
    "Fillmore West"?  It's on the corner of Fillmore and Geary).
    I assume this is the club where the Dead got their start
    pretty much, with Bill Graham promoting them, have I got
    that right or am I embarassing myself?  This club was closed
    for a few years after the most recent big quake for repairs;
    I believe it was commercially moribund during the 80's.

    Anyway, I have yet to enter a Boston club where when you 
    hit the top of the stairs there's a guy who says to each
    and every person entering: "Good evening, and welcome to
    the Fillmore!".  Very classy.  Then - they offer you an
    apple!  Yes there was a big barrel of apples.  Help yerself.
    (Which was good since I forgot to eat dinner and only had
    drank beer!)

    The club is your basic club *except* nice looking and big
    and comfortable.  Big chandeliers.  Decent stage.  Not a
    very big crowd (but then again the album is not out in
    the states yet).

    The best part:  they have photographs plastered *all* over
    the walls, both downstairs and up (where there's a smallish
    performance room in the front, plus a bar).  In that upstairs
    room in the corner is a big glass case with a gorgeous photo
    of Jerry in it - it's a GRATE photo because he is playing 
    guitar (of course) and the look on his face is absolutely
    beatific!  He's clearly transported somewhere else the music
    is taking him.  It's quite a shot.  And, there's (faded) 
    flowers and garlands all over the inside of the case.  I
    guess it's something of a shrine.

    Among the smaller photos all over the place, the following
    one really gave me pause:  taken in 1966 from left to right
    it's:

	    JerryG	JanisJ	   Bill Graham


    Already planning my return trip.  


    Tom

	excellent!
	i'd love to visit the fillmore.
	i heard recently there's an effort to revive the fillmore east
	also. it's in real sad shape. it ought to be preserved.
	
	thanks for the trip report. :-)

    attaboy Tom...I knew you'd enjoy the city by the Bay...funny you say
    you feel at home there, having been there 3 times now, brief visits as
    they were, I felt that way too...if I was younger and single, I could
    live in SF for a few years to check it out...I'll have to consult my
    "Last Days of the Fillmore" vinyl set, maybe it explains the exact
    location of the hallowed Fillmore...from what I recall, the old
    Fillmore wasn't actually On Fillmore, tho I can't say fersher...
    
    next time you must get up to Lake Tahoe...
    
    oh, and Where ARE those Todd set lists?  :)))