Dead & Company Hartford, CT 7/5/22

Reports of long lines with many people outside during the first set. 

Watching the webcast - great show!

Is Billy out for drums--can you see him on the webcast? I was thinking he might make an appearance later in the show.

2nd Set: Jack Straw   Scarlet   Viola  Fire   Other 1   D/S   Wheel   Other 2   Peter   Sugar Mag   E: None, curfew?

Well that didn't suck

Damn, Billy. You ever gonna play any of these remaining shows? 

If I was seeing them on this tour, and Billy was off for the night with Jay taking his place, I would be bummed about that. Jay is great, but DeadCo is supposed to be with Billy. I would say that EVEN if his pulled muscle is still sore, or whatever it is that’s really going on with him is still a problem, Billy should still make every effort to at least play the last two shows at Citi. Like, even if they need to wheel him out on a chair to sit behind his drums. With oxygen, or whatever it takes. If he doesn’t even make those last shows, he should respect the fans and gracefully bow out with a retirement announcement, instead of this ongoing, “Will he or won’t he play” kind of deal. I’m a Billy fan. I want to see Billy, not Jay, I’m sorry. If Billy can’t do it, he should say so clearly and step down. 

Just saying. 

agree pride

i like the phil & bill sound  more than bob & mickey sound

would love 1 more of the 4 

I think it’s disrespectful. People buy tickets, partly to see Billy, the founding GD drummer. Is he THAT messed up to where he can’t even make a show of an effort? As in, “Okay folks, I will go out there and try my best, and if I have to sit out, then we’ll bring Jay up. But first I’ll give it the old college try.” I would be good with that, if Billy at least tries. 

If he’s THAT messed up over something, whatever it is, he should be a big boy, be honest, and fly home. 

But when he posts on social media that he’s hanging out on tour, okay... Play your drums then, dude. Give it a try. Make the effort. If you really really can’t, then be a standup guy and just say so. Be honest. 

If he doesn’t play at least the Citi shows to close it out, with no announcement, that’s whack. 

What if Billy is out of the band?

Glad they played Boulder at the beginning of the tour. Jay is a solid drummer but Bill brings the swing and just a different touch. 

Not the same without Billy.

bill the drummer 

Billy is not out of the band, or they would say so. 

Man, if it were ME in Billy’s shoes, I would be crawling and scratching my way to my drumkit to play, unless I needed to go to the hospital. If Billy has to be in the hospital, okay. But if he’s just hanging out backstage or on his bus, dude... play your drums, man. Unless you really really really can’t. And if it’s that bad, SAY SO, and go home. Otherwise, play. At least TRY every night. If he at least tried playing part of every show and then sits out if he has to, I will always respect that. But make the effort. But to just be hanging out and not even come to the stage at all, for several of these shows including Hartford, that is lame, unless he’s in the hospital. Billy is the DeadCo drummer, not Jay. Play your drums in your band, or make an honest clean statement and go home. I’m sorry. It feels like we are being strung along, and that’s bullshit.

I agree. I love Billy but whattup? I saw a FB clip the other day where he was giving some loose July 4th message, smoking joints and hamming it up  with a sock puppet backstage or in a hotel, etc. I bet Irving Azoff is super pleased.

Cupertino, have you pled your case to Billy's Instagram?

No, I’m not an Instagrammer. And besides, why would anyone need to plead that case to Bill? Seems obvious. You’re the founding lifelong drummer of the Grateful Dead, and a full founding member of DeadCo. We come to see Weir, sure, but we also come to see YOU. If you’re in the hospital, I get it, shit happens! If you “pulled a muscle” or something else you’re not telling us, it’s your private business. I get that too. But then, please don’t post online where you’re just hanging out and kicking back and taking a break while Jay Lane is playing for you. Is Jay getting PAID what you get paid? Of course not, even though that’s not my business either. But come on Bill. At least show your face at every single gig. Make the effort, give it a try. Get out there and do your job as the drummer in this band, and if you need Jay as a backup, that’s one thing. But unless you’re in the hospital, or leaving the tour and going home early, you absolutely owe it to your fans to show your face every night to some degree. Even if it’s for one set, or for Drums, something. 

If you’re a total no-show, it should only be because you’re in the hospital. I’m sorry. Billy and Bobby are the only two guys in this band who have been there since 1965. It matters. If you’re too sick to play, SAY SO and go home instead of hanging out. Don’t keep everyone dangling with, maybe or maybe not I’ll play.

Anyway, enough from me on that! I’m a broken record about it. Get well, Billy. Play your drums. 

So anyway after hearing the weather report for the show was not looking too sweet, we started to get a bit concerned. Then the drive up was great, traffic moving, not a drop of rain to been seen,, 

till we got out of the car to walk in,, and it continued to rain till we got back to the car after the show, then not a drop all the way home. But it was a warm tolerable rain that made for a magically unique show. The band was right on, tons of friends in attendance all looking like wet river musk rats with big smiles. Lotsa fun this summer kids.

Another best night ever

There was no encore at this show because the band decided to play through the encore break. That's some old school shit. Play until they cut the power. Now they are more passive aggressive. They fine you every minute over curfew

Long Live The Grateful Dead 

During Knocking on heaven's door livestream at Foxboro they showed a picture of young Billy had me concerned. Crowd roared & went nuts.