Special Guests
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Has anyone ever gone to show that advertised a special guest on the bill and then been pleasantly surprised by the star power of that guest. In my experience if a show advertises a special guest it means putting the actual name of that person on the bill won't do anything to sell tickets.
My favorite was the "Special Guests" at the Dead's Rainforest benefit at MSG. Everyone please welcome Hall and Oates as a hushed silence descended on the Garden. That said it was a great version of Whats Going On
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Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Localcountyline
"Special guest" means there
"Special guest" means there will be absolutely nothing special at all.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: skifurthur
For the first 6 or so year of
For the first 6 or so year of the Light of Day Festival, they advertised and special guest. The "star" guest was Bruce Springsteen and some others who didn't rise to that level. Now they don't advertise and Bruce more often than not just shows up. One year, after sitting in with 4 other people on the bill, he did his own set of close to 3 hours. I would say most people were pleased.
A couple years ago at a Jesse Malin concert in NYC the poster mentioned special guests. Ryan Adams showed up and played at least 5 songs. Other special guests that have shown up at Jesse Malin shows have been Debbie Harry, Billy Joe Armstrong, Ad Rock, Joe Strummer. Keith Richards showed up once but he left before he got on stage because he wasn't feeling well.
I'm sure I can think of others but mostly agree with the above that often the special guest aren't "stars."
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: cb
Was at that Rainforest show
Was at that Rainforest show too.
Also went to this one.
Special friends were Jerry, Bobby, Keith and Donna.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Richard Cranium
Not a fan at all of special
Not a fan at all of special guests or sit ins......
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Ken D.
Speaking of the New Riders,
Speaking of the New Riders, the David Nelson led version played NWSS in 2006?, and although there was no express announcement of special guests, a very frail looking John Dawson took to the stage for a couple of songs. I think that was the last time Dawson and Nelson appeared together with the NRPS and was certainly special.
A couple of years later (7-18-08) at NWSS, YMSB started inviting various special guests up on stage who were all former Leftover Salmon members. Then one by one, the YMSB guys left the stage resulting in a full blown, albeit impromptu, Leftover Salmon reunion.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Chuck511
Not sure if it was actually
Not sure if it was actually on the bill or not, but when Grand Funk Railroad got back together in 1997, it was known by all that Peter Frampton would be a special guest. It was a Bosnian relief benefit & Frampton & Mark Farner just ripped it up together. Saw them at the Beacon Theater. There's a bootleg DVD that for some reason incorrectly lists Leslie West. Paul Shaffer also did a great job conducting the Detroit Symphony Orchestra who did some sweet backup work.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Chuck511
Wow, mea culpa The DVD is
Wow, mea culpa The DVD is correct & it's my memory that's for shit. Was going by the Bosnia cd release which does feature Frampton. The Beacon show was Leslie West. Needed a buddy to remind me. Not making excuses, but drinking much less these days.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: smiley
Trey showing up at the Beacon
Trey showing up at the Beacon 2006 was a delightful surprise guest. Especially because it visibly disturbed the over 40 set at the time.
I was front row of the balcony......dragged my wife to a Phil show on her birthday in the biggest recorderd snowstorm in NYC history.
....and then Trey walked out and crushed it. The smile on my wife's face was priceless.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Anthony Strait
Cool "guests" on this one
Cool "guests" on this one
https://archive.org/details/nrps1973-03-18.fm.weiner.21538.sbeok.shnf
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Rusty
"Special guests" could really
"Special guests" could really water down Dead shows in my experience. Sure, "look, Steve Miller, Cippolina, Nevilles, Wynton" etc. But the band would lay back most often and it didn't flow that well. Lot's of great examples when a guitarist guest took a shot and then Jer was like "look kid, here is how you play that". Etta James not included.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Thumbkinetic
Wynton<< Yeah. No.
Wynton<<
Yeah. No.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Ausonius
"Everyone please welcome Hall
"Everyone please welcome Hall and Oates as a hushed silence descended on the Garden. That said it was a great version of Whats Going On"
And Phil left the stage. It was a good version, but I wanted Jerry to stretch it out some more.
I really enjoyed the Susan Vega songs that night, and Jerry was obviously digging having her on stage. I spoke with her at the after party and she obviously felt out of her environment.
But that entire night was kind of a waste. Too many people coming and going, the band never got into a groove.
""Special guests" could really water down Dead shows in my experience. Sure, "look, Steve Miller, Cippolina, Nevilles, Wynton" etc. But the band would lay back most often and it didn't flow that well."
My experience as well, although Cippolina usually fit in well because he knew where they were coming from. I always thought that the trouble was Jerry being too generous and waiting for the guest to take off, while the guest was usually hesitant and afraid of getting in the way or just not up to speed with how the band operated. Branford was the obvious exception.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Def. High
The GD sound crew must've
The GD sound crew must've hated guests - they never turned them up enough.
In the 90s (?) I saw Livingston Taylor in Martha's Vineyard and his brother James showed up unannounced for a few tunes. 'Twas excellent.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jonaspond
>The GD sound crew must've
>The GD sound crew must've hated guests - they never turned them up enough.
They GD crew weren't the most welcoming bunch.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Deadly
I saw Dylan in Columbus, OH
I saw Dylan in Columbus, OH in 2006. Junior Brown opened, then Jimmy Vaughan played a set.
Eric Clapton showed up unannounced and played the latter half of the set with Jimmy.
Good times!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: El Nino
Susan Vega looked so out of
Susan Vega looked so out of place on that stage. I was very close to the stage and could hear Bill and Mickey's not so welcoming comments about her in between songs, and the Hells Angels hanging around the front of the stage didn't have anything nice to say about Hall and Oats either. Mick Taylor was the highlight of that night, although hearing the dead back up Vega singing Chinese Bones was surreal.
Funny didn't see Vega at the after party but had a long conversation with Hornsby He went on a rant about how difficult it was to be the only one carrying the weight of a good performance for his band compared to the Dead who could all depend on each other, and how difficult life on the road was. When he finished I made an off hand comment about my of how I would ponder that in my cube at my office drone job. He didn't say much after that, but then two guys with heaping plates from the buffet asked if there was room at our table. Ben and Jerry were cool additions to the table.
Thinking back I'm pretty sure those tickets weren't more than $200 which got you first ten rows at MSG and after party with the band. Fuck the Eagles
No complaint with special guests who show up unannounced. I don't remember if Etta was announced but she was great, Brandford at Nassau wasn't and that is one of the best shows I ever saw. It's the advertised ones that are usually a disappointment.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: New & Improved
I was at a Nevilles show at
I was at a Nevilles show at Tips and Stevie Ray Vaughn joined them. It wasn't billed that way, though. Didn't suck.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Bluelight
Carolyn Wonderland was an
Carolyn Wonderland was an awesome special guest for Dave Alvin 4/21. See them if you can.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Fly
I like the guests sometimes.
I like the guests sometimes. David Hidalgo and Sting and maybe Stephen Stills with the dead off the top of my head. Osby with Phil Thom. Cmon you are slippin! I guess context is the key. Does the person have a connection to the band, does it interrupt the flow? I mean this guy call Little Red Rooster drained the room more than once...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Ausonius
Rainforest Golden Circle
Rainforest Golden Circle tickets were $250, I had a rich friend pay half of mine so we could go together. I'll never forget seeing all of wookies at the party and thinking "Where did they get the money to do this?"
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: The Eggman
I LOVED when Cippolina showed
I LOVED when Cippolina showed up. Was a really pleasant surprise at Alpine 82 as he typically showed up at Bay Area shows. Branford was also a really good special guest but Clarece Clemens(R.I.P.) not so much w The Grateful Dead or JGB.
Ornette Coleman was a nice surprise in LA in 1993 or was it 1994?
I thought it was pretty cool w Jack Cassidy on Bass for the Good Loving at The Rain Forrest show.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Bluelight
Etta James & the Tower of
Etta James & the Tower of Power ripped it up on 12/30 &12/31/82 as special guests.
Bill Graham opened the doors to the Oakland Auditorium during the day for the fans to witness the rehearsals, so it was no surprise guest deal.
PS-Spencer Davis sit in with the GD is as good as it gets.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: My Name is
How do you folks like this
How do you folks like this special guest?
Tomorrow, May 12, Phil Lesh will join forces with Melvin Seals & JGB at his Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael, CA. Seals and company are playing a two-night run at the venue.
http://www.jambands.com/news/2017/05/11/phil-lesh-to-join-melvin-seals-j...