Roll away the dew

Those of us who have been to huge venues filled with jam fans know what a special treat it is to see someone close up. And free, at that.

Vince Welnick and Gent Treadly played the Big Pine House of Music, and as Welnick looked skyward while doing sound checks, undoubtedly questioning whether the clouds were going to open up and ruin the amphitheatre's ambience, the full moon shone upon a smiling crowd, some of which had stopped by the temporary tattoo or palm-frond weaving booths inside.

“Franklin's Tower,” for me anyway, was the highlight of the show, followed by some “Scarlet Begonias,” and crowd pleasers like “Johnny B Goode.”Just before the last song, Welnick thanked fans for coming out, “take a look at that moon,” he said. And we did, spring's big, fat full moon above the swirling blue-black clouds.

I'm a little jealous that those at the Green Parrot in Key West got to hear “Imagine,” my favorite song ever, but our humble little Lower Keys show got an encore of the Who's “Baba O'Reilly” (Don't cry, Don't raise your eye, It's only teenage wasteland...).

We hope Welnick and Gent Treadly enjoyed their visit to the islands as much as we did. He was a kind soul who came out and mingled with the crowd of Dead heads from way back and the new generation, many of whom came to the show with their parents.

And all of us were surely grateful. Thanks Vince. We needed that. Keep smiling and pulling tubes.

...Some come to laugh their past away
Some come to make it just one more day
Whichever way your pleasure tends
If you plant ice, you're gonna harvest wind

Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew...

Catch the review of the entire Keys tour here:
http://www.keynoter.com/articles/2006/04/21/lattitudes/lat06.txt