FRI Rock and Roll Resort 2018

Rock and Roll Resort

Kerhonkson NY

March 23 2018

The latest Rock and Roll resort, this year The Grateful Escape, is going full speed in Kerhonkson NY.  Friday night we arrived in time for dinner, and got right to it.

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We were on time to see the opening set of two for Golden Gate Wingmen.  This is the third show for the band on their annual spring run of the northeast, having already visited Philadelphia and Washington DC in the two nights prior.

They threw down two full sets of great music, featuring both favorites from the Grateful song book and originals and less frequently heard non Dead material.

Full show audio, use the arrows to toggle between songs.

Set list:

Cleaning Windows
Half Step
Givin Me the Business
They Love Each Other
Crazy Fingers
Ripple

Set two:

Women R Smarter
Sugaree
Love Sick
Help on the Way
Slipknot
Black Muddy River
Tough of Grey
Not Fade Away

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For the rest of the evening we wandered the resort which has been updated some since the last time we were here.  The vibe was welcoming and friendly and people were very happy to be here.  The food was also a bit better than the last time we were here and for those not able to hit dining room hours, there are food trucks parked right outside.

In between the two Wingmen sets was a funk all star set featuring Jen Durkin and I know that the band included Johnny Durkin on percussion, Doug Wimbish (Living Colour) on bass, Adrian T on drums (Kung Fu, the Breakfast) but lots of other folks too on horns and guitars and keys and vocals.  As usual the queen of festival funk, Ms Durkin had it going on and was giving everybody the business were her fun funky band.  It’s always so fun to see her smile and having a great time on a festival stage.

Full show audio, use the arrows to toggle between songs.



We got a chance to see some of Hartford’s funk favorites, West End Blend.  A stage full of singers and horns who were in sync and throwing it down.  They played two sets including I believe one on the main stage prior to the Wingmen, and I know that it’s a band I have to keep my eyes on, everyone is raving about them.

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Kung Fu took the main stage and were a funky jammy force of reckoning.  The light show kicked it up to another level and the Fu got deep into it.  They were definitely more on the jammy side, but B3 master Beau Sasser was keeping it funky while Tim Palmieri and Rob Somerville were trading licks all set long.  Adrian on the drums seemed to be inspired on this night, with a nice lengthy drum solo that had me seeing his progressive interpretation of the masters like Buddy Rich.

Full show audio, use the arrows to toggle between songs.

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Gratefully Yours was the final slot that I saw as two AM was turning to three AM was turning to four AM.   It was nice to catch Feels Like a Stranger into Franklin’s Tower during their set.  My first Dead show opened with those two songs (Providence 9 7 87) so I appreciated the look.  Lowell from Lucid was sitting in with them on harmonica and percussion and it was great to see him up there.  It was adding a really cool vibe to the band, for me.  I caught the Music Never Stopped and that was for me, where it would stop.

I settled into my room and we crashed for a few hours before Saturday was set to begin.  Pace yourself man, pace yourself.

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