"JJ's Journal" - SR Turns 7 at The Canal Club

SR Turns 7!  Feb. 19, 2022 at The Canal Club, RVA

A wise old man once said "...it ain't official until it's Facebook official." Well Suggesting Rhythm became official Feb. 2015. Lucky for us, that also meant that February 2022 would give rise to a 7th year celebration. And celebrate we most certainly did! The Canal Club played host to SR’s 5th birthday party and were more than gracious hosts for number seven.

The set opened by quickly acknowledging the bands continual aging with 'Touch of Grey'. There was a slight tuning pause before commencing into the loving Smokey Robinson cover of "Second That Emotion' in the ‘second spot’. Nice touch.

The jams were growing as the band warmed up and the crowd was getting more and more loose as we ventured into the 3rd spot of the set-list where SR threw in the first song debut of the night. 

'Rhapsody in Red' from the "Cats Out Under the Stars" album took that spotlight and didn't disappoint. The solos and jam here really stood out as it seemed the band had been holding back in anticipation of this knock out break out. 

'Crazy Fingers' came next. I believe only the second time played since debuting in February 2020 at the Camel. The build up to the transition was superb as it climbed effortlessly and dropped into the steady beat of 'Wang Dang Doodle'. The peppy jams in this classic are exactly Suggesting is known for and they played it out beautifully. 

The second of two debuts, 'Walking the Dog' was now on stage and ready for the spotlight. The 1943 Rufus Thomas number was perfect for Oakley's wheelhouse. Not only did he crush it but he also shouted out the growing “grow” community when the lyrics asked "...how does your garden grow?"  

One more short tuning session brought us to 'Playing in the Band,' a classic cover that Suggesting has performed since very early on. Along with 'Terrapin Station' the band has now played the two songs a combined 50+ times, getting exceptionally well at both. The transition melded the two songs seamlessly, displaying the precision the band has elevated to over the years.

Dave bit the word some in the 'Lady with a Fan’ beginning, but with Oakley, you can't tell if it was real or part of his act to deliver a realistic show.  “I meant to do that!”

Nevertheless the duo of Grateful Dead favorites embodied the past 7 years of Suggesting Rhythm and finished with a cacophonous outro into a quick Playing in the Band reprise to close the set.

After a quick pause for the cause, the band was back on stage noodling and without much warning, jumped into 'Dancing in the Streets'.

Clearly the guys didn't cool off much in the break because they came out super hot with a mean jam that eventually pulled off a stellar reversal of Stevestock 2 and transitioned into 'Franklin's Tower' 

Twenty minutes into the set it was so hot that Dave offered a first time introduction of Adam on the guitar mid-song after a particularly fiery solo and it's almost a half an hour into the set we get a chance to rest slightly. 

The audience got the full round of introductions after the opening salvo of songs, Adam Drudge on guitar, Ed Bray on bass Noel Burton on drums and vocals, Jeff Rothman on drums and vocals, Steve Barnard on keyboards and vocals and Dave Oakley “singing his heart out and playing the guitar.”

Moving into the third spot was 'Catfish John'. The boys are starting to make this one their own now, and they definitely showed that the “third time's a charm.” 

With zero hesitation we jumped right into more “John”. Instead of a river hobo though, this classic JGB cover is about the apostle and revelations author John the Apostle.

The entire band seemed to be in the groove now as a tremendous “John Jam” transitioned effortlessly into the Beatles 'Tomorrow Never Knows'. This song originally debuted on Feb 9 2019 at the 'Beatles' themed show at Steam Bell Brewery. It was played three times total in 2019, but only three times in the three years since, and not likely to surface again this year either. However, just like the last time they played it in 2021 it preceded Drums. 

After Drums, in the Space segment we heard a cool trippy ‘Happy Birthday’ sung by the band before dissolving into the first 'He's Gone' of the year. 

Dave thanked everybody for coming again and then the band broke into an 'Easy Wind' for the ages. The band got hotter with every song and by the end of this Robert Hunter penned Grateful Dead classic, Ed was slapping his white ‘Terrapin’ bass and dancing with the other two guitar players on stage, who looked to be having as much fun as the crowd they were entertaining.

Closing up the set, and a spot I don't know that I've ever seen before, was a sassy 'Samson and Delilah' 

Steve Storer came up after to lead a formal Happy Birthday and say thank you to the venue and band before the encore. 

Making the initial reversal complete the band came out for the encore with the Franklin preface of 'Help on the Way' into  'Slipknot' to end the 7 year birthday bash with a smoking bang!

Highlights were foremost the ‘Walking The Dog’ shout out to Token Rhyme, the ‘Rhapsody in Red’ debut and as always and ‘Terrapin’ for the ages.

Second set was for sure the ‘Dancing’ jam, the animation of the band dancing to ‘Easy Wind’ and the ‘Dancing, Frank, Help, Slip’ mix up jamboree 

Up next is The Broadberry for a post St. Patrick's Day celebration on March 18th and I can't wait!

Listen to all SR shows HERE

"JJ's Journal" - SR w/ Stanley Jordan at The HOF

The HOF w\ Stanley Jordan

In all honesty, I don't know where to begin. I certainly can't begin to describe the feelings and emotions conveyed Saturday night in the words of a blog. Magic seemed to manifest when 4 time Grammy nominee and Billboard chart topping jazz guitarist Stanley Jordan joined Virginia's top Grateful Dead cover band Suggesting Rhythm and local musician Jon Beckner for a masterful evening.

The sold out crowd was treated to arguably the best set-list and show of the SR year. Jumping right out of the gate with Help\Slip\Franklin the energy was ramped high. The group melded almost instantly into a familiar ebb and flow, weaving their way through an amazing musical retelling of this iconic early Dead trilogy. 

After a few quick sound adjustments the guys were back at it with an early placed 'China Cat Sunflower' into 'I Know you Ryder'. The enamored crowd, still reeling from the opening trilogy of tunes, was treated to a timeless instrumental conversation that seamlessly bridged the two classics together. 

The setlist only got better when the opening notes of 'Dark Star' echoed. Quickly in and out of the first verse found a slow saddened and searching jam that melded back into the second verse. The second jam section was much happier as the music seemed to find what it was looking for and was forever grateful. This dove straight into 'All Along the Watchtower', a song that Suggesting Rhythm always seems to own. All three typical jam spots built on the last, Jordan and Drudge played back and forth complementing each other's style perfectly. The whole band came together and lifted the energy down the stretch and left an astonished fanbase howling in appreciation as the set closed.

A brief break brought the band back for round two. Not wasting any time they were right off into a very 80's sound electronic 'Bird Song'. Stretching it out over fifteen minutes long the guys flowed up and down, experiencing all the beauty this song can offer and a fantastic way to start the second set. 

Jumping back to the early years, the band pulled out a fast high energy 'Alligator' that only clicked in at 4 minutes before transitioning into the bass heavy land of the 'Other One'. As he's known to do, Dave slipped in a lyric change and tipped his cap to the special guest with the line "... Cowboy Stan at the wheel…"

Thirty minutes and 3 songs deep in the set we come to Drums and then an interesting Space. Stanley Jordan came back alone for Space which eventually became a twenty minute elegant jazzy guitar solo version of 'Eleanor Rigby'. Eventually the rest of the band snuck back on stage and jumped in for an outstanding finish.

After a little tuning, a long slow organ began 'I Shall be Released'. Steve also offered up a nice organ solo that complemented the slow jams perfectly and led us to 'Viola Lee Blues'. Another unreal jam session served to solidify this show in the pantheon of SR greats.

A hearty thank you to Jon Beckner for putting the evening together and a quick round of band names brought up the encore and a first for Suggesting Rhythm, 'Stairway to Heaven' by Led Zeppelin

The highlights of the night were hard again because the show quality was, as always, astounding. The 'Slipknot' stands to me as does the 'Watchtower'. 

The 2nd set was easily the 'Other One' and 'Viola'. 

Rumors are, this will not be the last show with Stanley Jordan guesting and I hope that's the case, but for now we're on to the Beacon for New Years!

"JJ's Journal" - Cap Ale House - Dec. 2 & 3, 2021

JJ’s Journal - Cap Ale House (Dec. 2 & 3, 2021)
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

December 2nd Capital Ale…

A rare Thursday night appearance kicked off a four show December last night as Suggesting Rhythm graced the stage at Capital Ale House. The band seemed revved up and decided to rearrange the usual positions and stand in reverse order tonight.

'Feel like a stranger', in it's normal spot, kicked things off. Immediately you could tell the energy was high on stage and the boys got super spacey right off the bat. Organ and guitar tag teamed in 2 deep jams filled with attitude to get the dance floor warm. 

Ed thumped around on the base waiting for the others to get set and then came 'Althea'. A little slower than usual in the first verse it seemed but by the 1st jam the tempo was getting hot. Noel and Jeff's enthusiasm was extremely noticeable and Ed was dropping bombs again in the 3rd jam that everyone felt.

Another tuning session led us into the passionate Dave delivery of Dylan's 'Ballad of a Thin Man', coincidentally also the title of my Autobiography.

Suggesting never fails to do a fantastic job with balancing the rallentando and the crescendoing nuances that convey the emotional aspects of this song. Paired with Oakley's ardent conveyance of the message, this is always a standout.

We were back to tuning again afterwards and more noodling while waiting...I think I heard a Stairway riff but I'll have to listen closer to make sure.

The music came back with my highlight of the first set, 'West LA Fadeaway' dropped next. Seemingly a band favorite as of late, this time it was more true to the original electric versions, steering away from the slower bluesy versions popularized recently. Steve was active on the piano early on in what turned into a long jam filled with fun effects changes and tempo variations ultimately taking us back to finish the song.

Back to tuning again which seemed to be a first set theme and this time Ed and Drudge noodled out a quick riff of 'Do You Hear What I Hear' before Dave stopped to give a heartfelt thank you to everyone present.

The popular Ace album song, 'Blackthroated Wind' followed and again the tempo seemed a little faster than usual and not much jamming here. 

Of course more tuning and more noodling again between songs. This time I think I heard 'Carol of the Bells' and was starting to enjoy the "in-between set list" just as much 

With everything just exactly perfect again the guys jumped into 'Mighty Quinn' which always smokes and with a shorter tuning time ended the set with a heavy organ jamming 'Man Smart, Woman Smarter'

Coming back out for set 2 no time was wasted jumping right into more Ace album with 'Playing in the Band' and once again the set started with an instrumental heavy tune that seemed to pull energy from the walls.

Following with 'Cold Rain and Snow' , the whole band looked refreshed and eager as the crowd joined in next singing the chorus. Intense guitar and piano solos in both jams really ignited the 2nd set and fed directly into 'Wang Dang Doodle'.

The night went from good to great here. WDD transitioned nicely into 'Lady with a Fan' but at the building point into Terrapin Station the boys seamlessly turned left into 'St Stephen' with a transition that blew my mind. This band never ceases to amaze me and again my mouth was left gaping. 

A weird cosmic lady fingers ending to Stephen led into the Drums and Space spot that I assumed would reemerge as the final half of Terrapin. It did not. Instead, I was shocked at the upbeat JGB cover 'Ain't no Bread in the Breadbox'. 

The energy was still amazingly high as the band transitioned again into a traditional set closing 'Going Down the Road Feeling Bad' that featured an amazing guitar and organ solo before culminating in a 'We Bid you Goodnight' instrumental.

Coming back to answer the demand for one more, Suggesting Rhythm encored with 'Dear Mr Fantasy' saving Steve's usual 2nd set song at the end. Also, Dave added a verse of 'O Sweet Nothing' at the end prior to slipping into fiery 'Hey Jude' reprise

There's no question or thinking about it, the Lady with a Fan into St Stephen is the highlight of the show. Stranger and Playing jams were awesome as well but completely overshadowed in my opinion. I love transitions and Terrapin and St Stephen most of all, it definitely worth the listen!

December 3rd Capital Ale…

Friday, Dec 3, was the second half of a two night run at Capital Ale House for Suggesting Rhythm. Fans were packed deep and still arriving at 815 when the band took the stage and started tuning.

The pre-show picking turned into 'Catfish John'. The JGB tube is a fantastic addition in the SR lineup and hopefully becomes a new staple.

Without much break at the end the guys jumped right into an amazing 'Alabama Getaway'. The crowd was delighted with the selection and the band really dug into the jams.

We had a little tuning break before diving into 'Here Comes Sunshine' which always makes me think of the Beatles 'Here comes the Sun' when I hear this song. It's also one of the few songs that I always know the album it's on.

Still high on the crowd's energy, the guys really were really milking the jam spots. Contrasting the spacey, cosmic style jamming in night one, night two was much more electric and dancey and the patrons were devouring all the band could give.

Dave stopped to compare the Thurs and Fri crowd before donning his preacher hat to spin 'The Greatest Story Ever Told'. A song first appearing as 'The Pump Song' in a Mickey Hart album, it originated when Hart recorded pump sounds on his farm. He added some drums to the recording and gave it to Bobby for music. Of course, Hunter added some spiritual and possibly satirically motivated lyrics to come up with the recording we know from the Ace album.

Switching over to a more bluesy section of the setlist the band spun their rendition of Blues Boy King's 'The Thrill is Gone'. A beautiful soulful delivery and raunchy organ tones in the jam, this number really hit it's mark. The six band members were all in sync and cruising effortlessly. 'Tangled Up in Blue' followed and seemed a little quicker that Suggesting's normal versions. 

Sticking with covered covers, Jimmy Cliff's 'The Harder they come' popularized by JGB came next and the boys were not letting up the intensity.

Oakley took a second here to switch to his new guitar for the set closer and got it wet with a fast 'Easy Wind' that sounded more metallic than bluesy in my opinion. Slightly different than the usual way Suggesting Rhythm plays it and gave the drums and bass a chance to stand out some. That theme seemed to echo the whole night and was kinda neat.

Coming back from break we were treated to my new favorite song 'Expressway Jam'. A jazzed up super peppy instrumental version of the Soul Survivors song 'Expressway to your Heart'. Debuting at Halloween in the same 2nd set opening slot, this number is beyond hot and worth the price of admission alone.

A customary round of band member introductions came here before they jumped into 'I Need a Miracle'. 

Like night 1, night 2 had way less tuning and much more jamming in the back half. A blazing Miracle jam blended smoothly into 'Hog for you Baby' a 1959 song by The Coasters. While not technically a transition, there was zero break from Hog to an up tempo 'Dancing in the Streets'. The jam here was definitely in the highlight list for a lot of people Friday night and it fed into the Drums and Space spot.

A lot of anticipation was answered as Space dissolved into the remainder 'Terrapin Station' from night one. Not a usual move for SR but I like it. It draws the nights together and slightly rewards the dual attendees in my opinion.

There was a slight tuning pause again and then the 1977 Bobby ballad 'Estimated Prophet'. The band's light was still bright and Dave hitting the screams at the end kept patrons cheering for the last song of the set 'Loose Lucy'. The whole place was jumping and dancing. It was so contagious that the band was bobbing and dancing on stage through to the final notes.

Coming back to answer the relentless cheers, the band gave us all their remaining juice for a smoking hot 'Deal' to bring the house down and 2 night run to a close.

Without question my highlight is the 'Expressway Jam' but I'm also partial to 'Catfish John' and for some reason the faster more metallic version of Suggesting Rhythm this evening really enthralled me.

"JJ's Journal" - 10/9/21 - Broadberry RVA

Broadberry Oct. 9, 2021

I've had the fortune to be at most of Suggesting Rhythm's shows over the last six years. Everyone has their own opinion on the "Best Show" whether it was Stevestock II or November 17, 2018 at the Canal Club, or for my money, it was the Strangeways show this summer. Saturday's Broadberry performance, however, eclipsed them all with ease!

The energy was palpable leading up to showtime with the excitement of having a dear friend back after a long hiatus as well as being the first indoor show this year.

The guys got situated and then cheers erupted when Steve hit the long organ note signalling 'Viola Lee Blues' to start. Adam delivered the first familiar riff and we were off. Viola Lee was long and gnarly and came off with such energy and vigor I was already thinking that song was the highlight of the night already. The band was just getting started though. 

Always spacey and spectacular lately, 'Feel Like a Stranger' came next and did not let the intensity drop at all. One of my favorite early hot dance numbers, 'Chinatown Shuffle' was third in the lineup and also the 3rd time it's been on SR's setlist I believe. I still regret missing the breakout at the Canal Club in November 2019 but this version… smoking!

Steve jumped in the singer's seat next and the band went into 'Just a Little Light' where, once again, the jamming took over and the intensity continued to rise. The whole band seemed to be riding a wave of energy and emotion, coming together as a single entity and feeding the crowd. It didn't stop there of course as Dave took back the mic to depict the demise of  'Stagger Lee'. This song isn't my favorite but again this band served up a spicy version that I couldn't resist replaying in the car more than once.

'Friend of the Devil' followed in an attempt to slow things down some but a pair of Drudge solos definitely resisted that notion and only served to ramp the wave even higher before it finally crested with a tidal wave of 'New Minglewood Blues' to close out one of the best sets I've ever heard Suggesting Rhythm play.

Set two was in a prime spot to be a let down after so much emotion and energy dominated the first set. Instead, it somehow got better with 'Jack Straw' leading the pack. What began as a nice slow burn became a raging fire by the climactic ending lyrics and crowd joining in with Dave's emphatic delivery. Again, right out of the gate the guys set a tone and pace that they unbelievably matched all night. The 60's Dead 'Alligator' was up after introductions which lead into 'Eyes of the World'. 

I don't really know how to express in a written blog the next musical sequence. In simplest terms, it was Eyes of the World > Drums > Space > Dark Star > Dear Prudence but it was so much more. To be able to convey the living magic from that night into words is a feat I'm not capable of. Whether it was just being indoors after so long or the sheer intensity of the evening, Ed's bass vibrated the walls like never before and the cymbals were extra crisp. The Burton/ Rothman duo were exquisitely distinguishable and well paired with the spacey weavings of Drudge, Oakley, and Barnard throughout the entire sequence of jams and timely transitions culminating to an all time epic 'Dear Prudence'.

Because all that wasn't enough, the band pushed forward into 'The Greatest Story Ever Told' and a 'Bird Song' that melted everyone's face and transitioned its way into a perfect closer for such an emotional night, Mr. Steve Barnard singing 'Blow Away'.

Tight against curfew they didn't waste much time coming back for the encore 'I Shall be Released'. Of course after such an emotional night the band once again had me in tears for the encore as applause rained down on what is now once again the best show Suggesting Rhythm has ever played in my opinion.

The hardest part is picking out highlights from a highlight but I'll say 'Chinatown Shuffle' and Viola in the first set. The 'Jack Straw'  the span of Eyes to Prudence in the 2nd set. The crisp sounds of the drums and Bray's bass rumbling inside was super awesome to hear too!

This show is definitely worth the download! CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

"JJ's Journal" - Main Line Brewery

MAIN LINE BREWERY - 2 SHOWS (Sat. & Sun)

• Saturday, September 25, 2021
  

Holy cow! Every time Suggesting Rhythm plays Main Line it's magical and Saturday was no exception. The start time was pushed just a little to allow for the overwhelming line at the gate to die down some. Shortly after 7pm though the sextet hit the stage and started their tuning.

Everyone knows I love a Chuck Berry opener and Suggesting hit us with a double shot. They started with "Let it Rock" a traditional JGB cover and followed it up with "Promise Land" which was performed more by the Grateful Dead.  The band was definitely feeling the love and emotion as they went into "Brown Eyed Women" and the smiles were unstoppable. We went back to the Chateau Marmont for a stellar "West LA Fadeaway" that really hit the dance floor moving.  

"Help on the Way" came next. A song written music first and lyrics last in 1975 originally appearing on the "Blues for Allah" album. Apparently the instrumental "Slipknot" appeared earlier on June 20, 1974, sandwiched between 'Eyes of the World' and 'China Doll'.  Once the two songs were married though they stayed a couple. 

Mirroring the 2nd set opening sequence of Stevestock 2, 'Slipknot' led into 'Dancing in the Streets' before making that final turn into "Franklin's Tower" to close an upbeat, banging 1st set.

Coming back for Set 2 the band wasn't easing in. They jumped right into their namesake ballad "Terrapin Station'.  A little extra energy was added I think from not only Venus showing at the time but Jupiter and Saturn could be seen over stage right as well drawing the whole stellar concert together in unison. The jams were transcending as always and Dave gave it just the right punch of emotion.

Steve got the lead vocal duty next for the organ tinkling 'Hey Pocky Way' derived from the 1974 'Hey Pocky A-Way' by the Meters. The Meters were not a metric version of the yardbirds but rather an awesome American funk band formed in 1965 in New Orleans that included George Porter Jr. and Art Neville. This led to the 'Drums\Space' segment. 

Jeff, experimenting more with his electric noise machine made me think we were gonna get a guest artist spot like the winter Beacon shows. Adding to that feeling, the string players' re-entry to the stage was also reminiscent of those shows. When the tones and sounds coalesced together they formed the Ace favorite 'Looks Like Rain'.

That was the last time to rest however, as a speedy 'US Blues', spacey 'Foolish Heart' and,  weekend favorite, 'One More Saturday Night' rounded out a blazing jam heavy set that was so hot it literally melted one Drudge's strings on the last note. Coming off stage to abundant cheers Adam grabbed his backup white PRS  and the guys went back one more time for the 'Sugar Magnolia' encore.

Like every mainline show it was all good but my highlights are: the 'Let it Rock' opening was amazing and may rival the version they let loose to open their 2nd night of Stevestock 3 and generally the setlist for Set 1 is almost perfect for my taste.

Set two's highlights were, again, the opening number of 'Terrapin Station' and spacey jamming!

• Sunday, September 26 2021….
  

We couldn't have had a nicer fall Sunday to boogie down too and Suggesting Rhythm was back at Main Line for round two. The line was still long to get in at 4:20pm when the band took the stage.

Red Redling from New Potato Caboose sat in for Steve who wasn't able to make this show.

'Bertha' led out of the gate to get the pulse rate up, trailed by 'Mama Tried'. Following that was 'Big Railroad Blues' written by Noah Lewis and only performed but never recorded by the Cannon's Jug Stompers until the Grateful Dead recorded it in '71. 

Red was having fun and fitting in nicely by now and the band was playing loose and free. They settled back easily into 'Althea' and then the Calypso heavy dance number 'Iko Iko'

'They Love Each Other' kept the train theme rolling on as the couples in attendance took advantage of dancing to one of the few Dead "love" songs. This song was first performed in the famous Feb 9, 1973 Maples Pavilion show that had 7 debuted 7 hits including the first 'Eye's of the World' and 'China Doll'. 

The Dylan classic 'Tangled up in Blue' closed out the 1st set with some amazing jamming and soulful lyric delivery.

After a teary speech from our Mayor and Adam’s birthday celebrations, the guys were back for Set 2. 

Some tuning and noodling led to 'Alabama Getaway' from the Go To Heaven Album. A song that I have long thought about the meaning of. Robert Hunter refers to Billy Bojangles as Majordomo early in the lyrics and then again refers to Majordomo and the 23rd psalm when asking for a reserved table. 

Psalm 23:4-5 "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil...Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies"

I don't feel like Hunter hid his meaning in this song as much as he did others he wrote.

'I Need a Miracle' came next, keeping the tempo high. A super smooth transition from the miracle jam found is in the beginning of blazing China\Rider combo. There was a drawn out S sound from Dave at one point and I think he was repeating the sun shining lyric but he and the boys vamped a little and eventually they got the headlights pointed north bound and brought it home.

A fiery 'Deep Elem Blues' next led into an always enthusiastic Drum and Space session. 

Oakley delivered a passionate cover of Bob Dylan's 'Señor' before the band closed out the day with a smoking hot 'Deal' and my favorite Encore song 'Ripple'.

Another hard call in the first set but the 'Mama Tried' and 'Big Railroad Blues' were highlights for me. The second set was the 'Miracle' and 'Deal'

The Next show is October 9th and it's gonna be one to remember!

"JJ's Journal" - Summer Daze

Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery
(Rain Makeup Date - July 1, 2021 rescheduled to August 7, 2021)

Suggesting Rhythm and fans rolled up to the Lickinghole Brewery grounds Saturday for an all-time epic show. This show was originally planned for July 1st to celebrate Virginia passing the cannabis legalization bill. Lightning had other plans that day though and this one was starting to look similar earlier that morning. Luckily, by go-time, the rain had passed and the clouds were moving on. 

Firing up the show to get the night burning and commemorate the occasion, of course, was Bob Dylan's 'Rainy Day women #12 and 35'. I could write an entire paper about this song, but what I wanted to know was the meaning of the numbers. Allegedly, two females walked into a recording studio one day to get out of the rain and Dylan correctly guessed both girls' ages at 12 and 35. Honestly, it sounds about right that Dylan would name a song after some obscure and random life event like that. The guys made a quick adjustment, and then went back to the Dylan vault. This time, 'Silvio';  they've only played this once before on August 24, 2020 at Brambly Park. That night, the 'Tequila' tease was inserted but that disappeared this go round. The song was written by Robert Hunter and Bob Dylan and the opening lyrics:

"Stake my future on a hell of a past…Looks like tomorrow is a coming on fast…"

That really hit home for me right now and the band drove that point home with an amazing version! The end jam slowed some before Ed and Noel flipped the beat and the band transitioned nicely into Peter Tosh's protest hit from '76, 'Legalize It'.  Perfect to commemorate the occasion, this was the first of two breakouts for Suggesting Rhythm who continue to add to their repertoire of songs. 

With zero pause the guys jumped right into a speedy 'Cumberland Blues' to get the dance floor moving again. Dave stopped to talk a little bit afterwards about sunshine and then, sticking with early-ish Dead, we got 'Truckin'. It went almost ten minutes with some nice tasty jamming throughout that smoothly dropped right into 'Smokestack Lightning' by blues legend Howlin Wolf.  Yet another silky smooth transition brought up 'Going Down the Road Feeling Bad' that features some blazing guitar work with Adam sandwiching a hot organ grinding Steve solo and closing out with the usual instrumental closing of 'We Bid You Goodnight'. 

Dave took another quick break to say happy birthday to Ivan Trexler, a man that can outdance me any time he wants, and then continued with the slow tempo. Recorded during the "Built to Last" album session but not included on the album, it was a passionate version of the rarely played song 'Believe it or Not'.  Again, with no hesitation the 5 jumped right into 'Throwing Stones', every head's favorite F-U song to the government. This brought to close a smoking set that you'd be a fool to miss.

Starting the second set like the first was another Dylan tune, 'Like a Rolling Stone' that again showed off some decent solos from Barnard's organ and Drudge's PRS. Slowing down, the jam bled into the Van Morrison classic 'And It Stoned Me'. Smiles were rampant and everyone cheered a little when Oakley hit the lyrics about the rain letting up and getting dry. 

Another quick talk led to an always dank 'Hell in a Bucket' that told the crowd the band wasn't getting tired and we're ready to go!

'Let it Grow' came next. The title and chorus, a poignant message for all Virginians and a mantra of sorts for Token Rhyme Gardening fans excited about the new laws. Not wanting to be upstaged by the gorgeous shirt Adam was wearing, the band took this jam and us to the next level on a psychedelic ride through space and back. Coming back to earth, we landed in the regret filled double entendre 'High Time'. 

Quickly raising the tempo again, 'Lovelight' was next in rotation. Steve handled the lyrics this round and now typing I can't stop dancing to the incredibly performed jams in this hit. Dave couldn't help it either, he was dancing all over the stage having an absolute blast while Steve was putting every ounce of passion he has into the mic and organ. Adam was busy melting his guitar strings and Bray and Burton egged them all on faster while we danced in gratitude. 

Taking a breath, we got band introductions that eventually included Adam and then the set closing 'Mighty Quinn' by Manfred Mann.

Coming back to an incredible ovation for an encore we were treated to a second breakout number 'Days Between'; a later season Jerry ballad with a powerful message in the lyrics that translates beautifully to the melody. And then with one more lyrical message to mark the historical change, SR gifted us with a double encore. 'All Along the Watchtower', a Bob Dylan written song made famous by Jimi Hendrix and always crushed by Virginia's favorite Grateful Dead band. 

It was a fantastic show even if a little delayed and a perfect set list derived for the event.

The highlights for me were:

• 'Silvio' in Set 1 

• The 'Let it Grow' and 'Lovelight' in Set 2 

• The amazing double barrel encore

• And of course Adam’s Awesome Token Rhyme Gardening shirt in the second set!

"JJ's Journal" - Summer Jam at Richmond Harley-Davidson

July 31, 2021 - Harley Davidson

This has long been a weekend to celebrate the late Jerry Garcia's life and legacy, most often in concert, and this year was no different. The band and the fans alike were pretty excited to be returning to Richmond Harley Davidson for a second time and weren't disappointed. The spacious parking lot was packed but not over crowded and all __ fans had room to dance, and dance we did.

Unfortunately missing Jeff still, Noel was asked to carry the weight of the drums and did a bang up job all night long! 

Rightfully, an upbeat version of  the Jerry Garcia Band spiritual 'Sisters and Brothers' got things underway and the party was started. Mentioning unfinished business next we were led into a long opening 'Wheel' jam that unfolded into the 1st chorus before Steve punched up the organ and transitioned into the 'Hey Pocky Way' that was cut short due to lightning at the last show.  Our own Big Steve bleeds passion and tonight exemplified that!

Fans that saw the setlist in Williamsburg, and were disappointed at the misses, were not let down tonight. 'Mr Charlie' came out next. As usual this song featured some excellent jamming action before slowing down and emptying into an unusually placed, 1st set tiny space jam that blended perfectly into 'Big Railroad Blues'. One of many songs performed by the Grateful Dead that were originally written and performed by blues artist Noah Lewis among other Dead hits. Suggesting hit the next gear in this jam and really started digging into the atmosphere.

Sticking with the blues stylings of Noah Lewis, the organ got revved up again and the band put out a blazing 'Viola Lee Blues' that probably had Mr Lewis himself dancing in his grave with teases from all over including 'China Cat' and maybe "Bathtub Gin" as Drudge and the guys were just having a great time and playing freely. Coming out of the 3rd jam of Viola, the quintet uncustomarily stumbled slightly through a difficult transition back into a 'Wheel reprise'. The subsequent slow wheel jam gave us all a second to catch our breath, and has a hidden 'Norweigian Wood' tease, before a perfect transition to the foreshadowing and faster paced number 'The Music Never Stopped'. The ensemble cranked the throttle on the last jam and closed the set to gasping cheers.

In true SR fashion, the 2nd set began with an unusual breakout. An instrumental version of the Soul Survivors hit 'Expressway (to your heart)'. Covered by Merl Saunders and Jerry Garcia, this song provides a lot of freedom to play and Suggesting Rhythm took full advantage. Personally, I hope this stays in the lineup, it was fantastic! 

Afterwards, Dave mentioned watching a Bob Dylan documentary recently and the epic ballad 'Tangled up in Blue' flowed. Always energetic and peppy, the guys had me running circles in the parking lot on this one. We were all riding high and the band was wide open. Smoothly downshifting the band turned into 'Serve Somebody'. The Hunter\Garcia favorite 'Sugaree' was fired up next, and as always, carried a compliment of solos and jams that stole faces and kept the temperature up despite the waning sun. 

After a quick tuneup, the band let it all hang out with 'After Midnight'. Steve tried out some interesting experimental sounds here on the organ and then Noel dropped the hammer on my favorite transition of the night into the Junior Parker blues rocker 'Mystery Train'. Played over a dozen times since being debuted 9\23\17 at the They Love Each Other festival, Suggesting always does Junior justice with their fiery version. 

The second debut of the night was also a fitting JGB cover. A song I've honestly never heard before until tonight, 'The Maker's' by Daniel Lanois. 

Sticking with the Jerry Garcia Band for the remainder of the evening, 'The Harder They Come' fell on the next slot followed by one of my many favorites 'Get Out of My Life Woman'. Super upbeat and bouncy, this song gets me every time. Nothing but energy by the score in this one and a great way to close a long incredible set.  

Coming back to encore Dave made a sandwich joke I didn't get until halfway through 'Rueben and Cherise'. A long wonderful night was then closed with a band\crowd selfie combo that turned out great thanks to Dave Parrish Photography.

It was a different kind of night with space in the 1st set and no drums, but the unexpected is one of the many things Suggesting Rhythm does so well.

The first set highlights for me were the two tasty blues numbers back to back and the bass sounds. Whether the new sound system or Brent's mixing, Ed's bass shook me the whole first set like never before.

The 2nd set instrumental 'Expressway' opener was my favorite spot of the night. The transition into 'Mystery Train' as well as the song itself were also great and 'The Maker' debut I thought was a nice treat.

It was great to be back at Richmond Harley Davidson again and this coming Saturday at Licking Whole creek will certainly not disappoint.

"JJ's Journal" - Summer Breeze in Williamsburg, VA

“Summer Breeze” in Williamsburg, VA - July 14 2021 -

In a random turn of events, Suggesting Rhythm was presented with the opportunity to perform at the Williamsburg “Summer Breeze Concert Series” this past Wednesday. Always wanting to play and grateful to be able to help, the band agreed. Drummer, Jeff Rothman, regrettably couldn't reschedule prior family obligations for this impromptu show but Noel Burton was willing and capable to fill the void.

After the introduction the guys started into a nameless jam to start, and I gotta say, one of my favorite moves in the live show playbook. The smooth jam resolved into "On the Road Again" a song that originated with Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions in 1964. Following next was the Dead's favorite track 'Me and My Uncle'. The boys were starting to get into the flow here and after a nice peppy jam and quick ending they wasted no time heading into 'Maggie's Farm', the 'repurposed' Bentley Boys song. Certainly not directly plagiarized, lyrics do eerily resemble 'Down on Penny's Farm' to some but I'll let you form your own opinion on that. Wherever the idea originated, Suggesting Rhythm killed it as always and by the end I was almost too winded from dancing to applaud the slowing transition to 'West LA Fadeaway'. Possible hidden warnings to Jerry about John Belushi's death at the Chateau Marmont surround the lore of these mysterious Robert Hunter lyrics but that's a blog for another day.

Steve stood up after ‘West LA’ and introduced Greg Gernon, a member of the originally scheduled Blind & Dirty, to come up and do a guest spot for a couple numbers. A quick 'Iko Iko' was loaded up and it was followed by a blazing 'New Speedway Boogie' that gave Gernon a chance to flex his fingers some and show the Suggesting fans he didn't take his sit-in lightly.

Welcoming back Steve to the stage Dave gave the rest of the band introductions as well before the second consecutive Working Man's Dead track 'Easy Wind' to close the set. SR usually takes this song to another level and today was no exception. Excelling in the bluesier side of the Dead, this song never fails to please and once again reached new heights as the band was able to hit that next level they've grown so accustomed to playing at lately.

Coming back, the second set started off thunderously with the Wilson Pickett song 'In the Midnight Hour'. Adam was feeling frisky in this jam and teased a tiny 'Bathtub Gin' riff that I think was preceded by a tease of 'Poor Little Country Maid' better known as the 'Arabian Riff' or 'The Snake Charmers Song'.

We were just getting warmed up with the following 'Hey Pockey Way' when the lighting delay was called. It didn't last long before the delay turned into another cancellation due to weather. At least this time we got one hell of a set of music first with the ‘New Speedway’ and 'Easy Wind' easily taking top honors in the shortened show.

Next up is the Jerry Garcia Birthday Celebration Week with bookend shows at Richmond Harley-Davidson on 7/31 and the Lickinghole Creek Brewery rescheduled show on 8/7

"JJ's Journal" - Friday Cheers '21 (Brown's Island)

Suggesting Rhythm - Friday Cheers (Brown’s Island RVA) July 9, 2021

The sun was blazing down on Brown's Island in Richmond when the band took the stage on this July evening.  After almost two full months and two rained out shows since Suggesting Rhythm last played, the band and the fans both were bursting with pent-up energy and anticipation, and it was all about the music from the first note. 

Leading off with the classic trilogy of ‘Help>Slipknot>Franklin's Tower’ it was clear the whole band was thrilled to be back and came to jam. The fans obviously felt the same and the whole island was swaying and swinging despite the heat. Following the opening triplet was "Mississippi Half-step' from the 1973 Wake of the Flood album.  

Dave took a second here to introduce the band to the sold out crowd before dropping into 'Birdsong'. Diving up and down, slowing and building, SR took this jam for a hell of a ride before coming back down to wrap it up. Taking just a couple minutes to get ready, they eagerly jumped into the famous 'China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider' pairing.  For almost 20 minutes Suggesting Rhythm kept the tempo smoking to close out maybe my favorite SR set ever. The crowd and band were both drenched in sweat and welcomed the set break to cool off and catch their collective breaths. 

The sun was finally starting to set when Adam, Dave, Ed, Jeff, Noel and Steve came back to the stage for round two. Dave addressed the crowd referencing the 26th anniversary of Jerry's last show in Soldier field and we were off again. Always a great set opener,  'Feel Like a Stranger' started off the 2nd set. A Barlow-written classic, it stayed in the Dead's repertoire from 1981 until July 5, 1995. This number always came with the possibility of being a short dance number or a long spacy adventure. Tonight SR chose to show off a 13 minute spacy version in what was to be an utterly stellar evening of long introspective killer jams.  

It took a couple minutes to get tuned up again with a few more words of thanks from Oakley and then they were off into the Ace album's MVP, 'Playing in the Band'.  The whole band was talking and vibing through the sound they were delivering. The crowd was eating up every note that perfectly exemplified the sheer joy everyone was feeling to be free on a Friday night. Around the 15 minute mark they brought it to a close and in no time were off again on Hunter and Garcia's 1988 song 'Foolish Heart'.  Finishing up, Adam called an audible, presumably relating to time as the curfew was closing in. 

Much to the fans delight the band's huddle resulted in 'Terrapin Station' and we all shouted SUGGESTING RHYTHM when Dave sang the lyrics. Breaking off another almost 15 minute song like it's a Sunday stroll, SR showed everyone in attendance why the crowd keeps growing. By the end, Oakley was running around the stage hyping up the crowd giving every drop of energy and emotion he had to close this amazing jam packed set! 

With very little hesitation, and copious cheers and applause, the band came back to perform an encore. Immediately, Jeff and Noel jumped into drums and did their own thing before launching off into 'Shakedown Street', a Suggesting encore favorite. Somehow finding more juice in the squeeze, the guys laid down another perfect dance number to cap the evening while the attendees tried feverishly to keep up with the pace. 

Keeping with the average hour and twenty set time, this odd 4 song plus an encore version was definitely a stray from par, but as usual it was spectacular! We all left sticky and hot, but our emotional tanks were full and, luckily, it will be less than a week before we can do it again in Williamsburg.

My highlights are gonna be the opening, Help on the Way > Slipknot > Franklin's Tower and the whole 2nd set. Again 5 songs, almost an hour and twenty minutes...Amazing!

"JJ's Journal" - Jammin on Rocky Bar 21

SR at Jamming on Rocky Bar - May 15, 2021

The Jamming on Rocky Bar Festival in Elkton, VA was the site for the 6th Suggesting Rhythm show in 5 weeks ending their “mini spring tour”.  Dave stayed in his fedora this week, Ed was sporting an all-white bass with the Terrapin Turtles and Steve switched back out the baby grand to the usual dual keyboard setup.

After some tuning and a sound check we got underway as Dave forcefully delivered the opening line of 'Greatest Story Ever Told' to get the train rolling. A classic 'Tennessee Jed' followed with a few bombs from Ed to keep things shaking. 

Suggesting tends to gravitate towards the bluesy side of the genre and they really show off their skills in 'Deep Elem Blues'. Originally a setlist favorite, played 14 times prior, fans haven't heard this jam since the Halloween show in 2019. Slowing down a bit the band transitioned smoothly into the Lenny Hart tribute and often quoted 'He's Gone'. 'Jack-A-Roe' was next up, this a song traced back to early 1800s England and was originally named 'Jack Munro'. The Dead changed it some, of course, and it remains a notable classic of women's empowerment. 

The tempo had picked back up, the mood was joyous, and no one was sitting down. Quickly, the band dropped into a quirky Coasters hit 'Hog for You'. Adam and Steve both got some solo time during the two big jams in this song and Drudge throws in a fast paced 'He's Gone' riff that sounds really cool at that speed. 

Dave & Steve were tasked with keeping up the intensity as they shared the microphone next for 'Keep on Growing' and no problems doing so. The set continued next with one of my favorite Beatles songs 'Dear Prudence'. John Lennon wrote this about Mia Farrow's sister Prudence who would stay secluded in meditation. The music seems to emulate that in how it starts shy and slow and builds into a gorgeously beautiful dance number and one that always thrills me.  

Dave went through the customary band member introductions #weareallsuggestingrhythm and the guys finished the long set with a strong 'Stagger Lee'. 

Batting first in the second set, 'Casey Jones'. The oh so popular sing-a-long had a second guitar solo jam spot that I'm not sure was planned, but extra jamming is never a bad thing. Afterwards, Dave stopped to thank Chris and Renee for throwing this amazing party and then poured on the emotion with a heartfelt 'Black Throated Wind'. 

The best part of the show in my opinion came next. A song I first heard at a Melvin Seals JGB show 'Ain't No Bread in the Breadbox'. Suggesting really laid down some fire that spread to the floor and intoxication was alive in the sound. A swirling sea of bodies rhythmically moved in physical appreciation for the band's gift. The jam wound down slightly, and we found ourselves fully enveloped now in 'Eyes of the World'. The last of three songs that hadn't been played by SR since the last Rocky Bar show. A stellar rendition as always!   Ed showed off his skills with a trio of solos before the Richmond Rhythm Devils were left alone to start the Drums and Space segments. 

You won't leave a Suggesting Rhythm show without hearing some Dylan. Coming out of space Adam started the sextet into 'Simple Twist of Fate', only played one other time also at the October 26, 2019 show. Again, Oakley's impassioned delivery had me holding my wife with blurry eyes and a blessed spirit. 

Changing the tempo slightly, 'Bertha' filled in here, a song I was told was written about a box fan as well as other wild stories.  Picking it back up and closing the set was a fast 'Loose Lucy'. Dave's mic cut out in the beginning, but the problem got resolved in short order and the guys delivered a smoking closer and thanked us all for a “real good time”.

Not wasting much time, they started in on the customary encore.  Steve got the lead mic duties again for the Brent sung Traffic tune 'Dear Mr. Fantasy'. Exiting the night's final jam and entering the 'Hey Jude' tease, Oakley surprised everyone, even the band. He came out with the first verse and chorus of Velvet Underground's 'Oh! Sweet Nuthin' before the Jude finish. 

If you haven't heard your favorite song yet this year, all but three songs on the setlist were played for the first time in 2021.  It was an exhausting night and fantastic show for everyone dancing and playing. The band gets a much-needed break now and comes back in June at the sold-out Browns Island show.

Highlights in and fast paced long first set 'Deep Elem Blues' 'Hog for You' and 'Dear Prudence'

Set two has a slower feel but the 'Ain't no Bread in the Breadbox' is the best number of the night and the 'Oh! Sweet Nuthin' was a nifty little treat that had everyone talking.

"JJ's Journal" - Stevestock 3.5

Stevestock 3.5 (May 1, 2021 – Saturday Night)

It was a long Saturday at Stevestock 3.5 before Suggesting Rhythm’s turn, but it finally kicked off around 7:30pm. The guys hooked up quickly and treated us to a free version of 'All Over Now' to soundcheck. They took a quick break before returning to the stage to start for real.

The sun was just starting to set when Steve slammed the opening chord on the keys, Adam played the signature lick and Noel and Jeff started us down the path of a raunchy psychedelic 'Viola Lee Blues' to get the energy rolling. The jams in this sound like there's some China Cat teasing going on the band were having a blast early controlling the dance floor. With almost zero delay they kept us enjoying the ride with 'Hell in a Bucket'. Dave's intense lyrical delivery and the quick energetic jam lead by Adam’s guitar clued everyone in the tonight wasn't going to let up. 

After some comments about how good everyone was feeling we were off again. This time it was Steve showing off his piano skills and Dave channeling Pigpen on the Ron McKernan written 'Chinatown Shuffle' for only the second or third time in SR history. A hot and quick rendition of the 1965 bubblegum pop hit by the Dixie Cups, 'Iko Iko'. 'Cassidy', the namesake of Cassidy Law, came next and features a nice long jam at the end.  Keeping the engine revved up, Steve and Dave teamed up on the lyrics of 'Passenger', a rare Peter Monk and Phil Leah number from the Terrain Station album.  I believe it's only been played 4 times by Suggesting Rhythm and not since August 10, 2019 at Steambell, a Jeff only drum show, making it the first time we've heard it with Noel in Billy spot.  Finally slowing down just a bit the band turned into 'New Speedway Boogie'. Actually, a bluesy shuffle number as opposed to a true boogie, the boys really love this tune and showed here with another soul filled jam. Rounding out the first set we were treated to one of only two songs the Dead performed that was written entirely by Robert Hunter, music and lyrics. Written specifically for Pigpen, 'Easy Wind' was debuted by the Dead in 1969 and left their lineup with McKernan in '71. Today no one covers it better than SR and tonight was no different, the boys were on fire. The best jam of the set led us to one more reprise of the chorus before allowing the audience to breathe some and rest after a blazing set!

Reminiscent of Stevestock 2.0, set two started off with 'Help On The Way' into a gorgeous spacey 'Slipknot'. This time instead of the fake out with 'Dancing in the Streets' Adam steered the guys into 'Franklin's Tower' to finish off the iconic trilogy. Trying to top the first set, the Franklin Jam turned the crowd every way but loose until finally 22+ minutes into the set it came to a rest. 

No Suggesting Rhythm show is complete without a Dylan tune, and tonight was no exception.  After a quick “Thanks” to everyone the tempo slowed down so Dave could deliver the greatest lyrics ever written according to the Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom. The tale of Louise and the elusive Johanna unfolded before us and the air dripped with emotion as Dave conveyed her story with a passion that only he can bring to the rhyming Dylan Lyrics. Cheers were still hanging when Ed sped things back up thumping the bass heavy intro to 'West LA Fadeaway'. They rolled into another long jam and if you listen closely Adam starts to tease a lick from 'Cary on my Wayward Son'. If you watched the stream you can see Jeff catch on and fill in the drum spot prompting a turn of acknowledgement from Drudge.  The jam slowed down and wound into the 'Drums' spot. Noel and Jeff gave us some amazing energy again for the traditional early sounding drums leading into a 'Space' that Adam & Ed both tease a little campfire 'Kumbaya' on before eventually taking shape as the beloved Weir\Barlow ballad 'Looks Like Rain'. Steve got the mike next to keep the emotions dancing with his always soulful stylings in the classic Bent tune 'Blow Away' which closed out the second set. 

With hardly a voice left, Steve Storer came up for some brief announcements and then left room for an encore. Like a verbal signature on brilliant work, we all to yell "Suggesting Rhythm" as the band laid out an intense 'Terrapin Station' to cap the night in dramatic fashion. 

The Stevestock 3.5 opening night was fantastic and we knew we wouldn't have to break anyone's arm to come back for night two!

Highlights for my money were the ‘Viola Lee opener’, ‘Chinatown Shuffle’ in the first set.

The second set ‘Franklin’ back in the right spot, the emotion of ‘Johanna’ and ‘West LA’ jam and the ‘Terrapin’ placement.

Stevestock 3.5 (May 1, 2021 – Sunday Night)

The last day of Stevestock 3.5 was significantly hotter than the breezy Saturday. Starting later than slated due to other bands running over some, it was still in the 80's at go time around 5:30pm when Adam Drudge, Dave Oakley, Ed Bray, Jeff Rothman, Noel Burton and Steve Barnard took their places.  For those that keep track, Ed was sporting his fourth bass in as many shows. A wood-stained finish this time adorned with a white pickguard, an almost exact negative of Saturday's white finish with copper guard model. Oakley was back in his Indiana Jones Fedora after spending Saturday in the gray driving hat.

The guys spent some time tuning and getting the monitor volumes just exactly perfect when with no warning Adam turned the noodling into a steady line, followed by Ed and Dave, then the organ and drums joined in and “church” had officially started with 'Who was John' finding its way back to the top spot in the lineup. The twelve-minute-long bluesy opener set the mood and had the crowd warmed up and ready for Suggesting to put on their Sunday best. 

We got a few moments to catch our breath before 'Mighty High' came out for only the second time ever. Easily in my top 5, this catchy little spiritual number SR puts their own spin on, may be my new favorite. Again, clocking in at fast paced twelve plus minutes, my lungs were screaming. Answering my unspoken prayer request and staying with the ever-present biblical theme the band slowed things down for another popular JGB selection, 'Waiting on a Miracle' written by Bruce Cockburn in 1986. 

This was the first time I noticed the lyrics matching the day.  It was the hottest day of year so far, the incessant lake wind had died down and we were all blazing in the heat at Stevestock 3.5. Dave eerily sang the opening lyrics, "Working and waiting in the hot sun, With all the rich saints, and the fallen ones…" It couldn't have matched the moment better. Forgetting about the past and letting our worries behind, we all embraced the carefree moment. 

Next up was another two/three-timer, 'Jump for Joy'. Debuting last August at Brambly Park show, this song gives me a great opportunity to jump as well as overhear my favorite words spoken at a Suggesting Rhythm show, "...man I've never heard another band do that song." 

Coming back to the church theme is another personal top five 'I Need a Miracle Every Day'. As usual the band did not disappoint on this one. The lyrics melted into a long smooth jam full of twists and turns. When it finally slowed down slightly, they transitioned into the Young Rascals cover 'Good Lovin''. Barnard and Drudge both delivered hot solos in another long burning jam here before Dave came back to reprise and mop up. 

Occasionally joking about different band-names, (see ‘Adam and His Ants’ at Main Line Brewery shows from February ’21.)  Oakley paused here and introduced the ‘Knights that Say Nee’ giving a few of us a chuckle. I was still panting hard though when Jeff and Noel started banging out the familiar rhythm of our next sermon and the 2nd Blind Willie Johnson song of the set 'Sampson and Delilah'.

Barely 15 minutes later, due to the time crunch, the band was back for round two. My favorite way to start a set is with a quick Chuck Berry number to get me in the groove so I wasn't disappointed to hear the usual encore 'Let it Rock' take that spot. 

After Stevestock 3.5 almost being cancelled a second time and finding a last second miracle in the Chesdin Campgrounds, the lyrics continued to be relatable. I won't quote the last verse, but I encourage those involved to look it up. Suffice it to say "... You can't stop the train, you gotta let it roll on!"

In between songs Jeff sneezed near his mike prompting a unison "bless you" from the crowd, again garnering snickers as the band tuned to start again. 'Harder the Come" was next. A 1972 reggae song by Jimmy Cliff and covered by JGB. This led into a nice transition over to 'Don't Let Go' another popular Jerry Garcia Band cover. After the 1st verse we got to enjoy another long spacey jam before coming back around to the 2nd verse and then slowly fading away into Drums. Drums this time started in the more techno new style before reverting to the OG drum solo to call the strings back in and fold into space as the sun was starting to set over the lake behind the stage. 

Coming back to earth the sounds settled in on 'Black Peter's. Once again, as if Adam knew the future when he wrote the set list, the lyrics matched up to reality yet again. In the heavenly sunset Dave emotionally delivered the lines "...the sun is going down...and my friends they come around" this ignited another soul filled jam that bled into 'The Music Never Stopped'. Contributing to raise the bar all night we were treated to an amazingly euphoric jam here that stretched to space again and back.

I have to stop here to say thank you to Holly who noticed me go down and helped me clean and bandage my dancing blistered feet and get back on the dance floor before the song ended. 

Having some fun with the names Dave introduced the band and acknowledged Noel's birthday before dialing up 'Werewolves of London' for everyone to howl one more time. Sunset Steve's piano playing here is also worth mentioning as it drove the jam.

For the last time the Mayor came on stage to give a big and raspy thank you to everyone! Then we got one more lullaby beside the water with "Brokedown Palace' to finish a long magical weekend.

Highlights like usual are hard to narrow down but first set highlights include; Mighty High, the ‘I Need a Miracle’ jam and the ”church” theme

Second set highlights include 'Let it Rock' the pertinent lyrics all night and the 'Music Never Stopped' jam

"JJ's Journal" - 5/8/21 - Barton Hall

Suggesting Rhythm at Lickinghole Creek Brewery - May 8, 2021

May 8, 1977, Barton Hall, Cornell University. With over 2,000 Grateful Dead shows, some say it was the best. The GOAT of shows. Whether it’s the sound quality of the “Betty Boards”, the performance by the band or the song selection, whatever your opinion is of the Cornell show, we were all excited that Suggesting Rhythm was going to recreate this setlist on the 44th Anniversary.

Coming off Stevestock 3.5 and looking forward to Jammin’ on Rocky Bar this following weekend, this was a prime spot for fatigue to show. The boys weren't having that though as they came out of the gate full tilt with the 'New Minglewood Blues' opener. Dave was intense on the lyrics and Adam wasted no time on his trusty Autumn PRS, burning into the solo and letting the 800+ in attendance know the band was not going to relax.  Warmed up now, 'Loser' was next and true to the iconic night Oakley omitted the "sweet Suzy" lyric. There was very little pause before the standard version of the Marty Robbins western 'El Paso'. In the cleanup spot is the fan favorite couples dance, 'They Love Each Other'. Steve showed off his baby grand keyboard some in the jam here and all the guys were in sync and playing with joy in their sound. 

Dave took a second after TLEO to mention and thank Betty Cantor-Jackson the audio engineer and 'taper' responsible for so many great Dead recordings and then we were off to 'Jack Straw' one the first songs covered by Suggesting Rhythm and still one of the best they do in my opinion. True to form the band didn't disappoint as the jam sped up and really took off before bringing Dave back to finish the last verse and slow back down and reprise the beginning. 

With such a dense crowd Dave gave a little talk about spreading out some and thanked Lickinghole Creek Brewery for their hospitality and the new “Hazy Summer Home
 beer release created specifically for Suggesting Rhythm with artwork by Adam.

The anticipated 'Deal' was next, a song that SR first pulled out July 3, 2016 and has only gotten better. Our faces were melted again while even the normally calm Noel was bouncing and dancing like Jeff as the two drummers were having as hard a time holding still as the crowd was. Out of breath from the previous jam we were treated to a new song pairing for the Suggesting repertoire, the unusually timed Kingfish duo of 'Lazy Lightning' and 'Supplication'. Of course, the boys nailed this debut and took us on a nice long spacy journey between the two songs.

Truer to the '77 performance the 'Brown Eyed Women's' next up was a little shorter than most versions SR has done in the past but still dance worthy as always. Another break for tuning and then they classic Merle Mother's Day tribute 'Mama Tried'. Similar to Phil saying "Thanks Mom" in the original, Dave had the whole' crowd participate. #weareallsuggestingrhythm 

'Row Jimmy's' was up next. Rare in both bands' set-list, this was the first time Drudge has played slide during the solo and hopefully not the last. Lastly, in the epic set is 'Dancing in the Streets'. Still full of pep, the best was saved for last as this jam brought the house down and had everyone's heartbeat racing by half-time. 

A half hour later Dave gave the classic instruction for the crowd to "...take another step back…" Another classic Dead duo, 'Scarlet Begonias' into 'Fire on the Mountain' opened the second set. Again, zero time was wasted cranking the heat up and these two songs melted together beautifully as the temperature outside was dropping. The temperature on stage, however, kept rising when 'Estimated Prophet' quickly followed. A long spacey ordained tale of a crazy street messiah, the band spun it beautifully. 

My favorite Grateful Dead original falls here in the Barton Hall set-list, 'St Stephen'.  Feeding off the band's energy the crowd was getting super hyper and by the time we came around to a perfectly delivered  'Not Fade Away' transition the place erupted! Dave's delivery was potent and the Buddy Holly classic infected everyone's feet. With no time to chant afterwards the jamming commenced left us dizzy by the time the Stephen reprise came around to cap classic pairing. Immediately dropping into the show's emotional pinnacle of 'Morning Dew' the mood quickly softened. Lips trembled and eyes moistened while pure passion poured from the six instruments. Through blurry tear-soaked eyes I cheered as the legendary show came to a dramatic close. 

Coming back to answer the encore with fingers numb from the cold night the fellas mustered enough energy to wow us with an always off the chart 'One More Saturday Night'. 

Best show ever or merely the most circulated tape? Everyone has their own opinion for sure, but the 2021 Suggesting Rhythm version was pretty freaking awesome 

Highlights in the first set were the always smoking ‘Deal’ and ‘Jack Straw’, the slide coming out for ‘Row Jimmy’ and the sweet ‘Lazy Lightning’ debut.

Second set… Holy cow it was smoking. ‘The Scarlet > Fire’ is critical, ‘Stephen’ is always a favorite and ‘Morning Dew’ was soul wrenchingly beautiful.

"JJ's Journal" - SR at Strangeways RVA for 4/20 Weekend

AUDIO from Suggesting Rhythm at Strangeways Brewing (Richmond) from this past weekend is available at - https://www.suggestingrhythm.com/music

Strangeways Richmond - Saturday, April 17, 2021

With everyone's favorite leisure holiday only days away Suggesting Rhythm closes the Spring Strangeways tour with two smoking shows at the  brewery’s Dabney Road location. This time, the band had a nice stage brought in that unfolded like a transformer and it gave the guys much more space to work with.  

The sun was fighting the clouds and the outdoor venue was packed shortly after 5pm when the band came out. Dave, wearing the brown fedora this week, kicked us off with a “Let the Good Times Roll”. The background vocals were on point and the band wand ready to go. A quick tuning check sent us then into short “New Minglewood Blues”. Almost immediately afterwards the band swung into a semi-long twisting intro that turned into one of the Dead’s most played songs “Me and My Uncle”. You can hear Adam tease Little Feat’s “Skin It Back” before the vocals come in. The first verse led to a Steve piano solo before along jam fed to dynamic solo from Adam. Finishing up the final verse the jam transitioned into “Big River” as the accelerando of the first set continued. People started creeping closer to the dance floor now and the tempo was moving faster. After the second verse we got another long jam that saw the tempo pick up again before Dave really nailed the final verse.

The mood settled down some as an emotional Dave told us about Geordie Beddoe who passed the day after seeing Suggesting play in Fredericksburg. 

There was a brief silence and then Jeff counted off to start In the “Midnight Hour”, the 1965 Wilson Pickett cover. The guys were really warmed up now and got to work. We had maybe our best jam of the night here with some amazing guitar work including a small teasing sample of “Norwegian Wood” if you listen close. The tempo waxed and wained and the band was having a great time as they resolved back into the final verse. There was a lot of fun being had on stage and after a long tuning break we slowed down some again with an introspective version of “When I Paint My Masterpiece”. The early 80’s Hunter\Garcia song “Loser” kept the tempo slow and mellow next. 

Dave stopped here to give the customary introductions of the band and they were right back to it. Splitting up the verses some Dave and Steve shared time on the classic calypso tune “Man Smart, Woman Smarter” first recorded back in 1936.  Closing out the first set and keeping the emotions high was Dylan's “Just Like Tom Thumbs Blues”.

At set break we got the announcement of a May 8th show at Lickinghole Creek Brewery which I hope to see everyone at but tickets will sell out quickly.

Just a couple minutes passed 7pm the band reemerged to start off the second set. After some tuning we took off into a long spacey “Playing in the Band”. The dance floor was packed to start the second set and everyone was smiling. Dave gave a us talk when the song ended about how lucky we are and then they set off on “Scarlett Begonias”. The energy all over the venue was super high as we finished the first jam and headed into the last verse.

Immediately after the last “Scarlet Begonias” lyric the guitar effects switched to the iconic “Fire on the Mountain” envelope filter and they set off on a long winding jam to complete the transition. With jams between each verse the FOTM is one of their best in recent memory. Another short pause led us to one of my personal favorite Grateful Dead’s songs, the legendary “Mr. Charlie.” In true Suggesting Rhythm fashion the second verse line "I can hear the drums" kicked off the nights “Drums and Space” set. In the last show “Space” was a highlight, this time it was “Drums”. Slow and groovy feeling, the dance floor seemed to swell with newcomers hypnotized by the beats.

The sun was setting and the purple stage lights glowed bright as Adam’s PRS “Autumn” found its way through space to find the opening notes of “Wharf Rat”. Sadness dripped from the stage at the bands musical description of a poor man down on his luck. A smooth transition picked up the tempo for “Going Down the Road Feeling Bad”. A song almost 100 years old now, first recorded in 1924 as The Lonesome Road Blues by Henry Whitter. This ended in the soft instrumental of “We Bid You Goodnight” finishing a long continuous set of music.

Dave introduced the next song and Steve took the reigns for the always on point “Hey Pocky Way”. We got another sweet jam here at the end that eventually transitioned back into “Mr Charlie’s” final verse cap the set at 830pm.

Back to answer the encore cheers of a still packed house the boys rustled up a blazing “US Blues” to send us home sweating and already craving night two.

In a show that built on pace from the beginning. The “Midnight Hour” solos, “Masterpiece”, and “Pocky Way” jams were highlights.

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Strangeways Richmond - Sunday, April 18, 2021

The sun was slightly brighter on day two as the crowd started to arrive. Anticipation was high and the mood was light as Suggesting Rhythm took the stage.

With very little time wasted they jumped right in to “Golden Road to Unlimited Devotion” to get the dance floor warm. Dave needed some sound adjustments after the first song but we were quickly underway with the foreshadowing theme of “Cold Rain and Snow”. You could begin to tell here with the guitar and keys solos that tonight was going to be fire. Dave stopped again here, this time to say “Hi” to the masses while Ed noodled around seemingly anxious to get going. The buzzing crowd sounded their excitement next when the band started on “Alligator”, a 60’s era Dead tune, third in the set lineup. The band's spirits were high and enthusiasm from sound energized the crowd. The energy stayed straight into the Bluesy Dylan song “Slow Train Coming.”  

"What's better than a Dylan tune?" Dave asked, answering his own riddle classically, "another Dylan Tune." And with that somehow the bands energy vaulted as they dove in to a blazing “Maggie's Farm”!  The dancing was so contagious even Adam and Ed were hopping in step together.  After the second verse Steve had caught fire too and dealt us and amazing piano solo amongst the lively jamming here. Calming thing down a bit we got a slow tempo version of “Friends of the Devil” without the extra verse on the end. A little more tuning here to get everything exactly perfect and then we were hit with Steve delivering the Chuck Berry classic cover “Around and Around”. Moving to an incredible jam we danced feverishly hardly noticing Steve switch from piano to organ in an epic solo. This brought Dave back to the microphone surprising every with an unnoticed transition into the first song debut of the show. It was the 1972 Johnny Rivers hit “Rocking Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu”. Gasping for breath from dancing, set one was brought to a close shortly after 6:30pm.

The break didn't last long and soon time pushed the band backed to the stage. Adam started the ball rolling with the first notes of “Let's Spend The Night Together”, a song previously in the set one opening spot. No time was wasted starting “Get Out of My Life Woman” next again much to the delight of the attendees. Performed first by SR Oct. 26, 2019 at The Camel and then again on stage with John Kadlecik at The Broadberry, this is the type of rarely heard gem fans love. A song first recorded by Lee Dorsey and infrequently covered by the JGB, it was really done justice Sunday with a long wonderful jam and smoking guitar solo. 

Dave stopped for introductions next and ironically to praise the weather that was about to give way. We got a medium length intro next to what many of us thought was going to be “Help on the Way” but changed course and landed on the second Suggesting Rhythm break out of the night, a BB King classic, “The Thrill is Gone” was originally preformed by Roy Hawkins in 1951 and covered by Jerry Garcia and David Grisman in 1991. 

Looking back at the setlist you can see Adam threw some humor into the start of the second set. Starting with “Lets Spend The Night Together” followed by “GOOMLW” and “Thrill Is Gone” he painted a glorious “Prankster Picture”.

A long spacey intro followed and mixed emotions were felt when the “Dark Star” iconic intro rang out.  Another Dead classic every fan loves though a lot of Suggesting fans had hoped they'd hear it at Stevestock. The band did it justice here though and psychedelic number led us into “Drums” and “Space” where Jeff played around with some really cool electronic sound effects.  I discovered that on Saturday, Jeff and Adam walked around the crowd before the Saturday show asking “What does this music mean to you”. With that, Jeff took the audio samples and incorporated those comments into “Space”. The band’s motto is WE ARE ALL SUGGESTING RHYTHM and just like shows such as Egypt (and the crowd drum circle), SR was able to make the fans a part of the music in more than one way.

“Space” took on a lunar aspect this night as it opened up with “Standing on the Moon” off the 1989 'Built to Last' album. A slow emotion packed jam finished it out and they jumped straight into the Willie Dixon blues favorite “Wang Dang Doodle”. The tempo was kept high and they flew right into a fast “China Cat Sunflower” next. Some of the aforementioned cold rain started to fall during the seamless transition into presumed “I Know You Rider” which gave way to great cheers as Dave punched the "...cool Colorado rain" line. The second set ended to unending cheers, bringing the band back moments later. The rain got heavier as SR dialed in “Sugar Magnolia” for the final encore of the weekend. As they're known to do the band summoned extra energy for the final number and Dave, doing a bobby impersonation  gave us some great screams finishing “Sunshine Daydream”.

It was a fantastic weekend full of dancing and great jams! Highlights were the “Cold Rain and Snow”, Ed and Adam dancing during “Maggie's Farm” which you can't hear, the “Rocking Pneumonia” break out and “Get Out of My Life Woman”.

"JJ's Journal" - Road Trippin' to Strangeways

Strangeways Brewing Fredericksburg

There was a heavy Richmond contingent as Suggesting Rhythm and fans took over Strangeways Brewery on Saturday March 27, 2021 in Fredericksburg.  The heavy traffic pushed back the start some but by 4:30pm the boys took the long narrow stage.  Due to space on the stage the Richmond Rhythm Devils took center stage, each flanked by two members. 

The first set shot off like a rocket with 'Alabama Getaway' leading the charge. The energy was incredibly high and the tempo followed suit into 'Althea' next and the band was really starting to get revved up.  Wasting zero time they fired right into maybe the best 'Feel Like a Stranger' SR has ever played and showing everyone why they're Virginia's best jam band. Next up was Robert Hunters 'Might as Well', the lead track from the 1976 Reflections album. As usual it was one good ride from start to end. Keeping the tempo high they rolled into 'Loose Lucy'. It was here that Steve jumped in and treated the fans with his first solo of the night. Dylan was on deck now and Dave dazzled us with the complicated lyrics of 'Tangled up in Blue'.  Here we had our first of two new breakout songs on the day. It was a JGB repurposed Eric Clapton song from 1985 'See What Love Can Do'. Closing out the first set was a rousing 'Ramble on Rose'. Clocking in at just over an hour this set was one of the shortest in SR history but definitely on the most upbeat and dance worthy!

Rain started during the set-break but by 6 o'clock the band was back in line on stage and immediately commenced to beckoning the good weather back with the ‘Here Comes Sunshine’. The boys were really having fun experimenting with jamming in different keys and and feeling no pressure from the clock. This wound its way around eventually into 'The Wheel' who's jam led us into the final breakout of the night. John Lennon's master work of fantasy, 'Imagine' from the 1971 album with the same name. Originally slated to be instrumental by the Grateful Dead, SR called an audible and delighted the crowd with a great lyrical rendition. We moved on to the 1967 Revolver album next for a second Beatles number 'Tomorrow Never Knows' which cut out into the iconic 'Drums' spot. With a quick break the boys were back on stage. A loud bass drop from Ed kicked off a transcending space that captured the essence of a phenomenon only the Dead could create.  Notes and sounds swirled and coalesced in the seeming void of space until it materialized into an emotion packed 'Stella Blue'.

Noticing the time Adam made his turn at changing calls at the line and the boys went off script for a bit. They jumped into an unscheduled 'Bird Song' that bled into the 'The Other One' and then back into 'Bird Song' in a stellar improvisational performance. Staying off script Steve stepped up next for a pigpen favorite ‘Turn on Your Love Light' that spurred Oakleys energy the rest of the night and saw the two musicians almost dueling.  Aiming back at the set list we got a 'Not Fade Away' that teased Stranger again which was also a small theme throughout the day. Finally the set closed with a screaming 'One More Saturday Night' that had everyone yelling at the end.  Personal favorite encores thanks to ‘Back to Future’ as a child, ‘Johnny B Goode’ closed the night. 

Turning in a close to 2 hour non stop second set made this one a must hear show! The extended jams, especially in 'Loose Lucy' , 'Feel Like a Stranger' and 'Lovelight' were highlights in a jam heavy show!

LISTEN HERE - https://www.suggestingrhythm.com/music