Please enjoy the audio recording of this past weekends Day Tripping at Main Line Brewery (SOLD OUT) with Suggesting Rhythm.
While you listen, take time and read the latest page from “JJ’s JOURNAL” under each set list photo. Leave your own review of the show or tell us your favorite song of the weekend.
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Day Trippin’ @ Main Line - Day One - Feb 27, 2021
After a long two month drought, Suggesting Rhythm returned to Main Line Brewery on Saturday, February 27th to kick off the 2021 season of shows. With dark clouds in the forecast all week, the vibes from the anticipation must have gotten to the weather Gods because it cleared up just in time for the show. The crowd arrived early, the mood was great, everyone was amped up and by the time the boys took the stage the crowd was ready to blow.
Much to our delight the band kicked off the afternoon with the first SR debut of the night, a Jerry Garcia Band favorite "Bright Side of the Road" by Van Morrison. Due to a shortened soundcheck, some technical adjustments had to be made on the fly but as they rolled into “Bertha” things started to smooth out. Steve let loose next for a quick but emotional "Tons of Steel" that was capped off with an actual train pulling up behind the stage. Stage banter concluded the song leaving Dave to humorously stating, “We paid extra for that”. Dave came back to the mic in the cleanup spot to lead the crowd favorite "Truckin”. The tempo stayed revved up with "Brown Eyed Women" and "Stagger Lee”. Robert Hunters "Row Jimmy" slowed things down just for a bit before Otis Reddings "Hard to Handle" emptied the seats. The crowd was getting warm and loose and it felt like the show was just starting when a lively "Terrapin Station" put a curtain on the first set of the year.
Set two opened with Dave doing his best Dylan impression on the 1965 classic "Positively 4th St", the second of a staggering four new songs on the night. Immediately following, Adam dusted off his slide for the third breakout tune of Saturday night. This time it was the raunchy Howlin' Wolf tune “Down In The Bottom (I Ain't Superstitious)” from 1961. The band went into the Kingfish jam "Jump for Joy" next. Only played once by Suggesting Rhythm, last year at the Brambly Park show, it's definitely one to anticipate in future shows. We were still jumping when the guys seamlessly bled into a crowd pleasing "Music Never Stopped" that turned into the ever evolving "Drums/Space.” "High Time" materialized out of space, a classic from The Working Man's Dead. It was followed by "Estimated Prophet" bringing the tempo back up and leading into the always passionate "Blow Away" w Steve once again taking the vocal lead. Another blazing "Hell in a Bucket", last performed at the Halloween 2020 show, closed out the second set all to0 quick. The debuts finally culminated to an elegant encore of a late 80's Hunter\Garcia ballad "Believe it or Not”. A slow burner, played only seven times by the Dead but hopefully SR gives it a little more time in the rotation, as it really closed things out nicely.
Highlights were easily the four debuts, the "Hard to Handle" jam and the "Hell in a Bucket”. Everyone was stoked for day two.
Day Trippin’ @ Main Line - Day Two - Feb 28, 2021
The “Never Miss A Sunday Show” mantra proved true once again as Suggesting Rhythm unmasks one the best shows to date! Thrilled to be out again, fans were still tailgating and partying in the lot when the band took the stage and started the customary last checks and tuning.
With the crowd still about three quarters full the guys came out swinging with a burning hot "I Need a Miracle" that quickly moved the stragglers into the show. As that was melting away Ed started swinging his new Clifford the Big Red Bass in a smooth transition to "Who Was John''. It's been just over a year since this song debuted in SRs setlist, opening the last show they played at the Camel in Feb 2020. The song extremely well in that early set one spot and a is great rhythmic dancing opportunity!
The JGB tunes continues with a rousing rendition of "Waiting on a Miracle" next up. We were treated to 2 setlist debuts tonight. The first was "Mighty High" a fast jazzy disco jam written by David Crawford in 1975 and recorded by the Mighty Clouds of Joy before making its way to the Jerry Garcia Band repertoire. Dave served up a healthy dose of soul next with Dylan's "Gotta Serve Somebody" that featured a stellar jam session the band is known for. A Hunter\Garcia original from 1978 "Gomorrah" was the next debut to keep things slowed down a bit to let the room breathe along with "Stop That Train". We didn't rest long though because we were treated to an extra long "Shakedown Street" to close out a blistering hot first set.
After a short break set two opened with a duo of Beatles songs, the time appropriate "Day Tripper" followed by one of my personal favorites "Dear Prudence" that featured one of best guitar solos on the day. The best piano solo of the day came next with more JGB stylings in "That's What Love Will Make You Do" to keep the gospel vibe going. Noel and Jeff took the reins again with an energetic Drums session. Out of space evolved a beautiful "Comes a Time". The tempo stayed slow through "It Stone Me", another all-time favorite of mine by Van Morrison. Picking up the pace next for a fast couples dance was the Temptations 1st Billboard Single, "The Way You Do the Things You Do" written by Smokey Robinson and “smoked” by Suggesting Rhythm! One more fantastic solo from Mr. Barnard during the Manfred Mann hit "Mighty Quinn" unfortunately led us to what appeared to be the set closing dance. Much to everyone's fortunate however it was a jamming Noah Lewis number from the Grateful Dead's original self titled record "Viola Lee Blues". I can't think of a better high octane set closer and the boys gave it everything highlighting a tireless performance!
After a year plus now of covid restrictions, with mixed feelings and sentiments from every spectrum of the Kübker-Ross scale, what came next changed everyone present. The band started their encore, "I Shall Be Released". Emotion washed over the facility. It all stopped for a second as we listened to the words, felt the notes. We wept, we hugged, we held, we all let go as the band put one final exclamation on an all time epic show!
Highlights were really the entire show but if you twist my arm I'd say the “Serve Somebody” jam and subsequent Adam guitar solo, and the “China Cat” tease hidden in a “Viola” jam. Also, the introduction of Clifford the Big Red Bass and Dave's sweet Wolf emblem made by Sarah Catlett mounted on his guitar were gems.
