There are those who might say music is magnetic. It has the ability to act as a universal, common language to bring many different kinds of people together in harmony. Perhaps no band in history has represented this as well as counterculture heroes The Grateful Dead. The death of lead guitarist Jerry Garcia in August of 1995 saw the end of the touring entity The Grateful Dead. Despite this, as Dead lyricist John Perry Barlow wrote, “the music never stopped”. All over the world, the music of The Grateful Dead continues to get reinterpreted and performed live, as it was intended to, by amazing musicians unified in a common love for their music and their message. On Saturday night, January 23, 2013, a small theatre in Poughkeepsie, New York, the “long-strange trip” continued with a performance by New England based Grateful Dead tribute Shakedown.
While there may be numerous cover and tribute bands for groups all over the world, any band playing the music of The Grateful Dead shoulders the responsibility of painting a musical tapestry that is living and ever changing. Shakedown, in action since 1987, has an intricate knowledge and respect for the music of The Grateful Dead. They perform it in their own style and phrasings, with an acknowledgement of the foundations the Dead placed with their music, which had and always was freeform expression at its finest. A Dead show was a place to let go, to forget the troubles of society and forge friendships that would last a lifetime. Shakedown has continued this tradition in true fashion, forging a dedicated community and fan base of their very own, with a highlight being a monthly performance at New Haven gem Toad’s Place.
Saturday night found the band trucking on up to Poughkeepsie, to historic venue The Chance Theater. Originally a vaudeville theatre, the historic venue has seen the likes of famous artists such as Bob Dylan and U2 throughout the years. In a nod to Ken Kesey and the Merry Prankster’s famed bus “Furthur”, Shakedown offered their fans a chance to hop on a bus from Connecticut to the Poughkeepsie theatre. It was a continued reflection of the amazing community that surrounds Shakedown. Entering the venue felt like taking a step back through time. Everywhere you looked there were colorful tye dyes, homemade clothing, long hair, and most important of all, smiles. Friends hugged others who they hadn’t seen in years, and even those they had just met. It was a sure sign of the atmosphere that is generated no matter where Shakedown performs.
Following opening band The Phreaks, a local Phish tribute, Shakedown took the stage. Shakedown features Dave Frankel on lead guitar and vocals, Jeff Martinson on rhythm guitar and vocals, Mark Haberfeld on bass and vocals, Geoff Wadhams on keys/vocals, and Johnny Chang on drums. It was a sure sign of a good night when the band launched straight away into Dead staple “Feel Like a Stranger”. The funky rhythm generated by the song got the audience twirling and whirling and it certainly felt like the beginning to a “long, long crazy kind of night” as the song lyrics tell. They followed up with a beautiful take on Jerry Garcia’s “They Love Each Other”. You could tell that the love was in the air as audience members hugged each other and grooved along to the song’s infectious melody. “Stagger Lee” was up next, and the passion that Jeff Martinson injected into his telling of the old tale was evident by the audience’s enthusiastic response. Geoff Wadhams got his turn on vocals as the band moved into a cover of The Rascal’s ‘Good Lovin’, featuring some raucous banter between Geoff and the crowd, similar to how the Dead’s Pigpen would perform the song in the 60s and early 70s. A brilliant played cover of Bob Dylan’s “Tangled Up in Blue” had the crowd mouthing the lyrics and enjoying its high energy.
More highlights include a seamless “Eyes of the World”, with a brilliant bass solo by Mark, into a powerfully played “Terrapin Station”. The band moved right into the only political song the Dead ever wrote, Bob Weir’s “Throwing Stones”, and it was clear that bones were being shaken as the crowd danced feverishly to the song’s breakdown. A powerful, chilling and earth shattering “Morning Dew” followed, which may have been the highlight of the evening as the band drove the song higher and higher into the stratosphere before bringing everybody gently back down to earth. It was a truly amazing moment to witness, as many in the audience even had tears in their eyes at the power the song held. The show ended with the performance of another fan favorite, “Jack-A-Roe”, an adaptation of a British ballad, with Mark on lead vocals. The Deadheads then wished their beloved band farewell and retreated back out into the cold Poughkeepsie night with warm hearts from the love that was felt between the band and audience.
If you haven’t gotten a chance to see Shakedown or any other Dead group for that matter, you are truly missing out on a rare concert experience. Some upcoming Shakedown performances are Friday February 1st at Theodore’s in Springfield, MA and February 22, 2013 at Toad’s Place.
1-28-13 Shakedown, The Chance Theater, Poughkeepsie NY
Feel Like a Stranger
They Love Each Other
Stagger Lee
Good Lovin’
Cumberland Blues
Tangled Up in Blue
Eyes of the World>
Terrapin Station>
Throwing Stones>
Morning Dew
Jack A Roe
Review by Noah Galembo
Photography by Noah Galembo
Some more information on Shakedown:
Shakedown Performs at Toad’s Place February 24, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uukRSDTIVNA
Shakedown is a featured interviewee in Toad’s Place documentary Night After Night: The Tune of Toad’s. Check it out on Vimeo at http://vimeo.com/41337352
Like “Shakedown-The Grateful Dead and Beyond” on Facebook for updates, pictures, and upcoming concert information!
Also follow them on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ShakedownCT and at their website: www.shakedown.net
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