Boyd Tinsley And Phil Lesh Guest With American Jubilee At Terrapin Crossroads

I’m honored to welcome two of my favorite writers to the JamBase editorial team today. First up we’ve got a report from last night’s American Jubilee with Boyd Tinsley show at Terrapin Crossroads from Chad Berndtson. Chad is an extremely talented writer whose work has been published in nearly every publication within our scene. He has big plans for JamBase contributions and we’re excited about what he brings to the table. -Scott Bernstein

It’s to take nothing away from American Jubilee that the headline, if properly written, would be less “American Jubilee welcomes Boyd Tinsley” and more “Dave Matthews Band Violinist Jams With Marin County Bar Band.” Carpers make too much of the jamband press publicizing Tinsley’s appearance at Terrapin Crossroads Tuesday night. Too much publicity for a Tuesday night bar band! Really, though? I mean, come on: here’s one of the most famous musicians in jam-dom, and you can see him play from feet away, in probably the kindest bar in the Bay Area? With no cover charge? That’s news, Cronkite.

“American Jubilee with special guest Boyd Tinsley” was sort of inaccurate. The Brian Lesh-fronted band, which plays variously competent to admirably thrilling country rock, was an hour and half into their Terrapin Crossroads bar set before Tinsley –along with Phil Lesh himself –emerged. No question the summit was historic. The enhanced band romped through “One Empty Rose,” “Detroit Turnaround” and “St. Peter,” with Tinsley barely getting warm, but sheesh: there’s Phil Lesh, Brian Lesh and Boyd Tinsley all smiles and all fun, and how often does this happen?

[“Detroit Turnaround” via Stuart Levine]

Phil’s San Rafael temple was packed; that regular-ish mix of Marin yuppies, spun wookies and this time around, a few members of the DMB frat brigade who’d come to see their violin-sawing hero. It was hard to argue with the pleasantness: Phil and Jill Lesh, parked by the soundboard grinning and gamely submitting to fan photos while waving hi to regulars, and American Jubilee playing like they meant it, a crisp mix of Outlaws-style country, Byrds-like folk-psychedelia and inevitable Johnny Cash. Dig it. And style points for making Boyd and Phil play their songs, to boot.

Brian Lesh, Ross James, Alex Koford, Scott Padden and Craig MacArthur

Set: Poison RJ, BL
Keeps Me Guessing AK
Don’t Drive The Train off the Tracks BL
Juarez RJ
Goodbye Golden Road CM
California Skies RJ
John C AK
Mountain Town BL
Big River BL
White Frieghtliner RJ, BL
Nine Pound Hammer RJ
One Empty Rose BL *
Detroit Turnaround RJ *
St. Peter BL *
Selfish Thing CM +
El Paso +

* Phil Lesh on Bass and Boyd Tinsley in Fiddle
+ Boyd Tinsley on fiddle

[Setlist via Philzone.org]

Words By: Chad Berndtson