Written by Richie Oliver
Photo by Bob Minkin
I love jam bands. The music stylings of Phish, Dead & Company, and Dave Matthews Band speak to me through improvisational work, creating melodies that seemingly last forever.
When I can’t travel across the country to see these bands live, I am reassured by the fact that I can always go on a “couch tour.” Most jam bands, especially Phish, live stream almost every show, giving more people a chance to hear some of their favorite songs make an appearance.
Hopping on couch tour over the past few months has exposed me to so much amazing music, all from the comfort of my own home. When COVID-19 started popping up in the US, many venues were forced to shut down after virtually all tours were canceled.
At the beginning of quarantine, the Grateful Dead’s YouTube channel started “Shakedown Streams,” a series of free live streams of the band's past performances. Dead & Company, the successor to the Grateful Dead, followed suit, as well as other artists such as Phish and the Tedeschi Trucks Band.
These old shows were mostly non-released, being put out into the world for the first time and never before heard on a live album. The only way to listen to these shows was to obtain a recording from the National Archive, where the quality was mediocre at best.
With these shows finally being released, we now have soundboard quality recordings, giving the listener the best quality recording of the show. However, the listener gets more than just high-quality audio; we can now view the band in their prime, playing these songs to an audience of now more than millions.
Gifting light during this dark time is what we all need right now. Listening to joyful music from home is a perfect way to let that light shine in.
How have you been coping with...well...all of 2020? Have you embarked on a "couch tour?" Share your strategies, music-related or not, with us by tweeting us @lgndsoftmrw!
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