Highlights:

Benefit for Rex Foundation @ Sweetwater in Mill Valley CA
Benefit for Mark Vann @ Fox Theater in Boulder CO with Leftover Salmon
Coastal Protection Music Festival with Jorma, Jack, GE Smith, and Pete Sears
Sweetwater 2000 with Bob Weir, Pete Sears, etc.
Band Camp 2000 with Jorma, Jack, GE Smith, Pete Sears, etc.
Before the Millenium including celebrities and ex-presidents

July 5 & 6, 2002
High Sierra Music Festival
Quincy, CA

High Sierra is an amazing festival tucked into the redwood forest of the Feather River Canyon near Quincy. Dozens of bands and thousands of fans camp out for a weekend of music. Our third appearance at High Sierra was the best yet. Our first slot was at 11 am on the second day of the festival . . . and we had the pleasure of waking up lots of campers with a little Dead. The crowd grew rapidly and cheered us on as we played six of our own songs. We debuted Ann’s new tune, Matter of Time.

Set list:
Playin’ In The Band > Uncle John’s Band > Playin’ In The Band
Come Along Now
Matter of Time

Our second slot at High Sierra was at 7:45 on the third day of the festival. We were the last act on the Americana Stage . . . so we brought our own lights, with the idea of playing as long as we could. The set lasted for nearly three hours. The setlist was a little funky for medical reasons: TBone lost his voice! He woke up that morning sounding like Donald Duck, but we called him Harpo for reasons that are too obvious for elaboration. The set list underwent major surgery to reflect TBone’s lack of vocal chops . . . but the harp parts were better than ever!!!

We were joined on-stage by Box Set’s Sam Johnston (who played harmonica on Like A Rolling Stone and All Along The Watchtower) and Each Others’ Legend’s Joseph Langham (who sang Watchtower). New song debuts: Ann’s Every Street Has Your Name and Corinne’s Sister Peace.

Set list:
Jack Straw
Clueless
Spitfire
Astradero Road
Good Night Love >
What Game?
Every Street Has Your Name
Come Along Now
Sister Peace
Dubya
Ex

July 2, 2002
Twilight In The Park
Johnson Park, Palo Alto, CA

Twilight In The Park is what they call it. FOB Heaven is what we call it. A 6:30 pm start on Tuesday night is not the first slot that comes to mind for a rock ‘n’ roll show, but it worked for us in Palo Alto. More than 1,100 people showed up for the show . . . and we played one our best gigs ever. Coming right in the middle of our annual Band Camp, this show featured six songs we had never played before – Ann’s Falling In Leaves, Pete’s Spitfire, Roger’s Ex, Giles’ arrangement of the Shelton Bros.’ Just Because, Bill’s Come Along Now, and TBone’s arrangement of the Beatles’ Old Brown Shoe. There were lots of great moments – the young lady in the blue cowboy hat comes to mind – but none will top the horde of little kids who crowded onto the stage with us . . . and jumped up and down through the whole show.

Set list:
Constellation Rag
Clueless
Up Your Heart
Falling In Leaves
Spitfire
Arastradero Road
Liquid Dinner
Ex

June 22, 2002
Benbow Lake Arts Festival
Benbow Lake, CA

The Benbow Lake Arts Festival was a bit short on lake – they aren’t damming the Eel River this summer due to the drought – but very long on festivities. With three stages and more 100 merchandise booths on parkland beside the river, the festival had an authentic, homegrown Humboldt County feel. We played the final slot of the day on the Solar Stage, following Alien Cowboys and Scott Huckaby. The audience was under a tent formed by a humongous parachute . . . and together we enjoyed the transition from afternoon to evening on the year’s second longest day.

Set list:
M’Lady
Tell Me It’s Okay
Clueless
Johnny B.
Arastradero Road
Goodnight Love

June 21, 2002
Camp Winnarainbow
The Hog Farm, Laytonville, CA

Our second visit to Wavy Gravy’s Hog Farm was as magical as the first. Wavy invited us to play a show at Camp Winnarainbow’s session for adults. We got there in the early afternoon, set up, and then sound checked for two hours before dinner. We sound-checked all sorts of stuff, including a new arrangement of By My Side that jammed into and out of a fragment of TBone’s new tribute to Firesign Theater, Antelope Freeway. We liked the combination so much that it found its way into the evening’s set list . . . The campers provided a wonderful curry dinner, after which Steve Barsotti played a set on acoustic guitar. We hit the stage and played for nearly three hours. That Hog Farm magic . . .

Set list:
M’Lady
By My Side > Antelope Freeway > By My Side
Lowell’s Room
Playin’ in the Band > UJB > Playin’ in the Band
Livin’ In Cyn
Clueless
Constellation Rag
Like A Rolling Stone
Johnny B.

June 16, 2002
Casa Rincon
Sedona, AZ

Extreme drought conditions shut the beautiful canyon route into Sedona . . . until just before we got there. It was a beautiful day for a drive and this particular drive is one of the most impressive we have ever seen . . . a fitting road for the final stop on the FOBs’ “Route 66 Tour.” Although Sedona is quite a tourist magnet, the surrounding countryside is simply amazing. Locally, they call it Red Rocks. Buttes, mesas and all manner of pointy, bright orange rock formations surround the town of Sedona, bringing to mind many a great cowboy movie. The Casa Rincon serves southwestern cuisine . . . and fine rock ‘n’ roll. Once again, we were treated to a night of wonderful northern Arizona hospitality. We can’t wait to come back! When we do, we’re going to check out two of Sedona’s more curious attractions: a Metaphysical Department Store and a McDonald’s with the world’s only Teal Blue Arches!

Set list:
Happy Endings
Greenport
Playin’ In The Band/Uncle John’s Band/Playin’ In The Band
Lowell’s Room

June 15, 2002
Coconino Center for the Arts
Flagstaff, Arizona

Our “Route 66 Tour” began in Flagstaff, Arizona, a beautiful town 7,000 feet above sea level in the midst of a huge forest of Ponderosa pines. We arrived on the evening before our show and had a whole day to explore the region. Joseph Langham and his wife Phyllis – of Each Others’ Legend – hosted us for a tour of the nearby lava fields and the painted desert. The painted desert was stunning, and our visit included a stop at an ancient adobe home, described by a local as “the Flintstone mansion.” The Flagstaff gig was in the Conconino Center for the Arts, a lovely facility that combines a museum and an auditorium that has an IMAX shape. The pre-show dinner included a buffet of local cuisine, namely sashimi. The fans in Flagstaff came to see Each Others’ Legend – for whom the show was a release party for the new EOL CD that Pete Sears produced – but they treated us as old friends. They loved our songs and laughed at our jokes. It doesn’t get any better than this!

Set list:
M’Lady
Constellation Rag
His Shirt
Lowell’s Room
Livin’ In Cyn
White Room

May 30, 2002
Silver Lake Partners Annual Meeting
The Beach Club, Pebble Beach, CA

This year’s Silver Lake gig – our third – was the best one yet. The Beach Club is right on Pebble Beach . . . overlooking the 17th and 18th holes. It’s a classy setting for rock ‘n’ roll, but we adjusted quickly. The audience brought its dancing shoes, danced up a storm, and demanded a couple of encores. They were dancing right up until curfew . . .

Set list:
Constellation Rag
Greenport
Friend of the Devil
Up Your Heart
Clueless
Where Are You Now?
Livin’ in Cyn
Ticket to Ride

May 28, 2002
Bay Area Dems Benefit w/ Mickey Hart
Julia Morgan Ballroom, Merchants' Exchange Bldg, San Francisco CA

It had been a while since we last played a fundraiser for the Democratic party...and we were excited to participate in an event that featured Senator Tom Daschle and half a dozen other congressional leaders. The Julia Morgan Ballroom is a big room with tall windows, tons of wood paneling and – on May 28 – hundreds of young Democrats. Wed with a couple of our songs and then were joined on stage by Mickey Hart. Mickey was in rare form, rocking the room, and exhorting the audience to get politically involved in these turbulent times.

Set list:
FOBs alone:
Tell Me It’s Okay
Dubya!

May 11, 2002
Sweetwater, Mill Valley CA

Ah . . . Sweetwater! May 11 was a wild night that started with a stomach flu and ended with marital bliss. Larry was hurting in a big way and only barely survived the first set. Half time brought relief to Larry . . . and an Irish wedding party for the rest of us. The bride and groom – Anne and Adrian – were accompanied by a dozen of Adrian’s Irish buddies in search of a good time. They were still at it an hour after we finished our show. Also in attendance was Samantha Francois, whose wedding five years ago featured the first-ever performance by the FOBs.

Set list:
Secret Agent Man
Constellation Rag
Arastradero Road
White Shoe Shuffle
Six Days On the Road
Harley
By My Side
Silver Lining
White Room
Clueless
Where Are You Now?
Liquid Dinner
Ticket To Ride
Ocean
Greenport
Queen Jane Approximately
Take A Drive

April 21, 2002
Benefit for Camp Winnarainbow and the Gesundheit Institute
Bimbo's, San Francisco CA

We love to play gigs for Wavy Gravy, but this was the most amazing one yet!!! The benefit was not only for Wavy’s Camp Winnarainbow, but also for Patch Adams’ Gesundheit Institute. Wavy and Patch acted MCs for an evening of clownful and tuneful merriment. The event was at the incredible Bimbo’s 365 club in San Francisco. The room has a great vibe and an unbelievable sound system. Our good buddy Randy Merton provided an amazing light show.

Wed with a set of FOB tunes, after which Bob Weir joined us on stage. We were all reminded once again what an incredibly rhythmic guitar player Bobby is. He led us through eight of our favorite Dead tunes. We were in heaven. If only Giles could have been there!

Set list:
Happy Endings (7:00)
Johnny B. (5:00)
By My Side (3:00)
Clueless (5:00)
His Shirt (5:00),br> Livin’ In Cyn (5:00),br> Take A Drive (4:00)
Tell Me It’s Okay (8:00)

April 20, 2002
Hempfest
Studio Z, San Francisco CA

The gig that never happened . . . and the set list that never got played. We showed up at the venue at 2:00 pm for a 4:20 start. Chris and Paul had just arrived with the equipment. David was there to handle logistics. We waited around for a while – along with at least 100 people who were there for the event – and then David got the word that the HempFest was cancelled. Apparently the Alcohol Board of Control (or some such agency) had shut down Studio Z the prior night . . . and had no intention of letting it re-for the 420 HempFest. There were some mighty bummed out people standing outside the doors of Studio Z. Chris made the best of the situation. He broke out our boxes of HempFest tie dyes and passed them out. A few other people got into the spirit of the moment and passed around things that they had brought to the show. It was pretty funny to see a hundred people or more milling around 11th Street with our tee shirts on.

We adjourned to Larry and Corinne’s for a spirited afternoon of Grateful Dead music, both to celebrate Larry’s birthday and to prepare for the gig with Bob Weir the following evening.

Set list:
Clueless
Take A Drive
Lowell’s Room
What Game?
Arastradero Road
Playing In The Band > Uncle John’s Band > Playing In The Band
White Rabbit

April 19, 2002
The Usual with Alien Cowboys
San Jose, CA

It had been well more than a year since we last played in San Jose and the first time we had ever played a club gig there. The Usual is a really cool club in downtown San Jose, the kind of place with big marquis and a really nice PA. The Alien Cowboys, an instrumental band that featured our friend Erik Frykman on lead guitar,d the show with a spectacular set. The highlights of our set included the second appearance of M’Lady and the return of Good Night Love, complete with a new solo section from Pete.

Set list:
Constellation Rag
Take A Drive
Lowell’s Room
Livin’ In Cyn
By My Side
M’Lady

March 15, 2002
CD Release Party @ Last Day Saloon
San Francisco, CA

At long last, our 52-Week High compact disk is ready to ship . . . so we organized a CD Release Party at Last Day Saloon in San Francisco. Pete’s band – Dawn Patrol – shared the bill (and played an amazing set!) . . . and a great time was had by all.

Giles could not be there, but the audience filled in for him with great energy and enthusiasm. The show started with three FOB “oldies” and then a brand new song, M’Lady. At that point, everyone in the room was warmed up, so it was time to play the songs from 52-Week High. For the encore, we were joined on stage by Dubya, or at least a life-sized, two-dimensional replica of him. Two-D Dubya was wearing a 3-D FOBs tie dye.

Set list:
Take A Drive
Ocean
Lowell's
M'Lady
Constellation Rag
Serenity
Silver Lining
Johnny B.

January 18, 2002
Party @ Heidi & David's
Atherton, CA

Bert, Pete, TBone, Bill, Ann and Roger all showed up at a party . . . and wound up playing for something like three hours. It was the kind of party where we had lots of help on vocals, some of it on pitch.

Among the many wonderful moments: Pete’s wife Jeanette singing Me & Bobby McGee, Bert transposing American Pie on the fly as various people sang it in different keys, Bill rapping to Hang on Sloopy. . . Our host, Doc Mohler, requested Harley, so we gave him the latest lyrical update, which now refers to Dubya’s pretzel problems.

Set list:
Happy Together
Heart of Gold
Cinnamon Girl
Harley
Like A Rolling Stone
The Weight
Night They Drove Ol’ Dixie Down
Dubya
Happy Endings
Playin’ In The Band > Uncle John’s Band > Playin’ In The Band

January 12, 2002
Rex Foundation Benefit @ Sweetwater
Mill Valley, CA

Our first Sweetwater gig of the year was a benefit for the Rex Foundation. Wavy Gravy introduced us with the sweetness of a Ben & Jerry scoop, and the crowd kept us hot for more than four hours. The place was jammed before we started and Pete and Bert wove tapestries around the FOB originals throughout the 2 1/2-hour first set. We took a half hour break and then abandoned the set list and played covers for another 75 minutes. Pete closed by singing a Dylan tune – while his son Dylan smiled in the audience! A great night for a great cause, this was one our best shows ever.

Set list:
Constellation Rag
Pilgrim
Ticket To Ride
Goodnight Love
What Game Are We Playing?
Harley
White Shoe Shuffle
Where Are You Now?
Friend of the Devil
Up Your Heart
Livin’ In Cyn
Dubya
Serenity
Take A Drive
Happy Together
Happy Endings
Clueless
Ocean

January 11, 2002
Slim's (with Gregg's Eggs)
San Francisco, CA

We shared the bill again with our dear friends from Gregg’s Eggs, who were joined on stage by the incomparable Jeff Pevar on guitar. Wed up . . . and were reminded once again why Slim’s is such an awesome venue. Alison’s monitor mix was unbelievable. We all wanted to sign up her up for our crew! The liquid light show provided a suitable backdrop for a show that rocked. The crowd went crazy when we debuted Happy Together. Everybody was singing! From then on, the scene was a perfect mix of singin’, dancin’, and carryin’ on!

Set list:
Harley
Clueless
Greenport
On My Way
Johnny B
Serenity
Lowell’s Room

January 10, 2002
Moe's Alley (with Gregg's Eggs)
Santa Cruz, CA

Our first-ever gig in Santa Cruz was at an awesome little roadhouse called Moe’s Alley, normally a venue catering to blues bands. We shared the bill with Gregg’s Eggs, delivering a little psychedelic color to Moe’s. The stage was small, but the vibe was large, as Giles was back for his first show since the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame gig. Our first trip to Santa Cruz would have been a total success, except Pete’s car – actually it was his daughter’s – died in the parking lot. As usual, Harley provided a miracle, and both the car and Pete got home just fine.

Set list:
Constellation Rag
Clueless
Serenity
Johnny B
Up Your Heart
Lowell’s Room