Product Details

• Actors: Phil Lesh
• Directors: Jay Blakesberg, Bob Sarles
• Format: Color, Dolby, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Image Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: October 31, 2006
• Run Time: 134 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000H7J9UI
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #125,502 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Deluxe 2-Disc Set! On May 18th and 19th 2006, Phil Lesh and Friends electrified The Warfield Theater in San Francisco, CA with two nights of music that never failed to satisfy. The venerable theater had been visited many times by Phil Lesh and Friends, but never by this exact group. Joining Phil on bass and lead vocals are Joan Osborne, John Scofield and Larry Campbell on guitars, Rob Barraco on keyboards, John Molo on drums and Greg Osby on saxophone. This group of assembled Friends combines a strong jazz background with a touch of blues, a pinch of soul, a good helping of groove, and just the right amount of jamming to keep the faithful dancing well into the early morning. Phil Lesh - electric bass and vocals / Joan Osborne - vocals / John Scofield - guitar / Larry Campbell - guitar, pedal steel, fiddle, mandolin, vocals / Greg Osby - saxophones / Rob Barraco - keyboards, vocals / John Molo - drums DVD Track Listing: Uncle John's Band / Eyes of the World / St. Stephen / The Eleven / Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks) / All Along the Watchtower / New Speedway Boogie / Unbroken Chain / Help On the Way / Slipknot! / Franklin's Tower Disc 2: "The Art of Improvisation: Jazz and Rock" (Phil Lesh discusses with John Scofield and Greg Osby) · Free Improvisation played by Phil Lesh, John Scofield, John Molo and Greg Osby · Backstage footage

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars something old and something new, November 9, 2006

By 

The Delite Rancher (Phoenix, Arizona) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Phil Lesh & Friends - Live at the Warfield Theater (DVD)

"Live at the Warfield Theater" captures a great Phil Lesh & Friends show. Highlights include 'Uncle John's Band.' Larry Campbell's mandolin adds an earthy flare to the classic. 'Eyes of the World' also stands out. Greg Osby's sax reinforces the jazzy feel. Another highlight is 'Unbroken Chain.' After the Dead died, Phil took singing lessons when he knew he'd be singing most of Jerry and Bobby's vocals. Nowhere is this more apparent than on 'Unbroken Chain.' It sounds better than any version played by the Grateful Dead. A strong jam that might slip under the radar for some is 'Slipknot!' In terms of the band, John Scofield is a stand-out. It is a great artistic marriage for Phil Lesh to play with John Scofield. While Scofield's done many 'jammy' projects before, his participation here is unexpected. Scofield adds his signature sound to everything he plays. That Scofield sound is very welcome in this setting. Joan Osborne's vocals effectively reinterpret the time-tested classics. The camera work and video editing is excellent. While the audio work is very well done, the saxophone is too loud in the mix. Deadheads are rewarded with a setlist that entirely consists of Grateful Dead songs. The exception to this is 'All Along the Watchtower,' a Dylan song that the Dead made a live staple. That's not to say that this will appeal to Grateful purists. This is not the Grateful Dead; rather it is a jamband reincarnation. While Bob Weir's Ratdog (this band's counterpart) may be too focused on songs and not enough on improvisation, Phil & Phriends has always had the opposite issue. The most significant problem with this group is that it is too loose. Typically, there are long periods of noodling when nobody has anything important to say. While this has been the modus operandi for the various incarnations of Phil and Friends, Lesh keeps things unusually tight and focused for this particular show. "Live at the Warfield Theater" proves that Phil Lesh has not only done an exemplary job in carrying the Grateful torch, but he's taken it to another level.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Audio and Classic Dead Make This DVD Shine, November 4, 2006

By 

Solverde "Child Of The 80s" (Maine, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Phil Lesh & Friends - Live at the Warfield Theater (DVD)

I had been eagerly awaiting the release of this DVD ever since the announcement came that it the Warfield Shows were going to be filmed. And now that it is here I can say that overall it delivers very nicely.
I have not had the pleasure of seeing Phil Lesh & Friends in concert, but I have listened to their Feb. 06 live recordings with much pleasure. I think what Phil's band brings to classic Grateful Dead music is well represented here. He really has kept Garcia's music alive. (Almost literally Garcia's music, as 80 percent of the songs here are his, and there are no Bob Weir works.)
PROS:

First of all, the sound quality is stellar. Even listening to it in 2-channel stereo, which is all I have, was amazing. There is no comparison to the audience, or even soundboard recordings that I have heard of other shows. Curiously, audience sounds are completely removed from the mix, which makes it very clean and sharp. Panning is very crisp, with Scofield on the left and Campbell on the right.
Phil does a good job with the vocals, especially for someone of his age. He brings a new interpretation to the songs previously sung by Garcia, which freshens them up a bit. Joan Osborne's vocals are absolutely stunning, especially on Eyes Of The World. I had goosebumps instantly when she opened her mouth. Her parts are very loud in the mix, when she sings harmony it overpowers Phil's lead, but I think that actually is a good thing. Phil's bass is easily heard, and Barraco and Campbell do a proficient job with their vocals and playing. I especially enjoyed Campbell's mandolin on Uncle John's Band. John Molo is excellent on drums, very tight and powerful. There are some excellent tunes here. Help>Slipknot!>Franklin stands out. Eyes of The World and Uncle John's Band are worth the price of the DVD alone.

CONS:

I have to admit that I wasn't very impressed with Scofield and Osby. They seemed a little lost, which is understandable since they had only been playing with Phil for a few months I think when this was recorded. Osby, on saxophone seems to just jump in randomly, and sounds like he's just filling time, nothing he played really stood out to me. Scofield was great at times, but at others I thought he sometimes played off key, ventured into strange scales, or just got a little too spacey for me. For two musicians that should be used to improvisation, they both seemed like they would have benefitted from more rehearsal and a tighter style.
My only other con is in the overall choice of songs. Most of the songs here are long, loud, and loose. I would have liked to see some of the tighter, simpler and more melodic songs of their repetoire on the disc, such as Peggy-O, Reuben and Cherise, Dire Wolf, etc.

BONUS DISC:

The bonus material is ok, but there is not much there. The highlight is the backstage rehearsal, where Phil goes over with the band what they are going to do for the second set. There are some truly funny and interesting moments here, Campbell has an acoustic guitar, and everyone else sings their parts along. I thought is was cool to hear Phil trying to vocalize his bass parts- " Dubba-dubba badda bidda dooba dooba dah, " that sort of thing. The jazz jam is worth a listen, nothing special. The conversation between Phil, Scofield and Osby is also a watch once deal.


Overall, an excellent DVD and I recommend it especially to Grateful Dead and Phil fans. It's really great that Phil has kept the spirit alive!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!, August 1, 2008

By 

Stephen C. Urbauer "Jack Straw" (Lincoln, NE) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Phil Lesh & Friends - Live at the Warfield Theater (DVD)

Phil Lesh and John Scofield - are you kidding? Yes - this is definitely a worthwhile watch/listen. Steve Urbauer