Taper's Section

November 17 - November 23, 2008

ccasal — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:03:20 -0500

As we mentioned last week, we’re going to stay in 1972 and 1973 this week here at the Tapers’ Section, but hold onto your hats, as we have some great material from those two mighty fine years.

First up is music from 11/18/72 in Houston, Texas, with this exceptional Playing In The Band. I’ve said it before and will say it again, this is one of my favourite versions, of one of my favourite songs, so it’s a real pleasure to share it here. It may have made an appearance here at the Tapers’ Section in the past, but it’s never bad to get a refresher on great music.

At the same venue in Houston the very next night, 11/19/72, we have the nice big second set jam featuring Dark Star>Weather Report Suite Prelude>Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo. These early WRS Preludes would occasionally pop into jams from about 1971 onward, until Bobby would join the prelude to Part 1 and Let It Grow in August/September 1973.

Next we have another of the finest jams of 1973, the magnificent Playing In The Band>Uncle John’s Band>Morning Dew>Uncle John’s Band>Playing In The Band sandwich from 11/17/73 at UCLA. This was the second of the three versions of this jam played (the others being 11/10/73 and 3/23/74), and some consider it the best, although all three are very special.

Lastly we have ANOTHER outstanding late 1973 jam featuring Mississippi Half Step>Playing In The Band>El Paso>Playing In The Band>Wharf Rat>Playing In The Band>Morning Dew. This and the previous selection from 11/17/73 demonstrate why I consistently call the two month period spanning 10/19/73 to 12/19/73 the greatest two month stretch in the Grateful Dead’s performing history.

Next week we’ll have music from 1973, 1979 and 1980, so don’t be late: same time, same place. See you then, we hope.

David Lemieux
vault@dead.net

November 10 - November 16, 2008

ccasal — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 19:25:56 -0500

Welcome back to the Tapers' Section, where this week we'll be checking out music spanning virtually the full breadth of the 1970s, from early 1970 to late 1979, specifically 1970, 1971, 1973 and 1979.

Our first stop this week is not exactly date-appropriate, meaning will step out of mid-November mode to plunk down in early 1970, at the great little show on 2/23/70 in Austin, Texas. From this show, we have some acoustic Grateful Dead followed by some meaty electric material, featuring Me and My Uncle, Black Peter, Season>Uncle John's Band, Not Fade Away>Mason's Children. The version of Me and My Uncle is very unique as it is Bobby playing solo while Jerry fixes a string on his guitar. Jerry does chime in toward the end of the song, but it's pretty cool to hear Bobby play a solo tune. The rest of this sequence is mighty fine as well.

Next up, from a year and half later on 11/14/71 in Fort Worth, Texas, we have the great second set jam, featuring a classic sequence from the era: Truckin'>Drums>The Other One>Me and My Uncle>The Other One. This might be the first time we've ever played two versions on Me and My Uncle in one week here at the Tapers' Section. Up next week: two versions of Keep Your Day Job…

We'll now stop into one of the most impressive jams from 1973, and that's saying a lot due to the great quality of the jamming in 1973. From 11/14/73 in San Diego, we have Truckin'>The Other One>Big River>Other One>Eyes of the World>Other One>Wharf Rat. I always had a bit of a theory of why they played The Other One so prominently in this set: with the three previous shows being November 9-11, 1973 at Winterland, and featuring no Other One on any of those three shows (which was unheard of in 1973 when The Other One would normally be heard at every second show), they made up for the lack of Other One at Winterland by playing it with a vengeance at San Diego. Likely not, but it's a good story, no?

Finally this week, we'll stop into Ann Arbor, Michigan to the show on 11/10/79, where we'll check out some great second set material, featuring Samson and Delilah, Terrapin Station>Playing In The Band. This was a mighty fine tour, with some of the best material heard on Road Trips Vol. 1 No. 1.

Be sure to check back in next week for music exclusively from 1972 and 1973.

David Lemieux
vault@dead.net

November 3 - November 9, 2008

ccasal — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:48:31 -0400

Welcome back. This week we have some great Grateful Dead music from 1969 through to 1985, with a rare Tapers’ Section appearance of an audience recording in the mix this week.

First up we have the show-closing tune, Lovelight, from 11/7/69 at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco. This was included as a bonus track on the stellar Dick’s Picks Vol. 16, which consisted of the entire 11/8/69 show at the same venue. The Fillmore Auditorium is the very same Fillmore venue in San Francisco at which we can still hear great live music, and should not be confused with the Fillmore West in San Francisco, which was also known as the Carousel Ballroom.

Next up we have a stunningly hot jam from 1970 at the Capitol Theatre in Portchester, NY on 11/8/70, featuring Truckin’>Dark Star>The Main Ten. This is from an audience source, as most of July through December, 1970, is not in the vault, either not recorded or simply having walked away over the years. I hope you don’t mind the audience recording, but because it’s my birthday, I can do what I want ☺.>

Nine years later, the Grateful Dead were on their big Fall Tour of 1979, still working Brent into the band. As you’ll hear from this Eyes of the World>Estimated Prophet>Franklin’s Tower. sequence from 11/5/79 in Philadelphia, Brent had become a central part of the band’s sound by the Fall.

Lastly this week, we have two sequences from the show in Richmond, VA, on 11/2/85, the pre-Drums trio of tunes Estimated Prophet>Uncle John’s Band>China Doll and from the post-Space part of the show, Morning Dew>Throwing Stones>Lovelight, Baby Blue. Certainly the equal of the previous night’s very famous concert at the same venue.

Be sure to drop by next week for music from 1970 to 1979. Some great stuff, by the looks of it…

David Lemieux
vault@dead.net

October 27 - November 2, 2008

ccasal — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:37:09 -0400

Welcome back to the Tapers Section, where this week we have more great music spanning about 18 years, including selection from 1973, 1979, 1989 and 1991.

Our first selection this week is from 10/29/73, the first of two nights at the Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis, on the tour that immediately followed the release of Wake of the Flood. From the end of the first set, we have the terrific trio of songs: Eyes of the World>China Doll, Around and Around. I really love these two shows in St. Louis, as I do most of the two month span between October 19 and December 19, 1973. We've already seen plenty of great releases from this period (DP 1, DP 14, DP 19, Winterland 1973), but I can foresee future releases coming from this period. San Diego, LA and Denver spring to mind…

Next up, from six years later, we're going to check in to music from the Cape Cod Coliseum, two magnificent concerts on an amazing tour. From the first night, 10/27/79, we have the very famous, and justifiably so, second set jam featuring He's Gone>Caution Jam>The Other One. Wow! And from the second night on 10/28/79, we have some tasty first set material consisting of Althea, Passenger, Ramble On Rose, The Music Never Stopped. Both of these selections from cape Cod are drawn from the cassette master tapes from the PA mix.

We'll now go forward ten years to 10/26/89 in Miami, Florida, where the Grateful Dead would warp up their most highly regarded tour of the decade. This tour featured all sorts noteworthy moments, from the Warlocks concerts in Hampton to Bobby's Birthday show in New Jersey, but to my ears, the lasting impression of these concerts is the downright scary, deep and dark version of Dark Star played at the final show of the tour. Simply mind-blowing. Sounds like it darn near shook the roof off the arena.

By special request from last week, we have this excellent version of Easy To Love You recorded live on Phil's 50th birthday at the Capital Centre in Landover, MD, on 3/15/90. This concert was released as the Terrapin Limited album, and this version was the first live Grateful Dead version of the song since 9/3/80.

Lastly this week, from 10/31/91, just a few days after the passing of Bill Graham, we have the second set jam of Truckin'>Spoonful>Dark Star, with the last song including a special farewell-to-Bill reading by Ken Kesey. This is one of the most emotional moments I can think of that took place at a Grateful Dead concert. Also featured on guitar is Gary Duncan.

Check back next week for more great music.

David Lemieux
vault@dead.net

October 20 - October 26, 2008

ccasal — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 16:29:06 -0400

Welcome back to the Tapers Section. This week we've got about 17 years of Grateful Dead music to explore, so without further ado, on to the music…

Our first stop this week is on 10/24/72 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (not be confused with beautiful Milwaukie, Oregon…), where we have the big jam from that show, featuring Truckin'>Drums>The Other One>Philo Stomp>Space>He's Gone>The Other One. The thematic jam was named as such by Dick Latvala in honor of the small town of Philo north of San Francisco, and because it is led by the eponymous bass player. The September-through-November tours from 1972 are of a consistently high quality, as attested to by how much of them we've played here at the Tapers Section.

Next up, from about a year later on 10/23/73 in Bloomington, Minnesota, we have the second set jam consisting of Truckin'>Nobody's Jam>The Other One>Weather Report Suite, a classic sequence from this era. This tour, which began a few nights earlier on 10/19/73 and which would run more or less straight through to 12/19/73, features what I consider to be the two most consistently great months in Grateful Dead performance history.

From the very next show on this tour, on 10/25/73 at Madison, Wisconsin (two great jams this week from Wisconsin!), we have one of those stellar 1973 versions of Playing In The Band. You know, by popular request.

We'll now jump ahead yet another year to 10/20/74, the last night of the Grateful Dead's five-night going away party at Winterland. This jam is from the second set and features Mickey Hart on drums in what would prove to be his return to the Grateful Dead. We are pleased to play Not Fade Away>Drums>The Other One>Wharf Rat, mixed from the 16 track master tapes by Jeffrey Norman.

Lastly this week, we'll go 15 years ahead of our last selection, to 10/22/89 in Charlotte, North Carolina. We have a very, very good second set opening sequence of Blow Away, Samson and Delilah, Help On The Way>Slipknot!>Franklin's Tower. The band was almost done their most interesting tour in years, but they sure weren't out of steam based on this performance and what would transpire on the final night of the tour in Miami. More on that next week.

Thanks for stopping by. We'll hopefully see you next week here at the Tapers Section, where we'll check out more great music from 1973 through to 1991.

David Lemieux
vault@dead.net

October 13 - October 19, 2008

ccasal — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:14:48 -0400

This week, we're going to check in with three sequences of music, a little lighter than usual in number, but the scope of these jams should more than make up for it. One little thing to note is that all of the music this week is from San Francisco.

From 10/13/68 at the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco, we have a typical-for-the-era sequence of Dark Star>St. Stephen>The Eleven>Death Don't Have No Mercy, a terrific sequence from an amazing year. In just about a month, Tom Constanten would join the band on keyboards, adding another layer of depth to this already-magnificent music.

Next up is a long, spacey, deep and dark version of Playing In The Band from 10/16/74 at Winterland in San Francisco. This is the version that was included in The Grateful Dead Movie, albeit in a very truncated arrangement, as film reels could only run about 20 minutes. We are pleased to include it in all its more than 30-minute glory here, mixed from the 16 track master tapes.

Lastly this week, from 10/14/80 at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco, we have the opening of the third set, Scarlet Begonias>Fire On The Mountain>Estimated Prophet>Terrapin Station>Playing In The Band. This was the final night of a 15 night run of concerts, the longest uninterrupted residency the Grateful Dead had ever played at a venue.

Be sure to check back in next week for more great music. We'll have music from 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1989, including, by very popular request, an epic version of Playing In The Band from 1973. See you then.

David Lemieux
vault@dead.net

October 6 - October 12, 2008

ccasal — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:05:36 -0400

Greetings and welcome to a mighty fine week of Grateful Dead music here at the Tapers Section. This week, we'll be listening to music covering a 13 year span in the band's recorded history, 1976-1989, with plenty of fine music in between.

Our first stop this week is at the Oakland Stadium in beautiful Oakland, California, on 10/10/76, the second of two massive concerts for 45,000 each day that featured the Grateful Dead opening for The Who. October usually meant a World Series trophy (1972, 1973, 1974) for the denizens of this stadium, but October 1976 featured a very different prize: two stunning Grateful Dead concerts. The first show, on 10/9/76, has long been a favourite of mine, but the 10/10/76 might just outperform its predecessor. From the second set of the second show, we have Playing in the Band>Drums>Wheel>Space>The Other One>Stella Blue>Playing in the Band, Johnny B. Goode, a monumentally well-played sequence by any standards.

Our next stop features another exquisite segment of music, including one of the all-time great versions of Not Fade Away. From 10/11/77 in (Jeffrey) Norman, Oklahoma, we have the post-Drums sequence of Not Fade Away>Wharf Rat>Around and Around. Check out those runs Jerry gets into during NFA. Wow!>

By popular request for more acoustic Dead, we are pleased to make our next stop at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco, during the Grateful Dead's 15 night run of shows in 1980, which featured three sets per night. From the first set on 10/7/80, we have Monkey and the Engineer, To Lay Me Down, Heaven Help The Fool, Deep Elem Blues. I just love those acoustic, instrumental versions of Heaven Help The Fool.

From Charlotte, North Carolina on 10/5/84, we are pleased to play the second set opening sequence of China Cat Sunflower>I Know You Rider, Estimated Prophet>Eyes of the World. This tour had some great concerts, including legendary stops in Augusta, Maine and Syracuse, New York, not to mention the six night run of shows at Berkeley Community Theatre October 27-November 3.

Lastly this week, we have another second set opening sequence, this time from 1989, from 10/8/89 specifically, at the Hampton Coliseum in Virginia. This, of course, was the first night of the two concerts that were billed as Formerly the Warlocks, with the Grateful Dead rising to that moniker's reputation with two shows that far surpassed everyone's expectations. From 10/8/89, we have Help on the Way>Slipknot!>Franklin's Tower>Victim or the Crime>Eyes of the World.

Be sure to stop back next week for more great music here at the Tapers Section. I expect we'll have music from 1968, 1974 and 1980.

David Lemieux
vault@dead.net

September 29 - October 5, 2008

ccasal — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 12:27:57 -0400

Plenty of good music on the docket this week here at the Tapers Section, ranging from 1969 through to 1980, with plenty of good stuff in between.

Our first stop is to beautiful Santa Rosa, California, located in the heart of Sonoma County. If you ever find yourself passing through Santa Rosa, be sure to pack your ice skates and stop in to the Charles M. Schulz skating rink (and Snoopy museum!) in downtown Santa Rosa. The Grateful Dead performed two very good shows there in June 1969, and from the second night, on 6/28/69, we have the quintet of songs that ended the show, Doin' That Rag, High Time, King Bee, Sitting On Top of the World, Lovelight. All of it is played really well, so we figured we'd fill your ears with a nice chunk of the show.

Next up, because we recently got a request for a New Speedway Boogie, is this great version from 7/3/70 in Calgary, from the famous Festival Express tour across Canada. It's too bad they put this song away in 1970, but fortunately they brought it back in 1991.

From 1973, in Portland, Oregon, we have the meaty second set jam featuring Dark Star>Eyes of the World>China Doll from 6/24/73. This was part of a little tour of the west coast in 1973, with shows in Vancouver, Portland, Seattle and Universal City. It's a nice, long, exploratory Dark Star, with a great combination of the newer songs Eyes and China Doll following it.

We'll now move forward to the fall tour of 1976, when many great concerts were played. An interesting, unique second-set sequence was played at virtually every show on this tour, and this show from 9/30/76 in Columbus, Ohio is certainly no exception. From that show, we have St. Stephen>NFA>Wharf Rat>NFA>St. Stephen>Around and Around. There's lots of great jamming throughout this sequence.

Lastly this week, from the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco during the Grateful Dead's three week residency during which they performed three sets per show, we have the opening of the second set featuring Feel Like A Stranger>Franklin's Tower, Samson and Delilah. This was drawn from the cassette master, for although there were multi-track recordings made of all of these shows, unfortunately, many have since been erased. Fortunately, the entire run is documented on cassette masters for those shows for which multi-tracks don't exist.

Thanks for stopping by. We'll see you next week with more great music from the vault. As always, we welcome you to write the email address below with questions, comments, suggestions or requests.

David Lemieux
vault@dead.net

September 22 - September 28, 2008

ccasal — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:00:00 -0400

Greetings, and welcome back to the Tapers Section. This week we’re going to check out some music from 1972, 1976 and 1981, some great years in the Grateful Dead’s recorded history.

Our first stop is on the consistently great September, 1972 tour, specifically to the second of two shows in Waterbury, Connecticut. This tour never ceases to amaze me with its greatness, with night after night of inspired playing, performing at a variety of venues including small theatre shows (Boston, Waterbury, Jersey City), hockey arenas, both NHL and AHL (Philadelphia and Baltimore) and larger stadiums (Roosevelt Stadium). From Waterbury on 9/24/72, we have a good chunk of the second set, featuring Greatest Story Ever Told>Bertha>Promised Land, Friend of the Devil, Jack Straw, Tomorrow is Forever. This last tune in this sequence is the first ever version of this song that the Grateful Dead would play, with nine more to follow, all but one in 1972 (the other was in 1974 at the Farewell shows in October, 1974).

Our next stop is on the Fall Tour of 1976, at William and Mary College in Williamsburg, Virginia on 9/24/76. From the end of the first set, we have the very unique medley of songs Playing In The Band>Supplication>Playing In The Band. This is a very rare Supplication that is not attached to Lazy Lightning (although the vocal-less Supplication Jam would be played through the 1980s on and off, plus the attempt in 1993 with vocals).

From just a few nights later, on 9/28/76 in Syracuse, NY, we have the closing of the first set featuring Let It Grow and Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad. The second set of this concert is one of my favourite hours of Grateful Dead music from 1976, featuring excellent versions of The Wheel, Comes A Time and the magnificent Orange Tango Jam. Check it out as part of Dick’s Picks Vol. 20

Our last selection this week is from 9/25/81 at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA. This was a short three show “tour” of the east coast before the band headed over to Europe for their second overseas working vacation of 1981. From the start of the second set, we have Might As Well>Samson and Delilah . Terrific 1981 energy on these tracks.

Be sure to stop by the Tapers Section for music from 1976 and 1980 as well as some other cool stuff. We always welcome and encourage your emails to the address below.

David Lemieux
vault [at] dead.net

September 15 - September 21, 2008

ccasal — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:00:00 -0400

Like last week, we’re going to start out this week at the Tapers Section with music from 1972, followed by material from 1974, 1987 and 1994.

Our first piece of music this week is from 9/15/72 at the Boston Music Hall. While digging through the archives in the newspaper clippings, we realized that these two shows, on 9/15 & 16/72, were originally scheduled to take place at Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, NY. Evidently, though, the city fathers decided at the last moment to cancel the shows, hence the two shows in Boston. And what a couple of shows they were. From the end of the first set on the first night, we have Jack Straw, Friend of the Devil, Playing In The Band. This was the start of an east coast run of shows that went to October 2 and would feature some of the finest music the Grateful Dead ever performed.

From just over two years later, on 9/20/74 in Paris on the short but very good European tour, we have the second set jam featuring Truckin’>Eyes of the World>Not Fade Away>GDTRFB>One More Saturday Night. I’ve always found this jam interesting due to the dynamic shifts in the music. The band seemingly loses focus as they go into Eyes of the World, but by the time of the first solo, it’s completely inspired and turns into a powerhouse version.

Next up, from 9/16/87 at Madison Square Garden, we have the very cool pre-Drums sequence of Bertha>Greatest Story Ever Told>Devil with a Blue Dress>Good Golly Miss Molly>Devil with a Blue Dress>He’s Gone. Aside from the unique tunes in the middle of that jam, the He’s Gone features one of the coolest vocal outros Jerry ever did on this song. Haunting and dark and bluesy and intense. Just the way we like it. This was the second show of the Grateful Dead’s return to Madison Square Garden after a four year absence, and they came back in style. This bit of music was drawn from the Beta PCM digital master tape. Please note that there is a little drop out during the first part of Devil with a Blue Dress.

Finally this week, an all-too-rare taste of 1994 here at the Tapers Section. From 9/17/94 at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California, we have the end of the first set, featuring Eternity>Don’t Ease Me In. As was quite common in this era, Bobby’s playing an acoustic guitar on these tunes.

Be sure to check back next week for music from 1972, 1976 and 1981. Lots of good stuff on the horizon. Feel free to write the email address below with questions, comments, suggestions or requests. Thanks for stopping in.

David Lemieux
vault [at] dead.net

September 8 - September 14, 2008

ccasal — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:56:48 -0400

Welcome back to the Tapers Section. In this installment, we’re going to check out some music from this week in the Grateful Dead’s recorded history exclusively from 1972 and 1973, and we hope you don’t mind the years we’ve selected.

Our first selection is a nice little combination of songs from the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood, California, on 9/10/72, featuring a classic from the era, He’s Gone>Truckin’. This would turn out to be the Grateful Dead’s final performance at the Palladium after the two magnificent shows in 1971 and these two in 1972. By all accounts from both tapes and eyewitnesses, all of these shows were a real blast to attend.

Next up, from Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, NY, on 9/8/73, we have the big second set sequence featuring He’s Gone>Truckin’>Not Fade Away>GDTRFB>Not Fade Away. It was a bit of an odd second set jam from that era, as it featured neither an Other One or an Eyes of the World, not to mention no Dark Star, but it’s excellent and inspired nonetheless. We hope you don’t mind two versions of He’s Gone into Truckin’ this week. We sure don’t.

From just a few nights later, at William and Mary College in Williamsburg, VA, on 9/12/73, we have the first set closing track as well as the first few songs from the second set, featuring Weather Report Suite, Around and Around, Eyes of the World>Stella Blue, with Martin Fierro and Joe Ellis sitting in on horns at various points. These two shows at William and Mary included a very special guest in the audience: a young Bruce Hornsby checking out his first Grateful Dead concerts. Little did he, or the band, know what would transpire over the next twenty years.

Be sure to come by next week for more great tunes as we continue to explore the Grateful Dead’s recorded history. As always, we welcome and encourage your comments and questions.

David Lemieux
vault [at] dead.net

September 1- September 7, 2008

ccasal — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:19:06 -0400

Greetings, and welcome back to the Tapers Section. This week we have a good selection of Grateful Dead music from this week in the Grateful Dead's recorded history, as well as some music from Jerry Garcia concerts that took place during this week many years ago.

Our first selection is Scarlet Begonias>Fire on the Mountain from 9/5/79 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This was the Grateful Dead's second visit to the Garden after their two night run there in January, 1979, and it would always hold a place of high honour in the Grateful Dead's touring schedule.

From a year later, on 9/4/80 in Providence, RI, we have the very cool second set jam featuring Supplication Jam>Estimated Prophet>Eyes of the World. These Supplication Jams are always so much fun to hear. From the same tour, two nights later, we have some music from an audience tape on 9/6/80 at the famous show in Lewiston, Maine, featuring Shakedown Street>Lost Sailor>Saint of Circumstance>Althea. It's too bad that a soundboard tape of this concert has never surfaced in the vault, although we're very thankful the tapers were doing their job so well.

On to some Garcia material. From 9/1/74 at the Keystone in Berkeley, we have a couple of tracks from the incredible Pure Jerry album drawn from this concert, the Keystone Jam and Soul Roach. This was the Garcia-Saunders band featuring John Kahn, Martin Fierro and drummer Paul Humphreys, a precursor to the Legion of Mary, which, of course, would feature Ron Tutt on drums.

Finally this week, we have the Jerry Garcia Band playing Don't Let Go from 9/2/89 at Merriweather Post Pavillion in Columbia, Maryland. I distinctly recall a friend leaning over to me during this jam, while we standing in the 10th row, and commenting “this is how the Dead used to jam.” This one gets wayyyyyy out there. And, because it's such a great jam vehicle, here is another version of Don't Let Go from 7/29/77 with which to compare our 1989 rendition.

Be sure to stop in next week for more great September Dead. As always, we welcome and encourage you to write with questions, comments, requests or suggestions.

David Lemieux
vault@dead.net

August 25 - August 31, 2008

ccasal — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:00:00 -0400

This week at the Tapers Section, we have some great music from 1969, 1972 and 1982. It was always funny to be at Club Front in Novato when Jeffrey and I would work on something from 1982 or later after working on so much late 1960s and early 1970s material, as we'd say that working on 1982 or 1989 was working on something “recent.” I suppose 26 years ago isn't that recent, but considering some of the music we play here is upwards of 42 years old, I guess it really is, in the big picture.

Speaking of old music, looking back 39 years this week we've got music from the Family Dog in San Francisco. From 8/29/69, we have several songs from this excellent show, specifically Easy Wind, Me and My Uncle, High Time, New Orleans>Searching>Good Lovin'. That last trio of tunes is such a unique sequence of songs that it just begged to be played here at the Tapers Section, where we always love bringing you the bizarre stuff that Grateful Dead played throughout their career.

From the next night, on 8/30/69, we have a terrific little Aoxomoxoa combination of tunes, featuring China Cat Sunflower>Doin' That Rag. Two of my favourites from an album filled with great songs.

Jumping ahead three years, and because this week marks the 36th Anniversary of Veneta 8/27/72, we figured we'd play this fast and furious Playing In The Band from one of the most highly-regarded Grateful Dead concerts of all time. 'Nuff said.

Finally this week, we have music from 10 years later, on 8/29/82, in Seattle. The previous night had seen the Grateful Dead return to the same field as Veneta '72, and on to Seattle for this show. The post-Drums sequence from Seattle was really inspired, and featured Not Fade Away>Wharf Rat>Sugar Magnolia. These early-1980s versions of Not Fade Away out of space were always a blast.

Thanks for stopping by. We'll see you here next week, we hope, when we'll have more great material from deep within the vault. Please feel free to write with questions, comments, requests or suggestions. The email address below is the best way to reach me.

David Lemieux
vault@dead.net

August 18 - August 24, 2008

ccasal — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:00:00 -0400

This week we have a nice double dose of Pigpen from 1968, a massive 1972 jam, and a very cool 1991 sequence, all fitting into our date-appropriate this-week-in-Grateful Dead-recorded-history format.

First up, from the Fillmore West in San Francisco, we have the show closer and encore from 8/21/68, consisting of Lovelight and Midnight Hour. Lovelight wasn't yet the 25+ minute tune it would become in 1969, but it was a big show-stopper nonetheless. And Midnight Hour was becoming more and more rare throughout 1968 and into 1969, so a nice, meaty version like this is certainly a treat. There isn't a lot of 1968 material in the vault, but fortunately what IS there is very good, so it's our pleasure to bring this to you here at the Tapers Section.

Next up, from exactly four years later on 8/21/72, just over the Bay Bridge (or the Golden Gate Bridge and Richmond Bridge if you feel like taking the long way through Marin County), at the Berkeley Community Theatre, we have the big second set jam featuring Dark Star>El Paso>Dark Star>Deal. This was the second annual August run of shows at BCT for the Grateful Dead, a tradition that unfortunately did not continue past these shows in 1972. The Grateful Dead did return to BCT until the six night run in 1984, which, of course, featured the first-ever Tapers Section, so the BCT certainly does hold special meaning to all tapers, and to this, the cyber version of the Tapers Section.

Lastly this week, from about 19 years later on 8/18/91, just back across the Bay Bridge and south a bit, we have the pre-Drums sequence from Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, featuring the very unique sequence of Deal>Mississippi Half-Step>Feel Like A Stranger>Samson and Delilah. Like the pre-Drums sequence from 6/20/91 at Pine Knob, this jam really threw the format book out the window. Whether it was Bruce Hornsby's influence (he really excelled at these Pine Knob and Shoreline shows) or the band just decided to make it interesting on themselves, it sure was a welcome change to hear the band have fun with song sequences again.

Be sure to check back in next week when we'll have more cool music for you. As always, feel free to write the email address below with questions or comments.

David Lemieux
vault@dead.net

August 11 - August 17, 2008

ccasal — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 20:33:21 -0400

Welcome back to the Tapers Section. In this edition we've got a great range of music from this week in the Grateful Dead's recorded history, from 1971, 1972, 1979 and 1987.

Our first selection this week is from the Berkeley Community Theatre on 8/15/71, featuring the show closing sequence of Lovelight, Johnny B. Goode>We Bid You Goodnight. I've seen several newspaper reviews in the archive of these shows, as well as articles announcing the concerts, and a lot was made of them. This was the Grateful Dead's first Bay Area appearance since the closing of the Fillmore West, and Bill Graham was producing a bigger hometown show for the Grateful Dead than he'd been doing the past few years at the Fillmore. By all accounts, both Uncle Bobo and the band pulled the shows off nicely.

Next up, from 8/12/72 in Sacramento, we have the magnificent second set jam featuring He's Gone>The Other One>Black Peter>The Other One>Truckin'. A couple of interesting twists in this jam is the Other One split by a ballad, and the jam ending with Truckin', usually the jumping off point for a big second set jam of the era, not a closer. Regardless, all of these little twists work beautifully.

From 8/13/79 at McNichols Arena in Denver, we have this great show-opening Shakedown Street. This was supposed to be the second night of a three night run at Red Rocks, but the nasty weather forced the second and third shows to be moved indoors to Denver's nearby McNichols Arena. I love the tone Phil gets on this Shakedown.

Speaking of Red Rocks, we also have some great music actually from Red Rocks this week. Our first selection is from 8/11/87, on the Grateful Dead's very well-received summer tour of 1987. From the post-Drums part of the show, we have All Along the Watchtower>GDTRFB>Around and Around>Sugar Magnolia, Black Muddy River. Watchtower was still rather new at the time, and it is simply blistering. Also from this run in 1987, from 8/12/87, we have the post-Drums sequence of The Other One>Dear Mr. Fantasy>Wharf Rat>Lovelight. It's always great to hear a Red Rocks Dear Mr. Fantasy, as the song had quite a history at Red Rocks: it was here in 1984 when the Grateful Dead first performed the song live, and in 1985 when they first joined it with Hey Jude. Cool stuff.

Be sure to stop back in next week for more great music. We always welcome your comments, questions, suggestions and requests, so feel free to write to the email address below.

David Lemieux
vault@dead.net

August 4 - August 10, 2008

ccasal — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:23:34 -0400

This week we have a whole bunch of great music from the Grateful Dead's recorded history from 1971 to 1989, with a couple of stops in between.

Our first selection is the excellent Lovelight from 8/4/71, from a show located at the jail at which Bear was then residing, Terminal Island Correctional Facility. Bear was away from July, 1970 to July, 1972, and in his absence, Rex Jackson made some mighty fine tapes, as heard here. Little was known of this concert until the tape surfaced in 2006. We're sure glad it did, as it's always great to find another great Pigpen Lovelight that we didn't know much about before. The next two nights, 8/5&6/71 in Hollywood, would continue more great Grateful Dead music, not to mention the excellent 8/7/71 in San Diego.

Our next stop is to Alpine Valley in 1982, the first of two nights at Alpine, on 8/7/82. This show was made into Dick's Picks 32, and from that classic night of 1982 Grateful Dead, we have two first set songs, C.C. Rider and Let It Grow. This is such a powerful Let It Grow, one of my favourites from the era.

From a few nights later on 8/10/82 in Iowa City, Iowa, we have the pre-Drums sequence of Lost Sailor>Saint of Circumstance>Eyes of the World. This was a rather rare Eyes for this era that was not attached to Estimated Prophet, and it works nicely here. This show featured less-than-stellar acoustics by all accounts, but the shows is really great overall.

Lastly this week, from 1989, we have the exceptional sequence of pre-Drums music from 8/4/89, the first show of an excellent three night run of shows at Cal Expo in Sacramento, featuring Truckin'>Wang Dang Doodle>Crazy Fingers>Cumberland Blues>Eyes of the World. A very unique sequence indeed. This recording was drawn from the VHS PCM, tapes that have proven to be much more robust than their Beta PCM counterparts.

Thanks for stopping in. We really appreciate your visits to the Tapers Section. Be sure to check back in next week for more great music from the Grateful Dead's recorded history.

David Lemieux
vault@dead.net

July 28 - August 3, 2008

ccasal — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 12:32:43 -0400

Welcome back to the Tapers Section. As we roll toward the dog days of summer, we have a good range of Grateful Dead music for you this week, as well as a nice Jerry Garcia Band track for your enjoyment.

Our first selections this week come from all the way up in British Columbia, Canada, in Vancouver specifically, to the Grateful Dead's first-ever concerts outside of the state of California. From the second show, 7/30/66, we have Cream Puff War, Viola Lee Blues, Beat It On Down The Line, Good Morning Little Schoolgirl. that final song has a cut in the master reel at the end, but it's a great version nonetheless and worth hearing. there isn't a lot of 1966 material in the vault, but what there is contains some exciting music, as heard here as well as on the very cool album rare cuts and oddities 1966 (check that album out if you want to hear some truly rare cuts that are occasionally odd).

Next we'll hear music from Jerry's birthday, on 8/1/73 at Roosevelt Stadium. From that massive show the ended the Grateful Dead's interesting run of shows in the summer of 1973 we have Dark Star>El Paso. After this show, the band would spend a good chunk of August, 1973, at the Plant studios in Sausalito, recording Wake of the Flood. They'd then return to the road for a short tour in September (9/7 through 9/26), followed by the nearly-uninterrupted string of perfection that last two months, 10/19 through 12/19. And in between, on 10/15, the Grateful Dead would release the first album on their own record label, Wake of the Flood. Indeed, it was a busy time for the Grateful Dead.

Jumping ahead almost nine years, we'll now stop in to Red Rocks, where we'll hear the pre-Drums portion of the show on 7/29/82, consisting of Cold Rain and Snow>Samson and Delilah, Crazy Fingers>I Need A Miracle. Crazy Fingers had returned to the lineup after a nearly-six year absence a couple of weeks before at the Ventura County Fairgrounds on 7/18/82. If you get a chance to read Blair Jackson's outstanding book on the Grateful Dead “The Music Never Stopped,” he includes a terrific description of being at a Grateful Dead show using the Ventura '82 shows as his background. He truly paints a perfect picture in that book.

Lastly this week, a little taste of the Jerry Garcia Band on 7/30/77, at Theatre 1839 in San Francisco, performing Tangled Up In Blue. It's a little slower than the song would become in the late 1980s as the big Garcia Band show-stopper, but this version is so exquisite, we figured you should hear it if you haven't already. This is part of the excellent Pure Jerry Volume 1 CD release that is filled with more than three hours of music as good as this.

Be sure to stop back next week for more great music. It's always great to see you when you stop by for a listen, and even better to receive your email comments.

David Lemieux
vault@dead.net

July 21- July 27, 2008

ccasal — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:21:31 -0400

Welcome back to the Tapers Section. This week we're going to hear music from throughout the 1970s and a touch of the 1980s.

First up is a track from 7/21/72 in Seattle, the start of a run of shows that would take the band through the next four-plus months of exceptional playing. From that show, we have this mighty little Truckin'. Over the course of the next several months, the band would play some of their best shows ever, including 8/27/72, 9/17/72, 9/21/72, 9/27/72 and 11/17/72. It sure would have been a great year to be a tour Head.

Next up is music from the Watkins Glen show, specifically from the Soundcheck on 7/27/73. This Jam is truly one of the finest improvisational jams the Grateful Dead would ever perform, in terms of a jam that has no distinct source, and yet that is filled with melodies and familiar tones and sounds.

Jumping ahead exactly one year to 1974, on 7/27/74 in Roanoke, Virginia, we have this typically outrageous Playing In The Band. For some reason, Donna Jean was absent from this show, and her vocal additions to this version are certainly missed. But, oh what a version of Playing! We're very aware that we play a lot of 1972-1974 versions of Playing In The Band here at the Tapers Section, which we hope you don't mind. Truth be told, we just can't get enough of this era's Playings.

Due to popular request based on last week's little taste of 2/10/79's second set opener, this week we have that same show's show-closing sequence consisting of Space>The Other One>Wharf Rat>Sugar Magnolia. It's a shame the master cassette cuts at the end of Sugar Magnolia, but at least we have the portion we have.

Lastly this week, from 7/22/84 at Ventura County Fairgrounds a little ways north of LA, we have the second set sequence of I Just Want To make Love To You>Women Are Smarter>Terrapin Station. This is the first version of I Just Want To Make Love To You in almost twenty years, and Brent certainly does a great job with the material.

Be sure to stop back next week when we have no idea what we'll play, but we expect it'll be great. See you then. And email the address below with questions or comments.

David Lemieux
vault@dead.net

July 14- July 20, 2008

ccasal — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:05:42 -0400

This week we're going to hear some music from 1970 through to 1989, with a few interesting stops in between.

Our first selection, as mentioned the past couple of weeks, is the outstanding version of Lovelight from 7/16/70 in San Rafael, California, featuring none other than Janis Joplin sharing lead vocal duties with Pigpen. This would be the last of the very few times Janis would perform onstage with the Grateful Dead, and sadly, just two and a half months later, she would be gone. Worth noting here in the Tapers Section is that it was after this show that Bear went away, and is the reason there are no tapes from the second half of 1970 from this night until late December when the sound crew began recording the concerts again.

Because we love these monster versions of Playing In The Band so much, here is a really superior rendition from 7/19/74 in Fresno, California. I could get lost in these 1974 Playings for hours. In fact, I often do.

Our next stop is a very unique items from the vault, the great version of Scarlet Begonias>Fire On The Mountain from 2/10/79 at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas. What makes this version so special for us to play you here is that 2/10/79 is the only soundboard recording in the vault from Keith and Donna's final tour in January and February, 1979. We get a lot of requests for music from this tour, particularly shows in mid-January, but this show is all that we have. Jerry's voice is still showing some of the scratchiness that would bother him throughout all of 1978, but the music is pretty darn good.

Our next selection is from 7/15/89 at Deer Creek Music Theatre in Indiana, the band's first show at this sweet little venue surrounded by corn fields. What was so nice about that first trip there was that the Grateful Dead had started their tour with seven shows at five massive eastern stadiums (Foxboro, Buffalo, Philly, Giants X2 and DC X2), so to show up and see what Deer Creek was all about was truly a treat. And the band rose to the occasion and played a wonderful concert. From the start of the first set, we have Bertha>Greatest Story Ever Told, Candyman, Walkin' Blues.

Lastly this week, from the same summer tour's penultimate show on 7/18/89 at Alpine Valley in East Troy, Wisconsin, here is the first set opening trio of Touch of Grey, Jack Straw, Jack-A-Roe. This show is often overlooked because of the incredible performances the night before and after, but this middle night had plenty of great music.

Thanks for stopping in. Be sure to come back next week for more great music. As always, feel free to write with questions or comments.

David Lemieux
vault@dead.net

July 7- July 13, 2008

ccasal — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:00:04 -0400

This week we're going spend some time along the Grateful Dead's summer tour of 1989, checking in to four shows over a five night span in the middle of the tour.

Our first stop this week is the stunning concert on 7/7/89 at Philadelphia's ultra cool, and rather decrepit, old venue, JFK Stadium. Allow me to preface this week's music by saying that I sure do hope we see a DVD release of this show some day, as not only is there stellar multi-track audio of this concert, but there is also great quality multi-camera video similar to that of the Truckin' Up To Buffalo DVD. From 7/7/89, we're very happy to bring you the end of the first set, Loser, Let It Grow, Blow Away. All three songs here are played beautifully, and powerfully.

Next up is two nights later, on 7/9/89 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, home of the world champion New York Giants football team. Yo, Tiki, how's the broadcast booth look now? From the opening night of the two night run at Giants Stadium, with have the excellent Shakedown Street>Jack Straw. I've always loved both of these renditions and have put this combination on many mixed tapes. The band showed up to these two New York area shows ready to play, as evidenced by the way they opened the shows.

And, while we're visiting Giants Stadium, we'll listen to the opener from the second show, 7/10/89. Not quite as strong as our previous selection(s), it is nonetheless excellent and is demonstrative of the consistent quality of 1989 Dead. From that show, Feel Like A Stranger>Franklin's Tower.

Lastly this week, we'll check in to the first night at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. on 7/12/89. The closing sequence of this show was typical of the era in terms of both song selection and performance quality, and features I Need A Miracle>Dear Mr. Fantasy>Black Peter>Lovelight.

Stop by next week for more great music, including the other great Lovelight we mentioned last week. See you then.

David Lemieux
vault@dead.net

June 30 - July 6, 2008

ccasal — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:00:00 -0400

This week we'll be hitting some excellent summer Dead spanning the Grateful Dead's recorded history over the course of 19 years, 1970-1989.

Our first piece of music is something we played a little while back here, but due to popular demand, and because it's so darn good, we thought we'd play it again this week. From the Grateful Dead's famous trip across Canada, the Festival Express, as it was known, we have the show-closer from Winnipeg on 7/1/70, Lovelight. Pigpen is in fine form on this rendition, with a bit of raunchy bite that was common of Lovelights of the era. Wait until you hear the Lovelight in a couple of weeks here…

Next up, from exactly three years later, on 7/1/73 at Universal Amphitheatre in Universal City, California, we have the exquisite second set jam from that evening, featuring Truckin>Drums>The Other One>Wharf Rat>Me and Bobby McGee.This show capped the Grateful Dead's west coast swing in the summer of 1973, a run that featured shows in Vancouver, Portland, Seattle and three shows in Universal City. The summer of 1973 lacked a major tour by the Grateful Dead, but instead featured several massive events such as the two night stand at RFK Stadium with the Allmans and the Watkins Glen show (and soundcheck). Regardless of the fact that there was no big tour that summer, many of the shows they DID play were excellent.

We'll now jump forward fourteen years to the summer of 1987, to the Grateful Dead's wonderful show at Canada's Wonderland north of Toronto on 6/30/87. This show was very solid start-to-finish, and we're very pleased to play the second set's opening, Scarlet Begonias>Fire on the Mountain, Estimated Prophet>Eyes of the World. Evidently, Dan Healy was having a blast at the mixing board. A few things to listen for are the intro to Fire in which all instruments in the mix are seemingly muted aside from the bass, and you can really hear the crowd's reaction to that insane amount of Phil coming through the PA; also, this is some of the wackiest Weir vocally manipulation of the era during Estimated.

Finally this week, we'll play a selection from the magnificent 7/4/89 show in Buffalo, NY, which has been released, of course, asTruckin' Up To Buffalo on DVD. Today we'll play that awesomely powerful Morning Dew from toward the end of the second set. Mixed by Jeffrey Norman and mastered in HDCD (for the CD release of the video), it sounds incredible.

Be sure to check in next week for more great summer Dead. We'll look forward to seeing you and hearing your comments.

David Lemieux
vault@dead.net

June 23 - June 29, 2008

ccasal — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:54:22 -0400

This week we're going to jump around a bit, but the end result a whole bunch of really good Grateful Dead music from this week in the band's recorded history.

Our first stop is the Fillmore West on 4/12/70. This was the final night of a four night run of shows that, as we mentioned last year at this time, mostly doesn't exist in the vault. These shows are famous for the fact the Miles Davis Quintet was the opening act. Say what?!? Indeed. Also, from this 4/12/70 show, Phil selected the Dancing In The Street for inclusion on his Fall Out From The Phil Zone compilation. Also from this night, we're pleased to play a few songs from the then-soon-to-be-released Workingman's Dead, a nice combination of Cumberland Blues-Dire Wolf, and from a bit later in the show, Black Peter-Uncle John's Band. It's too bad this entire run doesn't exist; that would be make a stellar 10-CD boxed set release!

While we're at the 4/12/70 show this week, we figure we might as well play the show-closing sequence of songs, just because it's so good: It's A Man's World, Viola Lee Blues>Feedback. Certainly an appropriate way to end a four night run of shows at the Fillmore West in 1970.

Next we'll stop into 1973 to a show a little out of our date range, 6/24/73 at the Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon. We played a little bit of this show a couple of weeks ago, and we thought you might like to have another taste, so here is a great little China Cat Sunflower>I Know You Rider from late in the first set.

Jumping ahead ten years, we'll check out some music from one of only two shows the Grateful Dead ever performed in the state of West Virginia, on 4/10/83 in Morgantown. The other West Virginia show was 4/16/78 in Huntington, which unfortunately does not exist in the vault. However, from the show in 1983, there are very clean Beta PCM digital tapes (heard here) and cassette masters. From the second set of 4/10/83, we have Uncle John's Band>Playing In The Band.

Finally this week, from the magnificent live album from the Jerry Garcia Band, Don't Let Go, recorded at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco on 5/21/76, we have the set closing song, Lonesome and Long Way From Home. Although not quite as way out there as the song would become by early 1978, this is a mighty fine version.

Be sure to check back in next week for more great music. Please feel free to write with questions, comments, requests or suggestions, to the email address below. Please put “Grateful Dead” in your subject so that I can easily identify it as non-spam. Thanks.

David Lemieux
vault [at] dead.net

June 16 - June 22, 2008

ccasal — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:53:32 -0400

We have lots of cool stuff this week from throughout the Grateful Dead's recordings, including music from 1976, 1991 and some other nuggets.

Our first stop this week is at the first night of a three night run at the Capital Theatre in Passaic, NJ, in 1976. The band started their comeback with two shows in Portland, OR, four in Boston, two in New York, followed by these three in Passaic. From the end of the second set, we have this mighty Let It Grow>Wharf Rat, from 6/17/76. When they came back in 1976, the Grateful Dead left behind the Weather Report Prelude and Part 1, which is too bad, but these go-it-alone Let It Grows sure are good, with that nifty little drum break.

While we're talking about the whole Weather Report Suite, and looking at this week's date, we'd be remiss if we didn't play the whole Weather Report Suite jam from 6/18/74 in Louisville. There are certain shows that are legendary amongst Dead Heads, and certain jams that are equally famous, as this is one of them, rightfully so. So, here you go: Weather Report Suite>The Other One>Space>It's a Sin Jam>Stella Blue. There is a cut in the master reels during Stella Blue, but otherwise this sequence sounds great, and is played exquisitely.

One little technical side note: I often refer to “cuts in the master reels,” although there are no cuts in the master reels. What I'm referring to is a reel change, as most of the 2-track reels in the vault are 7” tape running at 7.5 inches per second, meaning the tape runs out every 46 or so minutes. The recordist would then, as quickly as he or she could, put on a new reel and hit record, a process that would take 20-40 seconds. So, to answer those occasional questions I've received on what a “cut in the master reel” means, there you have it.

Throughout 1974, there were incredible, unique jams played with an inspired energy, such as the jam above from 6/18/74. Another great example is the jam that bridges the Playing in the Band jam and the Scarlet Begonias from 8/6/74 (see Dick's Picks Vol. 31 for that one), and another cool one is this jam from 6/16/74 in Des Moines, IA, Eyes of the World>Big River, specifically the transition from Eyes to Big River. Great stuff. I've always felt that a compilation of 6/16 and 6/18/74 would make a tremendous CD release.

Our next stop this week is at Alpine Valley in East Troy, WI, site of many fine Grateful Dead shows throughout the 1980s. From 6/22/85, we have the second-set closing sequence of Dear Mr. Fantasy>I Need A Miracle>Stella Blue>Throwing Stones>Not Fade Away. This was the start of the very good, and intriguing, Summer Tour of 1985. The tour was recorded to both Beta PCM digital tapes and good old analog cassettes. This sequence was drawn from the PCMs.

Thanks for stopping in, and be sure to come by next week for more great music. As always, we really encourage you to write with questions, comments, suggestions or requests. We welcome it all, and please include the words “Grateful Dead” in the subject of your email, sent to the address below.

David Lemieux
vault [at] dead.net

June 9 - June 15, 2008

ccasal — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:00:00 -0400

Welcome back to the Tapers Section. Not only is the weather getting really good, but so too is the Grateful Dead's summer performing schedule through the years, so plenty of great music was played, with some of it being brought to you here today.

First stop will be 6/10/73 at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC. This show saw the band sharing the bill with the Allman Brothers Band, and the Grateful Dead certainly delivered the goods by playing one of their finest shows of a great performing year. From the end of the first set, we have a typically hot Playing In The Band. Phil has a particularly great tone on this one, and Weir and Keith are crystal clear in the mix, with the drums mixed perfectly. Oh, and Jerry. Yes, his guitar playing here is exquisite.

While we're checking out 6/10/73, we might as well play you something from the second set. So, here's an excellent Here Comes Sunshine. What a great addition to the repertoire this tune was. Once again, Weir stands out, not only in the mix, but in his playing as well.

Next we'll jump ahead three years to 6/12/76, the final show of a four night run at the Boston Music Hall. The band had returned to active touring a week before with the 6/3&4/76 shows at the Paramount in Portland, OR, with the real touring starting in Boston on 6/9. From this final show in Boston, we have this excellent Dancing In The Street>Around and Around. I can only imagine what New England Dead Heads must have thought when they heard this arranegment of Dancing In The Street, after such spectacular regional shows such as the April, 1969 shows at the Arc, 5/6/70 at MIT, 4/7&8/71 at the Music Hall, 9/15&16/72 at the music Hall, 4/2/73 at the Garden and the Fall 1973 three night run back at the Music Hall.

This Boston run had loads of great music, but one of my favourite jams of the entire run is the second set opening sequence of St. Stephen>Eyes of the World>Let It Grow. Unfortunately, the start of St. Stephen is missing from the master reels (reminiscent of Harpur College, eh?), but it's such an insignificant omission when compared to the quality, and quantity, of the music that was to come. There is a rough edge around some of the playing, but the jam into Eyes of the World was a real throwback to 1974 improvisational jam. And Eyes>Let It Grow, a nice pre-hiatus sequence.

Lastly this week we'll stop into Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, on 5/16/81. A few weeks ago we played you the opening of the first set, and this week we have the end of the first set, specifically Passenger, High Time, Let It Grow, Don't Ease Me In.

Be sure to stop by next week for more great music from the vault. It's always great to hear from you, so feel free to write with questions, comments, suggestions or requests.

David Lemieux
vault [at] dead.net

June 2 - June 8, 2008

ccasal — Fri, 30 May 2008 20:30:25 -0400

We're going to start our week out with some nice, early Grateful Dead music, as it's always a good way to wake up on a Monday.

From the Fillmore West in San Francisco on 6/8/69, we have this excellent set-closing combination of That's It For The Other One>Cosmic Charlie. A truly classic 1969 moment. This was another four night Fillmre West run, and although not quite the 2/27-3/2/69 run (what is, though, right?), it did have some great music played throughout.

From the same venue a year later, another four night June run, we have some very tasty music from 6/4/70's acoustic set. We have the show opening Deep Elem Blues, followed by a quartet of songs from the set, featuring Silver Threads and Golden Needles, Friend of the Devil, Black Peter, Cumberland. We don't play as much acoustic Dead here as we'd like, owing primarily to the fact that there isn't all that much acoustic Dead in the vault. Fortunately, what IS there is excellent.

From two nights later during the same run at the Fillmore West, on 6/6/70, we have a very cool sequence of tunes. As you may recall, last year we played you the Good Lovin'/New Orleans jam from earlier in this set, and this year we're pleased to bring you Dire Wolf>Alligator>Drums>Jam>Lovelight>Not Fade Away>Lovelight. Lots of oddness happening here, including a cool pairing of Dire Wolf>Alligator, and a terrific jam after the Drums. The cuts in Drums and Lovelight are where the master reels run out.

Our last stop this week as we begin our Summer Dead listening, we have the show-opening Bertha>Good Lovin' from 6/4/78 at UCSB Stadium in beautiful Santa Barbara, California. There seems to be a couple of minor drop outs in Good Lovin'. This show also featured a very cool Sugar Magnolia second encore that we played here last year, and you can check out all previous Tapers Section here in the archive.

Be sure to stop back next week for some music from 1973, as well as lots of other great stuff. It's always great to hear from you, so feel free to write me at the email address below.

David Lemieux
vault [at] dead.net

May 26 - June 1, 2008

ccasal — Tue, 20 May 2008 12:48:09 -0400

This week we'll cover 20 years in the Grateful Dead's recorded history, from 1973 to 1993, with a little taste of something in between.

Our first stop is at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco, right on the tip of Haight-Ashbury. There's still a field there, but the stadium no longer exists, unfortunately. Hunter lamented the closing of Kezar and Lindley Meadows for concerts with this verse from Truckin', sung by the lyric writer, but never by the Grateful Dead in concert:

Once in a while when the music gets into the street
Fifty old ladies buck every cop on the beat
They're putting the lock on Lindley Meadow and Kezar
Beginning to look like we can't play in the park

Of course, the Grateful Dead would return for a free concert to memorialize Bill Graham on 11/1/91, but by the late-1970s, Golden Gate Park was generally closed to concerts. However, from 5/26/73 at Kezar, we are very please to play the ending sequence from the second set (of a three set concert), China Cat Sunflower>I Know You Rider, Bertha, Around and Around. This was the third consecutive weekend concert that would take up the Grateful Dead's May, 1973, schedule, with the others being 5/13/73 in Des Moines and 5/20/73 in Santa Barbara.

From the same date four years later, 5/26/77 in beautiful Charm City, Baltimore, we have the quartet of songs that closed the first set, consisting of Looks Like Rain, Jack-A-Roe, Minglewood Blues, Bertha. This was the penultimate show of the super fine Spring Tour of 1977, and featured the high level of playing consistent with the rest of the tour. It's always our pleasure to play you more music from this great tour, hon.

As our last visit to the Spring Tour of 1977, we'll stop in on the final show of the tour, five weeks after it started in Philadelphia. The tour ended at the venerable old Hartford Civic Center, then home to the Hartford Whalers hockey team, who were at that time part of the WHA, still two years away from joining the NHL. Many people don't know this, but the team's nickname, the Whalers, was applied due to the team's affiliation with its league, not, as a wise man once guessed, due to the “Connecticut whaling industry.” (!) Rather, the name stems from the fact that they were conceived as part of the WHA, hence the WHAlers. Anyhow, enough hockey talk. From the final show of the tour, here is the middle segment of the first set, Jack Straw, Row Jimmy, Minglewood Blues, Candyman, Passenger, Brown-Eyed Woman.

Finally this week, we'll check in on the Cal Expo show in Sacramento on 5/26/93. Last year here we played some of the more well-known highlights of that show, including that monster Playing In The Band that is widely considered one of the finest versions played beyond 1974. This week, we'd like to play you the show's closing sequence of Corrina>Playing In The Band reprise>China Doll>Around and Around. The Corrina has a very cool intro, with Phil doing all sorts of cool stuff.

Be sure to pop back next week for more great June Grateful Dead music. As we begin looking ahead a few weeks, we see some great music on the horizon. Feel free to write to the email address below with questions or comments, suggestions or requests.

David Lemieux
vault [at] dead.net