Grateful Dead

Dead of the Day: February 4, 1969The Music Box Omaha, Nebraska Over the years, February 4th has seen some wicked Dead shows, but the 1969 concert at the Music Box in Omaha, Nebraska is our Dead of the Day. There really are no highlights to the show because the entire show is off the hook. While the boys had not yet hit the apogee of their psychedelic sound – that would come later in 1969 – they still wail on this show. The Caution has to be one of the best ever with the vocal and instrumental vamping resonating the sound of a funky, hallucinogenic train rolling by on the tracks. Further, the Dark Star> Stephen> Eleven is on par with just about any other example of that classic trifecta. http://gratefuldeadoftheday.com/02-04-1969

That 4/25 Capitol Theatre show really is a sweet little gem. Tickles my ear-sockets every time.

Shirdeep.. that first pic of Garcia has got to be from the 84 Augusta show.. either that or Quasimodo somehow got a hold of Tiger and played us a tune. I find myself liking many songs throughout the years, I appreciate many of the changes in playing and orchestration and I miss some aspects that were dropped or were lost due to age and the ravages of time. Take Jack Straw.. there was an innocence and purity to the 72 versions - the song stood on it's own that year and was perhaps the strongest story-telling year for the song, but I feel parts were not fully developed.. 73/74 gave it a whimsical expressive quality, especially in Jerry's leads. The late 70's saw it take on some edge.. "we used to play for acid, now we play for Clive" and the instrumental pieces were amped up a good bit. Some of the 80's versions were explosive and feature some of Jerry's more energetic leads and in the 90's we get Bruce's influence, etc. It's like asking a parent which kid they like most and they honestly answer they love all their children the same.. There are good and bad aspects throughout.. I am more captivated and happy when I consider the finer points.. We could write a book on the changes of tunes like Dark Star and Eyes of the World.. There might be definitive versions of any song, but ignoring or dissing other versions is not what it's all about. Did someone mention 6/30/85?

I introduced the word troll to this discussion. Lambasting people for not buying an 80s release , or for offering critical music analysis about any Era IS trolling. This is exactly what happened here not too long ago, which is the event I was referring to. Just because somebody offers legitimate enthusiasm for the 80s does not mean they're not also a troll when they cross the line.

Era debate or era wars it's always the same like Groundhog Day. But if someone is interested in my opinion, I like all eras. Until 77, maybe it was their classic era and the playing was better. Later tbey were increasing the repertoire. In fact, I think that the Shakedowns and others sounded better on the eighties than on the seventies. So, basically I agree with Daverock that most of the seventies songs sounded better on the seventies, but on the eighties we have a few new songs that I really like. I think this year Punxsutawney Phil has predicted 6 more weeks of winter. Good photo AJS.

06 15 93 freedom hall Feels Like a Stranger Althea Wang Dang Doodle Friend of the Devil Desolation Row Don't Ease Me In Victim or the Crime -> Crazy Fingers -> Estimated Prophet -> Spoonful -> He's Gone -> Drums -> Space -> The Last Time -> Morning Dew Gloria https://archive.org/details/gd93-06-15.brennecke-young.georges.18984.sb…

That's a pretty good assessment of the situation, as I understand it. I can't think of any versions of classic Dead songs, from the 1968-1978 period, that sounded better when played from 1980 onwards. It was interesting how the band responded to the changing times, though. Shows with guests, particularly Branford Marsalis, always seem worth hearing in the later period. It might be presumptious to say so, but I would guess that everyone who loves the 1980s and 1990s Dead also loves the 1968-1978 versions of the band. But the reverse is less likely to be true. I wouldn't think as many people who love the earlier periods also love the later ones. If this is true, and it might not be, then maybe it would be best if the Daves Picks series continued to focus on 68-78, and that 1980 onwards releases were put out separately, so those who didn't want them didn't have to get them. I can remember feeling a bit cheated when it was announced that a 1981 show was going to be the next Daves Picks-but as I had (and have) paid for a subscription, I was stuck with having purchased something I didn't particularly want. Actually, I am not that crazy about another 1977 show being released, either. To me the classic period was late 1967-1974, although there are some great shows between 1976 and 1978. Maybe I will change my mind when I get to hear the new release.

Pushing for 80s releases on this site isn't trolling. This isn't The 70-s Only Dead Page, this is The 65-95 Dead page. Pushing for the release of Dead shows here ain't "trolling", it's devotion. The "Era Debate" has gotten hateful in the past (If Brent was alive, he would kill himself after reading some comment threads). This morning I thought "I hope Thin's posts haven't gotten Space triggered. Thin's factually correct and his statements are rationally reasoned, but he is kinda harping on the trope overmuch." Sure enough, the build-up to hostilities is underway... It has been a nice while since our last Era Wars outbreak and there are new voices here. For those seeing this for the first time: The Era Wars are essentially about the desire by a sizeable portion of our community to see most or all GDM releases be from their Dead sweetspot, generally 68-78. The "war" is fraught with tension as the are real stakes: the potential impact of statements on the content of future releases. The overly committed voices on each side are concerned about getting what they want from GDM. Both sides have insatiable appetites and GDM has a limited number of release slots to fill each year. This situation can create some very heated hyperbole and vitriol. This place is much more pleasant between wars. My personal opinions are that 80s Dead IS weaker than 70s Dead but that a regular rotation of all time periods in the release schedules would better represent the band and serve all corners of the fanbase. (just got 30T84 and 30T85. [The Dave L. essays within make Space look like an 80's-hater. And the essays are pretty much "pure hooey".] Compare 84's UJB/Playing/Dew to a 73/74 equivilant or 85's That's It For The Other One sandwich to any 68-71 TIFTO1 and it is clear that the Pre-80s Dead was much more EVERYTHING than the post-80 band... On the other hand, I really like how in the 80s Bobby and Mickey developed to cover the shrinkage of Jerry and Phil's territories in the sonic tapestry. Sorry to those who truly are hearing it differently, but that is how I hear it. I also don't enjoy post-86 Dylan, post-88 Springsteen, or post-82 Stones...)

Laughed so hard after I read that I think I cracked a rib. Brilliant.