Forums
The unexpected return of the masters of the Grateful Dead's triumphant show at the Albuquerque Civic Auditorium, November 17, 1971, yields great rewards. The Dead came in HOT for their first New Mexico show. Aided by clarity and precision and abetted by confidence and focus, they finessed old standards with definitive takes. With Keith now blending in seamlessly on keys, the first set offered up a triple shot of electric Blues, an exceptional "You Win Again," and a stellar "One More Saturday Night" to wrap things up. And the second set, well, it might just be unlike any you've ever heard. Archivist David Lemieux urges you to turn it up and do it loudly. We won't dare spoil all the surprises, but pay special attention to the rippin' "Sugar Magnolia," the aggressively monstrous "The Other One," and the highly-danceable "Not Fade>GDTRFB>Not Fade." Rounding out the 3CDs, you'll find selections from Pigpen's return tour at Ann Arbor, MI, 12/14/71. Subscribers will get nearly all of the complete show as this year's bonus disc.
As always, Dave's Picks Volume 26 has been mastered to HDCD specs from the original analog tapes by Jeffrey Norman and is limited to 18,000 individually-numbered copies*.
*Limited to 2 per order. Very limited quantity available.
T for Texas Jimmie Rodgers
That same song also has the line: "I'd rather drink muddy water, sleep in a hollow log, than being here in Atlanta treated like a dirty dog" which the Dead used in early renditions of I Know You Rider, changing Atlanta to Frisco.
March 87
LMG, spring 87....went to the Hampton through Rectum shows, actually had tix for the Wuuuster shows, but we sold em because we were burnt and honestly we were starting to get a bit disenfranchised with the scene (already beyond that nice peak I was trying to describe before...) and as you start to get older, sometimes your priorities shift.
Unfortunately don’t recall many specifics from this tour.....it all rolls into one, and melts into a dream....
I do remeber thinking there was something missing musically? It was awesome that Jerry was back and looked good, and man that TOG the second night was powerful, but it was like he was out of sync or something. In fact, we occasionally noticed this phenomenon ever after the 86 coma. Luckily, as time went on, it was less often and more subtle.
So our perception was that everything had kinda turned into white bread. This feeling actually progressed during summer tour, to the point that, combined with the venues chosen, led us to completely skip the fall tour! Blasphemy I know.
Luckily that 3-27-88 show snapped us outta that funk a bit, and by summer 88 we were back on the bus.
See this is kinda what I’ve been trying to get at with my recent posts, PERCEPTION!
All the shows we get are precious, but they all contain something that someone could point out is flawed.
Jerry’s voice, Brent, Donna etc etc., So although we all have favorites, we should not fall in ruts, or overgeneralize, or whatever to the point where people just don’t listen to whole eras of shows!
I don’t care what year, there is always at least some hot shows, so why close your mind off and not even give these a chance? Remember, sometimes you get shone the light etc..
Here’s a funny example. For a long time (years ago), I wasn’t that into the 72 stuff. I was missinformed and
not musically mature enough to get the big psychedelic jams and so forth. So I thought hell im not going to pay for more E72 cause hell I already have E72! Also, the few tapes we got back then from 72 were not usually very good (same with 73 and 74). Mostly fed 76-78s as a wee lad....
So I copped a misinformed attitude and didn’t check it out for a long time. Eventually after studying Jazz and improv and deveping my ears so to speak, I finally got it. So much so that I now can informatively argue that the E72 improve Dark Stars etc are some of the BEST music the band ever made and why!
Bob speaks of post 75 about “we had songs we wanted to get out there” and the jams took too much time etc....well my argument is yes the songs ARE great, but a lot of bands have great songs....
But NOBODY! has ever played that kind of far out improv jazz like music (in rock) like the Dead.
Yeah, yeah I love fusion and the rest, but it’s not the same. The ability to completely let it dismantle, but somehow stay together and interesting. Nobody else could do that, that I’ve ever heard so far...
No offense, but most of the “Jam” bands and music since is often nothing more than individuals ceaselessly noodling.
Yes there is a difference, number one being group improve versus individual....
That’s the main reason 77 is not my favorite. (I love it, but it’s not my favorite!)
IMHO, 76-78 often just drones on in modes, with one person soloing over the top, where say E72 and 69 etc there is much more group improv going down...Again, we’re talking degrees here, not black or white!
So my point of all this, and the last couple days is, if you overgenralize and cant overlook certain flaws or variables or what not, it is truly a shame, because we’re so blessed to have access to SO much amazing unique music! Even mid-nineties late era shows always have something. Sure there may not be a lot of hot entire “shows”, but there always are at least moments, and for this old duffer those moments are still worth the time and effort to try and someday check as much of the music from ALL eras as possible!!!
Ok, thanks for letting me get this out, it’s been festering for awhile and why i started to post again after many years. It just bums me out to no end when I see folks here being nasty and judgmental based on closed mindedness. Remeber, be GRATEFUL!!!
Ok, Smithers, release the hounds....I can already here it, “yeah but....”
Re:Smooth Dead
I know what you guys mean. 1969 is wild and wooly whereas 1977 is the awesome power of a fully operational mothership. But the dead were never smooth and professional. Case in point: I listened to 5/7/77 last night. Between the first 4 or 5 songs there is the sound of hammers repeatedly hammering nails into the drum platform. And you know the breaks between songs were much longer than on the releases. The Stones are smooth and professional. Can you picture carpenters building a drum stage during a Stones concert? But that's part of the charm of the Dead and is much preferable to a pre-planned scripted concert and is why we seek out every show.
77
I should say also, that both the last two 77 shows I have listened to have gone to places I wasn't expecting. The Uncle Johns I mentioned, on the 11th, and also Not Fade Away and Comes a Time on 12th. The playing, after the song parts have been completed is mesmeric on both tracks. I also found myself listening to, and enjoying, Keith's playing more than I was expecting.
And now I see that Cornell is being re-released on vinyl. Incidentally, 8th May 1911 was the date Robert Johnson was born.
Oroburrito re: 76-78 vs 69-74
You wrote "That’s the main reason 77 is not my favorite. (I love it, but it’s not my favorite!)IMHO, 76-78 often just drones on in modes, with one person soloing over the top, where say E72 and 69 etc there is much more group improv going down..."
Totally agree on most of that, but I would argue that the real improv sections (especially in '72-'74) were confined to just a few isolated spots. For example Europe '72: the jams are in Dark Star/Other One (whichever one that night), plus Playin', BirdSong, Good Lovin - that's about it! And otherwise it was a first set of about 12-15 4-7 minute songs that were plain-jane. The good thing about '76-'78 is that the first sets seem weightier with more jamming throughout set 1 than in, say, '72-'74. And '77 second sets don't have the 30 minute jams, but it seems like there's more overall heft throughout, with nice 4-6 minute jams (yes, more thematic w/ not as much wide-open "improv") in Estimated, Scarlet>Fire, Dancin', Let It Grow, help>slip>franklins, NFA, Half Step, Sugaree!!, Dew, etc, etc.
I love both eras as well, but to say there's more jamming in '72 I think is misleading. '72-'74 has a few pockets of DEEP improv, '76-'78 spreads weighty, song-centric jams throughout the show.
And '69 is amazing improv pretty much throughout!
As for "other bands just noodle whereas the Dead jams have substance" (paraphrasing), i gotta disagree - that's a myopic viewpoint. The Dead have plenty of sections of bland, aimless noodling between the good stuff, and entire shows that stink.. Phish and many others have some amazing jams - just because you drop in for a minute and it doesn't make sense to you right away doesn't make it bad. I hated the Dead for YEARS before I learned how to listen to them, figured out what parts I like, and what to listen for. Getting up to speed on any band takes time - took me years before I appreciated a long Dark Star, or the Truckin' jam from E'72.
Can’t forget the Summer of 1987 tour
...Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead 1987 Tour...The Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead 1987 Tour was a concert tour by Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead taking place in the summer of 1987 and consisting of six concerts. Each concert began with one or two lengthy sets by the Grateful Dead of their own material (sometime broken into a first and second set, per the Dead's usual practice), followed by a roughly 90 minute set of the Dead acting as Dylan's backup band.
:)
...bring on the complete recordings boxset ! ;)
Thinking Woody.Best
Thinking Woody.
Best guess.
http://www.csufresno.edu/folklore/ballads/LxU072.html
Thin
Right on! Thank you, your assessment is more accurate and specific; the mighty improv I speak of was mostly contained to that section of the evening. I was trying to discuss more the type of improv more than the quantity, and that no one else could do that... 77 would typically have more longer pieces (quantity/total) for sure.I guess I was feebly trying to illustrate how it is possible to use critical analysis to appreciate the differences without having to choose one era over the other, and thus close oneself off from the wonder that can be found during all eras of their music, but that sometimes it just takes more effort.
Actually, I started blabbing about spring 87 and a well, ahem, sorry, got a bit side tracked and did not do a very good job ; )
Thanks To All
Thoughtful and analytic.. Try and find discussions on music this deep on the Ozzy site. Not gonna happen. (no offense meant to Ozzy/Sabbath fans).
There's more than a thread of truth in what is written here.
Many thanks.
More stuff
First, thanks for posting again Oroborous, you were missed. Your post about eras titled 1987, I agree with 100%, and have thought about it for years and have posted similar ideas. But that one write up took and synthesized a lot of great ideas. I love all eras, and I can always find something fun about in just about every show I listen to. Sure some of peoples complaints I understand but one rule I always agreed with came from Jerry. "We have to entertain ourselves, before we can entertain our audience." That describes my whole thought process concerning the fellas, and ladies. Well what about this or that, I do not care, if Jerry and Bob wanted to change something they would have. If they are entertained, I will find out why by concentrating and at the same time, getting lost. I enjoy Rush, or Yes, or Genesis, they all strove for absolute perfection but in that never reached anywhere close to the highs that the fellas, and ladies, could accomplish. Thanks so much for the write-up!
Led/Ded: A couple of things, a few weeks back you wrote up some stuff about the drug debate which I had a written post very similar to yours about personal responsibility and having some level of discipline in life. I agredd with 100%. I know Jim and a couple of others shared this view. But this time around the sun, we do not need to revisit that theme. I saw that you saw the Dixie Dregs recently. Wow! How are they doing now? I was turned onto themwhen I played drums in the late 70's. Saw them for the first time in 1979. The last time I saw them was at the Tennessee Theater in Knoxville in 1992. Did not even realize they were touring. In 1988, I saw Steve Morris Band at a small club in my home town. Their was only 10-12 people there. Got to hang out and talk to Steve for several hours. He is an awesome hang. Also saw him later with Kansas but have not seen him with Deep Purple. I know on a Deep Purple documentary they mention that the best incarnation of them was once Steve was in the band. No more internal quarrels related to Blackmore, etc.
Finally, really do enjoy this release. I understand our Doctor's love for 71. Also, made me realize that the 80's shows I saw were completely different, and some of those shows I love more than this 71. Cant wait to spin it again!
Cheers All!
Oro
No apologies needed - Great post on your part, I just like to split hairs cuz I'm a pain in the ass.
I'm thankful for all the different eras because they are all completely different. I count 9 unique periods: '65-'66, 67-70, 1971, 72-74, '75-78, '79 thru '80, '81-'88, 89-'91, '92-95. Whatever mood you're in, there's an era for that.
1987~88’
-March 24th ,1987 amazing performance from start to finish, from the whole band in general are on fire!!! ;)
Set List:
Jack Straw
Candyman
New Minglewood Blues
Loser
Mama Tried
Mexicali Blues
Ramble on Rose
Let it Grow
Gimme Some Lovin'
Black Muddy River
Playin' in the Band
Terrapin Station
drums
Dear Mr. Fantasy
Wharf Rat
Not Fade Away
Brokedown Palace
https://archive.org/details/gd1987-03-24.sbd.milller.94349.sbeok.flac16
Re: 12/9/81
Obviously can't speak for everybody, but the reasons I didn't like it were the Jack Straw is an awful trainwreck, there are several big patches (and no warning on those), and the sound is good, but the playing is not that good. While the setlist is fantastic, the execution is flawed. When last I posted about my negative feelings on this I looked again at the setlist and thought, "You know what? Give it another listen." So I did, and I, again, just did not care for the show at all. Unlike Dave's 7, it doesn't even have a great Music Never Stopped or Scarlet> Fire that I can throw on as filler, or have as a reason to put the show on again.
I think it was released to give a gnarled, ratty bone to the 80s disciples; they compromised by finding an 80s show with good sound quality thanks to the rare (for 1981) use of reel to reel recording, but, in my opinion, violated the second qualification for selection in that the music isn't great. I think I've listened to it all the way through (sans Straw and LRRooster) 4 times, which would be more than I've done for DaP 3 9/24/76, which is my other contender for least favorite Pick along with numero 7.
Also, interestingly I've noticed DaP 22 12/6-7/71 included in the bottom of several posters' rankings; not a favorite of mine, either and yet, I, too love this current release from a couple weeks before and a week after the Felt Forum. Funny how it goes.
Deep Purple stuff
I can understand how Deep Purple were happier with Steve than Ritchie Blackmore, but I am not so sure I would agree that they were at their best when Steve was in the band, Gary. Going off interviews, Steve seems a much nicer bloke than Ritchie Blackmore, and he is an amazing guitarist-but Deep Purple with Blackmore-the lineup with him, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord and Ian Paice was the one. Their best album was the Live Made In Japan from 1973-one of the best live albums of all time. Another good one is Stockholm 1970-with 30+ minute versions of Mandrake Root and Wring That Neck. The latter also has a dvd included which shows them play a short but explosive set on T.V in 1970. He seems like an incredible egotist, Ritchie Blackmore, but also an incredible guitarist.
DaveRock
I agree with you Dave. I made sure to say that is what they said. Blackmore is raw and full of fire, which means problems within but brilliance in the music. I can only imagine the knock down drag outs that happened with Ritchie and Ian. Steve to me is more of a hired hand, but a damn good hired hand. My issue, I have not even heard music much of the music written with Mr. Morse. I understand some of it is quite good. I really need to do a deep dive with purple as it has been a while.
As an side, I enjoyed Ian's work with Sabbath when I was a youngin (Zero the Hero, after all). Shoot even enjoyed Dio with Sabbath.
saw deep purple last summer with alice cooper.
they weren't as great as they were on the "made in japan" album, but it was still a fun show.
----
Speaking of 87
Perfect example of what I’ve been trying to say.; personally, the 7-4-87 Dylan/Dead show was one of the least enjoyable we attended. In general, I used to write 87 off. But over the years giving 87 more listens, I have come to find many tight and enjoyable shows....just gotta poke around....
Deepest Purple
Ritchie Blackmore is a legend. His tone, solos and phrasing are right up there with the best. Of course the Mark II lineup is a favourite, but don't forget the Glenn Hughes/David Coverdale era. Stormbringer and Burn are great albums!
Rainbow was a serviceable pop/hard rock outfit as well. It was always a pleasure to listen to Ritchie play electric guitar. He has just re-emerged with all new players he's calling Rainbow and has done a few shows in Europe over the last couple of years.
It's sub-standard. The fire is gone from his playing. He plays like a gentleman now, which I imagine he is. His very recent Guitar World interview shows him happy and perhaps more humble and amiable than his old caustic self. Unfortunately, the edge has come off his electric playing. Too many years hopping around playing that hobbit music (Blackmore's Night, for the uninitiated) has taken it's toll.
No matter, Smoke On The Water lives forever.
Having just seen Steve Morse with the Dregs from the 2nd row, Morse is a brilliant player. He's not one of my favourites, but seems a nice enough chap and he has chops to burn. It's one of those businesslike, modern rock band economic decisions for him to anchor the guitar chair in Purple. As he should, he pays respect to the songs and the basic framework of Ritchie's most memorable solos without being a clone, he stretches out and expresses himself well within the music.
Unfortunately, it doesn't really do it for me, and once-superhuman shrieker Ian Gillan has lost much of his power. No matter, he sings tastefully and uses what voice he has left very well and, last I've heard, is nowhere near the embarrassment some claim. Ironically, at 70 he and Ritchie are in about the same place regarding their slow decline.
Which brings me to, we bought good floor seats for the upcoming arena tour of Deep Purple/Judas Priest. I never thought I'd see Priest again, but goddamn they still deliver even with new guitarists. It's a great band and Rob Halford is the Freddie Mercury of metal.
Hell, yes, Purple and Priest! It'll be a blast one classic tune after another. I go see live music to enjoy it, not to nitpick at things that aren't the way the were 30 years ago. That goes for all iterations of the Dead, as well.
Shit, it's 2018 and I'm seeing 17 rather large shows this year:
Robert Plant
Michael Schenker
Davy Knowles
Dixie Dregs
Phil Lesh
As The Crow Flies
(seen)
Stone Temple Pilots
The Alan Parsons Project
Ween
Dead & Co.
Dead & Co.
Dark Star Orchestra (on the Rocks with Donna Jean Godchaux)
Electric Light Orchestra
Ry Cooder
The Magpie Salute
Deep Purple/Judas Priest
Fleetwood Mac
(still to come)
I'm stoked to see Mike Campbell and he's the only reason I'm seeing the Mac again. They're rumoured to be doing some Petty songs! Tom Petty's death has left a rather large hole in my heart and I love Mike Campbell, the epitome of class and taste on the instrument.
\m/
Before
here is the writeup on Jerry before, in case it has not been posted.
https://www.jambase.com/article/days-dennis-mcnally-brian-miksis-discus…
87-88
Though I am not a big fan of '87 *It sounds like the Dead becoming the Rolling Stones in size...you can feel the absence of connection with the fans* '88 REALLY gets me going. Not that the sets are all that different but the execution is unreal for a lot of those shows...7.29.88 Laguna Seca, 7.2.88 Oxford Plains Speedway, 3.27.88 Hampton Coliseum... GEMS...each and every one of them. Oxford plains is just spectacular. I have a 3rd gen audience tape and Phil is just BOOMING throughout the whole show...Great round belled out tone...
12/9/81? They spend the rest of the show making up for the trainwreck that was Jack Straw and boy do they ever make up for it. Not my favorite 81 show but it is definitely a ratty gnarled bone as one poster described. Fucking love it. Dirty as hell and menacing. That LLR is an all time favorite and I love LLR more than most people should.
come to think of it...
I still have ALL of my tapes. 400+ hours. I remember being proud when I got to 300 and a friend told me that was a good start. Oh, the good ol' days.
12.9.81 sizzle crisp
That show is smoking hot. 1981 is one of the best years for the band pound for pound
they are firing from the top of the mountain with heavy doses of skull splitters
I'm pretty sure this is one of the few Dave's Picks with "Bird Song" maybe 3 total out of 26 ,, 11.17.72 , 11.30.80 and the Boulder release.
Estimated Prophet -> He's Gone !!!!
I was just checking out another show with this combo
12-9-81,etc - hatin’ on the releases
Seems like some people here need to borrow Jim’s John Deere and go back to the days of hissy cassettes. Then they wouldn’t need to complain about what Dave or Dick chose to release, or that 5-8-77 is available on vinyl for less than scalper prices.Ungrateful for the blessings that have been bestowed upon us.
GSTL Jack Straw
How come nobody complains that the GSTL ‘5-8-77’ Jack Straw isn’t actually from 5-8-77?Recall that the beginning is cut on the master reel.
A bumbled Jack Straw discredits 12-9-81? Oh yeah, some people were pissed about 8-25-72 being released because Bertha wasn’t just exactly perfect.
Whiners.
See my post below about going back to the days of hissy cassettes.
Kd
Yaaaassss, ah remeber the barely listenable, 20th gen, low quality tape, that everyother person did or didn’t use Dolby, of poorly recorded shows that often had talking, stand thumping, or some poor batters that sudden realized that the fat man was actually an Aztec alien sungod! JJJJJJJJEEEEEEEEERRRRRYYYY!,,,They’d usually be all chopped up since you couldn’t get set up until at least the lights went down. Then you’d have to drop it down every time security came by? Yep, that P 20 sure did suck ; )
cosmicdavid ~ Looks Like Rain ~ 2.6.89
Captain Trips taps into an endless flow with his guitar channeling the sound of water replenishing the barren landscape with his melodic tones
Space Truckin’
Wait, that’s the purple right?? Uh huh huh....anyway, Deep &+$#@ Purple, man one of those great bands that gets waaay overlooked.Led; glad to see that folks like you are doing their part to keep live music, well, alive and well in America!
That’s the spirit, ITS ALL GOOD, don’t get hung up, even if the show doesn’t move ya, maybe you’ll have a great time anyway, meet that special someone etc
Rock On Brother!
Farseer
Indeed!First, I don’t think I’m the oro some of you kind folks think I am?
I have occasionally been a voyer but have not posted in many years.
I believe their is more than one of us, since I’ve seen different spellings over the years....
I think I copped mine from THE DEAD, that old Hank Harrison book?
Any-who, thanks for the kind words, I’ve missed talking the talk!
Next, I can’t tell you how nice it was that at least someone understood what I’ve been rambling on about the last couple days. Both your responses were great.
Deeeeep Pooooorple
https://youtu.be/eDWQkRW2r2E
Yes, there is more than 1 Oro
Oroborous is currently a frequent poster.
Oroboros made the sculpture of the dragon eating its tail and gave it to the band. He posted a link to a video that showed the dragon by the drums. I think he also gave us some first hand accounts of the shows that make up the July 78 Box.
Mike Campbell???
Is playing with Fleetwood Mac?Whoa, that sounds interesting.
Was this because of LB getting the boot, or was it already happening?
Re: Mike Campbell
I read it was because LB got the boot. Could have been logistical, timing related with their upcoming tour.
Would have been a trip if they could have gotten Peter Green.
Stop Draggin' My Heart Around
Stevie doesn't drag my heart around any more, but I still respect the lady.
She and Mike wrote this, you know:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UD0c58nNCQ
Yes Neil Finn of Crowded House and Mike Campbell have taken over
Lindsey's seat in Fleetwood Mac.
I love Lindsey Buckingham. He never gets his due as a kick-ass lead
player, The Chain, Gold Dust Woman, etc. Haunting and mysterious.
And he was an early champion of those amazing Rick Turner instruments.
Like an American Jimmy Page through all the coke and the smoke.
Anyway, yes Mike Campbell will be up there playing this next to Stevie
this tour. I guess Neil Finn will sing Tom's part? Irreplaceable,
but we all said that about Jerry.
You do the best you can with what you got to work with and it ain't
like this is gonna suck.
Music isn't athletics. Well, for drummers it is... I give Lars Ulrich
ten years to go the way of Neil Peart. We'll see. But you know, Buddy
Guy is still blowing the doors off at 80, and like most every other poster
here I still feel half my age. I'm 49.
Cheers!
Fleetwood Petty
Thanks Led, very informative....reminds me, I never seem to get all my Rolling Stones these days......NEWMAN!!
And speaking of late 70s, the Mac Peter Green etc, one of my first concerts, first stadium show. Rich Stadium; Bob Welch, Pablo Cruise, Foreigner, and the mighty Mac! I think I was 14 or 15?
Well, being the closed minded (Led Zep, Hendrix etc) little punk I was, I wasn’t that into any of em, and I’m sure I didn’t know all the connections yet. I would go to anything in those days, well anything my folks would allow, or I could get away with lol.
So man did I get my head blown clean off! Long day, long story but I was eventually way down on the floor. Now the stages in those days were often like six stories high in front, but I somehow lucked upon a some sandbags holding the tarps down (more old school production), so I was like ten rows out, my head like 2 feet above the rest, right in front of Stevie, man......I clearly remeber them doing Go Your Own Way, and even to this day it was some of 5he most intense, emotional, rock & roll I have ever seen. I mean at this point they ment it, phew, amazing.
That’s why we need to get out the door and have a look all around!
Like I said....
....what was wrong with 12.9.81 again? I recall Dolby C. Brrrr.... Fleetwood Mac is coming here in November. I'm still stunned that, these days, tix for shows go on sale 6+ months prior to the event. BTW. They announced that Bill & Ted are returning. I've had my Wyld Stallyns backstage passes in a safe deposit box since 1991. Talk about a pre-sale....
late 70's concerts/ Jazz Fest 2018
First stadium show for me, at age15 was the Orlando Tangerine Bowl 1981. Cheap Trick, Blue Oyster Cult, and Heart. A little earlier I had seen VanHalen/Kiss and ACDC/Nugent. Of course I am embarrassed now that I saw Kiss and Nugent, but how about those two opening acts?! Heck, Eddie VanHalen and Bon Scott in their prime really made an impression. For many years I've been embarrassed by my early concerts, but compared to much music nowadays, I don't feel so bad. Really, lots of that music has held up pretty decent (except Kiss & Nugent).
I know I will be dismissed as a typical reminiscing geezer. But really, so much new music seems awful now. I was at the New Orleans Jazz Fest last week and saw some real crap (IMO). I used to think I could enjoy almost any live music. Nope! The Congo stage was full of Hip-hop and Rap that I found repellant. I made a special point of seeing "Old Crow Medicine Show" and "Jason Isbell" but walked out on each after only a few songs. I just found them both unlistenable.
Still, lots of great music at Jazz fest. I was always happy in the Jazz and Blues tents. Saw some great veterans: Lyle Lovett, Walter Trout, and Aaron Neville. There WERE some super young bands: Darcy Malone, Gal Holiday and Tank and the Bangas. All great stuff! :)
Then Came the Last Days of May...
Parched land,No desert sand,
Sun was just a dot.
And a little bit of water goes a long way, 'cause it's hot...
Richie Blackmore
Loved the original Deep Purple, Richie was a monster with his instrument. I first saw them back in 1973, they headlined a great show with ZZ top as the openers, right before tres hombres was released, they played so hard and it was so hot Dusty passed out. Then Blue Oyster Cult, all decked out in leather, rode a harley on stage and played Born to Be Wild as their encore. Then Savoy Brown Kim Simmons is another underrated player, they tore the roof off the place, Hellbound Train was a monster, they thru out copies of the Jack the Toad lp to the crowd. Then Deep Purple hit the stage, their instruments had been stolen the night before and had to borrow Savoy Brown's. Richie could not make that les paul sound like he wanted it to, so he tore it to pieces and threw it out into the crowd, the entire time it was still plugged in. I will Never for get that.
Tack you gack!,
B.O.C., KISS, terrible ted, purple, yee gads I think Jim needs to fire up that way back machine, we can mow some member berries, put on our leather pants and try to worm Tacks chicks down by that old Franki Avalon house........Careful though, between that lumbo, the schnappster, and hangin with China Kantner, next thing you know your seeing that eyeball right when Don’t Fear peaks........whhhhoooooaaaaa
RE: Gollum
No regrets Bra, it was all good. First show was Kiss and the Rockets. Laughable now, but learned a lot about going to shows, especially general admission shows.....It’s all R&R, and like you said, compared to much today, even that cheesy shit kicked comparative ass as far as the R&R factor, so member on my friend!
FYI, just got turned on to a great new band: Nate Rateliff and the Night Sweats
Look on YouTube for their vid of S.O.B./Shape I’m in from 2013.....
Have checked out 3 or 4 of their songs so far, all great, no one hit wonder here.....
Someone described them as if The Band and Sam and Dave had a love child, and that is and apt description......
So Much
So Much stuff being tossed about here and there; all quite interesting and inspiring.
First, a shout out to 5/9/77 Buffalo - most specifically to that ridiculous Help > Slip > Franklin's OPENER. Can you possibly imagine being a lucky Head on a third consecutive night of this unfolding magical trifecta only to have it open up with this monstrous entity??? Distilling these three shows down, I think this sequence is probably my favorite out of all three shows. A few years back I made an 'ultimate setlist' from these shows and sure enough it kicks off with this sucker.
Lots of banter related to 12/9/81, and admittedly I haven't relistened to that one in quite some time but I feel compelled to now. I DO recall the several unspecified patches that caught me off guard and sort of took me out of the moment when I first heard it. I suppose the 'How jarring is it?' is the question I will need to revisit.
Bill and Ted are returning! (thanks VGuy for that tiny blink-if-you-miss-it reference). I actually saw this news yesterday and was like - wow! totally cool. Just think how far Neo I mean Ted has come since this role...
Recently also learned about Fleetwood Mac going on tour without Lindsay Buckingham. That sort of shocked me too, as I figured of all the people left he was one of the pillars given his role. I suppose even pillars can be replaced to hold up the roof.
GFar - thanks for posting that awesome article/interview about the early Jerry years. Reminded me I needed to go pre-order that. I did. Looking forward to it.
When's the box set announcement?
What about Gainesville?
Sixtus
Phil at Red Rocks
A little late to the post, thanks Cosmic David for the link to the show. I was there, really enjoyed it and took a few days to meander my way back to NM. Maybe I'll see you in July when Dead and Co are in ABQ.
One of my favorite parts of the night was when Phil joined Leftover Salmon on Catfish John (and then Big Boss Man). It really suited the JGB, but hearing Phil play it live I wish they had played it with the Dead a few times. Leftover Salmon's entire opening set (including their entire new album which they released the day before the show: https://archive.org/details/LeftoverSalmon2018-05-05.AKG.P170.AUD.flac16
The listening theme for my trip was CO shows (other than DaP 26). 1973-11-20 Denver, 1981-12-09, Dead and Co 2017. As everyone else, I like DaP26 a lot. TOO from the two shows are very different from each other and very good. Love the 71-72 TOO's with a cowboy middle. Love those Dark Star sandwiches from that era as well. All the new material sounds fresh, the band sounds energized. For me, I prefer this release by a fair margin over DaP22 - was excited for Felt Forum but it didn't produce for me the way DaP 26 has.
Nathaniel Rateliff
Yes Oro! The Night Sweats are great indeed! I saw them on Austin City Limits and was immediately turned on without realizing that they have been fairly well known for a few years now. I got the live at Red Rocks release that came out recently and think it is great.
Well worth checking out live - very high energy stuff.
High on Dick Clark's dance-ability meter too!
Son of Bitch - get me a drink!
Sabbath and Purple
I saw both Black Sabbath and Deep Purple last year, for the first time since 1975. Incredible! Black Sabbath's set was culled almost exclusively from the first three albums-and the arrangements and solos were almost exactly the same as the original recorded versions.
Deep Purple played some new material, and with Steve Morse on guitar and Don Airey on keyboards they were much different from early 70s. More contained, and less chaotic.But both Steve and Don played really well, incorporating just enough of their own styles while still referencing Blackmore and Jon Lord. And Ian Paice's drum roll at the beginning of Fireball nearly blew the roof off.
None of which has much to do with The Dead. I suppose Sabbaths gig was the polar opposite of a Dead show-rehearsed to the minutest degree.
Maybe when Daves Picks 26 arrives, I'll get back on course!
product sku
081227931605