An institution in American rock music, the Grateful Dead continue to surprise the ears with new arrangements and altered styles. If their playing continues with the force that was heard in San Bernardino, the spirit of the Dead will live on. - Sun Telegram
We are more than pleased to kick off this year's Dave's Picks series with the much requested and quite spirited complete performance from Swing Auditorium, San Bernardino, CA 2/26/77. The Swing ’77 show was a unique beast, unlike any others from this era: as the band’s first concert of the year, it bridged the gap between the new and re-emerging sound of the returning 1976 Grateful Dead and the precision excellence of the spring ’77 Dead. Debuting two of their most intricately crafted songs of the 1970s, “Terrapin Station” (to open, no less!) and “Estimated Prophet,” the Dead demonstrated right from the start of this new touring year that they were not going to be a nostalgia act; they were going to be as adventurous and ambitious as they were at any time in their career.
Join the adventure as they soar through tried and true ("Playing In The Band," "Tennessee Jed"), well-loved covers ("Mama Tried," "Samson and Delilah," "Dancing In the Street"), and epic new jams.
Rounded out with three songs from Santa Barbara, CA 2/27/77, this one was recorded by Betty Cantor-Jackson and has been mastered to HDCD specs by Jeffrey Norman.
Dave's Picks Volume 29 is limited to 20,000 individually-numbered copies*.
*Limited to 2 per order. Very limited quantity available.
* primal Dead ...
...I would consider some performances during the 70’s, concedering the so called, ‘Dead Sound”, of their recording. and the bands playing show a great amount of primal early Dead with a primo squeeze of new 70’s mixed in this release... I love it!!! ; )
Skydog
Coincidence-I was listening to the 3rd cd of this when I checked in-only to see it referenced. A truly exceptional box set-an overview of much that was great in American music in the late 1960s and early 70s. Duane seems to be mostly revered for his playing in the live concerts recorded of The Allman Brothers - understandably so - but his session work, and playing on the two studio Allmans albums he played on, is also superb. Incredible tone on his solos-Goin' Down Slow and The Allman's Black Hearted Woman on this third cd of the box.
The vinyl edition looks as though it would be great....but so is the price, so I think I'll stick with the cds.
@CaseyJane - Enjoy July 78
Good Box that Estimated from the July 4th show is truly special Wow - my box is numbered 6254 and I ordered it the first day of the presale...
Viola Lee Blues
..to me emits that primal ooze. A swirling, molten, psychedelic eruption of sorts. 31 times played, the first on 03/12/66- Danish Center - Los Angeles, CA and the last on 10/31/70- Gym, S.U.N.Y. - Stony Brook, NY.
You guys are helping me make my next selection... :D
Primal Dead
Would love some more early stuff.....fall 89 box would be good too, but with the Aoxomoxoa bonus disc presumably being a 68 show, and Working Mans with a 69 show, you’d think Dave’s been sniffin’ round in the old stuff?
It’s also been a while since they released something that old so....?
Just thought of something; if they seem to be releasing bonus shows from the year before the albums release, and Working mans and Beauty were both released in 1970, how will they handle that? Working Mans with a 69, Beauty with a 1970 since the next “Album” would be what W.O.T.F. from 73.
Wonder if they’ll do anything for E72, Live Dead etc? I know it’s supposed to be studio Albums but E72 was sorta like a studio album; many new songs, some not on Dead studio Albums, with some vocal sweetening redone in the studio etc...
Hell being 50th for Live Dead maybe that will tie into this years box?
Bring it! Whooo who Primal Dead!!
Viola Lee, one of my all time favs!
Primal Dead
I'll see your Viola Lee Blues and raise you a Caution Jam. Bookends of 11/10/67 from 30 trips.
What about FW 69? Its the primal era, but would you call that specific run primal?
Primal Caution
Agree with Rogue and Led.. Caution!
My favorite of the Primal era show has to be 11/8/69 at the Fillmore Auditorium. To make a long story short.. graduating from college, poor and on my own was a shock to the system. I reacted with the silly inclination that I needed to pursue a career.. so off to work, grad school at night I went.. about the time Jerry really began to decline. And I had little time for GD.
Fast forward to my reemergence. Beyond From the Vault, Live Music Archive, Charlie Miller and the Dicks Picks series.. I took a hard tack and decided to work less and enjoy more. One day.. stoned beyond belief.. I put 11/8/69 on my iPod and started on a 14 mile road bike ride in the mountains here and that second set jam changed my outlook on life.
Rarely does a single moment do so much to change the trajectory of ones life.. that was about the time I decided to move out of lurker mode here and made my first post or two.. Prior to that.. I always thought you guys were much more informed and didn't think I had anything to add. That could still be true.. but it gave me the inspiration to at least start writing here.
To be clear.. I was really stoned and riding my bike on the roads with loud (as loud as it could go), lossless music on headphones no less.. what could possibly go wrong? That day everything went right. I love that show.. my favorite Primal Dead show, no offense FW 69, but there is 90+ minutes of music so urgent nothing could stop it.. ending with
Good Lovin'
Cumberland Blues
Dark Star
The Other One
Dark Star
Uncle John's Band Jam
Dark Star
St. Stephen
The Eleven
Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks)
Feedback
And We Bid You Goodnight
Amazing stuff, the Caution in particular. I wouldn't say it changed my life.. it just solidified what I stumbled into 20 years prior. Get back home where you belong... Since then, my life has had much better balance. I still work hard and for a purpose. The purpose to allow for a better life. No more, no less.
https://archive.org/details/gd1969-11-08.sbd.wise.17433.shnf
One edit: Don't ride bikes with headphones!! but if you do, listen to life changing music at high volume while pleasantly mood enhanced, be careful and understand it is an assumed risk. Just my opinion I could be wrong.
I went dooooowwwwwnnnnn one day...
I went down to Tacoma to-day, yes I did
Nice to get some new perspective
Visit a potential college for child #3
Visit Point Defiance park
Washington history museum
Eat a mushroom and cheese sandwich
Also a very sunny day
Sunset not until 5:36
Oh yeah
Drove by Tacoma Dome
Site of dubious 8/26/88 GD show
Even a mediocre GD show is better than none
Wow that was almost 31 years ago
More wine, please
88 Tacoma Dome
I was at that show.. the last thing my parents said as I departed to the airport was.. "This isn't just another excuse to see the Grateful Dead in a state you have never been to before, is it?" Well.. sort of..
In all honesty I did not know the Dead were playing.. but we landed in Seattle/Tacoma for a three week break with our sites set for the Hoh Rainforest and the Olympic Peninsula.. and just after picking up the rental car and driving South ?? from the airport we saw the circus and knew we had to pull off and see the Dead. There's actually a story there, if I ever get inspired I will
Yes.. not the best show, but mighty fine nonetheless.. Santana opened, I think they played a tad better than the GD that night and unfortunately they did not play together.. still.. it was a joy to be there in a wayfaring (by jet) traveler sort of way.
Have always loved the Pacific NW.. Confession.. we had no weed.. so both me and my brother indulged in balloon treats. Not proud of that, after being cooped up on a plane all day, the numbness somehow made perfect sense. What a great trip..
Balloons....
....cracked my head doing nitrous while standing up in the Irvine Meadows lot in '89. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Haven't touched the gas since.
Kinda sucks that Phil is playing Vegas a week after Bob Lopes graces me with his presence. Although, he just texted me that Jon Anderson of Yes is playing the night he gets here. I'm game! I have a circle of four or five friends that I've become more personable with beyond dead.net message boards. Wanna get closer? PM me your numbers if you dare. I don't bite, but I do tend to ramble on....
....edit. CaseyJanes sub question. Doh! Thought you were talking about Dave's Picks subscriptions. Totally didn't clue into my subwoofer dilemma. See kids! Don't Do Nitrous! (going with an Onkyo btw. Decent price, awesome brand).
Viola vs Caution
Dooo, that’s too hard to pick! Nothing like a good weird Caution. Yaassss that 11/8/69 is a real Bobbie dazzler eh!
Just recently snagged that one, it’s a real beast from start to finish. I Like that Dicks from 4/69 also, that one seems to fly a bit under the radar.
Have had a couple of those aha moments like Jim describes, one was disc two of two from the vault, speaking of Cautions.....yeah nice hot stony summer day relaxing in my big comfy chair at the time next to a huge open window under a giant eucalyptus tree and Zzzzzzzzzzzzzaaap like lightnin’ outta the bottle! Makes my hairs stand up just talking about it...
Those one set 68’s pack a wallop, like Daverock was saying, been digging those kings bowl discs a lot also of late.
Hell all that old shit blows me away!
Viola vs Caution....
....hmmmm. Good question. Pass. Next question please?
Rediscovered Jimmy Cliff recently. Oops. Going off on another bender....
Tanks
Have to admit did more of that then was probably good, not tons like some folks, but enough I’m sure, as in did you ever feel like some things were just not good for your body? Fun sure, felt good etc, but deep down if your really in tune with your body you just sorta know....that was one of those things....great stories though, my bud/band mate/former roommate had some deal where he had three 3 blue tanks and a way to get medipure....
He had this big blue van with a sorta Terrapin turtle wheel cover on the back. At Oxford he was backed up to this little soft grass lined ditch which was where folks who hung out too long or sucked a tad to hard would end up. Ahem, I must say it was a nice landing pad! I could tell ya bout similar misadventures from 88 St. Pete’s and a huuuge Lincoln town car, a scorching Bucket on the tape deck, a ballon and driving down a big freeway (luckily very empty), but a, probably said too much already......
Speaking of 88 FLA was anyone at St. Pete’s and if so did the city set up portable, open, outdoor showers down there where beautiful young ladies were providing anazing hours of enjoyment for us, or am I mixing up my stories?
Jimmy Cliff
Most things I hate picking favorites. Not when it comes to reggae and Mr Cliff!
Bongo man is come.....
One of the first things I fired up when I got my vinyl back from the rents was Give Thanks.
Got to see him at Moneystock 94
Re: Balloons
Dropped four flights and cracked my spine..
Again, so goes my run for Senate.. I learned my lesson on Nitrous too, but I still do it about once every five or ten years or so, give or take. We did a climbing trip back in the 80's.. our goal was Devils tower before we headed East. We started in Boulder, then the Tetons, then The Tower.
It was my bright idea.. we hit a head shop in CO somewhere for some reason or another.. and I bought a box or two of those nitrous canisters, plus some balloons, plus one of those plastic devices that puncture the canisters and feed the balloons. So we all did nitrous on top the Middle Teton at something like 13,350 give or take after waking up at 4 am to get there and back before midnight.
If we dropped.. it would have been more than four flights and we would have done more than crack our spines.. but boy was the buzz heavy. I recall it was incredibly windy too.. and sleeting penetrating pellets of ice, flowing sideways at great speed colliding with the skin on my face with a stinging effect. I don't regret it, nor not running for Senate. I would make a terrible Politician. It was all worth it. Evidence of a misspent youth.
Be careful out there though.. I don't recommend any of this for anyone. Coke is worse, as is meth and opiates... sorry to digress. ..just be careful.
Love Jimmy Cliff.. always have. So did Jerry.
Thanking Furthur
Seeing all the comments on Caution and Viola Lee.....just thanking Furthur for bring these songs to life on stage again, or for the first time. Being born in 1969......
They played alot of tunes I never really expected to hear, in person.
Born Cross Eyed
Till the Morning Comes
Viola Lee Blues
Caution
The Golden Road
Mason's Children
Pride of Cucamonga
Mountains of the Moon
Stay well..........
Primal Dead
50 years ago, today......2/21 and 2/22 at the Dream Bowl..
The April 1969, Boston ARK shows, should not be missed.
April ARK 69
Yes, it would be great if those shows could be released as a 50th Anniversary Box.
Dream bowl, furthur, tanks, snow, Santana, Peter Tork St. Pete
Hey Deadheads, good topics here these last few days.
Dream Bowl 2-22-69 released on Thirty trips, very nice and great recording to boot.
Furthur, yes, they brought back some good tunes, Pride of Cucamonga was a good one but also for the first time, Silvio
Nitrous tanks were always a treat for me, loved the belly laughs and never over-indulged.
Hate the snow, both the stuff that falls from the sky and the stuff that goes up your nose, both can be very dangerous, we called the nose candy "evil", you chase that first time feeling the rest of your life
Santana is on a 50 year anniversary tour of the Woodstock performance which corresponds with the 20 year anniversary of Supernatural release, get your tickets, it will be great as always, I have seen him several times, never disappoints.
On a ticket splurge lately, Little Feat 50 year anniversary in March, Santana in April and Captain Beyond in May, spring is busting out all over and promises to be a good one.
That was a real shocker about Peter Tork, the Prankster Monkey, was key to getting Jimi Hendrix on the bill with them back in 67. Does any one remember the show when Frank Zappa was on the Monkees? Him and Mike messing around and destroying a car for an artistic expression dialogue, those were the days.
I was at those 88 St. Pete shows, so much happening, they closed down the streets around the arena, not only for the shows but there was to be a lemans type road race the following week if memory serves, deadheads everywhere and lots of acid around, almost got run over by a head on a bike, good thing, he had the best doses, spend the night (well, after 3 am) in friends motel room after the first show tripping, great view of the street all the heads looked like large ants milling around (shakedown street for sure) did some shrooms that second day, wow, those showers were so nice, met a little lady that second day, I was in-between wives then, we dosed after the shrooms and spend the night in the swimming pool at her motel after the show, we tripped on something that entire weekend "saw my baby down by the river, knew she had to come up soon for air" she could really hold her breath :) can't remember her name now, can't even remember if she told me her name, she was soooo nice. Memories, thanks for jogging a few mates ;)
I don't skate....
....because they scare the crap out of me and I don't have coordination, but these look pretty cool.
https://jambands.com/news/2019/02/21/street-plant-rosebud-jerry-garcia-…
Nitrous tanks
References to nitrous oxide always intrigue me. As far as I am aware, this never became established as a street drug in the 1970s in England-I never came across it, anyway. The only times I heard it referred to was by my parents, and their generation, who were apparently dosed up with it by dentists prior to having a tooth out. This would have been in the 1940-1950s I guess.
I have never met anyone who has ever taken nitrous either, apart from my parents, but it seems to have been a staple on the Dead scene. I do vaguely remember balloons being referred to as being available at some of the big festivals like Glastonbury, a few years ago. If I remember rightly they were included in the catch all phrase of "legal highs" that were made illegal around 2016.
Nitrous
I'm not sure there's a better or briefer high. My buddy and I once went to the Motley Crue concert for balloons. Didn't actually buy a ticket or go inside, we just hung out in the parking lot. Seriously, I don't know why they don't give this to cancer patients, considering that a dentist can drill through your teeth with only nitrous as an anesthetic (no needle needed to numb you up locally there at the tooth). I'm not sure if morphine can do that, but I don't think so.
Excuse me while I laugh this one off.
Back in the 80's we had several large parties with Nitrous tanks. First, sit your ass DOWN! It's hard to fall down while you're sitting on the floor. When you do LG (laughing gas) in large amounts you can get to a point where you're fucked up and not passed out. We'd have large circles, no not drum, tank man would fill balloons an past them down. (with or without taking hit b4 passing) eventually everyone has a balloon, as they empty them, they get thrown back to tank man, who if their whipping out, may get hit in the face with several before landing again. Much to everyone's amusement. When people in the circle whip to high and let go of their balloon, they will go flying off with the farting sound, once again much to the amusement of the group. (oh, the balloon went flying off with a farting sound, not the whippeter)
Whipping out and coming back into focus with Dark Side blaring,,,,, So you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking ,,,,, wha, wha, wha
These days, I hear tales of the nitrous mafia. They show up a big summer venue with trucks loaded with tanks. They sell balloons for 10 a pop, 3 for 25. Leave a ton of empty tanks that need disposal of.
At the store, we sell them, about a buck a balloon. The device for draining them (commonly called a "cracker"), CAN NOT be called a cracker, if you call it a cracker we can't sell it to you. Cracker, balloons and whippets can not be purchased on 1 ticket,,,, you must purchase them on at least 2 separate checks. Stupid, I know!
I find it odd that it seems to be a drug of choice of Asian(?) people around us. Though I have a guy who maybe 65-ish who buys a lot, regularly, go figure.
Whip-it, Whip-it good.
Bill Graham/Nitrous....
....I remember him running around the lot on a golf cart at the '88 Laguna Seca shows throwing people out who had tanks. He was not a fan of them.
Dave's Picks Volume 29 San Bernardino
Hello everyone. Just finally got around to opening up my Swing Auditorium CD received a few weeks ago. Was stuck on my massive Pacific Northwest box set for so long and still only half way through those shows. Anyway, the first thing I always look for is the booklet that usually comes inside the CD case. I always like to read that while I listen to the show. I was surprised that my copy did not have a booklet in it. Has anyone else experienced this? Let me know. If not I will be seriously bummed. Thanks.
Mine had a little fold out…
Mine had a little fold out poster instead of a booklet .
N2O
There’s that scene in the GD Movie when they’re in the basement sucking down the gas. The tank valve is open and the gas is pouring out of the tubes filling the room.
Memphis 95, there was this guy parked in a back alley with three full size tanks in his trunk. He had a line of people down the alley. He was sucking on a balloon the entire time he was selling them. His eyes were sunken in and his face was droopy. Looked like he had done way too much over the years.
Dave's Picks Volume 29 San Bernardino
Well I guess I got shafted. I would have like to have either the fold out poster or the rolling papers. Oh well.
Mine Had A Little Fold Out, but....
I thought it was a giant rolling paper...shit man that sucks
Anybody like Alice In Chains? If you do or if you just love good music on great vinyl, check out the most recent MTV Unplugged pressing. One of the better vinyl pressings I have heard....picked up today and spinning now!
I’ve also been listening to all of Dead & Co. shows from last year “free” on Spotify. I must say the sound quality in these shows is also quite good....the Austin show is my favorite so far of what has been released on Spotify.
Nitrous...tried it a few times with friends with those little metal cartridges and no one knew how to open them properly (evidently we didn’t have a good cracker, lol)....never really worked out for me. Obviously we weren’t at a Dead show, otherwise I’m sure there would have been lots of Help on the Way! My best highs with Nitrous were at the Dentist....and by the way, it’s still available it you ask...at least at my dentist. I do think sitting down is probably the best policy....good call Dennis!
Happy Friday Dead People!
(Yes!...I’m not a robot)
KCJ
Falling Down on Nitrous
It was a Who concert and we were tailgating. The people with the balloons tend to crowd together, so my buddy and me we're indulging for the first time and down I went. Almost. My buddy grabbed me and prevented me from hitting the ground. One of the guys in the crowd said whoa you almost went fishing! I guess that's what you call it when you fall down on nitrous. It felt more like scuba diving, but it was funny nonetheless. Disaster averted.
I've only been into the Dead a couple years now, and 1977 grew old quickly. I don't mean that in a bad way, it's just that they are so on every night that there is much less differentiation from one show to the next. Sure the setlist vary, but I don't think I would need quite as many 1977 shows as I would from the pre hiatus years. I dig having the variety, just saying I don't reach for this year as much as others. But this Swing show really hits the spot. I have easily listen to it more than any other 1977 show at this point. I would be good with this one, the Tuscaloosa show, and Dave's Picks 11 and Dave's Picks 1.
On to Bob
I am have switched the vinyl spin to Bob Dylan The Real Royal Albert Hall 1966 on vinyl. As Jim would say I am fungally enhanced and I do love the spot between Just Like A Woman and Desolation Row where he says “my electric guitar never goes out of tune”
My dog howls like a mother fucker every time he hears this album.....cosmic indeed!!!!!
What Dead shall I play tonight?
Edit: And just switched to that electric side.....different perspective 4 sho
Anesthesia
Anesthetic shots to the tooth are needed for pulling teeth weather or not nitrous is used. Nitrous is only a seditive. Just for the info.
Next box I want
May '77 - Part 3
4/29 to 5-4-1977
Palladium New York City
May '77 as a trilogy
Makes sense to me. Palladium, New York City is a fine title to methinks.
May 77 Box
Would love that Wilfredjones, great idea. The well is not dry yet. There is also a stellar 3 night run in March at Winterland. How about that idea?
As we approach March 1 next week, it looks unlikely we will see a spring box sent this year.😫
Next New "Scheduled" Announcement
Since we already know what DaP 30 is.. the next new scheduled release announcement will be for Dave's Picks 31 in mid July for an 8/1 release date.
Depressing when you look at it that way.. we do need a mini box announcement at the very least or we will have to finish the tunnel under the vault and stealthily remove the contents..
We might have to organize a coup to free the Reels!
When waiting is the hardest part....
....Eel River comes in March however. It's not as bad as it appears.
....Major Edit. Was listening to GD Fillmore East 2.11.69 just now. You know. The release with the Lil' Red Riding Hood wolf on the cover. There's a hidden Cosmic Charley after the late show end. Cuts out after three minutes. Never bothered to hang on that long after WBYG. Nice, yet abrupt.
Fillmore East 2-11-69
Was listening to that one the other day Vguy. Bonecrushing Dark Star. Coulda sworn there were no vocals on The Eleven. Love the Scool Girl, though something drops out a few seconds in.
I found an article that lists appearances of Tighten Up. It's in Vguy's 8/30/69 Dark Star....I will have to run that one back. Also appears on 1/2/70 Dark Star, so buckle your seat belts.