Grateful Dead

OT. The GD equivalent of OG.

Check yer pm's please! Thanks. :-)

Thanks for posting the time on Dark Star and Jam. I was looking forward to an answer on that, since the guy who boasted about having it first played dumb when it came to answering that simple question. Maybe it the whole Jam is like a typical Dark Star without the Dark Star theme in the beginning, so altogether it will feeel like one big Dark Star 😱

....I need another tee like a hole in the head, but certain things must be owned. Purchase confirmed. Avatar changed accordingly.

Awesome, it’s like they custom made that logo just for you! Sweet!

It's a pretty typical Donna night, at least in the first set. Second set might not be as bad. Phil's bg vocals, per usual in this era, are hit or miss.

Never fails to amaze me how many folks see an honest assessment of a board tape--which was never intended for official release by the band--as negative if noting that the show is less than perfect. I used to buy the hyped up comments by DL and here, and start salivating before a release hit my mailbox...then I'd be disappointed by the plethora of bad notes, muffed lyrics and off-key vocals.

It's not a terrible release by any means (see DaP 27 for that), but I'm actually performing a bit of a public service by forewarning folks who don't have their copy yet that this is far from a perfect performance. Funny thing is, I made many positive comments, including on TLEO, Here Comes Sunshine, Bobby McGee, and Loser. Those don't get mentioned because, after all, I didn't write a gushing post, "Oh, wow. This is so great! Every tune is excellently well-played. Top Ten everything! Thanks, Dave," blah blah blah.

I don't post on here often, and that's the reason. Anything other than unadulterated enthusiasm for every tune must be countered with "I love it all" and "It's all good, man." Freaking exhausting. People really need to lighten the fuck up and realize that not every opinion is a personal attack on their little nirvana.

The jam out of Truckin' sounds like a lot of things, but it didn't sound like Dark Star to me. Some peak '73 jazzy stuff in the Jam, and the whole of disc 3 was a smoker, but the Dark Star was a short one. Of course, I wasn't taking notes or anything just listening as I did other stuff, so I might have missed something.

I read your initial post Mr. Heartbreak and I didn't find it to be overly harsh, just an expression of your personal opinion of the release that you had listened to so far. The comment about not being able to listen to the full release like many of the "adult deadheads" seemed a little snarky - is the implication that I am a child because I had time to listen to the whole release? I mean, my wife will probably back up an argument that I am a teenage boy trapped in a 50 something form, so no real offense taken. I will be curious to know what you think of the release once you have heard the whole thing. No one should take offense at your expression of your opinion, but, you shouldn't take offense when people offer their own contrary opinion in response. And everyone should take themselves just a little bit less seriously.

The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot is me.

Nice Animal House reference. Ha!

Thanks for your reply. No snark intended on the "adult" comment. I'm only a couple years older than yourself, so I probably should have written "older adult with too many responsibilities." For anyone who's got a nice home system AND the time to sit and listen to this in one sitting: good on ya! Looking forward to that in my retirement years...

.... disappointed by bad notes, muffed lyrics AND off key singing? Once again, losfer words.

I watched Animal House again last night, haven't watched it in a while. Still cracks me up. All day the dialogue has been running through my mind, causing me to chuckle to myself, causing my wife to look over and say "WTF is wrong with you?" A question that I have heard before, and to which I still don't have a good answer. It's good to be easily amused.

Yessiree

Beat It On Down the Line - first let me say, I agree with you, the vocals do not sound good. But it's not for the reason that you say, which is that Donna can't hit a note. Donna sings exactly what she is supposed to be singing exactly the way she's supposed to be singing it. So is Bob Weir. They are not trying to sing the lyrics the exact same way. They are trying to harmonize, which is what the technique is called when one singer sings a verse differently than the other, for a blend that sounds good when sung together properly. For example, one sings the melody "up" and the other sings the melody "down" (or if there are three singers one can sing it "flat") Or they can accent certain lyrics within a verse differently for effect. As I said when this is done properly it sounds really good and is called harmonizing (Yes - All Good People vocal intro).

The reason it doesn't sound good on this performance (and a lot of these two track tape releases) is because the singers are recorded at two different levels. As you stated yourself the volume of the vocal levels change during parts of this show. What I hear is Donna recorded much louder than Bob - and there's more to it than just volume, let me explain.

But first it should be clear, this does not mean that this is the way it came through the PA that night at the show when people in Philadelphia heard them. Completely different listening experience. It is simply a deficiency with two track recordings. You can't harmonize well on the board recording if the mix is uneven. This is one of the reasons that multitrack recordings sound so much better (the levels can be fixed in the production process). It is also one of the reasons Betty Cantor Jackson was so good at her job. She was able to mix a board like nobody's business. At least by 1977 or earliear. I would guess that she did not record this show at the board.

Mister heartbreak, what you seem to expect is that the two singers should be singing in UNISON on Beat It On Down the Line. Singing in unison is singing the exact same lyrical phrase the exact same way. For example in Scarlet Begonias when Donna and Jerry sing the "get shown the light" lyric.

I think the bottom line is that you've come to expect something that they weren't going for and that they didn't achieve due to the recording. Screams and non lyrical vocals from Donna aside, she and Jerry were the two best singers in the band hands down, technically speaking. Even at this show.

....if you wanna good laugh or twenty, watch Schitts Creek on Netflix.

Thanks GD, Dave, Norman, TPTB, ABCD, etc.
Rhino too, but you need to pick up your game a bit and stop letting down your loyal customers.

I’m extremely grateful to be getting these releases on a regular basis. They pretty much always sound better than what was already in circulation, and sometimes we get stuff that wasn’t in circulation.

And if/when it doesn’t sound the way you wanted it to sound, just remember the caveat emptors that used to come on DP’s.
(Some people have called for a return of caveats, which isn’t a bad idea)

Here’s one:

Dick's Picks differs from our From The Vault series in that we simply did not have access to complete shows (nor the modern mixing capabilities afforded by multitrack tapes) But we think the historical value and musical quality of these tapes more than compensates for any technical anomalies... In other words what you hear is what you get. And what you get ain't bad!

They sound pretty good to me when in JGB.

5-21-76 Don’t Let Go is a good commercial release if you don’t already have it.

But, your ears are more discerning than mine.

Thanks Dave. I must have got some defective copies. Bought them from Nugs.net. I will be contacting them.
By the way, what is your favorite from the Download series. #1 kicks ass, would love to see this released on CD.

Superb

I would like to add that Crosby stills nash (young), should also be included in your post on harmonizing. They are a great example. Your post was interesting because this subject is a complex process and not really found in bands anymore. Harmonizing requires extreme dedication and time. P.S. thanks Caseyjanes for your jam DS time question. Good one.

....Phish do a good job when barbershop quarteting.
https://youtu.be/YIyOVw0v5Sk
"You've really made the grade."

Ween - Colorado 10.30.19 (current)
GOGD - Dave's 31. Chicago 12.3.79
Mercyful Fate - Melissa
Oingo Boingo - Only A Lad
Los Lobos - Tin Can Trust

Last five: 1. Accept- balls to the wall 2.Megadeth-holy wars-the punishment due. 3.Ted nugent-stranglehold. 4.AC/DC- whole lotta rosie. 5.Deep purple-knocking at your back door. There!!

Its a minor point, but..I always wonder why they don't release shows to chime with the season. Looking on this board, a lot of us listen to anniversary shows, or shows for the month we are in - I'm listening to the November 73 box at the moment. Seems a bit out of sequence to get a March 73 show in November. Why release a Spring show in the season of the witch? Not that it matters in the long run.
Might as well do last 5 while I'm here;
Winterland 11/10/73 ...incredible WRS and Playing jam on the second cd
Knickerbocker Arena 3/26/90.....thanks Oroborous. ( I don't always listen to shows form the right month..)
The Universe Also Collapse......Gong
Elements Tour Box 2019...…….King Crimson
The End-blu ray of Birmingham 2/4/17......Black Sabbath. Incredible guitar sound. Extraordinary face Ozzy Osbourne has ended up with. Seems like a life well lived.

Gonna blow all my troubles away...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Know_You_Rider

I think DaveRock is onto something. The sound of a subtle drum role for Dave's Picks 36. It needs to be a seasonally appropriate FALL 73 show, in other words.. Dave's Picks 36 will be 12/18/73. Good pick, well done and I concur.

Good write-up Butch. I'm not a musician, but I come from a musical family and used to dabble with a Fender Squier in open G tuning. I know exactly what you mean when you talk about harmonizing vs singing in unison, I just didn't know the technical terms for those modes. Big Yes fan, so I hear them do it all the time.

Last 5

So Many Roads (disc 2 & 3)
Beyond Description Bonus Disc
Houston, Texas, November 18. 1972
Road Trips Autumn '71 Bonus Disc
30 Trips Around The Sun 1974

Colgate Day!

DaP 12

Anniversary date for 11/4 /77 Colgate University, Hamilton NY. Since I didn't receive my DaP 32 yet, I'm going '77 here. Might as well, the next DaP we'll see is from the same week.

This was my first DaP I bought from dead.net. Everything prior came from eBay. This my fav of that first week in November (among DP 34, DaP 25, and the bonus track leftovers that compose 11/2). Too many highlights, but I do recall Dave in the Seaside Chat mentioning the Stella Blue - really ethereal spacey intro. Grateful day to all. With any luck my DaP 32 will come earlier than expected.

I never get any release on the first day, but Friday as I was leaving for the gulf breeze e room, their was the mail lady smiling with DaP 32. Blood clot in left calf from knee replacement surgery. I’m now restricted to bed until my Bruce banner calf goes down. Now I just look at the box and wait. today I put disk 3 in the bedroom blu ray. Guess the good stuff is wearing off and I’m able to think of alternatives. Still, the tv speakers were not what i envisioned to listen to this epic jam set. Oh well adapt and is still sounds great
Jeff smith hope ur making the excellent album art ur famous for
Keep rockin
Drp out

wow, just re listened to this gem, what a barn burner. Must of blew those freshmen away at the gym. You would have thought that they could have gotten some dope from those same underclassmen, but instead, we get the Jones family, Phil Jones, Jerry Jones, Bobby Jones, etc.... and a beautiful Stella. Good call Keithfan, we must have been on the same wavelength for a second.

The heads in philly were really given the A+ show that night. Yes that 23 min jam is rippin. I sure do love a little Spanish jam to a perfect 4 min dark star. Jerry’s vocals were spot on for a heart breaking sing me back home. Donnas 2 come aIives were in harmony as was Phil too. Then right into a rockin sugar magnolia. I noticed my right foot was circling just like the PT showed me a few hours ago. Sugar magnolia physical therapy, they are the best of all time
Sorry for the ramblin must b the oxy
Drp out

My new Bose wave cd radio and pink floyd box come in from fed X just now, Plus Dap 32 yesterday. WE MUST BE IN HEAVEN MAN!!!!!! Now just waiting for the July 78 box. Sheesh,now it's raman noodles month.

"Colgate flouride MFP
helps prevent a cavity
and it tastes great naturally"

old commercial jingle that goes through my head when I hear about Colgate

Sounds great to me. A few flubs and some minor crap that's indicative of live dead music. There is no such thing as perfection. Some better than others. Even close to perfection like Europe 72' live tour. My ears are loving all this shit. P.S. -Donna is doing her part. Sounds young. bella donna!!

Dave's #32 appeared today and WOW. Great recording by Rex and Kidd. Diggin' the up tempo TLEO

This is an excellent release, as one poster said, the sound is pristine. The third disc is incredible, great jamming.
I note this is not a betty board, mostly recorded by Rex. To my ears the drums are a little too loud in the mix, causing me to turn the volume down a little. The vocals are a little too loud also. When they are not singing, I can turn up the instruments and enjoy them at a reasonable level.
Still, I am a happy deadhead.
Someone on this board mentioned a while ago the book Deadology. I picked it up and have been reading it. The author writes about 33 essential dates of Grateful Dead history, going into each date's highlights over the band's 30-year history. I think the book will be a grate reference for other great shows to listen to.
Besides the Dead, I've been listening to Fleetwood Mac (pre-Buckingham/Nicks):
Then Play On (1969)
Kiln House (1970)
Future Games (1971)
Bare Trees (1972)
Penguin (1973)
Mystery to Me (1973)
Heroes Are Hard to Find (1974)
The Mac struggled during this time, frequently losing and replacing guitarists, but they made good music and Christine McVie is a constant plus from 1970 on.

Actually, Danny Kirwin and Bob Welch were great guitarists in the early Mac sound, and wrote pretty good songs.

Nitecat, Then Play On is a great album, some might say essential. I picked up the release with several bonus tracks (Oh Well Pt 1, Oh Well Pt 2, The Green Manalishi (with the Two Prong Crown), and World in harmony). Some really gorgeous stuff on that album. And the song Hypnotized from Mystery to Me is an all time favorite of mine, so smooth, such a cool sound. Ever check out Peter Green's album In The Skies? That is another cool album, really hits the spot sometimes.

Future Games is a pretty cool song, too. Peter Green's original Black Magic Women is cool, too.

...and discs 2 and 3 will not play a note.
"Cannot Be Read" is all I'm getting.
Bummer. I don't want the hassle, but looks like I got it.
Oh well, here we go again.
Disc 1 sounds good, so there's that.

....definitely the lowest # I've received yet. Will report back later on thoughts.

Glad to hear you're enjoying DaP 12. I did not get to listen to it earlier when I posted, as I thought I was going to. I had to wait until now on my drive home put it on. So when I read you talkin about it being a real barn burner, I really got psyched up for it. I'm about finished the first set now, minus Sunrise and Roses (just because I feel like rocking). I feel like the Memorex dude getting his hair blown back in the chair, except I'm not the Memorex dude, I'm the 30 days of dead skeleton dude. Strong stuff.

Re: Peter Green discussion- I never really knew about Peter Green until about a year ago when I was reading a George Harrison interview that was ages old of course, where he said they were going for the Albatross feel when they did Here Comes the Sun King from Abbey Road. I'd have to say there is not a better 2 minutes of Beatles music as far as I'm concerned. There's a lot of equal to Beatles music, but I just really love that cool guitar strumming during Sun King.

If you've never heard Albatros, somebody on YouTube looped it together for an hour continuous:

https://youtu.be/UkHgUc6bOgU

I never saw a show there but I always thought it was the coolest name for a venue. Was it really that bad inside? Looks really cool from the outside.

I love this pick thanks Dave!

I don't think I've been this excited about a new Dead release since the 73-74 box set. I guess I'm a 70s Dead guy. What I can't figure out is how Dave keeps missing Bird Song shows from 1973. They played it enough times. I know he likes it because almost every 1972 show from the 2nd half has it.

I think people who how should I say this. Gave constructive criticism about the sound quality of the 1973 shows from the Pacific Northwest box set are not going to have any issues with this.

For my taste I like the jams to go on for as long as possible and as weird as possible. I think they used to get into the feedback noisy stuff just so they could ease you out of it with something mellow, which makes the mellow parts even better. Like giving you a pill and saying here this will make you feel better. That'll keep you going through the show come on it's time to go! Two thumbs up for Jam / Dark Star

That is a great song Keithfan2112, it just has that nice mellow flow to it. Some of the stuff on Peter Green's In the Skies has a similar vibe, some cool hypnotic grooves for lack of a better description. The tune Slabo Day along with the title track consistently hit the spot for me, but I dig the whole album.

....I had a Mac phase about six months ago. Had a Big Mac Saturday.
I don't believe in coincidences.

Hit me with a pm and you will have the whole digital enchilada. No need to wait for TPTB to sort out the mess for you to at least listen to this gem....just tell me where to send it

Edit: Jrf...check your hotmail

I was wondering if I should get refund for the oh by the way pink floyd box which is counterfeit. I was going to say if they refund my money I won't give negative feedback. It's from ebay. I was wondering what I should do and say since it never happened to me before. Thanks for your input.

We all know all the release formula, and this is a one of the better end-of-year releases. There are definitely issues that keep it from being the 1st or 2nd pick of the year, but it's '73 so no complaints here. And what was that jam, a little DS, a little Spanish, tiny bit of Eyes, fuckin' right is what it was? Disc 3 is the king. Go Hawks.

Burns

And for God's sakes get a better Captcha dead.net, it's a hassle, man.

Carlo13, sorry you have been had, get a refund for your hard-earnt dosh, and if you can leave negative feedback as a warning to other users of eBay of this low lifes activities please do so, that is what the feedback page was designed for,

Thanks sid.

They were really helpful when I received a damaged guitar bought from a seller on ebay a few months back. Despite allegations from the seller that I had damaged it myself, I got a full refund.

And lest it be forgot...Peter Green jammed with The Dead ( along with Duane Allman) on at least one occasion-2/11/70. I'm not crazy about these multi guitar jams from the early 70s, when guitarists from all the bands on the bill got up to jam together - but this one is worth a listen.

Roachin ist verboten , I just love the sound of that phrase and the way bobby says it . Can’t for the life of me remember which daves pick it’s from but I would hazard a guess at late 72 / early 73 as it was no doubt picked up in Europe .
P.S. loving the one hour albatross you tube link that was posted . 😸😸