Dave’s Picks Volume 34: Jai Alai Fronton, Miami, FL 6/23/74

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April 21, 2020 - 9:32am

2,197 replies

clayv

Joined:
March 14, 2018

"To my ears, the best Dead shows are those that not only fit the criteria that make them amongst the best of a year, but that are also completely unique for their era—shows that fit perfectly into their year of performance, but also fall somewhat outside of the norm for that year. Harpur College, Veneta, Cornell, Cape Cod, and Augusta are all shows that are objectively excellent, and if they are not the best from their respective years of performance, they are certainly unique. Miami 6/23/74 falls into that category: not only one of the very best shows from this outstanding year, but also one of the most interesting and unique. It’s certainly worthy of many, many deep listens." - David Lemieux

¡Ándale, ándale! ¡Arriba, arriba! We're back with a hot one from Miami, F-L-A. DAVE’S PICKS VOLUME 34 features the complete show from the Jai Alai Fronton, 6/23/74, one with unparalleled sound quality due in equal parts to the Wall Of Sound and the beautiful sonic clarity of Kidd Candelario's tapes. The first set is chock full of dynamite takes on classics like "Ramble On Rose," "Mississippi Half-Step," and "Cumberland Blues." The second set delivers on the JAMS - one leading into a gorgeous "Ship Of Fools," one rare instrumental version of "Dark Star," and a "Spanish Jam," this is Miami after all! The show also offers up a "first" and an "only" - the former, a Seastones set featuring Phil and Ned Lagin and the latter, the sole Grateful Dead performance of Chuck Berry's "Let It Rock."

Limited to 22,000 numbered copies, DAVE’S PICKS VOL.34: JAI ALAI FRONTON, MIAMI, FL 6/23/74 has been mastered from the 7.5 IPS reel-to-reel tapes to HDCD specs by Jeffrey Norman. ¡Agarrarlo mientras esta calientito! (Get it while it's hot!)

*Limited to 2 per order. Very limited quantity available.

Subscribed to Dave's Picks? With this release, you'll also get a bonus disc with selections from Miami 6/22/74. Excellente!

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May 11, 2020 - 10:49am

#1421

CaseyJanes

Joined:
November 6, 2017

WilfredT UJB

You are correct sir about the Bm...also a Dm and Dsus2 according to Ultimate Guitar Tabs on the “Official Version”. I love the above mentioned app. Has most every song that you can think of and usually there are many versions to play so if you’re not quite getting one arrangement there is usually a way for guys like me to dumb it down a bit. That said I need to add those chords on UJB as they are in my range. Will also try the riff....I have a little pentatonic game as well! (I’m guessing there)

For the record, and if memory serves, I do believe I’ve seen youtube of you playing WilfredT, and you are an excellent player. I’m like a wanna be campfire player at best, but it’s more fun then a frog in a glass of milk.
May 11, 2020 - 10:29am

#1422

Oroborous

Joined:
June 19, 2007

Hola Senor Janes

Good to see ya!
I think Bob was alluding to what I’ve heard/read all of them say over the years; it got harder and harder to get the band (especially Jerry) to rehearse and some of those songs you just couldn’t do well without rehearsal: LS, Cosmic Charlie, St Stephen etc. Unfortunately another side effect of ole Jer Bears monkey...especially when you consider how hard many of Jer’s parts were on these songs...it’s a bummer but no wonder many of the greats were set aside.

GUITARS & CADDILACS; used to play all the time. Tried to play guitar for ten years, occasionally professionally, once in the studio....switched to bass and rarely looked back. Did try the solo acoustic/apre thing briefly, but wasn’t that good and it’s really hard carrying the whole show by your self. And Scarry! Don’t have that front man Mojo either “star waaarrrsss, nothing but staaaarrrrr wwwaaaarrrsss” much prefer to play with 3 to 5 people, the interaction is where it’s at. But the rush of playing in a hot band in front of a bunch of people IS uncompareble....talk about a high!
But yeah, I preferred being in the back row under the dark lights grooving on the Bass. Played that professionally on and off for 20 years, last ten it was my main, though not only job...It was a gas, but after 100-150 nights a year, often at shitty bars and clubs, when your feet are killing you and your back can’t take that heavy lumber anymore, we’ll sometimes it’s a double edge sword doing what you love for a living....unfortunately haven’t really played in like ten years now. Had to TRY and grow up and get a real job....plus after I got booted out of my main gig, eventually all the calls stopped coming as it is a small, close knit group that gets the gigs here.
I truly miss it in my minds eye, but I don’t miss schlepping that heavy ass gear at 3 in the morning, or getting hassled by the law, or trying to get inspired when your back hurts and it’s late, and there’s only 4 drunks left, but I do miss it.
GUITARS
- Ibanez Muscian Series I got in 79 and modified with Alembic circuitry/pickups in 84.
- Madeira Acoustic
- 84 Alembic Spoiler 4 string electric Bass
- Michael Kelly Club Deluxe 5 String Acoustic/Electric Bass. picked this up early century when I was playing a lot to get upright sound etc. Never spent enough on upright to be proficient as it’s physicaly painful, and it’s a drag trying to play live with a loud band. I liked the sound I good get with the Kelly and a Sans Amp tech 21 Acoustic DI. It’s made for Acoustic guitar but works awesome for the Acoustic Bass. Seceret is the adjustable mid....
shit, ramblin again, sorry, fun topic. DAVEROCK sportin’ the Bobbie Dazzler! Nice axe bra! My guitar teacher always played and sold Gretches. Wish I would of got one, but wanted a Bob Weir Ibenez so bad. Almost had one but got the Muscian series instead. I’ve seen pictures of both Bob and Jerry playing one but not sure what show (s)? Think it was around when Bob was first using Ibenez?
May 11, 2020 - 10:12am

#1423

wilfredtjones

Joined:
June 4, 2007

Casey Janes UJB chords and guitars

There's a B Minor in there somewhere...I think after the G. The riff is fun, too! Don't forget to learn that :-)

Thanks for sharing info. on your guitars, too. I also have a '96 Washburn (D-20 in Koa). My brother just bought his first guitar, a Seagull S6... :-)
May 11, 2020 - 9:44am

#1424

Oroborous

Joined:
June 19, 2007

6/22/83 source

Yeah I think that’s the same source as I had. As I say at the time it was definetly my best sounding tape which in those days wasn’t saying much, but this one shined! Great show too, and looks like it must of been a great place to freak freely from the news clip.
So my buddy Doug hooked up with some dude who either was doing the taping or ? Not sure I really knew, but they knew WTF they were doing, had like Nac with sennhieser mics and were usually low generation and near that quality.
I had the best gear so most of my friends/cousins would bring their new tapes to my house for coping etc so I’d usually get decent generations. Some shows better than others depending on where they were located. Remember, this was before taper section so some diehard pros would poach in front of board, which sometimes was awesome, other times too loud or tone unbalanced etc...
Anyway, we start getting some killer 83’s, probably end of year I’m guessing. Unfortunately I never got the source guys info and next thing you know ole Doug’s knocked up the bosses daughter, whose family is super religious so shotgun wedding and no more fun for ole druggles, poor bastard! And no more tapes for us! Dooaah
Funny part was he got our band to play his ultra conservative wedding, but’s that’s a whole nother story for the bonfire....
May 11, 2020 - 9:31am

#1425

CaseyJanes

Joined:
November 6, 2017

Guitars and UJB

Hey all, COVID seems to have me busier than I’ve ever been with both the wife and kid working and schooling here at the cave...so I’ve just been lurking here lately on the site, but I have to jump in on a good guitar convo.

Dennis, I’ve read that 1983 is right around when Gibson started producing great acoustics again, shifting back to some of the methods that they used on 60s flat top guitars. I would love to play that Hummingbird. I’ll bet it sounds awesome, and from knowing what I know of you, it is probably very well cared for! I just recently learned UJB. It was surprisingly (to me at least) very easy to learn and made up of only 5 basic chords (G, D, C, Am, Em) which are some of the first chords (and easiest) that most guitar players will learn. Rhythmically, the toughest part of the song IMO is probably in what would be considered to be the chorus....that is the part that goes “whoa-o what I want to know is ______________....there are some quick chord changes in that line which take some practice, but all in all, not to difficult. That said, singing it and playing at the same time for me is much more difficult. I have only recently been able to incorporate some singing along with my playing and I have been playing for more than 20 years. Some of that I think is confidence factor of worrying about what others think I sound like, which I really don’t give a shit about anymore, but the other part is that rhythmically it is not easy to learn, especially if the song has difficult chord phrasing. Did anyone hear the Bob Weir Shakedown interview from Friday night? He had some interesting comments about Lost Sailor and the reason it didn’t stay around for too long in the bands repertoire. Too difficult to play and the other band members didn’t want to spend the time on it. And we’ve seen that LS has only recently been brought back into D&Cs repertoire. So this got me thinking about the progression of Bob Weirs playing ability. Of course it’s widely know that Bob was nearly kicked out of the band early on because of complaints about his guitar playing. And to be fair he only started playing guitar at the age of 13 and then met Garcia just 3 years later. And any player is going to experience some plateauing, especially early on. That said, it make me wonder if the shift in style on WMD and AB were at least partly made in efforts to help with this handicap as the arrangements are much simpler and back to the basics. (Here is a quote from wiki on the subject:
“The incident apparently led to a period of significant growth in Weir's guitar playing. Phil Lesh said that when drummer Mickey Hart left the band temporarily in early 1971, he was able to hear Weir's playing more clearly than ever and "I found myself astonished, delighted and excited beyond measure at what Bobby was doing." Lesh described Weir's playing as "quirky, whimsical and goofy" and noted his ability to play chord voicings on the guitar (with only four fingers) that one would normally hear from a keyboard (with up to ten fingers).[13].

Cousins: what kind of guitars do you own? What gets the most play? Based on your bands genre, I’m going to guess a Fender Telecaster?

Here are my guitars:

1). 1996 Washburn Limited Edition Acoustic
2). 2017 Gibson Les Paul High Performance in Cherry Red Sumburst
3). Seagull Artist Studio CW Deluxe Element
4). MJT Custom Telecaster build that is aged vintage relic...Taos Turquoise over 3-Tone burst
5). Rhino issued Grateful Dead Dancing Bear/Stealie ukulele (don’t really play this one just decoration
6). I also recently ordered a Taylor GS Mini Koa Plus E with edge burst on my 4 years zero interest Sweetwater card. I needed a good travel guitar and this one gets phenomenal reviews....can’t wait!, but sshhhhhh! Don’t tell Mrs Casey!

-the one I play the most (currently) is the Seagull...most accessible hanging on the wall right next to the couch in my living room. It has a pick up so I can plug it in but I rarely do as it projects nicely anyway. It as a solid Sitka Spruce Top, with Solid Rosewood back and sides, Mahogany neck and Ebony fingerboard, gold vintage tuners. It’s a beautiful guitar that sounds just as good as it looks.

Oro - Great repo car story...had me LOL as usual! For those interested, I promise to finish my Gorge story very soon. Fell off the wagon on that one, but the details are still there. Anniversary is also fast approaching....bummed I can’t do the repeat as I planned for Boulder in July...hopefully we can get back at it soon!

Doc - Great to read your regular posts again. Glad you’re back.

Be Well Dead People!

KCJ

Led Ded: just read your post...couldnt agree more. No better hobby and incredibly gratifying when you are able to overcome a plateau....repitition and practice....I’m at least one hour a day usually early mornings or later at night!
May 11, 2020 - 9:29am

#1426

LedDed

Joined:
February 16, 2017

Yes, some of us really play...

I am a guitar freak. I have about two dozen electrics, two acoustics and a couple basses, untold effects pedals and several amps. I actually do pick up those instruments with my two hands and play the shit out of them, every day, sometimes only for a half hour and other times all day long, esp. on weekends.

It's the most gratifying hobby I've ever known. When you start out, you suck and sound like shit. Over time, you learn other people's songs, chord changes, scales, etc. One day you find yourself sitting there with a drink and wailing along to "Layla" at full volume, kicking ass and blending right into the record. And then, you start coming up with your own stuff. Some people eschew covers and play as themselves right off, but if there's a kind of music you like, learning that stuff gives you a toolbox of techniques from which to start doing your own thing.

You get out of it what you put into it, practice practice practice. I don't really practice so much as play, but you hone your skills through repetition and hours devoted as you pick up new things here and there. One of my favorite things is to crank up a "Big River" like the one on One From The Vault, and wail along with Jerry. He was so good in his prime it's sick.

I'm not in a band. I have a straight job and a family (and a mortgage etc.) However now and again getting in a room with other musicians, especially with drums present, and turning up is as much fun as it looks. Unfortunately it looks like a bleak time right now for anyone struggling to make it as a musician. First album sales were destroyed by the internet and bands had to depend on live concerts and merch sales. What are they going to do now?

A long time ago, I might have leaned that way, but I'm glad I went with the straight job, keeping the guitar playing on the side, pure artistic expression with no strings attached or record company bullshit. Last, anyone who's always wanted to learn to play the guitar, go buy a decent one and get after it! If you keep with it, it will reward you more than you can imagine.

\m/
May 11, 2020 - 8:53am

#1427

Deadheadbrewer

Joined:
February 2, 2010

Did someone say, "Saint Paul"?

LOVE that show from '77 (AND the Saint Paul show from the 1978 box), but cannot allow myself to get distracted from my E72 studies. I still need to finish Bickershaw AND Amsterdam, then get to Rotterdam on its anniversary today. The back-to-back concerts on this tour make things difficult . . .

I didn't get into Grateful Dead until I was 21 (1991), but if I had been born ten or fifteen years earlier, I would have attended those old MN and upper-midwest shows.
May 11, 2020 - 8:00am

#1428

Cousins Of The…

Joined:
September 10, 2009

@Dennis

Hey Dennis, I'll take your Hummingbird if it's lonely :-)
I play guitar in a band(Western Swing/Honky Tonk) , although not sure when we'll be able to play out again this year.
May 11, 2020 - 7:30am

#1429

Dennis

Joined:
November 1, 2012

Dave's guitar and Dave's Pick

Just got DP29 in from Real Gone Music. I never bought any of the DP's when they were coming out, my buddy was getting them and sending me copies, money was tight and what the hell. In the end, wish I had bought them all as they came. Now I'm too cheap to pay some of the prices I see for complete sets, and the wife would never understand :-).

I have to say for anyone who hasn't bought these real gone music releases, they did a nice job on it. At first blush I thought the bonus tracks weren't included, but though not listed, they are there. It was 60 bucks from amazon (got a price cut before it shipped!) So maybe I'll look into getting the real gone collection,,,,, if it's cheap enough :-)

Dave the Rock and the Gretsch - I know Dave's not the only one on these boards who has guitars AND I know absolutely NOTHING about guitars or playing. But I looked up your guitar and yeah, pricey things. The demo's online made it sound very nice. My question, can you really play? I've met many people over the years who have instruments of all types, played "in my youth", they can still strum a few basic cords, but really can't play. I have a Gibson hummingbird my wife gave me back in 83-ish, why, I have no idea. Maybe she thought I develop unknown talents. I told it's a nice guitar, quite a few people have strummed it over they years and say "very nice". But one night at the store a customer who came in all the time (doctor of some sort), had just bought a new hummingbird, asked me bring in my old one. Bastard sat down and knocked out UJB off top of head. Blew me away. BTW - said my old hummingbird was much louder than new ones.

So Dave, do you play? Also other folks out there, do you really play? I believe some of you are in bands?

Just curious.
May 11, 2020 - 7:20am

#1430

musicnow

Joined:
August 6, 2013

bonus disc

The bonus disc is simply amazing! Classic songs/jams and the sound is superb. This was a GRATE addition to a magnificent show. Thank you Dave!

John Perry Barlow

John Perry Barlow

Forums

Dead Store Products

"To my ears, the best Dead shows are those that not only fit the criteria that make them amongst the best of a year, but that are also completely unique for their era—shows that fit perfectly into their year of performance, but also fall somewhat outside of the norm for that year. Harpur College, Veneta, Cornell, Cape Cod, and Augusta are all shows that are objectively excellent, and if they are not the best from their respective years of performance, they are certainly unique. Miami 6/23/74 falls into that category: not only one of the very best shows from this outstanding year, but also one of the most interesting and unique. It’s certainly worthy of many, many deep listens." - David Lemieux

¡Ándale, ándale! ¡Arriba, arriba! We're back with a hot one from Miami, F-L-A. DAVE’S PICKS VOLUME 34 features the complete show from the Jai Alai Fronton, 6/23/74, one with unparalleled sound quality due in equal parts to the Wall Of Sound and the beautiful sonic clarity of Kidd Candelario's tapes. The first set is chock full of dynamite takes on classics like "Ramble On Rose," "Mississippi Half-Step," and "Cumberland Blues." The second set delivers on the JAMS - one leading into a gorgeous "Ship Of Fools," one rare instrumental version of "Dark Star," and a "Spanish Jam," this is Miami after all! The show also offers up a "first" and an "only" - the former, a Seastones set featuring Phil and Ned Lagin and the latter, the sole Grateful Dead performance of Chuck Berry's "Let It Rock."

Limited to 22,000 numbered copies, DAVE’S PICKS VOL.34: JAI ALAI FRONTON, MIAMI, FL 6/23/74 has been mastered from the 7.5 IPS reel-to-reel tapes to HDCD specs by Jeffrey Norman. ¡Agarrarlo mientras esta calientito! (Get it while it's hot!)

*Limited to 2 per order. Very limited quantity available.

Subscribed to Dave's Picks? With this release, you'll also get a bonus disc with selections from Miami 6/22/74. Excellente!

Robbz

I still think 'rock of ages' by def leppard is better.

Garcia live 13

this garcia live is really good can tell Jerry digging CC.

LAst five ish

jeff beck performing this week? live at ronnie scott's
CRB Betty's Midwestern Magic Blends
CLC Fearless Flying Frog Brigade Live Frogs sets1-2
Metallica S&M
Pretenders...Mix....got brass in pocket
current garcialive...someday baby

Carlo

Ha!...I used to play the shit out of that Pyromania album back in the day.

GarciaLive 13 is in the house....

....welcome to our quarantine Jerry! The Vguy household will spin you later tonight.

4/25/77 Capitol Theatre, Passaic NJ

It's in 30 Trips and is currently blasting through my Bose desktops. Nice concert. Jerry in his prime was just the best. Still had the chops, energy and young man voice then. And mostly dark hair. God, did anyone ever age faster than Garcia?

No matter. Landscaping update: as everyone has been on the edge of their seat regarding this, yes, it is done. About eight hours worth. I powered through with coffee and White Claws and Stones, Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes from my ghetto blaster. I did go kind of loud, and either the neighbors dug the tunes or were afraid to ask me to turn it down (either is OK).

I don't usually play Dead concerts on the anniversary date, but as I was scrolling down through iTunes I randomly picked out today's 1977 30 trips show and it was a few songs in before I noticed it, so I took it as a sign.

A sign that... who the fuck knows? Lottery tickets are already bought. Anyway this is a great show and I'm currently enjoying Brown Eyed Women. All women have at least one brown eye, and some have three. God that was horrible.

Last five (previous):

Dr. John - Gris Gris
Rolling Stones - Some Girls
Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes - Live at the Greek
Van Halen - Fair Warning
David Gilmour - Live in Gdansk

\m/

This....

https://www.forbes.com/sites/georgehoward/2020/04/25/the-grateful-dead-…
....as someone who loves to laugh, that brown eye woman comment achieved its purpose ledded. I raise my IPA to you sir.
Last high fives? Pretty much The Kinks and The Dead. Played Check Your Head by the Beastie Boys late last night too.

New

October 6th 2020

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Ledded…..I am sure you are an intelligent and reasonable human being, so why do you assume your neighbours would be too scared to ask you to turn your music down? And why is this ok with you, if they are ?

Kezar '73 ??

Anyway you slice it takes four disc's to release this show without cutting any songs. If it were a Dave's Picks disc 1 & 2 would be filled and the end of the show big Jam would have to be disc 4 (Bonus Disc). That leaves Disc 3 with only twenty minutes of music.

Would that be okay or would it need filler??? And what would that be???

East to West

Four Winds, your idea for a box set still sounds great to me, four shows from the Fillmore East and four shows from the Fillmore West. I would personally like ten shows from each venue, but would be happy as hell with whatever was released.

Thanks Billy

Yeah that would be great. I think I said June '70 and Sept. '70. I also think there are missing reels from these shows I hope that they have made there way back into the vault along with some '69 shows.

Fourwinds re Kezar 5/26/73

My guess is we get that in a May 73 box with the 3 shows that they did that month??? I know the other 2 aren't Betty Boards, just a thought!!! I love the end of the He's Gone from 5/26/73..... bob t

Bob T

The only other way is a Box Set. I wounder if Dave and Co. are trying to figure this out maybe we can help, but the only thing I came up with for fill is Kezar '75 and then I realize that had been released already (Beyond Description Bonus CD). The only two shows ever played there.

@ LMG

Can you expand on "October 6th 2020"?? Thanks

Vikes, Nappy, and IceCream

Vikes--It took me many trips and phone calls, but I finally secured some Jai Alai IPA from Cigar City to enjoy whilst spinning DaP34. It sounds like it's on back order, and given how many stores told me that they had been trying to get some for quite a while, it made me wonder if you were able to find any. If not, and you would like some for when the delightful package appears at the door, please let me know, and I'll gladly give you some of my stash.

Nappy and IceCream--thanks for the tips! Haven't torrented in a few years, but it's working well.

Last five PURCHASED (yes, still purchasing during the quarantine):
Rolling Stones Mono Box
Sheila Jordan: Lost and Found
Sarah Vaughan: Live at Mister Kelly's
Asia: Self-Titled
Minnesota Orchestra: a bunch of their new Mahler symphony series

Asia was one of my first cassettes, and Heat of the Moment was one of my first favorite radio hits, so I have sentimental love for this title. I purchased Asia Gold a few years back, which has the entire first LP included on it, but the sound on it is terribly compressed and brickwalled. Plus, who DOESN'T want that dragon cover to gaze upon? :)

Listening to Sam Cooke as I type this. His voice is like melted butter on warm lefse.

Be kind, rewind.

Last several, non-GOGD

With all this time to listen to music I have been able to squeeze in some other bands over the last few days.

Studio albums:
Van Halen 1-6.
Loaded them all into my carousel CD player and played them in order.
No Van Hagar allowed in my house.

Live:
Blues Traveler 6-5-93 (torrent)

Commercial Live releases:
Bowie July 74 Tower Theater
Bowie 9-5-74
(As far as official live Bowie releases go, Santa Monica 72 is still the best to me)

Kinks - One For The Road
Led Zep - Song Remains The Same
Hard Working Americans - We’re All In This Together

Shows

So during this time of isolation, my wife took it upon herself to clean out the utility room. She comes across a bunch of old photos of mine and tucked in there is a list of all the shows I attended. At one point I had saved every ticket stub, but unfortunately they were lost in one of the many moves as a youth. I mentally lost track of the later years as the number of shows started to accumulate, so I was overjoyed that she found a complete list.

After Brent died, I took almost two years off from seeing shows. Not sure what motivated the return, but we drove to Philly for the 3/17/92 show and scalped tickets. The show was nothing short of putrid. Thinking we simply caught an off night, we gave the summer Buffalo show a chance. A bit better, but not overwhelming. I remember walking towards the exit before the encore to get a jump on traffic. We heard them begin Baba O’Reily and just kept walking. I stopped going to shows for over another year.

From then on, it appears from the venues that we selected shows in an effort to meet up with old friends more so than to see the band. The band was simply a reason to reacquaint. In all the later years I only recall the fall 94 MSG shows as being inspiring, aside from a song or two. Summer 94, with Traffic, was the most disappointing. Traffic is a band I love.

In writing this I am not attempting to bang on the later years. I understand a lot of you enjoy this era and am very glad you do. It’s just interesting to reflect on your own mindset at the time.

Can’t wait for October 6, I guess.

Peace.

To Angry Jackstraw, That's…

To Angry Jackstraw,
That's funny!! 3/17/92 was my first show. I had not been exposed to any post-Brent tapes at this point. I scored some Saint Patties miracle drops before the show. Putrid is a fair description of this concert. Please, no one take offense at the following comment. My sight was hindered and I couldn't really make out the stage. I wondered why I had not heard that a African-American woman had joined the band (Vince) while hearing "Way to go Home" for the first time. After that the second set really fell into decay and I remember during Truckin' "How do they get with this?" (playing sooo poorly). Anyway, a few days later I got a soundboard of 6/14/91 RFK and was relieved to find that my favorite band wasn't totally finished after losing Brent.
End of story.

I'll chime in on shitty Dead shows witnessed....

....Las Vegas 5.19.95. Painful. Almost left at setbreak. But me and my gang stayed. Should've left.
Hindsight is 20/20, but that was a bad show. I give other late era shows a break, but not that one.
Next two were definitely better, especially 5.21. My only birthday show. Made it by the skin of my teeth.
Even so, the gang and I mail ordered for MSG '95 for our first east coast shows. That didn't pan out.

Can't wait to hear this show…

Can't wait to hear this show in full.

Luckily I was able to work from home since mid March - so i've been binge-ing on my boxzillas.
- Phish Baker's Dozen - As a whole some of it felt forced, but more than a handful of good jams for sure.
- 30 Trips - A chance to listen to revisit some that i haven't listened to in a while...77, 83 shows are monstrous! (67, 69, 70, 79, 84, 85, 87, 89, 91 are my fav) Wish they'd use a better show from 80 and 81.
- Currently halfway through Europe '72 box (5/3/72) - should finish the box before DaP 34 arrive!

Stay safe everyone.

Hundred Year Hall (and other musings)

I think I fell asleep mid-post on 4/24. I listened to anniversary shows Rockin' the Rhein and DaP 7, "Back to Normal with the Grateful Dead". Geesh if I posted this already, round of whoopsies to everyone at the bar.

Anyway, nothing to say about the Rhein that's worth repeating, but DaP 7 was the show that made a completist out of me. I was not a subscriber, but it was shortly after I picked up several E72 shows in 2014, still available ala carte on dead.net (ah, if only I could relive those days of discovery). Digressing here - my wife would typically question the need for a show every 2 weeks, then a show a week, then multiple shows a week. Exactly like Jimbo's Bird Song video. But my daughter's were both under 10 yrs old and loved the walk to the mailbox to see what goofy pictutre would be on the front cover of the newest E72 show. And just in case that wasn't enough, I began ordering those Liquid Blue Grateful Dead stuffed animal bears for them. At that point I didn't even have to look out for the mailman; I had my hench-kids on duty with a vested interest.

Anyway- let's get Back to Normal with the Grateful Dead. I forget what I paid on eBay, maybe $50 or $60. I selected it because The Music Never Stopped received rave reviews on Heady Version specifically for the jam from around 3:45 - 5:45 (it may still hold the #1 spot). Anyway, I listened to the entire show and the first set (including the fabled but overrated "Staying Alive" riffs) was a sizzler like I never recalled. I usually fast forward past those slow post-hiatus versions of FOTD; but I guess I didn't get to it in time, and before I knew it Garcia was absolutely shredding it up around the 5 minute mark - who knew? Not sure if he always does this on FOTD, but man does that first set sizzle. And to be honest the second set (sans The Music Never Stopped) was always the better part of the show for me. Anyway - DaP 7 - hot first set.

Hundred Year Hall - I'm up to Good Lovin'. One of my fav versions - the riff under the main verses sound super jazzy - like Vince Guaraldi Trio jazzy. Definitely one of the better shows. Can't wait for the Lovelight and The Other One.

Shows

I started seeing shows in Fall '84, the 10/9/84 Worcester show and saw a few a year in the NY, NJ, PA, CT, area from '85 to '88 and never felt disappointed in a show, even in Spring '86, pretty much always had a good time, often a great time. In '89 the only show I saw was the 7/2/89 Foxborough show and it was good. In '90 I saw one show, the 7/16/90 show at Buffalo, and it smoked, had a great time, gorgeous sunny day, cool vibe at the show, awesome. Left feeling like it couldn't have been better. In '91 I saw one show, one of the Spring '91 shows at the Knickerbocker in Albany, 3/25/91, and it was good. Last show I saw was summer '94 at the Meadowlands, and that show was disappointing. Left feeling generally bummed.

51 years ago today

The Dead played Whats Become of the Baby for the only time. This show was released as Dick's Picks 26. Unfortunately, the encore wasn't included. The encore starts out with a killer version of Viola Lee Blues, they play a recorded version of What's Become of The Baby and play feedback over it, or so I'm told by my brother.

Bad show witness

I saw the Alpine's from 87-89.... 6-22-88 just not good. Listen to Stella Blue!! Phil was late and flew in by helicopter, 22 minutes of pre-drums music... Scarlet>I will take you home, first time played... (I like, I will take you home, but not after a Scarlet... I think this is the reason 6/23/88 is everyone's favorite of the run... They must've had something going on at Lake Geneva after the show!! Sorry to be negative... bob t

re Keithfan Horton Field House 4/24/78

I went to Grad School there and was happy to get a copy of the show when i was there!! Normal in French means to teach and that is how the college first started as a teaching college.. Ironic right now I am listening to RPI Field House from 5/7/78.... Listen to the Music Never Stopped on the audience version...so good... Favorite Werewolves of London from 4/24/78 bob t

3-17-92

Don’t know if I’ve ever heard the recording.

I was at 3-23,24-92 and they weren’t bad (other than Wave To The Wind and Way To Go Home), I actually had a lot of fun and still listen to the recordings (but skip the aforementioned songs).

7-2-95 was the worst show I witnessed.

Nevertheless, I’m thankful for every show I got to see and wish I’d seen more. College and a general lack of funds really hampered my ability to go to a lot of shows.

Bowie live

Icecrmcnkd...Santa Monica 1972 is my favourite live David Bowie show, too. I was lucky enough to catch him live later that year when he returned to England. Nassau Colisseum 1976, from the Station to Station tour is another great one.

Wow Daverock

You got to see Ziggy and the Spiders? That’s awesome.

That’s my favorite era. The Ziggy DVD is great.

I saw Bowie in 87 and 90.

Ziggy

Yes, I was right at the front-I can still see him in my minds eye. They opened with Lets Spend the Night Together, with Bowie playing a synthesizer. First time I had ever heard one. It was also the only time I ever saw David Bowie, but I am sure, going off films I have seen, that he was great live in any era.

The gig I saw before this one was T.Rex. 1972...and completely oblivious to the Dead's visit. Or even their existence. I wouldn't have been ready for them anyway.

Bowie at Roseland Ballroom New york City June 2000

Bowie did a couple of shows at N.Y.C's Roseland Ballroom in June 2000 to warm up for The Glastonburry Festival later that Summer in Britain. Roseland only holds about 1500 and it is standing room -- no seats. I saw the last show which was a Greatest Hits night. I stood about 20 feet away from the man. What a great night that was! Oh and the ticket cost only about $40.

Been binging on The Kinks....

....Bowie might be next.
Universal statement. We all 💘 music.

Worst Show

6/15/95, Highgate

Shows

First show was 7/1/84. A pretty decent one. Then caught Alpine 86 and 87'. Both fun memorable runs, especially 87'. Show were good. Missed Alpine 88' but did attend Buckeye which was a really good show. First set was smoking hot like the weather. Then saw them in Ann Arbor and Alpine on '89. Epic shows. Had front row center tickets for JGB at Pine Knob but that show was cancelled late in the game (ironically Poplar Creek was the next night and just released). Saw a bunch of Dead and, Weir Wasserman and a couple of JGB shows in 90' and 91' and every one ranked from excellent to epic. 92' was my highest attended year of shows. Must have had the luck of the draw because even those were good to great.

My first real disappointment in a Dead show was 3/14/93. The night before was cancelled because of a blizzard. The night they played had moments, but the big highlight was the debut of I Fought The Law. Felt like the boobie prize. Granted, going back for a listen many years later and it wasn't as bad a night as I remembered. Saw a few others in 93' but nothing particularly memorable. Soldier Field with Sting was entertaining. Saw 3 in 94' including Jerry's birthday shows. Those were ok. Moments. In 95' I attended the Palace, Deer Creek and Soldier Field. Palace were the strongest of those, but by then Jerry was but a shell of his former self just a few years prior. His decline was rapid.

It takes a long time to bring the past up to the present

Morning, rockers!!

This just in:

Major upgrade to 3/3/71, courtesy of Jamie Waddell and Jason Chastain. Gentlemen, we thank you!!! The previous circulating copy of this little known and underrated show was downright crappy, portions unlistenable. It's a rocker, raw and edgy, good dose of greasy Pigpen, not quite April yet but it ain't chopped liver either...……………

You know where to find me...…….

Rock on my friends!!!

Doc
P.S. Worst show? Maybe 4/4/86, Garcia was out of it and blew the first set Crazy Fingers badly...…..

music and stuff

Vguy72...I agree with your universal statement about loving music. I feel incredibly lucky having such a resource to hand that keeps me (un) sane, and has done for decades. And when I think of all the gigs I have been to since 1972 - simply amazing good fortune. If I never go to another gig in my life, I have had exceptionally long and good innings.

Having just been for my weekly shop, I am reminded again of all the people working through this lockdown to keep things running as smoothly as possible. It is easy to take people for granted...but the incredible service that so many "taken for granted" people routinely offer is now becoming very apparent. So much of my happiness is based on the hard work and good will of others.

Worst shows

I’m finding the worst shows discussion interesting and since I was at both of the last two mentioned shows I was at I thought I’d throw in my two cents. First 3/14/93. – Yes a disappointment but not awful. It was lackluster – there was no energy in the room – not from the band not from the crowd. The night before was cancelled – and yes you can call it a snowstorm, but it was also called the “blizzard of 93” and “the storm of the century”. If you made it there you drove through historic weather conditions and had to dig out of three and a half feet of snow to get to the venue. The night of the cancelled show there were great parties in all the hotels which was cool, but getting to the show next day – no shakedown – freezing cold – it just sucked the life out of everyone. People sat for most of the show – seriously when did that happen? The “I Fought the Law” was the highlight, and it did feel like the booby prize – but me and my friends thought it was a comment on fighting the laws of nature and it was ok. But we packed up and headed south (after they reopened the highways) and were greeted with solid shows in Landover.

Highgate ’95 was HORRIFIC. The scene as terrifying. Well over twice as many people as they could handle – and this was in a field in the middle of nowhere Vermont. I was living in Burlington VT at the time and the show the year before was such a cool scene and such a fun show we had high hopes. Awful, just awful. Besides the chaos and the violence in the crowds - before and after the fences were ripped up - the band just sucked. Bob Dylan opened and he sang more clearly than Jerry. Thank god for Candice Brightman she was the star of that show.

But there were always nights that just were no good, it was the nature of the beast. It was the price you paid for the magic nights on the other end that were simply indescribable so I won’t try. But the bummers were few and far between… until 1992 and then the number of bummers as well as “OK” shows started to increased slowly at first and by the end of ’93 exponentially and the golden shows became rarer and rarer.

Still no shipping notice

Still no shipping notice here. Anyone else?

Any clue how many June 1976 box sets are left? I am a little surprised this hasn't sold out yet? I ordered mine on the first day and have 9,911.

Be well folks.

Worst first set

Red Rocks, 8-30-78... as I learned later, between July and August, after the heady shows of July 7/8, they recorded Shakedown Street, returned to the Rocks and completely bombed in the first set. They cut it short, took a longish break and after presumably making mental adjustments, returned to deliver a decent second set.

Perhaps after the July shows, everyone including the band thought you could just show up at the Rocks and magic would happen. It's a classic reminder that no performer is immune to a bad night or a weak start.

But between '78 and I think '87, I caught every GD show at the Rocks (it's 20 minutes from my house). And I think the level of performance tapered off in the '84-'85 period, but they never just blew a set like good old 8-30-78.

Glutton for punishment....

....I'm writing down everyone's worst shows attended to listen to at a later time. Should be.....interesting?

re: Glutton

...since you're compiling, you can put me down for that Highgate '95 show. Although I was shrooming pretty good, so I didn't realize the $hit that went down until the next day.

That was the night my brother and I had no car to sleep in, so we huddled literally on the cold Vermont Parking Lot ground with merely a bedsheet to share, as the entire parking lot was like gridlock.

Despite this show getting panned by most, I still never had a bad time at a Dead Show. I consider myself lucky to have been there at all, in consideration of the monumentally tiny sliver of time this Band was on this Earth actually playing all together. What are the odds of that? Truly a revelation.

Sixtus

I hope my post

was not misinterpreted. It seems have have initiated a discussion on worst shows. That was not my intent. It was simply a glimpse back to that portion of my life. Turns out I went to both RFK shows in 95. I spent the last 20 years thinking I only went to the first night and that Black Muddy River was the last song I ever saw. Go figure. Brokedown Palace as an encore in my first and last show.

I saw plenty of bad shows, but always had a good time. Well mostly. 7/4/87 was one of the worst, but also the most fun.

To paraphrase Jimmy Buffett:

Some of it's magic
Some of it's tragic
But I had a good time all the way

Foxboro 7/4/87 & Highgate 95 were the bookends of my live shows

7/4/87 was my first show - I worked as a stagehand. I loved the time and technology the band used to set up for the show. I had worked a lot of shows, mostly at Umass, but there was nothing like a GD show. When we built the stage, the staging towers used by the PA and light truss were isolated from the main stage. When they set the audio, they spent a considerable amount of time getting it just right. When the band (minus Dylan) performed the sound check they kept practicing and practicing Knockin'. The show got delayed while Dylan sat in the back of his limo in the backstage area. I loved the show and years later, listening to the archive or a tape, I realized it was not up to par to some of my favorite shows I saw.

My next shows after this was the pair up at Oxford ME, which were intense and wonderful.

But going to Highgate 95 was the epitome of a bad show, bad scene - I knew it was the end, but it did not stop me from doing Mailorder for the Fall run at the Gahden. We got our Mailorder tix the day Jerry died...

never

saw a bad dead show. Both 94 and 95 shows I saw were excellent, even the one where we all got tear gassed, it was still a great show.

only show I would call "bad" was 6/25/94

Las Vegas in late June = HOT _AF_. I was sooooo happy to return to Seattle after that.

The heat made enjoying the show almost impossible. And the performance was just blah.

I do remember seeing the moon rise, and a plane flew "through" it. I don't think that's a false memory...

8/21/93, 8/22/93, 6/17/94, 6/19/94, 6/26/94 (on cassette), 5/24/95, 5/25/95, and 5/26/95 are/were all excellent, so I can let 6/25/94 go.

back to great, great Grateful Dead

6/8/80: first set starts with UJB > Playin' > UJB :)))

I am almost through the first set (it has another surprise in it); I am of course looking forward to the second set.

6/23/74: oooohhhh, yeah....

Worst Show

10/09/94
USAir Arena - Landover, MD

It's no secret I have a love/hate relationship with Crapitol Centre, except there is no love. Unless you have AAA++ seats the shape of the building is just terrible for indoor acoustics.

In truth, the soundboard sounds better than what I remembered.. I was there with my finance at the time and I just don't have a good memory of the (last) Comes a Time, which is odd because I love that tune. I was either too busy babysitting a first timer through her first show (and another friend) or there is the possibility we left early, but I don't ever remember leaving a dead show early.

I hadn't seen a show since View from the Vault II, the 91 RFK show.. so it had been a while.

So there it is.. a C- effort with a couple high points and Jerry just looked and sounded terrible for the beginning of the second set. Still had an ok time, a bad day with the dead always beats a good day in the office.

The last was the worst. Here's why...

When I think of the vast amount of Dead shows I attended (5), I would say the last one, on 11/1/90 was the worst. The previous night seemed great musically, but I had argued with my girlfriend, we left the show early and she had gone home in a huff. To make sure of a better night on 1st, I ate a fist full of mushrooms before leaving the hotel. And got lost on the way to the show. The London Underground during rush hour is not the ideal place to trip.

But anyway, despite getting lost, I still managed to arrive at Wembley before the show started. I was up in the balcony, to the right of the stage where the keyboards were. When the band came on, and started playing I couldn't believe how bad it sounded. All I could hear was Bruce's piano and one drummer. I charged downstairs, and demanded to be let into the stalls, as the sound wasn't carrying upstairs. I was easily rebuffed by the bouncers and went back to my seat having narrowly avoided a good, and much deserved, kicking. The man next to me shared a smoke.... and everything slid back into focus. The music I enjoyed best that night was drums and space. This despite the fact that Dark Star was played.

So that was the worst show I saw. But it was me that made it so.

Maybe I'm missing something....

....but I'm up to space on 3.14.93 and it seems like a decent show to me. Guess you had to be there.

Worst Show I saw 30th ann. Phil's first

Was the last one I ever saw 6/18/95 Giants. This show had no or very little Jerry.

https://archive.org/details/gd1995-06-18.120080.nak.Boedicker.flac16/d0…

Worst Shows - Auburn Hills

I will add 6/27/95 to the list of worst shows. Band wasn't in sync, Jerry was just plain off. Remember driving home and my wife saying to me, maybe we've stayed too long at the party (first show for me was in '74, hers in '77). Good news is that we went back for the 6/28/95 show and that was good old Grateful Dead - left us with smiles on our faces. Who knew that would be the last show for many of us.

Wasn't at the Soldier Field show - the final one - but listening to boots of that one make a case for it to be on the list - maybe not worst, but not much better than that.

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