• 8,084 replies
    marye
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    Bolo24 says: An Idea, Perhaps? Since we're all going to have a fair amount of spare time on our hands for the foreseeable future, what about starting another thread where we all listen to the same show/release on a given day and then share impressions afterward? Folks can submit suggestions and one person (not me) picks what we'll all listen to - call it Deadnet Picks or something. Anyway, if this idea is deemed to have merit, I'd suggest one of the loyal regular posters take the lead and do the picking - y'all can decide who. Might be fun. If it does go forward, I nominate Dick's Picks 18 for the first listen. Been talked about here lately, and, had it been a single show rather than a compilation, we'd probably be talking about it in the same conversation as Cornell, Veneta, etc. Or perhaps even Gainesville?? Stay safe and healthy, friends - this planet needs as many Deadheads as possible.

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  • JimInMD
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    More on GD/Amps/US Navy

    I was close... if you google it you will get an answer pretty quick. Here is a quick quote from my first google land.

    Rosie McGee was cracking up at her desk when Dennis "Wiz" Leonard walked in from lunch.

    "What's the story?" Wiz asked McGee, then a receptionist and bookkeeper at Alembic, a California-based custom electric guitar, bass, and pre-amp company where Wiz worked as an audio engineer.

    "Well, the Department of Defense just called me," she told him. "They were asking if we could defer the purchase of our next four 3500s, so they could get four."

    Those amps were in high demand at Alembic. The 3500s, in particular, would be used in the Wall of Sound's vocal array tweeters, drum tweeters, and for Jerry Garcia's guitars. But was it just Alembic buying them up? A rumor was going around—a "urban myth," Wiz told me—that the US military was using Mac 3500s for sonar, specifically to listen for Soviet submarines.

  • Gary Farseer
    Joined:
    Passing the Test

    Isn't the goal here to be lighthearted? I try my best to not let the craziness of the world/media not get to me here? Isn't the goal here to be a kind prankster? They ask, "Are you kind?" Most of the flamers I look like as children, either actual age or not. Many are so deep in social media and issues that result thereof, they cannot see what it is doing to them. They are being handled, manipulated, and unwittingly abused by the profiteers. I try to stay away.

    Jim, had no idea of the McIntosh amp issues. Thanks for that piece of info. As much as I love the music, it is just how they were. So real and fun which someone wrote, "creating their own iconography." The richness of their traditions and internal musical dialog that we love is an unending source of comfort as they lived it everyday for 30 years. I wish I had a shot at hearing even 50% of their music, but as I have written before, my OCD makes me wear out a great jam over and over instead of looking for the next one. Need to work on that for sure.

    So Jim and Oro and many others, thanks for passing the test.

    G

  • JimInMD
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    GFar

    You are kind soul.. I appreciate all you provide here. Same goes to Oro. I think it would take a face to face to catch me up on all the technology (old or new) that the two of you bring for me to truly understand. As for old.. and I am sure you both know.. in either late 73 or early 74 (I think 73).. the GD got into a scuffle with DOD over equipment they were ordering that was desperately needed for national security. Apparently, the Macintosh amps they were buying in unprecedented numbers were needed both in general and more specifically by special, top secret subs that needed the clean sound and amplification to either detect enemy interference or better hear and make stealth the noise they were making. So they called the GD and tried to work out a way to either stall, postpone or barter a purchasing arrangement that would not jeopardize national security.

    I think this is well known, and I apologize in advance for going on memory and surely confusing some of the information listed above as fact. ..but what is written is pretty close, if someone can clarify and correct it would not offend me in the least.

    Hope I didn't write anything that was incorrect or in any way interpreted as insulting or offensive.

    As for chainsaws and sawzaws to clear way for our living room WOS.. what could possibly be more fun.

  • Gary Farseer
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    Sawzaw

    Ah the sounds of my earliest fun dentist. "You dont need no gas!"

    All my stereo stuff is old, always fussy. Running all old Yamaha into JBL (plus svs). Trying to get stuff cleaned and parts replaced. When it is on, it is quite the stereo indeed. I have an old yamaha eq that I hooked up when Dave's first show was released. Goes into Pre amp, then to a yamaha mx-830. The MX-830 is powering 4 jbl g300's and 2 jbl LX 600's. Running 6 speakers means the amp is running at 550 watts at 2 ohms. It cooks. The speakers all have same tweeters and mid ranges. The 300s run 8" woofers and the 600s have 10 inch woofers. It is old but as you say "in budget." Smile.

    edit:
    Then the svs has a 550 watt continous, 850 watt peak sledge. The svs I picked up a few years back for $399. I had to have a sub with an internal crossover. So out of preamp to svs (rca cables), then back into the preamp, then to amp. Having old yamaha means older connection points. Modern amps control the crossover themself and pump sub out already crossed over. I happen to run my internal sub amp at a cutoff of 82 hz. George Lucas uses 80 hz crossover in his THX sound systems. So I am slightly above that. I did some sampling of the room using the preamp features.

    G

  • JimInMD
    Joined:
    Do you have any '74 Dijon?

    Neanderthal's use chain saws.. a sophisticated audiophile attacks their living rooms delicately with a sawzaw.

    I'm totally jealous.. I am blasting with my 20 year old Denon, similar age speakers with no intents on upgrading anytime soon. Budgets be budgets..

  • Gary Farseer
    Joined:
    Yeah

    Can you imagine writing the real equipment book? With the constant upgrading of the system, that book would be multiple enormous volumes. Hope the Meyers have logged a lot of their research.

    No 18's here. Of course not needed.

    Back last year, Oro, you asked if I was running multiple subs. I am not. I have a 12" SVS Systems sub with built in Sledge D amp. It is like the rabbit, it is a thumper. Goes down to 13 or 15hz, so below the 20hz of human hearing. That is, if all memories about frequency response are still good. Starting to get the old enough to question my own thoughts at times.

    I am still hoping for the day when we can listen to WoS through a system that takes us to the "Fare the Well" P.A.. Would have to be software based, but I look at it like 4K upcoding an HDTV signal.

    Wow, FTW PA is now 7 years ago. Bet the Meyers' have gone way beyond that. I almost applied for a job at Meyer 7 years ago. Was in my career field. POTHead.

    That 2015 system had multiple flying 18's. It also had a load balancing system. This was done by having 2 systems, intake and outake. That is, they had 100 microphones throughout the stadium to push into the analytics software. Of course, the output systems was not connected except thru analytics, to the input system to avoid feedback. Brilliant. The analytic input system could then be used to balance the PA by section of the of the stadium.

    Sorry for interruption but I wanted find the article on pro sound web about 2015 FTW PA.

    I did actually find it, but not by searching pro sound web, but by searching internet at large and it found it on the pro sound web site, even though pro sound web could not find it in its own search.

    Let me know, maybe I can send lynk thru PM here, not sure if they cut that off.

    Any way need to do a little work after lunch. I mean a little work.

    G

  • Oroborous
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    Ha

    That’s what chain saws are for!

    Gary, I think besides trying to keep up with Garcia, Phil was using that big system on stage to help fill in those near field areas (up front etc) we were discussing, the areas that didn’t get proper coverage from the PA?
    What some refer to as the Phil Zone, though to me that’s was where both his stage sound and the PA sound merged and acoustically coupled.
    But yeah, My spine tingles and can still feel rather than hear those sub frequencies in my DNA. (By sub I mean below the threshold of hearing, not a subwoofer). Those Meyers 18”s in the PA were ridiculous in the right spot, in the right venue etc.
    Plus, it’s the Grateful Fucking Dead so why not go big!

    PS, that Grateful Dead gear book is great, though a little dialed down.

  • JimInMD
    Joined:
    I want what Phil's having...

    Home version. 18"'s and 4"'s. If I move some things around, they should fit.

  • Gary Farseer
    Joined:
    Oro

    thanks for the write-up, input. Need a little time to read again and ponder. Think again we are speaking the same language but as 90% of communication is non verbal, some times the written language let's us down.

    It seems I have the dead's equipment book, need to track that down. Not necessarily for this discussion but just to find it again...

    Should have figured Phil would use Meyer systems. Using 18's onstage, wow!

    Hope all well your way!

    G

  • Oroborous
    Joined:
    Phil’s Rig

    As of late 82 or early 83 Phil was using 4 Meyers cabinets: (4 -18”, 4 -15”), 2 per cabinet powered by custom PIE amps, until they started not using speakers on stage in 92. (Which I didn’t like).

    Not sure I get all what your saying? I agree that Soundboards do not sound natural for many reasons.
    Perhaps your referring to the phenomena of Microphones not having frequency response to accurately record bass waves combing sub sonic frequencies at those kind of SPL levels?
    Mic location can also make a big difference and was partly why Dan started the tapers section. Unless you have the right knowledge and equipment chances are a recording made too close will mot sound good.
    Plus you have the physics: the lower the frequency, the longer the sound wave. If your too close you’ll not hear the fully formed bass note etc.
    In fact if your too close much of the PA sound will blow right by you. You’ll also not properly experience stereo imaging. That’s why usually, the sound board or just before it was THE place to be. It was a trade off going up front: yeah you were up close and could see and hear their stage sound, but the PA mix was so above and beyond you that you missed a lot of info. Eventually they added little Meyers boxes, usually sitting on the front of the stage to add some vocals etc for those up close.
    Nothing comes for free! Personally, like Bear, I didn’t like the stereo set up because of this. Unless you were in the right spot, you missed a lot of info, especially if you were sitting on the side!
    This was the main reason Reserved seating sucked: nobody could sit where they wanted so if you were a sound nut like us, you often had to endure less than perfect sound/mixes.

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Bolo24 says: An Idea, Perhaps? Since we're all going to have a fair amount of spare time on our hands for the foreseeable future, what about starting another thread where we all listen to the same show/release on a given day and then share impressions afterward? Folks can submit suggestions and one person (not me) picks what we'll all listen to - call it Deadnet Picks or something. Anyway, if this idea is deemed to have merit, I'd suggest one of the loyal regular posters take the lead and do the picking - y'all can decide who. Might be fun. If it does go forward, I nominate Dick's Picks 18 for the first listen. Been talked about here lately, and, had it been a single show rather than a compilation, we'd probably be talking about it in the same conversation as Cornell, Veneta, etc. Or perhaps even Gainesville?? Stay safe and healthy, friends - this planet needs as many Deadheads as possible.
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Now when I go shopping I look like the uni-bomber hood up glasses on mask I'm afraid to go to the bank.

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One typo, 3-22-93 was in ATL not Oakland. Don’t know how this site got that wrong.
Oh wait, not surprised that this site has errors.

7-31-74, Promised Land just ended, I have a lot to look forward to while cooking. Probably time for some beer.

....es no bueno. Plenty of alcohol though. Whew!
11.10.73 Bob T says? Twist my joint.
The Kinks were incredible. Every album is different! You go Davies Bros! Reminds me of another band. Too bad they fought so much.

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....is a pic from the 7.31.74 booklet. Look at Garcia leaning back and blowing everyone's minds!! Yup. Kinda like that! Lookit him loving on Wolf.

I wasn’t saying to listen to it tomorrow, I was saying “Hey Dave, how about 12-18-73 for DaP36?”
But that doesn’t mean that you can’t listen to it tomorrow after 11-10-73.

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You’re so lucky to live in a cool state.

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....list shows attended. Pour some good bourbon, light a preroll and go!
Nevada is a cool state, Vegas mayor notwithstanding.
Prepping the grill for ribeyes.
I fear for my home city though.
I still have Primus tix for July in Vegas.
LMG says 10.6.20 will be a date to focus on. Kept it short and sweet. We shall see.

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My vote is for the Winterland show, though Curtis is incredible.

Maybe some Pig and/or Brent shows going forward?

Peace

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Bolo so incredibly envious i think is the word.... 11/10/73, first show wow!! Playing>Uncle John's>Morning Dew>Uncle John's>Playing, I think I would have passed out!!! Did you go the next night??? bob t

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Still working my way through this monster. Love the Scarlet opener. Great first set. Nice China Rider. Love the Eyes, WPS.

Every time I listen to this show, I always think the fidelity is just a little off. Doesn't seem to match some of the other 74 releases like Dick's 31, RT2
2.3 or Dave's 9, the May MT show, which are all A+ in sound quality. What do you all think? Do I have a bad copy?

Winterland 73, wow Bolo that is pretty cool that was your first show.
I am in on 11/10/73 for tomorrow.

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....I'm representing the Big Rock Pow Wow 5.23-24.1969. Road Trip Vol 4. No 1. I was one year old. Makes sense to me. Music to be birthed by.
You want the grease? There ya go.
Jimbo is especially fond of this release. Hard to argue.
If there are rules to this endeavor, I might have just broken them.

....was ahead of the curve.
Nuances. Jerry flutters the strings at the 1:50 mark of BE Women.....getting settled here.

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11/10/73 - Fine start with Bertha, Jerry's solo says it's gonna be a good night out of the box.

BOLO tell us a first show story!

And when you say "official" show, is there un-official shows? Just trying to be hip, on all the jive;)

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Bertha grooving I can see Bolo dancing, Jack, Loser into a beautiful LLR, Deal still climbing, nice Mexicali, wonderful Tenn Jed & El Paso, Fair Thee Well I want to cry, BIODTL, hoping Row J, and Weather Report takes me home.

Set 2 dives right into the deep end. Stella Blue, Truckin' are they teasing Nobodys Fault, psychedelic Wharf Rat

I remember listening to this run when I first got it 11/9 I thought was great, the 10th was okay some nice parts played very well. I think they were holding back some so they could blow everyone's minds on the 11th. It's played with enough energy to carry from 9 into the incredible 11.

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... As you can see, being a rock n' roller ain't no bed of roses.

Love these guys! 11/10/73 commencing.

Peace

Set 1 was a real nice trip.

iTunes is telling me I haven't listened to this since 10/11/13 @ 12:41pm & I'm thinking I was probably pretty toasted then based on the time..

I'm really getting a lot out of these revisits... so many days between.

Crazy to think that in 2008 this was the 2nd big Box Set of a run of shows released. Previously planned for 2006 release, who remembers waiting?

Brokedown Palace 1 of 7 from '73.. real good.
Weather Report Suite was so good too.
(little tape flutter I'm hearing in there?).

Time for a Set Break.

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In reply to by The Good Ole G…

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What show are we doing today, Winterland 73 or Big Rock Pow Wow? I'm so confused...

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I would be right at home at this one. Can't wait till tomorrow.

This site thinks I'm a robot. Do I look like a robot?

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I got a rabbit sits out front of the house everyday listening to the tunz. Them must be some good picks.

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Dillon Stadium had some kind of dynamic effect on the band. Exploratory China Cat /I Know you Rider . , think about 50 year anniversary of Harper College May 2 next Saturday . Considered one of the most amazing Dead concerts of all time.
Mark me down for Seminole Powwow, Alligator land.

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In reply to by Strider 808808

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November 73 is so damn good. This show is awesome. Again, the focused listen to get through the whole show in one day is fun. I will be checking out 11/9 and 11/11 again this week as well.
Sound quality is A+. First Plangent Box, what a great job and partnership with Dave and crew.

Always like hearing a Brokedown Palace. Of course the Playing/UJB/Dew/UJB/Playing sandwich is epic.

Great finish. Big River, Stella Truckin, etc. Casey Jones encore.

And you were there Bolo, wow! What a unbelievable first show.

Great Pick!
Thanks a lot folks.

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The sea was angry that day, my friends.

My brother and I arrived at the corner of Post and Steiner, queueing up to enter the vaunted Winterland Arena. It was my birthday present from him, and the first time I'd seen the Dead since 1/14/67, the Human Be-In (thats a whole 'nother story).

As we're waiting to go in, my brother ran into a college buddy of his, Dell Furano, who was working for Bill Graham at the time. He and his brother would go on to form Winterland Productions with Graham the following year.

Anyway, Dell decided that we should see the show from a unique vantage point - a wooden light/camera box perched on the side of the wall with a great view of the band, stage right. We had to climb up a less-than-stable wooden ladder mounted on the wall, and I'm pretty certain we and other friends of the Furanos exceeded the legal weight capacity of said box by at least 200%.

As the show went on, any beer that was confiscated at the front doors mysteriously found its way up to our little box. It was a pretty steady supply for the duration.

During the set break, we found ourselves in the middle of a spontaneous drum circle in the lobby. We were chanting and banging on anything we could find - trash cans, empty beer bottles, etc. After several minutes, a rather large security dude came toward us and pulled a wooden baton out of a hip holster. I thought we were in for it, but he just joined in, banging on a concrete column and grinning widely. The whole scene was as cool as one could possibly imagine - complete bliss!

After the famous Playin' sandwich to launch the second set, well, that was it for me. Plaster from the old ceiling was literally raining down on us as Phil dropped bomb after bomb, and I was in heaven - I'd officially found my seat on the bus!

After the show we hung around for a bit with a few folks, waiting until I felt it was OK to drive. I remember leaving through a side door, and I paused for a couple seconds and peeked out the door, because I wasn't entirely convinced that I was walking outside to the same planet Earth I'd departed a few hours earlier. Turns out my instincts were correct - the world would never look or feel or sound the same to this day. I, like all of you, was granted the extreme privilege of peeking behind the curtain. The soundtrack to my life had been established once and for all, and it's been a glorious journey ever since.

The End.

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From where I was standing, I could see directly into the eye of the great fish.

A Great and Well told story!

You just can’t beat that, thank you sir.

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"Mammal." "Whatever!"

11/9 Takes most of set 1 to get it dialed in, some roughs spots here and there China> Rider, Playin' pretty good. HCS to open set2.

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The "Brokedown" is gorgeous, that whole 2nd disc is great, and the "Wharf Rat" is glorious. It was fun to dive into the boys towards the beginning of 73 (DiP28) and towards the end. What a great year!

I have (surprisingly) never listened to Big Rock, as I missed nearly all of the Road Trip series on the original go through, but I have found a way to stream it - looking forward to hearing what all of the hype is about!

Peace

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....consists of beer brats with medium cheddar wrapped in crescent rolls and portobello mushrooms in a butter/garlic sauce with thyme and parmesian.
Looking for a chateau, 21 shrooms and one to go.
It works.
I'm no cook, but I spent last night at a Holiday Inn. Evens out.
Onto the second set.
Oh. And a merlot.

11/10/73 - Kidd Candelario’s tricked out 2-Track recording of Winterland ’73 along with Bolo24’s wonderful tale and copious recounts and reviews from GD scholars & fans took me there!

Said to be “maybe” the best 2-Track recordings from ’73 in the Vault quality wise

Set 2 Absolutely Rocks and the 1st of 3 PITB > UJB > Morning Dew > UJB > PITB palindrome is definitely the highlight. The rest of the set really sparkles too.
Really rockin’ Big River, nice Stella, top notch Truckin’ > Wharf > Sugar Mags, OMSN.
One of my favorite moments you ask?
Right before the Encore you hear a fan call for “Casey Jones!” and then “Drivin’ That Train…”
Ah.. Winterland that hallowed hall, I wish I knew you!

Ask and you shall be rewarded, right Bolo24?

Such a great first show story. Thanks again for sharing, I liked that firsthand account as much as the revisit, and the two together… Extra Sweet!

Yet another reason ’73 is mentioned as a “best” year for the GOGD.

Alright, onward you say? 5/23 & 24 of 1969 you say? Well, well, well…

After yesterdays revisit of '73 I'd like to hear that 11/11/73 Dark Star again & 11/17/73 DaP V5 Palindrome #2 again

So I’ll toss those two out to the wind and let’s see if they make it into our little revisit list..

But until then I will go with you all to the cosmic year of 1969!

PS - If no-one wants to listen to the two shows mentioned above 11/11/73 & 11/17/73 then, lmk cause I’ll listen to those in my “spare” time;)

ICECRMCNKD - 12/19/73 Complete Show Re-Issue / ReMaster. YES Please!!!

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Commencing now.

"Hard to Handle" right outta the gate!

Looking forward to this one... I'll be sure to keep my hands out of my pockets.

Also, got my shipping notice for Jai-Alai - looks like delivery by end-of-day Friday. Good stuff.

Peace

EDIT: Just saw that according to our friend Doc, 4/28/71 may be the best show in GD history. Well, I know what I am going to put on after the Pow Wow!

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What a show the 23rd is, how many times did they do St. Stephen>the Eleven outta Dark Star? This is a really good Dark Star and a very nice Morning dew, what's not to like. Plus I think this is the first Casey Jones. I have been to the Seminole Indian Reservation, went to the Phish show down there for the 1999 new years run, but that's a different story. I can only imagine how desolate and out in the middle of nowhere this show must have been, must have been a gas to drive on Alligator Alley to get to this show. I've also seen Alligators and Indians and have experienced Orange Sunshine, just not all together at the same time :)

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10 was dialed in so from Bertha on the sound was there maybe a few tweaks here and there, they were really able to hear each other very well kinda like 8-24-72 where you can hear all the nuances, and the band played very well. I made it to Eyes from the 9th it was late and things didn't seem to be clicking.

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Pigpen just heckles the shit out of the announcer.... "You ain't if you don't shut up!!" Listen closely if you never have... I threw a quote out from this show when i requested to listen to the Dave's Wichita 72 show, "Don't be programming it baby let's just get it on!!""" bob t

Running a little late, just getting into Set I of of 11-10-73. Bolo, that's quite the Origin Story!! Such a fun vivid picture to have painted for this collective listen. Wow, the sound is dialed in from the get go. Gorgeous. Another great pick o' the day. Disc 3 from the next night was in the road music rotation for a good while, but even that seems like ages ago. Looking forward to the Big Rock Pow Wow - that sequence with He Was A Friend Of Mine is sweet!

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The Spirit's are alive! The Katcinas here.

This show sound dialed I can hear everything twice the band is playing great, Dark Star through the roof. What i like most about the era is it goes right into it. Bear was The Sound Man I guess everybody else learned it from him.

When life gives you lemons you go put on Pow Wow from '69.

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I enjoyed today's listen - though I must admit that I did not do the back-to-back 30~min. "Lovelights."

"Death Don't" is a track that I need to listen to more often - one of my favorites from the earlier days, and I thought this one was haunting and perfect.

I too was at the Phish 1999 NYE shows in the Everglades, and yes, I did see some gators. What a trip it must have been to be there in 69.

Good stuff. And yes, the band really did seem to give that announcer hell.

Peace

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Sounds real nice. I hope that the 24th sounds good too but this Lovelight is pretty good.