• Post reply
    8,084 replies
    marye
    Joined:
    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.

Comments

sort by
Recent
Recent Oldest A to Z Z to A
Reset
  • #2641
    icecrmcnkd
    Joined:
    2-19-71

    Anniversary listen

  • #2642
    bolo24
    Joined:
    Guess That Show contest. Take 2

    By request, so don't blame me.

    At the risk of becoming universally hated, here's the clue for Today:

    Miami greyhound squid

    PM your guess to me and show your reasoning. 3 guesses allowed per screen name, no new screen names.

    Winner will receive some lovely GD schwag from my underwear drawer.

  • #2643
    bluecrow
    Joined:
    3/24/73

    Glad to join you later today DV with Dave's 32. I had that in the need-to-spin pile last month but never did it right.

    For me there are great shows throughout '73 on all of the tours. Couldn't choose just one. In that first late winter tour what circulates from 2/19 International Amphitheatre, Chicago, has long been a favorite sequence. I'm assuming several reels are missing from the vault. This is sort of like the 2/2/70 Fox Theatre was for me before DaP6 was released. Back in the day no chance we would ever hear the whole show. Hoping the same sort of returned reel miracle happens with 2/19.

    Bolo - thanks for giving us another puzzler. Perplexing and nefarious sounds just exactly perfect.

  • #2644
    bolo24
    Joined:
    Well, OK...

    Give me a day or two to come up with something particularly perplexing and nefarious, just the way y'all like it.

    Yeah, BlueCrow's mind meanderings to come up with Melkweg were WAY out there. I'll have what he's having!

  • #2645
    DeadVikes
    Joined:
    Slim Pickings

    Good to hear from you Bluecrow, thanks man. Crazy time,.......

    Anybody up for 3/24/73 at the Spectrum, Dave's #32?

    As good as November 73 is, I think the March shows through Boston Garden show might be as good. Can't imagine what it would have been like to see this tour.

    There are definitely a few more shows from this Spring tour Dave could put out.

  • #2646
    bluecrow
    Joined:
    6/28/92 . . .

    That Set I is a doozy!! Just stacked with goodies. Tom Thumbs! To Lay Me Down! New Speedway > Smokestack to end the set?? Heck ya, would never have believed that had happened. Thought Set II started out a little wobbly on my first run through, will need to revisit. Nowadays Way to Go may be the only song I routinely skip. I'm always a fan of D>S from the later years and the post-space sequence is nice. Was really surprised how laid back the Around and Around was - I liked the arrangement. Fun pick, and one way outside my usual listening zone. '92 was only year I didn't see a show from '87 to '95. Had tickets to the 20th Anniversary at Veneta.

    With you Jim, definitely would like another shot at the gold ring. How about it, Bolo?

    I had a big post all teed up last week and for some reason the ptb thought i was trying to include a linque or some such and no matter how i reconfigured and rewrote it I couldn't get it past the censors. anyhow. a couple thoughts about the first contest. in a way more straight forward than I expected but still some deeply obscure history as befits a Bolo contest. didn't come close to peeling the layers of the onion off on that one. one funny dead end for me was that the Woody Allen film "Bananas" was released on 4/28/71, the second to last night of the famous final Fillmore East run when Tom Constanten sat in. I'm like, how can that not be it, that show or that run? but I couldn't make anything else work and of course there was a reason because that wasn't the answer. also chased a wild goose with "46" - that's the approximate length of that epic Playing from Hec Edmumdson, and at the time I think 5/17/74 Vancouver was a POTD. Oh and my first guess was the Melkweg shows in Oct. '81. I thought my reasoning was pretty good for those. Good but wrong.

    Speaking of Vancouver 5/17 I was spinning that in the car past 2 days. Stars were aligned on the way home yesterday with that Playing - Phil was simply crushing it. Felt real good. That PNW box is a gem.

    The 6/28 New Speedway Boogie caught my attention in part because I had been listening to the 12/20 and 12/21/69 Fillmore shows that are a part of DaP6. Had totally forgotten that those shows were the breakout for New Speedway. Really had fun with that release and right after that the Strider Brown special DaP 30 Fillmore 1/2 and 1/3/70. And right there with you WTJ as 11/6/77 and 1/22/78 Eugene also were in the rotation last several weeks. And have really enjoyed DaP 41- right in the sweet spot that one.

    DV - glad you and yours got past the plague. Big sigh of relief.

    Almost to the weekend. Have fun everyone. Be well. Be safe. Onward!!

  • #2647
    JimInMD
    Joined:
    Do Over Bolo?

    Simply because there's not much going on until the next release. Why not?

    Or are you already in Eastern Europe somewhere giving little gel capsules to unsuspecting tools? #DosePutin

    Edit: Perhaps we need to pause the picks. That will get Bolo's attention. Or say his name three times, that usually works.

    One Second Thought: Tomorrow's pic - 2/18/71? I think this might be a repeat too.. but rules are for the straight folks. Why 2/18/71? A question best left unanswered.

    Bolo bolo..

  • #2648
    icecrmcnkd
    Joined:
    6-28-92

    I didn’t go to Deer Creek, went to Soldier Field 6-25,26-92 and thought they were great (James Cotton on harmonica for a song or two, Steve Miller on stage for a few songs).

    I had 6-28-92 on cassette in the 90’s and wasn’t that impressed, but may have been biased since I was at the previous shows. I’ll revisit it eventually but not tonight since 10-17-72 is playing (worked my way through the STL Box over the past 2 weeks or so and this is the last show).

    I also had 5-31-92 on cassette and liked that show.
    I was at 3-23,24-92 (Bruce’s last as a member) and those are pretty good too for the most part (few stinkers), but I especially liked Music Never Stopped (good light show to go along with it).

  • #2649
    DeadVikes
    Joined:
    Shows

    Those are all great shows WTJ and in the rotation quite often for me. Dave's #25 in particular is one of my favorites.

    4/11/82 you say OB. I will for sure check it out.

  • #2650
    wilfredtjones
    Joined:
    couple 1992 notes

    1. If you are underwhelmed with 6-28-92, you are going to be even more disappointed with the next nights show which I understand from show reviews and my own listening to be a bit of a letdown.

    2. I had some filler from 5-19-92 (the opening few numbers CR+S, Rooster and Althea) on one of my tapes and my ears perked up. It was surprisingly hot 'for '92', as the saying generally goes.

    Take 'er easy and enjoy your listening. Past couple days I've been able to enjoy Download Series 12-10-73, 1-22-78 (DaP 23), 8-25-72 (DaP 24), and I've been embarking a bit on DaP 25 (11-6-77) a show that gets better and better for me with repeated listens. Even the oddball Scar>Fire. :-)

user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Submitted by marye on
Forums
Currently Listening To...
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.

....for one one the best shows I've heard them play. 9.7 goonie birds out of 10 and Don't Ease Me In hasn't even ended yet. Pure gold. Off today and the wife went to work. This one begs to be turned to eleven.
"Relax people. We have you all night long."

excellent anniversary pick! acoustic 1970 is such a special sound. so intimate, at times almost like you're seated cross legged in front of them in a small room with your close friends. once again, it's been awhile since I've listened to this set, more recently those in that awesome Road Trips 5/15/70 release. we really need another of these acoustic / electric shows from 1970 released. too bad that most of the fall run appears to not have been taped.

user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months

Submitted by Vguy72 on Sat, 05/02/2020 - 11:20

Permalink

....Jerry making that pedal steel sing. Outstanding!
If Henry doesn't get your foot tapping, better check yourself for a pulse.

....gotta take a break. Shower up. Because I know that the upcoming St. Stephen->The Other One->Cosmic Charlie is going to blow my mind and will have me picking my face up off the floor. Again.

....hitting that record button at the start of St. Stephen. Wonder why? "Guys! Wait a minute! I was hanging with the crowd! You usually take a longer break! Dammit! (Pushes the button). Ahhhh. All is good."
I got all clean, just to get dirty again. Let's gooooo!
The 6.9.76 RT release also has a cut start to St. Stephen. Hmmmm.....

DP 5 12/26/79✔️ Ahh, finally got back to this one. Been meaning to play this one. It was played all the time back in the day since there weren’t many official releases yet, or at least I didn’t have many. When DaP 31 came out I dove into as much fall 79 as I had, but somehow didn’t get to this one. So now, finally we get back to this gem. Typical for 79 but great first set, with an UJB to open the second sliding nicely into a hot Estimated. But the highlight to me is the 2 jams. The first is more traditional with them skirting around the edges of a Caution jam, with wiffs of DS and Eyes, but then Phil clearly try’s to start He’s Gone, but Jerry’s not ready until a few minutes later Phil starts again and this time they go with it, SWEET! Then after a nice He’s Gone, TOO, and drums, they slide into almost space like segment that gets delightfully weird. One of my favorite things from this tour is all the far out jams and weirdness that regularly popped up in the second sets. The rest is standard fare except a nice but perhaps a tad allegro Brokedown. Of course the big surprise is the Shakedown UJB reprise for the encore. It’s not surprising ole Dick put his name on this one, what a great 79 show!
4/29/72: ✔️so then I did this one to somewhat follow the European trail. I even had Sierra Nevada 2019 Ocktoberfest, Sierra Nevada Skiesta “Bavarian Style” and my last bottle of EKU 28. All leftovers I’ve been saving for too long for a tasting that’s not going to happen anytime soon. So not proper authentic German beer, but in the spirit of the event celebrating the fine show and DS from the sister city of my hometown, Hamburg.
10/26/89: after this one came up the other day I figured I’d give it a spin. Since it was getting late and the buzz was making me sleepy, I FF here and there and by the end of DS was falling asleep in the big boy chair, so decided, hang it up and see what tomorrow brings....was totally enjoying the show, but not sure I’d rank it above 10/9 or 10/16? I’ll have to slip back to this one after 5/2/70....

....is strong with this Spanish lady with a rose. Total cacophony, into a lulling bliss, then back into masterful ladder climbing. Its an auditory roller coaster. Pretty much perfection. Makes me feel high, without being high.
The 12:20 mark....for fucks sake. Rainbow colors blended.

my favorite year is '72, like the deep space mind melt of the Berkley show. but a fire-breathing cryptical - other one - cryptical is another beast altogether, and i love them too! phil thunder intro right now! holy shit!

user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months

Submitted by Vguy72 on Sat, 05/02/2020 - 12:56

Permalink

....its a full fledged Pigpen grease party. Incredible.
Life pro tip. If you have a grease fire, water or fire extinguishers don't suppress it. Gotta cut off the oxygen.
The 5:35 mark of Good Lovin'. Kicking into the extra gear. Reminds me of wild horses. Can only tame them so far until they race off.

....also marked.
Ducked out of the CD into the archive for the Cold Rain & Snow that was cut from the release. Earning my badge.

user picture

Member for

8 years 10 months

Submitted by The Good Ole G… on Sat, 05/02/2020 - 13:35

Permalink

“The goal is to find shows that can stand up under repeated listenings and still give you the goods.” - Dick Latvala

Harpur College – anyone with any common sense knows Harpur College is a show that should have come out centuries ago. It was ten years of trying to get that one up the flagpole. Healy would say, ‘That Latvala, he can’t tell the difference between stereo and mono!’ And that’s why he would reject Harpur College, cause the electric sets are in mono. So fucking what? Does anyone say that ain’t a great example of a show? I’ll tell you, it wasn’t like I snapped my fingers to have it occur, it was like embarrassing myself forever to get it out.”

Thanks Dick,
I hope you know how right you were.. LATVALA!

Anybody want Electric Wine? = Dick's Picks Volume 8

user picture

Member for

9 years

Submitted by icecrmcnkd on Sat, 05/02/2020 - 13:58

Permalink

Here’s the first paragraph of the DaP34 announcement:

"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

Sounds like you’re all having a good time with Harpur.

I have some more yard work to do, but then it’s Harpur, beer, grilling. Looks like I got a good evening coming.

user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months

Submitted by Strider 808808 on Sat, 05/02/2020 - 14:02

Permalink

My 2nd Dead concert was 5/15/70 early show. That was also first time seeing NRPS. Then Workngmans Dead released late May. May 3rd was free Jefferson Airplane concert at Central Park bandshell. Super intense , only one of two times seeing JA. Kent State happened in early May .Saw CSNY at the the Fillmore East at the end of May 1970. Neil Young had already written Ohio. What a month , fifty years ago!
Now to the electric sets.

user picture

Member for

13 years 11 months

Submitted by Gollum on Sat, 05/02/2020 - 14:06

Permalink

Great Other One descriptions Vguy & thanks for those Latvala & Lawson-Garcia quotes Good Ole.
I listened to Good Lovin' and Man's World on my Saturday outdoor stroll to the Grocer. Even the Man's World shines on this show. Every note was golden that night. It was great to escape my quarantine and be outside in the sun with bugs and dogs and the Grateful Dead. This show has always felt very Springlike anyways.

user picture

Member for

10 years 2 months

Submitted by daverock on Sat, 05/02/2020 - 14:10

Permalink

I first got this show-5/2/70-about 1987 on a very rough sounding tape. I only had a primitive ghetto blaster to play it on, but I loved it and played it to death.
So on to Dicks Picks, which sadly missed the New Riders set-which was on the tape I had, and seemed to be an essential part of the whole show. Its my favourite in the series. Then I got the vinyl last year, which has no New Riders but includes a somewhat ropey Cold Rain and Snow. But it is an incredible show in any format. The acoustic set is beautifully recorded-they could be here in my living room.

I always think of the electric set as being the last hurrah for primal Dead. The versions of Other One, Dancing in the Street, Good Lovin' and Viola Lee Blues are incendiary. It seems to me as though they take a bit of a breather with the shorter songs in the set, before diving off the high board again with these all powerful jams. I can't think of another Dead show that is like this, either. Unique and brilliant.

.....Billy The Kid said earlier "if there was one show I could time machine back to, it would be this one." I paraphrased, but you get the gist. Top 10.
Good luck to tomorrow's pick.

user picture

Member for

14 years 11 months

Submitted by bolo24 on Sat, 05/02/2020 - 14:44

Permalink

Listened to the whole night together for the first time. Even though I've listened to DP8 tons of times, I really absorbed it + NRPS this time around. I may have to wander up into the mountains for a week or so to process what I just heard.

I know we're a biased lot here on this site, but, really, who else is in the conversation for Musician of the 20th Century besides Garcia? Mastery of varied instruments and genres, improvisational skills, longevity, number of people played in front of....you get the picture. Yet try to find him listed on those inane "best of" polls that pop up from time to time. Sheesh.

Maybe our deadhead brains are just wired differently than the rest of humanity. If that's indeed the case...thank you, God!!

....either you get IT or you don't. Screw the "lists". I'm hard wired. Jerome John Garcia is/was the most pleasing guitar player, at least to my ears.
Miss you.

user picture

Member for

13 years 11 months

Submitted by Gollum on Sat, 05/02/2020 - 15:06

Permalink

Right on bolo. No other musician comes close to Garcia in my world. We are lucky....

user picture

Member for

8 years

Submitted by DeadVikes on Sat, 05/02/2020 - 17:06

Permalink

What a great pick, Strider. You people hear these guitars?

Haven't listened to this one a while, so great, the acoustic set! I know you Rider is so smooth and relaxed.

I have no clue when my Dave's 34 is coming. Tracking still just says lable created, not yet shipped. I guess it is my turn to experience the shipping blues.

Be well folks!

I, too, listened to the whole thing in one sitting. I managed to carve out just enough time and mother nature took care of the rest.. a relatively easy close by river was running just right, temps in the mid sixties (hey, that rolls right off your tongue).. I combined the listen with an outdoor adventure, social distance style.

Dropped off my bike at the bottom and proceeded to the top with my boat. A 12 mile wilderness canyon, a ten mile bike ride to the truck allowed me to be completely alone for the entire day with it. Most excellent. There and back again.. four and a half hours of mind blown fun, nobody could call me, text me, email me, tap me on the shoulder, ask me a question.. no one could disrupt a single note. Heaven. Plus I completely burned off the cabin fever that's been building up these last couple months. Man, if I ever get the chance to do what I did today again, it will be a life well lived. Holy shit what a piece of music. A psychedelic masterpiece, the entire thing. Oh, and to drive the point home, I did reach deep into my bag of tricks to make sure my mind was properly malleable for the journey.

No point for me to get into a song by song study, everyone else did a great job covering the details.

Great choice, great day. It really was not that different than what I described this morning.. not that different at all.

Edit: Out of shape and sore I am.. What a drag it is getting old...

user picture

Member for

8 years 10 months

Submitted by The Good Ole G… on Sun, 05/03/2020 - 06:41

Permalink

I love Paris in the springtime

Good times were had at Harpur College for sure!

Did anybody else get something cool in the mail yesterday?

user picture

Member for

13 years 6 months

Submitted by Thats_Otis on Sun, 05/03/2020 - 06:56

Permalink

5/2/70 might have left a smoking crater of our minds...

5/3/72, Paris - that should set it right.

GOGD - Still no mail here in B'more :(

Happy Sunday, friends.

Peace

user picture

Member for

8 years 10 months

Submitted by The Good Ole G… on Sun, 05/03/2020 - 07:05

Permalink

The music comes on and keeps coming!

It's in the music

It's in the water

More Dead

May 5, 1970 - Colonial News SUNY Binghampton by Richard Walinsky

OTIS: It's coming!
I'ma holding off and waiting for you all, for now... :)

Sunday listening = Olympia Theatre 5/3/72.. don't mind if I do!

user picture

Member for

16 years 1 month

Submitted by fourwindsblow on Sun, 05/03/2020 - 07:29

Permalink

Looks like everyone had a great show yesterday. I am on Dire Wolf right now sounds nice!

5/372 sounds like another fine pick. Thanks!

ps. I am wondering if anyone has any interest in doing a Sunday Night At The Movies with VFTV 4 7/26/87 Anaheim.

user picture

Member for

13 years 4 months

Submitted by JimInMD on Sun, 05/03/2020 - 07:54

Permalink

I'm in a bit of a mind fog myself.. not from alcohol. ..and my body hurts.

Right there with you Otis/4Winds. I will get up some energy to make a good day of it soon. I am thinking 5/3/72 sans the stem I chewed on yesterday.

Yesterday was a glorious day in Western MD. I owe it all you guys pumping up the good vibes.. and Bolo for keeping it all unreal.

Thanks all.

P.S. View IV is a monster.. The Jack Straw opener is epic and it just grows from there.

user picture

Member for

8 years 10 months

Submitted by The Good Ole G… on Sun, 05/03/2020 - 08:13

Permalink

Extra props for being one with nature yesterday JIMINMD!

This here 5/3/72 Tennessee Jed is the first one I ever heard...

No can do VFTV 4 tonight.. But that sounds fun!

user picture

Member for

16 years 1 month

Submitted by fourwindsblow on Sun, 05/03/2020 - 09:48

Permalink

Also The Playin'> D/S> Uncle Johns is mighty fine too. Miracle> Bertha> Sugar Mag, But the 7/26 has some unique Jerry just saying.

If this is not doable can I have tomorrows pick? Thanks!

user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months

Submitted by Vguy72 on Sun, 05/03/2020 - 10:33

Permalink

....but the arrival date got bumped to Monday instead of Wednesday, so there's that!
5.3.72 on deck. A 3h 40min monster! Going to have break this one up.

VGUY72 - 40 plus minutes of that close to 4 hours is a big bad Other One Monster that weaves in and out of Set 2.. and it's sounding pretty hot too.

And Monday is better than Wednesday fo sure!

FOURWINDSBLOW - The 5/2/70 Monster Other One suite is some of the greatest Dead ever IMO (and many others from the sounds of things).. and it never gets old, every time it's sick!

What's everyone thinking in regards to listening to Dave's Picks Vol 34?
They seem to be trickling in at diff times all over the country as we speak.

Just curious.. that Monster keeps looking at me...

Yes, for sure!

Love the Taper's Compendiums, out-of-date but still great!

Along with the liner notes article reprint it really paints a cool scene.

Damn, I'd love to hear the beginning of that St. Stephen, just hearing the crowd response to those opening notes..

alas, it's all a dream we dreamed, One afternoon long ago

user picture

Member for

16 years 1 month

Submitted by fourwindsblow on Sun, 05/03/2020 - 13:07

Permalink

This is a show i really like that I had not listened to in a while.

It's a really great show, the best!

11/8/1969 Dick's Picks, Volume Sixteen

Heard it was one of Dick's all time Favorites, posthumously released as a tribute to him.

I'm on a Latvala trip, Dick sure knew how to Pick!

Latvala!

user picture

Member for

16 years 1 month

Submitted by fourwindsblow on Sun, 05/03/2020 - 15:50

Permalink

Dick was the best!

I thought I'd make up for the '87 suggestion.

user picture

Member for

8 years 10 months

Submitted by The Good Ole G… on Sun, 05/03/2020 - 17:03

Permalink

FWB: Dude ‘87 pick is still in the mix!

Love ‘87 & haven’t heard that in awhile..

But.. it’s no 11/8/69
JIMINMD that was all FWB’s pick, I just picked up on it ;)

But yeah that’ll put you right back on the bus!!

user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months

Submitted by Vguy72 on Sun, 05/03/2020 - 17:12

Permalink

....is indeed a good show. Comes highly recommended by yours truly! 👍🌹💀
Then again, I was at 7.26.87. First world problems!
Back to Paris. Love the fade out from Sugar Mags into NFA. Good stuff right there.

user picture

Member for

16 years 1 month

Submitted by fourwindsblow on Sun, 05/03/2020 - 17:39

Permalink

Jerry was the father I never had and I like to see him when I saw him. Sometimes.

Never could compete with 11/8/69 I know.

ps, Just so ya know I'm a sixties head (Freak!).

user picture

Member for

8 years 10 months

Submitted by The Good Ole G… on Mon, 05/04/2020 - 07:45

Permalink

Dick Latvala's response to Jim Wise after receiving the "fixed" version of 11/8/69 master.

Initially planned to be released in honor of it's 30th Anniversary.

The amount of work put in to this recording in order for us to hear it at it's best possible sound quality, is impressive to say the least.

Another fine moment in Grateful Dead history, both the show and the story of how we are now able to listen to it.

Big Thanks to Jim Wise & Dick Latvala!!

user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months

Submitted by Strider 808808 on Mon, 05/04/2020 - 11:20

Permalink

I’m up for that

user picture

Member for

8 years 10 months

Submitted by The Good Ole G… on Mon, 05/04/2020 - 13:27

Permalink

RE: STRIDER 88

Would love to hear your 2nd Dead concert 5/15/70 early show story some time..

That had to be amazing.

Jesse Jarnow speculated in a blog post that this show was "possibly" the night that Jerry was tripping so hard that he began to think that assassins / mobsters were after him, and that the only way he'd survive is if he played for his life.

Of course there's no way to know for sure, but..

It sure sounds like he's playing for his life.