• 8,064 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
Reset
  • Strider 808808
    Joined:
    NYE run 1981

    Joan Baez was very maternal with the children of the 80s. I’ve been listening to the complete 1981 NYE New Years run. 12/26/81 is amazing for the drums into the 11 section with exploratory improvisation. 12/27 has an awesome extended Playing in the Band into drums. The final Passenger was performed that night. I listened to 12/28 last night.
    That time in my life was exciting as I was in my 20s. I was moving south from seven years in Montana to New Mexico where I still live 39 years later.
    That New Years run along with 12/12/81 were my re-entry into live Grateful Dead after a four year hiatus. 12/31/81 was my first official NYE Dead concert. 12/31/75 was a quasi mini NYE dead show by default with Bob Weir and Mickey Hart sitting in at midnight. Close but no cigar (phatty).
    1981 was my first time seeing Brent live. Also my first time seeing Jerry play his Doug Irwin Tiger guitar.
    Joan Baez was incidental to the three nights I saw her play with the Dead acoustic 12/12,30,31/81. When I listened to 12/12/81 a couple weeks ago I was very impressed with Joan and the Dead playing Warriors of the Sun. What my impressions of these concerts are now 39 years later are most likely vastly different in perspective as to what I was experiencing then.
    Overall summary of December 1981 Grateful Dead, they were still a very exciting youthful improvisational band.

  • icecrmcnkd
    Joined:
    2020 Dead year in review

    This past year I listened to basically the same amount of live GD recordings as I have in the past 20-25 years. That’s because live GD is about the only thing I listen to, ~99% GD, the remainder being Jerry bands, then everyone else.
    The difference over all the years being an increase in the sound quality of the unofficial releases (cassettes > CD-R’s > torrents, with Miller upgrades along the way), and an ever growing quantity of official releases. There’s a lot out there to keep us busy. I wouldn’t want to have to endure a pandemic without the Good Ole Grateful Dead.
    That 76 Box was really what we needed when the shutdown and quarantine hit.
    WMD and AB 50th’s along with stellar sounding Port Chesters.
    4 new DaP’s, although some people may still be waiting on delivery of one or more.

    Keep the releases coming Dave and Co.

    I haven’t been keeping up with the NYE shows, but will try to get a few in this week (I did listen to 12-31-77 and 12-31-90 2-3 weeks ago).
    Watching 12-31-78 on NYE is looking more and more likely.
    Also have the 12-31-87 video, maybe will give that a spin this week too.

    I’ve been watching a lot of roc docs lately on the streaming channel Tubi (I ditched cable, have the TV connected to Ethernet). Anthem to Beauty was made as part of the Classic Albums series, there are a lot of episodes out there of other bands. Those and other roc docs are on Tubi.
    Last night watched a doc on The Police, narrated by Andy and including photos he took during the years. After a tour in Asia Andy and Stuart stayed in Asia on vacation. He narrates “while at the resort we met John Belushi”, a couple of photos of John are shown, “then we realized that there was a cafe serving magic mushroom omelets”......
    Then it cut to commercial....
    Anyway, it was funny because I watched Animal House a couple days ago.

    I guess that brings us full circle to 12-31-78 and the Blues Brothers video which I will also watch on NYE.

  • The Good Ole G…
    Joined:
    A Million Memories

    Aptly titled documentary for the Closing of Winterland.

    Even after I've listened to it hundreds of times, 12/31/78 can conjure the magic.
    It was fun to go there again.

    The Return of Dark Star.
    In my early days of collecting GD music, this tape above all others had a real mystique to it.
    Let's remember in '87 there was no internet, the first Deadbase had just come out if you knew of such things (I didn't), Unless you were connected Dead tapes were hard to find (we weren't).
    And so this Tape with Dark Star from 1978 was crucial.
    I had the '84 Dark Star, I'm not sure about the '81 and was unaware of the 2 from '79. And 1989 hadn't happened.
    So within that context.
    This show was proof, to me anyway, that magic could still happen.
    It epitomized the idea that you never knew what you might get at a Dead show.
    And it made me wonder, what other tapes like this are out there?!?!

    Well Thirty-three years later, there's a lot of tapes out there. But not a lot of other tapes like this out there.
    It's a special night for sure.
    And that's just one memory. I'm sure there are a million about this show.

    Dick Latvala would say it was the greatest night of his life.
    The only regret had about the DVD release by Jeffrey Norman & David Lemieux was that Dick wasn't alive to see it and deadicated the release to him.

    What an amazing show and time.

    Super glad that I watched Set 3. Seeing the band (Jerry in particular) rock like that, smiling and having a good old time.
    Priceless.
    And the Extras were calling me.
    I found my Bill Graham's favorite moments interviews.
    Both Parish & Bob tell great stories about the 12/31/72 NYE at Winterland and the guy on the rope / wire.
    And then Scoop Nisker interviews Bill Graham and he tells the story too and says it's his favorite memory of the place.
    Great Stuff.

    Also, I learned something new. I always wondered who those two guys were interviewing Bob, Mickey and then Kesey.
    They're just so awkward, I would watch and be like.. who are these guys?!?!
    Well now I know, they're KSAN DJs Glenn Lambert (wrote the liner notes for Cow Palace '76 & '78) and Norm Winer.

    Alright.. By the next NYE the band has a new sound and a new member and we're heading into a new era.
    The Brent era.

    And for many of us here it's going to be a good one.

    Strider... let's hear a Joan Baez story!
    And I second the notion of having listened to more Grateful Dead this year than ever before.
    I didn't think it was possible. But it is and I've been doing it.

    1981 NYE let's do this.
    (And for you warriors, sit through that Joan Baez set ;)

  • Strider 808808
    Joined:
    I got sidetracked out on Highway 61

    Back to the NYE shows.
    NYE shows I went to; 12/31/81, 12/31/84, 12/31/86, 12/31/88,12/31/89, 12/31/90 . Of the six official New Years Eve shows I attended I also went to the complete run each of those December’s. Throw in (almost) NYE Grateful Dead, 12/31/75- Jerry Garcia w/ Nicky Hopkins, 1/2/70, 12/29,30/77.
    Most other New Years Eves I’ve experienced seem tame.

  • JimInMD
    Joined:
    I'm behind...

    such is life..

    Still, I got in 69, 72 and some of 76.

  • Vguy72
    Joined:
    Today is Cow Palace New Years, correct?....

    ....I remember when this came out on cd. Played it for a week straight. Zero complaints.
    edit. Today is '78. Whelp. I better get to listening 🎶

  • Strider 808808
    Joined:
    New Years

    12/26/69 was wonderful yesterday. 12/31/69 two days ago was also super magical. I listened to 12/26/70 this morning. Will listen to 12/26/81& 12/27/81 later today.
    Have listened to more Grateful Dead in 2020 than in years. Also read more books than in years. Finishing On Highway 61 by Dennis McNally. Fascinating history. Super well researched.
    Peace out, no piece out.

  • billy the kid
    Joined:
    12/31/78

    I remember when the tickets went on sale they were $30 dollars apiece, we were shocked, we were paying $7 dollars to go to shows at that time. The tickets were given out through a lottery, you sent in a S.A.S.E. with your check and you either got back your check or you received tickets, we got shutout and got back our checks. The day of the show tickets wrent on sale in the box office, my brother bought one, I could have had one, I decided to stay home and watch it on TV, I was with a bunch of friends and we had a blast.
    ..

  • The Good Ole G…
    Joined:
    @Dennis

    Roger that.
    And back at you.
    Happy Holidays!

  • Dennis
    Joined:
    good ole GD

    check pm and email

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months
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.

If we are going to do 11/8/69, I am going to have to carve out the requisite amount of time like we did Saturday.. no distractions, no cell phones, no texts, no questions, no one tapping me on my shoulder.. and not the dreaded words, "one more thing" .. and of course get in the proper frame of mind beforehand.

Honestly.. these two shows, add in 2/14/68, 2/13&14/70, sprinkle in FW 69 for good measure and I have taken a liking to 1/2/70 + Bonus disc and an honorable mention for what I think of when I want to get in the transportation business.

Boy does listening to these shows take a lot out of you.. perhaps that's why they wrote AB & WMD.. to slow things down just before we careened off that cliff and into mental oblivion.

user picture

Member for

15 years 11 months
Permalink

GMLSG sounds as smooth as butter,,,

re, Well... I just hit play but, I paused it. Jim, when is a good time for you I'll wait??

The planets seem perfectly aligned this Thursday. That seems enough time to plan.

That will give us some time to switch things up too.. play around the calendar, pick shows from different periods too.

Does that give us enough time to plan?

That's a pretty nifty number ya got there!

I am all for Dick's 16, but if we need to pause on it to soak up Jai-Alai, I get that too. Let's keep this thing going! I am all for GD from any era!

Today was a good day for 74 Dead around here. Shortly after my early morning Dave's 34 was delivered (at 6:30 am!) I got another package from Real Gone containing Dick's 31, which I looked into after all of the discussion around these parts.

I hope I don't over do the 74 stuff - wait, I don't think that will ever happen.

Peace

user picture

Member for

17 years 2 months

In reply to by Thats_Otis

Permalink

....and the sound is already impeccable. And to quote Bobby "Its the real thing".
Just like Billy Sunday in a shotgun ragtime band. This pick came at the right time.

We can pause while the WOS gently peels the plaster from our ceilings.

Whatever works.

user picture

Member for

7 years 10 months

In reply to by JimInMD

Permalink

Okay on the pause for the Picks. I will keep my own going tomorrow as my #34 is still in CA.. Okay, no whining here, that gets old.

Oh yah I might have chased a couple women around..., the waiting is the hardest part.

Week eight of this crap, be well people.

user picture

Member for

15 years 11 months
Permalink

No problem all good. Those who have received the 34 happy listening!

"New ones coming as the old ones go"

Alright, sounds like the Pick of The Day is in hold pattern as we wait for & listen to the Pick of The Dave.

#34 to be exact - 6/23/74 & 6/22/74 Bonus Disc

Roger that.

I'll proceed accordingly...

Sherman set the Wayback machine to June 1974, we're going to listen to the Wall of Sound.

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months
Permalink

I love the overlap of old ( psychedelic ) & new ( country/workingmans ) . It’s the palindrome 69 major phase shifting. The sound of small venues compared to larger halls or outdoor concerts all have different ambience . Same goes for instruments ( Jerry’s guitars) . Gibson SG in 1969-70. A whole slew of different axes in 1971. Wall of Sound 1974, with Doug Irwin Wolf Guitar.
Suggesting different eras of GD has been educational, even heard / seen fresh, and in 2020. Who would have known fifty years ago.

RE: STRIDER 88

Interesting observation and I believe you've tapped into something.

Hypothesis:
Does inspiration then lead to a love of learning?

I would venture to guess.. Yes!

Prediction:
Being inspired by Grateful Dead music, if I listen to the Grateful Dead from many eras over and over and over, through the course of many days and years, I'll want to learn more and will be loving it!

Test Prediction:
Continue listening to lots and lots of Grateful Dead from many different eras and discuss with friends.. ad infinitum

user picture

Member for

15 years 11 months
Permalink

Perfect timing. I got an amp and speakers on the way. Had to take advantage of the 30% offer. I got the speak's for half price and ac line filter for free. I'll be putting off listening to 34 till I get set up.

user picture

Member for

17 years 2 months

In reply to by fourwindsblow

Permalink

Carson, CA 5.5.90. 30th anniversary.My final Brent shows.
https://archive.org/details/gd1990-05-05.141262.sbd.miller.flac2496/05S…
Rumors were rampant these shows that Timothy Leary was backstage dosing everyone. The band does sound "fat and juicy", so I can see where it could be true. Phil was turned WAY up.
I remember hanging out with some hare krishnas after the show eating free rice.

Strider...I think Jerry started playing a strat at some gigs in 1969, and on through 1970, as well as the mighty SG. This always seemed to me to be a signifier of the bands gradual shift to a more country based sound. As you indicate, they could still turn on the psychedelic power in 1969 and 1970 - but the times they were a changing .

Whew.. saved from an 11/8/69 induced nervous breakdown.

Edit: Saved for now. It's always the bats that start these things. Well, a melty PITB, then the bats. Look out for Dark Star>The Other One>Dark Star's too. A sure sign that society is in collapse.

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months
Permalink

Bats have got themselves a bad reputation lately. Hunter knew it long ago.

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months
Permalink

DaveRock , I can only go on photographs before 1970. I believe you’re correct, Jerry would use a strat for some late 69-70 songs. Of the ten times I saw them in 1970 I only remember the Gibson SG. 1971 was all over the map. Starting with seeing the SG my last time same night as Mickeys last show 2/18/71. The next few nights was the peanut Alembic experimental . By April Jerry was playing a Les Paul and then the peanut some nights. First time I saw Jerry play a Fender Stratocaster was at the Felt Forum 12/4/71. Then 2-3 strats through 72/ 73. The Wolf was a real game changer.
This is a fresh way of listening the good ole Grateful Dead.

user picture

Member for

10 years

In reply to by Strider 808808

Permalink

Strider...I am only going off photographs of course-I have nothing like the first hand experiences you are talking about. It must have been amazing to see them in 1970-1971-truly a mythical time. The photos I remember of him with a strat in 1969-70 are mainly in the Taping Compendium. Jerry is holding a sunburst strat in the picture accompanying the Feb 70 shows.
Its always interested me which guitars he played at shows-and Bob too, to a lesser extent. I watched the Festival Express dvd a few weeks ago, and Jerry is jamming with...a band who's name escapes me...but he is playing a tele. I don't think he played one of those very often.

user picture

Member for

8 years 11 months

In reply to by daverock

Permalink

Good call Daverock, I need to watch that this weekend

user picture

Member for

7 years 10 months

In reply to by Strider 808808

Permalink

Thanks for joining in on this one Vguy and Jim. Loved the cover last night Vguy. Recording is Multi Track excellence as all these shows are. Have not listened to this show in maybe three years. Of the three Omni shows, I usually pull 4/3/1990, maybe because of that glorious Shakedown opener.
Anyway, Vguy, agree with you on this show. Great first set, with a great Althea, to Lay me Down, Music Never Stopped. Even the Victim is good. China Rider, what did that guy say last night about Ship of Fools??
Great Truckin, Stella, Sugar Magnolia and one of favorite encores, It's All Over Now Baby Blue. Great show.

Check it out if you have not listened in a while.

Be well all!

user picture

Member for

17 years 2 months

In reply to by DeadVikes

Permalink

....Victim -> Lay Me Down -> MNS is solid. Raucous Sugar Mags. And who doesn't like a Baby Blue? I know this guy does!

user picture

Member for

7 years 4 months
Permalink

*

user picture

Member for

7 years 4 months
Permalink

I'm half way through 4/1/90. Althea was playing on our boombox at a motel room at an airport at the giants show in '89 with my friends. Like anyone would care.

user picture

Member for

7 years 4 months
Permalink

He called us fools talking about potholders and other normal things. Strange.

I didn't make it through the whole show.. but made it beyond the Victim/Lay Me Down. Let it be known I LOVE To Lay Me Down, but the Victim was so much better ( a song I don't normally adhere to).

Anyway.. just had to comment. Not coherent enough to add much more than that.

Who's fucking idea was it to watch Festival Express anyway.. a great yet terrible idea all at the same time. Thank god nobody drives cars anymore. My liver and my lungs both suddenly hurt both at once.

user picture

Member for

13 years 4 months
Permalink

Man, it was HOT down there!

Anyway, just catching up. I did dabble with disc 2 of Dick's 16 the other night... that is some mind-altering stuff. It looks like yesterday was 4/1/90 - just started "Touch" now.

Today is Three from the Vault? Sounds good to me :)

Peace

user picture

Member for

8 years 11 months

In reply to by Thats_Otis

Permalink

Sounds grate, and it’s not even Plangentized.

Smokestack Lightning! Grease it up.

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months
Permalink

I’m there. And was there.

user picture

Member for

13 years 4 months
Permalink

I loved that Omni show! I didn't get either of the Spring 90 boxes, so this show was new to me (at least for a good, quality sit-down and listen.) I LOVED it! The band is so hot, Brent in particular was on fire, the Bobby tunes rocked, and there were so many high-quality Jerry ballads. I mean, a show that has a "Candyman" "To Lay Me Down" "Ship of Fools" "Stella Blue" AND "Baby Blue" - c'mon... all played very well too!

Just started on 2/19/71 - the first Billy-solo show. Was this chosen to celebrate Billy's b-day? Good choice! I haven't listened to this one in a while!

Peace

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months
Permalink

I remember from 2/19/71 was, “where’s Mickey?”. Was disappointed at the beginning of the show. The level of musicianship had greatly evolved since 1967 or last time as five piece. They blew the roof off the Capitol Theater that night. Jerry played his Alembec experimental “peanut” guitar for the first time on 2/19 and continued to play it the next several nights.I went Thursday through Sunday nights. I vaguely remember Weir commenting on Sunday as it being slow. As I remember it was sold out all nights. Unlike November 1970 shows in Port Chester when I could buy tickets night of the shows at the box office. Fillmore East was harder to get Dead tickets and February 71 shows sold out in hours . I bought tickets by getting in line at 5 am on a December (1970) Saturday morning. “What’s become of the baby that cold December morn”. Blair Jackson was in that same ticket line. 70/71 was quite the phase shift. Keep em guessing.

user picture

Member for

10 years

In reply to by Strider 808808

Permalink

Strider...do you remember much about the ESP experiments at these shows?

user picture

Member for

7 years 10 months

In reply to by daverock

Permalink

Nice pick Conekid!.
Always thought it was odd this came out in 2007 and with no real explanation why it took so long to get it out.

Great recording with A+ sound quality. Really good Truckin, Dark Hollow, China Rider. Really liked the Greatest Story, early Bird Song. Did somebody say, Easy Wind? This was great and I wish this got more play as well as New Speedway Boogie.
Great finish!

Strider, you were there, really cool.

Good to see you here Oroborous, I thought a Spring 1990 pick might peek your interest.

Otis, as a huge Brent fan, you should consider the Spring 1990 box sets. Highly recommend.

user picture

Member for

11 years 10 months
Permalink

I think this is the thread where Jim mention Victim -> Lay Me Down (1990-04-01). I'm a huge fan of Victim, this is a great one. I think this is the depths that, Just a Little LIght, Blow Away, Foolish Heart (if Jerry could remember words when he came out of jam :-) ) could have reached. Picasso Moon probably didn't have much too go! :-) But I really like a good Corinna.

Great Victim though, thanks for pointing it out.

Is there a better "Just a Little Light", than Dozin' at the Knick? Come on? Is there? Just took it off , best.

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months
Permalink

Only that it was a random image , not all the time. I do remember Bob and Betty being set up on a side balcony booth. Saturday night was the major rave up night. NRPS finishing their set w Honkey Tonk Woman and the crowd going bonkers, balcony shaking. Weir, Pigpen and Pigs girl friend Veronica watched the end of the NRPS set from back stage right, Bobby shaking his head as if to say”tonight’s the night”. Highlights from 2/19 for me are Smokestack Lightning. Jerry’s use of the Alembec experimental peanut guitar looked amazing after he used his Gibson SG the night before. The peanut guitar was very small in its size but belted out a sweet big sound that was especially evident during Johnny B Goode, that had most of the audience up dancing. A few people at my high school would go one night only , but I was completely consumed.
Too bad there are not many (any)more 1970 tapes. Anything from either 1970 or 1971 is no less than spectacular .