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    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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  • The Good Ole G…
    Joined:
    the impossibility of sainthood

    I think you nailed it Jimi.

    It's funny, having spent a lifetime hearing this song and loving it, I'm not sure I ever stopped to think about what it meant. I just always loved the way Rick Danko would sing the Crazy Chester verse. It always gives me chills (even as I write this) how much emotion he's able to deliver in that line and the way he sings it.

    The songs always been a favorite. Since it came out in '68, I've been hearing it randomly here and there my whole life. I remember hearing the NRPS version from 5/2/70 with Bob & Jerry singing in around '88 (on the GD Hour I believe) and just losing my shit. The Grateful Dead are playing the Weight?!?!

    Then as luck would have it, having not seen the Dead since Alpine '88, I happened to catch a show in Frankfurt Germany in '90 and they closed the show with the song. I was so stoked, it felt like they were playing it just for me. And maybe they were that night. I had no idea they'd been playing it for awhile. Back then, if you were overseas, it felt like it :)

    Ah... Good Stuff.

    Thanks Jim, I enjoyed the trip.

  • JimInMD
    Joined:
    Re: The Weight

    For me, this simply means taking on additional burdens that were not of your making and how this impacts your life and can bring you down emotionally. How someone else's irresponsibility forces one to take the right action or do right in order to avoid a greater catastrophe or additional harm to others.

    Before I wrote this I decided I should revisit SongMeanings.com as it's been perhaps 20 years since I did this.. and there was a quote from Robertson I had not seen before that shed light on the songwriting process for this song. There is mention that specifics were purposefully left general so the song could take on a special meaning to the listener, which is certainly true for me. It also went on to add that Luis Buñuel was a major influence to the lyrics, so I had to check him out and watched one of his more popular films on YouTube, "Los Olvidados" or The Young and the Damned (with English subtitles). A pretty good little flick with a deep plot similar to the meaning of the song.. in this movie a young troubled kid gets out of kiddie jail only to continue his life of crime and destruction including theft and ultimately murder ultimately bringing everyone around him, even the most innocent down with him by mere association. Not the meaning I took from the song but just barely one step removed.

    To me, it still carries a deep, personal meaning.. like I said I was never meant to be the responsible one yet I have carried a whole bunch of people throughout my life including now.. professionally and personally. It's not very much fun, often depressing and exhausting. But we all make decisions in life that have consequences both to us and those around us. I am a severely flawed human but I do try to grasp and understand each situation and try to do right or at least the best I can. My own brand of pragmatism I guess and I really try hard not to burden others with my own stupidity or lessor actions.

    To tie this back to the Grateful Dead, I quote Phil Lesh from the Saratoga Performing Arts Center on 1985-06-27.. when two people were swinging dangerously from the balcony just before Stagger Lee Bobby stopped the show pleading that they stop hanging from the balcony to which Phil added, "Do what yourself what you want man, we just don't want you falling on somebody else." How many times have we all been that person that the guy hanging on the balcony fell on?

  • icecrmcnkd
    Joined:
    Fades, non-seamless transitions

    Fade ins and outs between CD’s is really annoying.
    Charlie Miller has been making seamless transitions for years, not sure why Norman has never figured out the concept.
    I fix all releases that need it with editing software before loading onto HD’s and music players.

    12-9-81
    Stella struck me as quite good last night. Don’t know if I never noticed it before, or noticed it before but then forgot.

  • The Good Ole G…
    Joined:
    On Tour

    DV - Yeah, Bob T twisted my arm and got me to go out on this December '73 tour, even though he ditched me in Cincinnati, we hooked back up in Cleveland. Sick Dark Star > Eyes bro!!!
    The Durham show was good, but 12/6 was probably the best so far and the stuff in Boston on 11/30 & 12/2.

    Just a few more to go.

    LMK if you're gonna try and make the show and have trouble gettin' tickets, we might know of an extra.

    Keep on Truckin'

    Best,
    GOGD

  • DeadVikes
    Joined:
    GOGD

    I hear you man, there are better 81 shows. Would be interesting to pick DL brain on this pick. Anyway, it comes off the shelve a couple times a year.

    Are you thinking 12/10/73 for today??

    I still don't have this from the download series.

    Stay well out there.

  • The Good Ole G…
    Joined:
    The 4 Principles of Quan-fa

    Master Strider

    You have summed up what I wanted to say in one line when it took me many.

    I still have much to learn.

  • Strider 808808
    Joined:
    12/9/81 Bob Weir

    Stand up comedy

  • The Good Ole G…
    Joined:
    in Concert '81

    Big fan of '81 Dead.
    But... for some reason the 12/9 show hasn't really grabbed me up by the ears.

    Let me clarify, I'm not bitching or trying to sound un-Grateful.
    I'm happy to have this show to listen to and think about and with this release I know I don't need another version of this show so we're all good there.
    But this is just me as a picky geeked out Dead Head discussing music with my homies during the ninth month of a global pandemic.
    That all being said...
    I think I have the same reaction each time I hear this show.
    Which is: surprise.
    Surprised this got released.

    That's not to say I don't like it, I just find myself drifting off thinkin' there are some real smokers in December '81 and I'm not sure this is one.
    First set is train wrecky, some pretty big audience patches needed, Bob being weird throughout.
    That all being said, each time I look at the cover I think, what am I missing about this show, and so I give it a go.
    I just haven't heard it yet. And yeah, didn't really hear it yesterday.
    Personally, I think 12/3 smokes this show, but nobody really axed me that.

    Now I'm listening to this China > Rider while I type and this is freaking good stuff.
    But yeah.. this show hasn't reached December '81 go to status for me, but hey, that's ok!

    And since we're talking.
    Have we discussed Fade Out Tracks?
    Since we're gonna be doing this CD medium for however long with Dead Releases, I'd love to propose something.
    There's this cool trick I saw some bootleggers do when we were trading CDs BITD.
    They'd add a separate Fade Out & Fade In track at the break point that way if you're not listening to the show on CD, say you were listening on a music playing device like a phone or what have you. You can just delete the Fade Out & Fade In track and the whole thing will be seamless again. So in this case, it'd look like:
    Disc 1 Track Listing -
    10. Looks Like Rain >
    11. Fade Out

    Disc 2 Track Listing -
    1. Fade In
    2. China Cat Sunflower >

    So what I'm proposing is Cut those tracks so that Disc 1 Track 10 lines up with Disc 2 Track 2 and viola! Delete Fade In & Out tracks and you have Seamless Dead for all of us heads that are not listening to CDs and love seamless GD.

    I sound bitchy. (read this whole post in the most non-bitchy way!! Just friends talking music here.)

    Alright, Break time ladies and Gentleman.
    But We'll Be Back Real Quick.
    (insert big Jerry guitar fan)
    See you in a minute or two.

    Now, the total opposite side of this DaP V20 (which had a decent SBD in circulation for years) is an Unreleased SBD that doesn't circulate like...
    December 10, 1973
    Now this.. this here folks is a Go To!
    Cause, it's all there is, there ain't no more (in circulation)
    Supposedly there's what 4-5 songs that got excised due to "sub-par sonics".
    (can't find any liner notes, anybody got the official explanation handy?)
    From the one set list I found looks like Jack Straw, Jed, El Paso, BEW got nixed from Set 1 and a MAMU from Set 2.
    But the rest is here in seamless glory for us to grok. And grok I must.
    As the wonderful strains of 1973 Playing In The Band begin.
    This sounds delightful..
    I'm so Grateful for all you archival music releasing people, you are special, Great Work!!

    Cast no stones

    PS - JiminMD after your suggestion, I did read up on the meaning of the Weight, which I had never done. It was pretty fascinating the speculation out there. Now, what do you think it's about?

  • icecrmcnkd
    Joined:
    Jumping in mid-game

    I don’t listen to music at work, so it’s at night at home and in the car.

    12-9-81 going now, but jumped to Bird Song, then Candyman, Cassidy, ChinaRider.
    Now on Scarlet.
    Yeah, not quite the same as 12-7-68, but I’m glad to have stuff from every year.

  • DeadVikes
    Joined:
    12/9/81

    Oh yes, this is the show were the Jack Straw falls apart.

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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.

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.

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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

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In reply to by Thats_Otis

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....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.

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In reply to by JimInMD

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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In reply to by fourwindsblow

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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.

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

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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.

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In reply to by Strider 808808

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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.

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In reply to by daverock

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Good call Daverock, I need to watch that this weekend

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In reply to by Strider 808808

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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!

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In reply to by DeadVikes

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

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*

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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.

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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.

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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

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In reply to by Thats_Otis

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Sounds grate, and it’s not even Plangentized.

Smokestack Lightning! Grease it up.

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I’m there. And was there.

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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

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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.

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In reply to by Strider 808808

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

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In reply to by daverock

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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.

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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.

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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 .