Grateful Dead

LOL, when I opened my device first thing I saw was “7 inches in October” and I thought somehow I went to the wrong site! Yeah, too early for all that!

PARK CITY: nice show, only heard on iPad but good for working.

12/5/81: cool, always wanted to check out this whole show. I know the 1st rocks so it will be good for working. JG was obviously diggin’ BRRB in those days. Believe that 5/17 one really rips...

SPELLING: you can call me anything, just not late for supper....but OB is fine, or Senator in a formal setting 😉

C.C. RIDER: long time so my memory etc, but I seem to recall the dbl time shift was a thing for a while, but it almost sounds like they all weren’t ready for it here? research project for GOGD....when was the first and for how long etc

5/17: I told ya that one just rips! I was just starting to move outta the local circle cause there weren’t enough shows and I was old enough that the rents weren’t gonna try and stop me. I didn’t have a car yet so I decided to take the bus after doing so for Utica in March. So off I go to Syracuse and see if I could score a ticket and go. Remember it was a Beautiful Spring day, not necessarily the norm in upstate. So I get there and it’s the usual scene in those days, very laid back, no shakedowns yet per say. Just a small number of friendly freaks lounging round the ole Aud. Awesome day but nobody had tix....somehow I find out that they’ll sell whatever few remaining from promos, promoter etc. so I manage to get a good spot in line and end up with a ticket!
Not sure where it was located cause I went right for the floor and low and behold just as security is about to come question me, I see an empty seat third row, Garcia side about five people in, boom I slide in and start asking if anyone’s sitting there etc and acting like this is where I belong etc and security backed right off. As I said, things were often pretty loose in those days. So the show soon starts and straight away it’s apparent that JG is ready and ripping.
Now they were still using the big Clare Brothers PA boxes and for whatever reason they didn’t hang them so they were on the ground and thus me being being more to the side they were almost right in front of me. So being that close it was ridiculously loud and believe me in those days I knew loud and this was probably the loudest Dead show I saw. To add to it, JG was trying out the new at the time McIntosh MC 2500 power amp instead of the usual MC 2300. Probably grabbed a few from MAC in nearby Bingo town? So the combination of these factors with JG just ripping was awesome, but I had my first collage final exam the next day and my ears were ringing so bad I couldn’t hear a word the prof said lol. Later, when I got the show on tape it reinforced what a hot show this was and it’s always been my favorite 81 show.

9/26 I don’t recall as much. It was a posse of us up in the side seats about halfway back which was kinda of a weird bummer for me as up until that show I’d always been up front with like 10th row at 11/9/79 being the farthest back I’d been. So up in the seats in a more social setting I’d sorta taken this one for granted. Remember On the Road again, but not too much else music wise? Finally heard it in just the last few years since my cousin said Dave kept playing it etc, so checked it out and it’s another good show, though I still like 5/17 better.
3/13/81: This was the first time I took the bus and went to a show myself. Nasty cold drizzly upstate late winter day. Friday the 13th to boot!
Ran into my peeps from one of the bands I roadied for and though I had hardly any money they talk me into going for dinner since it was so shitty out. So I spend a bunch of money and eat too much, and then grab a bottle of Seagrams as 7/7 was the R&R drink of choice then, at least in the other main band I crewed for. Now I had a pretty good tolerance in those days, but was too green to know that most Deadheads don’t really drink like that, at least not before shows. So I’m stuck in line for hours basically drinking most of it myself, which would of probably been ok except for all the joints....
So the gate opens, which is at the other end from the stage and we run in and not through the normal entrance but run down this isle and try to jump the boards but being toasty, trip and fall several feet to the floor lol. Luckily bumbles bounce so I’m up and running and end up in front of JG. As I say all would of probably been good except now you have the often long wait for the show to start so we sit and start smoking non stop joints. Well like Fat Freddy says getting drunk and then getting high is like pissing in the wind! So of course the whole building starts spinning etc but there’s no way in hell im giving up my spot on the rail. Dumb yute that I was I probably could’ve gone to the rest room and they would of held my spot, but instead I end up standing, more like slumping on the fence and sorta pass out, until, ooopppsss, barfed over the rail onto that little area between the fence and the stage where photogs and security etc would hang. Well some of the folks next to me got uptight even though I followed the number one rule of parting: no shootin’ without a cooler....meaning if you have to, just make sure it’s in a appropriate place. Not on or near people, or in the car or whatnot. So that’s what I did, it wasn’t pretty, but no one got violated. The security guys were grumbling a little but they put some cardboard down and eventually everyone chilled out. So now I’m basically sleeping standing up with the fence holding me up. But the dudes next to me kept trying to get Security to remove me, which wasn’t going to happen lol. Funny thing they were all trippin and got too high and during the second set a couple of them had to be pulled over the fence and carried out. Ha! Rookies! Lol.
So I distinctly remember feeling/sensing, since I was out, the lights going down and of course then the big roar and just as i open my eyes JG comes round the corner of his gear and we lock eyes for a moment and he didn’t look much better than me, or so I thought? He had on a blue or black long sleeve work short with a big burn in the. pocket like he put a half lit J or something in there! Anyway, I used to think this show sucked but after finally hearing it, again because I heard Dave had been playing it, it was yet another nice surprise. So there ya go, those are my 81 stories, and a testimony to how awesome it is to be able to hear these shows all these years later.

VGUY - No, that's normal bro.. Psyche!
Yeah, nobody says that anymore, excepting maybe us.
I'm thinking that's a one off, I saw it in my notes that this was the Double Time CC Rider and I'm pretty sure it's the one and only.

Looking forward to checking this show out, glad you all are along for the ride.
I'm working my way through 5/17/81, the Jim Wise Set 1 is sweet, I was also missing the Satisfaction encore, so once again glad that came up today. Favorite thing is discovering Dead I don't have on my drive.

Speaking of, stumbled on JGB Studio Sessions from Run For The Roses yesterday dated 12/7/81, you all heard that?
That's some killer stuff! Check it out fo sure if not.

I'll tell you what I'm doing..
Lay It On Me
I'm stalling...

Was hoping the Thursday Deadcast episode would drop so I could take it out on my walk.
Really enjoy walking to Podcasts, anybody else?
Something about that!

Alright, gonna head back to the home page and refresh and if it's still not there, I guess I'll have to get resourceful.

1981 is Fun!
Be Well All.

....it's got a Cumberland, so I'm going to pass. Psyche!!! (do people still say that?).
EDIT. This CC Rider is unlike any version I've heard before. Caught me off guard at the 3:30 mark. Whaaaaat?? Was that an '81 thing?

That made me LOL. Damn!

DV - Hang in there man, can't go anywhere anyhow, might as well hunker down with the GOGD and revisit 12/5/81 ;)

And maybe flip on 5/17/81 later, I've heard this band a few times, and this is sounding like one of them there shows...
Ouroboros is hungry!
(I might learn to spell that word yet!)

12/5/81 you say GOGD. I am in on this one. Thanks for the pick!

Have a good day all.

Winter came early here in MN. 7 plus inches of snow on Tuesday. Man, 2020 just sucks. ☹️

Finishing up Park City with my Morning Coffee.
Stella Blue sounding nice.

Good show!
Funny how often times BITD we'd have one Set or the other of a show and never have heard the other Set. (ie Had Set 2 of that show for years! I used to love the Set 1 Tape of that Show!)
Now, so much has changed in that regard. Makes me smile thinking about that.

BlueCrow finally got to check out Set 1? I really like that Set 1, it's got a real '87 GD feel to it and they sound pumped to be playing and like they're having fun.
(PS was just joshing about digging out the Vault, no need with the Archive, I don't even have a quality tape deck anymore, haven't for years)

And A Ho 1981! Keep those show stories coming. You all got me hankering to hear 12/5/81 and maybe revisit all of March '81 :)

12/5 is looking appealing today and it's been awhile S1 closes with Cumberland > El Paso, Ramble On, Passenger, Bird Song > Let It Grow! And that's after 4 songs already! Man.. what a band.
And yeah, the aforementioned BRRB in Set 2 along with Shakedown, PITB > D> S> Wheel> PITB sandwich.

I think it's calling us you all.
1981 spirit is in the air, I been saying it.
What's it gonna be?

PS - OB 5/17/81 is a SMOKER!
Ironically, I was looking it over after your mention, and noticed I only had Set 2 :)
No Set 1 SBD, but a fairly new Jim Wise Audience recording Clugston Transfer from 2018 that sounds really good.
Jerry just starts shredding at the end of Promised Land.
And this my friends is why I like it here!
Thanks for the mention bro.

Great show Bluecrow, Park City Utah! Yes, summer 87 was a blast. So many good memories.

And you have an 81 show in your bank. Pretty cool, would love to hear more about that.

Would to love to hear more about your 81 shows Oroborous, you lucky guy.

So, we are a little over a week to two new shows from 87! Can't wait.

And then early November Dave's 2021 subscriptions.....

Where's that box??

gonna toot the horn again on this one. finally heard Set I and on my 3rd spin or so through Set II in past several days - what a fun listen and fun show!! pretty sure my cassette was the Ultramatrix. who knew? it kicks ass. everything I remembered. though I didn't see this show, it really captures that great '87 summer vibe. FOB I listened to earlier was also excellent.
only '81 show I saw was 12/6 at Rosemont. Some solid moments including sweet Jack a Roe, China > Rider Set I closer, and a Set II To Lay Me Down. Just a few weeks earlier saw the Jerry Band at the final show at the Uptown - move to Rosemont sadly was end of an era. there were rumors that Dead were thinking of booking a final Uptown run but no. Oro mentioned 1st set from previous night in Indy. I haven't checked sources but the Set II from that night was smoking from what I heard at time - opens with a fat Shakedown and its freaking got a pre-drumz Big Railroad!!

81, yaaasssss another fine overlooked year! Love 5/6, definitely better than Dave’s 20. Can also vouch for 3/13, 5/17, and 9/26 as I was there and Dave and XM have played these often over the years. Always thought 5/17 was a top show and better than 5/16 from boxilla. Remember having first sets from Indianapolis 12/5?, and St Louis, and a hot 2nd set from KC. Had more back in the day but don’t recall. Probably not great recordings etc so didn’t get the same love as the others?
IMO I don’t think Healy should of gotten fired, or at least not until he did. Perhaps sent off to rehab....
He didn’t get canned because he couldn’t mix, but because of his personal problems, differences of opinion and being insubordinate. I think the collaboration between he and the Ultra-Sound crew/equipment provided the greatest live reinforcement ever!
Also, some mixers are good at live versus studio etc. I’m sure Betty had good enough ears to mix live, but that doesn’t mean she could have as there’s more to it than that. And conversely, if Healy only did recordings using the same rig as Beatty, I’m sure he’d do fine.
I’ve never felt the GD or any of the after groups has ever sounded as good. I love Cutlers studio stuff but wasn’t a fan live. Too clean and not loud enough for my taste. By clean I mean in the sterile digital sense versus that nice tube or tape saturation. For example, listen to E72 when they were still mostly using only Fender power on the instruments. You can clearly hear the tube overdrive on occasion. To some folks it sounds more like R&R than the ultra clean sound that evolved. It’s one of those fine artistic lines, not unlike a great chef.

so funny thing is I only had Set II so this is first time for Set I. Didn't even know the set list. Nice to see the Big Boss Man opener - they broke that out 3rd night at Red Rocks.
not going to dig through the avalanche right now. listening to the Ultramatrix and that may have been my original source. it sounds real good to my ears, much better than others I've heard from earlier in the year. I had no clue back then that Healy was experimenting with those so I would have thought my source was a sweet FOB pull. I'll figure it out some day.
enjoy this show and the day folks!!
edit - deep state coming for you senator! careful!