• 8,102 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
  • DeadVikes
    Joined:
    GOGD

    Right on!

  • dfun777
    Default Avatar
    Joined:
    ..

    ..

  • The Good Ole G…
    Joined:
    Memory Tricks

    I'm not always able to remember names, dates, details.

    Sometimes I'll look at a set list and think damn that looks cool and then I'll put it on and be like.. I know this show! I love this show, this show is awesome, why haven't I been listening to this show everyday and how could I forget that I love this show?!?!?!

    Now, you might say.. well you should see the doctor. But I'm not really talking about that.

    What I'm talking about is how the music jars the memory.. and it's not even memory, it's almost like FEELING.
    The music jars the FEELING you had when you heard it before and you remember that FEELING, cuz it's a wonderful FEELING.

    Are you FEELING me?

    Yesterday I had that when I was listening to St. Stephen > NFA > St. Stephen.
    I know that piece of music. All it's intricacies. It's sweet licks. I've listened to it over and over countless times forgotten. And when I hear it again I remember the FEELING and am taken right back.

    Trippy stuff!
    The Mind is a terrible thing to waste.

    Anyhow.. all that to say. Fuckin' LOVE 10/9/76 and am so glad to remember that I do.

    That Set 2 is blazed into my brain.
    The FEELING I got is I KNOW this tape! (of course it's not a tape.. but you get what I'm talking about).

    I believe I had this as a youngster, but I couldn't find any info about when this show started circulating. Not sure if it was broadcast on FM in the area? Looks like it played on GDHour in 1995, but I FEEL like I had it before then. Memory is so weird, but my memory is that this was one of my go to tapes in the day. Some shows, I know I had early on, 10/9/82 for example, but some FEEL like I had them early on, this being one, and it was formative. Or I could just be tripping.

    What a GREAT show and that 2nd Set is epic!

    As for today's wonderful trip, I cheated a little yesterday, I was under the impression initially that we were trying to listen to both yesterday, but then OB cleared that up, but I really wanted to hear PITB on my bike ride and it was sunny and epic and shit man.. there's no rules. So hot damn, I'm glad I did that, it was the perfect music and it took me to perfect places and now as I'm hearing it again this Morning, I love the Goddamn Grateful Dead!

    Happy Friday everyone this is some good shit!

  • Thats_Otis
    Joined:
    Day On the Green, pt. II

    I am with VGuy on this (as I have found I am on most things...) Dick's 33 is HIGH on my list, and is my favorite 76 release. I personally prefer 10/9, but 10/10 has some truly great moments - I really love the TOO>Stella Blue on this.

    I also agree wholeheartedly with Casey J and the others here - Oroborous, your stories are great, keep em' coming.

    I hope all is well out there, and happy Friday, Deadland! I'm off to Oakland again!

    Your Regular GD Cheerleader :)

    Peace

  • The Good Ole G…
    Joined:
    Daze On The Green

    Great Lost Live Dead blog post on these shows (link below) with some interesting perspective on the scene at these shows.
    It's hard to imagine fans not digging what the Dead were laying down.
    I wonder if The Who performances are recorded and around anywhere?

    BOLO24 - they mention the following - "The stage was in center field, and so of course the outfield bleachers were restricted to those people backstage who wanted to see the performances. The story goes that Garcia was out there late in the afternoon, dancing to The Who without his shirt on. No photographic evidence survives, to my knowledge."

    So you can let Corry know you've got the picture ;)

    And if you need any help getting those organized just let me know!

    Lost Live Dead Grateful Dead & The Who - http://lostlivedead.blogspot.com/2015/08/october-9-10-1976-oakland-coli…

    Have Fun on The Green!
    More to Come

  • CaseyJanes
    Joined:
    Oro Stories

    Dude, are you kidding me? You and your evil twin (where’s The Other One been?) have some of the best stories around these parts. Would be a shame to keep those to yourself. I think most would agree that it’s better than reading copied set lists and plagiarized liner notes?

    Anyways, Mrs Casey and I had a similar experience in the bathroom at her friends lake house in the Ozarks circa summer 2004, except the victim was towel rods, and thankfully not the sink 😂. We still joke about that....had our 15th anniversary yesterday, so I must have done something right !!! 😉

    I admire your quick thinking with the hotel manager. I do feel bad for the kid though...I mean without a sink to wash your hands...I’ll bet his hair stood straight up all day...There’s Something About Mary Comes To Mind!!!

    Happy Friday Dead People!

    KCJ

  • Vguy72
    Joined:
    The Slipknot! Outta Samson....

    ....they are sonically surfing. Fuck yeah!!

  • Vguy72
    Joined:
    10.9.76 Second Set....

    St. Stephen ->
    NFA ->
    St. Stephen ->
    Help On The Way ->
    Slipknot! ->
    Drumz->
    Samson & Delilah->
    Slipknot! ->
    Franklin's Tower ->
    One More Saturday Night
    -
    US Blues

    Notice the ->'s. The Music Never Stops indeed!!
    I crave this set. Nom, nom, nom.
    Garcia hits a couple sour notes at the start, but then the ship rights itself and onward we go!!!

  • DeadVikes
    Joined:
    10/9/76

    Yes, always a winner for me. And I agree Oroborous, you can hear the band moving quite a bit different than they were in June 76. Love the Scarlets from this era. New Minglewood rocks. The whole second set rocks. Man, what a run it was. Looking forward to 10/10/76 tomorrow.........
    And again Bolo you were there! Really cool, you got to see some unbelievable shows...Yes, these guys were masters of delivering a different experience every time they went out there. Genius, absolutely! Would love to see some of those pics. Might be time for another Bolo pick soon?

    Hang in there Oroborous, we love you man and don't take it personally. I would say over 90% of my comments are met with crickets, but that is okay.

    Good to see you Bob t. Nothing to say, yes that 6/18/74 show is really good. Jim gave us that pick a while back and that RT2.3 is solid. Can't believe at one point I didn't pursue it because it was not complete shows. What an idiot!

    Be well folks! Finally hot here in MN. Always reminds of summer dead shows.

  • The Good Ole G…
    Joined:
    Walnut Creek

    Damn, you saw all the fun stuff!

    Funny, I was just reading about Pete Townsend and that he was living there at the time.

    I guess his daughter wrote about it in her autobiography and mentioned being an "American Suburb Child" with the likes of Justin Kreutzmann.

    Sounds like Pete mighta been hanging with Jerry & the boys off work :)

    BTW this show is epic, but you already knew that...

    More to come, my contacts are making it hard to see or at least something is.

    Peace Out :)

    EDIT: PS - really want to see that picture (and all the pictures)!

    Good afternoon(s)

user picture

Member for

17 years 7 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.
user picture

Member for

14 years 1 month
Permalink

Jerry's vocals here are so smooth and pure. Sometimes, I love hoarse and gravelly vocals on this tune ( I love the Augusta 10/12/84). But this one is sweet.
It's amazing how well Keith's electric keys fit in here. He was truly one of a kind.

That was awesome!

I'll save you the blow by blow as you'll all be feeling them... and they feel good.

RE: ORO - Ha ha, if the outing by Jimbo you speak of is Geeking Out majorly over the Grateful Dead.. then I'm afraid we've all been outed.
If it's something else to do with being a bot or a spy, then I'll let you, BOLO24 & JIMINMD keep rolling with that..
But yes, Here's to GD Geeks!

RE: ALL - Thanks for all your input yesterday on how you roll this fabulous music, I was too lazy & long winded to respond to each direct, but seriously good input and a lot to take away. ICECRMCNKD that's some next level backing up, you're hardcore, Impressive! ORO: Networking info, wow just wow! Like JIMINMD read it all, understood some. Glad to know you all. I'm not going to let this info go to waste and will continue to refer to it as needed.

This all put it into perspective... I'm NOT the only one who spends untold amounts of hours pouring over this stuff, collecting and perfecting and loving it!

Glad to be one of the many!
Keep on Rockin'

PS - JIMINMD - I think you're right about that fatty / bowl :) Hampton '87 might need some love one of these days!

user picture

Member for

10 years 3 months

In reply to by Gollum

Permalink

I really enjoyed listening to this. A consistently great show, from the first track, through to the last. I like the way the opening trio of songs are the same ones that open the Blues For Allah album, and the last track is the one that closes it. It feels like the whole show is encased withn the vibe of that album.
In many ways, its quite a strange show-unique. The fact that it is consistently great means that their are less peaks and troughs than in a lot of shows. It sounds almost choreographed - no rough edges at all. As Gollum says, the singing is excellent. I would single out Crazy Fingers in that respect - beautifully sung and played.

I listened to my vinyl copy of this, which sounds great. I wonder if a single show from the 76 box will come out on vinyl ? I am not getting the box, but I would go for that.

user picture

Member for

5 years
Permalink

What a great show from start to finish, heck I'd put it in my top 15 Dead shows of all time, it really swings.

user picture

Member for

17 years 1 month
Permalink

Just listen to one anniversary song if you have time. Playing in the Band 5/21/74 HEC Edmundson Pavilion... part of the Pacific Northwest Box... Longest Playing ever... bob t

ha.. I just did.

Had a nice 47 min soak in the tub to wash away the stress (etc.) from grocery shopping. Lossless, wireless Sennheiser's in tow.

Tomorrow might just be Portland '74.. one of my favorite China Riders.

I guess I need to be more faithful to the show of the day. Working on that.

user picture

Member for

13 years 5 months

In reply to by The Good Ole G…

Permalink

..and another BobT Shoutout.. is that PITB from the bonus disc from Jai Alai Fronton. I listened to that one soaking last night.

Both are holy shit good. It's no wonder I have a hard time conforming to the show a day play.

I might just prefer Jai Alai, so jazzy.. not a wasted note anywhere and not a note or chord too much. Notes, scales, chords and weirdness were performed exactly as needed.

user picture

Member for

8 years 1 month

In reply to by The Good Ole G…

Permalink

I was always a big fan of Milkin the Turkey. The first release! So good. Definitely short, but stellar. Is it the first analog digital digital CD?

And how about a Blues for Allah encore! When I was a young pup I always had an infinity for the Blues for Allah release. It was so different. I even had the Blues for Allah tapestry. I think it finally met its demise in the late 2000s. Should have held on to it.

Thanks again Oroborous! I have a lot of work to do.
What's on tap for tomorrow?

user picture

Member for

14 years 1 month
Permalink

Sounds like a good one, to kick off this weekend, the "unofficial start of summer".

user picture

Member for

13 years 5 months

In reply to by DeadVikes

Permalink

I'm in. Starting... Now.

10/19/73 came up on the Dave's Picks page.. I don't think we covered that one yet.. did we? If not.. we might slide that into the queue sometime over the next few weeks.

Great energy on this thread since day 1.. thanks to all of you and Bolo too.

First Official Recordings from the Lost Betty Boards seems fitting with Betty cued up for the AMA tonight.

Wish Betty would do a Shakedown Stream Pre-Show... that would be cool.

Good Pick Bob T!

I was on the fence of suggesting either:
9/27/72 DiP V11
10/19/73 DiP V19
But kept quite to see who else might have some input.

So I second a review of 10/19/73 soon!

And 9/27/72 is looking mighty good too.

Happy Friday Everyone!

user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months

In reply to by The Good Ole G…

Permalink

....today's choice is mucho excellente. I'm in. At work today, so trying to locate a good sounding version. Looks like there's only two out there. Both Wagner recordings.
edit. recordings sound ok, but I was spoiled by the 78 Box. Will listen at home tonight after Betty's AMA on Reddit.

user picture

Member for

13 years 7 months
Permalink

... what a gem! Agree with VGuy (and many others here,) first listen to this show was a hell of a nice surprise! Still my favorite of this beauty of a little box, which also happens to be my favorite 78 release - so I suppose that makes this show my favorite 78 so far.

Two discs of pure GD gold - all killer, no filler!

Peace

user picture

Member for

7 years 1 month
Permalink

Spent a lot of time there....suppose I'm obligated.

Loudest stadium in the country! I'm in!!!

KCJ

Edit: Loudest as long as there are people in it ☹️

user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months

In reply to by CaseyJanes

Permalink

....are you still at your same address? Gotta mail you some local brews and a keychain/bottle opener to make good on our SuperBowl bet.

user picture

Member for

15 years
Permalink

Saw a couple shows there a few years ago, most notably Leftover Salmon. Fun show to catch if they show up near your town, btw. Anyway, H>S>F from One From The Vault was played during the set breaks, much to the delight of the assembled crowd.

On to Arrowhead and some good ol' KC BBQ courtesy of Willie and friends.

user picture

Member for

17 years 1 month
Permalink

Looking back now, remember all we had of the first 3 shows, Kansas City, Omaha, and St. Paul were audience tapes, never on my radar at all. 7/7 and 7/8 were widely circulated in tape trading days... Jimin MD we are on the same wave length with last nights 5/21/74 Playing, and when I was climbing the walls this morning I almost said 10/19/73, (I love the wheat field and sky on the cover!!!!) If you get a second, I never realized the Willie Nelson picnics had such a long history before and after!!! Doing yard work right now, on Big River, hope my neighbors enjoy this concert, because I am.... bob t

user picture

Member for

7 years 1 month
Permalink

About ready to have some myself...burnt end platter...yum! Same address Vguy, I’m not going anywhere soon! looking forward to those beers!!!

Is anyone familiar with Willy’s son Lukas? I just picked up his new vinyl, Turn Off the News And Build A Garden....good stuff!

user picture

Member for

13 years 5 months

In reply to by CaseyJanes

Permalink

KCJanes has moved to Maryland. I am sending his new address via PM.

Edit: Heads-up.

In looking through the previous posts, it's obvious his previous account here was hacked, probably by a grifter, beer guzzling ex-neighbor who collects plundered bottle openers. Be careful with your passwords folks, this stuff happens all the time.

user picture

Member for

13 years 7 months
Permalink

...perhaps my love for this show was bolstered by the uniqueness of hearing it for the first time, the overall great SQ, and the excitement of it being the first show in a shiny new box.

I have listened to this show a number of times in the past, but this time through, I am seeming to notice a lot more of the "warts" than I have previously. "Bertha" starts strong, and the playing on "Good Lovin'" is hot, especially the end - but the singing is all over the place on that one. Not terrible, but just off. Donna has a number of miscues throughout the show, off-key clams, which I thought were pretty rare after hiatus. "Tenn Jed" is good, and "Jack Straw" is powerful, despite a few minor miscues. "FOTD" sounds flat and out of tune to these ears - "MAMU>Big River" is good and peppy.

I think I really noticed the "off" quality of this show during "Terrapin"... Jerry seems kind of lost and there doesn't seem to be a lot of "inspiration" to move him or the band brightly through this one...

"Playin" through the end is great though, and this is what I remember the most about this show. What are they saying right after "Drums"? Something about how "they set it up backwards..." then the crazy laughing/hooting/creepyness that goes on throughout the "Space" is awesome - must have been weird for a lot of folks there to see some good ol' boy country. "Estimated" is a high point, and "The Other One" is 78 power... "Wharf Rat" and the double shot of Berry to close it all out is hot, and in the end, they managed to pull out a good set, in spite of themselves.

I really do think that 78 is the most hit-or-miss year of the 70s.

An Ok, but somewhat mediocre disc one, HOT disc two (save that "Terrapin.") I still love a lot of what is here, but I think I am going to have to reevaluate this show as both my favorite release from 78, and even as my favorite of this box. Official score: 7 / 10. Kind of sad, but I suppose people change...

It was a fun listen anyway! What's on tap for tomorrow?

Peace

user picture

Member for

17 years 6 months
Permalink

A great box set . Arrowhead Stadium is a fun one long set. Any time the Dead could share the stage with Willie Nelson would have been Americana at its best before Americana became a hip term for a broad music genera .

user picture

Member for

13 years 7 months
Permalink

I am really enjoying this first set! On "Deal" now, and overall, I think this is a better disc than Arrowhead disc 1. I'd forgotten about the hilarious mess-up in "Mexicali" and how damn awesome this "Peggy-O" is!

I just may work my way through this whole box over the weekend, along with the Show of the Day (of course :)

Peace

user picture

Member for

17 years 6 months
Permalink

Lukas' band is Promise of the Real, they are fantastic. They played with Neil Young for a tour or two, missed that one, but have seen them live and they can really jam. All of their albums are good, but the first Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real is the best one for sure. Catch them live next time you can.

user picture

Member for

14 years 1 month
Permalink

The thing I love most about this show is how it just SOUNDS like a hot sunny stadium show in Kansas City. I can imagine the KC BBQ, warm beer, and sweaty hippies packed liked sardines. Man, that all sounds good right now. I agree the show really starts to pay off in the Playin jam. This jam sounds louder and more aggressive than the sublime one from Dick's18 just a few months earlier, but vive la difference. Now I'm into the weird Space, hoping for a gentle "come down" by the end but who knows?....

user picture

Member for

8 years 1 month

In reply to by bolo24

Permalink

Welcome to the rock and roll barbecue. Can you imagine. The Dead as the opening act for Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. Imagine if you were there for the country music and you saw these band playing Terrapin Station and then later the Other One? And I agree with Otis, this Terrapin is no 77 Terrapin, not smooth, but still a great show.

I still love listening to all these shows. They are all different.

Be well folks!

user picture

Member for

8 years 11 months

In reply to by DeadVikes

Permalink

Good stuff, good stuff.

You all wanna dig in to some 10/19/73 tomorrow?

VGUY72 - I see you over there asking Betty questions on Reddit... I hope she gets to it, seems like she's trying to answer them all. I decided to throw one in too, fingers x'd.

How cool is Betty Cantor-Jackson?

I'd say Way Cool!

user picture

Member for

17 years 1 month
Permalink

Ever since Fall out from The Phil Zone, i love this song... my emotions go crazy, happy.... sad..... you name it, especially at 1:20 in the morning over served!!!! Looking forward to Oklahoma City in the morning... Mind Left Body Jam is great!!! Good night all, be safe...bob t

....she didn't answer me. Yet. She answered some good questions. In Arrowhead Space currently. Seguing into Prophet. Nice.
Told ya I'd get caught up.....

user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months

In reply to by Vguy72

Permalink

....Weir yells, "Easy now, easy". He followed that up the next show during the Mexicali stumble, "paying attention". Then they dare to follow up a raging Mama Tried w/ a Peggy-O?
I concur.

user picture

Member for

8 years 7 months

In reply to by DeadVikes

Permalink

*Complete Setlist- Primo!
*Disk #1
First set:
"Promised Land" (Chuck Berry) – 3:44
"Sugaree" (Jerry Garcia, Robert Hunter) – 8:18
"Mexicali Blues" (Bob Weir, John Barlow) – 3:58
"Tennessee Jed" (Garcia, Hunter) – 8:00
"Looks like Rain" (Weir, Barlow) – 8:05
"Don't Ease Me In" (traditional, arranged by Grateful Dead) – 4:24
"Jack Straw" (Weir, Hunter) – 5:32
"They Love Each Other" (Garcia, Hunter) – 5:44
"El Paso" (Marty Robbins) – 4:51
"Row Jimmy" (Garcia, Hunter) – 9:23

*Disc two
"Playing in the Band" (Weir, Mickey Hart, Hunter) – 18:23
Second set:
"China Cat Sunflower" (Garcia, Hunter) – 9:11 >
"I Know You Rider" (traditional, arranged by Grateful Dead) – 6:18
"Me and My Uncle" (John Phillips) – 3:34
"Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo" (Garcia, Hunter) – 7:30
"Big River" (Johnny Cash) – 4:52

*Disc three
"Dark Star" (Garcia, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, Weir, Hunter) – 15:45 >
"Mind Left Body Jam" (Grateful Dead) – 10:41 >
"Morning Dew" (Bonnie Dobson, Tim Rose) – 13:55
"Sugar Magnolia" (Weir, Hunter) – 10:10
First encore:
"Eyes of the World" (Garcia, Hunter) – 14:31 >
"Stella Blue" (Garcia, Hunter) – 7:57
Second encore:
"Johnny B. Goode" (Berry) – 4:08

user picture

Member for

12 years 1 month
Permalink

I will freely admit I only hunt and peck out bits and pieces of these picks of the day. It takes a real commitment to pound out a show every day. (commitment or committed?)

Also, unlike most, I don't know if I ever listened fully to my first show. My first show was 4/1/80 - Capitol Theatre. This is the show where they all came out behind different instruments at the start of the show.

Had it playing in the car yesterday, got to He's Gone. I floating along thinking this is a GREAT recording. It hit about 20 seconds of patch in the middle lyrics (audience) and I'm thinking it's one of the patches that everyone talked about. All through He's Gone I'm thinking I'm listening to a Dave's the sound was so good. Then I look at the dash and see the show date and remember I was listening to my first show.

I wish I knew more when I saw this show, but I was new to everything. The Capitol only held about 3k people.

So maybe try 4/1/80. Shakedown encore!

user picture

Member for

14 years
Permalink

Yes, nice call. I haven't appreciated this show as much as others in these forums and I'm sure it's just an oversight! 9/27/72 was also mentioned- that may be a keen idea. Surely that show is as great as the more celebrated 9/21/72? (Dick picked it a lot earlier!)
Spitballing:
*Winterland 6/8/77 Lemieux sez top 10 of 1977, 19 min. Eyes
*Cape Cod 10/27/79 Lemieux gives shoutout in Dave's 34 blurb
*Boise 9/2/83 unfairly maligned!
Just some ideas. We do have a whole Memorial Day weekend and there are no rules, right?

user picture

Member for

8 years 1 month

In reply to by Gollum

Permalink

Probably committed Dennis, but who would take us?? First show 4/1/1980. That is cool, one of my favorite Grateful Dead years, and not represented well at all with official releases. Did you make to any of the fall 1980 shows?

Holy shit Gollum, not one pick from you but three. All good ideas, but I will leave it up to the Committee. Always loved the Winterland 77 June shows.

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

7 years 5 months
Permalink

Listening to Dark Star 30 minute jam right now. Dicks Pick #11 is so good. Terrific concert and Great for Saturday morning.

user picture

Member for

17 years 1 month
Permalink

Let's go with Gollum's Cape Cod choice of 10/27/79.... Since we can't go to the Cape, and if you have an Orange or Yellow license plate our Rhode Island law enforcement is going to give you grief!! We can celebrate vicariously through this show!!! Lobsters, steamers, clams, corn, not included!!! bob t

user picture

Member for

17 years 6 months
Permalink

The Midwest leg of the fall tour of 73 looks super high energy. Was living in Kansas City that fall going to the Art Institute. Pre-internet , had nary a clue they were playing all around Kansas City within a few hours drive . I did see the them four times in the spring of 73.
One of my favorite Dicks Picks. Incredible Dark Star. Already sounding different from 1972 versions. All and all an amazing Grateful Dead concert from the heartland of America in 1973. Bet it wasn’t sold out either.

user picture

Member for

14 years 1 month
Permalink

We may have a quorum for the Cape cod?!! BobT - love the food/location carryover. We move from KC BBQ to a New England Clambake. Cape Cod sounds like a paradise.

I guess we don't have any foods to go with poor Oklahoma, but yeah, it really is the American heartland and the music is exquisite. I've spun the Playin' and Dark Star a couple of times today (so far).....