Pick of the Day, with Discussion

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April 6, 2020 - 9:47am

8,084 replies

marye

Joined:
May 26, 2007

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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January 21, 2021 - 6:21pm

#4741

proudfoot

Joined:
August 2, 2020

love your comment about liking licorice, Vguy

:)))
January 21, 2021 - 2:24pm

#4742

Vguy72

Joined:
June 29, 2007

comparing Keith & Donna's last and Brent's first....

....fun fact. They repeated eight songs.
That being said, comparing the Passenger's alone is....interesting.
January 21, 2021 - 9:57am

#4743

billy the kid

Joined:
December 3, 2019

Rock thing ,great write up

Rock thing , that is a great write up on 2/17/79 you did. Big Railroad Blues hadn't been played since 1974.
January 21, 2021 - 9:29am

#4744

rockthing

Joined:
August 2, 2020

2/17/79 Second Set

PROUDFOOT, RE relieved to move on: Sounds about right.

BILLY THE KID: Nice. I thought that Greatest Story does seemed special, too. It's got tight energy, but I also don't recall hearing a Greatest Story with that free-form a guitar solo from Jerry. I was definitely startin' to think I could go for a bit more fidelity on this show, too.

THE GOOD OLE GRATEFUL DEAD: Yeah, man, from Playin' on, it's anybody's guess. The tape I Downloaded has that tracked as "Playin' >", "Drums >", "Space >", like you say. Playin' isn't really known for its drum solos, but I think I'd just keep all that as Playin' until they made a definitive move into The Wheel. I realize that no one else would ever do that. There's just Space all over the second set after Playin'. The Wheel disintegrates into Shakedown. That Shakedown back into Playin', though, eh? Definitely the stuff. You can hear Jer hinting at Playin' quite a while before they actually get there. Would not want to be responsible for seeding that. Where do I cut it?!?! :)

Man, this second set jumps like a Willys in four wheel drive.

Might as Well!!!: Went to a Dead show and a Jerry Band gig broke out! Yeah! Rocketing out the gate for the second set. Might as well. This show has a seriously stacked set list imo.

Miracle: Damn. No chance to catch your breath tonight! Jerry’s soaring, then doing some crazy runs in the first solo. Pretty manic, really, just trying to make something happen. Nice ending jam too. A drummer seems to be losing his footing or a stick or something, but no one else… Whoa!!!

Bertha!: I don’t think ANYBODY saw THAT coming, least of which the band. Whoever pulled the tempo back to something sensible is a hero, because that was about to set a record. Ohp, gonna get one of those big unison hits goin’? Not yet. Pickin’ up the pace again. Phil is not giving up on the big bang… unnnnn… not quite….hahaha. Phil’s still goin’ for it. The drummers are just hittin’ all ones like they're wired as hell. This whole second set is coming off with it’s teeth grinding. Crowd cheers an almost earthquake bass bomb, but Phill still can’t quite get everyone there. Test me! GONG. Got it. Memories starting to clear. Synchronization critical. Sounds like double kicks from the drums. What is this? The lets see how many notes we can play contest?

Good Lovin’: Nice, seamless transition. Just, suddenly their playing Good Lovin’. Nice crescendos. Jerry’s boppin’ along for the solo. One of his more coherent solos so far. They seem to have a better handle on the dynamics now. This is a really, really nice performance of this tune. Bobby’s got just the right atmosphere here. He’s givin’ it everything, but not overblowing. This will be excellent if he keeps the rap under control. No danger of Bobby sellin’ the Brooklyn Bridge. Mickey goin’ crazy with some heavy percussion runs, but they are buried deep in the mix, might not even be goin’ through the main PA. Long cheers ensue. Well deserved. That was excellent. They are taking no prisoners tonight, but that really struck the perfect balance. Wouldn't normally gush over Good Lovin', but that was excellent. At this point, I think I’d almost be wishing for five minutes of tuning.

Heart of Me. Ahh, nice farewell for Donna. Nice little breather for us, too. She sounds really good. Sounds like maybe Jerry missed a chord change and his fills are a little off key at one point early on. Nice little descending flutter from Jer that one of the drummers picks up on, adding some 16th high-hat cymbal to. Wow. Really nice. The ending was superb.

Big Railroad Blues. Jerry came to rock tonight, that’s for sure. Goovin’ on the, which solo is this? They seem to have settled down a bit from the insanity that was the teeth numbing first half of the second set.

Terrapin!: Sorta slips into the hall, almost without being noticed. Not the kind of thunderous greeting it would become accustomed to in later years. This performance seems almost quaint in its simplicity. One of the drummers continues to have happy foot. Cool guitar solo leads everyone out into open space as the various counterpoints begin to emerge, everyone expanding out into their own direction before drifting gently into a little space of equilibrium. Jer’s not quite ready for the big finale. He starts to play the melody that will bring everyone out of their trance, then decides to let the ride get a little more gentle as it drifts along. There it is. Not monumental, just recombining into a gentle reading of the last verse. Ahh.. Jer’s sweet old voice… Nice build up to counting stars, but Jerry’s vocal doesn’t quite soar. Finding the right mix of harmony without building up too dramatically and the finale has begun. This Terrapin seems, somehow, understated, but it’s difficult to say exactly what gives that impression. I mean, Mickey is off the hook as usual. Nice, Phil plays the signature melody line in a high register on the bass instead of Jerry, as Jerry continues to wiggle about with all sorts of lead lines. Mickey gets a bit too tricky for his own good, but that slightly clumsy moment doesn’t trip up anyone else.

Playin’: Just where you’d expect “Drums” to begin, nice call. Not sure I really dig the four on the floor and the open and closed high hat feel for this tune. Don’t have any particular qualms with disco Dead, or the Disco Cowboy things they did, but it feels like it’s tying Playin’ down too much. And, as soon as I type that, the bottom drops out and they out into an open ended Playin’ jam with Jer out in the echoey distance working’ the envelope filter. Really nice atmosphere here. Jerry’s makin’ sure they don’t get back to the song any time soon. Little too much kick drum in the mix is sorta harshin’ my mellow, but always happy to see a thorough deconstruction of Playin’. …and it seems to be just petering out, but then someone adds some nice textures. Almost sounds like a Fender Rhodes, but I can still hear Keith plunking away, so maybe it was Bobby… Someone in the audience hoping they’ll play I Need A Miracle, forgetting that we already heard that, what seems like several lifetimes ago. Wow. Completely abstract, now. Oh, and there IS a “Drums” track, but this feels like Playin’ with a drum solo (ok, got it), but that Playin’ jam would have definitely qualified as “Space” in a latter day show, albeit out of conventional order. Still an array of all acoustic percussion. Do I smell a Not Fade Away out of the drum solo? I see that someone has tracked this as a transition into “Space”, but all I hear are drums, still. Not hearing any “Space” here. Oh, and just as I type that, Phil joins the jam with Jerry not too far behind.

The Wheel: This setlist is a dream. Guess they didn’t have to save anything for the next night. This is a nice Wheel. They’ve really settled down into atmospheric mode after the totally outrageous start to the second set. Some cool tremolo picking from Jerry as the song breaks up.

Shakedown: Starts off a little, not a little, really… er… shaky. Nice echo effect on Jer’s guitar. Drummers haul the tempo up from the crater left by Phil’s opening bass bomb. You really get the impression that they are not working with a set list tonight. Settling in a bit just before Jerry starts the first verse. Whoo! Oh, yeah. Dancin’ shoes on now. Such a contrast. First part of set two could barely stay on the rails, but now they’re so spaced out they forget to put their foot down on the accelerator. Not a complaint, at, all. I usually imagine Shakedown jams to be more rhythmic. There’s sill a hint of the groove in the background, but well, there it went. Phil just introduced a completely different groove. Getting loose like that let’s them slip into other things, which is, I think, what’s happening now…. or not… This must be the most abstract Shakedown jam I’ve ever heard. I mean, there are literally hundreds of tapes I’ve never heard, but still. Jerry really working out now. Super fast little tremolo picking like in the high registers. Drums have started driving again. Sounds like Jerry’s teasing a Playin’ Reprise. Did they even do that in the 70s? No doubt. Jerry is definitely hinting at the Playin’ lick. Either they’re taking the long way home or they’ve given up on it. Wow. Jer getting’ pretty avant garde now. Where. Is. This. Going?! Lovin’ it!

Playin’ Reprise: Wow, Jer managed to get everyone on board for a Playin’ reprise after all that. And, damn, does it thunder onto the scene when it finally takes form. Still doin’ that insistent four on the floor thing that makes it feel kind of agro.

Sugar Mag: Love how this comes up for air out of the disintegrating Playin’ reprise. This show has had something for everyone, from super high energy numbers to complete space outs. Even with the free form mood that took over in the second half of the set, this is nice and tight; moving right along. Everyone in. Bobby thanks Bill Graham.

One More Saturday Night: Solidly above par. Wailing sayonara for Keith and Donna. I’m exhausted. What a show!
January 21, 2021 - 9:05am

#4745

Vguy72

Joined:
June 29, 2007

4.22.79 New Kid on the block....

....sounds like he fit right in and liked licorice.
January 21, 2021 - 8:36am

#4746

billy the kid

Joined:
December 3, 2019

2/17/79 4/22/79. Two great shows

2/17/79 & 4/22/79 are two great shows that should be official releases. I went to 2/17/79, it was a benefit to stop environmental cancer called Rock for Life. The show started with the lights all on in the house as the Dead blasted out a killer version of Greatest Story. The version of Don't Ease Me In was great, they reworked it when Brent joined the band and it was never the same. I didn't make 4/22/79, it was my moms birthday, we were having a party. Charlie Daniels and Greg Kihn were both on the bill before the Dead. It's so nice to hear Brent's organ playing on Jack Straw for the the first time. The Dead seemed really pumped up and into it for the whole show. This show at Spartan Stadium wasn't to far away from where the Dead played their first show as the Grateful Dead, at the San Jose Acid Test on 12/4/65.
January 21, 2021 - 8:23am

#4747

rockthing

Joined:
August 2, 2020

2/17/79 First Set

Wow. I remember thinking this was a really upbeat show considering it was Keith and Donna's last, but they must have given them one hell of a going away party. It is all goin' off in, like, every direction. I was exhausted just listening to it. This show goes from absolutely manic teeth grinding rockers and old timey tunes that barely hold it together to some seriously out there space jams. You'd have to label this with, like, three "Space" tracks if you were inclined to breaking things down as much as possible.

I already had the Bob Menke AKG source in my music library, so I was listening to that. Not checking the set list. Can’t remember what it was, other than Donna gets to sing a lot, iirc. Here and there saw the song title pop up. Sound is pretty thin. Really need to crank it.

Greatest Story: Usually like this as an opener. Jer seems to have carte blanche once his solo starts. Always a good idea in my book. Really searching and experimental as the four on the floor drives away behind him. Isn't this tune usually a little more cut and dry?

What’s Bobby saying’ about technical adjustments? Had to reach for the volume control, but still couldn’t make it out.

Don’t Ease: Damn sure am glad I left the volume where it was after that announcement. Love this tune. Haha. Oh, yeah, this must be when Bobby was learning to play slide on the job.

Mama Tried: Love this one too! Seems like there might actually be a bit too much energy, if there is such a thing. Seem to be just barely holding’ it together.

Mexicali: Despite the fact that it’s Keith’s last show, he’s been really prominent in the mix so far. Departing gift? Emotive delivery from Bobby. Jerry’s chorus vocals are really standing out too, for better or worse. This is pre-MIDI, obviously, but damn, Jer’s guitar sounded just like a trumpet for a minute there. Read somewhere about Branford Marsalis commenting that Jerry didn’t need MIDI to make his guitar sound like another instrument. This may be the proof. Can’t believe I have so much to say about Mexicali Blues!

Friend of the Devil: Chill slow tempo version. Some weird polyrhythmic syncopation goin’ on. Jer starts signing on the wrong beat, but has it together before the first verse is over. Keith gets several choruses for his somewhat aimless piano solo, before giving way to a spirited solo by Jer, who’s playing fast triplets and fluttery phrases over the slow tempo before bringing everyone in smoothly for the last verse and a strong final chorus.

Passenger: Did they ever do this again? Kinda relies on Donna. I don’t keep a Deadbase handy, unfortunately. Someone seems to get a little lost going into the “Only Game in Town” part. Jer slide solo. Bobby’s guitar is pretty much inaudible. I think the sense of roughness I’m feeling is due to both lack of rhythm guitar and Jerry trying to double on slide and normal fretted runs. It’s a tough juggling act. Pretty wild ride, this one. Stretchin’ out the second solo. Thought they were gonna end it in a jam, but someone brings it back to sing one more chorus before the ending, but it appears the memo did not circulate widely. Donna seems to be the only one who managed to get back to the chorus on time, but everyone recovers beautifully to end. I read that Phil wrote this song because he wanted to hear some raunchy guitar playing from Jerry and Bob. Well, he got it that time.

High Time: Wow. That's not something I normally expect to hear. Nice, delicate interplay from everybody. Pretty difficult song, actually. Not surprising it didn't see much action on stage.

Looks like Rain: Never really warmed up to this tune. That said, sometimes it gets stuck on repeat in my head and no matter what I do, I cannot stop hearing it… What the hell’s with those loud snare hits? lol My guess is that prankster Mickey, but who knows? Still laughing. Sounds like someone wants to pick up the tempo a bit. This is actually a pretty sensitive rendering of this song.

Jack a Roe: Electric! There’s something else ya don’t hear every day. Man, this show is absolutely stacked with tunes I totally love. Again, can’t hear Bobby’s guitar at all. Keith has been reigned into the mix better at this point. Phil’s givin’ it his all playing in and out of Jerry’s first solo. Ahh.. there’s Bob. Welcome to the show, dude. Sounds like only one drummer at this point, too. Pretty sparse, but then again, as much as I love this tune, there’s not a whole lot for everyone to do.

Lazy Lightning/Supplication: Period piece. Dunno why Bobby gave up on so many of his old tunes in favor of blues numbers, and Dylan covers. Donna sounds strong here. I believe I read that she and Keith actually wanted out at this point, so perhaps that contributes to the sense of jubilance (not a word apparently) here and Keith’s relative engagement. Jerry really, really, flying again. Float in’ like a butterfly, stinging’ like a bee. Phil senses blood and a jamming frenzy ensues. I guess if Bobby never cued them to go back into the song everyone else’d just go on forever like that…hmmmm…. It is so manic at this point, I don’t see how you could even dance to it. Spinners’d be achieving physical lift off, I think, depending on the robustness of their skirts.
January 21, 2021 - 7:46am

#4748

proudfoot

Joined:
August 2, 2020

Tonight on "Wha'appen?":

My theory is the agreement to part ways happened, everyone was relieved about it, so they made 2/17/79 special.
January 21, 2021 - 7:35am

#4749

The Good Ole G…

Joined:
December 29, 2015

Grateful Dead Memories

2/17 is good stuff.

Based on what I was reading, Donna mentions her & Keith discussing leaving the band through out the last tour. So maybe it was agreed upon between 2/11 in St. Louis & 2/17 in Oakland. Just speculating.

In regards to Tracking, since Rockthing brought that up....
I'm feeling it as Playing In The Band > Drums > Space > Wheel > Shakedown Street > Playing In The Band Jam > Reprise.
The Jam after Shakedown seems to turn into a PITB jam at around 12:30.
I like to give PITB as much labeling as possible, so that I'll pick that show out and listen to it again.
PITB rules.
(All of the above is killer! Listen to Jerry's voice in Terrapin & The Wheel segue is sweet, but that jam from Shakedown into Playing Jam is the stuff.)

Alright, I feel I'd not be performing my obligation to the nation if I didn't mention the 4/17/79 Rehearsal tape as a potential listen before you blast off into 4/22/79.

I gotta do it.

Keep on Rocking, Rockers.

PS - 2/9/73 was one of my first 3 bootleg tapes, it still gets me every time, so I'm with ya on that Jim.
Mickey was right they were into Time Travel.
January 21, 2021 - 7:02am

#4750

JimInMD

Joined:
June 27, 2011

Tapes / Spartan Stadium and Maples Pavilion

I remember dropping off a 10 pack of TDKs with an acquaintance. I got 4/22/79 Spartan Stadium, 2/9/73 Maples Pavilion and 06/29/76 Auditorium Theater - Chicago in the same box. They contained their share of new songs (with Spartan Stadium, not so much songs but a new keyboard player).

I ended up getting a few more boxes from the same friend before geography and time brought that to an end. I have a crystalline memory of these first listens, like opening up another world of shows, songs and peeks into parts of eras I had no prior exposure into. Like Christmas morning..

In my mind all the shows from that glorious 10 pack take up the same real estate in my frontal lobe. Funny how memories work, especially grateful dead memories.

John Perry Barlow

John Perry Barlow

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.

420

West Coast Time, be careful with your smokes

Shakedown Stream preshow 8/27

What if Dave used that to do the first ever live announcement of a new release?
Like a Summer 72 Box, since it’s assumed that the Stream will be 8-27-72.

Visionary

Me likes that concept

Road Trips Volume 1 number 2..... 10/77

I always listen to the first set, listening to CD 2, wow 17 minute Playing to open followed by a good other one.... what a pleasant surprise i have to say !!!! Be good everyone.... bob t.....
P.S. I hope your 72 predictions are right!!!!

Shakedown Stream

Interesting news Strider. Hope you all are right.

The big question is, has Glasser stopped working on Jim's roof?

If so, we might have something.

By the way, we need a pick.

Bells Octoberfest is in the house!

Enjoy the Octoberfest DV

I didn’t see any at the store the other day. Grabbed a case of Oberon, probably the last one from that store this season.

I think that Glasser finished the roof and now Jim has him installing a thumping stereo system in that empty beer truck he still has parked behind the garage.

I’m up earlier than usual for a Saturday, half way through a large cup of super dark roast, think I’ll make the pick.

And the winner is......
Tomorrow’s anniversary
8-23-87, with Carlos on a couple of songs.

Edit:
I didn’t pick 8-22 solely because it wasn’t in the CD holder that is in my living room. I have newer versions of both shows on HD’s, but they currently aren’t on the microSDXC cards in my music player. So I went with the CD-R’s that I burned years ago.

Feel free to do either or both of the shows. We’re flexible here.

8/23/87

Looks like a great show. I am on it. Box of Rain opener.

Thanks for the pick Conekid.

Oberon is done here in MN, which is a bummer. That Octoberfest is a good replacement.

Say thank you Carlos

Carlos Santana with the Dead on a couple songs. “Say thank you Carlos”, Bob Weir. Will have to check out 8/23/87. Also Road Trips , Volume 1 Number 2 is excellent and includes the Dead’s second New Mexico appearance. Jam of the week has filled in some of the gaps. Full soundboard must be in house.

Strange occurrences on the desert. Been reading some Science Fiction lately and started reading The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury a couple days ago. Mind you have not read it since I was 12 years old back in the mid 60s. So yesterday I google Ray Bradbury and read that today would have been his 100th birthday. Enter Twilight Zone theme. Who are the Grateful Dead and why do they keep following me.
“My God, there’s millions of stars”. Dave Bowman

Hope Love my Girl, Bolo, Ouroboros and others are good. Over the years have seen many come and go from this site. Some have passed on , some have passed through , time keeps marching on.
As Mr Natural said; “just passing through”. Or as Oat Willie said; “Onward through the fog”.

Hey Now!

Carlos has a sweet sound on that Solo during Iko, you can feel the rush just listening, dig it.

Hats off to the Good Ol Grateful Dead Hour! Turned me on to this show BITD, I can still remember sitting in front of my tape deck taping it, still have the tape. Who'd a thunk what the future would bring.

Speaking of the future, looking forward to Thursday and the anniversary of the GRATEFULest Dead Show EVER!
There's been some clever hints, winks and nods about fun stuff.

Top 5 for sure... if you're into ranking stuff, all I know is I can listen to almost any song from that show and go places, far out places, that are fun to explore. Powerful stuff.

Hope all are well and enjoying some good tunes!

PS - Thanks Gollum, good to know it's not just me who's not in real time ;)

here there and everywhere

always been a big fan of Road Trips , Volume 1 Number 2. in near synchronicity mode as I listened to first 2 discs early last week and then the bonus disc yesterday to start the work day. the bonus disc is just exactly perfect, one of my fave discs from the RT series and it was in the cd player while traveling for a long long time. i love that sequence from Albuquerque that begins with Iko > Wheel. I mean they only had played Iko once before back in that AMAZING Fox Theater show in St Louis 5/15! a show IMHO that seems to not get the love it deserves amid so many other stellar spring tour shows. Also the Let It Grow from RT, V 1 No 2 is super super fine.

Been decades probably since I listened to the '87 Angel's Camp shows with Carlos. that little festival had to have been a real hoot with David Lindley and Santana also on the bill. I'll dip into 8/23 today. '87 was a solid good year.

and just realized missed call out to 8/21/93 (and 8/22) in Eugene - super fun show. Standing On The Moon that first day was out of this world gorgeous and emotional. favorite version hands down.

and I should probably pull out Sunshine Daydream while I'm at it since I won't have a chance to participate later this week.

my long shot mini box guess is RFK '73 including the set with the Allmans. but would be very happy with some of the other suggestions floated here.

also been having issues with the most recent posts not being immediately visible even when I first open the page - my workaround is to click the sort by drop down and click "Recent" (which is already my choice) and that updates the posts. seems silly but it works.

stay safe. be well. have fun.

8-22-93

Good call Bluecrow, just started spinning it.

8.22.93....

.... I'm all over it. I was present and somewhat accounted for at that show. There were naked people. Bobby smashed his guitar. Angry Jack Straw indeed. It was the bees knees.

Is there Eugene 93 video in the Vault?

Debut it on Shakedown Stream Dave.

yeah - the angriest of jack straws

we were in the stands straight out from the stage both days - exquisite sound and sight lines. i was watching with a pair of binoculars when bobby walked off and I could see him swinging that guitar like a freaking axe and it was a complete "what in the f*** am i seeing????" Jerry just kept jamming away with his head down - curious if he knew what was going on via earbud or just that Bob had left the stage.

just flashed on a funny 8/22 related memory. excellent tapes of both shows circulated immediately afterwards as they were broadcast on the local public radio station. a few years later i was traveling with my girlfriend in the low desert. I was driving an '87 Isuzu Trooper at the time. We spent a couple days in Cabeza Prieta at the end of the trip before heading back to the NW. We exited the CP at the west end and started heading west on I-10. We were listening to 8/22 Set II. During Drumz she said I can't deal with that can you turn it off, and I did. A few miles down the road a crazy banging noise started coming out of the engine compartment. She says - I thought I asked you to turn that off?! and I'm like it IS off - that's coming out from under the hood!! We were near Yuma and pulled into a rest area. Pop the hood to find that the adjustment bolt on the alternator had snapped and the alternator is flopping wildly on the belt. Dropped some quarters in a pay phone and called a garage in Yuma. They had it tapped out and fixed by supper that evening. Spent a pleasant unplanned night in Yuma and on the road next morning. If that had happened in the CP it would have been a whole different and way more expensive story.

Bobby's best Townsend impersonation....

....we were slightly stage right and approx 60 feet back on the floor. Yahhhh!!

*RE/ strider

Excellent post,Also with you my friend! Grateful to see & read your posts As always, rock on brother! I’m stuck in dicks picks #28 for the past 3 days, my cat lock’d me in! Ha ha lol
Tomorrow I’ll be spinning Buffalo 77! I look forward to listen this release thru my tube system
🙏❤️💀🌹

Check out 3/19/77 Set II in this weeks Tapers Section

Dave throws this set up once a year....Eyes>Dancing>Wharf Rat>Franklin's Tower>Sugar Magnolia....nice little jam between Eyes and Dancing, early on sounds a tad like Comes A Time might be popping up.. very different feel than a few weeks prior at the Swing with the Phil Jam between Eyes and Dancing... Yes 5 song Set II (Two encores) also, but what 5 great songs....be good... bob t

Palindromes, Ray Bradbury

Someone asked me if I love palindromes. Yes, ever since the release of AoxomoxoA, 6/21/69.
Also while reading The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury (he would have turned 100 August 22, 2020) yesterday I came across the passage “way up in the middle of the air”. From the Bible apparently.
Another palindrome;
⚡️ A man a plan a canal Panama ⚡️

Today's Pick

How does 9/3/1980 sound to you all? Download series #7. Extra credit for partial show on 9/4/1980.

OK With Me

9/30 works.. spending a quality day on my roof until the temperature decides otherwise... Might as well have some upbeat 1980 to keep the spirits high.

9.3.80 you say?....

....I'm all in.

* Re/ Deadvikes & the download series

I wish I had a computer & actually know how to use it. I grew up in a time of typewriters lol I really wish I could get them on CDs, I believe there was only 12 total releases issued by download only, very much like the new studio crecordings of WMD “ angels” release in studio sessions . Made available.
Man, I wish I wasn’t so Technological handicap.
I would love to get all 12 shows to add to my collection. I’ll keep praying for a miracle , who knows , maybe someday soon ;the Grateful Dead will release all 12 downloads into a physical Boxset one fine grateful day! I would buy it in a hart beat ! Lol 💀🌹🙏😉

Re: Massage Spam

I feel dirty.. Hope MaryE does some housecleaning...

1980, 1977, 1969 & 1966

I did some extra credit first and 9/4/80 is a great listen, looking forward to 9/3/80 a little later.

The March '77 shows would be a cool release. Home turf at Winterland sure seems to bring out the best in the boys, that PITB > Samson > PITB at the end of Set 1 of 3/19 is dreamy.

Strider is that a quote from Bradbury? Far out!

I read Kesey's The Further Inquiry the other day, that's some far out stuff too, had to watch the Magic Trip to go along with it, now I'm digging into the Electric Kool Aid Acid Tests... getting ready for Thursday ;)

Recommended Pandemic Reading & Viewing for anybody that enjoys that type of stuff.

Alright, time to go Further!

Shakedown Stream August 27, 2020

Special guests for pre-show, Ken Babbs and Sue Kesey. Please get the word out there.
Veneta, Oregon was an amazing place to see the Grateful Dead, especially August 27, 1972. August 28,1982 was quite different but also magical. These are golden memories. The Springfield Creamery and Health Food and Pool Store was quite the operation back in the 70s. There was a pool table elevated above the food bins below a skylight. We could play pool for free. I remember a couple days after the 72 Veneta Dead show seeing Ken Kesey, his brother Chuck and Ken Babbs shooting pool on the old famed pool table.
I bought a couple quarts of Nancy’s Yogurt in Silver City today to prepare for the Thursday broadcast of Sunshine Daydream. Great way to finish out summer and Shakedown Stream. Hats off to all who helped to pull this together, Adrian Marin, Ken Babbs, Sue Kesey, Sheryl Kesey Thompson, and all the hard working people at the Springfield Creamery along with Gary Lambert, David Lemieux, Doran Tyson, Marty Dolan and all the hard working people at Rhino Records in beautiful downtown Burbank.
The dream lives!

Dubai Spa

Jim, I thought they were supposed to send you a PM, not a post.

Looking forward to Thursday Strider. You were there, that is cool. Can't imagine.

Is that box announcement still coming?

Strider is Pole Guy???!!!!!

That’s awesome

Don’t forget 8-25-72 anniversary today.

9/3/1980

Love the variety you get with 1980. This show hits it for me. Half Step Franklins to start, yes! Really like this Althea and Brokedown Palace. He's Gone, Truckin, Black Peter, oh yeah! Sound quality on this one is A++. Super solid release. More 1980 would be great.

9/3/80

I like Brent's vocals on the outro to Deal on this one. Check out the China>Rider from the day before (Rochester). There's some interesting things going there vocally, too. This time between Jerry and Bob.

1980 / Random Musings

Love this year, the halfway point for the band.

Reflected on releases from this year this morning sipping on my Morning Brew:

Deadset, Dead Ahead, Reckoning, etc. all excellent, multitrack recordings.

Go To Nassau, 10/9/80 & 10/10/80 - Same as above

Road Trips, Volume 3 No 4 - Penn State and Barton Hall. Great songs and performances but the recording to me sounds a little thin and tinny. I put that in the Road Trips cassette master snafu category.

11/28/80 Lakeland FL - Sounds a little warmer than Barton Hall and Penn State, but still lacking a touch in fullness and richness. Still, has nice, clean sound and a good feel to it.

11/29/80 - Board segments have surfaced, the second set soundboard circulates and segments of the first set have been played by Lemieux on jam of the week. Some of the audience tapes that circulate are works of art. To be continued I guess, stay tuned. Would love to see a Matrix type effort and become an official release.

11/30/80 Fox Theatre - the Holy Grail of 2 track 1980 recordings/releases. The perfect marriage of the thinner boards of the year with the full sound of a truly great audience master. Hats off and many thanks to Dr. Bob Wagner for his contribution.

I would love to see more efforts like Dave's Picks 8, 11/30 Fox Theatre. That's the best sounding solution to the lacking cassette masters from the year and currently my personal favorite 1980 release or as I started spinning this while writing up this post.. more accurately stated as the last 1980 show I have listened to. As Tony the Tiger would say, It's Great!!!

One last nod goes to the unsung hero, Jim Wise for his audience contributions to I think the Lakeland show which was released and no credit given for his aud patch. Another great 1980 audience tape. I think I have this right.. I think it was Jim Wise and I think it was the Lakeland show, but I could be wrong about the exact show this happened on.

Ok.. coming off a bit of a health scare, thankfully not covid and something modern medicine is quite capable of treating.. I am trying to venture on a little bicycle, music adventure before it gets too hot with my new music toy. I took advantage of my down time by taking up some free advice Cone Kid gave six months or so ago.. I upgraded an old, used IPod Classic I bought of Amazon a couple years ago that unfortunately suffered from a bad heart (battery). I upgraded it myself and replaced both the battery and the hard drive using IFlash Memory instead of the old, standard hard drives they used to contain. Powered by 4, 256 Gig MicroSD Chips that are super small and light. So I now have a 1TB IPod both works like new and has literally every single GD show I have imported / Ripped / downloaded into my digital world. 10,000 songs.. would take more than a year of solid listening 24/7 to get through the whole thing and the sick part.. I still have 450 gigs of free space left.

If you picked the best recording of every show (officially released and the best version that circulates) and stored it as either Flac or ALAC (lossless but compressed) I believe you could fit every single Dead Show that circulates on this device that fits in the palm of my hand. I am calling it Podzilla. Many thanks to Cone Kid for the dead.net tip of the day six months ago. So 30 years of live GD music on the go, and off I go..

Have a great day, stay cool and best of luck to our friends in the Southern Gulf States (and Western Mexico) that are about to get hit with a couple (few) hurricanes any day now. A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall. Did someone say 1972?

This Morning's Listen (for me)

Going with 11/28/80, Lakeland.

If we have already done this show, guessing we did at some point I was absent that day so consider this a makeup test day. Like the sirens sweetly singing, this one called to me this morning.

Hope you all have a great day... I'm off like a prom dress.

Pole dude & 1980

I believe that was Gary Jenson. Been passed on a few years. I was real wild as a teenager but not quite that wild. I had my clothes on at both 1972 Veneta and 1982 Veneta. Maybe it was my puritanical New England upbringing.
1980, any complete recordings of the acoustic set Dead shows from that year should be considered holy grail material, Radio City, The Warfield and the two New Orleans shows with acoustic sets. Between the two years 1970 and 1980 plus the two or three December 81 acoustic sets with Joan Baez I have counted 70 something shows with acoustic Dead.
Shakedown Stream tomorrow, I’m preparing like a Saturn Rocket on the launch pad. 🚀

1980 and Veneta

Strider, yes, the Warfield and Radio City shows in fall of 1980 are very special in the Dead's history and I am hoping for a miracle. Do you believe in miracles in 1980? Yes!

Jim, yes we hit up the Lakeland show earlier, but another listen is always welcome.

Veneta tomorrow!

Be well folks.

Jim

Glad you are ok!! Bob t

Podzilla

It’s a good thing to have.

Mine also has 4 x 256 GB microSDXC cards. Says 953 GB available, so it must be saving quite a few GB’s for storage info.
I also have an iBasso DX80 (worked great for about 2 years then died) and an iBasso DX120 (bought it before the DX80 died). Both have dual microSDXC slots that can each take 1 TB cards, but the iBasso user interface is pretty crappy, glitchy, and often slow to respond.
The iPod software is still superior even though it’s close to 15 years old. Glad I converted it to Podzilla.

Safari So Good

Just got word, test zoom for tomorrow’s Shakedown Stream went well. Pass the word, “Have you heard the Dead brother!!” Or maybe it was more like a satanical puritanical New England upbringing.

Pick of the day?

8/27/72 , be it old bootleg cassette, Sunshine Daydream old bootleg VHS, Unofficial DVD, Official Rhino 2013 release CD/DVD or CD/blue ray. Or stream?

Years ago it was a prized and favorite bootleg cassette tape.
Pick of the day was a brilliant idea from Bolo. Keep it rolling.

Veneta

I'm in. The funny thing with GD music, and I doubt I am alone.. some songs congeal and some pass right through me at any point in time. The Dark Star was never my favorite, but I love the China>Rider and PITB from this show.

...but all it takes is one receptive moment and the right music playing at the right time and I suddenly 'get' something that used to pass right through me. ..and there are the old songs that used to be key that I have moved on from.

Still, Veneta was always a favorite, I just got sucked into the PITB and the transition in the China Rider more than the Dark Star. I think because Jerry teased Morning Dew and Bob telegraphed El Paso and I always wondered what could have been.

A great show and both well recorded and documented.

So if Strider was wearing his clothes, it should be easy to pick him out. I only recall one person fully clothed in the whole movie, I'll be sure to be looking out for ya tonight, Strider..

Thanks so much for posting and giving us some context.

Third set, Veneta

I talked my way backstage. My brother had been on the planks next to cameraman John Norris during the second set and let me take his place. Playin’ reprise in the film is the music only, film footage is from the third set. I’m on the planks turning around and waving at friends. It’s the shot from that log tree house.
I love Bird Song big time, also China Cat into I know you rider may be one of the most uplifting moments in the history of music.
As for Dark Star performances I saw live that I love, 9/19/70 and 2/18/71 were perhaps tops. Winter/Spring 1969 Dark Star may be some of the most classic of all time. I didn’t start seeing the Dead until January 1970. The evolution of Dark Star is phenomenal. But I was directly in front of Jerry for the third set. August 27, 1972 stands out as one of the most amazing days of my life.
As far as being naked in 1972, swimming (skinny dipping) in the really warm water of Lookout Point Reservoir that summer was no big deal. High School graduation (class of 72) , moving to Oregon, the old days of Eugene, Grateful Dead and being 18 were the most liberating rights of passage I could have ever hoped for. I thank my lucky Dark Stars for those experiences.

8/27/72

My favorite Sing Me Back Home, hands down.

Veneta, Veneta, Veneta!

When I first moved to Portland in mid-late 90s, I met a group of heads that got together every Wednesday night to trade tapes. They were always talking about Veneta.

Veneta, Veneta, Veneta!

Finally I was like, so what’s Veneta?

Gasp!! They were shocked with my lack of knowledge. Legendary Oregon Dead show? Springfield Creamery Benefit? Kesey & The Merry Pranksters? Oregon Country Fair? They quickly flipped me a tape, winked, nodded and smiled.

First I was amazed at the sound quality. This tape sounded better than any of the tapes I had. These Oregon heads! Not only did they have great weed, great beer, but my God, the Tapes! (I’m pretty sure this was 1996ish, so before internet trading for me). Hearing Babbs and the commentary the experience started to form in my mind, and then the music. Oh man, this was it. Too much! I was deep in the pudding.

It quickly became my goto and my all time fave show. Veneta, Veneta, Veneta! I’d say.

Definitely one of the tapes that made me want to get them all.
Hearing this show, I had to know, how many more shows did they play like this?
Well, there are quite a few close to it, but there’s nothing else quite like it.

Happy Anniversary Veneta, a special place and a special show!

PS - Let Me Tell You It Was Hot! How Hot Was It?!?!
Strider, tell us more Veneta Stories.
Love when Wavy Gravy tells that Sewage story… started laughing just thinking about it.

Veneta, Veneta, Veneta!

8/27/72

That China Cat-Rider is fantastic - great dancing by that girl with long black hair.

Excited for Veneta tonight

I wonder what ever happened to the kid that runs a circle around the band during Dark Star!!! Also played 5/3/72 Paris last night, and listening to Tivoli 4/17/72 right now... Don't know what put me in the Europe 72 mood.... Also last thought, if we do get a second box this year, maybe its a 2 or 3 show box like the RFK box was a few years ago.. bob t

T minus 30 minutes

To blast off 🚀⚡️🚀⚡️🚀⚡️🚀

The faster we go, the rounder we get

Boyee don’t stop now

10 to Go

Looking forward to this!

Oregon

Three Sisters, Crater Lake, Cape Perpetua, Cascade Head, Strawberry Mountains, Steens Mountains, Wallowa Mountains, Painted Hills, Pendleton Roundup, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Grateful Dead, Paramount Theater , Portland, Veneta, University of Oregon, Lowell,(this ain’t no commune) expired beer, brown rice, seaweed and a dirty hot dog, Klamath Falls, Robert M. Petersen, Ken Kesey, Ken Babbs, Mountain Girl, liberation, freedom ain’t free, no free lunch, Florence, sand dunes on the shore, heal the sore wound from the Rainbow Trail, is there more over the next horizon, or is the world flat, was the moon landing just a sham from Craters of the moon, Idaho ? I don’t know, but something does ring true the time has come, comin around- in a circle.