Pick of the Day, with Discussion

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April 6, 2020 - 9:47am

8,079 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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April 19, 2022 - 1:11pm

#2351

Gary Farseer

Joined:
August 1, 2015

Yeah

Can you imagine writing the real equipment book? With the constant upgrading of the system, that book would be multiple enormous volumes. Hope the Meyers have logged a lot of their research.

No 18's here. Of course not needed.

Back last year, Oro, you asked if I was running multiple subs. I am not. I have a 12" SVS Systems sub with built in Sledge D amp. It is like the rabbit, it is a thumper. Goes down to 13 or 15hz, so below the 20hz of human hearing. That is, if all memories about frequency response are still good. Starting to get the old enough to question my own thoughts at times.

I am still hoping for the day when we can listen to WoS through a system that takes us to the "Fare the Well" P.A.. Would have to be software based, but I look at it like 4K upcoding an HDTV signal.

Wow, FTW PA is now 7 years ago. Bet the Meyers' have gone way beyond that. I almost applied for a job at Meyer 7 years ago. Was in my career field. POTHead.

That 2015 system had multiple flying 18's. It also had a load balancing system. This was done by having 2 systems, intake and outake. That is, they had 100 microphones throughout the stadium to push into the analytics software. Of course, the output systems was not connected except thru analytics, to the input system to avoid feedback. Brilliant. The analytic input system could then be used to balance the PA by section of the of the stadium.

Sorry for interruption but I wanted find the article on pro sound web about 2015 FTW PA.

I did actually find it, but not by searching pro sound web, but by searching internet at large and it found it on the pro sound web site, even though pro sound web could not find it in its own search.

Let me know, maybe I can send lynk thru PM here, not sure if they cut that off.

Any way need to do a little work after lunch. I mean a little work.

G
April 19, 2022 - 12:24pm

#2352

Oroborous

Joined:
June 19, 2007

Ha

That’s what chain saws are for!

Gary, I think besides trying to keep up with Garcia, Phil was using that big system on stage to help fill in those near field areas (up front etc) we were discussing, the areas that didn’t get proper coverage from the PA?
What some refer to as the Phil Zone, though to me that’s was where both his stage sound and the PA sound merged and acoustically coupled.
But yeah, My spine tingles and can still feel rather than hear those sub frequencies in my DNA. (By sub I mean below the threshold of hearing, not a subwoofer). Those Meyers 18”s in the PA were ridiculous in the right spot, in the right venue etc.
Plus, it’s the Grateful Fucking Dead so why not go big!

PS, that Grateful Dead gear book is great, though a little dialed down.
April 19, 2022 - 12:07pm

#2353

JimInMD

Joined:
June 27, 2011

I want what Phil's having...

Home version. 18"'s and 4"'s. If I move some things around, they should fit.
April 19, 2022 - 11:21am

#2354

Gary Farseer

Joined:
August 1, 2015

Oro

thanks for the write-up, input. Need a little time to read again and ponder. Think again we are speaking the same language but as 90% of communication is non verbal, some times the written language let's us down.

It seems I have the dead's equipment book, need to track that down. Not necessarily for this discussion but just to find it again...

Should have figured Phil would use Meyer systems. Using 18's onstage, wow!

Hope all well your way!

G
April 19, 2022 - 10:10am

#2355

Oroborous

Joined:
June 19, 2007

Phil’s Rig

As of late 82 or early 83 Phil was using 4 Meyers cabinets: (4 -18”, 4 -15”), 2 per cabinet powered by custom PIE amps, until they started not using speakers on stage in 92. (Which I didn’t like).

Not sure I get all what your saying? I agree that Soundboards do not sound natural for many reasons.
Perhaps your referring to the phenomena of Microphones not having frequency response to accurately record bass waves combing sub sonic frequencies at those kind of SPL levels?
Mic location can also make a big difference and was partly why Dan started the tapers section. Unless you have the right knowledge and equipment chances are a recording made too close will mot sound good.
Plus you have the physics: the lower the frequency, the longer the sound wave. If your too close you’ll not hear the fully formed bass note etc.
In fact if your too close much of the PA sound will blow right by you. You’ll also not properly experience stereo imaging. That’s why usually, the sound board or just before it was THE place to be. It was a trade off going up front: yeah you were up close and could see and hear their stage sound, but the PA mix was so above and beyond you that you missed a lot of info. Eventually they added little Meyers boxes, usually sitting on the front of the stage to add some vocals etc for those up close.
Nothing comes for free! Personally, like Bear, I didn’t like the stereo set up because of this. Unless you were in the right spot, you missed a lot of info, especially if you were sitting on the side!
This was the main reason Reserved seating sucked: nobody could sit where they wanted so if you were a sound nut like us, you often had to endure less than perfect sound/mixes.
April 19, 2022 - 9:33am

#2356

Gary Farseer

Joined:
August 1, 2015

Fall Out from the Phil Zone

I listened to 1988-10-15. Once Friday, Second Saturday. Two different sources although both said the Ultramatrix board, the first was much muddier than the second. Best highlight was the deep garbled voices toward the end of drums. Really bizarre, and reminds me of garbled voices during latter Star Wars during broken transmissions, and reminds me of the fellas ties to Lucas, the lightgiver.

I was very disappointed in both versions as the show is missing a whole lot of data/music. What I mean by this is, I am wondering if there is fallout from the phil zone? I am positing that as the Phil Zone expanded, Healy lost control of the overall sound. If memory serves at some point it seems I remember maybe Phil using 18" woofers onstage. For sure he was using 15's (plus 12's and 10's). Now I loved my bit of time I spent in the Phil zone, but generally when I got up close, it was Jerry side. As Phil blasts his horn, this means Healy had to bring Phil down in the overall P.A. mix. In my humble opinion, I believe this led to the bad tape sound, lots of data/music missing. When I focus my ears, I can tell that much of the overall lower sound waves are missing or nonexistent. Even worse, the frequencies that are there are very muddled and indiscernible.

Now as a way to test my theory, I listened to 1988-03-27, Hampton. Another group of shows I saw in 1988. I did see 8 Dead shows there and fully know the quality of the sound that can be obtained within the mothership. (Also saw the shows that make up "Hampton Comes Alive..") When I listened to March 27, the sound is very good. However, although not as bad a St.Pete, there is again a large amount of data/music missing as well. The imaging is excellent but that is because the imaging comes from the higher frequencies. Bass frequencies are much more omni- directional, whereas high frequencies are unidirectional. (Want to press on these concepts furthur, later on. I want to go back to some discussions back in October regarding HDCD.) If my hypothesis is correct, then the tape anomalies concerning extremely muddled low frequencies will test out thru other 1988 shows. Had not heard or noticed this until this past weekend. So for St. Pete, it not only causes Phil to be muddled (deep booming bass with no clarity to individual notes played), it also means some muddleness from other players/instruments. I believe this may be the reason why 1988 recordings may all need matrix recording.

Just one man's opinion, would like to know what others thought.

Both Hampton and St. Pete were excellent shows when you factor other aspects than just the quality of the reproduced sound on tape. One reason I love the later shows is because the P.A. quality produces a much more full bodied, across frequencies, sound than do earlier performances. Early performances are fire from perfomance, latter shows have more depth and clarity in the frequency spectrum, hence DaP#40.

Ok enough for now.

G
April 19, 2022 - 9:23am

#2357

bob t

Joined:
November 21, 2007

Sandstone Amphitheatre 7/4/90

I was there.. It was so hot at the start of the show... Close to 100... Really enjoyed the long scarlet>fire popping up in the 4th slot.... Drove straight to Louisville after the show... why oh why.
April 19, 2022 - 8:53am

#2358

Gary Farseer

Joined:
August 1, 2015

Congrats Jim!!!

Knew we were getting close. Still love the Raven show. I am a huge '82 fan.

This was the same time as my first drop, April 1982, what a life changing event, as I know 4/19 was for you.

First 2 drops were Orange Sunshine and Purple Haze. Not too bad for first 2. Man, there is a lot to write about with those 2.

Thanks Jim for being such a solid rock of posting here, and again, Congrats.

G
April 19, 2022 - 5:45am

#2359

JimInMD

Joined:
June 27, 2011

4/19 - Why take one when two will do?

I can't say no to that. A pivotal moment in the life of Jim.

The drive home (including the arduous task of finding the car) was perhaps scarier than that moment when they derailed into discord and mayhem shortly after drums. The driver, the older brother of the friend I went with, was totally straight and a taper. The two of us had never seen the dead before and we both indulged - two each. Making it through space intact was the first challenge.. then we had to live through it again on the drive home. I was given very strict instructions which I followed as if my life depended on it, "He cannot know." So we hop in the car, he takes out his newly recorded master and fast forwards to that very moment it all began.

"Quoth the Raven Nevermore. ....It was a dark and stormy night.... Wasn't it?" and the laughing and the sounds of nitrous.

Listening to this again for the first time in a while, that laugh at the beginning of space that sounds remarkably like the laugh repeated over and over again on a loop cycle during the excellent Space from Dave's Picks 40, Deer Creek 6/18/90. It's the same laugh whether recreated or brought back to life from this recording? Not sure.

Looking back on this 40 years later, I have to think maybe Larry wasn't as straight as he was purported to be. How could he not have known we were holding on for dear life on that fateful drive home? Perhaps he fast forwarded to that space because he knew and approved? A test? Questions that will likely remain unanswered.

If you haven't heard this check it out, there's a brand spanking new Miller on the archive that reeks of an upgrade. On a similar note, Lemieux has been playing stuff from this tour this year. I recall him referring to it as "a most excellent tour", perhaps foreshadowing things to come?

To me, the sound is better than some of the 82 that's found it's way to CD.. When the sweet chords of the Wheel finally broke through the madness that came before it.. I realized things were going to be ok after all. And they were. But the half hour before that and the half hour drive home took some time to make sense out of. Thankfully the Wheel and Stella Blue were there to provide support and ground us after our travels.

I'd like to think we both passed the test. ahh.. well, onward.

Edit: Two additional comments.. the discord probably started with Feel Like a Stranger, also that Brokedown Palace was sweet. 81 and 82 have some really nice versions of these songs, Jerry's voice was in good shape during this period. a real highlight.
April 19, 2022 - 4:02am

#2360

daverock

Joined:
September 1, 2014

Tupelo

I can't honestly say I remember the Pigpen version - despite having the cd of 4/18/70. But that John Lee Hooker record is unforgettable. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds cut a thunderous record based on this theme, and with that title, in the mid 80's.

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.

Today is tomorrow....

https://archive.org/details/gd1992-05-30.116403.josephsonc-640.chuckm.f…
....nice Aud of 5.30.92. I was on the floor, Phil Zone, approx 60' from the stage.
Good show.

92 Vguy

92 you say Vguy. Definitely getting out of my comfort zone. I will check it out.

Thanks

Fillmore East 9/19/70

I hear an audience tape of the acoustic set surfaced a few weeks ago. Of course the last set has been a masterpiece of the recording universe for years.
9/19/70 was my fourth Grateful Dead concert. If no one has made a suggestion for tomorrow I highly recommend September 19, 1970 for listening pleasure and more.
I believe that most heads/longhairs were in a state of shock learning about the death of Jimi Hendrix. The Dead must have felt the need to raise the roof, to go where no man has gone before. And being in the forth row center that night it felt like being on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. Bob Weir looked like Captain Kirk and of course Mickey Hart looked like Spock. There were more orange barrels floating around there that night than the I-40 interchange in Duke City.

Fillmore East 9/19/70

Man 4th Row during one of the most epic Dark Star Jams ever!

That sounds fun. Can you see it when you close your eyes?

I think that would be imprinted on my brain. Talk about flashbacks ;)

The Darkness Darkness > China Cat Jam gets me every time. That's the stuff!

I'm hip to take that trip.

Like you mentioned the Audience of the Acoustic set reappeared in circulation in July this year, it's rough.. but it's all there is. A little bit more like archival research than listening pleasure, but hey we're all heads!

I did notice they mentioned the following:
B&W video footage was shot by the Fillmore East crew but it has yet to re-surface.

I'd love to see that!! FE crew where are you?!?!
Show us the Video, just like the old days, the Sunshine Makers ride again!

Woke Up to the Sound of Thunder today.
Sounds like we'll be able to do the same tomorrow ;)

Day off from September 72

No anniversary shows... jumping ahead 2 years to Dijon France 9/18/74.... released on 30 Trips... strongest of the 3 shows in France. The first set always reminds me of 10/19/74 Winterland first set. Good weekend everyone. Bob t

9-21-72

Started it early, while driving into work this morning.
Bird Song was mighty fine.
No driving this weekend except for a grocery store run tomorrow.
Monday morning’s commute should then start close to Set 2.

9-18-74

I’m on it BobT,
Scarlet playing now.

5/30/92

I am digging this show Vguy! Sound quality is really good. We get a Wang Dang Doodle and a Maggie's Farm, Cumberland is great. I like the Way to Go Home. Truckin. Fun show. Thanks for turning us on to this one. And you were there!

9/19/72 Roosevelt Stadium September tour

Good chilly morning from Rhode Island... As i make my way through the 12 show September tour, it is sort of the best of both worlds as far as sound quality. 4 of the 12 have been officially released. (9/17/72, 9/21/72, 9/24/72, 9/27/72)... and then there is today's anniversary show, 9/19/72... Only one copy on Internet Archive... and it is an audience... In one of comment sections Dave says that the board is in the vault, but is missing one reel, so there is 5 of the 6 in there... So Icecrmcnkd I'm looking forward to catching up with you on Monday with 9/21/72.. If you have a board from this show, you are my hero!!!! Be good.. Bob t

Done already... not that long of a show by 72 standards....

9/19/72 & 9/19/70

Nice Bob T!

Yet another reason I like hanging out with you all here.

Bob T talking about 9/19/72 made me notice I didn't have that there show. Looked at my Dead Base and it's listed as Aud Only / SBD exists. Must've been from back in the days when I only grabbed SBDs so this lil gem got overlooked (probably didn't help it's chances that there's no PITB;)

I'll have to give it a full listen, but so far it's average Audience quality for '72 (rough in general).
Bob T I wanted to be a hero, but ended up a zero, but thanks for bringing this to my attention.

But first... 9/19/70 aw yes!
I started a little yesterday, went ahead and gave the Jack Toner Audience recording of the Acoustic Set a spin before crashing, it's as remembered, a rough recording but the TLMD makes it worth it, anybody know who's playing the Piano? It's an amazing version of that song, hampered by the rough recording, but it's all we got so put your archivist hat on and give it a spin. Bonus, it's the complete set with a reel flip in NSB and stops between songs.

I believe I asked Strider about the piano player, but maybe a revisit will trigger your memory.

Today started with the last two songs of Acoustic Set and the beginning of the Electric Set from legendary taper Marty Weinberg's recording. Strider you ever meet him?

I've been reading a lot about the Fillmore East, it's cool to think about how people would actually be sitting in their assigned seats. You can hear a FE usher during Morning Dew hassling people about their tickets :)

Morning Dew opener for the set, must've been a clue on where they might go that night. It's a powerful rendition and the Weinberg Audience is much more listenable.
Fun banter before Schoolgirl (They haven't done this in years!)
CR&S, Easy Wind & Early Sugar Mags is fun too.

Alright, getting ready now for the circulating SBD portion, legendary amongst the faithful.
Gotta love this band.
Even though I've heard this show a bunch, I still get excited to take the trip!

Have a Grate Day you all.

PS - DV agreed on 5/30/92 fun show for sure, I dig that Spanish Jam. If memory serves the next night is the smoker from the run, and the first night is good too, nice PITB. First Vegas shows? How was that scene VGUY? Had to be a trip.

re: Good Ole

Starting 9/19/70..... 9/19/72 is a rough audience, you made the proper call!!! Bob t

RE: Bob T

You are correct sir!

I see now how I missed this one ;)

ROUGH!

Piano man /To Lay Me Down

Probably Howard Wales or Ned Lagin.

Piano Man

BTK - Definitely the usual suspects, I do see where some people are saying it's Garcia playing Piano.

Strider listen to it and see if it triggers any memories. 4th row center, do you remember seeing Garcia playing Piano?

Love this stuff. Crazy how quite they could bring it down too during Dark Star, in NY of all places.
I should say on the SBD at least, I'll have to listen to that part on the audience tape and see if it is quite.
Great St. Stephen too, and again the Darkness > China Cat Jam is the stuff.

NFA
Awww yeah :)

EDIT: FWIW Eyewitness review on archive.org states the following in regards to 9/20/70 - I just want to try and clear something up - we watched in awe as jerry played the piano on To Lay Me Down. This was my last of many FE and Port Chester shows and most had big acoustic sets - but never had we ever seen JG tickle the ivorys. You do not forget that!

50 years later and we're still talking and wondering about it, that's Good Stuff!

Piano man

Garcia did play some piano on American Beauty. Garcia said in an interview, how the Dead recreated some of the tunes on American Beauty onstage at the Fillmore East exactly how they played them in the studio. I believe it was in that Rolling Stone book, that he mentioned that. I posted a few weeks ago, I wondered if it was Garcia playing piano on 9/20/70 on Broke down Palace, he said he always worked out new tunes on the piano.

Piano Man

BTK - Yeah, I read something similar, probably same article.

Something about Box of Rain being performed just like it was on the album in regards to instrumentation.

I can't remember where I read that, or the details of what was said.

But it would appear that these are the shows where that happened if it indeed did happen, which it sounds like it did. Love all these versions of the AB material Truckin', Box, TLMD, Brokedown, Ripple good good stuff.

Said it before, but man I wish these SBDs would turn up / existed!

Now I've got the 1970 bug

Finished 9/19/70 and went to 5/14/70 Meramec Community College!!!

1970 Bug

A good bug to have.

Bummer that our man Owsley got thrown in jail and that the band wasn't recording more from July until December.

Probably so many legendary performances that happened that we'll never know about.

I like to think about them...

1970 The Lost Shows

9-19-70 mtx

http://etree.org/details.php?torrentId=534484

from:

http://etree.org/index.php?searchzzzz=1970&cat=8&page=100

Fillmore East / An Evening with the Grateful Dead

The 17th a group of us went to the Fillmore. Jimi, Theresa, Dan (tipi Dan) who also went to Veneta in 72. Dave, Janet and myself.
I had bought tickets in advance. It was an amazing night to say the least.
The 17th was such a “high time” that a couple days later I rallied a couple other friends Kirk B. and Dicky Z. to join me and take the train to the city and try and buy tickets at the door. Sold out, so after a mad scene on the “Sidewalks of New York” I was able to buy two tickets on the street from Ricky, for face value, $5:50. Kirk was able to buy a John Mayall ticket for a future date and quickly pass it off as a Dead ticket and get in.
My mind was very altered before I even went inside. I remembered as I entered a deadhead saying “ let’s go melt in our seats”. Boy howdy, to say the least. And the fourth row center seats were spectacular. Crowd response was intense. St. Stephen seemed to make everyone go bananas. I don’t remember a piano but it was fifty years ago. Going to listen to the recording a little later. Sync it up to to the time frame? Pigpen was fucking awesome, lively, top of his game. I also remember the guy and the gal being introduced to each other by Pig. Where are they now. I would hope they at least got each other’s phone numbers. 1970 was in many ways my favorite year seeing the Grateful Dead and my favorite year to listen to all these light years later into the future.
The concert ended way late. So the three of us Connecticats made our way to Grand Central Station about 3am. We tried laying down on the wooden benches in Grand Central (sleep was out of the question) only to be rousted by a NYPD cop slamming his biilyclub on the bench a couple feet away“No sleeping in here!!”. Finally caught the first train out to Connect. That same morning wound up going fishing for bluefish with my father and my high school friend Tyler.
When the dust settled I was so enamored with the Grateful Dead that I started seeing them whenever I could manage it. My next Dead shows I made my way to the long night of Halloween at Stony Brook and all four nights at the Capitol Theater in November. Looking back to those times as a youth are true golden memories from the Golden Road somewhere in the Golden Eternity.

9.19.70....

....this show is taking over this site.
Guess I better strap myself in and enjoy the ride.
All good things in all good time.

September '72

I can't remember if I posted this or mentioned it to someone in an email, but yeah, the Dark Star from September 19th 1970 is something else. There's like a complete silence in the middle where somebody's unplugging and plugging back in probably a broken string or something and replacement guitar... and then it really heats up.

I was checking out the bonus tracks on Dick's Picks 36 from September 3rd, 1972. The Other One => Wharf Rat is so perfect. The Other One is a jam fest that never loses me (in some versions the meltdown and cacophony gets a little too much). Bobby sounds great - some of his best contributions to '72 improv jamming is right here. Somehow I don't think I've ever listened to the whole thing before in one session, undisturbed. And then right into a Wharf Rat where the tone of Jerry's Strat and Bobby's Gibson ES blend for some guitar weaving that I think even Richards would appreciate.

Joshua Light Show

My avatar is from the Fillmore East, Joshua Light Show. I believe my first bootleg from this four night run at the FE were a couple Maxell 90 minute tapes of September 20, 1970 from my old friend Jay Kerley. A several day rainy taping session in December 1981 in Glen Ellen, Califas. (Valley of the Moon) Great feedback from 9/20/70.
Listening to 9/19/70 now. Been a long time since hearing it. Dark Star from that night still gives me goosebumps. Interplay between Jerry and Bob are like waves of northern lights washing over time and space.

9/19/70

Thanks for sharing the memories Strider. I love reading about these shows, here and at the archive. I can't help but wonder how the orange barrels mixed with the acoustic sets, but it sounds like everything went down just fine! I've loved the Dark Star for years but that's about it. I'm finding the audience tapes a painful listen tonight. Maybe I'll give them another shot tomorrow.

Mystery search / Mist Research

Jambase lists Jerry Garcia on piano on To Lay Me Down for 9/19/70. Just read that after listening to Dark Star through Lovelight tonight.
Wow Jerry really tickled those ivories , even with a missing middle finger.
A friend recently asked if I knew what the Mr Spock hand salute was , I said of course “live long and prosper” or the opposite of giving the finger.
Peace out, not piece out.

Spock....

....logic. That is the Vulcan 🖖 mantra.
We need more Spocks in this world.
Unfortunately, that isn't the case.

9/20/70

Complete show exists. I believe. Jim must be river running. I’m ridge running.

The Opposite of Giving The Finger

That’s rich.

These are the voyages of the Starship, Enterprise. Weir looking like Kirk and orange barrels.. man.

Thank You Ricky!

Great show.

Pigpen at the top of his game.

And yeah I think that’s ole Jer playing Piano on TLMD. It’s such distinctive playing I always think, who’s playing that? Just like his guitar playing, the guy knows how to capture the feeling.

Far Out!

I dug that, thanks for the sweet flashes from the show.
And for all that endured some rough audio archival digs, salute!

Whenever I dig into 1970 it takes me awhile to come back, what a trip.

Hard to beat that.

Can’t Come Down, It’s Plain To See, Can’t Come Down, Been Set Free…

9/20/70 you say.. don't mind if I do!

9/20/70

Always been my favorite, killer acoustic set, Grisman and Nelson sitting in, beautiful Broke down Palace with Garcia on piano, maybe. A burning electric set, with an anthem like Attics. Thank God somebody recorded this, One of my top three Dead shows, 9/20/70, 5/2/70, & 5/15/70. If I had to pick just 3 shows to own, it would be those 3. Dave, lets have it, please.

To Lay Me Down

The 9/20/70 acoustic set quality is best from the run that we have.

Listening to TLMD I hear:
Piano - Jerry?
Guitar - Bob
Bass - Phil
Drums - Mickey or Bill
Organ - Pigpen (I think)
Pedal Steel? - ?

Bob does a great job, and I love Pig's tasty fills. Can't tell if that's a pedal steel, but I think I hear that, it doesn't sound like Jerry playing it.

You'll notice when they switch to Truckin' Jerry's back on guitar and I believe Pigpen is playing the Piano. Note the "Garlands of Neon" verse.

Fun stuff and yeah BTK I'd love it if these SBDs existed. I'd spend a whole day talking to Dave Lemieux about these tapes and what he knows about them. But from what I can gather, there's no Master Reels in the Vault from 7/16 - 12/12/70. It's probably been discussed ad infinitum but somehow.. it's still interesting :)

EDIT: Yeah, that might be Jerry playing the keys in Brokedown as well. Can't tell if there's 2 guitars or not on that, my ear or the recording or both, but I think that is Jer. Great Acoustic set for sure. Personal favorite is the 9/17/70 with the first Box.. man I wish there was a SBD of that.

Ha..

I was river running and doing some exterior work on my house before winter shuts in.. until Friday that is.. I got speared by a 6'2" guy in a 12 foot kayak, so I am on the injured reserve for a bit. Right in the rib cage.. Don't make me laugh...

: )
9/xx/70 it is. I am a bit behind, but it looks like I have ample opportunity to catch up.

Easy Wind

I've heard it said that this 9/20/70 version is the one to beat.

I'll say this.. Bob's solo shreds. That dude could play. (Still can)

Jerry just lays back and lets him go and then answers with some classic Garcia.

Good Stuff.

9-20-70 acoustic

so this is completely new to me and I am blown away. everything about this set is astonishing, beautiful, gorgeous, otherworldly, a gift.

i had no idea that several (4?) acoustic 1970 To Lay Me Downs were out there. heck, Jerry didn't record that first solo album until July 1971. it doesn't show up in concert again until Nov. 1973! so very cool to have Jerry on piano, and his singing is so nuanced and emotive. a stunningly beautiful version.

it makes sense (to me at least) that Jerry might also play piano on Brokedown given its one of the 2 other songs Hunter composed with To Lay Me Down on that beautiful English afternoon. until checking the liner notes today i hadn't really taken in that Jerry played piano on almost all(?) of American Beauty.

Jim - glad you're tough and came out of that with only a bruised rib cage. jeez.

on that note, keep your head on a swivel, be well everyone, and happy fall equinox!

If you have time after 9/20/70 ........

For another anniversary show, Palais Des Sports 9/20/74 is a strong Europe 74 show... good 34 minute Truckin>Eyes of the World in set II... Show opener Cumberland.... Black Throated Wind, Row Jimmy, Scarlet, FOTD and a first set WRS>Stella... and I will see you tomorrow 9/21/72 Spectrum in all your Dick's Picks glory......bob t

9-20-70

My first listen ever as far as I know, and I like it.
Went with version 140664.Miller and Co.

Some of the new material seems a little shaky at times, but a grate listen.
NFA just started....

9.20.70....

....i have never heard this show.
That changes today.
Going with this recording.
https://archive.org/details/gd1970-09-20.140664.sbd.boswell.smith.mille…
Buds+ engage!!
I'm at FOTD. Garcia is just showing off at this point. Grate version!
3rd Big RxR Blues. Nice. 4th To Lay Me Down. Even nicer.
Ha! I picked the same source as conekid. This is the way.
The boyz shined in 1970.
I would post a joke, but Jim has brused ribs, so i will refrain.

9/20/70

I just did a quick preview of this show. I am going to give it a proper listen tomorrow. I think this will get me through work as it looks to be a long day.

Fillmore East September 1970

Cool that some of you are discovering this run for the first time.

It’s a legendary run of shows. The band was playing their new album’s material live for the Fillmore East. They'd just finished recording American Beauty and the band wanted to play the tunes with the same instrumentation as they'd recorded them.

For me, this is the run I really wish were in the Vault.
Apparently what SBDs we do have are from the Famously Fabulous FE crew and from what I understand the Master Reels have long been missing. So when you put together the partial fragments of SBDs and Audience Recordings you get a pretty good picture of what went down.
And what went down was epic. Ask Strider!

Anyhow, here’s a list of the SBD stuff that’s out there. If you dug 9/20 and haven’t heard this other stuff, seek it out. The 9/17 acoustic set is prob my all time favorite acoustic set, and it’s a good audience recording, wait for it… for that time.

9/17 - Audience Only - Fantastic Acoustic Set (First / Only Box of Rain before ’73) Amazing Dark Star (Do It!)
9/18 - Partial SBD (Best Sounding of 4? / Rare Operator)
9/19 - Partial SBD (Great! Dark Star Suite)
9/20 - SBD (Far Out Show, SBD is the worst of the 3 we have, but it’s pretty complete, Tape Shedding on last reel, but worth it cause the Caution is out of this world)

50 years ago today, people were wandering the streets of New York thinking OMG did I just see that? I was soooo high. That couldn’t of possibly happened. Who are those guys?!?!

Alright, glad you all turned on to this far out Fillmore East trip this weekend.
It’s good to know about these shows, they were magic.

Thanks All

I had listened to some of this run before, but not the whole run sequentially before. It was fun and I learned a lot along the way. Here's to learning, those that help you out along the way and the never ending quest for knowledge (especially when it comes to the GOGD).

Special shout-out to Strider and GOGD.

GOGD/ 9/70 SHOWS

GOGD, great summary for the 9/70 shows. Somebody does have a complete tape of 9/20/70, so I'm sure with all the technology available these days and great sound guys like Jeffery Norman to make it just exactly perfect, we will see a fantastic release of this show. Thank goodness that some of the acoustic shows were recorded and saved. 1969, 1970 and 1972, before Pig Pen left the group, we're the Dead at their peak, but I dig it all!

What's Up Next

Alright all.. who's got the next week of back to back shows containing some of the best music ever performed that we can listen to, thumb through, over-analyze and toss around personal stories we remember from being there 50+ years ago?

Preferably from 1970, preferably with missing master reels that somehow wound up in that pile of Ampex tapes that have been holding up the turntable in someone's basement since early 1971.

Anybody?
Bueller?

Someone.. things were just getting interesting.

Alfred State College

Jim's got the bug!

5/1/70 tapes have a pretty interesting story behind them. I believe some of the reels for this show were found under the stage at Meramec / Kirkwood College gig at 5/14/70. Disappeared, reappeared. Anyhow must of the show circulates in SBD now. Some of it is in the Vault, maybe all now. I don't think we've gone there yet.

And there's always the 6/24/70 Ken & Judy Lee audience tapes from the Capitol Theatre. Some good story time stuff there too. However, some may be tired of 1970 audience recordings after the weekend :)

5/1 sounds fun.

5/1/70

One of the first shows I pulled down from the Archive when I first discovered it...

Classic, and an interesting school with a great ceramics program. I'll tag this tomorrow, today is already mostly behind me.

1970 Dead

Yeah, it's a good one. Not quite the same as what happened the next night. But good.

I think Jerry mutters something about college kids. I gave it a spin today, but was distracted and half paying attention.

I need to check out 12/12/70 again, I know there's a nasty reel flip in The Other One, but I can't remember much else about that show. I've been working my way through the SBDs that exist after 7/16. Not much there..

Be Well!

Re: Muttering Something About College Kids

I think he said, "Get Off My Lawn, Hippies"

Checking this out now.. I recall vividly where I was and when I listened to this last. I had just discovered Archive.org and I was hankering for something akin to Harpur College, 1970 acoustic/electric GD. My last house was had a deck literally cantilevered over the river and I had some friends over after boating and put this on. Probably 20 years ago this summer.

Yes, probably not the best of 1970, 1/2, 2/13&14, 5/15, 4/15 and 9/xx are better, but it's the full deal and the tapes are pretty much complete. A snapshot in history.

Do we even know who recorded this?

Anyway.. historical stuff. Has anyone ever seen the 5/3/68 Columbia University stuff on YouTube? It's hodgepodged together and the video seems to not match the audio in large sections but it makes you wonder what's really available and if something better can be done now???

Columbia Revolt & 12/12/70

Memories, light the corners of my mind...

Good stuff!

The 5/3/68 footage is great, the best footage of the band from '68 (brains not working, but I can't think of any other '68 film footage currently, if there is it'll come to me.. Oh Yeah 3/3/68 Haight Street, but the 5/3 stuff is pro style). Unfortunately, no audio exists from the 5/3 show.

I guess the best thing that can be done is guess what song they're playing. The Other One sync is pretty dope and I believe that's what they're playing, but correct me if I'm wrong. I think I've also seen it synced with New Potato.

The footage that exists, I believe was shot for a film titled "Columbia Revolt". This is all off the top of my head, so I could be missing bits and pieces, but yeah.

I'm gonna check out 12/12/70 today if anybody else wants to give it a spin.

Got the 1970 bug.

Alfred!

Came close to going to school there, some kind of electronics program? Even went on some school bus RT to check it out.....details are very fuzzy.....such a long time to be gone, but a short time to be there lol.

Been checking a couple of these out. Not a normal go to year for me, but I’m trying to broaden my horizons, lol.
And like I always say, it’s all good and there’s always something there! Just gotta poke around!
Thanks to GOGD etc for all the groovy info and saving us dilettantes time by steering us in the right directions...wait???, which side is up again???
Thanks to Strider for more tales from the Dark Star!

7/13/76 Orpheum.....

Well I can say I haven't listened to this show since 1990 or so... I only have an audience copy. Looking forward to listening. First Half Step since 10/20/74, they didn't play it in June.... Also excited to hear the Dancing encore as well as Crazy Fingers and High Time... The Orpheum shows have such a different vibe to them then the June tour that wrapped up less than 2 weeks before it... bob t

7/13/76

Sounds good to me Bob t. Yes, the Orpheum run has a different feel to it and you would think we will get more releases from this run. We do have Dave's 18 from 7/17, which is a great release.

7/13/76 / Killer Show

I was there, we were sitting in row c, center, but there wasn't a bad seat in the house. The Orpheum theatre only held 1,800 people, so it's a small place. I think if I could go back and see one Dead show that I had attended it would probably be this one. It was cool and definitely should be a released.