• Post reply
    8,101 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
Recent Oldest A to Z Z to A
Reset
  • #4791
    DeadVikes
    Joined:
    1989

    Yes, so many great shows in 89 and Cal Expo is no slouch. Lately, I have been thinking 89 might edge out 1990? It is close anyway. Really high level stuff with Jerry fully engaged. Things changed after Brent died, but there was still some great music. Fall 1990 still doesn't grab me. Not like 1991, where they seem to get the Mojo going again.

    Stay well out there people.

  • #4792
    JimInMD
    Joined:
    Sweet Run

    This one's for our 89 loving Oroborous. (knowing that most in this group seem to be 80's fans)

  • #4793
    Vguy72
    Joined:
    Cal Expo '89....

    ....was present and camped at all three. Awesome venue. The only time I caught them there. Very beer friendly.

  • #4794
    JimInMD
    Joined:
    Rockthing

    Right on, Bring it..

    I think you are doing this exactly right. Great show, VGuy, good choice. And an excellent show to have attended. Did you catch the entire run?

    It's keeping us honest.

  • #4795
    daverock
    Joined:
    Infrared Roses

    Rockthing-your post reminded me of the cd compilation called "Infrared Roses" that came out in the 90s. An album exclusively made up of drum and space segments, each track given the added status of being named individually. I was lucky enough to experience one of them-the so called "Silver Apples of the Moon" which I think came from London 11/1/90. One of the highlights of the show.

    When drums and space come out of Dark Star- I tend to think of them as being extensions of Star, rather than as separate entities.

  • #4796
    rockthing
    Joined:
    gd1989-08-05 impressions Second Set

    Am I doin' this right? Sorry if I'm kinda goin' overboard. That's my thing.

    Continuing to listen to the Schoeps MK2 source.

    Hey Pocky Way: This song did not get performed enough. Just some light fun with a little cheesy keyboard sound.

    Playin': Nice and spacey jam. Sparse. Chill. Percussion taking the back seat in the mix. Jerry really challenging the others to find the trail he's blazing. Catch me if you can! Whoa, what's he hintin' at? No way! So THIS is the standalone I Know You Rider. More like a Playin' Rider. THAT really came outa nowhere. People musta been goin' nuts. Can't really hear too much reaction from the crowd, even though this is an audience pull. Up up tempo. Really flying. Headlight ¡GONG! on a northbound train. Nice. :)

    Terrapin: Are you serious? Third song into the second set is Terrapin?! Pretty solid.

    Drums/Space: At some point I really began to dislike the generic titles for drums and space. It's canon. I know. Can't fight city hall. Never gonna change four decades of precedent, but when I track my old tapes for my own personal use, I include drums and space in the song either before or after them. I like to think of them as a drum solo and free form jam into or out of a composition. I realize they rarely have much of anything to do with the tunes around them, but some of the early stuff would go out so far you had no idea what song they were playing, I kinda like to stay in that frame of mind. So, to me, this is the drum solo for Terrapin. ^^; Is there a cut, or was that just the world's shortest "drums"? Some wacky MIDI stuff to start off space. Everyone playing everyone else's instruments, virtually.

    Gotta run. Catch up with the rest of the second half later.

    EDIT:

    Sorry, Terrapin wasn't the third song. Maybe Pocky Way felt like such a throw away that subconsciously I didn't even count it. At any rate, seemed to arrive at Terrapin awfully quickly. Time flies when you're having fun? :)

  • #4797
    rockthing
    Joined:
    gd1989-08-05 impressions First Set

    Hey now. Is it ok if a newcomer jumps in on this? Never need an excuse to cue up a show I've never heard. Wish I had time to do it more often. Easily lead into rabbit holes, so hafta stick with my old favorites when things are busy. Nice to have someone to share the impressions with. I apologize in advance. I am notorious among all my correspondents for writing the sequel to Ulysses in every email.

    I don't have any hard and fast policies, but generally I prefer to find a good audience pull over soundboards. There are plenty of boards I love, though, so as I say it's not a rule. Being a minor taping enthusiast informs that tendency, but often I actually like having the crowd in the mix. Sometimes the audience can be as entertaining as the band, like the dudes calling out for Casey Jones during Seastones. Hilarious. Idle chatter drives me up a wall, though.

    Introductions out of the way, please allow me to share my experience listening to this Cal Expo gig.

    First impressions:
    Wow. Bobby's vocals are really loud. This is something I often find distracting about boards. The vocal balance is way too high in the mix compared with the instruments. It's inevitable, I guess. Usually the instruments don't need to be amplified as much as the vocals. I gather that we're supposed to be listening to the same releases, but I decided to see what the other sources sounded like.

    I switched from the Miller SBD to Mattes Schoeps CMC 44 pull. I've heard some Mattes tapes I like. The Schoeps are top of the line mics and can't be faulted technically, but I often find Schoeps pulls to favor the lower frequencies in a way that seems to muffle the overall experience. In this case my first thought was, where's the band? Had to really crank it to even notice OMSN had started.

    Next it was a switch to the Casey Coniff Sennheiser 441 pull. Starts off promising. Instruments loud and clear, but then I WENT UP TO THE MOUNTAIN, wow, the vocals were blasting into the audience, too. Yes, you can hear Dan Healy, I presume, immediately pull the volume back, but Bobby's vocals are really dominating the mix.

    The Schoeps MK2 pull seems to offer a frequency balance I like best of these sources. The vocals are still really high, but they would be since everyone's taping the same show. Let it be said, however, that the focus and clarity of both this and the Coniff audience pulls are right up there with soundboards. No need to search for the show in the recording.

    Cold Rain and Snow: Poor old Jer. Love that old silvery elf voice of his and I know it won't be there in '89, but he sounds kinda tired to me at the beginning. Kick drums kinda have that slappy festival sound quality. Phil's bass sounds great. Low end is powerful, but well-defined, and his upper register runs are right there too, but not harsh. Big smile for that little hiccup/accent around 4 and a half minutes in. Love this tune. This probably won't rocket to the top of my list of favorites.

    We Can Run: As much as I love Brent's keyboard work with the Dead, I rarely get into his songwriting.

    Stagger Lee: Nothing in particular to say about this.

    Stuck Inside of Mobile: Nothing to write home about. Everyone seems to be getting a little more warmed up. The buildups for the choruses each seem to grow in intensity.

    Row Jimmy: Whoa! WTH was that atonal weirdness. That was brilliant, whatever it was. lol. Sounds like someone accidentally dropped something on The Beam. Unfortunately no one had the presence of mind or inclination to try to incorporate it into the song, or improvise off of it. It just happens and sounds like a mistake. Jimmy plods along as usual. Gonna get there? I don't know.

    Let It Grow: Oh, some of those crazy Healy vocal/etc. effects. I usually liked it when he added stuff like that, but I guess others didn't. As is often the case with this tune in the second half of the 80s and onward, we get our first taste of the band firing on all cylinders for one quick hot lap before the set break. This one doesn't get too far out during the first jam, though, before Bobby brings it back and seems to miss his own cue. lol. Nice fills from Jer and Brent in the outro. Could've stood a bit more of that, tbh.

  • #4798
    Vguy72
    Joined:
    Extra Credit retracted....

    ....Dennis fact checked it.

  • #4799
    Dennis
    Joined:
    Ok, you made me look.

    I too had the 9/27/89 gap. I checked archive, they had one copy, I jumped on it.

    Then read comments, it was mislabeled 1989,,, should have been 80!

    That I had!

    Sidenote - what I don't have is a good download link for american beauty - angel share!!! 2 MONTHS later!

    Just sayin'

  • #4800
    Vguy72
    Joined:
    Extra credit assignment....

    https://relisten.net/grateful-dead/1989/09/27
    ....Apparently, they played an acoustic set at the Warfield on Sept 27th, 1989. News to me!

user picture

Member for

17 years 6 months
Submitted by marye on
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.
user picture

Member for

17 years 6 months

Submitted by Slow Dog Noodle on Tue, 01/12/2021 - 10:23

Permalink

History doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes.

- Mark Twain

user picture

Member for

5 years

Submitted by billy the kid on Tue, 01/12/2021 - 11:15

Permalink

Good show, I don't think it comes up to level of the Feb/March Fillmore West shows, but enjoyable for sure. Funny, as I listen to this I enjoyed Garcia's guitar playing , just the guitar playing, from yesterday's show 10/24/79, just as much as I enjoy his guitar playing from this show, 4/21/69. Anyway, great pick.

How can you have any pudding if you don't eat yer meat?!?!

Well, I suppose I went just for the "pudding" yesterday, as I only listened to Set 2, but I did enjoy what I heard. I agree with those who point out that this is not the strongest show of the tour, but I just love this period, and I enjoyed the whole 2nd set. Flaming hot Fire, and even with the vocal flubs in Terrapin, the rest of the set flows nicely. Strong Wharf Rat too! I'm a fan of good sounding AUDs too, and this one certainly does sound pretty sweet.

4/21/69 - the first night of the Ark. I think I might cherry-pick this one with a few songs from set 1 (TOO Suite) and most of set 2 (I'll probably skip a good portion of Lovelight... currently ducking to avoid the tomatoes! :) I do LOVE Sitting On Top of the World!

Almost to hump day!

Peace

No tomatoes from me.

I appreciate Lovelight more as time passes, but it can get repetitive and....

Now the ones i have heard from march 68 and earlier bounce more instead of drag, which is a good thing

user picture

Member for

7 years 7 months

Submitted by carlo13 on Tue, 01/12/2021 - 17:31

Permalink

I tend to love any dead that lasts long. Like pitb - lovelight - eyes - smokestack - alligator - and all that great stuff that you can listen to while partying or sex or both together. I know.... way too much info.

user picture

Member for

8 years 1 month

Submitted by DeadVikes on Tue, 01/12/2021 - 21:51

Permalink

Wait a second Carlo, sex and the Dead. Okay, that cracked me up.

Wait a second honey, listen to this transition into I Know you Rider!

user picture

Member for

7 years 7 months

Submitted by carlo13 on Tue, 01/12/2021 - 21:57

Permalink

"Giddy-up." Like kramer would say.

user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months

Submitted by Oroborous on Wed, 01/13/2021 - 08:01

Permalink

Carlo, LOL, reminds me of when George was trying to have it all: sex, pastrami, AND the Yankees all at the same time!

69 no doubt is fine. Sitting on Top always welcome. But another in the “have to be in the mood” LL camp, but that doesn’t mean ya gotta throw grease! ; ) Did Viola seem a little underwhelming, or was that just me?

Did Ready or Not afterwards. Really digging this 90s stuff, well, not so much the Vince tunes....

user picture

Member for

4 years 5 months

Submitted by JoshByTheBay on Wed, 01/13/2021 - 08:31

Permalink

Since we just did the first night at the Ark, I was thinking we can mix the ying and the yang with some 1/10/79 from Nassau Coliseum. Honestly, one of my favorite second sets ever, and that speaks volumes. Pre Drums is a powerhouse.

user picture

Member for

8 years 1 month

Submitted by DeadVikes on Wed, 01/13/2021 - 11:32

Permalink

Okay Josh, looks like a Dr. Bob Wagner audience recording for this show. I will check it out this afternoon. Thanks for the pick.

Everybody hang loose.

user picture

Member for

8 years 11 months

Submitted by The Good Ole G… on Thu, 01/14/2021 - 07:24

Permalink

Nice pick JOSHBYTHEBAY

That Set 2 is always fun to listen too and it really hit the spot yesterday!
Enjoyed that.

I was struck by a few things as I usually am when I listen to this show.
First off the amazing recording by Dr. Bob!
Recording technique & equipment had some major advancement between say '73-'79.
Jerry sings "Sweet Susie” in Loser, that makes it for me.
Love how that Head on tape figures out it's gonna be Dark Star and you can hear the stoke!
Space was still an odd occurrence.

The reviewer in Taper's Compendium was at these shows and he was saying that rumors before the show were that they'd played Dark Star & St. Stephen recently. But he didn't really believe them because rumors were so wild back then.

Reading that I was struck thinking about it. Having grown up essentially always listening and loving 12/31/78 and considering it an upper echelon GD show and legendary. It's crazy to think of a time when Ten days after that show no one knew the set list, what happened or the songs played!

Simpler times... Fun to think about.
Golden age for information now (and misinformation too).

You're still here?!?

Well alright then, the other thing I was struck by...
The reviewer states the hotter show played was the next night 1/11/79

I gotta test that theory today as nothing on this setlist sticks out to me and I really don't recall listening to it often.

See what this show does for my memory.
Good Sugaree to start.

user picture

Member for

8 years 1 month

Submitted by DeadVikes on Thu, 01/14/2021 - 21:33

Permalink

Looking at 9/6/1980 for tommorow's pick. Some of you were at this show, I have never heard it, but the story behind the show seems interesting. Last show before the Warfield.

Yes, do I think 1980 is still lost in space, (per Oroborous), absolutely!

Is it time for more? Let's hope. Giving this one a go.

user picture

Member for

13 years 7 months

Submitted by Thats_Otis on Fri, 01/15/2021 - 05:30

Permalink

Looks like DeadVikes has picked 9/6/80, which is a show I have never heard before either. Sounds like a pretty awesome day up in Maine! LOOOONNNG show, interesting setlist, let's do it!

I did a little fishing around the ol' Archive - there are a lot of copies of this one - and I picked two sources that sound pretty good. The first is a SBD/AUD Matrix, mastered by good man Charlie Miller:

https://archive.org/details/gd80-09-06.sbd_aud.miller.25560.sbeok.shnf/…

The second is a straight AUD (looks to be a Jim Wise recording). In the quick sound comparison I did (a few minutes of China Cat, Shakedown, and Mexicali,) I think it sounds a little brighter overall, more bass, better balance, etc., though there is a bit of tape warble (at least I heard it on Mexicali...):

https://archive.org/details/gd80-09-06.wise.unknown.322.sbeok.shnf/gd80…

On both copies the vocals, particularly Jerry's, sound pretty distant. If anyone knows of or finds a better source, please let me know!

Happy listening, HAPPY FRIDAY, and stay safe out there!

Peace

I'm in.. thanks dvikes.

I haven't listened to this show in forever and a day. I'm through the first set and still fumbling for the best version.

Anyway.. even though we just listened to a 79 this feels like a nice change of pace and hits the spot. I don't listen to a ton of 1980. I listened to the deadset centric shows to death decades ago and as much as I love the acoustic material, when I am in the mood, it's awesome but I must admit I like the electric edge.

Lately.. it's the Nov Dec run from 1980 that I find myself hitting the most.

Be kind folks.. it's Happy Friday where I sit. Been working a bit more than usual lately, planning on how to optimize my day. I should finish this show before my day is done, I might switch things up for Friday part 2.

user picture

Member for

8 years 1 month

Submitted by DeadVikes on Fri, 01/15/2021 - 07:33

Permalink

Otis and Jim,

I listen through Relisten via my Sonos. The version I am listening to is a SBD/Aud, which was the first choice on the list. The vocals sound really clear as well as the rest of the band.
This definitely is not a new polished copy, imagine if it was?
Future release?

user picture

Member for

5 years

Submitted by billy the kid on Fri, 01/15/2021 - 07:44

Permalink

Great pick Dead Vikes. Well this certainly is a long show, and it starts out with great versions of Alabama/Greatest Story, the Dead are full of energy. Then they do a killer version of Sugaree. After a great 3 song start they play 7 songs that are very pedestrian and not much to write home about, Garcia's guitar playing sounds good on these songs but other than that, time to head to the beer garden and have a few beers. They get their energy back that they showed in the 1st 3 songs and end the 1st set with really great versions of China/Rider and Promised Land. Notes, not to fond of Brent's synthesizer playing on Alabama, Weirs slide playing on Little Red Rooster, not very enjoyable. Garcia's slide playing on Little Red Rooster is what always made the Dead's version cool, Weirs singing is ok, but pales in comparison to HowlinWolf.

user picture

Member for

8 years 1 month

Submitted by DeadVikes on Fri, 01/15/2021 - 09:02

Permalink

Okay, so the recording goes to the audience portion at China Cat and there is a drop off for sure. Hope it goes back.

user picture

Member for

17 years 6 months

Submitted by Slow Dog Noodle on Fri, 01/15/2021 - 09:30

Permalink

Fantastic choice. I love this show. I think it may be the best show from '80 that i've heard, but maybe because this aud is so good. Thanks Jim Wise!

Can't wait to listen to this show again. Lemieux, if you're follow this adventure we've been having over the last year so so, please put this show at the top of your list for release. 🤞

Edit: That Fox show from Atlanta (11-30-80) that was Dave's #8 was a very fine '80 show too.

Looking good Winthorpe!
Don’t think I’ve ever heard this one? Love me some 80 Dead. Saw excellent show on 9/2, and we have the under the radar DL shows in between....
1/10/79: this one I’ve heard for the obvious reasons plus it’s a cousin to my first show 10 days later. Really dug this one. Is that TMNS set closer a rager er what? Did 1/11/79 too, but that one didn’t resonate as much, though I was busy...
Gonna try and get to some more 90s released stuff this weekend.
Happy Friday!

user picture

Member for

5 years

Submitted by billy the kid on Fri, 01/15/2021 - 12:26

Permalink

Killer 2nd set, I give it a 10 out of 10, excellent from.start to finish. Great choice Dead Vikes.

user picture

Member for

13 years 5 months

Submitted by JimInMD on Sat, 01/16/2021 - 08:44

Permalink

I ended up listening to the soundboard for Set I and the Jim Wise for Set II. I wonder what happened to the rest of the board? In any case.. a nice palate cleanser and a hot show from a great year.

What's on tap today? Did we do 2/22/74 yet? I'm contemplating that one.. if we did that how about 2/23.

user picture

Member for

9 years 2 months

Submitted by bluecrow on Sat, 01/16/2021 - 09:18

Permalink

was listening to this early Dec. - 1st set ends with Death Don't Have No Mercy
1st set only (Charlie Miller / Sir Mick hands on) - https://relisten.net/grateful-dead/1970/01/16?source=103821 (tracking is off)
full show - https://relisten.net/grateful-dead/1970/01/16?source=88884

and for tomorrow maybe head next door to Oregon State 1/17/70 - https://relisten.net/grateful-dead/1970/01/17

be well everybody - it may seem a ways off but spring is coming

I both have not listened to this before and do not have it in my electronic world.. I had this show confused with the Download Series #2 show, which was apparently just one set two days later, with a show in the middle (Oregon State University in Corvallis).

I am going with the Charlie Miller first set and the droncit?? version I cobbled together with the second set. The sound is nice.. if I have time I am going to do this one and the next two nights (Corvallis and the Digital Download Series 2 from the same venue).

user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months

Submitted by Oroborous on Sat, 01/16/2021 - 10:48

Permalink

Great show! Thanks to vguy for the write ups, if I’d a been a little older that’s the kind of place I’d of gone the extra to get there. Always loved the outta the way venues. Bet the vibe was pretty chill. Oxford was fun, but I’m guessing way bigger/crazier then Lewiston.

user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months

Submitted by Vguy72 on Sat, 01/16/2021 - 13:22

Permalink

...."plays a golden string fiddle to a double E waterfall over my back. Move it!!" Fuck yeah Jerry! Him getting all excited and shit makes me get all excited and shit.

user picture

Member for

5 years

Submitted by billy the kid on Sat, 01/16/2021 - 14:57

Permalink

Brutal, Cumberland cuts out.

user picture

Member for

5 years

Submitted by billy the kid on Sat, 01/16/2021 - 14:58

Permalink

Brutal, Cumberland cuts out.

user picture

Member for

5 years

Submitted by billy the kid on Sat, 01/16/2021 - 14:58

Permalink

Great pick, it would definitely be on my bbq and beer drinking list.

Move it!! (ha - hadn't caught that)

Both 1/16 and 1/17 kick heavy. Listened through the two again today. Sweet mix of Live Dead era and Working Man's. Sound quality overall is very good to excellent - a few drop outs but still totally satisfying. First time around that Death Don't came as a total and emotional surprise as I hadn't really scoped the set list. Not expecting 'cause its '70 - my aging deadbase shows its a second to last before the long hiatus. Among fine detail that caught my ear in the larger 1/16 excellence was some of that early Mickey percussion. Just now the 1/17 Dark Star > Stephen > Eleven was all systems go go go.
The Download Series is the one major gap in my "officially released" collection. Wasn't in the position to take advantage of at the time. Didn't even know about 1/18 being part of that. Need to revisit that series.
I think the Hawaii shows from following week were up here not too long ago but its been awhile since personally dived in so will head there soon. Looking forward to Fox Theatre - 2/6/70 (DaP 6) - one of my favorites. The whole 50th for Working Mans and American Beauty really got me going on this era.
Edit - didn't mention the cut to 1/16 Cumberland cause I didn't want that "small" negative to define it . . . . : )

user picture

Member for

13 years 5 months

Submitted by JimInMD on Sat, 01/16/2021 - 18:51

Permalink

Adding 1/17 only makes it better. These seem to be releasable shows, they might have to address the cuts somehow. Someone's singing is overly loud and off key in Cumberland too.., I think Bobby's. Perhaps his voice broke the tape like the shriek voice broke glass in that old Memorex commercial.

Good choice I had not heard these before. Nice Dark Star too.

Jim, you mentioned 2/22/74, yesterday. Let me know when you want to hit this one up? It is a three set monster.

user picture

Member for

13 years 5 months

Submitted by JimInMD on Sun, 01/17/2021 - 10:38

Permalink

I'm ready.. any time.

user picture

Member for

8 years 1 month

Submitted by DeadVikes on Sun, 01/17/2021 - 11:10

Permalink

Good call on this one Jim, I have it going.

user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months

Submitted by Vguy72 on Sun, 01/17/2021 - 12:28

Permalink

....twist my arm.
Lmao. Jerry blowing the US Blues lyrics right out of the gate. Gotta love it. It's part of the charm.
"We're all confused. What's to lose."
👍

user picture

Member for

13 years 5 months

Submitted by JimInMD on Sun, 01/17/2021 - 22:01

Permalink

I forgot how good the PITB was from this show. I was in a great situation to listen today.. and about a third of the way into this song I felt it was ho, hum.. Another three minutes and I realized how wrong I was and good this Playing is..

Is this the first flirtations with Slipknot!? I forget if they played with the theme in '73 or not.

user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months

Submitted by Vguy72 on Mon, 01/18/2021 - 07:45

Permalink

....Cal Expo 8.5.89.
https://relisten.net/grateful-dead/1989/08/05
-
One More Saturday Night
Cold Rain & Snow
We Can Run
Stagger Lee
Memphis blues
Row jimmy
Let It Grow
-
Hey Pocky Way ->
Playin' In The Band ->
I Know Your Rider ->
Terrapin Station ->
Drums ->
Space ->
Standing On The Moon ->
Throwing Stones ->
Not Fade Away
-
US Blues
---------------
Features a OMSN and CR&S one two punch opener and a stand alone Rider.
I was lucky enough to be present and accounted for at this run.