• 8,085 replies
    marye
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    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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  • Oroborous
    Joined:
    Jim’s back with a big blast

    Street legal? I didn’t think public consumption was legal anywhere, technically of course, now in reality…

    Carful about splinters on that flag pole, bet there’s a nice breeze up there though!

    78 box. I didn’t get cause I turned my nose up “ohhh, I don’t need that…” IDIOT!
    Prolly pissed that it wasn’t something i “wanted”? Whatevs…idiot!
    That and I knew I could get copies off my cousin…, but still, IDIOT!
    I do have copies so I’ve heard it, and at first was like meh. But after “discovering” spring 78 and how much I liked it, I’ve come to a different realization of the year and box, but…but, I should spend some more time, just when…?

    Made it through 73 box once so far. Haven’t been getting the best listens in (these shows are so long) and it’s just not a good time of year to completely clear mind and listen hard for 4 or 5 hours.

    I think the sound is mostly great, the art was nice, and the shows are good, (the packaging was not practical) but I respectfully disagree that their all top shelf. They all have moments, but I didn’t feel like they were at that level for the whole show, which is why I wouldn’t call em all top shelf…so, a solid enjoyable box from one of my favorite years, but I think there’s still better…

    So, I respectfully disagree that we’re running out of high caliber shows, definitely diminished but, consider just some of these: first and foremost I’d say the first six shows of 73 are as good or better than these. 2/9 is good, but way overhyped due to years of taper bias. I think it’s as good as most of the shows in the box, but not as good as the other five, but would be a good center point of a very strong box!
    I still think there’s good primal, though why they won’t break out I can’t fathom…
    There’s still some killer shows from late 71 after KG joined…certainly some hot spring shows too, but not sure they’d sell as well?
    There’s still some killer fall 72, though you’d think they’d wait on that a bit!
    A plethora of 73! Winter, spring, summer, fall…(ok, prolly will never see a horn tour box) but some representation would be nice. I still say Providence, or Syracuse would make a nice WOTF 50th bonus since their killer shows and have the most songs off the album (6 I think?).
    Unless they did a Winterland 74 redo (which I don’t see), 74 prolly doesn’t have a box left.
    76 could do another summer box
    77 I hope not as it’s over represented, comparatively, but I’m sure there’s some small holes still
    78: Spring still has some great shows, some Betty’s, and possibly fall, but I’m not as up on those yet?
    79…? not sure about a box? If they made it a 79 box of the whole year, than absolutely!
    80, same thing. Of course that’s predicated on Fall tapes not being available…otherwise!
    I could name lots of 80s, especially early, but of course that means cassettes, which to some immediately discounts or outright disqualifies…to each there own. I think their getting pretty damn good at fixing them up, but whatevs…
    Still hope someday, unfortunately I don’t see it soon, but someday we’ll get a summer 85.
    86 through 88, prolly not, though when we’re gone or not as involved, maybe they’ll market something 87 for all the touchers? Of course if they did more venue boxes, i.e., Greek, Frost etc, many of these could come into play

    But!!, but, there is still a fine trove of untapped Multies from 89, especially the fall tour (wtf Dave?) and lots of good DATs from the nineties which did have some consistently good tours: summer 90, fall 91, summer 91, some call out spring 91, but I’ve not spent enough time there yet to opinion?
    I could argue others, but I don’t see it from a marketing standpoint?
    I’m sure heads are spinning and many would argue otherwise. But I’ve put the time in, and if you strip the preconceived pretentious BS and just listen, you’d be surprised.
    And though there may NOT be enough good/consistent left for a lot of boxes, there’s tons of individual and small runs, that are very good GD. Hell, they could always do another 30 trips, say for the 60th in gulp, 2 years!
    I mean, I get what yer saying, but the more I dig through the years, all the years, I’m still finding juicy nugs of goodness, even some hiding up there where mama hides the cookies!
    Be well, stay cool all!
    In fact, stay inside where it’s cool, and PLAY DEAD!

  • JimInMD
    Joined:
    July '78

    What a surprise that box was.. love that box. The June '76 recordings seemed to be on the same level (excellent) but the energy was not quite there.

    So we have two May '77 Betty Boxes (both excellent) and a June '76 and July '78 box (again, both excellent with a big nudge going to 1978). With Spring '73 and October '72 boxes released, I hate to say it but I am not sure I see a long stream of shows at this high caliber. Let's hope Dave has some more surprises up his sleeve.

    It's been so damned hot here in the East the last week.. and with my air conditioner on the fritz, the only way I could find to break the heat was to take off all my clothes and perch myself on the top of the telephone pole in the town park. Looking at temperatures across the county (and globe), I expect many of you were in the same predicament.

    I'm going to hit some of the July box this afternoon.. might start with the second set of 7/5 and work my way backwards to 7/1. 7/7 and 7/8 deserve special treatment and a large span of uninterrupted time.

    oh.. Maryland went legal on 7/1. It did not take long for at least the streets in the mountainous parts to smell like a Grateful Dead Concert.. was that haze in the sky residual smoke from the Great Canadian fires of 2023 or celebratory smoke signals from the newest state to go street legal? I never expected this to happen in my lifetime.. little by little they are decriminalizing the freak flag.

    Happy summer all.. thanks for keeping up the good vibes and keeping the picks on-point.

  • wilfredtjones
    Joined:
    Omaha!

    Always dug that and considered it the sleeper. All Over Now, check that out. As Jim would say, Wowow stuff. Also, the meat of set II is where it's at. Of course, the Weirdness>Wharf Rat but that whole set II jam sequence is powerhouse stuff. Plus, don't they encore with Promised Land? May be sui generis, only time that happened. Anyway, great stuff with the Oroboros sculpture in the back watchin' over things... :-)

  • 1stshow70878
    Joined:
    7-3-78

    When this was first released I said this was the sleeper of the batch. SO damn good and under the radar. Having heard 2 of the 5 shows already 7-3 impressed me the most at the time and still is impressive.
    The July '78 box is the best box design of the lot IMO.
    Cheers
    7-8-78 cued up on the tape deck. Aside from the tape flip the late-90s bootleg CD source was superb sound. Easily equal to the official release. In some ways better in that I can hear the amps buzzing right before the 2nd set begins.

  • daverock
    Joined:
    July 78

    Yes, it sounds like a great time to have seen them. I agree with Deadvikes - 7/3 is another top show. Especially the second set. The pre drums jam seemed like the highlight- in fact I was going to miss out the drums and following songs. It would have been a mistake, though - NFA and Stella Blue are also exceptional.#
    I have just had a look in the Taping Compendium, to see what they though of this show. Not much, by the looks of things! Oh well - my gain.

  • 1stshow70878
    Joined:
    4 in a row, kinda

    I do feel lucky DV. Got to see 4 shows in a row so to speak.
    7-7-78 Listened from the parking lot dodging security. Had to work, got off early, went without a ticket, ended up rescuing stranded friends who were having a little tiff with their ride.
    7-8-78 Technically my first show. A rip-snorter if there ever was one to end the tour. Now with legendary status.
    8-30-78 The very next show. They loved Red Rocks and rewarded us with the new Shakedown tunes. Short notice almost unannounced dates added to begin the tour. Just exactly perfect and so different from the July shows.
    8-31-78 Capping off a monumental couple of months for me.
    Those were the daze. Not so sure I got on the bus so much as the bus whizzed by and an arm grabbed me by the collar and pulled me in. A life saving gesture by the band, or so it felt.
    Cheers

  • DeadVikes
    Joined:
    7/1/78 and the July 78 Box

    The Dead performing at the Willie Nelson Picnic, what a scene that must have been. I really like this show (great FOD, Terrapin, Playing) and Daverock, 7/3 at the St. Paul Civic Center is another great show. Of course Firstshow was part of this scene back in July 78. Lucky Guy.

  • 1stshow70878
    Joined:
    Arrowhead '78

    Sometimes when Uncle Bobo would tell them they only had another hour they would bring it all the harder, after messing with him a bit of course. This one feels a little like that. Knowing they had a time constraint didn't seem to throw them off at all. Probably looked forward to having some BBQ afterwards. Jerry seems to get some lyrics mixed up a couple times but hard to find fault with this show. The Playin' stood out nicely I thought. Really hitting their stride by then. May have to do some 45 year anniversaries this weekend. 7-7-78 seems to be calling me now after this fun one.
    Cheers
    Still haven't checked my discs yet for the RFK 4CD but I'm thinking customer service is a bit overwhelmed already reading about all the issues so no huge hurry I guess.

  • daverock
    Joined:
    7/1/78

    A good solid show. It seems very much to rest on Jerry's shoulders to me, and he is superb throughout. Ably supported by some nice walking bass from Mr Lesh. An early highlight for me was the solo on Friend of the Devil. The drums seemed to plod a bit, and I'm not so keen on either Bob or Keith's sound, but they are both in the background for much of the time. I thought I could hear a bit of Bob on slide a few times, but that might just have been me being paranoid.
    I think I'll go straight to the next one in the 78 box, now - 7/3/78. Or maybe 6/26/74 - it depends on how my mood is when I get to the living room.

  • 1stshow70878
    Joined:
    I'm In

    Should fit in my schedule.
    Isn't that a one big set?
    Still waiting on 6-10-73 to arrive.
    Cheers

    Edit: An unexpected surprise! RFK 4-CD arrived 3 days early with no USPS notice. All set for my weekend. (faint scuffs on disc 2 but no glue anywhere with more standard packaging, but they do slide in, no plastic holders like DaPs.

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

- Mark Twain

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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

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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.

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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!

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"Giddy-up." Like kramer would say.

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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....

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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.

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In reply to by JoshByTheBay

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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.

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In reply to by The Good Ole G…

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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.

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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.

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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.

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?

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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.

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

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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!

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

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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.

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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).

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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.

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...."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.

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Brutal, Cumberland cuts out.

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Brutal, Cumberland cuts out.

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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 . . . . : )

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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.

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I'm ready.. any time.

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

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....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."
👍

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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.

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In reply to by JimInMD

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....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.