Pick of the Day, with Discussion

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April 6, 2020 - 9:47am

8,068 replies

marye

Joined:
May 26, 2007

Bolo24 says: An Idea, Perhaps? Since we're all going to have a fair amount of spare time on our hands for the foreseeable future, what about starting another thread where we all listen to the same show/release on a given day and then share impressions afterward? Folks can submit suggestions and one person (not me) picks what we'll all listen to - call it Deadnet Picks or something. Anyway, if this idea is deemed to have merit, I'd suggest one of the loyal regular posters take the lead and do the picking - y'all can decide who. Might be fun. If it does go forward, I nominate Dick's Picks 18 for the first listen. Been talked about here lately, and, had it been a single show rather than a compilation, we'd probably be talking about it in the same conversation as Cornell, Veneta, etc. Or perhaps even Gainesville?? Stay safe and healthy, friends - this planet needs as many Deadheads as possible.

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January 19, 2021 - 5:05am

#4761

JimInMD

Joined:
June 27, 2011

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.
January 19, 2021 - 4:38am

#4762

daverock

Joined:
September 1, 2014

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.
January 19, 2021 - 1:26am

#4763

rockthing

Joined:
August 2, 2020

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? :)
January 19, 2021 - 12:49am

#4764

rockthing

Joined:
August 2, 2020

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.
January 18, 2021 - 12:03pm

#4765

Vguy72

Joined:
June 29, 2007

Extra Credit retracted....

....Dennis fact checked it.
January 18, 2021 - 11:45am

#4766

Dennis

Joined:
November 1, 2012

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'
January 18, 2021 - 11:23am

#4767

Vguy72

Joined:
June 29, 2007

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!
January 18, 2021 - 9:47am

#4768

DeadVikes

Joined:
October 26, 2016

2/22/74

Loved it. What a long show and there was also the sound check material available, which was cool. Again, this show and the 23 hopefully will be released someday.

Cal Expo, summer 89, sounds good. Thanks for the Pick Vguy.

I always love the good Hey Pocky Way
January 18, 2021 - 9:22am

#4769

JimInMD

Joined:
June 27, 2011

Cal Expo

I'm in.
January 18, 2021 - 7:45am

#4770

Vguy72

Joined:
June 29, 2007

How about some 1989?....

....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.

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.

Brent & Keith

Well, Keith's last and Brent's first show that this band is still Truckin'

Pretty amazed at how quick Brent assimilates into the band, but then again Keith did that too.
Musicians!

If you listen to the 4/19/79 rehearsals, it sounds to me like the band is stoked to be playing and changing things up. Lotsa clowning around and jamming.

And 4/22 is solid. Killer Other One and yeah that Passenger is on fire.

Might have to dust off DaP V23 on it's anniversary and head down to Eugene ala '78.

Unless somebody got another Pick to kick.

When's that DaP V37 shipping... should be soon, no?

Dave's 37

Yes, GOGD, we are a week out from the released on date of next Friday. Given how the shipping went last year, I won't predict when we will receive it. I am hoping by next Friday, but not counting on it. I would think Dave's video will be released next Friday when the individual copies go on sale.

Let's do Dave's 23, it is a great release.

Stay well.

Eugene 1.22.78....

....i just listened to this show the other day, but I'm game for a revisit.

This means something. This is important.

Roy Neary - [contemplating the lump shape]

Sweet!
I don't think I've given this much play since I got it.
Maybe a quick once through.

I should probably watch Close Encounters again.
Don't think I've seen that since I was a kid.

Thanks VGuy for taking one for the team and DeadVikes for the refresh on the new release deets, getting excited!

Twist my arm...

I'm in. Getting a late start, but taking an unplanned half day from work and loading up the truck for an adventure. We have good temps and good snow, heading for the backcountry for a day of solitude, music and unbelievable scenery.. plus I will be getting a good workout which is hard to do in the winter of covid. If I see another person where I am going, it would surprise me.

Good thing and thanks to you guys.. I will have some good tunes (and more than a healthy buzz)

Be good all.

One last comment.. it's refreshing how we just breezed through the last show with Keith/Donna and the first show with Brent without anyone making some ridiculous or offensive comment. Productive and sane comments about two great periods of Grateful Dead music.. and no one caught there hair on fire and no one stunk up the room in stupid incendiary comments.

Thanks all.

1/22/78

Mark me down for it. (I’m down with it) the new expression must have been born from the older.
Waiting to add to the discussion when the 50th anniversary of the Capitol Theater shows roll around. I hope those will be Picks of the Day next month.

my first pick of the day is 7/13/84

I had the incredibly good fortune to be there

I still have a piece of paper I wrote on after the show. it reads:

I WAS THERE
MAGIC STRUCK!
7/13/84
Documented!
I WAS BEYOND
I SAW!

7/13/84

Proudfoot, I was there too, what a blast!

Misc replies

Plangent/Norman, for sure, but let’s get the multi-tracks out! Those capital shows are a good example of how (FOR ME) good multi track sources take shows I wouldn’t necessarily consider, and make them go toos!

CARLO: 😀

Yassss....release it ALL!

GOGD: it’s called practice, that and being enthused! That was alooonnng show! You could tell they were itching to play, but seems like anytime they rehearsed regularly, good things happened. I was at Vince’s first show and was surprised how integrated he already was. All three had what?...a month to learn enough to do gigs....yeah, that’s called practice!

DV: hey, as long as it arrives...

JIM: so it was you up in NW merry land who got the magic ticket!...this is just your cover story for disappearing!
But before you go buying that Elmondo-grosso water bed, barko lounger with magic fingers, and the Jensen turntable with the Pickering cartridge, or the leather bond edition of the entire playboy collection featuring Hugh Hefner.....shmuck....with that kinda cash you could probably buy the vault! Just saying....; )

7/13/84: yeah really need that, 12/31/81, 1/10/79, and 1/20/79......but I’m sure no tapes : (

Abort, abort....

.....I stopped Eugene and going with Proudfoot's pick.

If pronouncing my b's as v's makes me sound Russian....

....then soviet.

7/13/84. 1st set

Great 1st set. The only reason I can think that this show hasnt been released, is because they are saving it for a Greek Box set, because this show should have been released along time ago. I dosed at this show and washed it down with a bottle of Bergungdy, that was the progam back then. On to set two.

7/13/84 2nd set

Sounds just as good as it did 37 years ago, Im glad I was there. The show pretty much speaks for itself, it was definitely fun. Great pick Proudfoot.

7/13/84 and my Magic Ticket

I finished McArthur Court, I should be able to squeak in at least the first set of 7/13/84.

Ha.. no, OroB. I do not have the magic ticket, but I know the town the ticket was purchased at quite well. It wasn't far away from where I went to college. Back then it was a dry on Sunday county (that changed decades ago), but we used to go to this rundown bar in Lonaconing called Truly's. If you knew the secret word they would sell you beer on Sundays. It is a tiny, dirt poor town in the Appalachians. If you blink.. you will miss it and the people there have been dirt poor ever since they shut down the coal mines about 100 years ago.

My mind is spinning knowing someone that was more than likely way below the poverty line is now walking around town with 3/4 of a Billion Dollars in folding money in their wallet.

My advice.. don't spend it all in once place.. or better yet, Californy is the place you aught to be so load up the truck and move to Beverly (Hills that is..)

Edit: For anyone with interest, some history. Look for The Big Vein, and for VGuy, it's got a Cumberland (or two)..
http://www.miningartifacts.org/Maryland-Mines.html

Lot a poor man got the Cumberland Blues..

Who was it that mentioned Stockhausen?

I had my virgin listen just now

Woooow man...

It wasn't me..

...who mentioned Stockhausen, but I have got a few albums authored by him. Of the music I have got "Gesang Der Junglinge" is the most startling. Quite scary if you are feeling sensitive.

I actually saw him live once. He made the single most offensive comment I think I have ever heard at a live concert. And I speak as one who saw numerous punk gigs between 1976-1978. People seemed initially stunned , then started booing. It was an odd concert all round - the music off one of his albums-"Hymnen" was played.

Stockhausen

If you like vocal music I would recommend ‘Stimmung’. A fascinating piece for six voices.

Stockhausen

On the DVD ‘Dawn of the Grateful Dead’ TC says that he and Phil were into Stockhausen.

I called up stockhausen on youtube

and gesang der junglinge came up first

I heard elements of Zappa, Revolution 9, and Seastones in there

Gesang der junglinge

Bear in mind that this piece is from 1955 - 56.

Stockhausen-Beatles-Dead

I always thought Seastones, more than most electronic music recorded by rocks groups that I have heard, seemed to be influenced by Stockhausen. And lest we forget, he was on the cover of Sergeant Pepper.

Pick of the Day

Pick of the Day?

Who has one for today?

You still out there Bob t?

Pick....

....I'm playing Dave's 24 Berkeley 8.25.72. Dive on in. The waters fine.

Should Hit the Spot

That one's sure to please.

Today

I finally just did 3/20/92. Was @ but hadn’t gotten around to it, or much of boxilla...
I remember this being a good show and it was ; )

1/22/78: hadn’t heard this one pretty much since it came out. Played it a ton then as I was home liquidating the folks estate for 2 months and only had limited number of shows with me. Yeah, that show helped me through many a long day!

Berkeley - Roses for Breakfast - 8-25-72

Love that release!!
Was just swimming in another excellent Other One meltdown from 7-1-73 Universal Amphitheatre -
https://relisten.net/grateful-dead/1973/07/01.
Earlier this morning was listening to some Stockhausen. New to me and I was blown away at how completely out there it was. 1950s??!!

Berkeley Community 72

On it Vguy. Thanks.

Thanks Deadvikes still here

I was lucky to start a new job in the middle of December. So busy being a new guy and learning the ropes!!! I did listen to 2/22/74 Winterland and the 7/13/84 show but only set II... I have to agree they missed the boat by releasing 2/24/74 as a stand alone.. Bob t

Berkeley Community down the hatch....

....it delivered.
That Friend Of The Devil is pure butter.
Congrats on the new gig Bob T. You sound positive, so now I do too.
First measurable rain occurred yesterday in Vegas since 4.20.20. It was a welcome deluge.
Makes sense. Snow flurries forecast next week.
Cold Rain and SNOW!!! Lol

Dave's 24

I am a big fan of this show. I listen to it a lot and it never disappoints. This was part of the ABCD transaction as well as the three previous nights. Black Peter, Birdsong and Truckin never disappoint in 1972. Nice work Vguy!
Good to hear from you Bob t and congrats on your new gig. Did you tell your new employer you need time to listen to the Dead?

Hopefully next week we will all see a new show in the mailbox.

8/25/72

Great show from start to finish, very enjoyable. My brother went to 8/24/72. This whole run would have made a nice box set.. Great pick!

Shamelessly Stolen

(which is not beneath me).

Stolen from the other thread (the subscription page?). It's doc inspired. I see no reason not to let the sun shine on the 50th anniversary of this date in GD history.

1-24-71 Seattle Center Arena

There is no 1.24.71 in my DeadBase....

There is a 1.25 though.

1/24/71

Jim, I going to check it out, it might have to be tomorrow morning. Looks like a short show or some of the material is missing.

1 24 71

is on archive

Full show

I think it is one long set

Good playing

Satisfying like a good pizza

50 years ago today here in Seattle

1/24/71

Cool show, Pig Pen sounds really strong. Because of the two drummers, I don't associate this with being a show from 1971, since most of 1971 they only had one drummer.. Cool pick.

11-6-79

Looks like there isn't a show up for today yet. There's been a good amount of '79 lately, and I propose continuing the Brent era party with a fall show at a long time favorite venue, the Spectrum.

https://archive.org/details/gd79-11-06.sbd.miller.29735.flac16

This one is noteworthy to me because of Phil's relative volume in the mix.

This was Road Trips 1.1 that i missed on the first go around. I'm hoping to pick it up from Real Gone when they re-release it.

11 6 79

second set

the first two tracks are sstteellllaarr

11/6/79

Okay Slow Dog, let's get that one going. Thanks for the pick.

11/6/79

Perhaps my favorite 79 show...definitely my favorite one released!

6 13 94

After enjoying 10 1 and 14 94 i got out 6 13. Pretty paint by numbers, but with a nice Terrapin and Morning Dew.

Space went on a bit too long, to be honest

I for one like the 94 sound. Show intensity varies, of course.

27 years ago....SHEETMON.

Eagles Auditorium

There was something magical happening 53 years ago in Seattle.

Epic Alligator

1/26/68 is worth a spin.

Would have loved listening to these shows with Dick Latvala!

Anybody got a line on Dick talking about the PNW '68 shows shoot it over.
He had to have something to say about them.

1/26/68

I could easily do this show today... but I am not seeing any versions that circulate.

Did some of this come through on the found 8 track bonus material on the 2/14/68 Road Trips??

Eagles 68

My disc says 1 22 68, not 26

As does archive, after a quick look

fwiw

Eagles is still there...I drive past it every so often

and I dreeeeeeam...

Eagle

They played there and some (all??) of it was recorded on early multi-track 8 Track tapes. It would be wild if any of this surfaced in a full show format.

Or, since GOGD is the only known person to have 1/26, he must be the one sitting on these master reels.

Cough them up GOGD, rumor has it an angry mob is gathering at the Piggly Wiggly's down the street.. They want your tapes, give them to us before it's too late. We need more 1968!

If you get confused...

Listen to... this :)

Yeah, I forgot that show circulates as 1/22/68, I thought the date had been changed in the listings.
There's speculation around the date and they've always been confusing.
I'm pretty sure those shows happened on 1/26 & 1/27/68 based on the posters that exist.

So 1/22 or 1/26/68, give it a spin. Alligator!

And... no missing master reels.
However, I'll tell ya a story....
My kid's friend's Dad (say that a bunch) saw the show on 2/4/68 in Ashland that doesn't circulate.
Can't even imagine Ashland in 1968 with the GOGD!
Must've been a riot.

Super small town at the base of Mt. Ashland & it still felt like it was off the map in 1995ish.
I used to live next to the College campus back in the mid '90s.
It was an awesome party house and it's there that I threw the biggest Halloween Rager ever one year!!
It was off the hook, this guy fell off the roof a riot broke out.
Ashland had a party vortex going on, probably still does.
Ah youth.
Good times, great oldies.

I'm going to forgo the '68 pick....

....and back track to Doc's January 1971 recommendations. Playing ketchup.

1/22/68. WOW!

What a cool show, start to finish. This one should definitely be an official release. 3rd Dark Star, 1st China 🐱 ever. Excellent pick GOGD, I've never heard this one before. I would love to see the whole The Great Northwest Tour released, I know people say that not all the tapes are there, but the only people that really know are the people that work in the vault, so hopefully these tapes will all show up as other tapes have that were supposed to be missing. Again, killer show, all the releases from 1968 have been compete knockouts.

The Quick & The Dead '68

BTK - one of my favorites!
Stoked to turn you on to it.
Agree that the PNW '68 tour would be a cool release.
I'm partial to '68.

As for the tapes in the vault, I'm pretty sure what circulates came from the "Honeymoon Tapes".
Which, if you don't already know about, I'll tell you.
Lay it on me.
From what I've read, the tapes were swiped from Gans' hotel room while he was on his honeymoon.
I believe Gans had made copies of them from the Vault to review for the show.
And that's how they began to circulate.
Happy to hear otherwise, or more deets if anybody has them.
But that's what I heard / read.

I always liked that story. Not because of the theft, but just because I find it interesting how these tapes get out.

Anyway, Glad you got to hear it BTK, that pick was for you!

11/6/79

Nice show Slow Dog. A lot of great shows in 79 and some not so hot. .....
Always interesting to hear those early versions of Easy To Love You. Man, Brent's voice went through a lot of changes throughout the years.

And the sound quality on this one is fantastic. Love it.