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    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.

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  • DeadVikes
    Joined:
    Otis/Oroborous

    Good to see you back in the loop. Hope all is well. New system is always exciting.
    I am willing to give Dave's 31 another try. Haven't listened to it since last year.

    Took out Good old Dave's 25, the BINGHAMTON NY 77 show. Some of these shows keep getting better with each listen.
    Oroborous, you are a wild man. What a ride!

    Be well folks. I have heard rumblings in other pages about big announcements coming. Don't know about that but we do know Dave's 35 will be announced in July. Maybe they will give Oroborous an 85 pick?

  • Vguy72
    Joined:
    6.28.85 Hershey Park....

    ....another one of my first tapes. Bird Song-> Comes A Time -> Deal. A rare Garcia trifecta to end the first. Music Never Stopped-> Tom Thumbs to open the second. How do you guys keep bringing up my first loves? And why does this band keep following me?
    Here's kind of a story. I tripped balls listening to this tape in 1989. That's all I got.

  • wilfredtjones
    Joined:
    Hershey

    You know it's on Dave's radar as he has played some of it on 30 Days in past years. Good show and one of my first tapes. Keep the stories coming! :-)

  • Oroborous
    Joined:
    6/28/85

    So after basically staying up for 2 days at SPAC, we finally pack it up and hit the road the next day. I believe it was a rainy, gloomy day most of the day. But that didn’t stop our idiot patrol from basically racIng at high speed through the fine but conservative state of Pennsytuckey, where they were one of the last to let go of the 55 mph laws, and back then there usually wasn’t much tolerance. So 2 cars of totally raging nutknicks, with probably enough cargo to keep us detained for decades, thought it’d be a good idea to race at speeds up to 90!, Idiots!.....yes, one car had a radar detector, but in those days smart cops would wait for some nut traveling high speed and click it on when they had ya dead nuts.
    Luckily, all was well and it was one more “miracle” as we earnestly pursued our quest for “too much of everything is just enough”, aaaa, never considered back then maybe Bob was being sarcastic? Lol
    So we roll on into Chocolate town late and all beat up. I’m guessing we grabbed some kind of drive through, but not sure and as we were hardcore vegetarian then, perhaps we thought we’d grab something there? It’s all such a blur, I do recall the lot we were in had no or little Shakedown action going on. That still wasn’t in full flight anyway, and don’t recall much there, so maybe we drank our supper? I know I scored some Carlsberg Elephant beer, and believe I may have finished it, though that is a tall order even under good conditions so perhaps not. I’m sure I put in dent in it at least! So, that and the last of one z of veggies, though the tricky part was it was mostly just powder and scraps and so no normal produce to properly gage etc, which would turn out to be a tactical error...
    So it’s late, we’re tired, but tweaked, perhaps no dinner, and of course it’s horrible out. Dark, rainy, and cold is usually not how you want to do your Dead. Eventually we get in perfect time, slip right in front of the SB and try to make the best of the situation. Well I had a shirt, a black baseball jacket, and the electric Buffalo Hyde, but even still it was damp and cold at first. Eventually, when things started to take hold and we started boogieing, we began to warm up a bit.
    Meanwhile, the set list is awesome, but the conditions, which necessitated all the stage and PA speakers being covered in plastic (there was no stage lid) thereby severely effecting the audio. It’s was such a weird show that way, loved the little “stadium” and the nice audiophile stereo set up, with surrounds, great set list, mostly good playing, yes JGs vocals are a little ruff in the first set, but you have to cut some slack as it was terrible, I mean depending on the wind/rain they were getting rained on playing electrical instruments! Weird indeed, but like so many times in adverse conditions our heroes seemed to rise to the challenge. Thus the playing was perhaps more relaxed, steady and together and not forced like the previous night. Really, besides JGs vocal issues in the first, its a top notch show!
    The second set really starts to take it higher with stellar versions of Music Never Stopped, Terrapin, Miracle and one of the best Dews I’ve ever seen! I think I saw about 14 or 15 Dews and when I think about Dews I’ve seen, this one is the one I always think of first! Rocking Stones/NFA with a spirited Day Job. I liked Day Job, but by now it was getting a tad old, and was a disappointment for this show considering how high it was at that point. A She Belongs or Baby Blue would of been a perfect Cherry on top, but perhaps that’s being greedy?
    Now since the weather was such a factor, we must discuss that and how it influenced this show. The second set starts out with their “signing in the rain” as Bob says, and it’s a good’n! Next they slowly slid into an unusual sounding Tom Thumbs which I had never heard yet, and wasn’t even sure at first what it was, but hey, it was Phil so that’s all I needed to know! Good but perhaps truncated Estimated, followed by an awesome Terrapin. So as the set started to progress, so did the weather until (I think?) around Estimated it really started to clear up and they started pulling the plastic tarps down. It was almost like you could immediately hear it get better after each one was removed. Eventually by about Terrapin, they tarps we’re gone, the moon and stars were out, and Healy started increasing the volume and tweaking the mix. I remember we were goading him to turn it up, and man eventually he sure did!
    As the night wore on it began to warm up a bit too. But as you’ve heard this scenario, or been there yourself, many times I didn’t feel quite high enough so what the hell, one more time with the powder veggie crumbles just before drums......hee-hee....you know, “I’m not feeling it?” and then...Dooah!
    So the problem with those baseball jackets is they don’t really breath and the electric Buffalo Hyde was thick plastic. We didn’t have all the nice technical outer gear we have now, or at least WE didn’t. I could barely afford the free plastic one from the old mans work.
    Well a perfect storm mounted; little or no food, Elephants, veggies etc, no sleep, excess everything and underlying exhaustion, with me starting to overheat due to the above and dancing with that plastic shell on. Things were going unbelievable well, and partly influenced by the very recent passing of my Grandfather, during Dew, things peaked musically, the sound, the night, the stars, emotionally etc etc until I had one of the most powerful musical/emotional/psychedelic peak experiences of my life. Perhaps my all time GD moment, it was that powerful. But what goes up must come down and just like that the radiator blew and that last handful of shroom dust fully kicked in and somewhere in Throwing Stones, right during ashes, ashes all fall down, well.....I say i didn’t really fall down, it was more like an immediate realization that if I don’t sit down rapidly, I’m going down! LOL, so one way or another, depending on who you believe, I end up down in the soft, cool mud until near the end of the song, but I swear just as I tried to get up I knew it wasn’t going to happen, so right on que again I go back down. My friends to this day always bring up my perfectly coreographed “Dance moves” above all else that happened on this tour..35 years later and it’s still “ashes, ashes, Pedro falls down” !
    That would of all been well and good except things were very strange and weren’t wearing off, and I was barely functioning. I never would of found the car etc If not for my homies. Honestly all I remember is them pulling into a Wendy’s or something, but I just sat in the car with my face literally stuck to the window and crackled! Zzzzttttt. I really thought I had finally fried some essential circuits and thought this time I really did it. At some point I snapped out enough to find some kids in another car staring at me with a look of concern if not fear. Luckily, the boys finished up and came out and got us outta there. Somewhere near the state line we finally grabbed a motel as we all had had more than enough rain and adversity. Plus the next day was off and the drive short. I remember they propped me up in bed and I just sat and crackled and worried. Eventually I slept and though I felt better the next day, I didn’t feel normal and don’t recall much except when we got to Merriweather and found a good spot just over the creek, right next to the path, in some trees, on the way to the big parking lots to the right of the venue. But now it was nice and I was feeling more normal so not so freaked out. I also remember going to a nearby sorta plaza with an upscale liquor store where I scored my first sixer of EKU 28 ever which was awesome!
    So now we’ve moved beyond the insanity of TOGA, the adversity and majesty of Hershey, and ready for perhaps the best overall show of the tour on 6/30/85....

    EDIT: Otis, congrats on the stereo. All that matters is if your happy with it. After all the specs and hyperbole etc, no matter how big, small, expensive etc, in the end, that’s all that counts!

  • Thats_Otis
    Joined:
    @ Bob T and Pick for Monday

    Nice rec for the TDIGDH 6/28/76 show! I'd never heard that one before, and it is pretty sweet. The "Happiness is Drumming" is certainly a highlight!

    I have been out of the loop for a bit - trying to deal with some personal stuff on my end, and I just kind of lost track of things around these parts. I hope to be able to participate more going forward.

    To that end, how about a pick for tomorrow, Monday 6/29? I am thinking Dave's 31 - 12/3/79 Uptown. I feel like this pick got a short shrift on the DaP page, but I remember being very happy with it, though I haven't given it a proper listen since it first came out. What do you all think?

    One positive thing that I have accomplished since I've been away has been the set up of my first component stereo system. I don't know if it compares to all of your "big boy" systems, but it certainly feels BIG in my little row home! Looking forward to playing it LOUD tomorrow when the wife goes to work.

    Peace

  • Oroborous
    Joined:
    Voodoo senile, slight return. 6/27/85, and why 85 Dead is like

    Bode Miller...

    First, GOGD, I did not mean to single you out, over generalizations, which become stereotypes, which become truth etc, really bum me out. So it was more of a trigger to that, not you personally. I know you were just repeating this line.
    Actually, as I’ve dug in deeper, there are probably a significant number of shows where he often doesn’t sound so good, but to over generalize that “his voice was shot”, as in never more, to me, imho, that completely devalues and discounts all the amazing, great sounding stuff he was still able to do. 87,88,89,90,91anyone? Micro view versus macro perhaps?

    SECOND: I must humbly recant my tale of dancin in the rain. As we were diligently experiencing TOGA last night. Too things became apparent. First, perhaps JG was a tad “caffeinated” at the start of both sets. Listening close on a real system, (not the big boy, but the living room system which ain’t no slouch!), he seems a tad to fast and/or their not fully entrained. One could argue not fully so until Women Are?...so probably something to do with him totally skipping the Key Rain Storm, and Jailhouse versus, of Bertha, lol.
    Thus, while I wasn’t deceitful, I was not accurate. Sure enough, when Holmes and Watson ripped a spleef and fired up Bertha from SPAC 6/24/84, and bingo, ding, ding, ding, ding! Right venue, wrong year! 😂 Ooops, my apologies to the dear reader...but hey, it’s a fun interesting new tid bit, and it did rain, I think, lol.
    While doing this research I was listening just on the iPad and interestingly he doesn’t sound as bad? Also, I’ve been going with the HS matrixes, especially shows where I want to hear those crowd big moments. Generally they’ve been pretty good, but researching, I used a CM transfer and man, definitely a big difference. Perhaps number one being the speed/time of the Miller seemed better and more natural?
    Subjective I know, just that it’s interesting how every variable can effect perceptions.
    6/27/85: so this beast is still as much of a rocket sled ride as I’ve thought, but it’s perhaps a tad more unpolished then I would of said in the past. But that’s being picky, and you know I prefer danger dead to safe, so as at this moment, Hell in a bucket is scorching, I stick by this show for that, the cool set list, and the fact that eventually, say around Women Are on out, that part of the show stands with its lofty summer 85 neighbors. Probably have to give 6/24& perhaps 6/25? a slight advantage overall, but man I haven’t been to many shows that had the vibe, fun, and overall madness of this puppy.

    So why is 85 Dead like Bode Miller? He often was criticized for his erratic style, or lack thereof, his nonconformity, often disregard for the rules, including parting then basically going 80 MPH down an insane pitch, that was usually hosed down to make it more icy, and thus faster! So just like this era of Dead, sometimes he’d DQ, sometimes he’d slack off, sometimes it was ugly, but when he brought it, that mofo brought it!! and when he was able to be one with the force, it was fucking breathtaking! Scary, but breathtaking. No matter what, if he was racing there was an energy, an excitement, that larger than life vibe......that, to me, is 85 Dead.
    FINALLY: Ladies and Germs, May I present the Electric Buffalo Hyde! as christened by my degenerate cohort due to my resemblance of the great beast of the prairies back in the day, and this baby used to be so bright people would ask if there were batteries. But Alas, like youth itself it’s faded dramatically, and is old and bartered. It definitely gave it’s all to R&R. So many Dead shows, festivals, camping, parties, you name it! Also, it will be a part of an unfortunate situation at the next night, where I lost my shit in Hershey! So until then....

  • bob t
    Joined:
    only time played anniversary show 6/28/76 Chicago Auditorium

    If you are too busy to listen to whole show, listen to Happiness is Drumming from set II, if you have never heard or listened to listen you will be pleasantly surprised!!! There is a Charlie Miller soundboard on Internet Archive!!!! bob t

  • The Good Ole G…
    Joined:
    Good Times Great Oldies

    Sounds like the ole SPAC '85 show will get some play today.

    Always a fun revisit. Vguy & Keithfan that was you guys?! That's funny.

    I guess I always thought this was an indoor show because of the balcony stuff and didn't know about the rain storm.

    Tell us more.

    And just for the record if I happen to say Jerry's voice is shot, what I mean to say is I love Jerry's voice, even though it's a little shot here. ;)

    I agree, it always sounds great to me.

    Enjoy party people!

  • Oroborous
    Joined:
    Not a drop

    We were out on the lawn so actually there were many drops, I mean it was already raining hard, and right when he sang that line, biblical!, but it just added to the madness and was one of my favorite concert/rain moments ever! I believe that’s right when folks crashed security on those balcony ramp ways and turned it into a free for all? Yeah, that was the shit, such energy all around, but that rain just took it to another level. Luckily I had my electric buffalo Hyde on! .....it was a psychedelic neon yellow long rain coat with
    BS CORP
    WORK SAFELY (from pops work) printed on back, and a Dancin skeleton sticker underneath that I added. Still have it! I should take a pic and post...fond it moving last year.

  • Oroborous
    Joined:
    Summer 85, and why I’m not prepared for class

    Deadheadbrewer: yeah, I’m with you, I can’t keep up with these rascals! Pant-pant 😉
    Haven’t done Riverbend, Nassau or Dane. Prolly give Nassau a spin this WE. Dane I’ve tried to stay away from cause ya gotta believe their going to give us that one someday! Bastards better! and I’d prefer it on virginal ears!
    hey, by the way, how you guys coming on that tunnel under the vault?
    So I listen to Riverbend 6/24/85 sort regularly so no biggie there except in the sense of comparing shows. Except It’s cool to go in order to see the subtle changes and how things progress. Like 6/25/85, definitely have felt a ascending arc since the first night in Alpine. Funny thing is I don’t think I’ve heard the second set of this one before? Had a tape of the first all along, but I think it was a tad too crisp so didn’t get as much love as the shows around it. Plus I think maybe I harbored some subliminal resentment for the show because of our decision to skip it to go to Toga early like we did in 84, which was awesome. Obviously if it made us skip a show that close to home, but Doooaahhh. So not sure how it’s the shows fault. LOL, but I think somehow I’ve had some weird thing about this show that has kept me away? Sorry, ramblings of a deranged lunatic!
    Anywho, finally gave this bad boy a spin yesterday, though had to do it in 2 sessions as life just keeps buttin’ in like a 3 year old when mom and dad are trying to get down! Man what a show. The only really noticeable hiccup I recall was JG at the start of Jimmy, and Bob missed a vocal, really a great set, better than I remember, though I always liked it, just the tape was lesser then the others...
    Second set was hot too, though perhaps they lost just a little near the end? Or maybe that was me as it was late, and by that time on a Friday this ole cowboy is usually not feeling much pain! I recall a couple little blemishes, but so what, you name any show, anyone, and I can find stuff wrong. And sorry, but I’m kinda over hearing about how terrible JGs voice is. Yes, sometimes it’s ruff, but sometimes I think the gravelly age worn voice ADDs to the affect of the songs, which is perhaps what he did best. And frankly, I’ll take the gravel voice singing in tune over a lot of that 1970 stuff we’re between the guitars and the vocals something is ALWAYS out of tune. That’s torturous for a musician.
    Now I’m not trying to diss anyone’s favorite Dead etc, just stating an opinion that people perhaps overdo it with the voice comments. My favorite is when people say “I can’t listen to anything after 77”....ok, we’ll that’s cool as it’s your choice and all, but I’d say really you just have made up your mind you don’t want to like anything after that, and you probably haven’t heard enough and with the right kind of ears. Seriously, I challenge anyone to pick a “perfect” “best of “ show and if I have time I will find the cracks!
    But that’s missing the point which is ITS ALL GOOD! and every era has something positive that the others don’t have. It’s all ways been yin yang folks, there is no such thing as a perfect show, except in our minds eye, which is quite A ok.
    Ok, rant over, I’m obviously biased about my beloved 85!
    Which brings us back to TOOOOOOOGGGGAAAAA!! Yo Butch, back in your seat, there’s 50 thousand people waiting for you to get back in your seat! Madness, the whole scene there was just surreal fucking madness, but in a good way.
    I’m actually going to try and call my old house/band mates at the time as we all went. 2 I think went to blossom, and Pittsburgh. That one too, like WTF basically could of stopped by on the ride home from Merriweather, idiots! Lol, actually, I’m not sure I could have done another show. I may have caused permanent damage at Hershey, and thank god for that day off that I can’t recall much about, and I did take it a tad easier after, but not much. We ate so many veggies on that run that nobody would believe it. But I know what I came with and what was left after so.....looking back, it’s all kinda scary, we’re lucky we never had any real casualties of any sort. Few close calls, but nothing major, phewwww.
    So going to call the lads, and fire up Toga tonight as We have to do a Zoom wedding this afternoon. We were supposed to be out at the Promised land for said wedding and a actual vacation, first since Seattle in ?? 2012!
    Think Homer Simpson “oohhhh, Ssstttooooopid Covid”
    Speaking of living via the net, was that not a fine show on Shakedown last night! Didn’t have the fire like the night before, but a fine well played outing, thanks so much to Dave and Co. for giving us this nice diversion. It’s getting to b3 a regular weekly thing, and gasp, the Mrs has actually been joining me and digging it! .....as long as I give her a good foot massage (usually during drums). She really digs the trippy graphics and colors which is even funnier as she’s never partaken except booze back in da day, it’s like giving a kid castor oil just getting her to have a beer, lol. So yeah, this Friday thing has been like the “ONE” in our music! Right on! and please keep em coming!
    Ok, gotta try and call the guys and reminisce before the wedding. Then.....drum rolls please..........TOOooooGa!

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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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Doing back to back listens also. Really fun, I had never done this before with these shows. Completely agree with OroB

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I’ve never listened to all six nights of February 1971 Capitol Theater in a row either. I remember 2/20/71 as being very high energy, or was it just my state of mind at that time. Also interesting to note that the dates and days of the week correspond now as they did fifty years ago. I sure listened to 2/19/71 a second go round in the past 36 hours. My feeling at that show fifty years ago was disappointment that Mickey Hart was not there. It’s been looking back and realizing that I was lucky to have seen the original five members live. Same five and a major shift in style from their last time as a five piece band.

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https://kpfa.org/event/dead-to-the-world-marathon/ Today from 9a.m. pst. to 1am pst. KPFA FM listener sponsored radio, holds it annual. Grateful Dead Marathon. David Gans plays unheard tapes from the vault all day, live in studio perfrmances , and guest speakers. 94.1 fm. or listen online, All the information in the link above.

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I ended up listening to this show most of the day... Especially Disc 2!!!! Bring on the April71 box.......Have a good weekend all.... Onward to 2/20/71 Bob t

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Curious what source y’all going with?
I see four on Relisten, they all sound in the same ballpark..

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In reply to by Oroborous

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OB - 116617

I haven't compared, but ol CM is the modern day Trade Mark of Quality IMO.

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In reply to by The Good Ole G…

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What’s up with those 7” Beatty reels?

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Speculating:
To my ears the 2006 Betty's circulating sound like some Dolby application happened (says Dolby A)
the 2011 CM doesn't mention any Dolby info.
Possibly same original source just different transfers.
Charlie would know for sure ;)

EDIT: Could be a personal pref thing, comparably they both sound good. I'm not sure I have the pro jargon for what I'm hearing. But I guess I would say, Miller has more high end / dynamics. But curious how would you describe it?

EDIT2: Now I'm worm holing, but almost sounds like the 2006 is close to clipping as well and potentially a pitch correction needed. Now I'm really curious to hear what you hear ;)

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Both seem ok? I listened to parts of Loser from all four, think the fourth is better than the first, and the third is better still, but the levels are low so I’m going with the Miller. It seems to breath a bit more in the High end like you said, more clear/transparent, the ole difference between a clean window and a dirty window...I.e., you can hear the crowd trying to clap along at the start of Loser better...though the Miller does have some artifacts, but as you say it hsas the Mark just as plain as day, so will hedge our proverbial bets on that horse!
Sounds like somebodies still hungover LOL

Much like George Foreman.. all my kids (and turtles) are named Charlie Miller.

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It was as high energy as I remember being there. I do remember during the end of the New Riders set while they were playing Honky Tonk Woman the crowd was going wild, Bob Weir, Pigpen and Veronica Barnard ( Pigs girlfriend) stood backstage on the right side checking out scene. Bobby was shaking his head in the affirmative. The balcony used to shake during the more rocking songs. 2/21/71 tonight.

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Another fine show but it didn’t quite...? It seemed just a pinch....less? Words aren’t working, it’s a feeling...maybe I was influenced by Bobs opening Hangover comments, cause that’s how it felt (projecting my own experiences); they killed it the night before, now settled in after two big shows, breaking out 7 new tunes, whilst dealing with inter organizational turmoil, it’s Friday night, their in NY, after the big show they relax a tad and blow off steam, perhaps a lot of steam, only to find themselves right back up there before ya know it in a mere few hours and well, time to go to work boys!
It’s subtle, but they seem to have to ease into it slightly, versus turbo charged on all cylinders out the gate?
They start out ok, but the first part of the first set their not quite there yet, good, but not great; a little slop, more tuning issues I.e., Bob in Loser...Bertha and Playin perhaps sound more like new songs then the first two versions. Hard to Handle, similarly to 2/18 is again good, but not quite the preacher come to meetin’ fire and brimstone compared to say some 70 versions?
But by Bird Song they seem to be settling in, like after that first drink/joint and a few tunes under the belt, and away we go. Big Boss then into a nice Cryptical suite, if not the big launchpad it would become, a good rendition of the times I.e., Skull Fuck etc, and they seem to have shook off the cob webs. Another good rookie outing of the Rat, followed by a nice Maggy closer. In some ways I like these Sugar Mags not being the full drawn out beast it could become. They have that more country flavor and like many of these songs, that sorta short and sweet vibe. Like Doc says of these early Bird Songs.
I guess I’d call the second set “status quo”, not in a bad way, just typical songs, played according to the times.
Perhaps some of my feelings about this are situational? Though i might of been influenced by the drop in audio quality from those first two official releases with all that voodoo, I did listen to most of this on the big system versus the first 2 we’re mostly on the lesser living room zone.
Not sure why it’s nagging me to come up with “words” but I can’t, just a feeling. A good show, but I’d take the bling and set list of the first night, and 2/19 overall, so far...
This is where doing the whole run comes in. If I hadn’t moved in order, I might have felt different about this one, so I’m sure much of my “feeling” was influenced by the previous two...
2/21/71: back to the multitrack full treatment goodness!
Onward!

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2 20 is ok, not stratospheric

2 23 71 is stratospheric

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2/21
Overall, Relaxed, but in a good way..

The question with these 71 shows for some of us less initiated is; why? Why no more jams, short country or country like songs, etc....why did they stop doing what the proverbial “I” liked (think early 69).
Why, because it’s actually what they need and wanted to do! Lesson here perhaps is to not compare too much between different “dead’s”, but consider what dead THEY were at or after, at that time? The tunes, the length, the tone and style, the AUTHENTICITY they seemed to continually be after with most different styles, sometimes completely so.
So the trap is to not compare styles, or apples to oranges, but rather concentrating on how well they assimulated and perfected the style du jour! Of course it all ended up gumbo style, flavoring the whole.
What ever their current focus, identity or style, without being over the top, they would throw themselves totally into, while always maintaining just a bit of the “old” former styles, until it was time to go furthur, and try something else. That trying to avoid the whole closed in thing JG speaks of...think how much they, especially JG, would delve/deep dive into some of these styles;
Blues
Psychedelic
Folk, Americana
Jazz, free form, just to name a few...and now shoot em up, straight ahead Bakersfield country bar rock. Yee haw pass me a longneck and let’s get rocking!

Cold Rain &Snow opener, followed by a Bobby McGee; tight, but JG hits a few clams, though he has nice feel.
Loser: well played, already not like a new song, except JG solo, still searching for the sound there...
Easy Wind: prime grease, and though he flubs, he actually recovers nicely and improvs outta it. Nice solid, relaxed jam, no ones in a hurry, JGs on now, nothing stratospheric, just G.O. 71 GD!
Playing in the Band: progressing, Phil better every version? See now why they didn’t use any of these shows for Skull Fuck; probably wanted some of the new material on the live album but most of these just weren’t there yet compared to the versions they did use from April...
Luckily we get the multi-track snapshots of this historic little run anyways...Sure we’ll get more... : )
Bertha: progressing nicely. more of the nice relaxed energy versus forced. ....and then....damn tuning.
Eventually, the advent of tuners was a blessed event for them as well as us!
But in the mean time, ahem.
Nice if perhaps apprehensive electric version of Ripple with nice harmonies, including Phil, whom I haven’t noticed so much this run? You can feel the confidence build with the music and with the energy of the crowd.
Lied Cheated: : after perhaps stepping outta their comfort zone a tad, it’s back with some solid straight up, bacon, no chaser! Again that relaxed, confident, comfortable, we own this shit and thus are in no hurry vibe.
Same with another nice countrified Sugar Mag.
Greatest Story: still not fully entraining on this one. Not bad for a new tune though, but another example of the infancy of some of these tunes..
Interestingly, it seems like Garcia’s songs are a bit tighter and more formulated with the band then Bobs new songs...
Nice one 2 punch with rocking JBG to close the set. Rocking, but still that nice in control, what I’ve been calling relaxed vibe, not the frantic, slightly unsteadiness sometimes found

China Cat/Rider: Phun Phil messing with the intro! before they slid into by now an old regular, Really feeling like this version of the band is better served by one drummer. Just as I believe the psychedelic stuff was better with 2 drummers. Nice solid, familiar versions of these including nice Phil harmonies.
Bird Song: smooth and getting smoother by the version.Blows me away that this is only the fourth version!
And it’s got a Cumberland, a second set Cumberland!, though that wasn’t really a thing back then, but boy it’s just right for typing! More settled in/relaxed vibe.PROPER!
King Bee: please pass the napkins cuss there’s a grease hog buzzin’ around my brain! And just like that they tap back into the blues band of yore. And the folk band with, BIODTL by request? is another by now fun, old chestnut. It’s like they’ve done the heavy lifting by this point on a “Sunday” and are just having fun cruising now on some familiar, so easier terrain toward their day off?
RAT; well, maybe not just yet..though by this point it doesn’t sound new. Besides Bob being a little outta tune, it’s pretty damn tight! Another that blows me away knowing this is only the fourth version. Diggin the stand alone versions too.
Trucking: amusingly starts a little slow but they quickly bring up to the M.O. that is this evenings nice relaxed, smooth vibe. A band comfortable with who they are and where there going.
Cool to think several of these Working Mans/AB tunes aren’t really all that old on this night, but already sound like tight old classics.
HA! New York’s got the ways and means, but just won’t let you be, makes me think of ole Strider able to have the means to just hop on the subway, and no big deal head down to the Capitol, but almost gets jumped in the alley!
More of the nice “status quo” of many of the above, on Casey J., and of course got ta keep on moving on up and pushing’ on. Pig Fest!
Like y’all have had your drinks, appts.,soups and salads, but now it’s time for the main corse..the greasy BBQ simmered to fine perfection by this point in time! (I can see BTK drooling out there ; ) ready for some Cherry pie now!
And then, like a 80s brokedown to close a run on a Sunday, a nice UJB, unfortunately marred by the damn tuning issues. It must of been really frustrating to be so hampered, but such was life back then. Guess that’s downside of not hiding behind a wall of distortion like many other guitarist of the time.
When I first heard this show when released last year, I hadn’t heard any of these shows except the 19th. But now that we’re going in order, it fits in just right in the overall flow. Nice Sunday, relaxed, confident, feeling of achievement? Like we did what we had to do, now we get a day off, then 1,2, end of the run and onward.
I’d have a tough time picking wether I liked this one better than the 18th, but I liked it more than the 20, but not as much as the 19th? So far...
Like the band, I’m ready for a day off. Might not listen to any dead at all tomorrow to keep my reference inside this run, but allow a cleanse elsewhere...
But really looking forward to the last 2 on Tuesday and Wednesday as I’ve never heard either.
Until then amigos!

Interesting that in that book of interviews with Jerry by Charles Reich, "A Signpost To New Space", Jerry indicates that he doesn't recognise psychedelic music as being a category in it own right. He quotes Phil, on page 83, as saying " Acid rock is music you listen to when you are high on acid". In which case, 1971 would be just as psychedelic as 1969 if you had taken some before listening.
Personally, not having tripped for decades, I would say that certain records - like "Anthem of the Sun" reactivate sensations for me, while others - like "Skull and Roses", don't. In terms of years, 1968 does it and 1971 doesn't. Still good, though.

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Past two days smorgasbord, 2/20/71. Thoroughly enjoyed on its Saturday 50th anniversary of being there. So I added 2/20/95 Salt Lake City, from my last Grateful Dead shows. Yesterday listened to 2/21/71 50th anniversary of being there and followed up with my very last Grateful Dead concert,2/21/95.
Real interesting contrast and pleasantly surprised how good that Salt Lake City run was. Easy Wind from 2/21/71 sounded like somewhere halfway in the middle from bebop and shy of hip hop with Pigpen witty word play.

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Another great show and I agree OB, it does sound a little more laid back than at least 2/18/71. Wish they didn't drop Easy Wind, always loved it.

How does 6/9/76 Boston Music Hall sound? The last road trips release 4.5.

I just read an interesting write up from Blair Jackson regarding the Road Trips series and why it started. I am guessing many of you know this already, but he stated they started the compilation concept due to very poor sales of the last couple of Dick's Picks and the Dead shows being available on the archive.
They were trying to keep the price low, with two CDs and a bonus disc. They were surprised how much the fans hated this concept and eventually they moved back to full shows.
There is some great music in almost all of these releases and I know I am still busy trying to get my hands on these and all the bonus CDs.

Stay well out there.

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Deadvikes if you don't have the 12/6/73 Cleveland Bonus disc, try to hunt that down. It was from the Denver shows.... Good call for 6/9/76!!! Bob t

Hey Bob t. I do have a digital copy of this bonus disc from a kind soul on this site. The physical copy remains elusive. The release with the bonus disc sells for $300 -400 on the secondary market, way too much for this kid. Love the digital copy and that 46 minute Dark Star is wild.

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Started out the day with a lil 2/23/93.. pretty neat.
Ornette Coleman guesting.
I didn't do the whole show, kicked it off with Lazy River Road.
Sounds like Bolo and his Krewe were there :)

Gonna dust off 2/23/71 after this dip into '93 winds down.

Ahhh... what a trip!

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Strider - soft spot in my heart for the last show of the run on 2/21. i was working in Ootah (pronounciation courtesy of a Zuni colleague) when Jerry died, and when i landed there "for good" next summer i was gifted with a sweet audience of Set II. I love that version of Foolish Heart - a favorite - Jerry's solo is sublime, same glorious energy that i experienced during Foolish Heart in Seattle May '95. and the return of Visions must of been "mind blown" for some (the one on 7/8/95 had me in tears.) Looks to have been a great first set- how can you lose with that Salt Lake City opener?! Broken Arrow and So Many Roads. This show was an excellent choice for the 30 trips box.

looking forward to 2/23/71 later today - that will be a first time listen.

stay safe everyone and enjoy the music. onward!

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Late to the dance and in a hurry....so just went with the CM, which sounded pretty good except for a couple, brief, hiccups...
2/23/71: bit of a creeper...starts a little mellow, PITB sounding a bit more cohesive everyday except for the flub, Big Boss things start gelling more, China-Rider usual fare except JG vocal mistake, Decent McGee, Hot Bertha, Nice Grease, Sorta raunchy Dew, then Mags and KCJ to end the first. Pretty much status quo second set for this run in both selection and performance; mostly good, occasional clam, occasional tuning issues (during the songs, not the before song tuning, though that was a bit much on this recording...like edit!)
Short but sweet Good Lovin’, their still struggling a bit with GSET...but really that’s the only new song that seems that way. PITBs not quite as tight as others, but it’s getting there and it’s been neat hearing Phil figure out his line as the shows progress. ) The rest are hard to believe how together/good they are considering how new they are!
The uuuush NFA-GDTR-NFA and a big Raunchy Rocking JBG to close it. Love dat shit!
I guess I’d rank this one fourth so far, but that’s hard to do as their all close overall, so comes down to preference I guess? This one crept up slower and occasionally stumbled, but built up to typical 71 style end.
Ok, uno mass, mañana!

.....halfway through the first set currently. Got stuck listening to a band called Yo La Tengo. Any of you peeps ever hear of them?

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I think Jesse Jarnow wrote a book about them, so whadya think?

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.....I think they're pretty fuckin' awesome.
Hey, it can't be GOGD 24/7.

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In reply to by The Good Ole G…

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....but I got the joke. Good one lol.
I'm out. See ya manana.

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I never listened to all nights in a row before.
Something about February Grateful Dead blocks of shows. Tradition from past eras. Capitol Theater last go round today. So far it feels like the first three nights were the highest energy. Interesting the original five members played 50 concerts in 1971.

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"the part of the human mind that is capable of transcending animal instincts"

Something I was just thinking of..

Throughout this pandemic I've been talking (more like interacting, in some cases talking), reading, finding and listening to some profoundly intelligent Dead Heads.
I mean really each one of you is fascinating and has something really interesting to say.
It's been striking and I got to thinking, it can't just be a coincidence that so many Dead Heads are really really smart and think more deeply and well... differently, shall we say.
And then it occurred to me...

It's because heads have all raised their level of consciousness.
To go furthur.

Far Out.

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I gave it a good try recently.

Today I am on a forced break from the GD. I have stacked up:

Sky Cries Mary "This Timeless Turning": excellent psychedelia from the early 90s.
Phish "A Live One": a long, long time since I listened to Phish
Pink Floyd "Ummagumma": a psychedelic classic...two discs of mind melt (lime and limpid green, a second scene...)
Velvet Underground (the one with "Candy Says")
Allman Brothers Band Atlanta International Pop Festival (July 1970)

Can I make it through these without listening to disc three of 6/24/83? Hmm...

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Bob mentions the Bomb Scare Threat that night before Cumberland on 2/24/71.

I know Strider and I talked about this a few times.

Sounds like they had to clear out the Capitol Theatre and when they let everybody back in they had even more heads in there than before.

....moving onto the final night of the run.
Psst.....don't tell anyone, but it's got a Cumberland.
Hey!! No spoilers GOGD.
Anyone notice that the final three shows were all 2 hrs and 51 minutes long?

VGUY: but after all the smoke/tuning breaks their down to an hour and a half, ; )

DANE COUNTY: so PF, I take it you like that 6/24/83? Just curious cause I’m not familiar with the less familiar of the Dane County shows. If their good, DANE COUNTY could be a nice little box like Giants, only more years.
* NOTE 2/3/78 already released as DP 18 so that one is out of the mix.
That leaves:
- 2/15/73: Dark Star, HCSS etc
- 10/25/73: DS>>Mind Left Body>>DS, HCSS, WRS etc
- 2/4/79: Shakedown, Heat of Me, LL/Sup, ?
- 12/3/81: S/F, Deep Elem, Baby Blue etc,
- 6/24/83: Shakedown, Far From Me, Candyman, H/S/F, Dew etc

Most folks know about the 2 killer 73s, but I’m not familiar with the 79 show, and that one might not be in the vault?
But we know the 81 show smokes as we covered that here last fall I believe It was? So that leaves the 83 show of which I know nas-sing? So depending on quality and/or tapes, might be a cool little box there! If there are a couple cassette shows in there surly the mighty 73s would make up for it...
Ok Dave, I’ll await payment for my work here, LOL

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2/24/71: can’t explain it but liked this one a tad more then some of the others? Perhaps the “variety” and or song positioning? Also has its own vibe...
I mean it DOES have a Cumberland! 3rd of 4. 3rd of 3 Hard to Handles which was smoooothhh! 2nd of only 2 King Bees, and 2nd of only 8 for the year! Only Minglewood, and 1 of only 2 for the year! And 2nd of only 2 Lovelights.
Another Good Lovin’ to pad the pig menu, recommends extra napkins, cause this shows a bit of a grease fest!
They come outta the gate strong but together and showing nice restraint, no hang over here (hey, tapes rolling gotta try and get em down tight).
More of the new stuff, including interesting Bertha with slight differences with the intro, Phil playing some swirling 60s psychedelic pop licks for a couple seconds. Playing was sounding probably best yet until the miss...and another sorta short Godd Lovin’...well shorter if you remove the drum solo anyway...another all around good first set. Hell this whole run is basically made up of all around good first sets no matter which set it actually is.
Though this second set is different, which besides the performance, has more song variety, which is nice at this point since these shows are pretty repetitive (probably in part because of the tape rolling. You can tell by now what songs their looking to get on the album). Sweet King Bee, rare, fun, sixties style Minglewood, GSET is probably the best of the run and is definitely progressing. Big, (not huuuge ; ) Lovelight closer, along with nice versions of the usual suspects make this a fun one, that to me stands just a hair above some of the rest.
And hey, nothing like a bomb scare to add some excitement. Though nowadays it would be reprehensible to do such a think just to get in, back then you could say it’s kinda funny in that some of us idiots will do almost anything to get in a show!

I’m still high on 2/19, with the Smokestack being the highlight of the whole run for me, I think I’d take 2/21 next and/or 2/18 with that sexy set list, but after that it’s really hard to pick? Perhaps this one by a nose hair?
But no matter what your pleasure tends, it was great to do this run and finally get familiar. It’s always cool to do em in order with no other distractions. Really can hear the subtle, or sometimes not so subtle changes as the shows progress.
Personally the biggest treat was the 3 sick sounding multi-track shows, but some of the archive stuff was pretty damn good too! And of course there’s complete Beatty’s in the vault.
I can see why they didn’t end up using any of this on skullfuck, and now, I don’t think it would of been box material; meaning comparatively to stuff that we will probably get at some point from a little down the road. I’m listening to Ladies and Gentlemen fir the first time in forever, and it’s easily apparent how much more on this material they are after some shows under their belt. Since I’m a tenderfoot in this woods, I’ll leave the speculation of what that future release might look like to those more knowledgeable. I’m sure we’ll see at least some of these Port Chester shows as Dave’s or something as they are ABCD Beatty’s etc...so I think Dave & company took a good route with this run.
Now I’m curious about more of the spring stuff, but not soon lol. I Enjoyed this but need to totally go another direction to avoid burnout etc. Thinking I might hit up the last 3 of four Dave’s as I’ve not spent enough time with any of them...unless...
one of you bastards makes me an offer I can’t refuse here lol!

I lived in the county south of Dane (Rock County....ROCK!!!) until 1980 when my family moved to LA CA.

was too young to see GD while they were so close...

anyway, 6/24/83 was a first listen. so no strong opinions. I broke down and listened to disc three today, but it did nothing for me, even with MDew

I heard 12/3/81 (my 18th birthday...but I was in LA CA) last week
10/25/73...gotta hear that again
2/15/73 yummy

so on and so on

2/24/71 is one that never did anything for me. it just feels so...reserved...to me. give me 2 23 or 2 19 or 2 18, please

Aye an a bit o' mackerel, back-a-racken
Fear 'nd a revit
Din bat-a 'hed 'nd a thoit'
Well i slap'd thea in a flem 'nd din an'a sade
'Nd a creed, creed, creed
'Da fear of fallin' dinga'
Dingan nerver bought 'da raise
And den cread marie'a!
Took equi-epk
Lamoret 'nd a buot
And I roon-doon-doon 'da maken' stye
'N taklin' the fairy hord dat was fallen round de feet
"Never!" de cried "Never shall ye get me alayv
Ya rotten hound of de hondny free
Well I snakd for a blame 'nd a clamore cut and a crust
'Nd i fell dingd befoor 'em ring'st fet
(Sigh)
A roar-e creed!
Frae the bottom of es heart that I would nay
Fall but es deed,
Dead as a can by a feat
Deah...
And the wind cried Mary.

OB:
I think you should listen to the China > Rider, PITB > Drums > Dark Star (with cool themes, you name 'em) > Morning Dew > PITB Reprise, Deal, Promised Land, Brokedown, OMSN, Casey Jones from 10/18/72 before you do that.

Possibly better than anything Dave's released yet?
(Gotcha... I couldn't resist, but now you wanna listen, besides all that's totally subjective and I guess it doesn't really matter.. anyway)

It just kicked my ass!

Yet again.

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In reply to by The Good Ole G…

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trying...trying...Velvet Underground is trying, too

10/18/72 yes
10/28/72 is highly recommended. Cleveland of all places.

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In reply to by proudfoot

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....you might enjoy this band I discovered recently. Yo La Tengo. Might have mentioned them here before (scratches head).
Anywho, they're worth checking out. They have Velvet eyes.

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Nice Proudfoot! Always time to "groove with a Pict!" 🤪 Had a roommate once who'd lapse into loud and fluent Gaelic at the least provocation (such as Several Species). Onward.

GOGD: that’s a bold statement my friend! So yeah, ya got me, ya Bastid! A little too close, a little too soon...but I will check that and the 28th soon. Thanks for the tips guys.

VGUY: berry interesting...only gave it a quick glance. Think the ole lady might like it so I’ll break it out at some point with her. Have you heard enough to recommend a specific album or?

PROUDFOOT: “young man, you will stop this nonsense, and get your work done, or no more Grateful Dead and you can deal with your father when he gets home” ; )

Going Dap 33 as we speak with 35 on deck. Hopefully 36 mañana!....with some of the 72 snuck in there...

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In reply to by Oroborous

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....Electr-O-Pura and I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One are top shelf in my opinion.

Some other albums by YLT you might like:
1. Painful - 1993
2. And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out - 2000
3. I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass - 2006
4. Popular Songs - 2009
5. Fade - 2013
6. Stuff Like That There - 2015

Have you read about the band name origin?

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In reply to by DaveStrang

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Some nice anniversary shows out there today.

Started out the day with the PITB > Terrapin from 2/26/90 which was sounding good, think I need to go back and take in the whole show.
But I jumped over to DiP V28 as I couldn't resist another killer PITB this time '73 style.
And that's where the lil Louie Louie tease before GSET comes in.
(another pal mentioned this this AM, so when it came on, with the memory slipage it's like hearing new things each time!)
Then there's this show that's pretty off the radar 2/26/77.. ;)

And let's not forget the Uptown Theatre in '81 and forgive me I have forgotten what happened at Oakland Coliseum in '94 & '95.

So yeah, there's a full day or so of music there for people to swim through if they so chose to do so.
And I say Phil... My Dog Has No Nose.
Well how does he smell?!?
Blooming Awful.

Happy Friday!