• 1,587 replies
    Srinivasan.Mut…
    Joined:

    What's Inside:
    7 Previously Unreleased Complete Shows On 20 Discs
    Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO 12/09/71
    Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO 12/10/71
    Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO 10/17/72
    Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO 10/18/72
    Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO 10/19/72
    Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, MO 10/29/73
    Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, MO 10/30/73
    Sourced from tapes recorded by Rex Jackson, Owsley "Bear" Stanley, and Kidd Candelario
    Mastered in HDCD by Jeffrey Norman
    Restoration and Speed Correction by Plangent Processes
     
    Individually Numbered, Limited Edition of 13,000

    Steamboats and BBQ, ice cream cones and Mardi Gras - are you ready to laissez les bons temps rouler with the "gateway" to the Grateful Dead? Meet us, won't you, in St. Louis for seven complete and previously unreleased Dead concerts that capture the heart of the band's affinity for the River City.
     
    LISTEN TO THE RIVER: ST. LOUIS ’71 ’72 ’73 is a 20CD set featuring five shows from the Fox Theatre - December 9 and 10, 1971; October 17-19, 1972; and two from the Kiel Auditorium - October 29 and 30, 1973. 
     
    The seven shows in the collection span slightly less than two years, but they represent some of the best shows the Grateful Dead played during some of its peak tours. The music tells the story of a band evolving, changing from one sound to another seamlessly, precipitated – in large part – by significant personnel changes in the Dead’s lineup.
     
    The two 1971 shows feature the original Grateful Dead lineup plus newcomer Keith Godchaux on piano. This version of the band would hold together for the next six months as the Dead embarked upon its Europe ’72 tour. By the time the Dead returned to the Fox Theatre less than a year later, they were without Pigpen, who’d played his final show with the Dead at the Hollywood Bowl on June 17, 1972. A year after the exceptional Fox 1972 shows, the Dead came back to St. Louis, but played the much larger Kiel Auditorium, touring behind the release of WAKE OF THE FLOOD, which came out just two weeks before.
     
    All told, the band played 60 different songs during these shows highlighted by blazing romps through “Beat It On Down The Line” and “One More Saturday Night” and wistful takes on “Row Jimmy” and “Brokedown Palace” (whose lyrics give the collection its name). Meanwhile, the copious jamming ebbed and flowed like the mighty Mississippi River on multiple voyages through “The Other One” and “Dark Star.” Naturally, the band paid tribute to one of its favorite rock and rollers and one of St. Louis’ biggest stars by playing Chuck Berry songs at every show in the collection, including Pigpen galloping through “Run Rudolph Run.”  
     
    Each show has been restored and speed corrected using Plangent Processes with mastering by Jeffrey Norman. The collection comes in a slipcase with artwork by Liane Plant and features an 84-page hardbound book as well as other Dead surprises. To set the stage for the music, the liner notes provide several essays about the shows, including one by Sam Cutler, the band’s tour manager during that era, and another by Grateful Dead scholar Nicholas G. Meriwether, among others. 
     
    Due October 1st, LISTEN TO THE RIVER: ST. LOUIS ’71 ’72 ’73, is limited to 13,000 individually numbered copies and available exclusively from Dead.net.

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  • KeithFan2112
    Joined:
    Disc 20

    I'm listening to this off the headphones for the first time. I don't have the HD CD player but the DVD player on playing this through is doing something really cool with 5.1 surround sound on. I often wonder what I'm missing without the HD CD player. The headphones experience of a show is so much different than a live room. Now I'm curious to hear how does PNC 1973 shows sound on the 5.1 system.

    Jimmy - great point dude, I never even thought of that. The Dead themselves could have worn parts of these tapes out from just reviewing their performances.

    Philontap - I have a feeling it was probably your post that I read on the Hoffman forum. I posted a short comment. Haven't been back there in a few days. Will check out He's Gone. I love those little nuances in their playing.

  • daverock
    Joined:
    Nappyrags

    God, not only were you there, you were "there". When I saw The Stones at the Knebworth festival in 1976, I was so far away I could have been in the next county.

    Funny when we attend a gig/show/festival that subsequently gets perceived and represented as a historical event-when at the time it just seems like another night out. I have never been to anything that had the magnitude of Altamont. I can remember seeing the Sex Pistols around the time they became National threat in Britain - Decemer 1976. If there hadn't been such a fuss afterwards, I'm not sure I would have remembered it.

  • philontap
    Joined:
    10/17/72 Playin'

    I was among those on the Hoffman forums touting the 10/17/72 Playin' jam as in my top 5 all time. This whole box is really a magnificent compilation of material. Second only to the E'72 trunk. I don't have the trunk itself but I have all the shows. Man, this band could cook.

    I have't been here in a while, but hello again and enjoy it all. Special mention of He's Gone from 10/19/72: at 9:59, Jerry and Bobby emerge from their typical exit jam and somehow simultaneously drop into this gorgeous melody over chord idea that they nail in unison. Bobby then chooses to move to a harmonic counterpoint, but he and Jer move in an out of unison as Phil ramps up the intensity to a clear Jerry blast out at 10:31. These moments are why I buy these releases. That 32-second sequence paid for the entire box. No other rock band could ever do that.

  • Vguy72
    Joined:
    Bedtime Stories from Nappyrags....

    ....firing up 10.29.73 from this box. The band loved long shows that year. Ain't complaining. Spent a couple days revisiting '79 on the Pick Of The Day board. So much music. So little time
    And yes. This box rules Jimbo.
    Golden Knights and Philly Flyers tied up after two periods btw.
    Edit. We need more heads chiming in on that board. It's fun.

  • nappyrags
    Joined:
    @PoudFoot & DaveRock

    Yes I went to see the show at Altamont...I mean it was the Stones, GD, Santana etc supposedly....I was somewhat upfront and as the day word on being by myself I moved closer to the stage, about 60 ft. from it...Angels were out of control...there were a couple of busses parked close to the stage and through the day they were sitting on top for a better view...by late afternoon they were tossing urine filled wine bottles into the crowd...fun...pundits like to call this concert the end of the hippy dream etc but I think that a buncha hooey...all the bands did their best and there were some great momentsbut still...

  • JimInMD
    Joined:
    Re: KF

    This box rules.. if I have one complaint.. I think they listened to these masters a bit too before they put them in storage. You can tell the source tapes were dragged across heads a few times. ..but hey, that's testament that they were good shows. Pure speculation of course, but I just might be correct.

    A great box. Now.. about BCT a couple months earlier. That's next.

  • KeithFan2112
    Joined:
    Friday at Last

    I wrestled sleep to feed this box set addiction. But screw it, TGIF. The Dark Star tease at the end of the 10/17 Bertha kills me every time. Rational thought reminds me that they wouldn't have played it the next night if they had gone into it on 10/17, but it gets me all the same. Kind of like the Wild Thing tease on DP 28 before GSET.

    So yeah, 10/17 - I was on the Dave Hoffman forum, and there was much talk about the PITB - so I thought I'd pass that on. It wasn't a "yeah it's a pretty good 72 version"; it was a flat out "the 10/17 PITB jumped to my top 3" sort of remark. I fell asleep before it ever came on, so today for sure. What I did uncover was Billy's drumming on El Paso - I can't say I've ever heard him whip this song up like he does here. Lots of great snare pops and giddy-ups between verses (I think he was doing couplets or double time or some such musical term - any drummers in the house?)

    12/10 is on the agenda for today. Doc I think you made a good call on the Good Lovin' jam section. I think it may be better than any of the E72 versions - looking forward to paying close attention to that one on its anniversary. In fact I have 50 minutes before work - I'm going to turn off Bird Song and turn on that 2nd set from12/10.

    Daverock, yeah I did react emotionally. I tend to stay on the sidelines, but there are a few people here I keep in touch with well enough to call friends.

    On second thought I'm going to let this Bird Song play through. Jerry brought the stuff.

  • Forensicdoceleven
    Joined:
    Clearness ornaments profound thoughts…..

    50 years ago today…..

    December 10, 1971
    Fox Theater, St Louis, Missouri

    Set 1: Bertha-Me And My Uncle-Mr. Charlie-Loser-Beat It On Down The Line-Sugaree-Jack Straw-Next Time You See Me-El Paso-Tennessee Jed-Big Railroad Blues-Casey Jones

    Set 2: Good Lovin'-Brokedown Palace-Playing In The Band-Run Rudolph Run-Deal-Sugar Magnolia-Comes A Time-Truckin'>drums>The Other One>Sitting On Top Of The World>The Other One-Not Fade Away>China Cat Sunflower jam>Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad>Not Fade Away

    Encore: One More Saturday Night

    This is deadicated to Kevin Kelly……………

    The solid but somewhat unremarkable first set gives no clue of the upcoming super nova second set. Highlights include the great Good Lovin’ to open and the massive jam that closes the set. Another monster December 1971 show, and one that actually does get widespread love and respect. I am eternally grateful to TPTB for its official release. Savor it!

    Ladies and gentlemen we have a loose frap………..

    Rock on!!

    Doc
    The universe is built on a plan the profound symmetry of which is somehow present in the inner structure of our intellect…..

  • daverock
    Joined:
    keithfan

    Thanks for that-no hard feelings on my behalf either. It seems wherever you get people together you get disputes (whenever I've involved, anyway) - what matters is if and how you resolve them.

  • KeithFan2112
    Joined:
    12/9 - if nothing else it…

    12/9 - if nothing else it has the GOAT Run Rudolph Run.

    Sometimes I sit back and marvel that we have all of these shows to listen to. I count roughly 25 officially released 1971 shows (partial releases and compilations). I don't have 25 Rush, Who, and Yes shows combined from their entire touring careers. I wonder what that cost them from night to night - and then take into consideration that they weren't exactly a wealthy band pre-hiatus. I know they used these tapes to analyze their performances, but where do they even find the time to do that...

    I hadn't heard 12/9 until the box came out. I've listened to it a bunch if times now, and yeah, it's shorter, and doesn't pack the heat of a long 2nd set jam.....but hinking back to when the archive releases first got off the ground in the early 90s, and there we're long droughts between releases, would we have been as excited about a12/9 show? It's kind of a rhetorical question for me, because I wasn't into them at the time, but I imagine anything live would have been a treat. It takes a lot of listens for me to really absorb a show, but I think they played as well as 12/10, right?

    No hard feelings Daverock.

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6 years 3 months

What's Inside:
7 Previously Unreleased Complete Shows On 20 Discs
Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO 12/09/71
Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO 12/10/71
Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO 10/17/72
Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO 10/18/72
Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO 10/19/72
Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, MO 10/29/73
Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, MO 10/30/73
Sourced from tapes recorded by Rex Jackson, Owsley "Bear" Stanley, and Kidd Candelario
Mastered in HDCD by Jeffrey Norman
Restoration and Speed Correction by Plangent Processes
 
Individually Numbered, Limited Edition of 13,000

Steamboats and BBQ, ice cream cones and Mardi Gras - are you ready to laissez les bons temps rouler with the "gateway" to the Grateful Dead? Meet us, won't you, in St. Louis for seven complete and previously unreleased Dead concerts that capture the heart of the band's affinity for the River City.
 
LISTEN TO THE RIVER: ST. LOUIS ’71 ’72 ’73 is a 20CD set featuring five shows from the Fox Theatre - December 9 and 10, 1971; October 17-19, 1972; and two from the Kiel Auditorium - October 29 and 30, 1973. 
 
The seven shows in the collection span slightly less than two years, but they represent some of the best shows the Grateful Dead played during some of its peak tours. The music tells the story of a band evolving, changing from one sound to another seamlessly, precipitated – in large part – by significant personnel changes in the Dead’s lineup.
 
The two 1971 shows feature the original Grateful Dead lineup plus newcomer Keith Godchaux on piano. This version of the band would hold together for the next six months as the Dead embarked upon its Europe ’72 tour. By the time the Dead returned to the Fox Theatre less than a year later, they were without Pigpen, who’d played his final show with the Dead at the Hollywood Bowl on June 17, 1972. A year after the exceptional Fox 1972 shows, the Dead came back to St. Louis, but played the much larger Kiel Auditorium, touring behind the release of WAKE OF THE FLOOD, which came out just two weeks before.
 
All told, the band played 60 different songs during these shows highlighted by blazing romps through “Beat It On Down The Line” and “One More Saturday Night” and wistful takes on “Row Jimmy” and “Brokedown Palace” (whose lyrics give the collection its name). Meanwhile, the copious jamming ebbed and flowed like the mighty Mississippi River on multiple voyages through “The Other One” and “Dark Star.” Naturally, the band paid tribute to one of its favorite rock and rollers and one of St. Louis’ biggest stars by playing Chuck Berry songs at every show in the collection, including Pigpen galloping through “Run Rudolph Run.”  
 
Each show has been restored and speed corrected using Plangent Processes with mastering by Jeffrey Norman. The collection comes in a slipcase with artwork by Liane Plant and features an 84-page hardbound book as well as other Dead surprises. To set the stage for the music, the liner notes provide several essays about the shows, including one by Sam Cutler, the band’s tour manager during that era, and another by Grateful Dead scholar Nicholas G. Meriwether, among others. 
 
Due October 1st, LISTEN TO THE RIVER: ST. LOUIS ’71 ’72 ’73, is limited to 13,000 individually numbered copies and available exclusively from Dead.net.

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4 years 2 months

In reply to by proudfoot

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Old ZZ preferred by me, before they switched.

I have an old cassette of best of zz top

I aint asking for much
I say lawd take me downtown
Im just lookin for some kush

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7 years 2 months
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I feel the same as when you said thanks for taking my money but filling my soul. This box set represents everything I enjoy about the Dead. I started with Veneta and Ladies and Gentlemen, and then Winterland 1973. I have not listened to any of the St. Louis shows. I feel like the guy from Animal House when he said Oh boy isn't this great!

Best Europe 72 Truckin'? Is there a better one than the 18 minute 4/11 show from Newcastle?

A bunch of friends and co-workers made the drive south to Phoeniz AZ to catch GD at Compton Terrace for a couple of shows...after the show on Saturday the 8th we headed over to the dump that is the Veteran's Memorial Coliseum to see ZZ Top on thier Recycler Tour...pretty much fun to do both in one day...RIP Dusty...

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17 years
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Wu Tang evicted outta Atlanta?! They're a NYC group through and through. Sounds like you're old landlord just evicted regular people and told you they were Wu Tang, ya sure it wasn't the landlord who was in the Klan? It was ATL after all, he sounds likes a curmudgeony racist ouch. And ZZ top was looking for tush, not kush? Right?! Songs about ass not grass, though no one rides for free still. :)

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17 years 4 months

In reply to by Oroborous

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Saw the Top once.
Got in for free after helping this crazy Radio dude out that was starting his own station, sort of gorilla format: play what you want etc...
We used to put windshield fliers on cars at concerts for him and he’d get us in for free.
Guys name was Bob Allen and his station was WUWU...
His big claim to fame was taking over, and barricading himself in the transmitter building, and playing nothing but Pyscho Chicken, a hilarious twist on the Talking Heads song, for several days, before they finally shut him down.
Guy was a trip! More funny, at the time I was working my first “real job” at KFC. It drove the old lady who ran it crazy!
She took it as a personal insult or something and was constantly on the phone trying to get someone to stop him lol.
Every time she’d leave, we’d change the station, which the customers thought was hilarious....
Used to get outta work, take a shower, then try and make out with my girlfriend and she’d be like “nope, get back in that shower” I could never get the greasy residue off lol. Needless to say, that one didn’t last!

I got that ish working at mcdonalds

I worked weekends but could still smell quarter pounder on my hands on wednesdays

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4 years 2 months

In reply to by proudfoot

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First set is actually pretty good to my ears

Then second set starts off ok and then slowly leaks air until...oh, just turn it off.

More on 86
6 28 86 is a fine lil show
6 26 86 sounds ok

Again, this is in the comfort of my home, not outdoors in HEAT and HUMIDITY for hours.

I have never heard Irvine 86...

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17 years 4 months

In reply to by proudfoot

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Recently listened, Felt similarly...

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In reply to by Oroborous

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Tres Hombres mofos, bummed I never saw 'em, loved the 70's stuff. This documentary is excellente: That Little Ol' Band from Texas

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4 years 10 months
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Best show of 1986. Touch of Grey & Candyman, as good as it gets. Garcia, back from the Dead, back to the Dead. You had to be there.

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15 years 1 month
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Holy Modal Rounders - 1st album
Coil - Live One
Material - Intonarumori
V/A - Journeys in modern jazz: Britain 1965 - 1972
Morton Feldman Crippled Symmetry: at June in Buffalo

Just revisiting a lot of old favourites and the newly released British jazz compilation.

#39 shipping notice received this morning

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10 years 1 month
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Cover band that had a show recently in SoCal that apparently was a mass-Covid19 event. The whole band has it and is advising anyone who attended to get tested and quarantine. Maybe a bit early for unmasked crowds with the Delta variant peaking. Just get a shot people. Preaching to the choir here where intelligent folks hang out. Be safe and well. Cheers!
P.S. Nappy, I went to the Sunday show 12-9-90 on the reservation (one of the 3 venues called Compton terrace I think) south of PHX. Very loose parking lot scene with no law enforcement anywhere in sight. Excellent show with Bruce on board. We got a first set Maggie's Farm and ended the set with Bruce's Valley Road. And a Brokedown encore to top it all off. Early start had us out of there by dark. Had a strange time going dosed to our R.E.I. X-mas dinner party immediately afterward. For some reason I wasn't all that hungry.

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Caught them several times. First time was on the Eliminator tour. Afterburner and Recycler tours had massive sport arena stage productions. Recent years they were touring theaters in stripped-down fashion.

MTV definitely changed the trajectory of their career for a while, much like the Dead. Even if you're not familiar with their music you know their beards.

I didn’t witness it personally, but it could be possible since they had a store there and maybe needed an apartment to crash at.

WU-TANG CLAN PARTIES IN ATLANTA
MTV NEWS STAFF
08/15/1997
August 15 [7:55 EDT]

The party was a celebration of the Clan's new album, "Wu-Tang Forever," going platinum, and the group decided to mark the occasion in Atlanta partly because they have a Wu-Wear clothing store there, and partly because they feel at home in that city.

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9 years

In reply to by SPACEBROTHER

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Saw them in 92 or 93, it was a good time.
Wanted to see them at least once.

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17 years 4 months

In reply to by icecrmcnkd

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....i read that Grateful Shred story. Phish started their tour last night in Arkansas. Nary a mask to be seen. Next stop is Alabama tomorrow, then two shows in Georgia. Yeah, the shows are outdoors, but a little disappointed that people don't care, even though the band put out a press release to please mask up. We'll see how it goes.
The South is a little lax on the vax.

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8 years 5 months
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I used to jave a filler from I believe the 2nd night from 71 and there is a China Cat jam in NFA that's decently substantial. Anyone else know this?

several china cat jams in nfa, including 12 10 71

What i recommend is listening to good lovin from 1 2 72. Dont look at the set list!

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9 years 11 months

In reply to by proudfoot

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...there is also the 11/15/71 monster that has a pretty notable Chincacat Tease prior to hitting Goin Down the Road; incidentally I also happened to be listening to 5/26/72 on the way back from daycare drop off this morning, and to my pleasant surprise yet another Chinacat tease popped up at the end of the NFA.

Love is Love with a Crazy Cat Peekin'

HappY Friday DeadFreaks - oh yeah and be ready for all hell to break loose when they unleash Dave's 39 shortly...

Sixtus

P.S. Spinning 7/29/88 at the moment; also an interesting Chinacat-related nugget with a 2nd set opener of
Chinacat>Crazy Fingers>I know you Rider. I always found these uncommon pairings/split-ups totally addictive and entertaining as hell especially if you don't see 'em coming

Yes yes yes, Sixtus. I agree 100%.

Yall have probably picked up on my "dont look at the setlist" vibe. It really takes things to a higher level. Such as the encore of 5 11 86. If you dont expect it, it is thrilling to hear.

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4 years 10 months
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What a great tune, the Dead only played it live one time. I wish they would have played Rosemary & Mtns of the Moon, durring their acoustic sets at the Warfield Theatre in 1980, that would have been amazing. It was thought that they never performed it live until they found a stash of Dec 1968 tapes, I sure wish that some of those 1968/1969 tapes will be released someday.

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10 years
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And don’t forget the first Tivoli show and (if memory serves correct) the tease works itself into a glorious transition for GDTRFB. Such a beaut.

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9 years 11 months
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... is playing on Sirius XM. I've never heard the show despite its proximity to the next night. I had to go back and re listen, because the loose Lucy played on June 9th is nothing like I've personally heard before. It's super groovy, and they take it around the block more than once for a nice tasty little Jam in there, clocking in at almost 10 minutes. Sublime to these virgin-to-this-version ears. Highly recommend for a groovy Friday romp.

Sixtus

P.S. Looks like Dave's 39 is up

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16 years
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Saw them in 73, Tres Hombres tour, 79 Deguello tour and that Recycler tour which was can't remember 80's for sure, Nappy that was an awesome show, when they did that disappearing act and came back recycled. The Deguello tour was great, they came up out of the floor surrounded by a ring of fire playing I want to thank you, best tune of the night, I'm just a fool for your stockings, Billy just bending strings and sheading it and way back in 73 it was so hot in July in Florida that Dusty passed out after Beer drinkers and hell raisers, therefore, no encore. Awesome band, glad I got to partake of their particular brand or blues.

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16 years 4 months
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50 years ago today……

July 31, 1971
Yale Bowl, New Haven, Connecticut

Set 1: Truckin'-Sugaree-Mr. Charlie-Mama Tried-Big Railroad Blues-Playing In The Band-Dark Star>Bird Song-El Paso-Hard To Handle-Loser-Me And Bobby McGee

Set 2: Bertha-Big Boss Man-Me And My Uncle-Deal-China Cat Sunflower >I Know You Rider-Sing Me Back Home-Sugar Magnolia-Casey Jones-Not Fade Away>Goin’ Down The Road Feelin’ Bad>”Darkness jam”>Not Fade Away

Encores: Uncle John's Band>Johnny B. Goode

Deadicated to Jeffrey Greenberg, Bob Messina, John Starks, and Rich Petlock…..

So, how did they do???

Actually, not bad at all. Solid if unspectacular show. Little bit of Pigpen, interesting first set Star, unusual Bobby McGee set closer, Sing Me Back Home, a Darkness jam, two song encore. What’s not to like about all that?

Coffee spilled on guitars, executive nannies, homicidal maniacs, rock and roll, Grateful Dead…………

Rock on!!

Doc
……unless we can play them well…..

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38 years ago today I was down in Ventura to see the Dead. The crowd sang Garcia happy birthday a day early. They opened up the show on 7/30 with China Cat. Ventura was a non-stop party, from the the time you left your home to last note played.

71...I love this show. Playin' > Dark Star > Birdsong. Ja, gerne!

83...I was at this one. I think this one has the audience chanting "one more set! one more set!"

Either the 30th or the 31st has the first Touch of Grey I ever heard, and I recall it standing out to me as a great song.

This talk of Ventura reminds me of the great opening chapter in Blair Jackson's book "The Music Never Stopped." Its all about a show the Dead played there in 1982, and describes the Deadheads mingling in the area and hanging out before the show actually starts. I found it quite transporting when I first read it on a train coming out of Manchester one rainy afternoon in the early 80s. I couldn't have been further away-although I was there in my mind.

Half way through the June 1977 box, which I normally never get to. Trying to follow anniversary shows, by the time I have finished May its already September. This year I missed out the second May 77 box. I thought the first two shows in the June box were excellent. The 1st set seemed better than the second on the 8th-something I have felt with other 1977 shows. Like 5/9.

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In reply to by daverock

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....JGB 8.1.92. Irvine Meadows. There was a giant birthday card in the concourse. I signed it of course.
.
Set 1.
Cats
Mission
Waiting For A Miracle
Mississippi Moon
No Bread
Sisters & Brothers
Somebody To Love
.
Set 2.
Shining Star
Tore Up
Waiting For A Miracle
Drove Dixie Down
Lay Down Sally
Midnight Moonlight
.
No encore.....
.
He was supposed to be going through rehab at that time. The Deads tour was canceled due to it, but he just couldn't help but to play. Rumors swirled that he blacked out backstage after the show, but played the next night in Chula Vista anyway.
I only caught the JGB 4 times, but that one was special of course.
If any of you checked out the Phil show the other day, he looks great for 81.
Still looks younger than Jerry at 53. Sigh............

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15 years 1 month
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...on 22nd in Fairfax, still billed as Jerry's birthday show and there were a coupla' huge birthday cakes which prompted some weird, rowdy food fight in the middle of that very small place. John Kahn did not make the show, Phil took his place and as added bonus, John Cipollina was running the soundboard. Show was good but not memorable except for the general weirdness; I remember Phil playing the chorus over the verses during the opening How Sweet It Is. Very strange show altogether; there was an opening act, and I swear I've never seen a band perform on such a small space: all of JGB's gear was onstage, there was nowhere for the singer to move, poor guy looked a mixed of angry and disbelief.

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Still clearly remember a woman on a man's shoulders with a cake. The crowd parted to let them reach the stage. A roadie leaned over the stage lip and secured the cake, which he paraded on stage for a cheering crowd. I was 15 years old and had just 'experienced' a few days getting to, into, and from Watkins Glen. 48 hours after arriving home, burnt to a crisp, and we took off for a two-nighter with the GD and The Band. Vivid memories of many moments at the Glen, but not so much the two nighter that followed.

But we did sing a crazed 'Happy Birthday' to Mr. Garcia. who turned 31 that night. I would turn 16 two weeks later.

Misspent youth? In spades, my friends. In spades.

Just sharing the news........

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17 years 4 months

In reply to by hendrixfreak

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to Mr G, hope yer having a great jam somewhere/somespace...

Saw his 52 in 94. Two pretty good shows actually. He seemed to be enjoying himself.

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10 years 2 months
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What would you have been doing today? Still touring with the Dead I suspect.

I read 8/1/73 was the last time he played the Strat.

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10 years 9 months

In reply to by KeithFan2112

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I would hope if he had lived a bit longer, he would have been able to take a year or more away from touring. We're lucky we got as much time out of him as we did. But I just listened to the digital single of Sugaree from 12/10/71, and WOW, fantastic sound! The single, by the way is 24 bit 192 kHz. It sounds like a multitrack, because things are so well balanced, Keith's piano has a fantastic sound. And right there in the center of it all is the man of the hour himself, singing his heart out and already playing blistering leads on the soon to be staple.

Sidenote: I've been watching the Ken Burns miniseries Jazz after neglecting it for years (who knew it was damn near 20 hours?), and the tales of genius of Louis Armstrong and Bix Beiderbecke and many many others who revolutionized their instruments and gained some of their fame and notoriety when they recorded the standards that had already been standards by the 20s and 30s and reshaped them as their own. Jerry and the Dead did that, and added the Duke Ellington thing of composing your own library that makes an amalgamated new style, such as the case with Sugaree and the song was about to succeed it, Jack Straw. Sugaree fits into the mold of a heartbreak song, but is darker and the loping rhythm is precisely the Dead swing that set them apart as Louis Armstrong's swing invented a larger genre built upon improvisation and feel or groove rather than rote performance in perfect cadence. Jack Straw has such an authentic western feel and historical folktale vibe that people can be forgiven for questioning whether the Dead really wrote it. Like the miner that unwittingly praised Robert Hunter by remarking on the Dead odd choice of an old miner song Cumberland Blues, not realizing Hunter had written the "old standard". Jerry was the heart of that, but it took all of the weird characters to make the Dead into the unique beast they were. And I can't wait for this box set to unleash that beast's most potent furies and Plangentized!

Two months is a long wait, and I still have 5 days wait on DaP 39, which the Shakedown sounded good on tablet speaker. Shame the Touch> Playing> Terrapin from 4/25 was missing, but looking forward to the He's Gone> Bob Star. I perpetually forget about that song until somebody brings it up and then I listen to one, this time I chose the Merriweather one Jim caught, def Weir'd, but pretty cool with that Other Oneish riff going on around it. We'll see on the Rochester one.

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17 years 4 months

In reply to by alvarhanso

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I’ve said for a long time, probably since Brentski checked out, that they should of taken another hiatus or 2.
Look how well that worked out in 75. Best thing they ever did!

And yes JG was also a playing junkie, but compare his posture, demeanor and sometimes even his playing with the Dead, to all the cool work and side projects he did near the end. JGB was awesome, his stuff with Dawg, and a bunch of cool studio work with Ornette, Sanjay, Bruce etc. He was really shining everywhere else except the Dead!
I guess it’s the ole difference between doing things because you want to, versus you have to...
Yeah, looking back you have to wonder what if....

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4 years 2 months

In reply to by Oroborous

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He looks a bit haggard in the Essen video
I know he was hurtin in 92 when they cancelled Eugene

A wince-inducing moment is 4 13 86 during Terrapin...he walks offstage before Inspiration part.

If only he had become a health freak.

We miss you Jerry!!!

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10 years 8 months
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For Jer, it appears, the last years were indeed his "obligation" to the GD and his desire to play with his own band and pop in on Grisman as opportunities arose. Absolutely. Same h***** habit, different motivations. So '89 and '91 might have been decent GD years, but the whole run of Jerry shows sure seemed to shine.

Oh well, the guy was human and it's all over now, baby blue. Except for the pleasure we still get from the tapes. So, thanks to Bear, Betty and the boys in the crew for taping!

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15 years 7 months
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Nice that Mosaic recommendations are turning up here.
In my opinion the real meat of the catalogue remain the Blue Note sets. Of course being limited they are mostely oop. BUT the recent Joe Henderson set IS available, limited to 2500 sets, its a no brainer.
You will thank me.

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