Listen To The River: St. Louis '71 '72 '73 (20-CD)

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July 21, 2021 - 6:32am

1,587 replies

Srinivasan.Mut…

Joined:
July 2, 2018

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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July 25, 2021 - 1:29pm

#1391

Vguy72

Joined:
June 29, 2007

Now that the box is finally announced....

....it's time to release an Alaska mini-box. $99.95. I want one. Call it Baked Alaska and put a Kodiak Bear somewhere on it. If the powers that be read these forums, and I'm sure they do, you're welcome. Just put Vguy72 on the credits.
An Alaska box WILL happen. It's just a matter of time. Right Dave?
July 25, 2021 - 12:44pm

#1392

Oroborous

Joined:
June 19, 2007

Drop outs

I did that once!
Colin 😉

As the disclaimers used to say, these ARE NOT “professional” recordings. Today, their artifacts from a long time ago.
Snap shots using legacy limited technology to attempt to catch a glimpse...
Their intent was for reference, as a learning/measuring tool, not for commercial release!
So anything that was recorded other than on multitrack, is going to have anomalies on the actual tape that cannot be removed etc.
I’ve never been at, or heard a dead show, except perhaps remixed multi tracks, that you couldn’t hear the often dramatic changes of both the musicians messing with their sound on stage and even more so, on going changes in the house mix. Most of it was a very subtle process that would often take most of the first set before things were fully dialed in, up and running.
I’m sure many folks can’t or wouldn’t notice much of this, but to a trained ear it’s pretty obvious.
Thus, many of us understand this and so just except it as part of the process. The price for getting it just exactly perfect lol.
What I think is funny, is how folks don’t seem to notice the constant outta tune vocals and guitars that often were part of early seventies shows, but an occasional mix anomaly will drive en nuts lol.
Personally, the only release that I’ve had a real audio problem with was this last DaP 38. But I won’t rehash that again.
The rest I love for their individuality, worts and all! But hey, that’s just me. Some are definitely better than others...
I agree that that the PNW has some more prominent examples than usual, but it is what is is....so I ask, would it have been better to cut those songs, or even to have not released those shows at all?
I think usually, whenever possible, it’s not good removing authenticity from a historical document , but hey beauty is in the eye of the beholder?
Caveat emptor indeed.
July 25, 2021 - 11:49am

#1393

Colin Gould

Joined:
September 15, 2009

Dropouts

Surely they’re just following Leary’s advice. Turn on, tune in, drop out.
July 25, 2021 - 11:38am

#1394

Oroborous

Joined:
June 19, 2007

The Spoils

I’m sure after expenses and being split up, it’s probably not a huge payoff per person, but this is only ONE release. Add on the different LP configurations and other related merch of just this release. Now multiply that by ALL the boxes and releases other than Dave’s....yeah, I bet their real glad someone recorded all the shows....

Then, add Daves into the mix at 25,000 x $100 (or more for ala carte) = at least $2,500,000 pretty much guaranteed annually. And I don’t think the costs for these are anywhere near other projects.
Plus, I think they got a big payoff for the contracts?
So yeah, perhaps one persons cut of one release might not be huge, but when you start adding it all up over the last twenty years or so....cha-Ching!
July 25, 2021 - 10:48am

#1395

daverock

Joined:
September 1, 2014

Evolving songs

That Mike - your post, which I thought was a good 'un, made me think that it would be great if they released a box set featuring shows from different eras, but all containing a Dark Star ( or Playing in the Band, The Other One) to show how it evolved over time. It couldn't be definitive-it changed during the course of a run - but it would be a neat concept.

Alvarhanso - the fact that I keep mentioning the vinyl 5/19/74 clearly indicates I need more Dead vinyl - Light to Ashes looks a likely contender. Its only the duty and the distance from The States to the UK - hopefully it wouldn't get damaged in transit-that is putting me off.
July 25, 2021 - 10:32am

#1396

proudfoot

Joined:
August 2, 2020

Dropouts

They probably most likely I think from the sound person tweaking this and that.
July 25, 2021 - 9:24am

#1397

nitecat

Joined:
November 1, 2010

That Mike

Well said, That Mike.
July 25, 2021 - 8:48am

#1398

That Mike

Joined:
November 1, 2014

Podium Placement

It is so difficult to grade anything Grateful Dead as best or least best, because a measurement of quality was never their reason for being. This, instead, was a rare performance vehicle that laid all their cards down on creating a visceral experience, taking much of their cue from their audience in the moment; it could almost be said that if there was a poor quality show, it was as much due to the audience as it was the band.

This box set provides one of those interesting perspectives where we can watch the band evolve over a set time, and we can examine select numbers and styles to see how this performance changes, is molded, and later dismantled, for there was never equivocation with the Dead - they were always about the experience.

Favorite passages, songs, jams? Of course. But by choosing one over the other, we are merely announcing how dramatically this piece of music shakes our bones to the core; every performance, even of the same song, is delivered differently, from a different angle, for a 360 degree Dead experience.

You can be a band that performs your “Hotel California” note perfect, night after night on your 85 date tour, with your guitarist hitting this note here, and have your audience go Wow, or you can play the Dead, who never played the same show twice, each performance a degree or degrees different than the one before. Songs were introduced, dropped, brought back, repackaged, never played the same way twice (Ok, maybe the tedious Me And My Uncle…).

These box sets are the best, and I have no doubt this St Louis set will have some real Ooohs and Ahhhs, because that is what the Dead did best.
July 25, 2021 - 7:59am

#1399

icecrmcnkd

Joined:
October 20, 2015

All this PNW talk

Got me to play 5-17-74 last night.
And I enjoyed it very much. The dropouts accounted for less than 1% of the total show.
The Playing in the Band was mighty fine, and it only clocks in around 25 minutes.

That prompted me to listen to the monster from 5-21, which was spectacular. I love the spacey, jammy goodness of ‘74.
I’m glad I grabbed that RSD vinyl release. Also have 5-19 on vinyl.

I probably should order Light To Ashes.
July 25, 2021 - 7:07am

#1400

Jason Wilder

Joined:
September 21, 2011

Not just the 20 CDs

But the carve outs & digital releases as well.

John Perry Barlow

John Perry Barlow

Forums

Dead Store Products

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.

Buckhead?

Really?

There is a place called Nutbush in TN

Both awkward....just saying.

ZZ Top

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

Good quote

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?

So on December 8, 1990...

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...

Butch - "isn't this great."

Flounder.

Don't even start regarding Animal House....

....because I could do this all day.
Like Bluto smashing the folk singers acoustic guitar in the stairwell, then handing the neck back to him.
All. Day.

"Sorry..."

Wu Tang is for the children!

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. :)

"Kush" was written intentionally

Old man Jenkins sez...

I remember "Tush" being on the radio

I like

Kush better....now I know I’m old lol

Easy there VGUY, remain calm,
as “ALL IS WELL “

Dusty: Four winds blow...

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!

@VGUY72....

I'm that way about "Up In Smoke"
"I didn't know your name was Alex..."

And Airplane too...
"Please take your crash positions..."

Greasy residue

I got that ish working at mcdonalds

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

7 6 86

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...

7/6/86

Recently listened, Felt similarly...

I was born my poppa's son

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

12/15/86/ Hand me my old guitar

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.

Last 5

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

Grateful Shred

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.

ZZ Top live

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.

Direwulf

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.

ZZ Top

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

mass-Covid19 event....

....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.

And poppi is a little sloppy

I love Seinfeld references

I used to jave a filler from…

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?

I do not Whartfrat6969....

....pray tell.
Bonus points on double 69's. At least in my court lol.

Late 71 has...

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!

re: chinacats in not fades

...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

"Especially if you don't see them 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.

Unusual Combinations

I always loved that Playing In The Band > I know You Rider from I think 1989. I may have the year wrong.

Rosemary, 12/7/68

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.

04/14/1972 yet another china cat fade

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.

6/9/73

... 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

ZZ Top

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.

Playing->Rider was in '89....

....Cal Expo. I know. I was present and accounted for.
It was pretty neat.

Re:

Lucky Bastard..

We don't want to play huge stadiums……

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…..

Anniversary show 7/31/83. Ventura County Fairgrounds

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.

7 31

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.

Music Never Stopped

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.

I saw Jerry play on his 50th birthday....

....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............

Saw Jerry's 1982 birthday..

...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.

Jer's birthday, 1973

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........

Happy, happy, joy, joy

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.

Happy B-Day

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.

Happy Jerry Day

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.

Jerry/Hiatus

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....

Jerry

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!!!

Oroborous nailed it....

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!

Mosaic records

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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