Grateful Dead

Yo! Rockers!!!

I still vote for Fall 72 Texas box, but that's just me........

Rock on!!

Doc
I perhaps ought to say that individually I never was much interested in the Texas question.............

Time for the Ark Box: April 1969....

50 years ago today…………….

May 29, 1971
Winterland, San Francisco, California

Casey Jones-Me And Bobby McGee-It Hurts Me Too-Promised Land-Loser-Playin' In The Band-Hard To Handle-Me And My Uncle-Truckin'>drums>The Other One>Wharf Rat-Sing Me Back Home-Cumberland Blues-Sugar Magnolia-Deal-Not Fade Away>Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad>Not Fade Away

Over the years, there has been some disagreement over the true dates of the May 1971 shows and the setlists. Deadbase AND the Dead’s own website list them as the 29th and 30th. While there is some dispute from eyewitnesses, for now I think I’ll go with what the Dead themselves claim.

Apparently the acid flowed like water, described as a mini-acid test by some, creating psychic problems for others. The music itself is fairly straightforward, hard rocking, mid-1971 Dead, no bells & whistles, and probably not enough greasy Pigpen………..

A poor-to-fair audience recording of the complete show circulates. There are fades/edits at the beginning and ends of virtually every individual song. There are no audible between-song banters or set break announcements. A soundboard recording (Miller remaster) of Truckin’ through the end of the show does circulate. Not first tier, or even second, but still worth a listen………..

For excellent documentation/discussion of the show, see: http://deadsources.blogspot.com/2012/07/may-29-1971-winterland.html

Rock on!!!

Doc
The moment a musician doesn't play, things start to get a bit rusty……

Not that many years ago (4?), a friend and I went down to the local arena with cash in hand to try to get in to see Stevie Wonder. I thought we would have an easy time of it, but we didn't. Once in a while we would get offered one, but we held out for two. At some point, someone from a church that had won/purchased a bunch of tickets hands us one, saying, "Someone didn't show up--enjoy." We weren't going to leave the other behind, so at some point I say to my friend, "Follow me." The show is about 20 minutes in, and we walk up to the turnstile. I say to the 20-year old watching that entrance, "I'm going to hand you this ticket and $60 cash, and my friend and I are going to walk in and never speak of this again." He gets indignant. I try again, but this guy really isn't budging. He finally tells me that he is not allowed to do any such thing, so my friend and I go hand the ticket to one of the guys who had been hanging out with us trying to snag a ticket, then go to the cool bar near the arena and drink Sazerac for a while.

....my apologies. When it's playoff hockey time, The GD kinda take the back seat.

What shows would an Ark box consist of?

To Terrapin: Hartford 1977 anniversary today. My favorite Samson & Delilah is on there. Great God Alright talk wood! Also that 19 minute Sugaree. Now there's song I can take pre or post hiatus. Those E72 performances with Pigpen on the Hammond are perfect. But I can also settle into the long solo on this 5/28/77 show. The recording captures a bit more of something...crowd noise and instruments both I recall. I remember when this one came out. In hindsight it's an odd set list. None of the big combo songs like Estimated-Eyes, Scarlet-Fire,
Help-Slip-Franklin's. No Mississippi Half-Step. Maybe I'll put it on, it's been a while. As soon as the post-Alligator Jam from 3/2/69 is over.

Classic story Crow Told Me. I like how you were "kind of living" in the building you were painting :D

I was at the Moscone show that BtK mentions. I don’t remember much about the show, but I remember being really proud of myself for sneaking in.

In those days I used to pick up money doing under-the-table house painting jobs, and my friend and co-conspirator Dave somehow got a gig painting a building in the Haight that was owned by somebody his dad knew. So we were kind of living in this empty building while we did the work, and doing whatever at night. And on the night of the Moscone show we decided to head down there even though we had no tickets. We got there after the Dead had already started their set, but fortunately, I had devised a brilliant scheme.

“Dude, here’s what we do: let’s just walk up to the turnstiles and climb over like that’s just a totally normal thing to do. And if a security guy stops you, just say you’re looking for the bathroom and act like you can’t understand what the guy is saying because you’re really really stoned.”

(Which was not actually that much of a challenge. We had stopped off on the way to visit Dave's mom, who had affiliations with a well-known local biker gang--you can see in some of the Altamont scenes in Gimme Shelter. Suffice to say, she had access to the Good Stuff.)

So we get to the Moscone, and Dave and I just calmly climb over the turnstile right next to a bunch of security, like no big deal, so right away one of ‘em comes and asks to see our tickets. So I just started looking around with a puzzled expression on face and spouting gibberish. “Woah huh wah tickets? Aw gawd I gotta pee, right nooow! Where the bathroom at maaaan?” And the guy just sighed, rolled his eyes, and pointed me to the men’s room.

Probably I should feel bad about sneaking into a benefit. That’s gotta be some negative karma points.

"I'm a tumbler"

- Born Under Punches

39 years ago today, I was at the Moscone Center in S.F. to see the Dead play a benefit concert for Vietnam veterans. John Cippolina, and Boz Scaggs played with the Dead. Country Joe was also on the bill. It was a good show.

That Skull & Roses is showing on the Big A for $21.99 and free S & H for us Prime folk...just Sayin'...I've always done it this way AND they've always been the lenticular covers too...