Grateful Dead

....Philly delivers.

My guess on the disc 2 running order would have something to do with disc capacity limits and set time. Set II of 4/26 wouldn't fit on 1 disc according to my back of the napkin timing. I may be right or wrong but that's my guess. Have a Grateful Day all! :-)

Nice Dark Star at Woodstock last night. That's not a joke, by the way.

What do you call a Hobbit party? A little get together.
When do you kick a Hobbit in the balls? If he's standing next to your wife saying her hair smells nice.
Why don't you ask Hobbits for money? Because they're always a little short.
What do you call a kid who can't find his snap-together Death Star toy?Lego-Loss.
Why was Gandalf always smoking that pipe? Because he had a bad Hobbit.
What do they call Gandalf at the local tavern? The White Whizzer.
I had a college professor named Gandalf once. Needless to say he didn't let me pass.
I would make another Lord Of the Rings joke, but all the good ones Aragorn.

Any guesses? Any requests.

....boy. This board died. Was my joke that bad?

1st set Dark Star into Promised Land.

Nanci Griffith - Lone Star State of Mind
Iris Dement - Infamous Angel
Gillian Welch - Revival
Jeb Loy Nichols - Just What Time It Is
MV & EE - Green Blues

Stellar shows from November that year, both acoustic and electric. I wouldn't care if the sound quality was substandard, the power is irrepressible - like a force of nature. Those shows are my last 5, along with
Green Steve Hillage
Jug of Love Mighty Baby
Zoom Club Frankfurt 4/14/71 King Crimson

Man what I wouldn't give to have the Fall of 1970 masters (all of 1970 really).

I haven't listened to the Warehouse shows in New Orleans for a while.

Still, I'm guessing 69 or maybe 91.

Hey, what kind of beer is that?

91 Shoreline would be great. A lot of really good shows to pick from Shoreline. Let's get them out.

Malo-Malo
Hardin & York-Worlds Smallest Big Band
John Sebastian-John B Sebastian
Dead-5/17/77(Thanks Dennis!!)
Monterey Pop Festival-Disc 2

Music is the Best!!

Deadvikes,, the beer in the photo is an Old Rasputin, (Russian Imperial Stout,), one of my favorites.

You imagine me sipping champagne from your boot
or a taste of your elegant pot

Seriously!!

....I have a complex complex complex.

Nice!

Reminds me it is Bell's Octoberfest time here in MN. Are you on it Conekid?

clever. quite clever and worthy of guffaws.

i also enjoyed the myriad hobbit jokes for what's its worth.
oh yeah, my Dave's glass arrived too, all in one piece!

be well people!
Sixtus

Guffaws!!! Had a terrible case once,, but one shot cleared it up!

FYI - Mosaic's Joe Henderson in the house!! Sounding great.

FYI 2 - If anyone has an interest. They're releasing a vinyl Richard Thompson Mirror Blue. If this sort of thing interest you.

I was at a river picnic Sunday for someone's birthday; lots of swimming and Bocce . . .

Started talking to the husband of one of the invitees, and he mentioned living in S.F. for twenty years, from 1973-1993. I said, "Well, being a huge DeadHead, I HAVE to ask if you are into them . . . " His eyes lit up, and he enthusiastically said, "Yes! I saw them something like 150 times!" So we chatted.

Eventually I asked when his FIRST show was, and he started thinking, then told me it was in the winter of '72 in Michigan. I said, "Was it perhaps 12/14/71 at Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor?" I thought he was going to swallow his tongue, he was so surprised! (partially because he could likely tell that I was one year old at the time) He decided that THAT was actually the year, NOT 1972, and then he shouted to his wife, "Honey, you're not going to believe this!"

I mentioned that he might want to check out a new box set that had music from the two shows just prior to his first . . . Now I'm getting his e-dress from the birthday friend, so that I can send him an amalgam of 12/14/71, from the official release and some high-quality boots.

My favorite lyric misquote is something I heard for the first time here from one of you kind folks.. Wake up to find out that you are disguised as a squirrel.

I also enjoyed the hobbit and star wars jokes and enjoyed a four pack or two of Old Rasputin, so much tastier than their new IPA Young VladPutin. I have heard from many people the great, great grandson of RasPutin.

I do think I am going to squeak in one more listen to #39 before it gets retired for a while. Perhaps not the whole thing but at least the highlights....

Happy Wednesday all..

OK, so I'm a pretty conservative looking dude. Short hair, finance industry, glasses… I do NOT look like a deadhead - just ask Sixtus. Last week a buddy of mine invited me to golf with a friend of his who very clearly looked like a Deadhead.

Over beers after golf, the conversation turned to live music and he mentioned that he was a big dead fan. I mentioned that I also am really into the Dead, and he gave me a look as if to say "Right...." Not rude, but he was clearly not taking me seriously. He then said that he saw a great show in Denver soon after Brent died with Bruce Hornsby. "I think it was 1988" he said. I piped up "Actually, pretty sure that was 1990. Brent died summer of '90". He says "No, 1988." I again, politely but confidently, said "No really, it was 1990. I have the recordings. The Dec. 12th was a great show with a China>Rider and a Dark Star." He still was looking at me funny, not taking me seriously.

Then he mentions his favorite show was at Englishtown, NJ. "I think 1978?" I said "Actually 1977 - Sept 3." He eyeballs me suspiciously again like I'm making shit up. He then says "It was a great show, the warm-up act was..." and I say "Marshall Tucker". Suddenly he looks at me and smiles and says "Holy Shit you really do know this show." I say "Yep - One of my first bootlegs since I lived locally and it was an FM simulcast - killer Peggy-O, Half Step, Eyes, and an amazing Truckin' > He's Gone > NFA". I then mentioned all the tractor-trailers used as fencing, first show of the summer due to Mickey's broken arm, Raceway Park, the John Scher intro... he just looked at me like he was being punk'd. One moment he's vaguely recalling a random concert from 44 years ago, and suddenly I was rattling off minute details like it was yesterday.

Another thing happened 2 years ago when a woman told me and a few folks that her first Dead show was in Des Moines, Iowa before she was even born - she was still in her Mommy's tummy. She said she was born soon after the show, in 1974. I said "Oh, that was June 16, State Fairgrounds - your first was a GREAT show - one of my favorite 'Eyes'!!!". Everyone looked at me like I was a witch.

Not trying to brag. It's easy to come off as condescending on this stuff, and I try to not be obnoxious about it. But it IS kinda like having a cool magic trick up your sleeve when you can blow people's minds like that.

Maybe not many of us would be picked out in an identity parade as looking like "Deadheads."

Corroborated.
I believe it's safe to say, we all have our looks I suppose; we just all happen to have our ability to be enchanted, too - a nice overlap. And those are fun encounters, to find out we're all part of the same awesome Venn diagram. The associated kindness and authenticity of those whom I have had the pleasure of meeting in person is consistently awesome.

Had a very similar experience a few weeks ago; met a guy out of the blue who lives in my town, we were watching a Phish show on my buddy's poolside outdoor screen, and I come to learn this total stranger's first show was back in '79 and he saw Keith and Donna and I was like whoa......hold on. Let's put this one in reverse and start over. He's seen like 115 Dead shows....enjoys Phish too. Now I have a cool new best bud from my town...same Venn diagram.
What are the odds? Indeed, we are everywhere.

Peace and Grateful Dead to All.
Sixtus

If you put me in a police lineup.. I'd be the one that looks like a narc with a receding hairline. Thankfully.. it isn't true.. (..my hairline's not thinning.. is it?? reaching for a mirror, gasp!!)

When I go out wearing Dead t-shirts I'll often get a "like the t-shirt" comment from strangers at stores or wherever. So I started doing the same thing. First question I usually ask is if they have an E72 steamer trunk they don't need anymore.

Englishtown is that show that everyone's bumped into somebody who attended. For me it was a guy at work. Dude's funny. Huge ABB fan, has all their releases, but says he doesn't have the attention span to listen to music anymore. He gets in the car for his 40 minute commute and ends up listening to talk radio. Bizarre.

Was just at the beer store and got 3 cases of Oberon. Will go back for 3 more cases in a day or two, have to stock up before it’s gone.
That store had Octoberfest about 2 weeks ago but I didn’t get any, not a big enough fan that I need a 6-pack. When it first came out years ago I drank a lot of it, don’t know why I don’t really like it now.

...So I’m an older newcomer to the Dead. I missed some of their early 70’s performances. Example - I was going to the Capital Theatre in Port Chester to see the Allman Bros., Traffic, Delaney & Bonnie, Edgar Winter, etc. and remember seeing the Grateful Dead on the marquee but nothing ever clicked.

Fast forward…now I live in Denver. I see of few in the forum reside here too. Do you ever get together for a beer…or two?

....a pain I know all too well.
I also do what keithfan does. When I was in California recently, I saw a guy with a dead shirt at the Santa Monica Pier. Told him "cool shirt!"
He answered with, "cool taste!"

You give me a 40 min commute every day, and I'd get through a ton more shows. I might even get a second listen to some of the 30 Trips that got just the one spin. Or give all of Europe '72 a third full listen. I'd probably broaden my listening habits again, rather than get in my fixation periods of days/weeks/months. As it is, my typical commute is about 10 min, 8 if I catch every light just right. It does accentuate the experience when I have to go to another office when I'm guaranteed at least 20 min of listening. And I'll usually take the Lazy River Road route home giving me maybe enough time for the 11/18/72 Playing in the Band (just shy of 26 min). You give me that much time listening to talk radio, and I'd probably snap after a week.

I told this here a few years ago, which was back when it happened, but in that same circle of people I was with the other day, I had a similar experience two years back. A guy I knew somewhat, a guy who is about fifteen years my elder, was wearing a Dead shirt or hat or something. I commented on it, he mentioned that he liked them a lot, but only got to see them for two or three shows in one run, some time in the early 70s, maybe in Boston . . . he wasn't quite sure. I looked at him and said, "Was it November 30th, and December 1st and 2nd, 1973?" His eyes bugged out of his head, and he stammered something about how that HAD to be it, because that WAS the fall he lived out there . . . I explained that I had just been listening to the official Dick's Pick release of those shows, and that if he was only going to get to three shows, that those were pretty good ones to get to. Like with this guy from Sunday, I'm sure that part of his shock stemmed from the fact that I was three when he saw those Boston shows.

I should get his e-dress from our mutual friends and get him copies of THOSE shows, now that I think about it . . .

Went I went to work at the head shop, the first day a kid asked if I really was a cop! (say no more!)

Thin, where did you grow up? I went to school in Old Bridge NJ,,, Englishtown was around the corner from our high school. (the race track is gone, btw)

My wife was at Englishtown show,,, their car was towed and had to call her parents to come get her. Apparently a LOT of cars were towed away.

30 years ago five shows were played between 8/13/91 & 8/18/91, without repeating a song. (almost 6 shows if not for Promised Land on 8/12).
This seems like a real anomaly. Anyone know of another stretch of shows with such diversity?
I don't log in here much, but this seems so unusual I wanted to ask. Thanks, take care.

Great story, Thin. Being a Brit and only having seen shows in Europe I should remember each occasion as well as you but I’m afraid advancing years means I have to look up the set lists more often than not! I do remember the ambience and sense of seeing something special, though.

Yo rockers!!

Happily married Doc here. Seventh anniversary, four days off, dogs are walked, awesome coffee, life is good!! My wife, Faith, is definitely NOT a Deadhead (she kinda sorta grudgingly sometimes likes Touch of Gray LOL), but she is the best thing to ever happen to me!! So Faith, eternal thanks for your love and support!!!

I have been working on the "1971 Challenge" asked of me. Compare and contrast (and post the "results") for two awesome December 1971 shows. Interesting challenge, tougher than I thought it would be. Don't wanna post a totally premature spoiler, but check back in around the end of November, and anybody who wishes to offer input, criticisms, comments, etc, feel free to pm me.

Rock on rockers!!!

Doc
True love cannot be found where it does not exist, nor can it be denied where it does.....

To answer the question directed at me, I grew up in Connecticut, not far from New York City. I was only 10 years old when Englishtown happened, but it was my older brothers first show. As I said, it was one of my first bootlegs because it was one of his first bootlegs. Heard all the stories about the show from my brother, I've read all the reviews in the base and the tapers compendium, then the liner notes from the actual release of that show. So yeah, I remember more about the show than some people who were there, LOL!

And Brewer, I now live in the Boston area and have had many similar conversations about 70s Boston shows.. "I think I saw them and 73, (or 76, or 77...."). Depending on the venue, it's usually pretty easy to pinpoint when they saw them, identify key songs from the Setlist... Wall of Sound?.....

This was discussed years ago on this thread, but it never ceases to amaze me how so many people have so much history with the dead, and have so many memories of the scene, yet they don't follow the new releases or even listen to the dead themselves at all anymore. I understand it, because I sometimes go long spells without listening to the dead (like, for the last three years I have hardly listen to them at all until new releases come out, then I'll only listen to it once or twice.). I am only just getting back into it after three years of pretty much focusing on locally performed music and small venues - Boston is thick with talent.

The older brother I mentioned who went to Englishtown? He never listens to the dead anymore, could care less about the Dave's Picks releases and prefers Dave Matthews Band these days. Last week he actually started kind of shaming me for not listening to Dave Matthews Band, and he got very indignant when I said "sure, they're good, but not really my bag". He got very defensive - like I just told him his kids are ugly. He will come back to the dead eventually, but I guess my point is that peoples' passion for Jerry and the boys can come and go, and that's I like a lot of things in life, I suppose.

In England, I think you would have been more likely to have been stopped and searched by the police in the 70's for wearing a Dead shirt than have anyone complement you on your sartorial elegance. I can't remember people wearing them much when I saw them in 1981, either - but in Fall 1990 the London Underground was swamped with colour. And that was the Deadheads.

You should have just told him your name was Thin.

I didn't "Almost Cut My Hair," I DID cut my hair... after getting nailed on five felonies, all related to cultivation, in '85. So I chopped off the ponytail for the judge, kept the beard. Long story short, I mostly got "off" the rap. But after living in the wooded mountains for years by the Colo-N.M. border, I had tired of long hair so I never grew it back. Last ten years or so have kept it short, so comfy for (non-cultivation) backcountry exploits. I do have a certain look in my eye... But I used to run into young guys with dreads or ponytails who eventually asked me if I'd "ever heard of the Grateful Dead?" The question always makes me look off into the distance as myriad scenes crowd my mind, but all I can manage is "Um, yeah. Hot band." Same with cannabis. Been a cultivator since '79 and the kids in Colorado have no idea that people used to dodge felony raps for, well, terracing a hillside in the back of beyond.

Kids these days......... Good thing my office window overlooks my front lawn so I can tell 'em to get off it!

Prior to the time of Covid, I would schedule my meetings in NYC to coincide the Phil & Friends shows at the Cap. The theater would be mostly full of folks wearing the traditional gear, but with a good number of people still in their suits, swaying to the music with a drink in one hand, joint in the other, reliving the days of old. You can never tell.

On weekends we would often go to Mario Batali’s fancy restaurant prior to the show, sit at the marble bar in our tye-dye shirts, enjoy some nice wine and a fine meal. Invariably the wait staff were friendly and engaging. I would pleasantly remind them that if it were 30 years ago, you wouldn’t even let us use the bathroom. You can never tell.

Englishtown was about 4 miles down the road from me in Monroe. I was too young at 11 years old (barely) to see the Englishtown show but my Dad was in the local First Aid squad back then (first responders you would call them now) and he had to assist in helping "hippies" that were having "issues" with their current state of health/mind. I remember seeing them camped out everywhere for miles away from the racetrack. At the time I thought it was so cool and little did I know that I would be one of them several years later.

My 80's collection is lacking, I was hoping for something like this. Very much digging it.

I took a scan through the setlists of the run from 8-12 to 8-18 1991. Interestingly enough, although maybe no repeats as you mentioned, unless I misread, no Shakedown Street either. With as large enough a repertoire as the Dead had that they could go a stretch like that for a week with no repeats and not even touch upon a fairly often enough played tune like Shakedown is exceptional. Thanks for bringing that stretch up. I might tune into some of that stuff now.

P.S. BTW, no Cumberland Blues either...!

....my disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined.
Edit. Phish once played 13 shows in a row with no repeats. Fan or not, impressive feat.

Cool

....now, where did I leave it again?
Another edit. Revisiting 39. First time checking out the 4.25.83 bonus on disc two. Has anyone posted how cool The Wheel transition into Playin' Reprise is yet?? If not, you should.
If you're stuck on pre-hiatus love, you would have missed The Wheel. Among others. Off the cuff statement that I'll probably regret later. Whatever.
Cheers.
Edit. There is a lil Run For The Roses tease when GDTRFB goes into Sugar Magnolia. I hit rewind just to be sure. Yup. Jerry did.

I think you're talking MSG shows, the baker's dozen.

If I remember right, past no repeats, which is incredible, There were songs they started one night and finished off a few nights later. NOW, that is "into" power (->). A multi night sandwich!

Quite likely The Stones never played two consecutive shows in their career without repeating songs..ever. I'm not going to check, but it wouldn't surprise me if they played songs from the 1969 tour of America in the last show they played some 50 years later. And played them at every show in the intervening years in that timespan, too. Still great, of course.

I'm not a big Phish fan, but a huge fan of the Rollling Stones.

...indeed was 13 shows, a total of 237 unrepeated songs played; and yep the final "Is this still Lawn boy?" question that was asked by Page McConnell (Phish's virtuoso pie-anner player who happens to sing that song, Lounger-Singer Style).....self-replied, "It is.". So this Lawn Boy sammich spanned the 4th show until the end of the 13th show; the only repeat they did was that reprise of Lawn Boy (which, btw, on the album is two-and-a-half minute affair, while this version (on Jam Donut night, no less) morphed into a 30-minute behemoth, some of the most magical improvisation I've personally ever witnessed. I'd post the You Tube locale, but alas. It's worth it to check out.

Now back to your regularly scheduled Dark Star St. Stephen The Eleven Turn On Your Lovelight.

Sixtus