Pick of the Day, with Discussion

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April 6, 2020 - 9:47am

8,084 replies

marye

Joined:
May 26, 2007

Bolo24 says: An Idea, Perhaps? Since we're all going to have a fair amount of spare time on our hands for the foreseeable future, what about starting another thread where we all listen to the same show/release on a given day and then share impressions afterward? Folks can submit suggestions and one person (not me) picks what we'll all listen to - call it Deadnet Picks or something. Anyway, if this idea is deemed to have merit, I'd suggest one of the loyal regular posters take the lead and do the picking - y'all can decide who. Might be fun. If it does go forward, I nominate Dick's Picks 18 for the first listen. Been talked about here lately, and, had it been a single show rather than a compilation, we'd probably be talking about it in the same conversation as Cornell, Veneta, etc. Or perhaps even Gainesville?? Stay safe and healthy, friends - this planet needs as many Deadheads as possible.

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February 22, 2023 - 7:47pm

#1281

rockthing

Joined:
August 2, 2020

5/19/74 > 2/22/69

>daverock>

The vocal dropouts are not evident in the audience tape, so that must have happened on the way to the board tape.

That said, the recording is slightly overpowered by Jerry and Bob's guitars from the taper's vantage point, but a little time with a simple Equalizer was enough to bring more Phil and better presence to the vocals. I do recall a few lyric flubs with the new material, but in the overall mix it didn't really jump out at me. Probably much more obvious in the official release/soundboard recording.

2/22/69>
Oh, my. I can see this is gonna send me on a primal quest. I have all these fall '69 and fall '68 shows that I've never listened to, but I don't have much from the spring of those years. I love this gentle psychedelia. It's really these delicate type of sounds that really trigger the senses. I'm only up to Dark Star at this point, but what a beautiful way to start a show.... oops, "The transitive diamonds?" Haha. I'd probably have trouble remembering my name if I were there, so whatever.

It's such a shame that we're restricted to streaming this show. Imho, if the official release isn't so significantly better sounding than one of these circulating boards that it isn't a no-brainer to buy it, then what's with the classism, eh? I know the boys need a retirement plan... but... --mini rant off--
February 22, 2023 - 10:30am

#1282

daverock

Joined:
September 1, 2014

5/19/74

Rockthing - good notes on this show - cheers! I'm going through it very slowly, but it's the L.P. I am listening to. Although it has the famous vocal drop outs, the sound and balance of the instruments sounds fine throughout to me. I have just played the side with Loose Lucy and Money Money on. A short side. The lyrics are a bit naff on both of them - but I like the music, and they were both played so rarely that when they do crop up, it's a welcome surprise to me.
I presume the version you have listened to has the earlier vocal dropouts too.
February 22, 2023 - 3:51am

#1283

rockthing

Joined:
August 2, 2020

5/19/74 (Part II)

Wrote these notes on Monday morning while drinking my coffee and getting ready to do some work from home. After a while I was mostly distracted by the show.

I'll get to that Feb. 22 '69 show if I can, but I don't have that one handy. Hafta stream it.

The ETree identifier of this source is 115876, btw. I don't have the box set, so these are my first impressions.

It Must Have Been The Roses: Ok. /Now/ I'm awake. Possible tape change? There is suddenly a big improvement in sound quality for this hauntingly sensitive rendition. Jerry's voice is now clear above the guitars. Everything, save Phil, is suddenly much clearer and the sound field feels wider. Up to this point the tape had sounded like the tape the biker is listening to at the beginning of the Dead Movie. Nice harmony work during the refrain, blended well in the house mix.

Loose Lucy: Gettin' in the funk. Jerry's just perfectly behind the beat to make it nice and nasty. If the syncopation isn't just right, this tune can completely lose all form really quickly. Loose Lucy must be a pretty new song at this point. I have no idea when this tune debuted. They didn't do this in concert much, as far as I know. I was lucky enough to see'em do it once, but the performance I saw was almost unrecognizable. Something was wrong with the timing, so it sounded all backwards. I was embarrassed to not even recognize it until Jerry started singing. This is a nice treat.

I Know You Rider? Something seems to be wrong here. The info text says Money Money should be next followed by China/Rider, but we're just dropped into IKYR. Looks like some minor surgery might be needed on the meta data.

Money Money: Ok. Someone's just mislabelled these files. Man, this has always been one of my least favourite songs in the Dead's catalogue. I rarely skip songs on albums, but being the album closer on Mars Hotel makes it easy. I don't think I've ever heard a live version of it, so this is kind of a treat, in its own sort of way. Having not heard it in such a long time, I guess it's not such a bad song. The negativity of the lyric just sems to strike such a contrast to most of the other stuff in the repertoire. John Lennon, for example, has a lot of negativity in his lyrics, but when I listen to him, I expect that.

China Rider: Yeah. They're keepin' that funky groove going that was working so well during Loose Lucy. The transition jam seems to go almost immediately to an I Know You Rider feel. The guitar tone is very unusual here. It almost sounds like Bobby's Gibson 335 tone. He's playing lots of double-stops, where he plays two notes at a time even while soloing… wait… maybe that /was/ Bobby!? Some very cool interplay between Bobby and Phil before a guitar sound that is unmistakably Jerry joins in just ahead of the trademark unison bit before I Know You Rider. What is now clearly Jerry's tone keeps it going after the unison part, and now there's a Feelin' Groovy jam. I can almost see the smiling faces and twirling homemade sun dresses with flowers in the hair right now. Big, big ovation from the crowd as they settle into the Rider vamp before going into the first verse. They know what they've just heard. That was sweet, breezy, and smooth as can be. I'm guessing Jerry had some sort of equipment or other issue causing him to stop playing for a bit at the beginning of the transition. Oh, yeah, Jer, dig into that "On a north bound train" line. This and the out-of-place IKYR are going to get merged into one track when I get a chance.

Set II:
Promised Land: Yeah. Everybody's definitely up off their blankets now.

Bertha: Got a little "Yee Haw" from someone nearby for "All night pouring, but not a drop on me." It's quite amazing how inobtrusive the audience is, considering this was recorded with a handheld mic by someone just hanging out in crowd.

Greatest Story: Nice wah wah Jerry licks. Jerry's wah is so bubbly and has a rich swell, like the sound of a wave on the ocean. Using the rocking motion of the foot pedal definitely puts the player physically off balance, so I can understand why he seemed to abandon it later in favor of the Mutron "auto-wah" tone filter. Sounds so good here, though. Jerry's volume sounds cranked, though, totally drowning everything out. I ain't complaining. Oh, yeah. A little jam in GSET? They seem to have gone into something altogether different. I'm not sure if this is a set piece, but it feels unfamiliar to me. I know that I've heard occasional jams in Greatest Story, but they seem rare. This is definitely no longer the Greatest Story chord progression, but I don't know what it is, and then Wamp, Wamp-Wamp, right back into it. Now I'm gonna hafta start checking out Spring 1974 Greatest Stories. That was hot and adventurous, like maybe something went wrong and they fought through it… but maybe there was just a jam in this song back then.

Ship of Fools: Giving the manic dancers their first break of the second set. The taper is stopping the tape between songs, though, so who knows how long they spent tuning in between. Very nice harmony work from Bobby and Donna.

Weather Report: Seems a bit tentative in the earlier segments, but the Let It Grow jam is developing interestingly. The whole band just seems sort of in a gentle mood this night. Everything is soft and malleable, and most of all, creative, when they go off into improvised sections. The straight tunes are tight and, well, straightforward, but I'm hearing all sorts of novel ideas coming through during the instrumental segments. There seems to be a completely different confidence at work during this jazzy work out. You can hear Billy getting back to his swing roots and playing off Keith. This is fantastic. Such subtle interplay. Normally when I hear the full suite performed I wonder why they didn't continue to use the first parts, but in this case I didn't feel that way.

Peggy-O: Jerry's picking is quite aggressive, and his tone is very chimey, even behind his vocal. Relaxed tempo, even by Peggy-O standards. In this recording it sounds almost like Billy and Jerry doing a duet, but Keith adds some accents here and there.

??: What is this? A playful little jam and some quiet noodling where the audience's shouts and requests become more prominent. Bobby announces technical difficulties.

Truckin': Nice buildup, but not the major bomb drop I'm used to, and from there things start to get really weird. It's not spacy weird, just, "Whoa, what the heck is this?" weird. Some of the early 70s Truckin's could get totally abstract, so this is just the way they rolled back then. Great stuff. Gettin' that funky groove goin' from the first set again, even as the changes take on some jazzy influences. Bobby is very clear in the mix, and my oh, my it's gettin' Weir'ed. Jerry busts in with a burst of guitar feedback which seems to shock everyone for a moment, but they're still groovin'. This is the gold I look for in any show. It's funny because Mind Left Body actually sounds a lot like Loose Lucy. Billy and Phil getting' into a little funky-drummer exchange. Finally Phil breaks through in the mix with some space for him to hit that Bootsy one. In the info text "Jam" and "Mind Left Body Jam" had been listed separately, but they're actually all included in the Truckin' track, which is my preference. Cousinit made a real mess of this file set, but I can fix it. Rarely are there such glaring mistakes on the Archive, but this one has definitely been put together somewhat carelessly.

NFA: This interesting because I've been listening to a lot of Alligator era NFA's or Bean era NFA's, and that gives a nice context to compare to this Wolf tone… of course, there is a LOT of recording tech affecting the sound here, but even though there's a nice honk, everything seems so nice and round and gently muted. Hey. What's this breakdown in NFA. Pretty sure I've never heard that before… and GTRFB. THAT, was an interesting transition.

GTRFB: Nothing to worry about here. The old standby. Billy's hi-hat figure during the breakdown is, again, getting really funky with a swinging 16th note feel, or something. Very cool.

US Blues: Mars Hotel weighted setlist. What month did that come out? Good, tight version.

Johnny B. Goode: Full colosseum clap along for a high energy reading that does justice to the Check Berry original. Sometimes this can get a bit too languid. This one is rockin' hard.

On repeated listen, I've messed with the EQ some. First of all I bumped up the EQ preamp level, I dunno, about 10db, I guess. I then added a further 12db of 64Hz, and 125Hz on the 10 band EQ to bring Phil nicely into the mix, but also lowered almost everything else about 6db on frequencies that had been flat to make the bass frequency differential greater. The bass still isn't terribly defined, but it at least brings Phil into play. He was completely inaudible without EQ. Got just a touch more vocal by giving the 1KHz and 2KHz about 1db. The tape has a sort of nostalgic cheap car speaker sound, so I actually wanna preserve a bit of that… not that I could really get rid of it. There's quite a nice venue ambiance, especially when there is more space in the arrangements, like during the Mind Left Body Jam.

The vocal drop-outs others have mentioned were not audible to the audience.
February 22, 2023 - 3:28am

#1284

daverock

Joined:
September 1, 2014

2/22/69

That is a great show. According to the cd notes it was recorded, along with shows in late January and the Feb-March shows, for possible inclusion on Live Dead. It probably won't happen - the song lists are obviously very similar, but it would make a great box set to release all the shows recorded.
The shows from 1967-1971 inclusive are the main ones for me in 30 Trips.
February 22, 2023 - 1:16am

#1285

Forensicdoceleven

Joined:
June 17, 2008

You can't blame gravity for falling in love…..

Mornin’, rockers!!!

Pick Of The Day: Dream Bowl February 22, 1969

Relatively speaking, the yang to the yin of February 21, 1969. True art is characterized by an irresistible urge in the creative artist…..

I have the space, you have the time, let’s revisit. Officially released in October 2015 as part of Thirty Trips Around The Sun, one almost never hears about this show, possibly because it gets overshadowed by the blazing white hot glare of the Fillmore West Shows of February 27th to March 2nd. This is very much “of a kind” with those shows, featuring the typically sweet Mountains Of The Moon (always loved that song!), a long exploratory Dark Star, a fierce, crunchy Other One, a deathly Death Don’t, a fine Eleven, and a greasy Lovelight that clocks in at a mere 21+ minutes.

Great music, great sound quality, I suggest you find the time…..

The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once…..

Rock on,

Doc
There comes a time when the mind takes a higher plane of knowledge but can never prove how it got there…..
February 20, 2023 - 3:08pm

#1286

daverock

Joined:
September 1, 2014

Heads in Mississippi

That's good to read - they opened with Mississippi Half Step - Franklins Tower the first time I saw them 3/24/81. A great start to the show for sure.
February 20, 2023 - 1:11pm

#1287

PT Barnum

Joined:
December 2, 2009

5-19-74

In my experience, any show that starts off with Mississippi half-step uptown toodleloo is usually a great one and 5-19-74 is no exception. That pacific northwest box grows on ya, for sure.
February 20, 2023 - 12:53pm

#1288

daverock

Joined:
September 1, 2014

5/19/74

I haven't played it this year yet, but it has become one of my most played shows from this year - mainly because I bought it on vinyl. But it is really good, too. To me, it's better than its song list suggests - the songs leading up to the Truckin' jam are well played and forward moving, and that final jam is superb. It has been castigated in some quarters for the vocal drop outs. A price worth paying, in my opinion. All three 1974 shows in the box it was culled from are top notch.
February 20, 2023 - 12:24pm

#1289

DeadVikes

Joined:
October 26, 2016

Dave's 13 and 42

Hey Bluecrow, #13 is definitely in my top five. Love this show. Listen to it quite a bit. #42 hasn't resonated with me as much as #13, don't know why. How do you all feel?

I will throw out Dave's Picks #7, 4/24/78, for our old buddy That's Otis. I believe you are fan of this era. Hope all is well out there for you and the rest of the crew!
February 19, 2023 - 2:34am

#1290

rockthing

Joined:
August 2, 2020

5/19/74

I've got a beta-max transfer of 2/24/74... which stayed in heavy rotation for a long time when it first hit my library, but low and behold Portland 74 has collecting proverbial dust in the old hard disk, too. Time for something brand new (to me).

A Pat Lee master cassette passed down the generations.

It's a little hissy, and I'm not getting much Phil at the start, but Jerry and Bob's gutiars are crystal clear. Jerry's voice coming in a close second in the mix with some occasional Keith flourishes wafting to the fore. Billy's cymbals sound crisp, if somewhat thin. Getting a nice Jamaican dub sound when he switches to the highhat. Kick is in there, clear, but with with a soft tone, and none of the hyper-compressed abrasive contemporary festival sound. Donna's harmonies are on, and blended well with Jerry and Bob for the Across the Rio Grande-oh finale of Halfstep. Jerry plays an aggressive outro solo.

Mexicali: The mix and tape quality remain consistent. It's mostly a guitar oriented sound, but Bobby's voice is clear, if slightly too far back. Even in '74 they could do this one in their sleep. Have you ever heard a real train wreck during Mexicali? I can't recall one. A fan let's out a hoarse, "Whao!" apparently feeling the southwest polka vibes.

Big Railroad Blues. Love me some BRB. There are short pauses in the tape where Pat Lee is clearly well aware of the need to conserve footage. Could do with A LOT more Phil in the mix. Might fiddle with the EQ in a bit.

Black Throated Wind: Awkward song that I sometimes really like, and other times can do without.

Scarlet: Crowd gives Donna a big cheer as the song reaches it's finale. Of course they egged Bobby on with some of his crazy antics, too, but it's nice to hear that early 70s audiences appreciated her contributions.

Beat It On Down The Line: Always love this one. Nice double vocal from Bobby and Donna. Some unfortunate microphone feedback during Jerry's solo. Phil's backing vocals are there. The bass frequencies either never made it onto the cassette, or have evaporated through the generations of open reels and cassettes.

Tennessee Jed: Nice bounce to this laid-back rendition. Another one of my favorite tunes, as I've mentioned before. Another nice, appreciative response from the audience who are almost completely unnoticeable for the majority of the time.

Bobby McGee. I picture the audience mostly having a lie-down on the lawn during this first set. Just a nice day in the park with some live music in the background.

Ok, well, that's as far as I'll get in this sitting, but really looking forward to that big Truckin' jam at the end of the show. Now spoilers! 😉 Just kidding.

John Perry Barlow

John Perry Barlow

Forums

Currently Listening To...

Bolo24 says: An Idea, Perhaps? Since we're all going to have a fair amount of spare time on our hands for the foreseeable future, what about starting another thread where we all listen to the same show/release on a given day and then share impressions afterward? Folks can submit suggestions and one person (not me) picks what we'll all listen to - call it Deadnet Picks or something. Anyway, if this idea is deemed to have merit, I'd suggest one of the loyal regular posters take the lead and do the picking - y'all can decide who. Might be fun. If it does go forward, I nominate Dick's Picks 18 for the first listen. Been talked about here lately, and, had it been a single show rather than a compilation, we'd probably be talking about it in the same conversation as Cornell, Veneta, etc. Or perhaps even Gainesville?? Stay safe and healthy, friends - this planet needs as many Deadheads as possible.

2/21/69

Short but sweet! I kinda dig the shorter shows. This era is so intense and brash, 3.5 hours might be too much?
But for certain situations I think 1:43 is just right!
Good sheet Mon!
Another cool pick.
Oh, what was up with the yelling “mofo” comments end of Rag on 2/21?
Hit m/o 2/22 for extra credit, I can see why they picked this one.
Need to muck about more in spring 69.

Fierce and Fun

A newbie for me, I enjoyed it especially the Dew.

Nothing wrong with a birthday show from time. I find myself drawn to them on occasion and it's easy to get sucked in.

The whole show was fun. As for Phil's poignant comments.. Just Phil being Phil.

Another few weeks of Winter brings migratory birds and Spring. Another one of my favorite seasons. Darkness Falls and Seasons Change.. Be safe, have fun, play Dead.

Any interest in 8/31/80

I know DV loves him some 80.
They’ve been discussing over on 41, Mr Ones first show etc…?

8/31/80

A new one for me. I'm in. I have to clean up some digital data first.

So what's the best recording? Looks like a bunch of audience tapes recorded in what has got to be one of the worst acoustic venues ever built, suffered through and ultimately (and thankfully) demolished. The Spring 90 TOO sure does sound good from this venue, however, thanks to some great multi-tracks and the wizardry of Jeffrey Norman et. al.

8/31/80

I have a really clean cassette of this show that I got off a community radio show (Lone Star Dead in Dallas) many years ago. It still brings me joy, and I'm not kidding about that non-stop second set.
On a side note: As Bob and the rest repeated "Sure don't know what I'm going for, but I'm gonna go for it, for sure",
the future Mrs. Big made a life changing decision which led to A) Her catching the Radio City run in October, and B) the two of us moving to Texas to seek fame and fortune. But that's a really long story. As you were.

8/31/80

Did someone say 1980?

For sure in on this Oroborous. Jim it looks like there is 2017 Miller SBD. I have never heard this show so I will get it going.

PT Barnum, just finishing up 11/7/71. Another great 71 show. They did struggle with equipment again to start. Thanks for the nudge. Great performance and the recording is really good. You have got to love the FM broadcasts.

I went for the Charlie Miller

Looks like there was a pure soundboard (if you can call it that) uploaded by Charlie Miller in 2017 that's ok. Lots of ambient audience noise pumped in. It was a challenging venue to say the least.. the roof is concave up, it curves up on the edges which muddies sound quality for anyone that's not in the first 15 rows.

And a trip down bad trip memory lane, who can forget the ahole cops on horseback there that seemed to love cracking hippies with the wooden hippie smasher thingamagigs they carried on their batbelts.

As someone that suffered through many a show at the Crap.. You could say I am not a fan of this venue.
Back to your regularly scheduled China Rider.

Edit: Looks like DVikes found the Miller I settled in on at about the same time.

I’m trying the Rob Eaton

Aud…

8/31/80

I'm in. One from the cassette days. I've enjoyed spinning this one many times before. I even recall the yellow j-cards I had for it. May still have it, but I know I've let oodles of my tapes find new homes over the years as I've upgraded to digital streaming, FLACs and Cds. Also, a precursor to 9/2/80 one of the better shows of all time. Part of a fantastic run for the boys. Enjoy all, I know I will... :-)

Sirius XM…..

Is playing 9/17/72 in its entirety today. That’s my pick of the day!

Good Call ADedHed

DP 23 Baltimore is a nice one with a terrific Other One. Lots of other goodies in there, too. I'll have to check that one out again sometime. Hey, at least we're in the same state of MD with our picks :-)

Indeed Wilfred…….

Baltimore ‘72 hit the spot today. All 3 hrs and 20 mins of it.
I have so much GD, sometimes I don’t know what to play, so on a day like this, I’m happy to let Sirius XM choose for me :-)

Re: Miami Greyhound Squid

Aye... I offered a humble guess on this one. If it's a killer show to boot, perhaps I get some extra credit.

I caught a good bit of the Baltimore show on SiriusXM today too. I still haven't added metadata to the Fall '80 show yet. We will see if I get this done before it gets too dark.

8/31/80

Started out with the 2017 SBD and switched back and forth to an audience. Second set seemed to sound a little bit better. These are all great shows and I would love to see Dave release some more. 9/3 and 9/4 from the download series are great shows as well and don't forget Lewiston from 9/6, super hot!
Good call OB, where are we heading next?
One guess down on the new Contest.

8/31/80

All I saw was an AUD for set I. Maybe I'll have to look again.

Shoot, I am not touching the contest. No where near an idea for it yet.

WTJ

Yes, I go through relisten, it gives a bunch of different options. It looks like the 2017 Miller remastered version is still a remastered audience for set 1. I guess that is why I switched to a different option audience and went back to the Miller for the second set. Either way you slice it, would love to hear an official polished up version.

Awrighty then

Hows aboutta 5/18/77, 8/30/83, off Dave’s “list” , or 6/25/92, perhaps a summer show on this snowy day?
Believe Conekid and others suggested the 92?

Edit: remember 8/30/80, which we hit, is on Dave’s “List”? Wish 9/2 wasn’t missing.

OB

Where is this list from Dave?

I have never seen it.

I can't believe you are throwing out a 77 show. What is going on?

I don't know anything about the 83 show, but would be willing to give it a go.

Dave's List

Copied from OB on Dave's 35 thread via dead net search function with 'Dave's List' as keywords.

POSSIBLE LIST
-1/20/68 Eureka DS
-4/21/69 Ark DS
-4/23/69 Ark DS
-1/2/70 Fillmore DS - DaP 30 ✔️
-1/3/70 Fillmore p/o - Dap 30 ✔️
-9/19/70 Fillmore DS
-11/7/71 Harding DS
-1/2/72 Winterland
-8/24/72 Berkeley DS
-2/15/73 Dane DS
-5/26/73 Kezar (BB)
-6/10/73 RFK DS
-6/30/73 Universal Amp. DS
-9/11/73 W&M DS
-5/17/74 PNE - PNW Box ✔️
-5/19/74 Portland - PNW Box ✔️
-6/23/74 Miami DS - DaP 34 ✔️
-7/31/74 Dillon - DaP 2 ✔️
-9/28/75 Lindley - 30Trips ✔️
-6/14/76 Beacon (BB) - 76 Box ✔️
-6/15/76 Beacon (BB) - 76 Box ✔️
-10/3/76 Cobo - 30Trips ✔️
-5/18/77 Fox
-5/26/77 Baltimore
-11/4/77 Colgate - DaP 12 ✔️
-1/18/78 Stockton
-1/22/78 Eugene - DaP 23 ✔️
-1/15/79 Springfield
-8/30/80 Spectrum
-10/14/80 Warfield
-3/9/81 MSG
-5/16/81 Cornell - 30Trips ✔️
-8/30/83 Hult
-10/21/83 Worcester - 30Trips ✔️
-10/9/84 Worcester
-11/2/84 Berkeley
-9/18/87 MSG - 30Trips ✔️
-7/29/88 Laguna
-10/26/89 Miami DS - 30Trips ✔️
-12/27/89 Oakland
-10/27/90 Zenith- 30Trips ✔️
-6/22/91 Soldier Field DSJ
-9/26/91 Boston DS
-3/29/93 Albany HCSS
-9/13/93 Spectrum DS

The list

Sorry no lynx, ahem
Don’t recall it being too hard to find.

It was his maybe, possibly, someday wish list from the very start, before Dave’s picks etc?
He’s hit like 18 of the 45 (I believe?) shows off that list. Mostly Boxilla, PNW, 76, and DaP 2, 12, 23, 30, 34, and 41.
It’s interesting when you cross reference with ABCD returns etc.

77, hey, I never said I didn’t like 77, just not usually a go too. Just trying to be fair and cover just a little more ground!
But 83 sounds good to me!
Rollin

EDIT: HA! Good work inspector Jones!

POTD hit list

By my unofficial count, we’ve hit the following off of this list here on POT day.
4/21+23/69, 11/7/71, 1/2/72, 2/15/73, 9/11/73, 1/18/78, 8/30/80, 10/14/80, 3/9/81, and 9/26/91.

Dave's List OB

Looks like we're going to need another check mark to reflect Dave's 41... :-)

List

Interesting list. I will have to track it down out there.

8/24/72 today?

Another off of “the list”. I’ve heard the 21 and 25, but not the middle two.

8/30/83: not sure about this one? Was doing things so not fully engaged throughout, but recall some slop i.e., Lightning/Supplication. But there were many great moments too: Great jam outta Terrapin and an unusual Stones. The recording was all over the place too, including almost no drums/space. I’m guessing he has something better in the vault, but to me, releasing this one would be another head scratcher? Another case of good city and neighborhood but going to the wrong house? I think 8/27 and the Santa Fe shows vguy turned us onto are all better.
Interested in the Red Rocks shows, but I’ll probably save those for next year?
I’m also curious about Portland and the other Hults? But to keep things somewhat manageable, I’m putting extra emphasis on 82 and 92 this year, followed by occasional 67, 72, 87 and 77.
Next year it’ll be 83, 93, and 68, with 73, 78, 88…

Went Rogue

I dipped my big toe into 2/24/74 today and made it most of the way and the day is still young. My workday is manageable and with an ice storm moving in decided to get some exercise and brought tunes. Man, what a sweetie.

I have this a hard rain's gonna fall feeling. Oh where have you been my blue eyed son?

Jim and Hard Rain

The one that just came out on the Weir Live in Colorado album is very fine.

Re: Dennis

Funny you should mention Wolf Bros Hard Rain.. I am listening to it as I write this. It just sort of fell into my lap. Love Greg Leisz's Pedal Steel on this one. Exactly perfect.

Fitting.

Heard ten thousand whisperin’ and nobody listenin’
It’s a hard rain’s a-gonna fall

Really well done.

No nukes

How many 'No Nukes' benefits did the Dead do? I can only think of 1-13-78, but that's a 'Stop Nuclear Power' benefit. Any dedicated 'No Nukes' shows? Something like that might be appropriate for today, or even for the next several days at least come to think of it...

Stay and be well all and please Have a Grateful Day.

8/24/72

I was totally out of pocket yesterday. Wasn't able to get any music in at all. Definitely want to check out 8/24/72 OB. I mean, come on it is 72 BCT. I will also need to go back to the 83 OR show, but it doesn't should like it is getting rave reviews.

My first ever bootleg in 1985 was 12/30/83 and that Shakedown Street changed my life. Still have it.

Jim, yes Dave's #13 is a great release. What a show. Definitely in my top 5 of Dave's Picks. Can't wait for #42.

Enjoy it out there.

8/24/72

Another one of my personal Summer/Fall '72 favorites.

24s

2/24/74: yep, one of my top Dave’s favs, Skeletor Skater, right up there with the Scooby Doo house!
I didn’t partake though as I’m going to wait and follow 42 with it when it comes. “Anticipa-a-a-tion, it’s making me wait”.
8/24/72: as much as I bitched about why did he not pick this one etc when DaP 24 came out, I can now maybe see why. This one starts out, good, but perhaps not necessarily the finely balanced starship of early 72? Is it me, or is summer 72 kinda a no man’s land of 72? Good, but not great comparatively (to the rest of 72? ) Perhaps just a tad mellower?

But as is often the case, they eventually start shifting gears and into the second set really get hold of the old Spockein mind meld. Even DG gets better after a shaky start. Suppose it’ll get released someday, just wonder how?
I mean we’re getting to the point where at the current lumbering pace, there’s only going to be so many more shows released. Say double what we’ve already received? Now that’s a decent output, but when/if you start to really look at things, you can start to wonder how many of these good, but perhaps not great shows, will get chosen instead of some great ones?
Now before y’all gather a lynch mob, look at it this way. Think about how many 72 shows will actually see the light of day, a relatively small number?, Then think about how many great or good ones there are left, and you can see they probably won’t all be resealed. So that means the coach has to make cuts cause there’s only so many uniforms.
So that becomes the uncomfortable part, who’ll make the team and who won’t, at least based on past choices etc?
Now multiply the same scenario of X shows over other Prime years, and perhaps you can understand the logistics, and why I wonder if some of these shows will get out or not?
So with that logic, I wouldn’t necessarily pick this as a single release compared to X number of other 72s, but I could see it included in some kind of box package? That HAS been an MO, package some B, B+ shows in with some A+ etc.
I guess the point I’m trying to get at is, if ya crunch the numbers, this dribbling out single shows with one smallish box a year means questionable choices/cuts are going to get made, and a lot of good stuff will not get out, based on taper bias.
Yes, Fortunately we have streaming options, but why not get a little more aggressive: why not drop what’s left of certain years with perhaps limited worthy/available shows in one fell swoop i.e., say he saves/pulls one or 2 p, or 3 single release worthy shows from 74 and then releases what’s left in a 74 box. Boom, one big year complete. Rinse and repeat with say 68, 69, 76, 77, Save a few big appropriate choices from those choice years to save/have for DaP etc, to doll out, but drop the rest of the best from each year, that doesn’t have a ton of unreleased available shows?
You could probably also do the same with the later years eventually? But The rest of the years/stuff, who knows what or if anything will happen?
Sure some of these might get big and pricey, but not everyone will want say a big 77 box. But the freaks who really dig 77 would love it. Some might grumble about the cost, but most of the truly 77 faithful would do it.
That way the rest of folks, some who might feel they have enough 77, could still get a cherry picked couple of 77s Ala DaP, but could skip the mass release. This would free up more single and other pics and boxes for more variety AND to help ensure that some of these good/great “borderline” picks don’t get skipped over for more headscatchers.

Like 8/30/83, is a GOOD show, (you should check it out DV), but is it a top pick for 83, and thus release worthy? I think this is the taper bias problem again. Many shows are picked because at one time, that was one of the few from that time that had a good tape! So we’re picking today, because of limited choices/tapes from the past, instead of which shows are best, if that makes sense? How could a truly fantabulas show be great, if no one’s heard it?
How many times have we checked out an unknown show here on POT Day, that blew us away, but that relatively no one’s ever heard of?
With the archive and the huge amount of shows that ARE now available, why are we still picking shows based on the limited knowledge/tapes available forty years ago?
Best illustration of this: 5/8/77. Great show to be sure, but best ever? I think if folks had the internet and access to better quality tapes BITD, maybe Cornell would be considered differently? But since there was no net, and it was one of the few great tapes of a great show, the legend/myth grew?
Just a theory, sorry to ramble, but it’s the one thing about this culture I don’t like, taper bias!
Hey HF ain’t the only one with theories! ; )

Ok, going 6/25/92 just cause…

8-24-72

I had it on cassette and really liked it. Thus, (and wrongfully so) I was disappointed when Dave picked 8-25-72 for release.
So I’m listening to 8-25-72 now.
This weekend I’m planning on processing some torrent files and will get 8-24-72 into the system of audio formats and HD’s, and will then give it a listen.

Summer 72-boxes

Oro-I've always had that feeling, that summer 72 is a bit of a lull between the twin peaks of Europe and Fall.

I like that idea about future boxes too-a few cherry picked shoes from a year then all the rest in a big box. It would be nice to see a change of pace ( an accelerated one, obviously!) in the way shows are released. I think the times call for it

8/24/72

Picked a little at this because of Oro.

Not sure what "copy" of this I have, but it's top shelf. Listening to Dew, GREAT recording, GREAT I tell ya!

8/24/72

Five dancing bears for this show. Strong show from start to finish. We get a nice Birdsong, end the first set with a Casey Jones. Early Miss Half Step, Truckin Dark Star Dew... really enjoyable. Sing me back Home OMSN and UJB. What a show. Would love to see it released.

I think July and August 72 are both good months. A lot of good shows, I don't hear a let down at all. Check out 7/21/72 as an example, from the Paramount in Seattle, download series #10.

Would love to see them release more shows, but they seem pretty set in their current pattern and I am sure it doesn't help when their box sets don't sell out like LTTR.

We are supposed to crack 30 here today in MN, so need to get out and enjoy it.

Goes to show

Well, I’ll have to try it again?
Definitely strong finish, I just felt like there were more worts etc early on then you’d expect from a release, and especially from 72., at least comparatively to the intensity, majesty, and near perfection of Europe, which is a pretty high bar to match.
I’ll have to give er another spin, and then I should probably hit the 25 to compare, lol. One step up and two back!
Was going to go with Dicks 26, the twofer from 69, but I guess that’ll have to wait?
ONWARD!

I guess old guys

shouldn’t multitask lol.
Yeah I may have over generalized a bit on 8/24. My apologies.
I still think JG takes a little time to? It’s not that he’s off, just not fully on, if that makes sense?
Like Sugaree, ok, but it doesn’t sound like he’s fully on vocally. His solo in BIODTL is not tight either.
The harmonies at the end of Bird Song are ruff on an otherwise great version. Someone hits a big clam on the end of Jack Straw. Mostly small stuff as there is no such thing as a perfect show, but add em up, and pile on the horrible chorus vocals on an otherwise decent Half Step, and I think there’s enough evidence that my previous discussion was at least worth consideration? I think the vocal mix is part of the problem, but think they have Betty’s so…

Personally, the Dark Star alone makes it worth the price of admission, but I would think that folks with more 72 knowledge then myself could argue there are better choices! Which goes back to if there’s more great shows available than possible outlets/releases, then would some of these shows perhaps not be good enough, compared to other 72s?
Ok, I guess I’ll compare the 25th next.

EDIT: 25 miiight be a little tighter overall, but I still like the 24 better, hey a DS/Dew trumps most others ; )

Re: Us Old Guys

I always thought we aged well, like fine wine.

With GD music I have learned not to trust my initial reaction of shows unless I really liked it. How much we like a show is so subjective.. your mood, the sound, distractions, is there an issue floating around in your brain that is consuming you.. something unresolved where you just cannot just let go. Some of these barriers are made smaller by mood enhancement, psychedelics tend to blow them up. But we are all human, what we get out of a show or a relisten depends largely on whatever is going on in our heads at the moment.

In a way getting into a good show is like meditation. If you are under the influence of the trance, if you are able to let go completely and become absorbed it all clicks (or doesn't in those cases the show doesn't cut the mustard). If you cannot clear your mind you just don't know yet.

Sorry for rant, this conversation reminded me of something very specific hard to explain.
The last one I listened to or the one I play tomorrow are always the best ones.

Impressions

Any impressions I have on the music are based on my last listening - and are open to revision on my next one. Not really that healthy to see the same thing the same way twice. If you do, it might be time to move on to something else.

Pick

Thinking about 10/29/77, Dekalb, Dave's 33 for today. I haven't listened to this show in a while.

Let me know.

No nukes

I seem to remember 2-9-73 has some political commentary by Wavy Gravy. I'm still wondering which other shows had political commentary centered around Nukes besides 1-13-78 (Stop Nuclear Power Benefit) and maybe 2-9-73.

I ended up going with a little DaP 30 (1-2 and 1-3, 1970) yesterday and today. I also took a flyer on 8-24-72, but only made it through set I. Fairly uneventful, 8-24-72 set I, but enjoyable.

Have fun with 10-29-77. Black Peter has that nice, rare slide solo by Jerry. Powerhouse show all around. The night before Soldiers and Sailors has long been a favorite of mine since my blanks and postage/trading days. Someone hooked me up with a really clean board recording. Unfortunately, it cuts near the end of set II. I understand the vault recently had the masters returned, so we may see more of this in the future. Fingers crossed!

Be well all...

DeKalb

Do it DV. I had it dialed in a couple weeks ago. Awesome show. My favorite from latter part of that tour I think. I've been on something of a Fall 77 through Spring 78 groove as of late. Time frame not exclusive for sure in terms of listening but I keep going back to it. Close Encounters in Eugene was part of that.

BTW - really enjoyed a return to Dave's 32 - Philly Spectrum 3/24/73. Way back I had a tape of He's Gone through end Set II. Just got to say that band and audience are hopping from the get-go on this one. Fast and fun show. Nice how deep in the 1st set they finish with Here Comes Sunshine > Bobby McGee > Loser > and then a big ole Playing in the Band.

6/30/74

Dedicated to Doc as he’s spoken highly of this one. It’s new to me and being my last day on hiatus I thought I’d go big!
Will hit some of that Dekalb later/after.

BC: I just sorta “discovered” spring 78 this past year. Bunch of good Betty’s, especially that awesome DaP 37 from 4/15! Yowsa, didn’t see that coming!

WTJ: 6/22/83 check out Bobs speech before the start of Bucket second set opener.
“I don’t know, maybe you want a radioactive volcano in your back yard?”
Oh, great show BTW if you’ve never checked it out.

JIM: agree 100%, except bad/missed notes aren’t really subjective, there just mistakes.

Spring 78

After the 72 Steamer Trunk graced my front porch, I became reinvigorated with GD. I listened to each show in sequence and was blown away. So I kept going.. 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77 making it halfway through 78 until I paused things.

Eventually I got tired of listening to the same era GD every night, although evolving, it was still a slow-moving same era GD. I seemed to do it at about the same pace as they did, so a year would take me a year more or less. I loved Spring '78. ..but by October, I was in 78 overload and had to jump the tracks.

I like 78 almost as much as 77 GD, except I seem to listen to 78 more. One day I will revisit 77 in earnest, it's just not on my radar at the moment.

Anyway.. the point of this post is that is so much fun to explore a region, really explore it. Spring 78 is a-ok with me.

I think I need to revisit 6/30/74 again.

City Island

I read that Phil wore a lab scientist white coat at one of the 2 shows, 83 or 84.

6/30/74

I don't think I have heard this show. Will get it going later.

Jim, maybe someday they will give us another box similar to the steamer trunk or 30 Trips. Of course, I don't know if it would be possible again.

6/30/74

I think I listened to this show about this time last year, and no doubt I enjoyed it, but clearly need to listen again. For some reason just now thought this was part of DiP 12 (one of the great releases of that series) and its not. At some point they just have to release all of '74 right?

As part of my Fall '77 thru Spring '78 I went back to DaP 12 11/4/77 Colgate Univ. last week. Literally years since I last listened, sort of fell off the edge of the earth for awhile. And I really enjoyed it.

Jim, when you're feeling like some late fall '78, may I suggest 11/18/78 from the Uptown in Chicago? I pointed at it last fall I think. not sure if you caught it then. it kicks it, big time.

Re: City Island

That sounds familiar.. I was at (I think) the '83 show but they played there in '84 also, maybe he was wearing a lab coat. I am pretty sure we did mushrooms that day because when we left people were already calling the Space the 3 Mile Island Nuclear Jam or meltdown space or some variation of those words and that seemed fitting considering our state of mind. But tripping served to blur whatever memories I might have had.

I remember the walk to the venue more than anything else, it was a weird and long walk. The show was at what looked and felt like a high school football field, no glam and just a fence separating us from them. I'm sure people got in for free, it would have been so easy. The stage was really low, it was a free for all, no rules, little security once you got in, the whole thing was GA and it didn't feel all that crowded.

Fun show, it looks like no soundboards survived and the tapes are not very rewarding.

Edit: I just checked the Archive, there's a new transfer by Charlie Miller where the sound is quite rewarding. I was at the '83 show for sure, the highlights for me were the Stranger opener and the China Rider through GDTRFB with a nice 3 mile island nuclear jam to hold it all together. Someone mentioned the lab coat in the comments section of setlists.net, it must have happened as the internet does not lie.

Not the best show, but it brings back fond memories. I wish I was a headlight!

Check out some Auds

I thought you were there Jim! Check out some Auds.
I have one of the best tapes I ever received of that show. Might even be a matrix as you can hear things being adjusted in the mix really prominently? I think it’s one of the best 83 shows, but I’ve not heard enough to really declare it? I had a great tape source for (long story) only a very brief time: who ever was actually taping knew their shit and had great gear: nac deck, sennheiser 441s etc. I’m still bummed I lost that connection! Amazing Aud tapes!
I love this show, Great Stranger, one of my favorite Ramble on Roses, killer China Rider, awesome space into Spanish jam, GDTRFB, our first intro to Bucket, which we were calling Elegant Pride!
Yeah there are some really good Auds of this show. I’ve seen a news video and you can see it must of been a really lose laid back vibe and you can hear how great the sound was even just on the reporters rig!

Elegant Pride

That's what it was labeled on the first tape I had with the song. Throwing Stones seemed to be called Ashes to Ashes a lot too. There were a few others.. but as usual I forget.

So when I got a tape of this show it was a bad recording. I dug around in the archive more than a decade ago to no avail, but some of the more recent seeds including the Miller sound quite good. I caught a few songs today but will try and revisit it. Maybe it will jar a new memory.

What you learn here on dead.net.