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    A sealed, unlabeled box sat undisturbed for decades on a shelf in the Grateful Dead’s San Rafael tape vault on Front Street, its contents an enduring mystery, even to those few with access to the vault. All David Lemieux knew about that box when he became the Dead’s archivist was that it contained tapes belonging to Bear—Owsley Stanley, the Dead’s first soundman and architect of the Wall of Sound. Even in the Dead Heads’ Holy of Holies, the taped-up box was tantalizing. But this was Bear’s personal property, and so he didn’t touch the box out of an abiding respect for the elder luminary of sound. Bear’s archive of Sonic Journal recordings had been kept safe for him for years within the Grateful Dead’s vault—over 1,300 reels of tape stored in heavy-duty cartons like old banana boxes. At any time, David could have popped the tops and explored them to his archivist heart's content. But they were off-limits without the nod from Bear. - Starfinder Stanley, Hawk, and Pete Bell, Owsley Stanley Foundation

     

    With a wink and a nod from Bear, we've peeled back those banana boxes to find some of the oldest and rarest of all recordings of the Dead including the double dose of shows that make up DAVE’S PICKS VOLUME 43. The two virtually complete performances from San Francisco 11/2/69, Live At Family Dog At The Great Highway, and from Dallas 12/26/69, McFarlin Auditorium, are complementary in their clarity and consistency thanks to Bear himself, and in their ability to foreshadow where the Dead were headed in the years to come. If the two killer 20-minute+ "Dark Stars" don't get ya, how about the Pigpen-centric sets featuring "Midnight Hour," "Next Time You See Me," "Big Boss Man," "Good Lovin'," and the once-lost-now-found complete rendition of "Dancing In The Streets," or the first full acoustic set ever performed? And we're certain you'll be fascinated to uncover the "Mystery Of Bear's Banana Boxes" as told by Starfinder Stanley, Hawk, and Pete Bell in the liners.

     

    Limited to 25,000 numbered copies, DAVE’S PICKS VOLUME 43 was recorded by Owlsey "Bear" Stanley and has been mastered to HDCD specs by Jeffrey Norman at Mockingbird Mastering. Grab a copy while you can.

     

    *2 per order. Very limited quantity available.

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  • hendrixfreak
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    Good call, Vguy

    Hilarious, though, that my rant ran hundreds of words and ya provide a four-word counter-example! Good for you, catching the affordable shows. This year I'm down to two concerts, duly reported here (TTB, Raitt).

    Oro -- my theory is that there are a lot of people out there, young and old enough to know better, who are living on serious credit card debt. Not to do the older generation thing, but growing up, I recall two times my family ate out at a restaurant. I didn't get a car til I was 30 (used Subaru). Blah blah. I think this happens with each successive generation ("Kids these days!"), but somewhere along the line I suspected it was hollow. I mean, 20-somethings out at nice restaurants? In Silicon Valley, I get it. South Denver?? WTH?

    No complaints here. My folks raised me to not want anything (more than one more Dead show), so my material needs are books and CDs. If you knew me, you'd know I don't spend on clothing, for instance. I'd prefer money serve as the backstop to anxiety over making it in modern society. (Food, taxes, medicine, home and truck repairs.) And I do have sympathy for kids growing up now, with the commercial pressures, social media, and phones that actually siphon money from your pocket without going anywhere. And I see too many people glued to their freakin' phones. Sure is a handy device, but talk about shrinking your world and being on a short leash.

    No wonder I still love gobbling shrooms and trekking off-trail in the backcountry. Now THAT'S got value, at least for my soul, which requires fairly frequent nourishment. But then, probably everyone here knows that...

  • PT Barnum
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    Gone are the days....

    So many topics but first comment has to be about ticket prices and the good old days of concerts costing anywhere from 5 to 6 bucks up to 10 or 12. We used to go to a concert every weekend or every other weekend. I have a box full of ticket stubs to prove it. There were so many great bands back then you could catch a different act like that. Robin Trower one weekend, Foghat the next, then Yes and then Pink Floyd, all for 10 bucks of less. That's how it was. Last show was Bobby and the Wolf bros, tickets 100 bucks for back rows.

  • estimated-eyes
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    concert prices

    Forgive me if I have already written about the topic of concert ticket prices. It all goes back to the Eagles "Hell Freezes Over" tour. Up to that point, I was buying tickets to big acts like the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Grateful Dead for under $30. Then that tour happened, offering 'golden circle' tickets. Bands like the Rolling Stones saw that and starting cashing in on the Bridges to Babylon tour with fan pre-sales through credit card companies, higher ticket prices, etc... And it continues unabated today. To paraphrase the Big Lebowski, F the Eagles, man.

    For Dead and Company at Wrigley Field this year, we bought $40 tix in the upper box on the day of the show. We could have had 'pit' at $200+ or front row on the field at $190+, direct from TMaster (not resale). I suspected that the scalpers did not quite know how post-covid ticket sales were going to go yet. We were quite content with the $40 upper box-- good sound and all good people up there. For the Tedeschi Trucks Band/Los Lobos show in Aurora, $59 GA for everyone. That is probably the best bargain I have had for a concert in 20+ years.

    There is something wrong with society, really. We are willing to pay hundreds of dollars for tickets to a sports event, concert or something (2-3 hours of entertainment) with top athletes making hundreds of millions of dollars. But underpaid teachers have to buy classroom supplies out of their own pockets and poor kids getting in trouble for not paying their lunch cards. We really need to rethink our priorities as a society. OK, off my soapbox.

  • Vguy72
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    MMJ tix were $70....

    ....just sayin'....aand I definitely don't go to fast food restaurants or Subways when I visit here. Green sauce allll day (and night).

  • proudfoot
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    Concert expensiveness

    Phuhq dat

    Phuhq DAT

  • billy the kiddd
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    Frosted / The Charles Ford Band

    Frosted, The Charles Ford Band has always been one Of my favorites. They used to play at De Anza College in a place called the Cellar, it's now the De Anza bookstore. Mark Ford has always been one of my favorite harmonica players. They used to live in various houses here in Cupertino, along with the great harmonica player Gary Smith and other blues musicians.

  • Oroborous
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    Greed fest etc

    Yeah, how do kids pay for all this expensive crap?
    Concert tix at hundreds of dollars, phones that cost over a grand, new cars while their just teenagers, tattoos, designer this and that, yet the seemingly majority don’t work? (I’m talking a statistical significant number, not you, based mostly on observations while still slaving away, of the young people I come across. Now I have met some recently that not only work, their more polite and balanced then we were BITD, which is refreshing and gives hope).
    My point is not to bash anyone except the greed heads that think everyone’s a damn millionaire so it’s ok to be greedy!
    Maybe that’s it: our culture now requires that you act or live like a millionaire even though you don’t deserve it!
    Ok, rant over, “release the shit winds Randy”

  • frosted
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    New Mexico and Berkeley

    Vguy, I'm with your vibe there on New Mexico. They don't call it the Land of Enchantment for nothing, and that word captures it about as well as anything. New Mexican food is my favorite variety of Mexican food in the US too - especially what I've had in Santa Fe and Taos. Posole (vegetarian for me), Blue Corn stuff, and Sopapillas, all pretty unique items, mmm. Here's a description I just saw of New Mexican food when I was doing a search to help my aging brain remember what Sopapillas were called -

    New Mexican food mashes up Native American, Spanish, Mexican, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Southern culinary influences.

    billy the kidd - I've been to all the different locations of Freight and Salvage over the years. Most recently, at the larger new one, just before Covid shutdowns, saw Arlo Guthrie on his Alice's Restaurant reunion tour (yeah he played the whole thing and it was hilarious and mesmerizing) and Bireli Lagrene (Few words can describe his greatness. He must be from another planet comes to mind.) at a Django festival there.

    I presume you went to the former Larry Blake's near the UCB campus back in the day too. Two of the best I saw there were Robben Ford with his family's Charles Ford Band playing their brand of blues, and Amos Garrett (the guitarists' guitarist), both in the mid to late 1980s. Very small, smoky back then but entirely intimate setting. Sometimes I miss those days.

  • That Mike
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    HendrixFreak- You Are Absolutely Right

    You are Dead-on in your assessment. I have many old concert stubs from way back. I paid $60 this week for so-so seats at a local venue to see Emmylou Harris, but by no means was that the top price; I looked at some stubs I have from the same venue from 1975ish - one example was Santana/Peter Frampton as opener $8 (Great seats, too). It always left you money for “carry in” refreshments, food and beer with the crew after, and money for the subway to get home. Now, if you are lucky, you park for $20 near a venue, and if it is “Game Day” or “Show Pricing”, it can be double that, and you haven’t even set foot inside to see the show/game yet.

    John Lennon was on to something in 1963 when he told an audience “For our last number I’d like to ask your help. Would the people in the cheaper seats clap your hands? And the rest of you, if you’ll just rattle your jewelry.”

  • hendrixfreak
    Joined:
    You said it, That Mike...

    In the "old days" you got in line for tickets, most often GA, most often $5 to $10, then day of show you got in line early and dashed in to a show to secure center/up front seats, throw down a blanket and party til showtime. (And during and after, to be honest..)

    Now bands want an annual subscription for decent pre-sale tickets. Then there's a general sale. The company here known as AXS "sells out" its tickets, but keeps some back for re-sale at "demand pricing." So a pair of Bonnie Raitt tickets a week before the show at Red Rocks was listed at $2000. Then the re-sellers besides AXS get into the act and sell tickets that they don't reveal where the seats are. Not going there.

    A few years back, the Wall Street Journal showed a graph of how sports and entertainment ticket costs soared far above inflation as "modern America" (an oxymoron if I ever uttered one) clutched desperately at distractions from the ever-tightening vise of whatever the hell you call this place anymore. (Not bitter, just angry....)

    So, yeah, the days when we hitchhiked 200 miles in a t-shirt and jeans with a $5.50 ticket and a sheet of blotter in our pockets is 50 years in the past. (And probably should be...) I'm dedicated to hitting Red Rocks until at least 2024 (that'll be 50 years at the Rocks), but the only bands now worth seeing (for me) are Tedeschi-Trucks and Bonnie Raitt and both strive to make their tickets affordable at $65 to $100. Otherwise, the era of big shows and big $$ are long over and physically (dammit) I can't spend a day hanging out for good GA seats. Besides, most of the up-front rows are reserved at top dollar prices.

    So, we tend to go for the occasional theater show or the bars with good local bands.

    All this may be the "way of the world," but as El Presidente of Get-Off-My-Lawn Enterprises, I don't have to like it. Besides, I gotta retire and ya can't do that catching 25+ big shows a year as in the past.

    Rant not over! But yeah, kids coming up see only highly manufactured entertainment at ridiculous prices if they can even swing it. And a lot of the pop tours are crap anyway.

    I think I need to take a walk outside now.......... Then back to DaP 43.

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A sealed, unlabeled box sat undisturbed for decades on a shelf in the Grateful Dead’s San Rafael tape vault on Front Street, its contents an enduring mystery, even to those few with access to the vault. All David Lemieux knew about that box when he became the Dead’s archivist was that it contained tapes belonging to Bear—Owsley Stanley, the Dead’s first soundman and architect of the Wall of Sound. Even in the Dead Heads’ Holy of Holies, the taped-up box was tantalizing. But this was Bear’s personal property, and so he didn’t touch the box out of an abiding respect for the elder luminary of sound. Bear’s archive of Sonic Journal recordings had been kept safe for him for years within the Grateful Dead’s vault—over 1,300 reels of tape stored in heavy-duty cartons like old banana boxes. At any time, David could have popped the tops and explored them to his archivist heart's content. But they were off-limits without the nod from Bear. - Starfinder Stanley, Hawk, and Pete Bell, Owsley Stanley Foundation

 

With a wink and a nod from Bear, we've peeled back those banana boxes to find some of the oldest and rarest of all recordings of the Dead including the double dose of shows that make up DAVE’S PICKS VOLUME 43. The two virtually complete performances from San Francisco 11/2/69, Live At Family Dog At The Great Highway, and from Dallas 12/26/69, McFarlin Auditorium, are complementary in their clarity and consistency thanks to Bear himself, and in their ability to foreshadow where the Dead were headed in the years to come. If the two killer 20-minute+ "Dark Stars" don't get ya, how about the Pigpen-centric sets featuring "Midnight Hour," "Next Time You See Me," "Big Boss Man," "Good Lovin'," and the once-lost-now-found complete rendition of "Dancing In The Streets," or the first full acoustic set ever performed? And we're certain you'll be fascinated to uncover the "Mystery Of Bear's Banana Boxes" as told by Starfinder Stanley, Hawk, and Pete Bell in the liners.

 

Limited to 25,000 numbered copies, DAVE’S PICKS VOLUME 43 was recorded by Owlsey "Bear" Stanley and has been mastered to HDCD specs by Jeffrey Norman at Mockingbird Mastering. Grab a copy while you can.

 

*2 per order. Very limited quantity available.

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I truly believe, that this box set will be released again on cd as un numbered and not limited edition. The recording quality and the performances are so fantastic, that I believe the Dead would want these shows available to everyone.

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In reply to by billy the kiddd

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It seems a few people may have missed out on The Fillmore West 69 box - I'm among them. I didn't know about Deadnet when that came out, and didn't have a computer anyway. I'm buying the L.Ps as they come out, but I would buy the complete run on cd if it ever comes out again in a shot. That and the Europe 72 shows essential in any and all forms.

Keithfan - thinking about it, a lot of my favourite versions of songs are the first ones I heard, too. And coming from the (first) L.P. era, many of these are on the old officially released albums. For example - the second side of Anthem, all of Live Dead, about half Workingmans' Dead, most of American Beauty and the the 3rd L.P. in the original Europe 72 triple album box - and many of the other songs-maybe Cumberland.

Trying to understand the lyrics of 1970s prog albums....that way madness lies. My favourite is "Cirkus" by King Crimson. Have a look at that one online, if you dare, and try summarising it in as few words as possible.

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My copy of this little beauty has just been delivered here in the Netherlands. It managed to avoid Dutch customs on it's journey, so no taxes or administrative charges. 👍🏻 This looks as good as others have reported and I shall get down to listening to it directly. #17761

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Yea, I missed out on that too. Sure hope this would be a re released. I would buy it up in a heartbeat.

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Not commenting specifically on recent band mentions, but there are very few artists whose lyrics can equal the music or stand out "ahead" or "above" the music. Hunter and Dylan do it, for me. Robbie Robertson, with The Band (but never again, plus he had Levon singing his lyrics). Then there are the innumerable songwriters too numerous to mention. The flip side is the tremendous number of bands whose lyrics basically just suck. To avoid the eggs and tomatoes, I won't list any, but they constitute an appalling percentage of popular music, at least after about 1955. In the 1920s, '30s and '40s (and prior to recorded music) lyrics had to be clever or at least hip, coded, double-entendres, especially in the blues. Check out Lonnie Johnson's "Shorty's Mowin' Your Lawn," for instance. But '60s and '70s? Mostly crap, except for our favorites.

This my patented cannonball-in-the-pool splashing, then rapid retreat to lurking again.

Plus, Bonnie Raitt tonight at Red Rocks! 15th row. Oh yeah.

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I saw Bonnie Raitt open for Garcia ,( along with a lot of other great folks who post here on the forum), in 1987 at the Greek Theatre. It was a great show,, Bonnie came out and played a few songs with Garcia. Bonnie's dad was in the audience and stood up when Garcia introduced him. The day before we were up on the Eel River to see Garcia play the first Electric on the Eel, with his acoustic and electric bands, what a cool scene, definitely the coolest place I ever saw a Dead or Dead related show, up in the Redwoods in the Mountains. right on the Eel River. Big Fun!?

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I've been working on massive amounts of blues and I laugh when they talk about Pigpen getting bawdy.

How about...

I thought she was a fishermans daughter,,,, when I showed her the rod, she reeled!

Found another tune, "my honey hole".... some talk about their jellyroll, but I love my honey hole.

Say no more!

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We had a joint in Denver called the Rainbow Music Hall in the late '70s, every early '80s. It got dozed and I think a Walgreen's occupies that once-hallowed space now. Emblematic of our times? (Ponder-worthy. Like my local telescope shop that's now a pawn shop...)

The Rainbow held about 1,400 people and we saw Bonnie there probably about 1980, along with (different nights, of course), Jerry, Robert Hunter, Santana, Leo Kottke, the Dinosaurs, Roy Buchanan, Steve Morse & Dixie Dregs, boy, gotta dredge up more memories -- oh yeah, John Mayall, mmm zzz, synapses failure...

Here's to mo' Big Fun! And hats off to BTK for reiterating what it's all about, apart from a lifelong attempt at the golden rule, etc., etc.

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In reply to by hendrixfreak

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And she gave me the finger!

(I typically pop off when anyone says, "Say no more!")

How 'bout Lonnie Johnson's "Jelly Roll Baker":

Without jelly roll, I'd rather be dead
I put in my order fo' two weeks 'o head
Gotta have that jelly
My sweet jelly roll...

Good ones
"No one is united
And all things are untied"
A whole lot more
Blues with multiple references to jellyrolls (they aint talking your local bakery)
Now things are just said directly
Gems such as "wet ass pussy"
"My neck my back my pussy and my crack"
Then again rolling stones were pretty blunt
Captain Beefheart "I wanna lick you everywhere it's pink and everywhere you think"
At my age I sing the blues song "the lead's all gone" from my "pencil"

Whoa! Getting a little carried away there...

Today's drive:
12 26 69
8 5 and 6 74

"Marconi plays the mamba..."

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Willie Dixon wroteI "I'm Ready", " I've got a axe handle pistol on a graveyard frame. That shoots tombstone bullets, wearing ball and chains. I'm drinking tnt, I'm smoking dynamite. I hope some screwball starts a fight. " It's on the Best of Muddy Waters followed by "Hoochie Choocie Man" also written by Willie Dixon "The Best of Muddy Waters* with greats like Little Walter and Otis
Spann backing Muddy Waters. " The Best of Muddy Waters" & " Working Mans Dead", the two greatest albums of alltime. Both get repeated plays on my bbq & beer drinking play list each weekend. Bo Carter wrote " Banana in Your Fruit Basket", great song check it out out..

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"Shave 'em dry" by Lucille Bogan in 1935, under the name Bessie Jackson. Google it for the lyrics unless you are of a sensitive nature or suffer from high blood pressure. Parental advisory. 😂

Some great sexy songs by Bessie Smith - "Empty Bed Blues" - I think that was the name of the one I liked most.
The Cramps were quite saucy - especially after the first few albums. The worst ones were the hard rock bands of the early 70's, what became known as "cock rock". "Hard Lovin' Man" by Deep Purple comes to mind - brilliant riff, but ludicrous lyrics.
I quite like some of the preposterous words to songs from about 1967-1975. They don't mean jack shit most of the time.. but they are quite entertaining. The dafter the better.

Mention of Bonnie Rait reminds me of that great duet she did with John Lee Hooker on "I'm In The Mood". There's sexy.

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Sound is SO clear!
So many cool seldom heard songs.
First show: Death Don't the highlight for sure for me.
Second show: Wins hands down. Better DS to my ear.
Not a fair comparison though, because it's got an acoustic set.
New Speedway in there too.
And that Black Peter, whoa.

Speaking of Dark Stars, the DS from Keith's second show,
10-21-71 that was in last weeks Tapers, was better than these two.
(ducking to avoid thrown objects now)

Cheers

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13 years 4 months

In reply to by 1stshow70878

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I can honestly say that as the last Dark Star I have listened to.. this one is the best.

then again, it was the last one I have listened to.. so this should surprise no one.

You're so right, these recordings are crisp, clean, balanced and clear. Works of art.

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In reply to by 1stshow70878

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the 12/26 Black Peter is otherworldly

and yes that 11/2 Death Don't . . . .

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Dave mentions this too. The SMU audience was so polite.
That deafening silence really adds to the eeriness of that Black Peter.
Jerry really living the lyrics.
Cheers

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In reply to by 1stshow70878

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Black Peter - hauntingly intimate and clear, the playing and the soundscape - unreal.
feels like a dream, a disembodied spirit, motionless right there a few feet away from Jerry and Bob.
incredible recording by Bear

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In reply to by bluecrow

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4 8 72
12 26 69

Dee
Lih
Shuss

Now...what for the last 90 minutes of the drive...hmm...

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Yep, gonna see the boys tonight, for the umpteenth time. They're doing a one off from their tour with Little Feat, as they mosey down the west coast.

Finished #43 over the weekend. I usually do my first listening with headphones, bur this time I went with the Vincent HDCD hybrid CD player tied to a dedicated NAD 150wpc amp into some very nice 3way Revel inwalls in the formal living room.
I gotta say Jerry and Bob felt like they were in the room with me during the acoustic numbers, and Pigpen was ownin' it on harmonica!

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Patience has paid off, 13,478 has arrived!! I’ve only had time to give it a quick run through, but I do have some thoughts/reactions:
China/Rider is superb
High Time->Lovelight is just beatific!!
Disc 1-Seasons, M.Hour, Good Lovin’ & Dancing are all candy
And of course, the Dark Star suite on disc 2 gives goose bumps.
But…I really need to spin 2-3 more times.

Lastly, I’ve read complaints about the structure of the 3 discs, I think Dave did a brilliant job.
Just under the max 4 hrs. of music, and this was I’m sure, the only way to do it. It’s quite easy to listen to the shows in order, with little effort. When I hear complaints about the shows not being in order, it makes me think that we have lost appreciation for what we keep receiving. C’mon man!! For anyone who used to make mix tapes back in the ‘80’s-‘90’s,
This is a fantastic solution to the jigsaw puzzle.
I for one am thankful & Grateful for gifts such as this.
I’d love to say more, but I’ve got some listening to do!!

Music is the Best!!
Thanks Dave!!!!!!

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In reply to by proudfoot

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First set

Sehr gut, meine liebe Totenkopfen

Note: a truck passed me on the freeway. A "Jerry hand" sticker on window
His license plate read "DVDSKY"

be the first person to identify what that license plate is all about and you WIN!

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In reply to by proudfoot

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🤜🤛 Hopefully Tom_Tom is next.
Banter in between Black Peter and Uncle John's Band.
Bobby. "No shit Batman" lol.
I'm a Batman nerd. I chuckled.
Music is the best. Without it, I would be a very melancholy Vguy.
You have handsome cats Mr. Ones.
Divided Sky and the wind blows high is the plate. That band from Vermont that will be celebrating 40 years next year. Hoping they play The Sphere here then. Its got a PH in the name. All OG except Page who joined in '85. Story goes he saw them play and told Mike "Im going to join your band" even though Trey was adamant that Phish would be a two guitar band with no keys. I remember seeing them play Divided Sky at the Gorge Amphitheater in '98 with my girlfriend now wife as the sun was setting. And they are killing it since Covid.
What did I win?

....time to strap in. Ho, Ho, Ho.
Today I learned Proudfoot lives across the street from a zoo. Nice.
I live across the street from a new housing development. Tore down a golf course to make room. Hope Vegas has enough water in a few years to sustain.
The western slope of the Rockies needs snowpack and rain. Bad.
It's been monsoon season here. Humid and massive storm cells. Which is good, cause we haven't seen monsoons in like four years. La Nino.

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DaP #43 has just arrived in North West England.

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Congratulations on your new arrival. Reading your comment about tape mixes in the 80s and 90s really brings home one of the positive aspects of technology. I used to make tons of mixes on my trusty high bias Maxell XLII-S cassettes. I would make LP mixes as well as record music off the radio. CDs were a great advancement. Then CD burners...and next came mp3s. Napster. Now it all just fits on my phone and sounds near-perfect.

I'm also with you on the thankful sentiment that we even have all of this Dead music at our fingertips. A lot of people have mentioned it, so I'm just one more person to marvel that they recorded all of these f***ing shows. I mean....wow wow wow wow wow. It simply wasn't done in those days. For the Dead to be the band that took this route is all the more incredible, given the varied set lists, nuances and improv in their playing, not to mention the changes in their sound that was always going on. The gig we're enjoying with these releases wouldn't work with the typical 70s band. I'm a big Who fan, but I wouldn't be interested in more than a few shows from each tour. We're just plain blessed.

Last thing - agree with your take on Dave Lemieux's decision to throw song order out the window and just give us the goods. I think we're quite fortunate to have an actual Deadhead like him making the picks. He knows his shit - I always find, if the question is something like "why Felt Forum on 12/6 & 12/7 and not 12/5 with the Dark Star and Muddy Water" that the 12/5 show is going to hit us when we least expect it. Heck, maybe 12/5/71 will be DaP 44....or the incentive for 2023's Dave's Picks subscription. Just imagine if some corporate Warner dude was spinning the wheel of fortune to determine what gets released- yikes.

Forensic Doc turned me on to these Berkeley shows fro 8/14 & 8/15, 1971. Some outstanding stuff here with pretty decent sound. Between these and the 8/6-8/7 shows, there is some great raucous Les Paul sound coming from Jerry. Jimmy, if you made it this far, there are a couple of sizzling Cumberland Blues solos on the 8/14 show).

Daverock, you're not kidding on the King Crimson! I bought In the Court of the Crimson King about 20 years ago and listened to it once. I could probably get into those guys if I gave them a fair chance.

Dave's 43 delivered this morning, with no extra money asked for. It looks amazing - couple of songs I haven't heard before and I can't remember ever hearing a Dark Star that goes into New Speedway Boogie before. Unfortunately, I was half way through the second side of the new vinyl 5/26/72 when it arrived, so I may wait until I have finished that before I dive into 69. It's a hard life!

I agree too that we are blessed with all these archival releases. I can remember reading Blair Jackson's book "The Music Never Stopped" about 1983. At the end he lists and briefly reviews his favourite tapes. The best part of the book - but how to get hold of them? I never dreamed I would get to hear them all - or most of them, in such great sound quality.

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DVDSKY- Divided Sky - a delightful Phish song. The opener at my second Phish show on 8/13/96 at Deer Creek.

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Last night I was watching Andy Griffith. It must have been from the first season because he sounds 100% country. Andy rips into a killer version of "Going Down the Road Feeling Bad" while on his front porch playing his 6-string. Played two verses, one which I had never heard before. Aunt Bee was nowhere to be seen. She may have been in the house twisting one up. I wonder if the Dead ever covered any other Andy songs or did a show near Mayberry or Mt. Pilot.

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9 years 2 months
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Landed safely in sunny East Kent. That's this evening's listening sorted.

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11 years 4 months
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Was listening to the dark star from the first show last night. Way toward the end, like maybe 25 minutes into the 30 minute song, they suddenly burst into the tighten up or "hypnotize" jam that they would later do much more completely on October 31, 1971, from dicks picks 2. I was totally not expecting that, and it was a wonderful little Easter egg to stumble upon.

And I am loving this release with the two dark stars. I appreciate that they are the more melodic kind, not the dark murky abyss that some of them become.

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13 years 4 months

In reply to by rasta5ziggy

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Isn't there a hybrid strain named after her? OG Kush?

As we all know, Aunt Bee was known for her purist approach to growing Cannabis in the North Carolina foothills. She had a few acres of weed and a still out back. The Original Gangster of pot growers.. Pouring my first sip of moonshine of the day on the curb in honor of Andy and Aunt B. I wonder how they kept it a secret from Opie (or did they)?

(whistling the theme song as I write this - whew whew wha whe, wha whe wha whe, wha whe wha whe wha whe whe whe)

Edit: If you google Andy Griffith Going Down the Road Feeling Bad youtube has part of this.. it opens with Otis drinking some of aunt bee's cannabis infused moonshine. Classic.. all in black and white, I am not sure they ever did this one in color.. I forget.

Ha, immediately makes me think of that awesome Henry Kaiser song off of the great Those Who Know History are doomed to repeat it album which now that I think of it, needs a spin this WE!
Cool Dead related stuff on there for those not familiar.

Let's see who can get this.

First aired in 1964, again aptly in black and white. The theme song is:

duh duh duh da - snap snap
duh duh duh da - snap snap
duh duh duh da, duh duh duh da, duh duh duh da - snap snap

Just to keep in interesting.. the Dead covered this theme song three times. (this is beginning to sound like a Bolo post). Once in Oregon. My final clue.

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7 years
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Lovin these shows, but did anyone else have issues playing disc 1? My CD player can't seem to read it, but my computer DVD drive can. Probably my cheap Sony CD player but discs 2 & 3 play fine. It came with a couple scratches on disc but I don't think that's the issue.

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3 years
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Jim, it's the Adams Family, great show, used to watch it every Friday Night'. Time to get ready for today's bbq.

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13 years 4 months

In reply to by billy the kiddd

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Right on BTK.. Doing a little BBQ here today myself.

Like the Kevin Bacon game.. but I'd venture to say we can tie almost any topic to the GD in like four degrees of separation. They were just so much more varied, interesting and relevant than Kevin Bacon. Sorry Kev.. still love ya man, but I love Jerry and the boys more.

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12 years
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Didn't know for years, but there are words to the Andy Grif theme,,,, "the fishing hole"

Well now, take down your fishing pole
And meet me at the fishing hole
We may not get a bite all day
But don't you rush away
What a great place to rest your bones
And mighty fine for skipping stones
You'll feel fresh as a lemonade a-setting in the shade
Whether it's hot, whether it's cool
Oh what a spot for whistling like a fool
What a fine day to take a stroll and wind up at the fishing hole
I can't think of a better way to pass the time of day
We'll have no need to call the roll
When we get to the fishing hole
They'll be you, me, and old dog, trey to do the time away
If we don't hook a perch or bass
We'll cool our toes in dewy grass
Or else pull up a weed to chaw
And maybe sit and jaw
Hanging around, taking our ease
Watching that hound a scratching at his fleas
I'm gonna take down my fishing pole
And meet you at the fishing hole
I can't think of a better way
To pass the time of day

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14 years
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"Hypnotize", yes I thought the same thing. I let it pass by 'cause the indica was kicking in. These old ears detected several other song references in this Dark Star. Next listen, I'm taking notes.
The Death Don't was stellar, and I bring that up because Hot Tuna played it, and played it well, last night. So a double dose of an old time fave just this week.
Jorma was in fine form, and I had a brief moment with Jack by the bus. I was nervous, and I called him "Mr. Casady".

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12 years
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Got my copy last monday, no additional taxes and charges. There was a fat sticker on the back side of the package
for about 10,65 EUR on taxes and postage fee but the postman didn't realized that. Good for me.
Sound on these Cds is fine but I'm not a fan from putting fillers on the Cds. Reminds me to the good old taper times
when you put the encore after the first set cause the second set fits on C-90 Tape.
Last Five:
GD- DP43
Neil Young - Toast
Neil Young - Noise & Flowers
Neal Casal - Fade Away Diamond Time
CRB - Burg Herzberg Festival 2019

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12 years
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anyone getting notices on "the vault series" from Experience Vinyl.

It's been put off since April(?),,,, said summer 2022 for a while,,,, just checked says 8/13 now.

anybody, anywhere, any words?

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14 years 11 months
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Hey now everyone, hope you all are enjoying that great release DsP 43. Everything said her so far has been right on, awesome versions of classic Dead tunes.
On another note, Joe Walsh Vetsaid 2022 sells out in half an hour. Who's been watching Joe on Colbert this week? Did a fine Life's Been Good Wednesday and has had on display a different guitar every night. Did anyone recognize the axe he played last night?
Last 5
White Light/White Heat - Velvet Underground
David Bowie - Scary Monsters
James Gang - Rides Again
Barnstorm
Eagles - The Long Run

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