Grateful Dead DP 43

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July 13, 2022 - 8:45am

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Dead Admin

Joined:
April 28, 2021

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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October 19, 2022 - 9:53am

#41

Cousins Of The…

Joined:
September 10, 2009

MSG box

Going through the box one more time; listening to 9/21/82, what really bugs me is that the Charlie Miller on the archive sounds better in general, more crisp; box version almost sounds like some noise reduction was applied. Anyone else??
October 19, 2022 - 7:22am

#42

dmcvt

Joined:
April 4, 2013

Eleven list, MSG UV art, Hornsby Intersections

Always appreciate hints to favorites/bests lists, was on a Viola Lee Blues quest a while back mice elf. Knowing at least one or two of my Dead loving friends would pick up the MSG big box and facing serious media overload/storage conditions, went for the 3CD package, am happy to have just it. Did stream much of the other shows before decision. Also thought the advance promo artwork at announcement was weird, now seeing part of it on the 3CD, also get it. Would suggest if any of y'all have a black light, check it out, those are florescent inks. Full disclosure, I held on to almost all my lighting effects from back in the day, makes me laugh still, thinking of UV posters and painted basement or attic hang outs. Recently picked up yet unheard Bruce Hornsby's Intersections, very nice extended foray into nooks and crannies of his great talent.
October 19, 2022 - 5:15am

#43

JoeyMC

Joined:
July 29, 2022

The Eleven

Thank you for your list.
October 19, 2022 - 1:57am

#44

daverock

Joined:
September 1, 2014

RIP Robert Gordon

Amen, Cousins. "The Humbler" and "The Real Humbler", with Danny Gatton, are two are my favourite rock n' roll albums. Robert Gordon was also a pretty good writer on Southern rock n' roll/blues/soul. Three on my book shelf are "It Came From Memphis", "Respect Your Self-Stax Records and The Soul Explosion" and "I Can't be Satisfied-the Life and Times of Muddy Waters"
Alvar - great post on "The Eleven"-cheers. I always think of "classic rock" as being a bit of a negative description though - an attempt to make rock music socially acceptable. It always seems to be attached to very successful bands at the very point that they have lost their edge. Music your dad would like. Or your kids, come to that. Not a description that fits Eleven era Dead exactly.

Last 5 - none of which are socially acceptable. Hopefully
Nasty Rockabilly Volume 1. Various
Dust On The Nettles cd 3 Various
Live at The Venue, London 4/19/80 The Cramps
Chasin' The Bird cd 1 Charlie Parker
Complete Motown Singles 1966 cd 2 Various ( damn. It's still really good though)
October 18, 2022 - 8:20pm

#45

JimInMD

Joined:
June 27, 2011

Re: VGuy / Phil and Horns

I'd bet a buffalo nickel they play Viola Lee Blues. That song lends itself well to a full brass sound.

So Vegas odds we see a Viola over the weekend.

For what it's worth, the horns player Phil had for the first three nights was fantastic. An Energizer Bunny if I've ever seen one. Karl Denson. Check this guy out, he's the real deal.. funk and jazz, a perfect fit.
October 18, 2022 - 6:46pm

#46

JimInMD

Joined:
June 27, 2011

Re: Alverhonso

I finally got through the whole MSG box and gave a few shows a second listen. I enjoyed it and am glad I have it but it's just not the strongest box set they've ever put out. I think deadtony had one of the better one liners on the MSG thread, suffice for a review.. "Love me some dirty 80s." Pretty much sums it up.

I would consider getting the stand alone show (3/9/81) if the cost of the box and space issues are driving your decision. It's probably the strongest performance of the bunch and I think it sounds the best of what is in the box. Down and dirty Grateful Dead, Cliffs notes edition. You would be missing the pretty tripped out wild colored box art, but... that's all flare and flash, albiet trippy flare and flash.

Just something to consider.

Back to whatever it was you were doing or listening to, screwing up or making just exactly perfect.
October 18, 2022 - 6:28pm

#47

alvarhanso

Joined:
January 16, 2014

Re: Elevens Journey and Umphrey's

On UM, I've seen them about a dozen times over the last 20 years, mainly when they've been on a co-bill. They are incredibly proficient musicians, they kill killer covers, and take adventurous chances improvisationally. However, I don't really gel with them, never have. Too much prog in the jam for my tastes. Phish has prog out the wazoo, but they incoporate so much more groove.

Which brings me back to that Eleven search. That song is more like classical rock, since it's years before people thought of labeling prog as such, and Phil was classically trained along with that avant garde training. There's the weird waltzing rhythm, the dynamic ebbs and flows, and Jerry ripping a composed piece with increasing ferocity, all while Phil goes from rapid-fire eighth notes to huge counterpoint chords, and Mickey has the time of his life. A request had been made for where that list stood, a nice weekend up to Quebec put off an answer til now, but it also gave me a chance to relisten to a couple, which changed things a bit:
1 2/28/69 mainly ahead of the pack for the few minutes of Phil and Jerry bobbing and weaving around each other, for some of it by themselves very quietly, and this one is nearly flawless.
2 1/2/70 DaP 30 this one surprised me, did not recall it being this good. Of course, this is an A++ Dark Star sequence at that show anyway, but this is a really hot Eleven.
3 3/2/69 going into it, thought this would be easily the best based on previous listens where I was blown away, mainly by Phil's ability to improvise in 11 the way he does in this one that he doesn't do the rest of the Fillmore West run. Yet I still liked the FE one from 10 months later slightly better.
4 3/1/69 being the third best version of the Eleven out of four in four nights isn't that bad. Still well executed and a rousing version. I've long felt this show's wad was shot with That's It For The Other One opening, but it's still great primal Dead.
5 12/11/69 DaP Bonus Disc 2014 very nice, tight version that goes ridiculously into an early Cumberland Blues.
6 11/8/69 DiP 16 this show was just ridiculous, especially that dream continuous second set.
7 2/27/69 the Dark Star is on Live/Dead, but they skipped this Eleven because it's shaky from a few guys at a couple different spots. Phil is all over it, and the jam is great because Jerry gets over his initial stumbles and makes up for it with some fiery work. But since my goal was a really great version that is also nailed, I knocked it down a bit. Which leads to my last eighth note on The Eleven
8 11/2/69 DaP 43 the big thing that throws me on this one is the drum break by Mickey and re-entry bomb by Phil being uncharacteristically off. Some others aren't so smooth either, this one maybe was the most awkward. It's a small thing, but this guy is definitely going to be more impressed by one where they nail that bomb like the Fillmore West Run where they played it each night, and had it DOWN. But I do love this last Dave's Picks Dark Star sequence. The Dark Star, St Stephen are A+, The Eleven an A-, but that oh so deft segue into Death Don't Have No Mercy, maybe the best one I've heard (happy for suggestions to knock it from that personal perch), is just fantastic.

Sorry for the lengthy diversion. Dave's 44 looks promising. MSG not sounding so promising. If it's around in six months, I'll probably bite the bullet then. Dave's 2023 subs are right around the corner, that's the best hundred bucks I spend every year.

ETA: I unfortunately had to limit my choices to what I had on USB drives in my car, just moved a couple weeks ago, and the computer is still in a box, so the Download Series and other versions from 1968-69 weren't readily available. Dick's Picks 26 has 2 versions! I will need to set up that very computer for the creation of the disc, so may give them a spin whenever I get around to that :)
October 18, 2022 - 1:12pm

#48

Cousins Of The…

Joined:
September 10, 2009

RIP Robert Gordon

Great rock and roll singer, always with a killer band(L!nk Wray, Chris Spedding, Danny Gatton)

Had to add "!" in Mr. Wray's first name...Dead.net barked.

Last 5:

Robert Gordon Are You Gonna' Be the One
Weyes Blood Titanic Rising
Beach Boys Live 1968 (8 soundboards in 1 box set)
GD 3-10-81 (Bob MIA in the mix - almost sounds like JGB at times)
Cactus Blossoms One Day
October 18, 2022 - 7:21am

#49

Vguy72

Joined:
June 29, 2007

Phil Lesh & Friends next weekend....

....will be joined by the horn section of the Trey Anastasio Band. Very cool.
October 18, 2022 - 3:39am

#50

PeteH

Joined:
July 18, 2008

Umphreys

Hey Vguy this is a band you want to see. They rock! I've seen them about 30 times and am never disappointed. They are a true jam band with most songs in the 12 to 20 minute range. Their collaborative and improvisational skills are awesome. Very talented. I've seen many many shows/bands over the years and they rank right up there with the Dead in how much fun and enjoyment I've had at their shows.

John Perry Barlow

John Perry Barlow

Forums

Dead Store Products

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.

At Last

At Last. And not the wonderful song by Etta James. DaP 43 #7262 reporting for duty, picked it up late yesterday. Will spin it today or tomorrow, couldn’t last night as Emmylou Harris was in town. The woman still has one of the most remarkable voices around, and it’s great to hear her and her band (without a drummer, who contracted Covid) play their way through folk, country, bluegrass, spiritual, and everything in between. Highly HIGHLY recommended if she makes it your way. Jayhawks as an opener were pretty decent, too. Next up, solo Bruce Hornsby.

VGuy - That’s a nice pic of you and your granddaughter! The lei is appropriate, as they symbolize love, respect, and devotion!

Last 5:
Miles Davis - Rubberband
Joni Mitchell- Archives Vol 2 Disc 5 (BBC Recording)
Babatunde Olatunji - Drums of Passion
Mickey Hart - At The Edge
Neil Young - Noise & Flowers

Music to do chores by

Doing a bunch of stuff around the house

Led Zeppelin DVD from 1970 royal albert hall at full volume

Very nice indeed

A short while later...

Miles Davis bitches brew

and side 4 of Husker Du zen arcade

Now disc 4 of Acid Test collection

Poe faced

I'll check those covers out, Vguy. Meghan has a great sound when she plays slide. When I saw them, about 5 years ago, it was in a new club, buried deep within the monstrous 02 complex in London. The crowd was a mixture of young people and ancients like me. Before they played "Preaching Blues" Rebecca told the crowd about Son House - who he was and what he meant. Then she said.. " so lets hear it for Son House!".. and everyone cheered. Wonder what he would have thought if he could have seen this when he first recorded the song back in 1930 ! Wise words...lets hear it for Son House!

When I first heard the name Son House

my kid brain heard Sunhouse

Been listening also to
Blind Lemon Jefferson
Charley Patton
Robert Johnson

For good or ill I am in an "anything but GD" phase. Hopefully not for long.

I gotta stretch out my musical boundaries from time to time, but to me nothing is better than GD groovin'

Stretching musical boundaries....

....I have a habit of when I find a new artist (at least to me), that snags my attention from the get-go, everything else takes the back seat.
Larkin Poe is my latest habit. These girls bring the goods.
Went through their entire catalog already. Need more please and thank you.

Vguy, My Morning Jacket

Got this one tonight. Not too familiar with them, so it will be a learning experience.
Tomorrow is Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. She will bring me to tears, I predict.

MMJ bigbrownie....

....their Waterfalls releases are on point. Working my way backwards through their catalog, which is odd for me.
Enjoy your learning experience.
Music is the best. Especially live. Covid almost killed me in a roundabout way.

Rabbit Holes

I fell into one, too.
Goose.

I dunno, they jam.
And they can sing.
Handini, surrounds himself with keys, a la Page, with a Strat on his back.
And a massive collab is forthcoming with Trey in the fall.
You'll find me there.

Be Well people!
Sixtus

Elvis

Had my normal computer catch something over the last couple of days...so trying another option.

Remember 45 years ago like yesterday. Man, Elvis was just so huge to my early development.

Got to see him twice in 1975, he did 5 shows in 3 days. He also changed up setlists. And man being in the balcony stage right, could see that long limousine pull in from the loading dock garage door and poof he was gone while his band raged on. His band was incredible too.

Weird Elvis was so secure, while just a few years later I met David Lee Roth for a minute, he was nice, but he was Dave. He was walking from the same hotel Elvis stayed in to the same arena. David Lee Roth walked the quarter of a mile while Elvis took the limousine. It was Fat Elvis but it was great Elvis also.

ThatMike: I know I owe you a PM will try to get to that, and Simon Rob know I owe you also. Hope to be in touch soon. Some great conversation!

I'm Still Dizzy...

...we did eventually get off the subway and met the 2 brothers at the bar near our Hotel which at the time was called Sheraton City Center, not sure what it is today. The 4 of us, 2 NYC brothers, and 2redneck brothers from hell, sat and drank and told stories until lat, I mean close to the sun coming up. My brother and I also went to 2 nights later at the Blue Note, and it was a great show, but paled in comparison to the first night. He did 2 shows a night Friday Saturday Sunday. We saw the early show Sunday, the grooves were more mellow, like the band couldnt do 6 shows in 3 days and all of them be on fire. Dizzy's setlist were also different the 2 nights.

OK nuff said, hope all well.

8/16/81 An Evening with the Grateful Dead an LSD

41 years ago today, that is what was written on the marquee in front of McArthur Court in Eugene, Oregon as we pulled in about 7am. The Deads equipment guys were out front unloading a truck and they were pointing up and laughing at the sign. The LSD part was removed from the sign about two hours later. We hitchhiked down from Portland, where we had seen the Dead the night before put on a knockout of a show, partied extremely heavy down by the Willamette River. Ken Kesey and his friends showed up with the Thunder Machine at The Eugene show and they had some strobe lights flashing. A huge fireworks display was put on after the show in the graveyard across the street from McArthur Court. Spent all night out on Interstate #5 trying to get a ride back to the Bay Area, we finally got a ride about 10am the next day from a family that looked like they were out of a Stienbeck novel. I bought us all a bunch of wine and we camped down by Mt. Shasta and had a blast of an evening with these wonderful people. We finally made it back to the Good Ole Bay Area, but it was an absolutely crazy fun trip that I will never forget.

The Trey Anastasio Band and Goose....

....are melding their tours. Neat!

Great Pic

Great Pic Senator.

Elvis

Gary - that must have been fantastic, to see him live.

I Second That Emotion

Agreed - It would have been cool to see an icon like Elvis, even if it was Vegas Elvis. The same for seeing the likes of Joplin, Hendrix, Jones, or Morrison, and for that matter, Pigpen, and a personal favourite, Gram Parsons. All gone way too soon.

My mom saw Elvis a couple of times here in Vegas....

....I remember walking in the house the day he died. She was devastated. Flash forward to 8.9.95. I was my mom.
Hey bigbrownie! How was MMJ? My cousin is a huge fan.
Edit. Checking out Son House now. Never heard of him prior to Larkin Poe. Now I have. The rabbit hole branched out. Thanks ladies!

My Morning Jacket in Santa Barbara

A new experience for me. I can't even name one song they did, but I really liked this show. They did 23 songs and played 2 1/2 hours non-stop. Nice people in the crowd, very friendly vibe, perfect weather and good local brew
(Topa Topa Big Chief IPA). If Pink Floyd and the Foo Fighters had a baby, it would be My Morning Jacket. This is a great tour!

More on Son House

"If the blues was an ocean to be distilled to a lake and a pond and ultimately smaller and smaller until eventually it becomes a drop of water on your fingertips, then that is Son House....Son House was like a force of nature."
Thus spoke Dick Waterman, who was his manager. So possibly biased. But it fits. That's a quote from the sleeve notes of a great live cd recorded at the 100 Club in 1970, " Delta Blues and Spirituals" featuring Al Wilson on harmonica. Now there's a gig I would like to have seen.

Son House/ Death Letter Blues

What a tremendous talent he was. There is a great video on you tube, of Mike Bloomfield talking about Son House. Jerry Garcia did a version of the Son House tune "Death Lettter Blues" on Oct. 30 1968 with Mickey Hart and the Heartbeats.

Something new

Listening to 8 27 81 in car
Encore of dont ease me in
Halfway through a loud change to the sound of old tvs when static was on
No expecting of this phenomenon

PFFFFFFFFFF SHHHHHSSSSHHHHSPFFF!!!!!!

went on for rest of the track

Sheesh

Floyd & Foo....

....that's what I gathered as well, with a sprinkling of Alabama. Kinda hard to pigeonhole them to be honest. Massive sound shift in the 2010's. They mix up their setlists too, which is a HUGE PLUS in my book. Looking forward to them.. I already have a handful of songs I want them to play lol.

MMJ

Only thing I would know for sure by My Morning Jacket is the song Off the Record, which is a serious earworm, for me at least. I may have to acquire some of their stuff based on the positive reviews here.

MMJ

Great band.

Had to give up tickets the only time I had a chance to see them because of a fundraiser. On my short list of bands to see live.

Use your Google machine to check out their cover of Oh Sweet Nuthin. Outstanding. I actually prefer if over the Black Crowes stellar version.

Google machine....

....🤣.
One thing I will say. And I've probably said it before, but it deserves to be reiterated.
This little corner of the vastness that is the internet, heals me. Y'all are awesome. I've met some of you in person and loved every minute if it. I will meet more of you down the road God willing. Down that Lazy River Road. Take care fam and play dead.

1968 box set

It's time for a 1968 box set, now that they have these Owsley banana boxes. I would like to include 10/12/68 in that box set. All the 1968 shows that have been released have all been killers, 2/14/68. The Shrine 1968 shows, the Tahoe 1968 shows, the Greek 1968 show. Let's have it Dave, please.

DaP 43

Is it a crime to listen to this every day? I'm still getting in some assorted '73 and '78, and I did put on 5/13 & 10/17 1972 yesterday....

I would buy a 1968 box set quicker than you can say Bear. I listen to10/12 from time to time (which already sounds pretty good on SBD). I should peruse the set lists. If they did a 1968 box set, how many shows do you think they would think is a reasonable number? They haven't had a Dave's Pick '68 yet. I would think a 1968 double show release for the 1st pick of 2023 would be a good fish to reel in subscriptions.

I didn't question it at the time, but is there an explanation for why they released a 1967 show instead of '68 as the bonus material for Anthem of the Sun 50th? Not that I don't enjoy the 10/22/67 one-disc special (with alternate Other One lyrics). Just wondering.

MMJ Live

I only saw Jim James & MMJ live one time, but it was part of a festival package, which is really a “Performer Factory” where bands are trotted out for their short set before the next one, so my impression was somewhat tainted. I’ll have to revisit them.

And BTK for the win

A 68 box would include a pair of asbestos gloves due to the heat).

(Idea borrowed from Golden Road)

MMJ

Saw them at Lockn in '16.

WOW

I think maybe he was on his "distortion" tour, maybe?

Show had one of the greatest musical moments for me. One of those moments that leave you shell shocked by how great it was.

They played this song "steam engine",,,, LOUD,,,, pass LOUD. A solid wave of distortion, a shear cloud of white, but at the center, sharp and clear was Jim playing the lead. Just when it couldn't get louder or more distorted, bang. Crystal clear, perfectly focused, a single piano and the song comes out,,,, What the World Needs Now........

Tears running down my face!

Jim & Tom

JIm (MMJ) and Tom from Rage Against, torn the living shit out of the ballad of tom joad at the Springsteen tribute!!

Another 50 Year Band

Now I know why I bought the old album Renaissance Scheherazade last month. I remembered I had a tape of it which has long been recorded over so I gave it a try. It was new in '75 when I recorded it from a roommate's album and discovering progressive rock. Annie Haslam! The woman has the voice of an angel and a FIVE octave range. This one was recorded at Apple studios and at what I would expect was a considerable expense having the London Symphony Orchestra doing the orchestrated cuts. Only a couple of the songs had much airplay but are memorable none the less. A masterwork of prog-rock, a sort of It's A Beautiful Day or Moody Blues with a lady singer sound. Dated now but an enjoyable mellow buzz in a busy world. But I digress.
Now back to your regularly scheduled Cumberland.
Cheers

Anthem Bonus

Keithfan - looking at the recording details of Anthem, it looks as though they recorded the studio parts of the album between September and December 1967. Of the live concerts used, two look as though the were from 1967 too, at The Shrine in November although most of the live music seems to have come form 2/14/68.
Which could explain why they felt it was appropriate to include a 67 show as a bonus.
But they do seem a bit random, these bonus discs. The 1966 shows with the First album and those two 1971 shows with the 1970 studio albums don't seem to have much to do with main releases to me - although they are all worth having in their own right.

Keith

At the time of the DaP43 reveal, which was virtually simultaneous with the MSG box set announcement, I mentioned that I would be willing to pay the same price for DaP43 as the box set. That was before I ever heard it. Now, I would be willing to pay double. So no, it’s not wrong to listen to it every day. I do.

Fortunately, my CDs download to a hard drive in my car. As it turns out DaP43 and the DaP5 are adjacent, so I can easily toggle between the two releases. I consider those two DaP releases to be in the same league as FW69 and E72. Sure, a lot of the other stuff is great and I listen to it quite often. But, they are vastly superior to everything else.

Re: Son House...

Hi everybody...I'm starting to feel normal again so I thought I'd post on Son House...I have previously mentioned the documentary "Two Trains Running"...it's about two different groups of college kids, one from Cambridge the other from the Bay area who went looking for Son House & Skip James in 1964...this coincided with the Freedom Riders who went into the deep South to help register Southern Blacks to vote...the guys from the Bay area included John Fahey & Henry Vestine (the original Canned Heat guitarist, the Sunflower)...after numerous false leads the Cambridge guys found Skip James in the hospital...after he recovered they had him brought up north to attend the Newport Folk Festival...if I remember right Son House was finally found living in upstate New York and hadn't touched his guitar in decades...Alan Wilson (future Canned Heat member) was enlisted to reteach Son House his songs...a great documentary...I watched it on Amazon Prime...I think it was $3.99 to watch, well worth it...

John Fahey/ Nappy

I saw John Fahey play in 1985 at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley, a super small place on San Pablo Ave, He put on a fantastic show, after the show we walked up the street to Everette & Jones BBQ for some fantastic bbq at 2am, fun times! Nappy, glad your feeling better, that sounds like an interesting show about Son House

Nappy back on the prowl....

....good to hear from you man.
I'm currently in Taos visiting more family. Taos is a home away from home. Visited here every other year when growing up. My moms family is pretty much grandfathered in here.
Magical place with a vibe that is hard to explain. But northern New Mexico is like that. At least to me.

Eric burdon and the animals

I saw Eric burdon, Ronnie Earl, and other blues bands play Bowditch field in Framingham, MA. In 2003. Mohegan sun promoted it. Erics' voice sounded just as bad ass as it sounded in the 60s, and 70s. He was real cool, talking to the audience after the show. I wonder if sixtus was there, too.

I know this is wrong, but

I'm already thinking of next year's anniversary-type release(s)(?)...

I had the good fortune to catch my first show, 19 Sept 1972, after endless listening to WD, AB and Skullf**k, but it was summer '73 that we really piled on. In May it was the ABB at MSG. In June the ABB and GD at RFK (caught 6-9, had to miss 6-10 because ... I was 15!), then on to Watkins Glen for two big daze, Roosevelt Stadium with GD and The Band for two big nights, then Nassau Coliseum in September (DaP 38). May not sound like much, but it did the job.

I read that long ago, they had mixed and selected tracks from the GD and ABB covering RFK and Watkins, but the weasels got in the way of the music release. I'd hope for a WotF 50th with the Watkins Glen soundcheck, AND a summer '73 box. Sure would be great if they managed a package with ABB and The Band.

It's only August 2022 and I don't want time to fly -- EXCEPT with vault releases.... (and this year's box ain't even out yet.

Shout-out to Nappyrags bein' back in action. And Vguy in Taos -- can they handle the Fist-Bumper-in-Chief??

Holy Scalpers, Batman!

I was skulking around the T-Master site for possible Pearl Jam tix for an upcoming show (and long after they went on general sale), and some of the prices are pure science fiction, especially for where the seats are! I know everything has gone way up, and Springsteen has been getting flack for his pricing through T-Master that is supposed to muscle out the scalpers, but what’s the difference to the fan that just wants to see a band. You pay some dude in the alley, or you pay T-Master, they are both ripping you off. Not going Karl Marx here, just an observation that major sports and concerts are becoming the domain of the truly wealthy now. As a youngen, like virtually everyone here on this site, I saw so many concerts and sporting events for pocket money. How teens or young peeps afford to see their Lady Gaga or The Weeknd shows baffles me.

VGuy, New Mexico sounds special. I love art, and when I hear Taos or NM, I automatically think of their renowned art community, and of Georgia O’Keeffe, whose not a personal favourite, but she was a pretty interesting character, and free spirit when that still meant something. Enjoy, and everyone enjoy the weekend.

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.

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.”

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.

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 / 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.

Concert expensiveness

Phuhq dat

Phuhq DAT

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).

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.

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.

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...

Green Sauce

VGUY, Salivating at the thought of green chile from anywhere in NM.
Never had a bad one in any town.
Personal best the little diner on the center of the plaza in Santa Fe.
The one with the backsplash behind the counter stools made of broken dishes.
So many styles available too from almost clear to totally green, it's pork for me.
Yum. Cheers
And Estimated, I'm with you on that soap box. Priorities!

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