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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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  • Vguy72
    Joined:
    Mister Mickey Hart brings it....

    ....always has. It's on Spotify and I'm digging it. Tiding me over, which brings me to my next point....
    I haven't gotten it yet either Mr. Ones. All good things in all good times. We're both are looking forward and it seems we're in the same boat. Our friends here seem to approve of it. Good enough for us!

  • Mr. Ones
    Joined:
    Dave’s 43

    Hey, has anyone got this one yet?? I’m super excited to hear it!!
    You know, I’m usually one of the last to get these, even later than some of our Euro friends, but damn, I’m really starting to wonder how much longer. I know, I preach patience, and I’ve been patient, but Damn!!

    Music is the Best, even when you have to wait for it!!

  • That Mike
    Joined:
    MacOro & All That Jazz

    MacOro - First off, a great tutorial on speaker placement and room alignment. Excellent, and I kept a copy of it. I’ve said it before: You know you’re stuff!
    Next, the jazz - great news you loved it! Welcome aboard. It gets under your skin, and before you know it, you are chasing those hard to get Blue Note classics from the 50s, or checking out European jazz on the ECM label. This all circles back to the Dead - their open minded ethos is a big reason I got into jazz.

    Unrelated, but for those who cannot get enough Dead literature or Europe 72, I see author Howard Weiner, who writes frequently on the Dead, and has published a couple of lightweight (IMHO) but ok books on them, has a new one out - Europe 72 Revisited.

    About seven sleeps until I see Emmylou.

    I received the new live Neil Young CD and the new Mickey Hart on Friday, still untouched, that kind of weekend. But on deck, for sure!

  • Oroborous
    Joined:
    Planet Drum

    Oh, speaking of ridiculously sounding new recordings: Mickeys latest with Planet Drum In The Groove is a hi fi wet dream! As per youssh, our illustrious Mr Hart has provided superior aural magic and kinda in your face grooves. In a good way, as compared to say the more new age stuff (some of my fav!) I was hitting over 100db without breaking a sweat. Started freaking myself out, I could have gone louder but I was afraid I’d piss my neighbor off lol.
    This phenomena has never been experienced before. Usually my room modes make things too much for clean, intelligible volume at more than 95 DB or so. You can say what you like about Micks role in the Dead etc, but that mofo knows how to produce audio nirvana! Kudos to you good Sir!

  • Oroborous
    Joined:
    Stereos & Bear

    Yeah Charlie I don’t get it either, maybe that’s why I’m a geek!
    I think it’s just generational/cultural. The lure of convenience and suddenly being able to take huge collections anywhere (relative to the time) at a time when radio could be argued had completely been ravaged by greed/commerce. So I think at first people noticed the aural differences but for the majority it was a trade off worth taking, for the previously unimagined convenience, and then add to that what a “trend” this was and well…
    But the problem to me was when it got even more convenient I.e., phones, and another generation came along that only ever knew this new, but horrible aural spectrum and it’s like any of the other fine things in life. If your not given proper exposure, you might not get it? I probably wouldn’t know a expensive wine from a just good one because that’s not my thing: I haven’t been exposed. As you mention Charlie, when given the opportunity to experience the music they already know well, but on even a modest step up in quality, they could appreciate it.
    I guess it’s that too: quantity versus quality. Like BITD I bet most folks had decent, but modest collections by todays standards (I’m looking at you Dennis ; ) but we KNEW, we KNEW the music we did have! How many of us now have so many shows we have only heard many once, and gulp, some never (I’m still working my way through Boxilla)
    I with you, from an early age I wanted a stereo. I worked so hard landscaping in the summer and snow blowing in the winter for all the older folks in the hood when I was young just so I could feed that Jones!
    Even as I got older, I didn’t even have a car, but I always had a good stereo and musical equipment!
    No mater how poor, best gear I could wrangle, cus good gear will get ya through times of no money better than lots of things!

    JIM/DaP 43: only once through, so not ready to “review”, but I can’t help but add to your insight with, holy pha king sheet what a amazing recording!! (Gets the Eddie Van Halen unusual dbl exclamation) When you consider he was first and foremost probably tripping hard much of the time (yas yas tolerance build up, but still) and mixing the band live when equipment sucked and often the venues etc, it’s damn near spiritual how fucking good these Bear recordings are, “please sir, may I have some more”?
    Yasss, amigo, what is in those boxes!!

  • JimInMD
    Joined:
    Good Vibes, Good Music

    Great vibes on this thread lately folks.. many thanks to all.

    I'm just starting my second listen to 43 as I write this. Man.. this one is special. Great performances, great sound and although these shows did widely circulate, this one has a rarity aspect to it.. It might not be as out there as 11/8/69 but I really rank it right up, in fact I think it's better.

    Also, I think there is something to the sealed Banana boxes.. how many were there? Like I wrote after my first listen.. This has a Bears Choice feeling. Also, Bears Choice was called "History of the Grateful Dead, Volume One (Bear's Choice)."

    Volume 1 of 1???

    To those that rename these (thinking of you KeithFan), Bear's Choice Volume 2 rolls right off the tongue. So my question is... how many freaking Banana Boxes are there Lemieux? We need to start a new Bear's Choice series. Brought to you by the person who coined the phrase Boxzilla.. it's better marketing for these highly special, ancient Bear recordings left to age like fine wine in Banana Boxes.

    That's all I've got.. back the previously scheduled technical workshop on Wall of Sound, home version.

  • Charlie3
    Joined:
    Equilateral Triangles and Collections

    Oro, nice write up, my equilateral triangle is set up just about perfect according to your guidelines, which were also the same as the guidelines provided by the speaker company. Even have the first reflection point situation covered pretty good, and I can verify that the sound changed in my living room after we got a large area rug a few months ago in front of the speakers where the area was previously just bare laminate floor.

    Dennis, I was thinking similar thoughts about my kids and nephews, ranging in age from late teens to young adult, and their lack of any music collection outside of whatever they stream. Seems like it is more and more common that people don't have any actual collection beyond access to a streaming service or satellite radio. And honestly, streaming seems more limited to me than the radio. When you listen to the radio, the radio plays whatever is on the playlist and it may have nothing to do with your likes and dislikes, so you get exposed to new stuff you might not seek out on your own. With streaming, it seems like it is set up to select songs that are similar to songs the algorithm knows that you like, so it seems like you would get a narrower slice of available music, and would decrease the chance of some serendipitous discovery of something new and different. Also, none of my kids or nephews seem to give much thought to what they are listening on, which often seems to be a phone or earbuds hooked to a phone. I finally got my kids each a small bluetooth speaker to connect to the phone and they agreed that it sounds better than the phone alone, but I doubt they would have picked it up on their own. Just seems odd to me as I started jonesing hard for a stereo system in like 6th grade when I first started buying records and collecting music.

  • Oroborous
    Joined:
    MIKE/JAZZ

    In a Word: AWESOME! Obviously some things resonate more than others. I’ve been meaning to, but just don’t have much time lately. But I’ll try and give ya tge quick and dirty…

    Keith Jarrett - Koln Concert: Nice surprise, perfect mellow piano vibe. Other one approved!

    Hank Mobley - Soul Station: Awesome! OO approved!

    Night Train - Oscar Peterson Trio: Awesome. OO approved.

    Christian McBride (& Inside Straight) - Live at Village Vanguard: holy crap Batman, this one’s been the one, the biggest surprise and perhaps fav (so far lol). Warrren Wolf is da man! Good vibes, both literally and figuratively lol.

    Wyton Kelly Trio w/Wes Montgomery- Smokin at the Halfnote- indeed, the name says it all. Complements what I already had by WM nicely.

    Tito Puente - King of Kings: always felt I should have some Tito and this one shows up on a lot of those “lists”. Good stuff, great fir FAC vib. Niche stuff might not get played a ton, but when the situation calls for it, iiieeeeeeEEE!

    Pharaoh Sanders - Karma: haven’t got to this one yet. Think it might be too out for the OO, so need to find right alone time?

    SUN RA - Easy Listening for Intergalactic Travel: same as above ?

    MONKS DREAM: seen on many lists like the above so figured it would round out what I have. Need more time with this one but think I was surprised that it wasn’t too boppy? I used to listen to mostly bop and fusion but over the years I have to be in the mood. Mostly because that music is so demanding and takes real listening which unfortunately is getting harder for me to do.

    I didn’t listen to much mellow stuff, but now it’s my preferred, what I call “heroin Jazz” my best example of this is probably soundtrack to the cool film Round Midnight starring the great Dexter Gordon! Bill Evans too, pull a few tubes, and this music just eliminates all my stress!

    MINGUS AT CARNEGIE HALL: great album but I probably won’t spin it as much (see above about bop) but magnificent playing none the less. The Seattle Live Train that I got last winter same thing: awesome, but perhaps not for everyday normal spins?

    GRANT GREEN - IDLE MOMENTS: another cool surprise. I don’t think I was aware of Mr Green, and thought he was a pianist lol, but what a smooth player and a great album. Think this one will get lots of spins especially since it’s OO approved lol. In fact, she dug all except a couple of the hardest things.

    Oh, and last but not certainly least, GETZ/GILBERTO: another holy crap situation! Only heard once so far but wow wow as Jim would say. Pairs nicely with Melody Gardot - The Absence, and My One and Only. Funny, my music servers maker loaded some hi res albums on my machine when he built it, or he’ll add some stuff when it’s getting fixed etc, and so it’s been on there for years but I never checked it out until this winter, yet another cool surprise, cool mood music!
    I got there because I discovered Nora Jones, (more I had but did not know) this past year and man, I need more! Any suggestions? (We have Day Breaks, Feels Like Home, and FAC fav so far: Come Away With Me) Need More!
    She also in turn got me at least listening to Diana Krall. The Other One has had several for years but I blocked it until recently. I’m still trying to figure her out? Not bad, but I’m not sure I see “it”? Well we have like seven of her albums so I guess eventually I’ll figure it out lol.

    Oh, and whomever suggested GEORGE WINSTON - Linus & Lucy, thanks for the reminder! Got that as a gift years ago, another nice mellow good vibe album, of course then there’s David Benoit - It’s a DB Christmas, and tge real deal and one that you might think is “just” a Xmass album, but man what playing and vibe (heroin Jazz) from Vince Guaraldi Trio on the original peanuts influenced material! Speaking of holiday Jazz, check out Jazz to the World from 1995 with various artists!

    So many of the choices provided by all you knowledgeable nice folks had me salivating, but alas many currently not available or too pricey used, so I’ll keep my eyes open. And hey, with what we did get we’ll be busy for awhile. Throw in the once through and supremely excellent DaP 43, and next up Mickeys new Planet Drum outing: In The Groove and I’d say Im good to go lol. Well…; )

    Thanks again too all y’all for the great suggestions and for just being you!

  • Vguy72
    Joined:
    Went to a reggae fest last night....

    ....Tribal Seeds, SOJA and Dirty Heads. Forty bucks for five hours of solid entertainment. Great crowd.👌
    Check out Rage and Vacation by Dirty Heads. Catchy af. They also do a solid cover of Life's Been Good.

  • daverock
    Joined:
    Dicks 4 and 8

    Both Dicks 4 and Dicks 8, Binghampton 5/2/70 were indeed cause for celebration. I used to visit a friend at that time, and he had 100s of tapes - so we had copies of these 3 shows already. But to have them on an officially released cd was amazing. They are still my favourite Dicks Picks.

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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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In reply to by 1stshow70878

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....hit the nail on the pervebial head. Yes. You have posted that before, and you are not wrong.
Drove past Kit Carson Park just now. Stage is up. And the weather is just exactly perfect. Looking good. Tie-dyes are starting to appear and the pretty ladies (that's for you Hendrixfreak) 😉
Gates open at 5. I imagine there is a tight noise ordinance and curfew time. The park is smack dab in the middle of residences. Visited the park several times as a kid. The fact they have concerts here now is cool af. Legal state to boot. Yee-haw.

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Yup, I've seen Robben Ford with a number of different bands, also at places like Yoshi's and the Concord Pavilion. Always great.

Only seen him that one time with the Charles Ford Band. Mark really could wail on that harp as you said, and his other brother Pat on drums seemed like the rock of the band. Have several of their albums, mostly live shows. They cooked, and Robben sure is a captivating guitarist. He played jazz with Miles Davis and on some of Joni Mitchell's old stuff, but I thought his heart was really mostly in the blues.

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In reply to by Vguy72

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Nothing but nothing beats a great concert at an outdoor venue with decent sound on a warm summer evening! Sheer magic. And yes, the women…. VGuy, soak it all in.

Estimated Eyes - I too agree, and as my daughter in law works as a nurse, I would throw health care professionals in that same group you described. We certainly do have our priorities skewed. Good post!

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Robben Ford also played with George Harrison, Phil Lesh, and of course my favorite, the great Charlie Musslewhite .

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In reply to by That Mike

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Once again HF: couldn’t have said it better, great post!
Im with PT and Estimated Eyes too. Teachers, Health Care etc, all the actual important jobs make relative shite!

Have Fun Vguy!

Glad to see Nappy up and around!

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In reply to by Oroborous

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I saw Robben a bunch in the early 70's, usually backing up Jimmy Witherspoon at the Ash Grove...earlier this week was the 53rd anniversary of seeing Blind Faith, Free & Delaney, Bonnie & Friends at The Forum which of course was a whole $5.50 a ticket...of course minimum wage then was $1.65 an hour...

A new sourced sbd popped up this week over at lossless legs, from the Boston Tea Party...

Grateful Dead
Monday, December 29, 1969
The Boston Tea Party
Boston, MA

Source: Previously uncirculated SBD Vault Reel > Cassette > DAT source from Anon

Speed/pitch adjusted by Jason Chastain
Mastering by Jim Blackwood, Jamie Waddell, and Steve Gravel
Track, FLAC, and pack by Steve Gravel

Originally aired on Dead Legs - Program #20 (date 2022-03-13) - "
Originally shared in August 2022

16 Bit 44.1 kHz FLAC Level 8

Set 1
01 - Cold Rain and Snow (fades in)
02 - Mama Tried (cuts in)
03 - tuning
04 - Black Peter
05 - Easy Wind
06 - Me and My Uncle >
07 - China Cat Sunflower >
08 - I Know You Rider >
09 - High Time
10 - Hard to Handle
11 - Mason's Children

Set 2
12 - Cumberland Blues (cuts in)
13 - Casey Jones
14 - Good Lovin' >
15 - Drums >
16 - Jam >
17 - Good Lovin'
18 - Dancin' in the Streets
19 - Dire Wolf
20 - Saint Stephen >
21 - Not Fade Away

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In reply to by nappyrags

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....go see them if you can.
Very impressive 👏. The way they used their lights to take advantage of the surrounding trees was awesome.

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39 years ago today, I was at the the Frost Ampitheatre along with other cool people who post here on the forum, for a great time with the Good Ole Grateful Dead. I guess they won't be releasing any shows from the Frost or Greek any time soon , since they released this box set from Madison Square Garden..

I look back at the west coast shows 35-40 years ago with fond memories and envy ... what a blast we had all those years ago. Regarding the music, I am SURE they could get a Greek Theater release out of those particular years!! We'll just have to wait a bit longer, I suppose. Meanwhile, we're coming up on the 40 year anniversary of the US Festival show!! "Breakfast in Bed with the Grateful Dead"! Now THAT was fun, if not just a little strange!

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Topchinacat, I didn't make it to see the Dead at the U.S. Festival. but I've listened to the tape and they play a great show. We went an saw the Dead on 8/28/82 at the Oregon County Fairgrounds, about 1 week before the U.S. Festival. When we were driving down to Ventura in July to see the Dead, Steve Wozniak drove by us, I'lll bet he was going down to start setting up the U.S. Festival.

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Is someone suggesting that I actually enjoy interacting with the beautiful women who attend those giant music parties we call "concerts"? (For those of you who enjoy technical language, it's called "chasing tail.")

I'm shocked, I tell you. SHOCKED!

I don't know where anyone -- particularly someone who will not be named (Pssst! It's Vguy...) -- got that idea.

I don't believe that for one minute. Although it's true...

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In reply to by nappyrags

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Last night at The Greek in Berkeley David Hidalgo played Jerry's Alligator Strat AND wore a Black Tee to boot...Susan also played it during the TTB set...great sound on the stream...listened on my headphones as the Mrs. watched The Dodgers pummel the Marlins....

I remember the show well...Winwood & Clapton tearing it up on guitar for "Had To Cry Today" and of course "In The Presence Of The Lord"...Winwood held his own just as he would do later in 2009 on their tour...also for the BF show in '69 I went with a bunch of folk who hadn't dosed yet...we chganged that and it was a very interesting ride home

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In reply to by nappyrags

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Ha, every time I think of HF that JoannJett song starts playing in my head ; )

NAPPY: can’t imagine how cool that must of been, so, yeah, what HAVEN’T you seen lol

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In reply to by Oroborous

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....I'm a Marlins fan. Yeah, we got pummeled. Just landed in Vegas. Vacation is over after tomorrow. Bummer. All good things must pass I guess.
Pee. Ess. I just love beautiful people. I lean towards the beautiful women as well. Especially when they're dancing. Guilty as charged.

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It's been some time since I listened to this version. Guilty of overlooking the song in general. Is there a better one in the 70s? Did it even peak before the hiatus? This is embarrassing, but at this point I'd rather just ask for directions than try to figure out the best versions myself.

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In reply to by proudfoot

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Every time I listen to this song, I like it more.. and this has been true since the first time I listened to it.

There are songs that sounded great early but then stuttered, songs that took a long time to find their legs and song that somehow sounded great each and every year they were performed. Stella Blue is one of those songs.

There have been a few times when reflecting and I put something on, when I am in deep mood to begin with, and Stella Blue almost brought me to tears. It's one of the more powerful songs in their canon.

Edit: Bobby sings this song now.. but I think it's a song better suited for Oteil. So I googled it and there is a beautiful version of Oteil singing this.. just him and his bass guitar. I was right, this is better suited for Oteil.

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I was at both 10/21/78 & 7/13/76, both great shows, both great Stella Blues. I wish they would release 7/13/76. 10/21/78 is partially released, I wish they would release that whole Oct 78 run at Winterland.

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39 years ago today,( along with a lot of other great people who post here on this forum) I was at the Frost Ampitheatre for another great show with the Good Ole Grateful Dead . The first 2 songs were Cassady & Dire Wolf, what a great show. I saw some great shows in 1983, Ventura, Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, Marin Civic Center. My favorite show of the year was 12/28/83 at the S.F Civic, still one of my favorite Dead shows, it also had a nice Stella Blue.

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In reply to by billy the kiddd

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Beautiful version of this at The Orpheum 7/18/76 too. Maybe my favourite 1976 show, as it goes.
BTK - I would also like to see that October 78 run come out as a box. It must have been great seeing the band so often. To me, for the most part, they have been a band I've listened to at home, on my tod.

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Proudfoot, Daverock, Jim - thank you for the insight. Jim, it's partially why I posted - I was listening to Colgate and it just moved the heck out of me, and it was like I "got it" for the first time. There was a sound in there I've never heard a guitar make (I think it was Bobby). Well...always another door in the Dead world. Some days I long to to have have seen and followed them in the 60s and 70s, just to have experienced it all as it was happening. But there is also something to having gotten on the bus late and having this huge library of material to indulge in. I guess all one could do in those days was scrape up the cash to follow them.

I put them all in a folder and started thus morning with another run of Colgate, and am now on Road Trips '78 from the Winterland run. I cobbled together a SBD folder of this run a few years ago. The audio quality varies I recall. Would also like to have it released under the Full Norman moniker. The Orpheum might be my favorite '76 release after Cow Palace. That mix is something special, with Jerry and Keith coming in loud and clear, and Keith playing pretty much piano only, which is to my liking.

8/28/82 is a great show ... I've had that tape for 40 years... wish I'd been there! I too was at the all the 83 NYE shows ... what a fun time! Also usually hit the Ventura shows too .... pretty nice venue, only an hour or so from LA. I'm no festival historian, but the US Festival was other-worldly ... so many acts, so many vendors, so many people. And since it was 2 days, many were there overnight (vendors & campers) so it was a wild scene at least until dawn!!

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Hear me now, believe me later:

3/21/94 has a really great performance of Stella Blue

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Very cool that David Hidalgo and Susan Tedeschi both played Jerry’s Alligator Saturday in Berkeley. The Lobos even broke out “West LA Fadeway” and “Not Fade Away”. Another epic show. Going to see TTB again in Sacramento tomorrow. A very very very slight possibility we might hustle up to Bend (love that town anyway) but more likely Sac is the last tour stop for us. Till next year.

In other old news, DaP 43 is the proverbial bee's knees. Can’t add much to what’s already been said. First disc scared me a little, because the guitars are waaaay out of tune for the first couple songs, surprised there hasn’t been more chatter on that. But things get a lot better from there. Nice Good Lovin: Phil was just so energetic and creative during this period. And of course the acoustic is wonderful to have. And as everyone has said, the 11/2/69 Dark Star sequence is what’s generally known as The Really Good Shit. As good as that Dark Star is, I think the 12/26 is even better.

Has Dave been on a roll, or what? I almost got off the subscription bus after last year, which included two ‘80s shows that didn’t float my boat. But man, everything from #40 on has been outstanding.

Last five:

Neil Young: Noise & Flowers (don’t sleep on this one!)
JGB: Run for the Roses
TTB: The Fall
Roy Hargrove: The Vibe
Kamasi Washington: Heaven & Earth

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Wadeocu - in the spirit of THE Bruce Dickinson, that 3/21/94 Stella had some serious cowbell. Great collage of Jerry /Dead pics on the YouTube presentation of it. Jerry's voice sounds great, I wasn't expecting that.

I see what you guys mean about the Road Trips '78 version. Heck of a time for an AUD patch. That tops the dreaded guitar dropout in the opening Cumberland Blues from 3/28/73, right as Jerry is sinking his teeth into one of the hottest solos I've heard on that song.

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In reply to by KeithFan2112

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.....seriously though. Revisiting Daves #43. No Cumberland, but I'll let it slide. Awesome stuff. Def top 3 Daves.
I love how they brought Cumberland back in '89-'90 as a pre-drumz second set offering. Also awesome.
And Susan & David taking Alligator for a stroll. Awesomeness × infinity.
Youtoob Los Lobos Berkeley. You will not be sorry.
P.S. my aunt in Taos has a tabby cat named Stella. The more you know.
Shes a good mouser.
Same aunt won a blue ribbon at the Taos County Fair for her sugar cookies. She gave me some along with two jars of jam. I told her, "Bobbie, I don't think that will pass the airport check".
Shes like, "Well if you don't try, you'll never know".
Unfortunately, I was right, but they let the cookies through. Yum.

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Your post tickled a synapse of my first show in Des Moines (6/16/1974) when Keith was on the grand piano for 3 sets that fabled afternoon with the wall of sound! So thanks for that...

The significance of what it was like when we joined with the Dead at those shows, their pouring out this unfathomable energy in that specific moment and we in the audience rising in response with our collective surge pushing energy back to the Dead, which then propelled them into greater heights of aural adventure. You know how the Grateful Dead would get that 'dragon' off the ground, and into flight, which levitated us all in their tow/draft. We were part of that remarkable brew of music + visuals + adventure + magic = alchemy.

Then as we could watch/listen, with our mouths agape, as each member of the band would tease, improvise, call and response, cascading leads ('catch me if you can'), shimmering rhythm guitar, bass runs and 'bombs' that changed the atmospheric pressure!), intricate keyboard interplay, and that primal percussion them mutating into evermore complex and compelling syncopation, urging and propelling the band further... and the bard's lyrics, that poetry, those revelations, ....that song.... and we would roar and exhort the Dead and pour that fervor into our tribal stomp and collective howl.

And then suddenly the moment slows and extends and everything becomes quite still and his voice implores "nothing you can hold... for very long... stella blue" and we all stumble out into that crystalline cool evening. Our faces alternating from sad eyes, to wide grins, then our heads shaking, alternating between satiation or longing for even more.

Or perhaps disbelief? Did they do it again?

Or were they really here at all?

Everybody's dancing......

Keithfan, I appreciate the memory evoked.

I don't post a lot, but lurk about.

Zen saying "Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself."

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In reply to by KeithFan2112

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to your regularly scheduled programming

Tim

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In reply to by Oroboros

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Are you a writer either by trade or hobby? Study literature and/or composition at some point?

You do good with words.

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In reply to by Angry Jack Straw

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I'm an avid reader and observer, but enjoy telling a story or two.

The Grateful Dead have been an essential (and welcome) part of my journey, so many of my stories are about the band, those shows attended, the inspired trips, along with related adventures.

Zen saying “The Truth is realized in an instant; the Act is practiced step by step.”

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Or were they playing one of the newly released Fender Custom Shop models?
Just saw it in email from Garcia Newsletter. Honoring Jerry's 80th.
Said to have all the mods Alembic put in Jerry's.
They had it in hand when doing the research and found it was a 1955,
not 1957 as previously thought.
Didn't know Graham Nash had given it to Jerry originally.
Wonder how much they are? Jerry's is obviously priceless!
Cheers

Edit: $20K built to order, limited to 100 units. Parish helped them.

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I knew we had 2, with the letter U being the difference. But one joined June 4th, 2013-the other June 19th, 2013. Huh.
What are the odds??
Could it be the same guy, just punking us?? Nahhhh, I doubt it.

I can't get enough of Dave's 43 at the moment, but I am personally looking forward to Vol. 7 of the Miles Davis Bootleg Series-Due Sept. 16th. Outtakes from his last 2 albums for Columbia, and a contemporaneous Live show, much for me to get excited about. Before we know it, we'll be talking about Early Bird orders for the 2023 Subscription.

Life is good, Music is the Best!!

Good to see you’re still around.

For those who don’t remember him, he has a good story about a ceramic dragon he made.

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Great version of Easy Wind, my brother and I were watching the TV broadcast of the Dead's New Years Eve show live, on channel 9 at my parents house on 12/31/70,, as we all celebrated New Years Eve. It would be nice if a video of this show could be released.

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hey mate, good to see you back. Long time, no see, short time for you and me.

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Los Lobos and Tedeschi Trucks were playing Jerry's original Alligator, not one of the new Fender replicas. There is a great video on Los Lobos Facebook page of them backstage with the fellow who purchased it at auction. The owner tells them the story of the auction. All of Los Lobos interact with the guitar (some play it briefly) and then Derek Trucks walks in and sits down with it to play. The owner tells them this guitar should be played and anytime you are in the Bay Area, let me know and I am there with the guitar. Next shot is Hidalgo walking to the stage with it. Great stuff and so happy to see that instrument played again!

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54 years ago today, I was not at the Shrine Exposition Hall, but I sure wish I had been. This is such a killer release, one can only hope that they release 8/23/68.

late to this convo - gorgeous and soulful versions from all eras

as to lesser known, one favorite is from Park City 8/20/87. Fine fine fine show from that inter-mountain tour.

great to see you hear again Oroboros . thanks so much for the stories.

as to Alligator, my firmly held belief is that not only is Jerry happy to see Alligator played, Alligator is also happy to be played. That TTB and Lobos show sounds like a fantastic and excellent dream.

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In reply to by bluecrow

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Alligator guitar

Which one is that? I suppose I could look it up

Oh, that one! Cool.

Also, just gotta say:

No band will ever replace the GD as my all time #1 band

2nd or 3rd to me is Led Zeppelin. I have been on a LZ binge recently and wow. I REALLY like and get off on their stuff.

Enjoying disc 2 of the dvd set released from 2003. Nice n loud.

GD #1
LZ #2
Motorhead #3

My thoughts.

....as my favorite band either.
#2 Phish
#3 Pink Floyd
#4 The Beatles
From #5 on, it changes weekly.
This week, it's Larkin Poe. It was My Morning Jacket the week before, then it was Tedeschi Trucks Band. Week before that it was Ween. Week before that it was The Flaming Lips. Week before that it was Iron Maiden. Week before that it was Los Lobos.
I imagine TTB will get back to that #5 at some point. Good to hear from you Oroboros. Not to be confused with the other awesome Oroborous. You two should do a meet up lol.
Music is the best and heals the soul.
Last Five. Larkin Poe. With Dave's 43 Dallas as the 3rd listen.
Shipping notice for my I Am The Moon set and poster received!
Went and saw the DragonBall movie last night. Good stuff. Any anime fans out there in dead.net land?
Also, they are re-releasing Jaws in the theaters labor day weekend. In IMAX!
Edit. Went and got my eye prescription checked the other day. No-line bi focals here I come! It was eventual I guess.

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