Pick of the Day, with Discussion

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April 6, 2020 - 9:47am

8,084 replies

marye

Joined:
May 26, 2007

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

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June 28, 2020 - 9:31pm

#6671

DeadVikes

Joined:
October 26, 2016

Otis/Oroborous

Good to see you back in the loop. Hope all is well. New system is always exciting.
I am willing to give Dave's 31 another try. Haven't listened to it since last year.

Took out Good old Dave's 25, the BINGHAMTON NY 77 show. Some of these shows keep getting better with each listen.
Oroborous, you are a wild man. What a ride!

Be well folks. I have heard rumblings in other pages about big announcements coming. Don't know about that but we do know Dave's 35 will be announced in July. Maybe they will give Oroborous an 85 pick?
June 28, 2020 - 9:27pm

#6672

Vguy72

Joined:
June 29, 2007

6.28.85 Hershey Park....

....another one of my first tapes. Bird Song-> Comes A Time -> Deal. A rare Garcia trifecta to end the first. Music Never Stopped-> Tom Thumbs to open the second. How do you guys keep bringing up my first loves? And why does this band keep following me?
Here's kind of a story. I tripped balls listening to this tape in 1989. That's all I got.
June 28, 2020 - 7:19pm

#6673

wilfredtjones

Joined:
June 4, 2007

Hershey

You know it's on Dave's radar as he has played some of it on 30 Days in past years. Good show and one of my first tapes. Keep the stories coming! :-)
June 28, 2020 - 5:16pm

#6674

Oroborous

Joined:
June 19, 2007

6/28/85

So after basically staying up for 2 days at SPAC, we finally pack it up and hit the road the next day. I believe it was a rainy, gloomy day most of the day. But that didn’t stop our idiot patrol from basically racIng at high speed through the fine but conservative state of Pennsytuckey, where they were one of the last to let go of the 55 mph laws, and back then there usually wasn’t much tolerance. So 2 cars of totally raging nutknicks, with probably enough cargo to keep us detained for decades, thought it’d be a good idea to race at speeds up to 90!, Idiots!.....yes, one car had a radar detector, but in those days smart cops would wait for some nut traveling high speed and click it on when they had ya dead nuts.
Luckily, all was well and it was one more “miracle” as we earnestly pursued our quest for “too much of everything is just enough”, aaaa, never considered back then maybe Bob was being sarcastic? Lol
So we roll on into Chocolate town late and all beat up. I’m guessing we grabbed some kind of drive through, but not sure and as we were hardcore vegetarian then, perhaps we thought we’d grab something there? It’s all such a blur, I do recall the lot we were in had no or little Shakedown action going on. That still wasn’t in full flight anyway, and don’t recall much there, so maybe we drank our supper? I know I scored some Carlsberg Elephant beer, and believe I may have finished it, though that is a tall order even under good conditions so perhaps not. I’m sure I put in dent in it at least! So, that and the last of one z of veggies, though the tricky part was it was mostly just powder and scraps and so no normal produce to properly gage etc, which would turn out to be a tactical error...
So it’s late, we’re tired, but tweaked, perhaps no dinner, and of course it’s horrible out. Dark, rainy, and cold is usually not how you want to do your Dead. Eventually we get in perfect time, slip right in front of the SB and try to make the best of the situation. Well I had a shirt, a black baseball jacket, and the electric Buffalo Hyde, but even still it was damp and cold at first. Eventually, when things started to take hold and we started boogieing, we began to warm up a bit.
Meanwhile, the set list is awesome, but the conditions, which necessitated all the stage and PA speakers being covered in plastic (there was no stage lid) thereby severely effecting the audio. It’s was such a weird show that way, loved the little “stadium” and the nice audiophile stereo set up, with surrounds, great set list, mostly good playing, yes JGs vocals are a little ruff in the first set, but you have to cut some slack as it was terrible, I mean depending on the wind/rain they were getting rained on playing electrical instruments! Weird indeed, but like so many times in adverse conditions our heroes seemed to rise to the challenge. Thus the playing was perhaps more relaxed, steady and together and not forced like the previous night. Really, besides JGs vocal issues in the first, its a top notch show!
The second set really starts to take it higher with stellar versions of Music Never Stopped, Terrapin, Miracle and one of the best Dews I’ve ever seen! I think I saw about 14 or 15 Dews and when I think about Dews I’ve seen, this one is the one I always think of first! Rocking Stones/NFA with a spirited Day Job. I liked Day Job, but by now it was getting a tad old, and was a disappointment for this show considering how high it was at that point. A She Belongs or Baby Blue would of been a perfect Cherry on top, but perhaps that’s being greedy?
Now since the weather was such a factor, we must discuss that and how it influenced this show. The second set starts out with their “signing in the rain” as Bob says, and it’s a good’n! Next they slowly slid into an unusual sounding Tom Thumbs which I had never heard yet, and wasn’t even sure at first what it was, but hey, it was Phil so that’s all I needed to know! Good but perhaps truncated Estimated, followed by an awesome Terrapin. So as the set started to progress, so did the weather until (I think?) around Estimated it really started to clear up and they started pulling the plastic tarps down. It was almost like you could immediately hear it get better after each one was removed. Eventually by about Terrapin, they tarps we’re gone, the moon and stars were out, and Healy started increasing the volume and tweaking the mix. I remember we were goading him to turn it up, and man eventually he sure did!
As the night wore on it began to warm up a bit too. But as you’ve heard this scenario, or been there yourself, many times I didn’t feel quite high enough so what the hell, one more time with the powder veggie crumbles just before drums......hee-hee....you know, “I’m not feeling it?” and then...Dooah!
So the problem with those baseball jackets is they don’t really breath and the electric Buffalo Hyde was thick plastic. We didn’t have all the nice technical outer gear we have now, or at least WE didn’t. I could barely afford the free plastic one from the old mans work.
Well a perfect storm mounted; little or no food, Elephants, veggies etc, no sleep, excess everything and underlying exhaustion, with me starting to overheat due to the above and dancing with that plastic shell on. Things were going unbelievable well, and partly influenced by the very recent passing of my Grandfather, during Dew, things peaked musically, the sound, the night, the stars, emotionally etc etc until I had one of the most powerful musical/emotional/psychedelic peak experiences of my life. Perhaps my all time GD moment, it was that powerful. But what goes up must come down and just like that the radiator blew and that last handful of shroom dust fully kicked in and somewhere in Throwing Stones, right during ashes, ashes all fall down, well.....I say i didn’t really fall down, it was more like an immediate realization that if I don’t sit down rapidly, I’m going down! LOL, so one way or another, depending on who you believe, I end up down in the soft, cool mud until near the end of the song, but I swear just as I tried to get up I knew it wasn’t going to happen, so right on que again I go back down. My friends to this day always bring up my perfectly coreographed “Dance moves” above all else that happened on this tour..35 years later and it’s still “ashes, ashes, Pedro falls down” !
That would of all been well and good except things were very strange and weren’t wearing off, and I was barely functioning. I never would of found the car etc If not for my homies. Honestly all I remember is them pulling into a Wendy’s or something, but I just sat in the car with my face literally stuck to the window and crackled! Zzzzttttt. I really thought I had finally fried some essential circuits and thought this time I really did it. At some point I snapped out enough to find some kids in another car staring at me with a look of concern if not fear. Luckily, the boys finished up and came out and got us outta there. Somewhere near the state line we finally grabbed a motel as we all had had more than enough rain and adversity. Plus the next day was off and the drive short. I remember they propped me up in bed and I just sat and crackled and worried. Eventually I slept and though I felt better the next day, I didn’t feel normal and don’t recall much except when we got to Merriweather and found a good spot just over the creek, right next to the path, in some trees, on the way to the big parking lots to the right of the venue. But now it was nice and I was feeling more normal so not so freaked out. I also remember going to a nearby sorta plaza with an upscale liquor store where I scored my first sixer of EKU 28 ever which was awesome!
So now we’ve moved beyond the insanity of TOGA, the adversity and majesty of Hershey, and ready for perhaps the best overall show of the tour on 6/30/85....

EDIT: Otis, congrats on the stereo. All that matters is if your happy with it. After all the specs and hyperbole etc, no matter how big, small, expensive etc, in the end, that’s all that counts!
June 28, 2020 - 4:14pm

#6675

Thats_Otis

Joined:
May 12, 2011

@ Bob T and Pick for Monday

Nice rec for the TDIGDH 6/28/76 show! I'd never heard that one before, and it is pretty sweet. The "Happiness is Drumming" is certainly a highlight!

I have been out of the loop for a bit - trying to deal with some personal stuff on my end, and I just kind of lost track of things around these parts. I hope to be able to participate more going forward.

To that end, how about a pick for tomorrow, Monday 6/29? I am thinking Dave's 31 - 12/3/79 Uptown. I feel like this pick got a short shrift on the DaP page, but I remember being very happy with it, though I haven't given it a proper listen since it first came out. What do you all think?

One positive thing that I have accomplished since I've been away has been the set up of my first component stereo system. I don't know if it compares to all of your "big boy" systems, but it certainly feels BIG in my little row home! Looking forward to playing it LOUD tomorrow when the wife goes to work.

Peace
June 28, 2020 - 11:41am

#6676

Oroborous

Joined:
June 19, 2007

Voodoo senile, slight return. 6/27/85, and why 85 Dead is like

Bode Miller...

First, GOGD, I did not mean to single you out, over generalizations, which become stereotypes, which become truth etc, really bum me out. So it was more of a trigger to that, not you personally. I know you were just repeating this line.
Actually, as I’ve dug in deeper, there are probably a significant number of shows where he often doesn’t sound so good, but to over generalize that “his voice was shot”, as in never more, to me, imho, that completely devalues and discounts all the amazing, great sounding stuff he was still able to do. 87,88,89,90,91anyone? Micro view versus macro perhaps?

SECOND: I must humbly recant my tale of dancin in the rain. As we were diligently experiencing TOGA last night. Too things became apparent. First, perhaps JG was a tad “caffeinated” at the start of both sets. Listening close on a real system, (not the big boy, but the living room system which ain’t no slouch!), he seems a tad to fast and/or their not fully entrained. One could argue not fully so until Women Are?...so probably something to do with him totally skipping the Key Rain Storm, and Jailhouse versus, of Bertha, lol.
Thus, while I wasn’t deceitful, I was not accurate. Sure enough, when Holmes and Watson ripped a spleef and fired up Bertha from SPAC 6/24/84, and bingo, ding, ding, ding, ding! Right venue, wrong year! 😂 Ooops, my apologies to the dear reader...but hey, it’s a fun interesting new tid bit, and it did rain, I think, lol.
While doing this research I was listening just on the iPad and interestingly he doesn’t sound as bad? Also, I’ve been going with the HS matrixes, especially shows where I want to hear those crowd big moments. Generally they’ve been pretty good, but researching, I used a CM transfer and man, definitely a big difference. Perhaps number one being the speed/time of the Miller seemed better and more natural?
Subjective I know, just that it’s interesting how every variable can effect perceptions.
6/27/85: so this beast is still as much of a rocket sled ride as I’ve thought, but it’s perhaps a tad more unpolished then I would of said in the past. But that’s being picky, and you know I prefer danger dead to safe, so as at this moment, Hell in a bucket is scorching, I stick by this show for that, the cool set list, and the fact that eventually, say around Women Are on out, that part of the show stands with its lofty summer 85 neighbors. Probably have to give 6/24& perhaps 6/25? a slight advantage overall, but man I haven’t been to many shows that had the vibe, fun, and overall madness of this puppy.

So why is 85 Dead like Bode Miller? He often was criticized for his erratic style, or lack thereof, his nonconformity, often disregard for the rules, including parting then basically going 80 MPH down an insane pitch, that was usually hosed down to make it more icy, and thus faster! So just like this era of Dead, sometimes he’d DQ, sometimes he’d slack off, sometimes it was ugly, but when he brought it, that mofo brought it!! and when he was able to be one with the force, it was fucking breathtaking! Scary, but breathtaking. No matter what, if he was racing there was an energy, an excitement, that larger than life vibe......that, to me, is 85 Dead.
FINALLY: Ladies and Germs, May I present the Electric Buffalo Hyde! as christened by my degenerate cohort due to my resemblance of the great beast of the prairies back in the day, and this baby used to be so bright people would ask if there were batteries. But Alas, like youth itself it’s faded dramatically, and is old and bartered. It definitely gave it’s all to R&R. So many Dead shows, festivals, camping, parties, you name it! Also, it will be a part of an unfortunate situation at the next night, where I lost my shit in Hershey! So until then....
June 28, 2020 - 11:14am

#6677

bob t

Joined:
November 21, 2007

only time played anniversary show 6/28/76 Chicago Auditorium

If you are too busy to listen to whole show, listen to Happiness is Drumming from set II, if you have never heard or listened to listen you will be pleasantly surprised!!! There is a Charlie Miller soundboard on Internet Archive!!!! bob t
June 27, 2020 - 4:07pm

#6678

The Good Ole G…

Joined:
December 29, 2015

Good Times Great Oldies

Sounds like the ole SPAC '85 show will get some play today.

Always a fun revisit. Vguy & Keithfan that was you guys?! That's funny.

I guess I always thought this was an indoor show because of the balcony stuff and didn't know about the rain storm.

Tell us more.

And just for the record if I happen to say Jerry's voice is shot, what I mean to say is I love Jerry's voice, even though it's a little shot here. ;)

I agree, it always sounds great to me.

Enjoy party people!
June 27, 2020 - 11:21am

#6679

Oroborous

Joined:
June 19, 2007

Not a drop

We were out on the lawn so actually there were many drops, I mean it was already raining hard, and right when he sang that line, biblical!, but it just added to the madness and was one of my favorite concert/rain moments ever! I believe that’s right when folks crashed security on those balcony ramp ways and turned it into a free for all? Yeah, that was the shit, such energy all around, but that rain just took it to another level. Luckily I had my electric buffalo Hyde on! .....it was a psychedelic neon yellow long rain coat with
BS CORP
WORK SAFELY (from pops work) printed on back, and a Dancin skeleton sticker underneath that I added. Still have it! I should take a pic and post...fond it moving last year.
June 27, 2020 - 10:48am

#6680

Oroborous

Joined:
June 19, 2007

Summer 85, and why I’m not prepared for class

Deadheadbrewer: yeah, I’m with you, I can’t keep up with these rascals! Pant-pant 😉
Haven’t done Riverbend, Nassau or Dane. Prolly give Nassau a spin this WE. Dane I’ve tried to stay away from cause ya gotta believe their going to give us that one someday! Bastards better! and I’d prefer it on virginal ears!
hey, by the way, how you guys coming on that tunnel under the vault?
So I listen to Riverbend 6/24/85 sort regularly so no biggie there except in the sense of comparing shows. Except It’s cool to go in order to see the subtle changes and how things progress. Like 6/25/85, definitely have felt a ascending arc since the first night in Alpine. Funny thing is I don’t think I’ve heard the second set of this one before? Had a tape of the first all along, but I think it was a tad too crisp so didn’t get as much love as the shows around it. Plus I think maybe I harbored some subliminal resentment for the show because of our decision to skip it to go to Toga early like we did in 84, which was awesome. Obviously if it made us skip a show that close to home, but Doooaahhh. So not sure how it’s the shows fault. LOL, but I think somehow I’ve had some weird thing about this show that has kept me away? Sorry, ramblings of a deranged lunatic!
Anywho, finally gave this bad boy a spin yesterday, though had to do it in 2 sessions as life just keeps buttin’ in like a 3 year old when mom and dad are trying to get down! Man what a show. The only really noticeable hiccup I recall was JG at the start of Jimmy, and Bob missed a vocal, really a great set, better than I remember, though I always liked it, just the tape was lesser then the others...
Second set was hot too, though perhaps they lost just a little near the end? Or maybe that was me as it was late, and by that time on a Friday this ole cowboy is usually not feeling much pain! I recall a couple little blemishes, but so what, you name any show, anyone, and I can find stuff wrong. And sorry, but I’m kinda over hearing about how terrible JGs voice is. Yes, sometimes it’s ruff, but sometimes I think the gravelly age worn voice ADDs to the affect of the songs, which is perhaps what he did best. And frankly, I’ll take the gravel voice singing in tune over a lot of that 1970 stuff we’re between the guitars and the vocals something is ALWAYS out of tune. That’s torturous for a musician.
Now I’m not trying to diss anyone’s favorite Dead etc, just stating an opinion that people perhaps overdo it with the voice comments. My favorite is when people say “I can’t listen to anything after 77”....ok, we’ll that’s cool as it’s your choice and all, but I’d say really you just have made up your mind you don’t want to like anything after that, and you probably haven’t heard enough and with the right kind of ears. Seriously, I challenge anyone to pick a “perfect” “best of “ show and if I have time I will find the cracks!
But that’s missing the point which is ITS ALL GOOD! and every era has something positive that the others don’t have. It’s all ways been yin yang folks, there is no such thing as a perfect show, except in our minds eye, which is quite A ok.
Ok, rant over, I’m obviously biased about my beloved 85!
Which brings us back to TOOOOOOOGGGGAAAAA!! Yo Butch, back in your seat, there’s 50 thousand people waiting for you to get back in your seat! Madness, the whole scene there was just surreal fucking madness, but in a good way.
I’m actually going to try and call my old house/band mates at the time as we all went. 2 I think went to blossom, and Pittsburgh. That one too, like WTF basically could of stopped by on the ride home from Merriweather, idiots! Lol, actually, I’m not sure I could have done another show. I may have caused permanent damage at Hershey, and thank god for that day off that I can’t recall much about, and I did take it a tad easier after, but not much. We ate so many veggies on that run that nobody would believe it. But I know what I came with and what was left after so.....looking back, it’s all kinda scary, we’re lucky we never had any real casualties of any sort. Few close calls, but nothing major, phewwww.
So going to call the lads, and fire up Toga tonight as We have to do a Zoom wedding this afternoon. We were supposed to be out at the Promised land for said wedding and a actual vacation, first since Seattle in ?? 2012!
Think Homer Simpson “oohhhh, Ssstttooooopid Covid”
Speaking of living via the net, was that not a fine show on Shakedown last night! Didn’t have the fire like the night before, but a fine well played outing, thanks so much to Dave and Co. for giving us this nice diversion. It’s getting to b3 a regular weekly thing, and gasp, the Mrs has actually been joining me and digging it! .....as long as I give her a good foot massage (usually during drums). She really digs the trippy graphics and colors which is even funnier as she’s never partaken except booze back in da day, it’s like giving a kid castor oil just getting her to have a beer, lol. So yeah, this Friday thing has been like the “ONE” in our music! Right on! and please keep em coming!
Ok, gotta try and call the guys and reminisce before the wedding. Then.....drum rolls please..........TOOooooGa!

John Perry Barlow

John Perry Barlow

Forums

Currently Listening To...

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

8/17/91

Looks Good PT!
Currently Unable to listen, but it’s going on the list!
I saw the Richfield shows so interested how they compare.
I think the whole fall 91 tour, including those Oakland shows and specifically 10/31/91 that conekid is jonesing for, would make a great box. Perhaps the last consistently solid tour! I’ve been finding some good stuff in 92, but don’t think there’s the consistency throughout a whole tour, like in 91?

Agree

And I keep forgetting about 10/31. Jerry's voice had it's ups and downs from the mid 80's to this time. From late 91 on, there were some songs he just couldn't do justice to. That's what I recall from this era, he really started to age affecting his voice and stamina. I do like what Bruce brought to mix.

that entire weekend

10-28 10-30 and 31 1991 the last Halloween shows. release please

Yes, yes, and yes

Fall 91 is hot!

9-10-91 and 9-25-91 have been released, 11-3-91 might have a problem getting released because of guests (there is video of the show if you haven’t seen it), so what to pick?
So many good ones, probably should just release everything.
I assume that there are DAT masters in the Vault. Send them to Glasser and let him work on them while Norman focuses on analog tape recordings.

Deadvikes,
Was just at the beer store and they had around 25 cases of Bell’s Oktoberfest. Didn’t grab any today but will before it’s gone.
There were also stacks of Oktoberfest from numerous other breweries.
And pumpkin beer which sounds gross.
Has anyone made a bourbon barrel aged pumpkin beer yet?

Yep PT

That whole run, and several from MSG and more so Boston. 9/26/91 anyone, bueller?
I’m tellin ya folks, fall 91 has some good sheet!

Works already done!

Fall 1991

9/6/91
9/8/91
9/16/91*
9/22/91
9/24/91
9/26/91*
10/31/91*

Favorite/must haves*
7 Shows
66 one time songs: really good selection!
16 Repeats
6 Threepeats
(Not including D&S)

The three peats are: Dark Star, Attics, Let It Grow, Saint, Stranger, and Good Lovin’

The repeats are: Spoonful, Dark Star Jam, Wang Dang, Candyman, Maggie’s, Standing on Moon, Last Time, Stella, Samson, Eyes, TOO, Bertha, All Over Now, Heaven’s Door, Minglewood, and A&A. Hey, no matter how you slice em, Bobs ALWAYS gonna have repeats!

9/17 and other Oakland and Richfield are probably worthy, but then you start getting into more repeats and perhaps too big a box?

Fall '91 is my next deep dive

I will start working up the data for my devices.

A worthy project. Besides.. I have spent the last week in 1969. Whoa...

91 and Bell's

Will get 8/17/91 rolling tomorrow. 91 has a lot to offer. I think #44 will be 91 or as I was driving home tonight I was thinking, when was the last time we had an 88 show released? RT 4. 2. Might be time.
Conekid, do yourself a favor and pick yourself up a case soon. As of right now, we have only one store that has it in my neck of the woods. My favorite beer by a long shot. Only down fall, shelf life is 3 months.

8/17/91

Another fine 91 Shoreline show. Nice job PT Barnum. How about a 91 Shoreline Box?? That would be fun.
Sound quality on this one is five dancing bears, so good. Nice start with Help Slip Franklins, Wang Dang Doodle, Queen Jane, end with a great TMNS.
Second set maintains the flow with a great Man Smart, Women Smarter, Ship of Fools. Nice Smokestack Lighting. He's Gone delivers. Short Dark Star out of Space, great Dew, OMSN and close it out with a It's all over now baby blue! What a show.

Let's box these Shoreline shows up.

Today

8/16/69 & 8/16/91

8/16/69: I’ve heard this one a few times over the years and it seems like each time I have a different thought.
Today it didn’t resonate so much though that was probably because of the goofy banter etc, while simultaneously getting super annoyed at work? The Dark Star is actually pretty decent, and none of it is as bad as has sometimes been said. Someday I’m going to make a disc of just the music…

8/16/91: yes I said 16. Figure might as well tap the whole WE run. Hoping to hit 17&18 mañana, unless I get stuck going back to that damn construction site with only ahem, one kinda music and it ain’t GD!
Didn’t get a great listen in, but it seemed like a solid show. Cool first set DS, interesting second set with a nice Standing on the Moon etc. 91 is fun!

Ol’ Brucey

8-17-91 playing now, version .20696.

Yes Dave, send the 91 DATs to Glasser.

And release some 91 video too, please.

Grateful Dead Bulletin

Looks like Fall '91 made the GD Buellerton email. It's a good thing we were dropping Phil Bombs instead of F Bombs..

Yes Jim

I saw that too.

Dave,
91 Box
91 Box

What I like about 91

What I like about '91 is the toned down nature of the Ultra Matrix and the introduction of DATs. I think I am right on this, but happy to be corrected if I am wrong. Don Pearson played a larger role and the cassette master was gone. Plus, there just seems to be much less audience noise pumped into the mix than the late 80's.

Still, a step down from the analog reels of the 70's and digital storage was in it's infancy. Just having Pearson look over Dan's shoulder seemed to help keep things from getting too wild and wooly on tape.

Oh, and ole Brucey sitting in on keys.

Not sure if anyone else has thoughts on this or not. The recordings finally started to improve from the low point. I'd say in 87 was rock bottom for the ultra mix.

Back to your regularly scheduled Dark Star Jam out of Space into Morning Dew to close the show. Wow.

Shoreline August '91

Deadbase IX has a funny review/story about the first night - 8/16. Dude had 3rd row seats and for some unfathomable reason (to me at least) decides to wander up to the lawn during Desolation Row (I mean really??). There he gives his ticket to a friend so she can catch the rest of Set I from up close. She skips on down the stairs and moments later Jerry plays the opening notes of Dark Star!! I had forgotten they finished it the next night out of space with the Dark Star jam > Morning Dew.

It's both lots of fun and something of a fool's errand to try to guess the next DaP but for some reason I'm thinking that a '91 Bruce show makes "just exactly perfect" sense.

Woodstock 50th in HD

I've been bouncing around the country this week – sorry I missed chiming in on the hallowed day. . . Doc's offer of the GD set is generous as usual. Also the entire 416 tracks that were part of the sold out 38 CD box were eventually released as a high-def, 96kHz / 24bit download thru HDtracks dot com as "Woodstock — Back To The Garden — The 50th Anniversary Archive". The monumental task of herding all the artists, record companies, and assorted stake holders was more than equalled by the painstaking efforts of Andy Zax (producer), Briam Kehew (mix), Dave Schultz (masters). The historic 50+year old recordings will probably never sound better. Check with Doc or HDtracks.

Buck On SNL

I do remember his somewhat dark skits on SNL.
He fit in perfectly with that storied crew.
Wasn't until later that I realized his many writing credits.
Kinda reminded me of a Hunter S. Thompson in those skits.
As shocking as they were hilarious. Typical for SNL back then.
Cheers
Edit: He passed in 2020. Look up his writing credits. You'll be surprised.

Impressed or disgusted?

Wife and I are spending a few days in Tahoe. Coming back from dinner the other night around 8:45, there was some pretty loud music coming from a nearby condo. She thought the volume was pretty high for the time of night.

I responded, "It has to be played loud. That's the Dead playing 'The Other One' from November 17, 1971 - Albuquerque."

She stopped walking, an incredulous look on her face. " How can you possibly know that?"

"Easy. Dave's Picks 26. That one is in the CD player in my car."

She went inside and hugged the dog wistfully.

Likely Both

If she's anything like my girl.
Perfect story Bolo!
And I can only give her an approximate year, not the details.
Cheers

8/17/91 & 8/18/91

Check a roo!
Bad news is I mostly only heard these on my device : (
Good news is they were still very enjoyable! ; )

Not much time now, so I’ll just say I thought the 17 was perhaps the top dog overall, perhaps with the 16 close at its heels. The 18th had a fun set list with some unusual fun placements and was a good show, but I thought the others flowed better overall? Another fun run from 91 and 3 more notches on the proverbial bedpost!
Ok, FAC time, gotta cold one waiting, toodles!
Y’all have a great WE, and once again the talented Mr Bolo with the story!
Good job boss, lol, my Other One would have just gave me the look and probably said: “idiot” lol

8/16/91 I was there

I was there in the 3rd row, The Dark Star into Promised Land was one of the coolest things I ever saw the Dead play. Fun times!

Hot Run

Most is new to me. Most enjoyable what I have listened to so far.

Thanks guys.. nice little rabbit hole and a pleasant diversion from 69, adds balance.

Impressed

Definitely impressed Bolo.

Jim, yes, can't say enough good things about Don Pearson.

Must have been a great show to be at BTK.

How bout some spring 78?

Haven’t hit 4/14/78 from Duke U yet.
I assuming another fine sounding Betty…

Spring '78

I was just hitting my stride with '91. It's good to be off balance though.

There's a new Chris Hazard of this show on GlueTube. I think this is the one where Jerry and maybe Parish helped out on drums. Yes, likely a Betty Board.

I'd like to know what ever happened to the tapes the grumpy guy in CA bought at auction and would not cough up. I wonder if they ever landed back in the vault. We can only hope...

8-19-89

I didn’t get to the anniversary listen yesterday, but might try tonight.
Good show. There’s video of it too.

Listened to 8-16-91 last night, 17th the night before, so I Might As Well play the 18th too some time this weekend.

Bolo knows his tunes. You should take your wife bowling at King’s Beach Bowl (I don’t know if it still exists).

Duke 4/12/78

I love this show. So much fun to watch the student filmed video and the playing is awesome. A diced and sliced VHS came my way shortly after Jerry passed away. The vibe of complete joy Jerry radiates during Eyes is so very cool. Drums is a hoot and the Truckin simply shreds and damn it Phil is singing!! Been hoping for this show to be released for awhile.

Oooppss and Credit to Dave!

I typed the right date but wrong venue, Dooaahh.
4/12 is a goodin, and this one’s from the 14 is decent, comparatively. Meaning, after listening to most of this tour at least once, I still think 4/15 & 4/11 are up where mama hides the cookies!
Now that should not imply the others are not up to par, just that imho the 15/11 are Tiger at 12 under comparatively.

The 14 starts out rippin, then JG has a slight miscue. It’s sorta the same story throughout, good energy and overall tight playing, but with perhaps a more noticeable number of slight miscues etc?

So though I have just a few more unreleased from this tour that I’ve not hit yet, I think Dave got this one right! Meaning #37.
Since I sometimes question if he went to the right city/street but wrong house, let’s give credit where credits due!
I haven’t heard a bad show on this tour yet, which is good because with all those particularly sweet Bettie’s that are complete and in the vault, ya know we’re getting a spring 78 box at some point.
But I think ole Dave hit an in the park homer with 37!
37 was perhaps the biggest surprise he’s given me. I was not really familiar with spring 78 when this one landed, but man what an awesome surprise! 43 wasn’t really a surprise, I mean ya knew if he went to 69, chances were high it was going to be fine! But early 78, yawn, what, no, wait, what, wait a minute, yowsa!

So, yep, nice to change it up a bit, but apologies to Jim. Didn’t mean to pile it on, and hopefully won’t disrupt your 91 dive, as that year has been another pleasant surprise. I’m just trying to stock up on show fixes while I can to make up for the days I’m unable lately, like a squirrel with a jowl full of nuts.
So Besides several of the summer tour, so far I’ve checked out everything from 8/16 through 11/3, and man I tell ya dars gold in dem dere hills! Spring 91 is still a vast wilderness for me as it’s one of two tours I didn’t see any shows between 84 and 92, and though I’ve heard a few good ones here on POTD, that’s another hill that needs to be mined.

Was thinking maybe sparking up some 91 video tonight. Can’t decide if I should go with the ridiculous sounding 6/17, or 6/14? Tough choice!
Conkid I’ll try and catch a little 8/19/89 for extra credit since you say there’s video. Still frosts my ass I had to bail and missed the last night, but, the situation is the boss…

So, the question is, what now?
Hmmmm, maybe some 11??, perhaps later as I may get a DHB in…
Perhaps back to 82 and 9/9/82 from Nola?
NEXT!

Oro Spring 91

I was at the three-night shows in Orlando April 7-9 Good times, a nice Ruben on the 7th one of the best later year Eyes on the 8th and a good TOO>Wharf Rat on the 9th.
Bolo, she may not be impressed but I am. Great call.
4-14-78 I have not heard this show, will have to check it out. I'm gonna stay in 91 for a while with 4-8-91, can't get enough of that second set. Usually when a show starts with Mississippi Half Step and ends with Johnny B Goode, it's a scorcher, and this one is. Then I will check out the 78.

PT Spring 91, 9/9/82

Ooo, 4/8 does look interesting!
Looks like good Sunday show, so mañana, on the list!

I know we hit 4/7 on your recommendation and was a solid show.
We’ve hit some good ones here on POTD: someone picked 3/25, DV gave us 3/31, Bolo 2/19, and my fav from spring (so far) a fine outing from 4/1 via brother Conekid!

If/when we do get a 91 outta Dave, I’m guessing 6/22/91 or 9/26/91 since there on his “list” that he’s been chipping away at fairly regularly over the years. Plus, when he goes to these “not Betty, 70s etc” he tends to pick a place with a high population and often shows with big crowd capacity: Giants, MSG, RFK, Boston Garden etc perhaps figuring even if the pick doesn’t fly off the shelf, there’s enough of a potential base that it’ll sell out?

9/9/82: interesting show, sounded great except a couple of splices, and the speed may have been off, at least at first.
It seemed a little fast, so perhaps recorded slow, but I don’t think that’s the whole story. I think their playing super fast and the tape just adds to it. Whatevs, their on a mission. Interesting set list, some occasional misses, like the transition back to Uncle Js, but it’s a cool idea and nice variety, and from there on out status quo but generally well played..
perhaps not the best of the year, but another interesting solid outing from a year of the same!
Really enjoy these early Strangers, and especially the West LA’s with the alternative lyrics, and hey, a Day Job for good measure.

Ok, gonna hit a little 11/2/69 before the Other One gets home. Then hopefully some video tonight…
ONWARD!

EDIT: VERY GRATEFUL DAY yesterday!
4/14/78
9/9/82
11/2/69
David Bromberg: tge best of DB out of the blues
Grover Washington jr: Mister Magic
Wynton Marsalis: Standard Time Vol I
6/14/91: Vault View II (video)
8/18/89: m/o 2nd set on youstoob
Thanks Conekid, hadn’t checked any of 8/18 out. Was really enjoying it!
Funny cause I read your post, but thought 7/18, which is what I lamented about missing, so then at 11:30 or whenever I went there, of course I started watching 7/18 before finally remembering (had to go look lol) that you were digging on 8/18. I’m blaming it on age, not the Pioneer Gold lol. So I got a couple tunes from 7/18 too.

8/21/72: meh, heard that a few times, maybe at work? Nice Dark Star!
Ooorrr maybe I’ll hit the 22 as I’ve not heard that one?
First I’m having my morning Joe with PT on 4/8/91!

6-22-91

I was there, so was Spacebro.

There is pro-shot video of that show.

Dave,
CD/Blu-ray combo please.

The soul has illusions as the bird has wings……

Hey, rockers!

Pick Of The Day: Berkeley Community Theater, August 21, 1972

I have realized that the past and future are real illusions, that they exist in the present, which is what there is and all there is……..

The first night of this very solid four night run finds the band in fine form, playing well, with the usual 1972 gooey Dead goodness, rock and rollers and cowboy songs. The major deadness is the oh-so-interesting Dark Star. I don’t know scales from whales, but interested readers are referred to Henry Kaiser’s spot-on analysis in Deadbase X. The band channels its focally dissonant, focally atonal, A mixolydian selves to produce what might humbly be classified as magic.

Not as famous as the 24th, and not officially released like the 25th, but a show without illusions, and mighty, mighty good for the soul……

Therefore trust to thy heart, and to what the world calls illusions……

Rock on,

Doc
Our experience is composed rather of illusions lost than of wisdom acquired…..

Berkeley 1972

I listened to the official 8/25/72 last week and was really impressed - short by the standards of the day but powerful. I guess maybe they had lost a fair proportion of their set list with Pigpen, and hadn't quite figured how to fill the gap yet. So I went to the second set of 8/21 straight afterwards - great Dark Star with Keith leading at one point. Pity they couldn't have slipped this in with the relevant Dave's Picks.

8/24/72

My brother went to 8/24/72. It would have been nice if they would have released this whole run as a box set.

The Great Mystery of BCT 1972

I asked Lemieux about this years ago and he replied quickly that not all these reels are in the vault. ..but they do circulate in high quality. I'm not what to make of all this, clearly they were recorded and someone in modern times went through the trouble to clean them up and get them in circulation.

Dave's Picks 24, 8/24/72 came compliments of ABCD Enterprises, so even though Bear recorded them the master reels must have somehow reside with Betty. Perhaps ABCD still has a little life to give and a deal can be extended to these source tapes? Maybe they are already in the vault or in a banana box on the top shelf somewhere? They are Bear recordings after all. I'd love a box of the remaining three shows. This is one that should be released all at once and not cobbled together as Dave's Picks.

BCT 1972 box?

Would these shows make a better box than ones from the following four months though, if you had to choose one 72 run over the others? Maybe they would be just as good - I have it in mind that they re-started a bit hesitantly in July, gathered pace in August, then peaked in September and maintained this on through to the end of the year. I haven't checked this theory out listening to all the shows, though, just a sample.

BCT

I'm partial to the BCT shows, I think they are great.. but truth be known, I have big holes in my Fall 72 listening. The Texas stuff is fantastic also.

Good points, time will tell I guess. Owsley recorded a lot of the late 72 shows, and now that the Banana Box mystery is starting to unravel.. we might get our answers. Of the great stuff we know exists, there are a lot of 69 shows that were recorded and have not been released, but most do not sound as good as the last Dave's Picks, and there are a good bit of 72, 71 and 73. 68 and 74, not so much.. 67 almost nonexistent which brings us to post hiatus where 76 and 78 have a lot to chose from and beyond that, enter the cassette / PCM era.

Still, I stand by the BCT shows. They are worthy. I thought the BCT and Fox were the unreleased gems of 72 from the shows I had listened to anyway... This being before the STL box and Dave's Picks 24.

So where were we?

Edit: I really have to wonder both how many times these master reels were played back in the day which would lead to degradation. On the other side of the same coin, I wonder just how much better Mr. Norman is to spinning 50+ year old polyester tape into gold. To me the turning point in his prowess of all things GD was the 5/15/70 Road Trips, adding in the WOS and Big Rock Pow Wow for good measure. He stepped up his game during this period. I have to wonder how good Dicks Picks 1, 3 and 16 would sound if he remastered them today, god forbid E72. These later day releases are like pennies from heaven to me. 43 wowed me. It was an in the park home run.

BCT box

I'd still buy it in a shot, of course, and it would be great news if it did come out.

The laws of morals and the laws of music are the same……

Hey rockers!

Pick Of The Day: Fillmore West, August 22, 1968

Clean cut but morally corrupt, the Grateful Dead………..

If 8/21 wasn’t primal enough for your ears, wait a day and try this on for size!

On paper, short. In music, long. “Only” ten songs, but such much!!! Especially the gargantuan Alligator, more massive than the ones in Florida. Dark Star, The Eleven, Midnight Hour, I shall take it all in and give thanks!!! You should too!!!!!

The esteemed Mr Miller did a fine job with this one, check it out!!!

In morals, truth is but little prized when it is a mere sentiment, and only attains its full value when realized in the world as fact…….

Rock on,

Doc
I don't necessarily set out to teach or say anything in particular in my writing, morals and themes come out as I'm telling the tale……

5/5/78

Thanks for the pick yesterday Doc.

Looking at 5/5/78, Dartmouth for today. I don't think we ever hit this one.

Unrelated note, we are driving to a family function last Saturday night and I can only take the local radio station music and ads for so long, turned on Dave's #25 from my hard disc drive in my car. Friend of the Devil and my 13 old daughter singing along. I love it. She likes to tell me she doesn't like the Dead, but when it is on in the car, she seems to sing along quite often. It gets in the bloodstream!

Similar Singalong

Yesterday in the car and the wife saw a Tennessee plate.
I started into T. Jed and she jumped right in on the chorus.
Unusual as she doesn't listen to my Dead sessions anymore.
But it is fun to hit that high note! Fun harmonizing too.
Cheers

Furthur

Sunday 4/8/91 Enjoyed
Monday 8/22/72 Hit this one instead since it was the only one I’ve not heard from the run
Tuesday 5/5/78 Decent, seems a little less than some of the April shows? Could be my listening conditions?
Tuesday 8/22/68 Nice little taste of primal. Having heard a New Potato in a while!

7/27/82: Rain Rocks. Going to hit all three: today and tomorrow…

5/5/78

5/5/78 is definitely worth checking out if you haven't yet. I thought the performance and sound quality of the recording were both really good. The show rocked. Promise Land, Dire Wolf, Candyman,Passenger, all good first set versions. They start the second set with Bertha, Good Lovin, the Estimated Eyes and Stella Blue, Around and Around are the highlights of the second set. I like these Werewolves of London encores, good way to close it out.
Glad you gave it a go OB, the equipment we use always makes a difference. I typically listen to these shows through my Sonos play five.

DV/Listening

Equipment can matter, but I’m suffering more from work distractions.
Sometimes I can really get in the groove and both the music and the work flows in tandem, other times, and unfortunately this seems to happen more as o get older, it’s more in the background . Maybe I need some entheogen therapy to defrag the neural pathways?
Either way I can usually get a good feel at least for the show. I might miss some of the specifics, but I can usually feel the vibe etc.
5/5 was good, I’m just hung up and thus comparing to some of those top shelf April shows, like DaP 37!

Same with 7/27/82: not the best listen, seemed ok, but not up to some of the August shows…
Hopefully today I’ll have better luck with the 28&29?

8-22-68

Yummy

Oroborous/82

I hear you OB, sometimes it is hard to get them in with the old job. I run in to that a lot.

I remember when I was 18 in 89 and wanted to join the circus and keep touring after Alpine and then reality set in, I didn't have the money to do it. Regrets.

82 Red Rocks, 7/28, I will give it is go. Do you have a good source you are looking at?

7/28/82

I’m going with 4 of 11. CM transfer, doesn't list who taped?
The Jim Wise/CM sounds ok, but I think this one might be more balanced frequency wise?
Doesn’t seem to be a good SB.

I think part of my lackluster attitude toward the 27th was the sound of the SB I went with?
It was pretty thin and perhaps overly tinny?
I think the rain put a damper on things too (pun intended).
There is a fun On the Road Again, and that whole second set extended stuff is good, but
I think the August stuff is just so good comparatively…

EDIT: 7/28/82: I liked this one much better, but I was able to pay better attention etc?
Not a GOAT, but a fine Shakedown opener, BIODTL (luckily I never tire of this Bob song), a rocking GSET (listen to Phil hit those opening cords), followed by more standard fare, but then a hot Big RR (another I haven’t grown tired of), with a nice Lightnin/Supplication, and a Deal to end a great set. Second first half part is a little different set list followed by more normal order post drums, except with a Spanish Jam, always a welcome song, along with a fine Baby Blue encore!
The Aud was pretty decent but I realized it’s this cobbled together set up I’m using on the job site that’s thin/tinny, so perhaps dont let my comments about the 27 scare ya off. I do think the 28 is better though?
Ok, onward (through the rain & Fog) to the 29, going to try the Frank S Aud as no decent SBs here either…

Re: Listening Environment

I have trouble with that too.. I seem to always be doing something, well.. complicated, in environments where I either get questions or really have to focus.

But I cannot complain, I get in enough.. Got 8/21&22/68 Fillmore West in on the 22nd, something '74 yesterday on the river and most of 10/8/89 Hampton today on SiriusXM radio (was at that one). I thought about doing Two From the Vault, 8/24/68 at the Shrine Exposition Hall in LA today.. might get to it, but I am seeing some local live music after dinner tonight. Free at the local ski resort every Wednesday.. lots of GD cover type and Bluegrass. Typical mountain music.

Anyway.. yes, listening environment is key and the more responsible I become (not purposeful), the less control I seem to have on my listening situation.

Damn responsibility!

Hey, I’m a toys are us kid: I don’t wanna grow up, old, etc etc, sigh.
It’s tough suffering from both old age AND arrested development; )

Hmmmm, set and setting…sounds familiar!