• 8,063 replies
    marye
    Joined:
    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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  • Vguy72
    Joined:
    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.

  • wilfredtjones
    Joined:
    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! :-)

  • Oroborous
    Joined:
    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!

  • Thats_Otis
    Joined:
    @ 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

  • Oroborous
    Joined:
    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....

  • bob t
    Joined:
    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

  • The Good Ole G…
    Joined:
    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!

  • Oroborous
    Joined:
    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.

  • Oroborous
    Joined:
    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!

  • JimInMD
    Joined:
    Not a drop on me...

    but there are black clouds building on the horizon here. Looks like a thunderous day on the river is in store for me. Got my waterproof device loaded with 6/27/85, thanks to the gentle steering of the GOGD.

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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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In reply to by Oroborous

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What are you doing to my levels man. I'm gonna scream in the microphones all night long if you fuckin touch my levels man.

oofa - I had totally forgotten about that classic someone-is-wired-hot exchange before Shakedown.

Funny that there are no upgraded/decent boards for first 2 nights and no SBD at all for night 3. I heard about '82 Rain Rocks first at a party night before Alpine in that run from gal who attended. Hadn't really seen her since jr. high and some 9 or so years later she's a head. Her crew skipped Manor Downs much to their subsequent regret but saw Zoo, Starlight, and Kiel.

In the end the only way I can really "judge" a show is a dedicated listen with no real distractions and preferably on headphones in the right head space. Which isn't all that easy in terms of time and opportunity.

Must of have been fun: three days in the rain!
I used to, love tripping/dancing in the rain, TOGA!

Another 82 beauty. Nothing special set wise, just some GOGD!
Think I liked the 28th best?
BC, I went back and heard that “wise guy” “banter” before Shakedown.
Wondering why someone would do that?

Hmmm yeah, why aren’t there any SBs?

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In reply to by Oroborous

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before Shakedown. On the one hand i might be sorta touchy about anyone presuming with my gear. On the other hand the response caught on tape is sorta hot. guessing that this is centered around daisy chained decks?

7/28 is a big show and, to borrow a thought, Oro, totally August '82 worthy. Had fun all through Set I and finally got serious and strapped on the headphones at Althea. A mid-set II Let it Grow on a rainy Red Rocks night(?!) > He's Gone > Trucking. Spanish Jam in Space and then Jerry teasing St. Stephen before Not Fade Away. My stream cut out at Black Peter so still got the tail end but the encore is Baby Blue and that says a whole lot

There's quite a few rained out shows without soundboards or soundboards or partial soundboards only. I have to think when deluge crossed paths with outdoor music, Dan had greater concerns than to record.. either that or he got tired of replacing water damaged, shorted-out cassette decks once every few weeks week in July and August.

As for the pre-Shakedown banter.. classic.

so the vibe I was picking up while listening yesterday was that this was a complete cosmic meltdown of an '82 show. so back with the headphones this AM and checking out the reviews and show recollections on Archive for the Wise tape. and yep this seems to have been a complete cosmic meltdown for a whole bunch of folks. hard rain through the first set and then clearing skies, mist, and moon for set II. going into this yesterday I had also forgotten the Stephen tease. One reviewer seemed to indicate that Jerry was ready to go and Weir steered them away and later admitted he didn't think they were ready for it. NFA has a really cool groove and I swear Jerry is hinting at Gloria or something similar before it drops into Black Peter. so back to the concept and need for dedicated listening - this is yet another show that really really deserves that relaxed and focused space.

edit - and there is a fascinating context note in review by jpotts3 (Aizen upload of Wise source, not CM upload) - there was a MAJOR Jack Kerouac event in Boulder that weekend and a lot of the old Dead family and Pranksters and assorted old school beats were in the area for this. he has a linque there for an extended blogpost, and that blog has a whole lot more of interest to boot. definitely need to check that out and so do some of you too!

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In reply to by JimInMD

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I know I have told this tale before.. sorry to repeat it.

Back to tripping at a rain show.. the most fun by far I ever had at a dead show was a flash flood event with the epicenter of the storm directly above the roof of the shed (Merriweather 6/21/83). Epic. Lightning struck I believe the venue itself during Wharf Rat taking out the power for a brief moment. Bob quit playing guitar during parts of Sugar Magnolia purportedly because he was getting shocked, everyone was soaked. To get to the parking lot, you had to cross this bridge that crossed this little (typically dry) baby stream. The stream flooded and took out the walking bridge so everyone had to get wet above their wastes to get to their cars/tents. They had to bring in bulldozers (bulldosers?) the next day to rebuild the lawn from the damage. Scarcily clad people had created mud slides as they turned the lawn into a semi-naked waterpark. We walked to this show, on the impaired walk home we had to wade across a flooded highway and take an unplanned detour due to flooded streets and resulting traffic cops as we laughed ourselves into a somewhat spooky oblivion the entire way back. We were on a mission to stay away from the cops, surely they can tell.. they are on to us.

And yes.. mucho fungus was in play and no soundboards exist. The walk back was surreal, absolute confusion and mayhem. Huge fun and highly recommended if you ever get the opportunity.

Big rain can most certainly create a cosmic meltdown. How could it not?

There was a big storm at Delfest (a local bluegrass festival around these parts) about ten years ago where a couple people were struck by lightning. Thank god this never seemed to happen at Dead Shows (at least that I am aware of). That would wreck the cosmic flood vibe.

saw Boulder, CO "hosting" the Jack Kerouac On The Road conference and pretty much everybody still alive from that very extended scene, with the exception of Gary Snyder, was there. I had no freaking idea. Snyder did send a letter to Ginsberg that included the following - “Jack Kerouac was the wandering scholar troubador storyteller youngest son of the Jack tales in us all. … The voice of the water going over the edge of the waterfall itself.” (I took the quote from the blogpost I mentioned in previous post.)

Can't do 7/8/82 today, haven't pulled it down and made it my own yet. Anyone care to toss out a pick?

I'm in and out, will start with one of the recently released later era shows I have not hit in a while but have time today.. they are playing 4/9/89 Freedom Hall, Louisville today on SiriusXM. A new one for me. Doesn't seem quite as strong as some of the others from that year, but hey.. it was a strong year. Nice Louisville reference in Louie Louie. Two roses songs in Kentucky Derby town.

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In reply to by JimInMD

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But I figured, so why I “stocked up” last few days!

Don’t recall anything like Woodstock 94!
I remember that little Merriweather dry ditch.
Dead show water parks: can’t remember the year, maybe 89 at Alpine? They had built up the hill to add more capacity and I guess better sight lines, but it was even steeper than it had been, and the sod was still new, so of course it rained so much the sod started giving way etc. Became huge fun for some sliding down that relatively steep hill in the mud, for others, like cousin Pumice and myself much of the time was spent precariously perched on what ever sod was still intact trying to watch the show and not suddenly zipping downhill lol. I can still picture all these little islands here and there with folks trying to stay on them, but every now and then the sod would give way and, woops there’d they go!
Dancing in the rain at Toga was awesome, but my best Dead rain show was definitely Pittsburg 95! Biblical!

LIGHTNING: I believe some poor folks at Giants 95 got hit, but I think they were ok?
Just more scary weirdness on that 95 Death Tour: Lightning strikes, Decks collapsing, death threats and gate crashing, and biblical rain. Definitely something was up with the cosmos…

4/9/89: one of the ones I didn’t but should have. I had a new job that I wanted to keep and thus had to cut into my show opportunities. So Went to Cincy on the 8 (good show!) a Saturday, and was going to just drive back that night. Ended up doing a little X that I just procured in the lot, and wow, best X we ever did but man it kicked my ass so that I wasn’t going to do a 7 or 8 hour drive that night. Somehow ended up in a hotel room in Kentucky with god only knows how many people everywhere. Next day being Sunday we should have gone to Louisville and just taken it easy. In those days I could of easily drove back that night and gone to work, but came home Sunday instead : (
I heard the scene was cool there. I always stayed away figuring the cops etc might be too much etc, but over the years I heard L vile liked the money so we’re cool to us.

Ha.. I sort of remember that one, ... the Rain Set. One of the two post 91 shows I saw. 90 RFK was another where it poured for a large portion of the show. It looks like you caught more rain than me and you obviously have a better memory. I need more brain plasticity, my new favorite phrase.

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In reply to by JimInMD

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I have to mention the underrated standing on the moon only because my mind is fresh on that.

Btw, thanks everyone that has mentioned 7-18-76. I never really gave that one a full listen and the multi track glory really shines on the 2020 remaster.

Hey, what are you doing with my levels? 7-28-82 oh so great show with the fake St. Stephen tease :-)

Be well all and stay gratefull... :-)

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In reply to by wilfredtjones

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No picks??

How bout since it’s Friday we do a power twofer: 10/16/74 and/or 9/3/85?

Haven’t heard either…

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In reply to by Oroborous

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Do you mean 10/16/74 OB?

I am not seeing a show on 9/16/74.

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In reply to by DeadVikes

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Yep, I ment 10/16
In my best Homer voice “doopid tumbs”

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In reply to by Oroborous

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Let's do it OB. I may need to stretch these into the weekend, but I am in. Opening night at Winterland.

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In reply to by DeadVikes

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Well DV, I did get them both in yesterday, sorta…
I couldn’t get the meat & potatoes section of 9/16/74 (PITB through Rat) to play, and actually being able to get some work accomplished didn’t want to mess with it.
The 85 might be a huge surprise, but need better listen?
So between that and not getting the level of listening I felt the music deserved, I’m back at em today.
I wasn’t going to listen to any Dead until we fire up SSDD on the big screen this evening, but this has been nagging at me all morning. So the magic carpet has lifted off and we’re floating on another big 74 PITB!
Oh, generally this Miller sounds pretty good!

EDIT: I think this bad ass Playin is the one in the Movie box?

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In reply to by Oroborous

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Well, yesterday I thought 10/16/74 was perhaps a little sleepy?
But, after hearing the meat and potatoes, and on some real equipment, my opinion has been raised.
It “sounds/feels” perhaps like the start of what would normally be a five day run at laid back Winterland: their pacing themselves, but in a 74 kinda way. I’ve also heard they had to adjust a bit to the camera factor…
I didn’t bother with relistening to all the first set, but started with that great PITB that I couldn’t play yesterday.
Then, The whole Ned/space/jam section in and outta a fine Rat landing in a nice if not Uber Eyes, was just what the doctor ordered today! Perhaps not the monster this run would become, but a fine start non the less.
Fully dug!

9/3/85: this one went slightly tge other way for me. Yesterday I felt more exited, but upon further proper listening it is more in line with good 85 status quo: good energy, interesting sets, but perhaps a little more tarnished here and there.
Decent first, Cryptical was cool if lacking, though he ends well. The highlight to me was the Nobody’s Fault and a fair Comes a Time, actually I remember thinking during Baby Blue “ how this show built up and peaked with Baby Blue, and how over the years, a good ending with a song of this or similar nature and delivery, made up for some of the off moments preceding it”. Yep nothing like the big finish to keep ‘em coming back lol.
I haven’t really heard any 85 in a while, so perhaps shouldn’t try to compare, but I’d say this was overall a good 85 outing, but perhaps doesn’t quite stand with the early summer tour (Greek through Pittsburg)?
Whatevs, Interesting show, enjoyed!

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In reply to by Oroborous

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Yep the one from the movie. one of my absolute favorites, along with 6/16 Des Moines. Before official release had it on cassette from the GD Hour many years ago. One of the finest musical journeys I know.

That brief window in '85 when Jerry brought back Cryptical . . . . Really would have liked to have seen one of those. The only shows I did see at that time were Alpine, and those were the first since '82 Alpine. The '85 Alpine shows were fun but overall somewhat pedestrian IMO compared to a bunch of others in that era. I remember seeing the set list for River Bend show (released on 30 Trips) that followed Alpine, with the He's Gone > Smokestack > Cryptical >D/S > Comes A Time > Other One > Cryptical > Wharf Rat, and thinking holy crap that's what I was looking for!! This 9/3 Starlight Cryptical > Other One > Cryptical is the last of that short-lived revival.

As for rain shows, somehow I only drew that card once with the GD despite something like 35 outdoor shows out of 50 total. The only time I recall was at the end of 1st night at Alpine '85. Threatening rain all show, I think lots of wind during Eyes (and set II), probably lightning out in the distant Midwest dark, which really added to the energy. But the rain was saved for the end with the heavens opening up during Baby Blue. Classic mid-west summer downpour that lasted for a good hour or more after the show. As for post-Dead era, recalling now a show with the Other Ones and Ziggy Marley at Fiddlers Green. Drenching rain early on for Ziggy. Remember Other Ones tuning before Set I and Hornsby was quoting Dark Star - my buddy and I looked at each other grinning and we slid our chips all in (so to speak.) Wild night, really special. Which reminds me, close friend a couple years later told me that River Bend '85 was one of those thunder and lightning, wind and rain shows. Another classic Midwest high energy show with a "frog choker" downpour is 8/16/80 Mississippi River Festival (first read about it in DB IX - there's a good Walker/Scotton/Miller audience). How about an Iko > Saturday Night encore? And talk about "lost live dead" - the first show after the Canadian train tour was Dead's first and only other appearance at the MIssissippi River Festival on 7/8/70 (not a real festival but a concert series as it turns out.) Not only no tapes, not even a real set list apparently (there is a Lost Live Dead blogpost with a local newspaper clipping which mentions a 23 minute Good Lovin'.)

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In reply to by bluecrow

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Jerry actually singing it out of Space rather than a guitar quote is something else - crazy rare and a one-off for that era. Seems like he was feeling it and just did it, though he didn't quite have the lyrics down. A few minutes later he sings that Comes A Time beautifully. And a really fine Baby Blue to finish (ouch that the SBD tape ran out that last little bit.) yep a great way to send folks off that night.

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In reply to by bluecrow

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for some late night time machine listen (if you haven't already.) so that earlier train of thought down thread had me cue up Set II 8/16/80 (Walker/Scotton/Miller). Got headphone serious by Estimated but really should have been in that space from the get-go. right now, at the tail end, one of the finest Set IIs from that early Brent time. Blown away. The Walker/Scotton pull is unreal once you're settled in.

Spoiler alert - that Set II is all f*ckin-on-fire fantastic, with a shout out to one of the best Brent-era Other Ones, with full Phil thunder-intro and Jerry blazing like the freaking sun. My goodness. And that Iko encore? It was the first one, yes the first, post-Keith. Guessing they had it somewhat worked up and what a crazy this-was-a-party gift to that crowd.

The recent TTB interest piqued my curiosity to check out this awesome Phil show from the sweet Denver Philmore I was fortunate to be at.
Check it out on relisten etc.

BC: nice comments, and I will hit 8/16/80 next chance, which might be a couple days as I’m back to construction camp for a few, so no tunes : (
I thought we had hit that one? I remember you mentioning it, but I didn’t write anything down, so I’m assuming we’ve not hit it! And if so, so what! Hey, my neural plasticity is what it used to be!
So it’s on the list!

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In reply to by Oroborous

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Great show. The mix starts out a little shaky but comes together midway through Deal. Love the Cumberland Row Jimmy into the monster Playing. The second set is on fire. Nice Wharf Rat, Jerry noodling into the Eyes, OB, laid back and moves me. Big finish and they loved the US Blues encore during this time period.

Sure would be great if they gave us the full five day run with some additional video. Instant sell out.

Haven't got to the 85 show yet, but it is on the list.

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I bet they release this whole run on a box set of records for the 50 th anniversary in 2024. Hopefully, they will release this entire run on cd and video as well.

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Thanks for the pick, OB. I tackled that one in chunks and am sure glad I did. I enjoy tuning into Dead jams when I am working on something (this time room painting) and it is always a pleasant accompaniment to any task I am trying to complete.

Now I am packing for a road trip south with my dad to see my brother starting Thursday. Who's got a choice show I can call up? :-) :-) :-)

P.S. Heading to VA by way of WI...in a 2022 RAV4 Prime...put the 04 Honda out to pasture this summer (actually it lives next door now! haha lol) :-) :-) :-)

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Road trip?

You might consider any of the following---all recent listens here: 12/15/71, 5/16/72, 1/17/69, 2/6/70, 9/2/68, 2/15/73, 6/26/74.

Rock on, and safe travels!!

Doc
Far too often the choices reality proposes are such as to take away one's taste for choosing........

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In reply to by DeadVikes

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I only hit the movie Saturday, but I thought about the whole show/CD. But the situation being the boss, it didn’t happen : ( Really should try to find time.

Still in construction no tunes hell, but might get a chance for 8/16/80 later 🤞

Happy/safe trails to WTJ, looks like Docs got some good ones for ya!

Not sure if I’ve heard all those, if not I’ll add to the list.

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12-15-71 is proving nice for packing. We'll see how many of the other ones I can get to later and tomorrow. I have access to only official releases for the Road Trip in the car so I'm still thinking on what to go to there. Sunshine Daydream is tempting.

Nice Banana box WTJ.

I know this isn't today in GD history, but I stumbled on 8/30/69 Family Dog at the Great Highway. Sounds great.

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In reply to by JimInMD

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When you can have it all!
I’m with ya Jimmy, but going to hit 1/17/69 first.

BLUECROW: finally hit 9/16/80 yesterday. Your right about that second set, definitely “on” that night.
Recording audio was ok, but the crowd sometimes detracted from the music. Like I don’t recall ever experiencing what seemed like the majority of the crowd just talking through Ship O Fools (aaa, the irony lol). Sure sometimes the slow ones might lose a few, but not like this? Just a party crowd I guess?
But never the less another fine outing by the Grateful gal dang Dead!
I’ve always thought the show I saw 17 days later was pretty hot too, so guess we need to poke around pre “Dead Set” shows from late summer/early fall 80?

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Hiya, rockers!!

Pick Of The Day: Prairieville, Louisiana, September 1, 1969

Yes I know, not exactly NOLA. South of Baton Rogue, northwest of the big easy. But you get the point…………

Welcome to the first installment of our Labor Day/end of Summer, outdoor extravaganza/festival revisit. Low of 68, high of 87. No rain, good visibility, light winds. Estimated attendance: 35,000. Drug arrests: 37. In addition to the Dead, festival goers also got T Rex, It’s a Beautiful Day, The Youngbloods, Country Joe, The Byrds, Canned Heat, Janis Joplin, Santana, Jefferson Airplane, and many others.

Woodstock was two weeks ago, the acid had probably worn off. The Dead open with several relatively short songs (including an early, raucous Easy Wind) before diving into their classic four-song bluesy psychedelic opus magnum. Decent Star, good Eleven, remember it’s the summer of 1969 so………….

Not a pristine recording, but pays dividends, think of it as Grateful Dead gumbo…….

If you're open to it, New Orleans will teach you about yourself, but if you want to hide from who you really are, the city will help you do that, too.......

Rock on,

Doc
I don't know what America would be without New Orleans and the music…..

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good pick doc was always curious about this show and sho enough, here it is, a good Dark Star, Casey Jones and Easy Wind. Far out man

It looks a bit incongruous, seeing T.Rex's name in that lineup of bands. That would have been on their disastrous tour of America, with Marc Bolan looking for fame and fortune while sidekick bongo whopper and furry freak brother Steve Took apparently trying every drug that was offered to him. Back in Blighty, Took got his marching orders and a one way ticket to palookaville, while Bolan headed on towards stardom. Both of them dead before the 80's kicked in.

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Hey there rockers!!!!

Pick Of The Day:The Sky River Rock Festival and Lighter Than Air Fair,Betty Nelson's Organic Raspberry Farm, Sultan, Washington, September 2, 1968

Ethyl formate, which gives raspberries their flavour and smells of rum, has now been found in deep space………

Friends & rockers, welcome to chapter two of our end-of-summer Labor Day outdoor/festival flashbacks. High 50s to mid 60s, dry (although apparently it rained the previous day), light breeze. An estimated 4000-5000 up to perhaps 15000 revelers were treated to three days of the great outdoors and rock and roll. Details are fuzzy, exactly who showed up and played is still a little sketchy……….

Woodsy outdoor vibe, Grateful Dead, acid, it can all get quite spacey and jammy. Or was it jelly? No matter how you spread it, it’s Good Old Grateful Dead, the raspberry freaks in attendance being treated to the usual gooey jammy goodness and a healthy dose of Pigpen.

Not withstanding some quirky microphones, the Miller remaster is indeed delicious, give it a taste!!!

Often, we melt into our ecstasies as though they were jams, as though we were sinking into syrupy bowls of gooseberries, of raspberries, of bilberries…..

Rock on,

Doc
When you're being stalked by an angry mob with raspberries, the first thing to do is to release a tiger......

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In reply to by Owwire

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Looking at 11/25/79 for the next pick in the rotation. Pauly Pavilion. Let me know how this one sounds to you all.
Have a great labor day weekend out there. Summer goes way to fast in MN.
Hey, we get a new box at the end of month!

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another gr8 pick and I do believe this is one of the Dark Stars that was used for Grayfolded. Great Cd if you haven't heard it, 1st CD before a dead show, 2nd CD after, the author "I've been psychedelicized".

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In reply to by PT Barnum

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I have repeated listens of this one going way back. I think I was first attracted to it because of the venue.. I mean, who wouldn't want to see the GD live at a festival in 1968 at Betty Nelson's Organic Raspberry Farm? A great show, the recording is pretty good considering it was a house recording from the venue. Too bad the Death Don't Have No Mercy is cut.

Like Doc said..

Well, this is one for the history books and worth a visit.

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Hey, rockers!!!

Pick Of The Day: Folsom Field, Boulder, Colorado, September 3, 1972

Friends & rockers, welcome to the third and final chapter of this year’s end-of-summer Labor Day outdoor/festival flashbacks. What I like to call a three set stomper, the Grateful Dead version of a Rocky Mountain high………….

Elevation: 5, 430 feet. Higher when the Dead hit town. 52-75 degrees, light wind, with rain. Or should I say torrential downpour? LOL perhaps Cold Rain & Snow was appropriate……

In 2005 TPTB teased us with three songs from this show--including the 28 minute Other One—tucked into the dark recesses of Dick’s Picks 36. Several years later the kind folks at GEMS gave us a complete version. It’s not the easiest listen, there’s cuts, edits, and audience patches. So, it seems unlikely that the whole show will see official release……….

Retrospectively slammed and panned by some, but probably fun at the time………….

Come Fairies, take me out of this dull world, for I would ride with you upon the wind and dance upon the mountains like a flame!

Rock on!!

Doc
Great things are done when men and mountains meet……

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Hey rockers!!

42 years ago today my friends and I saw an awesome outdoor Dead show in Maine. Now THAT would make a nice official release.............

Rock on,

Doc
In this part of the world, only Maine gives winter the welcome and the worship it should have.......

The people I know that went to this show hyped it up and up.. soundboards do not seem to circulate for this one, but there's some good audience tapes. I wonder what happened to the boards?

Lewiston and Augusta were legendary early to mid 80's shows, good to see you caught them both.

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In reply to by JimInMD

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Absolutely agree, this would be a great one to release. Another great show for you to be at Doc. There is a
SBD of this show and we did hit this up here a couple of years ago. Might be time to do it again?

By the way, the 79 Pauly Pavilion show is really good. Another fine November 79 show.

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In reply to by DeadVikes

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Never straight…
Recently hit, In no particular order?

8/22/68
9/1/69
3/6/92
8/30/69
11/25/79
9/3/77

Enjoyed them all! Mostly status quo vis a vis respective tours.
Standouts we’re 8/22/68 and the cool space jam from 11/25/79.
8/22 is very much like it’s famous neighbors.

Still need to hit 9/2/68 and 2/6/70.
Think I’ll hit the 68 then going to switch it up with 9/12/82.

Yep we’ve hit those Maine shows and they are quite nice!

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In reply to by Oroborous

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9/2/68
9/12/82
2/6/70

The 68 was pretty good, the 82 was decent, but perhaps not as tight as august etc, 2/6/70 was ruff! At one point I remember thinking this might be the worst show I’ve heard? I guess it wasn’t that bad, but lots of everything outta tune, clunkers etc. Meh!

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In reply to by Oroborous

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10/8/83 & 11/10/79
The 83 to get a taste of that tour for upcoming box!
The 79, for DV, because it’s the next show after the fine one I saw, and because we’ve been digging that fine fall 79 tour.
Twofer today since no tunes mañana for moi : (

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In reply to by Oroborous

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Okay, both sound great to me. Haven't heard either show, so they both look good. 11/10/79 there is a 2021 Miller transfer. Wouldn't be able to get them both in today, but will this week. Thanks OB and first show at Buffalo must have been a good one to get started at.

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In reply to by DeadVikes

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Where we should go, we just ride..

Gotta love the way we meander through the years here. The last 83 pick we got from OB became the next Dave's Picks (the 83 Spectrum). I'm in, a day late and dollar short.

... I will be honest; these MSG shows are new to me. Looking forward to some new shows and seeing how they got box set treatment, somebody must have thought they were special. It also looks like Mr. Norman has stepped up his game working with the dreaded cassette master.