• 8,064 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.

Comments

sort by
Recent
Reset
  • JimInMD
    Joined:
    More on GD/Amps/US Navy

    I was close... if you google it you will get an answer pretty quick. Here is a quick quote from my first google land.

    Rosie McGee was cracking up at her desk when Dennis "Wiz" Leonard walked in from lunch.

    "What's the story?" Wiz asked McGee, then a receptionist and bookkeeper at Alembic, a California-based custom electric guitar, bass, and pre-amp company where Wiz worked as an audio engineer.

    "Well, the Department of Defense just called me," she told him. "They were asking if we could defer the purchase of our next four 3500s, so they could get four."

    Those amps were in high demand at Alembic. The 3500s, in particular, would be used in the Wall of Sound's vocal array tweeters, drum tweeters, and for Jerry Garcia's guitars. But was it just Alembic buying them up? A rumor was going around—a "urban myth," Wiz told me—that the US military was using Mac 3500s for sonar, specifically to listen for Soviet submarines.

  • Gary Farseer
    Joined:
    Passing the Test

    Isn't the goal here to be lighthearted? I try my best to not let the craziness of the world/media not get to me here? Isn't the goal here to be a kind prankster? They ask, "Are you kind?" Most of the flamers I look like as children, either actual age or not. Many are so deep in social media and issues that result thereof, they cannot see what it is doing to them. They are being handled, manipulated, and unwittingly abused by the profiteers. I try to stay away.

    Jim, had no idea of the McIntosh amp issues. Thanks for that piece of info. As much as I love the music, it is just how they were. So real and fun which someone wrote, "creating their own iconography." The richness of their traditions and internal musical dialog that we love is an unending source of comfort as they lived it everyday for 30 years. I wish I had a shot at hearing even 50% of their music, but as I have written before, my OCD makes me wear out a great jam over and over instead of looking for the next one. Need to work on that for sure.

    So Jim and Oro and many others, thanks for passing the test.

    G

  • JimInMD
    Joined:
    GFar

    You are kind soul.. I appreciate all you provide here. Same goes to Oro. I think it would take a face to face to catch me up on all the technology (old or new) that the two of you bring for me to truly understand. As for old.. and I am sure you both know.. in either late 73 or early 74 (I think 73).. the GD got into a scuffle with DOD over equipment they were ordering that was desperately needed for national security. Apparently, the Macintosh amps they were buying in unprecedented numbers were needed both in general and more specifically by special, top secret subs that needed the clean sound and amplification to either detect enemy interference or better hear and make stealth the noise they were making. So they called the GD and tried to work out a way to either stall, postpone or barter a purchasing arrangement that would not jeopardize national security.

    I think this is well known, and I apologize in advance for going on memory and surely confusing some of the information listed above as fact. ..but what is written is pretty close, if someone can clarify and correct it would not offend me in the least.

    Hope I didn't write anything that was incorrect or in any way interpreted as insulting or offensive.

    As for chainsaws and sawzaws to clear way for our living room WOS.. what could possibly be more fun.

  • Gary Farseer
    Joined:
    Sawzaw

    Ah the sounds of my earliest fun dentist. "You dont need no gas!"

    All my stereo stuff is old, always fussy. Running all old Yamaha into JBL (plus svs). Trying to get stuff cleaned and parts replaced. When it is on, it is quite the stereo indeed. I have an old yamaha eq that I hooked up when Dave's first show was released. Goes into Pre amp, then to a yamaha mx-830. The MX-830 is powering 4 jbl g300's and 2 jbl LX 600's. Running 6 speakers means the amp is running at 550 watts at 2 ohms. It cooks. The speakers all have same tweeters and mid ranges. The 300s run 8" woofers and the 600s have 10 inch woofers. It is old but as you say "in budget." Smile.

    edit:
    Then the svs has a 550 watt continous, 850 watt peak sledge. The svs I picked up a few years back for $399. I had to have a sub with an internal crossover. So out of preamp to svs (rca cables), then back into the preamp, then to amp. Having old yamaha means older connection points. Modern amps control the crossover themself and pump sub out already crossed over. I happen to run my internal sub amp at a cutoff of 82 hz. George Lucas uses 80 hz crossover in his THX sound systems. So I am slightly above that. I did some sampling of the room using the preamp features.

    G

  • JimInMD
    Joined:
    Do you have any '74 Dijon?

    Neanderthal's use chain saws.. a sophisticated audiophile attacks their living rooms delicately with a sawzaw.

    I'm totally jealous.. I am blasting with my 20 year old Denon, similar age speakers with no intents on upgrading anytime soon. Budgets be budgets..

  • Gary Farseer
    Joined:
    Yeah

    Can you imagine writing the real equipment book? With the constant upgrading of the system, that book would be multiple enormous volumes. Hope the Meyers have logged a lot of their research.

    No 18's here. Of course not needed.

    Back last year, Oro, you asked if I was running multiple subs. I am not. I have a 12" SVS Systems sub with built in Sledge D amp. It is like the rabbit, it is a thumper. Goes down to 13 or 15hz, so below the 20hz of human hearing. That is, if all memories about frequency response are still good. Starting to get the old enough to question my own thoughts at times.

    I am still hoping for the day when we can listen to WoS through a system that takes us to the "Fare the Well" P.A.. Would have to be software based, but I look at it like 4K upcoding an HDTV signal.

    Wow, FTW PA is now 7 years ago. Bet the Meyers' have gone way beyond that. I almost applied for a job at Meyer 7 years ago. Was in my career field. POTHead.

    That 2015 system had multiple flying 18's. It also had a load balancing system. This was done by having 2 systems, intake and outake. That is, they had 100 microphones throughout the stadium to push into the analytics software. Of course, the output systems was not connected except thru analytics, to the input system to avoid feedback. Brilliant. The analytic input system could then be used to balance the PA by section of the of the stadium.

    Sorry for interruption but I wanted find the article on pro sound web about 2015 FTW PA.

    I did actually find it, but not by searching pro sound web, but by searching internet at large and it found it on the pro sound web site, even though pro sound web could not find it in its own search.

    Let me know, maybe I can send lynk thru PM here, not sure if they cut that off.

    Any way need to do a little work after lunch. I mean a little work.

    G

  • Oroborous
    Joined:
    Ha

    That’s what chain saws are for!

    Gary, I think besides trying to keep up with Garcia, Phil was using that big system on stage to help fill in those near field areas (up front etc) we were discussing, the areas that didn’t get proper coverage from the PA?
    What some refer to as the Phil Zone, though to me that’s was where both his stage sound and the PA sound merged and acoustically coupled.
    But yeah, My spine tingles and can still feel rather than hear those sub frequencies in my DNA. (By sub I mean below the threshold of hearing, not a subwoofer). Those Meyers 18”s in the PA were ridiculous in the right spot, in the right venue etc.
    Plus, it’s the Grateful Fucking Dead so why not go big!

    PS, that Grateful Dead gear book is great, though a little dialed down.

  • JimInMD
    Joined:
    I want what Phil's having...

    Home version. 18"'s and 4"'s. If I move some things around, they should fit.

  • Gary Farseer
    Joined:
    Oro

    thanks for the write-up, input. Need a little time to read again and ponder. Think again we are speaking the same language but as 90% of communication is non verbal, some times the written language let's us down.

    It seems I have the dead's equipment book, need to track that down. Not necessarily for this discussion but just to find it again...

    Should have figured Phil would use Meyer systems. Using 18's onstage, wow!

    Hope all well your way!

    G

  • Oroborous
    Joined:
    Phil’s Rig

    As of late 82 or early 83 Phil was using 4 Meyers cabinets: (4 -18”, 4 -15”), 2 per cabinet powered by custom PIE amps, until they started not using speakers on stage in 92. (Which I didn’t like).

    Not sure I get all what your saying? I agree that Soundboards do not sound natural for many reasons.
    Perhaps your referring to the phenomena of Microphones not having frequency response to accurately record bass waves combing sub sonic frequencies at those kind of SPL levels?
    Mic location can also make a big difference and was partly why Dan started the tapers section. Unless you have the right knowledge and equipment chances are a recording made too close will mot sound good.
    Plus you have the physics: the lower the frequency, the longer the sound wave. If your too close you’ll not hear the fully formed bass note etc.
    In fact if your too close much of the PA sound will blow right by you. You’ll also not properly experience stereo imaging. That’s why usually, the sound board or just before it was THE place to be. It was a trade off going up front: yeah you were up close and could see and hear their stage sound, but the PA mix was so above and beyond you that you missed a lot of info. Eventually they added little Meyers boxes, usually sitting on the front of the stage to add some vocals etc for those up close.
    Nothing comes for free! Personally, like Bear, I didn’t like the stereo set up because of this. Unless you were in the right spot, you missed a lot of info, especially if you were sitting on the side!
    This was the main reason Reserved seating sucked: nobody could sit where they wanted so if you were a sound nut like us, you often had to endure less than perfect sound/mixes.

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months
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.
user picture

Member for

16 years 3 months
Permalink

Hey rockers!!!

Pick Of The Day: Boston Music Hall, December 1, 1973

Whenever a thing is done for the first time, it releases a little demon……..

You never forget the discovery years. First kisses. The first time you try certain foods. The first Grateful Dead concert……….

There we were, rookies as green as the grass, in the splendor of the Boston Music Hall, in the absolute last row of the balcony, twisted by happy mushrooms. Tiny ants were playing musical instruments way down on that stage, making impressions that would last a lifetime……

LOL it was actually my first “half show”. I can laugh about it now, back in the day it was psychedelic tragicomedy. When the first set ended and the house lights came on, we couldn’t hear what was said on stage, we were so baked we thought the show was over so we left. Plus, we didn’t drive, and had to catch the trolley back to Newton. Ah, the folly of youth!!

I did get a China/Rider (one of my favorite Dead tunes) and Let It Grow, some Weiry Americana cowboy tunes, and I enjoyed the Tennessee Jed and Casey Jones---they both had a “sing-along” quality that was very appealing to me. But we did miss the big, cool second set jam sequence as well as the closing NFA suite. Sigh…….

Charlie Miller did do a very nice remaster of this one, certainly worth a listen!!

Music is God's gift to man, the only art of Heaven given to earth, the only art of earth we take to Heaven…..

Rock on,

Doc
Music is forever; music should grow and mature with you, following you right on up until you die…..

thanks nitecat for the Portland show story. everything coated in fine volcanic ash - what could be the problem? Listened to Set I but while at task and really need to give the whole show a deep listen.

12/3/79 would like a word with you Jim . . . .

having said that, not clear how 12/1/79 hasn't been released. absolute gem. FWIW the Althea was featured Day 12 of recent 30 days. not sure if I've ever heard 11/30.

still haven't gotten to the 12/4/73 bonus disc.

The new Miller remaster of 11/26/72 has been "uploaded" to Archive, though something's amiss. FLAC files for the whole show are there, but only 14 of the VBRs and as a consequence only about 1/2 the show presents in the streaming playlist at the top. Its sorta odd what's missing, e.g. there's a China Cat but no Rider. Plus for 2 days there's been a message of the "item" being updated/modified. Hopefully Matt Vernon recognizes the problem and corrects it.

Anyhow, that 11/26 Dark Star is gorgeous. As always, thanks Doc for bringing that to our attention.

user picture

Member for

13 years 2 months

In reply to by bluecrow

Permalink

I'm not sure I have hit that.

This is what happens when we get ahead of Oroboros. Things works much better when he hits the whole tour and tells us which shows are ripe for the picking.

I take it I missed a good one? We should hit it then if we haven't already.

user picture

Member for

9 years

In reply to by JimInMD

Permalink

Uptown Theater, Chicago, my second show. I was super psyched when they released it, but there were a lot of folks who were like "What about (insert another Fall '79 show)??!!" And yeah there are a whole lot of great shows to close out Brent's first year with the band, just ask DV. 12/1 is a stand alone simply for that crazy ass jam Set II.

As for 12/3, it's a regular in my rotation. Among other things, the Jack a Roe has a gorgeous Garcia solo, and it is by far my favorite electric version by outside of the first May '77 beauties. And Phil has a 2 note repeating riff as Playing winds down that to my ear is referencing Love Supreme.

So yeah just standing up for a home town show that I also actually was at. just being bluecrow.

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months

In reply to by JimInMD

Permalink

Hmmm, isn’t that Dave’s 31? Now, I do appreciate all the releases, but that one hasn’t resonated so well?
Maybe some day the lightning will hit, but I think it’s just once again ole Dave going to the right city and street but wrong house. There are several really good shows from that tour, ESPECIALLY those Stanley shows!
It’s go time here so still little to no tunes, though I might get one in today 🤞
Luckily I’ve heard most of the cool sheeoot y’all been picking, so maybe I’ll just randomly hit 5/29/80 to try and finish that tour off soon, and since I’ve been enjoying those shows?

Hopefully when the chaos, insanity, and madness subsides (ridiculous deadline: furniture arriving in 2 weeks but still sanding, painting, trim, floors, you name it, oh, and sparky says there not going to be done until February lol) so yeah, why not, let’s move a bunch of furniture in! So hopefully by the time this is over, I’ll be over my burnout, fresh outta the mental institution, but still having a terrible urge to throw things…but ready to show binge again!
ONWARD!

EDIT: Howdy BC, feel I should clarify so as not to offend. I think 12/3 is a good show, but as you say, there’s perhaps some “better” ones is all…

user picture

Member for

11 years 10 months
Permalink

Don't know if it's true, but my buddy sent me this today. Thought some might like it.

Posted on Facebook today, a letter from Hendrix to his father:

"Dear Dad,
I still have my guitar and amp and as long as I have that, no fool can keep me from living.
There's a few record companies I visited that I probably can record for. I think I'll start working toward that line because actually when you're playing behind other people you're still not making a big name for yourself as you would if you were working for yourself.
But I went on the road with other people to get exposed to the public and see how business is taken care of. And mainly just to see what's what, and after I put a record out, there'll be a few people who know me already and who can help with the sale of the record.
Nowadays people don't want you to sing good. They want you to sing sloppy and have a good beat to your songs. That's what angle I'm going to shoot for. That's where the money is.
So just in case about three or four months from now you might hear a record by me which sounds terrible, don't feel ashamed, just wait until the money rolls in because every day people are singing worse and worse on purpose and the public buys more and more records.
I just wanted to let you know I'm still here, trying to make it. Although I don't eat every day, everything's going all right for me. It could be worse than this, but I'm going to keep hustling and scuffling until I get things to happening like they're supposed to for me.
Tell everyone I said hello. Leon, Grandma, Ben, Ernie, Frank, Mary, Barbara and so forth. Please write soon. It's pretty lonely out here by myself. Best luck and happiness in the future.
Love, your son, Jimmy"

user picture

Member for

13 years 10 months
Permalink

Sirius played 1/13/78 last night, I was there. It was fun listening to it and shaking up the memories. Good show.

Here's a description of the venue:

The historic Arlington Theatre, built in the mission revival style and beautifully restored, seats over 2,000. Its atmospheric interior contains faux-Spanish villas and a ceiling filled with twinkling stars.

This was a benefit for the Pacific Alliance, called "Stop Nuclear Power" .

Funny thing, they announced at the end that the Bakersfield show the next night wasn't selling well, so on our way out, we could get a free ticket to that show. They were handing out little raffle tickets. We decided to take them up on that and went to Bakersfield too!

Over on Steve Hoffman there are folks that just had their copies of DaP 44 show up on the East Coast. Clearly some copies took a Side Trip.

Need to add some mid-Jan '78 shows to the to do list.

user picture

Member for

13 years 2 months

In reply to by Oroborous

Permalink

I'll be, 12/3 is DaP 31. Sloppy research, I didn't make the connection. Honestly, I haven't listened to that in quite some time. ..so long in fact, I forgot about it.

user picture

Member for

16 years 3 months
Permalink

Hey rockers!!!!

Pick Of The Day: Boston Music Hall December 2, 1971

Dedicated to Ken Kirk and Joe Lydon, my best touring buddies from back in the day. I’m not sure if they ever visit this site, but they’re always here in spirit…….

Old tunes and new, throw in some cowboy tunes, grease, and jamming, and there you go!! A very fine and underrated show, all very nicely broadcast by hometown hippie station WBCN.

Here’s a little quiz for you: who can name the three very unusual things about this show? PM me with your answers! The prize? Some generous, early Christmas good cheer in your stocking,,,,,,,,

I've always had an eye for the oddities in life………….

Rock on!!!

Doc
I feel comfortable in the presence of oddity, probably because I'm a little bit odd……

user picture

Member for

7 years 10 months

In reply to by bluecrow

Permalink

Stanley Theatre. Finished this one up. Really good recording and a great show. Alabama Getaway, Peggy O, FOTD, always like these early versions of Easy to Love You. They give you a long Dancing and close the first set with a rocking Deal.
A big Scarlet Fire to start the second set into Passenger. The Terrapin Station is a bit wobbly, Jerry seemed to slow this down during this time period. Good Playing, Lost Sailor SOC out of Space. Good finish with Wharf Rat Good Lovin, Don't Ease Me In.

Thanks Jim. Good pick. On to 12/1/79 and then all these other picks.

Hey Bluecrow, I am sure you have fond memories of your second show. I just wish Dave would put out more 79.

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months

In reply to by DeadVikes

Permalink

Yep DV, those Stanley shows are top shelf fo sho!
Many good shows from that tour, but from what I’ve heard I’m biased toward 11/6/79, though I’ve never gone aces back to back between 11/6 and 12/1, both are Bobbie dazzlers!
Perhaps BC could provide insight into the other Chicago shows?

I did get 5/29/80 in yesterday. Surprisingly good for tour opener. Another solid no frills show from a tour of the same ilk. Might get lucky and hit the next night in Milwaukee, which being Friday makes sense as it’s cerveza night ; )

Sorry, skipping the repeats for now since I don’t have much “show” time so trying to move forward, never straight!
Or, onward through the fog (and snow, again : (

Got in all three today. Whew.. exhausting. All three were a treat.

Listening with headphones first skiing then using power tools for the two Stanley shows, got a decent listen to 12.2.71 with a few less distractions. Really enjoyable show. Actually, all three were really enjoyable.

I'm not nearly as committed as OB and not nearly as disciplined as GOGD but every now and again I can keep up.

I hope you all are doing well.. it's when the days get short that life gets weird.. and when the going gets weird, ....

user picture

Member for

9 years

In reply to by JimInMD

Permalink

Finally got around to that Winterland '73 box bonus disc from "Cin City" 12/4/73. Holy mother of god. That second set, all 55 minutes of it. Starts off with Eyes > serious weirdness. Phil is in a mood. Freaking awesome.

Maybe not a DHB hat trick, but it's a Bobby Hull slap shot from the blue line ringing off the inside iron of your mind.

He shots he scooooorrrreeessss! And the crowd goes wild! Good job Mr Jimmy, glad someone has picked up the slack around here. I got denied with 5/30/80, oh well, maybe Monday back down in the mine…
BC, great sales job on 12/4/73. Guess I’ll have to hit that lol. I mean we cant listen to Xmass music aaallll the time can we?
Stay warm, be safe,
ONWARD

all I listened to was that bonus disc - whole show is up on relisten/archive (reminder - this is an odd show with super late start, 4 "song" Set II etc.) I listened to the disc at the tail end of a long "day" with lots of driving and by that point it was back country 2 lane hwy in the inky black, round about midnight, and that is a setting conducive to deep listening for me and has been for many years. I will go back to the whole disc (whole show?) perhaps later today.

its the Eyes > serious weirdness > remainder of Set II that floored me. simply awesome sequence. like i said, Phil is in a mood, he drops a couple of rattling-the-bones-of-the earth notes at the end of the last Eyes chorus, an odd spot, that fully got my attention and were a harbinger of what was in store. not for casual listening, though maybe a trained professional could get away with simultaneously operating power tools.

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months

In reply to by bluecrow

Permalink

Just a soft chair and some strong weed!
Magnifco! Good call BC!
Hadn’t heard this one (the bonus disc) in a while.
One good disc is bout all I can do currently, and this one hit the spot!

Took a detour today as I have been having some issues with my Sonos music library. Listened to Rocking the Cradle and the bonus disc. For some reason, in the past I didn't think the bonus disc was too hot. I was wrong about that. It is really good. Great estimated Eyes, Terrapin. Not perfect, but very enjoyable.

And how about that Shakedown, Stella Blue! I think Bluecrow is a fan of this release.

I need to catch up tomorrow.

Oh and OB, those Vikings continue to win ugly.

user picture

Member for

9 years

In reply to by DeadVikes

Permalink

and strong weed - that's the ticket for sure with a big fish like that one : )

DV - a detour through Egypt '78 sounds pretty darn good as detours go. It was about this time last year that I revisited that release for the first time in a long long while. The revisit largely had to do with my fascination the early Shakedowns with Keith and Donna, and boy, is that a cool Shakedown (2nd time played!) After seeing your post, decided to spin Disc 2 this morning.

user picture

Member for

7 years 10 months

In reply to by bluecrow

Permalink

Another barn burner as you guys mentioned. Good recording. Long Sugarees always make me smile.. Yes, that second set China Rider, they give you this fun ride with He's Gone, Gloria Jam, CC Rider, Jam into drums and a solid finish. What a show. Thanks Jim.

So we haven't had a 79 released since 2019, might be time to give us another next year.

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months

In reply to by DeadVikes

Permalink

Caught 5/30 and 2/3 of 5/31 yesterday. Noticeable strong for early tour!
Hot Hack Straw and Passenger in there somewhere? Cool Rat placement.
Yep more solid 80 with a few interesting placements.
Continuing onward with 6/5/80 and the scraps from 5/31…

Wild game DV, but hey, a wins A Win!
Go VIKS!

user picture

Member for

9 years

In reply to by Oroborous

Permalink

My third show and yep it's a good one. Post drumz sequence was on 30 days and I pretty much knew it had to be from that show just from the song sequence. Still pretty green at the time and did not recognize just how crazy unusual that Wharf Rat > Other One pre-drums was (that sort of knowledge would come a "few" years later). Not sure if you recognized the scenario for the double encore. After US Blues the lights were up, roadies started breaking down gear, but a good portion of the crowd still cheering and not leaving. After something like 10 minutes the band came back and played Brokedown. A buddy and I had made our way above the tunnel that led back stage (like dopes we were thinking of trying to sneak back there) and we saw a guy run out to stop the roadies from breaking down the gear and next thing here comes the band out of the tunnel. We were maybe the first in crowd to realize what was happening. There had to be a lot of shows where the crowd wasn't leaving all that quick and not sure why this time they came back out. I don't think I've ever listened to 5/29 and 5/30 - need to remedy that.

Onward

user picture

Member for

13 years 2 months

In reply to by Oroborous

Permalink

Want to toss one of the more liked from the mini tour you just cycled through?

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months
Permalink

Gila River Indian Reservation was where these two wonderful Grateful Dead concerts happened. Home of Ira Hayes and Russell “Big Chief” Moore. I saw my final outdoor Dead concert 30 years ago today. After those two shows I only saw them three more times, February 1995 in Salt Lake City.
That skeleton holding the hour glass with wings is watching from a not too distant cloud. Or as old time Montana cowboys used to say, “When I stand up in the stirrups I can see the end gate in the distance”.
Seize the day , and the night.
Gila River hit first stage flood in the past few days, just like 30 years ago when torrential rains kicked up every wash and river course in the southwest. And then the winter sun shone on the 5th and 6th in time for the Arizona Grateful Dead shows.
As Jay Leno said to his guest Sting years ago who was opening for the Dead in Las Vegas, “ it’s amazing how the Grateful Dead can control the weather, wherever they play there’s a huge cloud above the audience “.

user picture

Member for

9 years

In reply to by Strider 808808

Permalink

that must have been something day 2

good to see you again Strider

just had a juvenile Prairie Falcon in the yard. what a beautiful, fierce presence.

Jim - only familiar with 5/31. We hit it a good while ago, but if it's "new" to you (always a relative concept for me) then well worth your time. SBD available for Set II. Dave L. has posted parts of Set II from this show for years and maybe it will see the light of day as an official release. I really need to follow in Oro's footsteps and check out the previous 2 nights, and maybe you should start there.

I got side-tracked and right now I'm down in AZ on 12/6/92.

edit - that was whole lot of fun!! 30 years ago today. 3 weeks later, on Christmas Eve 1992, at the annual party for family and friends, Tom R. was talking about seeing this show and he was all aglow about the return of Here Comes Sunshine.

user picture

Member for

16 years 3 months
Permalink

Hey there space rockers!!

Pick Of The Day: Bellarmine College, Louisville Kentucky, December 7 1968

If you can explain string theory to me, maybe you can explain this show………try not to go all Hawking on me…..

The strings are played, dulcet tones result. It sounds like a small yet enthusiastic crowd witnessed this cosmic spectacle, which begins in slightly typical big jam form, a nice Star/Stephen followed by an Eleven which is cut inexplicably short. The band restarts the trippy festivities with a mournful Death Don’t followed by a crunchy CE/TOO/CE suite, which foreshadows the closing weirdness to follow by melding seamlessly into New Potato Caboose. How to explain the closing Rosemary (?the only existing recorded live version?)-He Was Friend Of Mine-It Hurts Me Too-Morning Dew-And We Bid You Goodnight? Good luck with that one…..

In essence, string theory describes space and time, matter and energy, gravity and light, indeed all of God's creation... as music…..

Mr Miller’s remaster is very decent and worth a listen. That being said, it might never be officially released due to the numerous cuts and edits. Enjoy what’s there!!!

On a cosmic scale, our life is insignificant, yet this brief period when we appear in the world is the time in which all meaningful questions arise…….

Rock on!!

Doc
Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the universe, are challenged by this point of pale light, our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark……

A well deserved spotlight, thanks Doc. Tagged this one here a few weeks ago, part of my 1968 quest this fall, rough cut but essential because of Rosemary, not to forget NPC. Reputedly only 500 or so were there, would love to hear further details from anyone. Apparently some missing cuts, probably did not start with Dark Star. Another example of a show that will never get released due to recording issues, nonetheless so very worthwhile.

user picture

Member for

13 years 2 months

In reply to by bluecrow

Permalink

A new one for me and comes with a Strider story. I really enjoy connecting stories with shows. It's always the music, but the culture, life and times matter. I think most of us grew up with the GD. It's more than just notes and chords. The music certainly spoke to me and I bet most if not all of us. These are no simple pop ditties.

Have a good day folks.. heading out and testing out a new boat at high water in December, what could possibly go wrong?

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months

In reply to by JimInMD

Permalink

Really every show between 5/29 and 6/21 are solid. I’ve listened to them sporadically over time so don’t have a cohesive comparison, but I recall thinking the Alaska shows seemed to improve each night, really liked the 21.
Perhaps Portland gets slight edge of the PNW?. 5/29 is a solid tour opener, 5/30 has a hot Jack Straw>>Franks, and passenger etc, and 5/31 seemed to step it up as well as the interesting set list, and ending.
I saw the Band in 84 and nobody left and continued to raise hell, and even though the crew started to breakdown, they made em set it back up and eventually came out and kept playing, probably to avoid a riot! So can only imagine what it must have been like to see that happen with the dead! Thought it might happen on 4/12/83 but after long time they eventually brought up the lights, but even then nobody left!
Compton seemed to settle into a longer more classic flow of songs, but then there’s Boulder too? So I can’t really pick just one or two Jim lol.

12/7/68 looks interesting as well as the 92 Compton, so I’ll try to get to those next couple daze…

user picture

Member for

10 years
Permalink

Still trying to get to the Rockin' the Cradle bonus.
Good chance today w/ snow and cold weather.
Only got partial listens on the '79 & '80 recommendations.
Stupidly missed the '92 Phx. (Gila Resv.) shows in person. Doh! What was I thinkin'? But I got 1 show each of the '90 and '94 versions. The '90 outshone the '94 by a wide margin with Bruce there in '90.
Interrupted by a system failure. Had to tear apart the stack. Switched on the bedroom stereo and no lights on the tuner. I've listened to CPR Classical every night at bedtime for a couple of years and now my mellow blue glow of incandescent bulbs (LEDs suck, way too bright) on the Pioneer silver face are missing. Really messing me up. And no tech in town! They've all died or moved to bigger markets. Asking all my local network who still toys with electronics in their basement shops. May have to drive 65 miles and drop it off with the only known repair shop. Two trips in winter, argh.
Be careful out there Jim. Many brave hearts are asleep in the deep, so beware, be-e-e-e-ware. ( I can never hit that bottom bass note) And you beat me to the ski tracks, I'm slacking. Feels like when Lucy Van Pelt says she never eats December snowflakes, they're just not ripe yet.
Cheers

Maybe some confusion? R.T. Vol.1, No.4 is From Egypt with Love - taken from October '78 Winterland shows. Rocking the Cradle is the Egypt box. I still need to revisit that From Egypt With Love Road Trips - I was trying to track down the discs scattered through my collection a little while ago and 1 is still MIA.

I hear you with with the lack of nearby places to have certain work done, sort of the price for living a long ways from a true metro area. For me it's auto work. As luck would have it I just drove an insane distance to have a truly critical repair done in a correct and timely fashion and guess what. Everything was going just exactly perfect until it wasn't and something else got screwed up right at the tail end, that as it turns out they could not immediately fix. So I get to make that drive again this Friday and hope they can get it right this go around (and I'm not fully confident right now.) Ouch.

user picture

Member for

10 years
Permalink

From my same disorganized batch.
I must have slipped it in with the 3 Rockin' the Cradle discs.
I had a ton of stuff donated to me that were in those single paper/cellophane sleeves and I transferred it all to heavier cardboard covers that hold 4 discs each (Ironically they are Muzac subscription covers from a ski shop I worked at that would discard them when the new ones came in - "Creating experiences with audio architecture" LOL) and clearly I was stoned when I "reorganized" and relabeled their new covers. My initial impression of The Cradle wasn't so great apparently as I'm not sure I've even listened to it twice. Got to remedy that too as '78 is my year. Another mystery solved by the sleuth BC! Thanks again.
Cheers and happy listening today

Today's Dead related trivia: Was looking up Stanley Mouse and did not know he had done stuff with Big Daddy Ed Roth in the monster's driving fast cars art era. Article said he lost a suit against Pixar-Disney over copyright infringement over the characters Mikey & Sully in Monsters Inc. which he claimed they took from one of his ideas.

Edit: The new icon is the new boy cats from the shelter. Name suggestions? No, not Bob & Jerry.

user picture

Member for

13 years 2 months

In reply to by 1stshow70878

Permalink

That must explain the timing and overlap of the posts this am. I didn't see docs and dvcvt's until now.. I'm switching gears and hitting 68, maybe fitting in one of Striders tonight and the other tomorrow.. which gets us to one of the Alaska shows I think..

So we have a bit of listening to do. Hope everyone's having a good day. Big fun here.. water water everywhere, a big adrenaline day with no carniage whatsever. 62 degrees here in December. Crazy.

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months

In reply to by JimInMD

Permalink

…Juxtaposition between 68 and 92 Dead.
12/7/68 was pretty cool with great set lists including of course the one and only Rosemary and all that youthful exuberance!
12/5/92 definitely has a much different energy/feel, but much more professional sounding all around!
I enjoyed both comparatively to other shows from their respective years, but it’s kinda pointless to compare them to each other. Thought 92 started out kinda slow which is not unusual for the time, but built up nicely as it progressed.
68 they come right outta the gate with a decent Dark Star and rarely let up!
Two completely different shows that illustrate just how prolific and versatile this band beyond description is!
Shooting for 12/6/92 to start today off…

Yep BC, I think we’ve reached some kind of tipping point. Nobody seems capable of doing/completing anything anymore!, and worse, they don’t give a shit!
feel your pain! After a month and a half I still can’t get a lousy estimate to fix my car!
Towed it there almost three weeks ago. Was told it should only take a couple days for an estimate, after nothing for a week, I mailed em a week ago Monday, no reply, no calls nothing! I go in this past Monday after being patient for two weeks “oh yeah we’re going to get to it today”, now end of the week, nothing…it’s like the whole world is so short handed, burned out and out of give a fucks! Like, we don’t care, and we don’t care if we lose business either…
And don’t even think about complaining! Passive aggressiveness is another widespread pathology of these modern times too!
Meanwhile up here as the clueless tourons roll in by the thousands, we’re on the CDCs no bueno list and yet everyone just keeps on like nothings happening!
WTF happened to people?
Ok, sorry, Debbie downers headed down to the mine now and thank goodness for the GOGD!
ONWARD, through the snow and fog! (Shoveled another foot and it’s still snowing)
Am I miserable, yes, yes I am lol.

user picture

Member for

7 years 10 months

In reply to by Oroborous

Permalink

Looking at 10/21/83 from the 30 Trips box for tomorrow. Hope you all can squeeze it in.

user picture

Member for

16 years 3 months
Permalink

Good day, fellow rockers…….

First and foremost, I would like to thank TPTB for the shout-out about my post concerning the oddities associated with the December 2, 1971 Boston Music Hall show. That was very sweet, and unexpected. So it seems you DO read these threads after all…..

I bitch, I moan, I complain, but never doubt that I appreciate all you do, all the music that’s been released, and all the music that’s been preserved and may some day be released. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you!!

I never totally gave up my playful inner child, that quiz came from that spot in my brain that will never be extinguished. I thought more folks might take a crack at it. Honestly, it’s a tough nut to crack, unless you’ve read my unpublished but somewhat widely circulated 1971 opus (lol that’s a hint to anybody out there who might need/want that). It was all right there….well….two thirds of it anyways…..

In regard to 12/2/71, the answers are:
1) It was the only 1971 show with both Smokestack Lightning and Turn On Your Lovelight.
2) It was one of only two 1971 shows with both Brokedown Palace and Black Peter. The other was October 19….
3) It was unusual for 1971 shows in that there was no Truckin’, Other One, or Dark Star.

And I must admit, there may be more oddities about this show than I originally appreciated. As pointed out to me by many observant Deadheads, there is the “Name That Tune” tune after Sugar Mags (the Dead did many somewhat similarly classified “tuning ditties” between songs, so maybe why I overlooked that one?) and the unusual, possibly unique second set sequence of NFA/Lovelight/GDTRFB/NFA. Thanks to all who were paying attention!!!

Perhaps we’ll play again later this year, until then,

Rock on, and go primal!!!

Doc
As for me, prizes are nothing, my prize is my work….
P.S. Nobody won, but the prize would’ve been any 25 shows of your choosing…..just tryin' to spread the music....

user picture

Member for

8 years 11 months

In reply to by JimInMD

Permalink

12-10-71
Because it’s the anniversary, and the STL Box is still awesome.

I actually listened to 12-10-71 in its entirety on vinyl last weekend and it sounded grate.
So, listening to 12-9-71 now because I didn’t listen to it yesterday.

Yesterday I listened to 12-9-81 for its anniversary.

Spinning 12/9/71. Yet another neglected box : (
Prolly hit last disc of 10/10 too.

Really enjoyed 12/6/92 at work Thursday. This one will need more love at some point!
12/11/92 at work Friday. Good, but not quite 12/6. Sorta typical slightly mellow start with build up as she goes…
Oh yeah, Friday I finished out my shift down the mine with that blazing first set from 4/8/85!

10/21/83: think we did this recently with Doc throwing down an 83 show!
I’d heard it, but not HEARD it until this spin!

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months

In reply to by Oroborous

Permalink

Don’t think we’ve hit this one and I bet DV will be down.
2018 Miller SB available…

Man that 12/9/71 is a snappy lil show!

user picture

Member for

7 years 10 months

In reply to by Oroborous

Permalink

Yes, absolutely! Providence RI.
Glad you are keeping the list OB as apparently I can't remember some of the picks from October.

user picture

Member for

1 year 9 months
Permalink

Yes! You should take part in every discussion so that you come across with different views about the topic and also you will be familiar to the mindset of other people. And you will enhance your speaking skills too!
Please ignore the mistakes!

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months

In reply to by daverock

Permalink

I do it all the time lol

Dug 11/4/79 DV, but didn’t find it comparable with the top shows from this tour, though that whole He’s Gone jam was worth it alone! Proper! Recording sounded pretty good too from what could tell under my conditions…
Perhaps a little slow or plodding outta the gate, but built up nicely. JG perhaps more than the rest of the boys, but not as bad as sometimes on this tour? Otherwise another fine show from a fine tour!

user picture

Member for

7 years 10 months

In reply to by Oroborous

Permalink

Enjoyed it OB. Give me a good Lost Sailor SOC, Althea and I am happy. Yes, not as high level as the Nassau shows or Spectrum shows, but still good and we get that long He's Gone as you mentioned. Recording is good and I believe these are all cassettes at this point.

I say go back and put those Spectrum shows on CD (they have already been mastered and released as downloads). Would be a nice little two show box.

user picture

Member for

10 years

In reply to by Oroborous

Permalink

As can be seen, I've never let it hold me back in life.

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months

In reply to by daverock

Permalink

Ok, 10:30 and no picks so how’s bout 11/29/79 with maybe a 12/13/92 chaser?
Looks like a Miller and a little different set list.

DR, when the going gets weird, the weird turn pro eh ; )

Wow, you got my number OB. I will have to hit this tomorrow, work got in the way today.

Haven't heard this one.

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months

In reply to by DeadVikes

Permalink

Oh yeah, your definitely gonna wanna here this one DV!
Jer performs unlike much of the tour.
Much more present than11/4. Solid show though no cool weird jam…

Didn’t make it to 12/13/92 so might try that today.

EDIT: 12/13/92, the Dew was a bit underwhelming, but otherwise another enjoyable solid show!