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    marye
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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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  • Forensicdoceleven
    Joined:
    Music is the best means we have of digesting time......

    ROCKTHING.............

    Check your PMs...........

    Music is the one incorporeal entrance into the higher world of knowledge which comprehends mankind but which mankind cannot comprehend........

    Rock on,

    Doc
    I frequently hear music in the very heart of noise.......

  • Forensicdoceleven
    Joined:
    I have just got a new theory of eternity…...

    Hey rockers!!!

    Pick Of The Day: Austin, Texas February 23, 1970

    I reluctantly discussed this at the end of last year. Here I am again. It appears that I’m stuck in a time warp. The galactic rock and roll union. I have no special talent, I am only passionately curious…..

    It appears that the currently circulated recording of this show is the only surviving audio document from the Dead’s four show excursion through Texas in February 1970. It’s tough coming right after the wonderful, brilliant Fillmore West/Fillmore East shows earlier that month, and perhaps it’s not unexpected that the intensity level might come down a bit. That being said, this is still interesting, enjoyable, and worthy…..

    The band is in 1970 electric/acoustic/electric mode. The circulating recording appears to be missing part of the first electric set, coming in during Know You Rider. For fans of acoustic Dead, this set is nice---Monkey And The Engineer-Little Sadie-Me And My Uncle-Black Peter-Seasons Of My Heart-Uncle John's Band. The festivities are completed with a jammy NFA and Mason’s Children.

    The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind. I live in that solitude which is painful in youth, but delicious in the years of maturity……

    Did Bear travel to Texas, and did he record? Banana boxes, reveal thy mysteries…..

    Rock on,

    Doc
    Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of truth and knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods……

  • rockthing
    Joined:
    5/19/74 > 2/22/69

    >daverock>

    The vocal dropouts are not evident in the audience tape, so that must have happened on the way to the board tape.

    That said, the recording is slightly overpowered by Jerry and Bob's guitars from the taper's vantage point, but a little time with a simple Equalizer was enough to bring more Phil and better presence to the vocals. I do recall a few lyric flubs with the new material, but in the overall mix it didn't really jump out at me. Probably much more obvious in the official release/soundboard recording.

    2/22/69>
    Oh, my. I can see this is gonna send me on a primal quest. I have all these fall '69 and fall '68 shows that I've never listened to, but I don't have much from the spring of those years. I love this gentle psychedelia. It's really these delicate type of sounds that really trigger the senses. I'm only up to Dark Star at this point, but what a beautiful way to start a show.... oops, "The transitive diamonds?" Haha. I'd probably have trouble remembering my name if I were there, so whatever.

    It's such a shame that we're restricted to streaming this show. Imho, if the official release isn't so significantly better sounding than one of these circulating boards that it isn't a no-brainer to buy it, then what's with the classism, eh? I know the boys need a retirement plan... but... --mini rant off--

  • daverock
    Joined:
    5/19/74

    Rockthing - good notes on this show - cheers! I'm going through it very slowly, but it's the L.P. I am listening to. Although it has the famous vocal drop outs, the sound and balance of the instruments sounds fine throughout to me. I have just played the side with Loose Lucy and Money Money on. A short side. The lyrics are a bit naff on both of them - but I like the music, and they were both played so rarely that when they do crop up, it's a welcome surprise to me.
    I presume the version you have listened to has the earlier vocal dropouts too.

  • rockthing
    Joined:
    5/19/74 (Part II)

    Wrote these notes on Monday morning while drinking my coffee and getting ready to do some work from home. After a while I was mostly distracted by the show.

    I'll get to that Feb. 22 '69 show if I can, but I don't have that one handy. Hafta stream it.

    The ETree identifier of this source is 115876, btw. I don't have the box set, so these are my first impressions.

    It Must Have Been The Roses: Ok. /Now/ I'm awake. Possible tape change? There is suddenly a big improvement in sound quality for this hauntingly sensitive rendition. Jerry's voice is now clear above the guitars. Everything, save Phil, is suddenly much clearer and the sound field feels wider. Up to this point the tape had sounded like the tape the biker is listening to at the beginning of the Dead Movie. Nice harmony work during the refrain, blended well in the house mix.

    Loose Lucy: Gettin' in the funk. Jerry's just perfectly behind the beat to make it nice and nasty. If the syncopation isn't just right, this tune can completely lose all form really quickly. Loose Lucy must be a pretty new song at this point. I have no idea when this tune debuted. They didn't do this in concert much, as far as I know. I was lucky enough to see'em do it once, but the performance I saw was almost unrecognizable. Something was wrong with the timing, so it sounded all backwards. I was embarrassed to not even recognize it until Jerry started singing. This is a nice treat.

    I Know You Rider? Something seems to be wrong here. The info text says Money Money should be next followed by China/Rider, but we're just dropped into IKYR. Looks like some minor surgery might be needed on the meta data.

    Money Money: Ok. Someone's just mislabelled these files. Man, this has always been one of my least favourite songs in the Dead's catalogue. I rarely skip songs on albums, but being the album closer on Mars Hotel makes it easy. I don't think I've ever heard a live version of it, so this is kind of a treat, in its own sort of way. Having not heard it in such a long time, I guess it's not such a bad song. The negativity of the lyric just sems to strike such a contrast to most of the other stuff in the repertoire. John Lennon, for example, has a lot of negativity in his lyrics, but when I listen to him, I expect that.

    China Rider: Yeah. They're keepin' that funky groove going that was working so well during Loose Lucy. The transition jam seems to go almost immediately to an I Know You Rider feel. The guitar tone is very unusual here. It almost sounds like Bobby's Gibson 335 tone. He's playing lots of double-stops, where he plays two notes at a time even while soloing… wait… maybe that /was/ Bobby!? Some very cool interplay between Bobby and Phil before a guitar sound that is unmistakably Jerry joins in just ahead of the trademark unison bit before I Know You Rider. What is now clearly Jerry's tone keeps it going after the unison part, and now there's a Feelin' Groovy jam. I can almost see the smiling faces and twirling homemade sun dresses with flowers in the hair right now. Big, big ovation from the crowd as they settle into the Rider vamp before going into the first verse. They know what they've just heard. That was sweet, breezy, and smooth as can be. I'm guessing Jerry had some sort of equipment or other issue causing him to stop playing for a bit at the beginning of the transition. Oh, yeah, Jer, dig into that "On a north bound train" line. This and the out-of-place IKYR are going to get merged into one track when I get a chance.

    Set II:
    Promised Land: Yeah. Everybody's definitely up off their blankets now.

    Bertha: Got a little "Yee Haw" from someone nearby for "All night pouring, but not a drop on me." It's quite amazing how inobtrusive the audience is, considering this was recorded with a handheld mic by someone just hanging out in crowd.

    Greatest Story: Nice wah wah Jerry licks. Jerry's wah is so bubbly and has a rich swell, like the sound of a wave on the ocean. Using the rocking motion of the foot pedal definitely puts the player physically off balance, so I can understand why he seemed to abandon it later in favor of the Mutron "auto-wah" tone filter. Sounds so good here, though. Jerry's volume sounds cranked, though, totally drowning everything out. I ain't complaining. Oh, yeah. A little jam in GSET? They seem to have gone into something altogether different. I'm not sure if this is a set piece, but it feels unfamiliar to me. I know that I've heard occasional jams in Greatest Story, but they seem rare. This is definitely no longer the Greatest Story chord progression, but I don't know what it is, and then Wamp, Wamp-Wamp, right back into it. Now I'm gonna hafta start checking out Spring 1974 Greatest Stories. That was hot and adventurous, like maybe something went wrong and they fought through it… but maybe there was just a jam in this song back then.

    Ship of Fools: Giving the manic dancers their first break of the second set. The taper is stopping the tape between songs, though, so who knows how long they spent tuning in between. Very nice harmony work from Bobby and Donna.

    Weather Report: Seems a bit tentative in the earlier segments, but the Let It Grow jam is developing interestingly. The whole band just seems sort of in a gentle mood this night. Everything is soft and malleable, and most of all, creative, when they go off into improvised sections. The straight tunes are tight and, well, straightforward, but I'm hearing all sorts of novel ideas coming through during the instrumental segments. There seems to be a completely different confidence at work during this jazzy work out. You can hear Billy getting back to his swing roots and playing off Keith. This is fantastic. Such subtle interplay. Normally when I hear the full suite performed I wonder why they didn't continue to use the first parts, but in this case I didn't feel that way.

    Peggy-O: Jerry's picking is quite aggressive, and his tone is very chimey, even behind his vocal. Relaxed tempo, even by Peggy-O standards. In this recording it sounds almost like Billy and Jerry doing a duet, but Keith adds some accents here and there.

    ??: What is this? A playful little jam and some quiet noodling where the audience's shouts and requests become more prominent. Bobby announces technical difficulties.

    Truckin': Nice buildup, but not the major bomb drop I'm used to, and from there things start to get really weird. It's not spacy weird, just, "Whoa, what the heck is this?" weird. Some of the early 70s Truckin's could get totally abstract, so this is just the way they rolled back then. Great stuff. Gettin' that funky groove goin' from the first set again, even as the changes take on some jazzy influences. Bobby is very clear in the mix, and my oh, my it's gettin' Weir'ed. Jerry busts in with a burst of guitar feedback which seems to shock everyone for a moment, but they're still groovin'. This is the gold I look for in any show. It's funny because Mind Left Body actually sounds a lot like Loose Lucy. Billy and Phil getting' into a little funky-drummer exchange. Finally Phil breaks through in the mix with some space for him to hit that Bootsy one. In the info text "Jam" and "Mind Left Body Jam" had been listed separately, but they're actually all included in the Truckin' track, which is my preference. Cousinit made a real mess of this file set, but I can fix it. Rarely are there such glaring mistakes on the Archive, but this one has definitely been put together somewhat carelessly.

    NFA: This interesting because I've been listening to a lot of Alligator era NFA's or Bean era NFA's, and that gives a nice context to compare to this Wolf tone… of course, there is a LOT of recording tech affecting the sound here, but even though there's a nice honk, everything seems so nice and round and gently muted. Hey. What's this breakdown in NFA. Pretty sure I've never heard that before… and GTRFB. THAT, was an interesting transition.

    GTRFB: Nothing to worry about here. The old standby. Billy's hi-hat figure during the breakdown is, again, getting really funky with a swinging 16th note feel, or something. Very cool.

    US Blues: Mars Hotel weighted setlist. What month did that come out? Good, tight version.

    Johnny B. Goode: Full colosseum clap along for a high energy reading that does justice to the Check Berry original. Sometimes this can get a bit too languid. This one is rockin' hard.

    On repeated listen, I've messed with the EQ some. First of all I bumped up the EQ preamp level, I dunno, about 10db, I guess. I then added a further 12db of 64Hz, and 125Hz on the 10 band EQ to bring Phil nicely into the mix, but also lowered almost everything else about 6db on frequencies that had been flat to make the bass frequency differential greater. The bass still isn't terribly defined, but it at least brings Phil into play. He was completely inaudible without EQ. Got just a touch more vocal by giving the 1KHz and 2KHz about 1db. The tape has a sort of nostalgic cheap car speaker sound, so I actually wanna preserve a bit of that… not that I could really get rid of it. There's quite a nice venue ambiance, especially when there is more space in the arrangements, like during the Mind Left Body Jam.

    The vocal drop-outs others have mentioned were not audible to the audience.

  • daverock
    Joined:
    2/22/69

    That is a great show. According to the cd notes it was recorded, along with shows in late January and the Feb-March shows, for possible inclusion on Live Dead. It probably won't happen - the song lists are obviously very similar, but it would make a great box set to release all the shows recorded.
    The shows from 1967-1971 inclusive are the main ones for me in 30 Trips.

  • Forensicdoceleven
    Joined:
    You can't blame gravity for falling in love…..

    Mornin’, rockers!!!

    Pick Of The Day: Dream Bowl February 22, 1969

    Relatively speaking, the yang to the yin of February 21, 1969. True art is characterized by an irresistible urge in the creative artist…..

    I have the space, you have the time, let’s revisit. Officially released in October 2015 as part of Thirty Trips Around The Sun, one almost never hears about this show, possibly because it gets overshadowed by the blazing white hot glare of the Fillmore West Shows of February 27th to March 2nd. This is very much “of a kind” with those shows, featuring the typically sweet Mountains Of The Moon (always loved that song!), a long exploratory Dark Star, a fierce, crunchy Other One, a deathly Death Don’t, a fine Eleven, and a greasy Lovelight that clocks in at a mere 21+ minutes.

    Great music, great sound quality, I suggest you find the time…..

    The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once…..

    Rock on,

    Doc
    There comes a time when the mind takes a higher plane of knowledge but can never prove how it got there…..

  • daverock
    Joined:
    Heads in Mississippi

    That's good to read - they opened with Mississippi Half Step - Franklins Tower the first time I saw them 3/24/81. A great start to the show for sure.

  • PT Barnum
    Joined:
    5-19-74

    In my experience, any show that starts off with Mississippi half-step uptown toodleloo is usually a great one and 5-19-74 is no exception. That pacific northwest box grows on ya, for sure.

  • daverock
    Joined:
    5/19/74

    I haven't played it this year yet, but it has become one of my most played shows from this year - mainly because I bought it on vinyl. But it is really good, too. To me, it's better than its song list suggests - the songs leading up to the Truckin' jam are well played and forward moving, and that final jam is superb. It has been castigated in some quarters for the vocal drop outs. A price worth paying, in my opinion. All three 1974 shows in the box it was culled from are top notch.

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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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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.

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In reply to by bluecrow

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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.

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In reply to by JimInMD

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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.

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In reply to by JimInMD

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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…

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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"

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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.

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In reply to by Oroborous

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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.

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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……

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In reply to by bluecrow

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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.

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In reply to by DeadVikes

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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, ....

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In reply to by JimInMD

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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.

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In reply to by bluecrow

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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.

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In reply to by DeadVikes

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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.

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In reply to by bluecrow

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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.

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In reply to by DeadVikes

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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!

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In reply to by Oroborous

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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

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In reply to by Oroborous

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

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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 “.

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In reply to by Strider 808808

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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.

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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.

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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.

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In reply to by bluecrow

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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?

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In reply to by JimInMD

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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…

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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.

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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.

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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.

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…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.

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In reply to by Oroborous

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

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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....

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In reply to by JimInMD

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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!

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In reply to by Oroborous

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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!

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In reply to by Oroborous

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

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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!

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In reply to by daverock

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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!

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In reply to by Oroborous

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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.

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In reply to by Oroborous

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

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In reply to by daverock

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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.

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In reply to by DeadVikes

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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!