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  • Vguy72
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    Phish fans not sitting in their assigned seats?....

    ....I took that personally Mr. Ones.
    I prefer having a seat these days, but I'm flexible. Just bought Widespread Panic tix for here in March. Options for floor with no seats or loft with seats. I picked seats this go around.

  • 1stshow70878
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    The new kids in town at our house. Only shot of them together at the moment. They move too fast. Need to work on a beauty shot like Mr. Ones has. The ginger boy is Tigger (shelter name) and we're thinking of going with Hobbs or Otto. The tuxedo boy is Pepe (Le Pew? shelter name) and Checkers or Big Boy Pete are in the running. Feel free to vote on those choices. Both strays from the shelter in Ridgway and Tigger was one of those two days from death cases that made it. Tough row to hoe but it's all good now. So far they like the Dead more than classical.
    Cheers

  • Mr. Ones
    Joined:
    The Older They Get...

    ...The Harder It Is To Stand Up!!

    I almost hate to admit this, but these days, if I can sit and listen, I quite prefer that now. I realize that I cannot dance sitting down, but at my tender, advanced age, sitting and listening is good!!
    Occasionally, I'll get front row seats of this section or that, and really look forward to being able to SIT!! and don't you know usually, there will be rude, entitled fans up dancing, and blocking my view. Phish fans are notorious for going to areas that they have not purchased tickets for and feeling like they own the place.
    I know, I know, "Hey kids, get off my lawn". I guess I AM that guy now. Sad.

    Last 5:

    Chicago-Live at Carnegie Hall-Disc 4 of 4-disc set from early '07
    Jeff Buckley-Live A L'Olympia
    Jeff Buckley-Mystery White Boy
    Peter Gabriel Live '87, first of 2-Bonus Discs from So re-issue
    Monkees-Disc 4 of new Headquarters 4-cd box

  • Crow Told Me
    Joined:
    Greetings from the Jam Band Ghetto

    Kind of surprising, but not really, to see that the TTB's outstanding "I am the Moon" has been completely ignored by the Grammys and critics' year-end best of lists. It seems clear that once you get pegged as a "jam band" the recording industry and critics decide that there's no point in taking your music seriously, no matter how many people flock to your shows or how good your recorded output actually is. It happened to the GOGD, it happened to Phish, and to pretty much everybody who's gotten pegged as part of the jam band scene. Now it's happening to TTB, and it'll happen to Goose or whoever else comes along.

    Have to say: I've never understood this. Bands that can actually play their instruments in a live setting, and who can even improvise on them, and develop devoted audiences on that basis, they don't count somehow. Probably because their music doesn't lend itself to radio or tik tok, and doesn't have much to do with the trends that wannabe hipsters pride themselves in being up on. Meanwhile, you get "bands" that are basically one guy and his girlfriend with a laptop in mommy's basement, who would get eaten alive if they tried to play in front of more than a couple dozen people, and that's considered a cutting edge rock band these days.

    I guess it doesn't matter anyway. The jam band world is its own ecosystem, sustained by us die hards who like to stand up at concerts (maybe even dance) and who want to hear bands that can actually play for a couple hours without endlessly repeating the same three licks and the only groove they know.

    OK, end of rant. Last five!

    Charles Mingus: East Coasting
    The Meters: Look a Py Py
    ABB: The Cream of the Crop 2003
    GOGD: The Warfield October 1980
    Sturgill Simpson: Cuttin Grass

  • daverock
    Joined:
    How about lying down?

    If I remember rightly, a lot people used to lie on the floor waiting for Hawkwind to come on. And then struggle to their feet when the band came on. Maybe it was just me.
    I saw Pink Floyd in a huge air hangar on the Animals tour in 1977. After hours of sitting on the floor, the band came on, and one bloke in front of me stood up. The guy next to me shouted at him to sit down, and then turned to me and said, "The Floyd deserve to be listened to." It was partly this attitude that led to punk.
    Mind you, that was the opposite end of the spectrum . Short haired herberts jumping about, barging into you. You've heard of the blues - that was the black and blues.

  • hendrixfreak
    Joined:
    Sitting down = NG

    Sixtus, a good 5-6 years back, Bonnie Raitt's show at Red Rocks -- for the first time -- featured reserve seats down front. With most acts in the past, including hers, the first 20 rows was Gen Admission -- and the rabid fans (why are you looking at me?) would line up at 8-9am on the east stairs for the dash into the front rows as doors opened at ~6pm. Long haul but that's the cost of the first few rows at the Rocks. This always guaranteed that the core audience really wanted that artist, that show and we (yes, '78 til, say, 3-4 years ago) made sure every artist we saw (GD, ABB, Dylan, Raitt, etc) knew we were in support.

    Fast forward to the first year that Bonnie made reserved seats out of the first 20 rows. We assumed it was a sop to an aging fan base. (I manned the stairs from my earliest 20s to my latest 50s before slacking off.) But with reserved seats, a lot of newcomers were really enamored of their oh-so-tiny territory and everyone remained seated. Bonnie delivered but was clearly mystified by the lack of froth coming from the audience. Oh well, everyone finally decided that it was okay to get up and boogey during the encore and Bonnie stayed for a few more tunes. But I was appalled at the lack of audience excitement and involvement in giving the performer something to work with or off of. Same thing once with a Lyle Lovett show -- apparently, it was date night. Lyle's Large (swing) Band hits the stage hot and I jump up and start dancing (in my peculiar way). Some woman behind me yells "Sit Down!" and I look around and I swear I am the only person out of 10,000 on my feet. Oh boy. Later, when it rained, it was "okay" to stand up...

    If it's a theater show, I've sometimes sat down. But outdoor arena ala Red Rocks?! Only for the occasional break from the boogeyinig. Thankfully, that was a one-off and Bonnie killed it this past summer. But that sitting down jive can sure kill the vibe.

  • Sixtus_
    Joined:
    Scenarios

    Dennis, VGuy: I too have on many an occasion pondered how the world might exist if we were thrown backward technologically speaking; this discussion and Dennis' reference invokes the ever-awesome Twilight Zone post-apocalyptic episode with the guy who loves to read and gets locked in the vault when the world ends and finds he has all of the books in the world to read but then breaks his glasses.

    Same reason I still send my bills through the snail mail, people. That one has just stuck with me though more as a habit than really thinking the world will end; but these are heady times

    Recovering from COVID, tested positive on Monday but feel myself coming out of the swamp. The well of gravity was inescapable for the first 24 hours, then my antibodies kicked into overdrive - it was noticeable. Second time in a year (Jan'22, first timer) despite vax & boost, but hey, now I am super-vaxxed, amirite?

    Daverock - that's really cool you're falling into a Fleetwood Mac-hole. they are a solid pillar in the halls of music. Saw them about 8 or 9 years ago, Iggy got us tickets and while I loved the music at the show, I was astounded how everyone just sat in their seats. I haven't been to a rock show in a looooong time (if ever?) that no one was up and moving. It felt weird. But then again the demographic did sway upward, so I get it on that level. It was still weird. But the music was phenomenal as was the production.

    Be Well People.
    Sixtus

  • daverock
    Joined:
    Cheers, folks

    Thanks to all those who recommended "Then Play On" by Fleetwood Mac. ( and apologies to those who are sick of hearing about it). An incredible album - I can't believe I had never heard of it, or seen it recommended anywhere else in all these years. The cover reminds me of those on the early 70's Quicksilver Messenger Service albums a bit. And the first track reminds me of QSM of that period, too - slightly Latin in feel. That track is okay, but the album really picks up after that . Great guitar sound, songs, rhythm. Maybe I should have got one of the boxes featuring it...although I am guessing there is nothing else in their catalogue quite like this one.

    Last Dead, to keep it sweet, the second show in Dicks Picks 33. 10/10/76. Also great -I'm tempted to get the vinyl now.

  • Vguy72
    Joined:
    Attention Proudfoot....

    ....I know you're a Motorhead fan. But if you are also a Vans footwear fan, check out the Vans/Motorhead collaboration. Pretty cool Christmas idea from Mrs Proudfoot?

  • Oroborous
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    ???

    What the hey?
    (Insert sound of crickets)
    Must be shoveling?

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54 years ago today the Dead played Rosemary live for the first and only time. What a cool tune, one that I wish they would have brought back for the 1980 Warfield shows. 12/7/68, what a cool show, time to release it.

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In reply to by daverock

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All i know is Deadbase. Wish I knew more.

Entitlenent: if you watched Portlandia back in the day, there was a sketch about people at an outdoor movie screening. Great stuff that ties in with the theme if entitlement.

Billy the Kidd is on the money yet again

I say Hobbs and Big Boy Pete. Or just Biggie.

Is Calvin too obvious?

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"People whose priority is to enjoy themselves without caring about upsetting others in the process are a nuisance wherever they go."

I take pride in being one person standing among 10,000 sitting and being nowwhere in 'that woman's' sight line. It was having fun that was wrong. Nothing wrong with sitting for a show if that's what you like, it's just that in a rockin' joint without seats, some will stand. Would I do that in a theater? No. Y'all got it right, which is, how does the environment work into the equation? Even at the Rocks I talk to the people behind me and accommodate as needed, because I'm tall. Also, read the crowd -- is it 'up' or 'down.' So, no 'correct' answer there, but 'yes' to consideration of the neighbors.

Hats off to Daverock for "short-haired herberts" knocking about in neo-punk days. I had a whirling dervish behind me at a Dr. John show (guest: Henry Butler, post-Katrina) and this kid kept slamming into me. I had to give him a brief talking to. He seemed mystified -- wasn't I having a good time? (Not with him bashing into me, I explained carefully, using 'the look.')

So, in honor of incoming 2023, when we got to the front of the stage Friday afternoon at Watkins Glen, we stretched out our sleeping bags, rested our heads on one-gallon jugs of cool water, and caught the The ABB, The Band, then a two-hour GD show, mostly lying down, looking up at the boys like we were on a couch in the living room. Absolutely by far the most 'laid' back GD experience ever. For me. Only time I caught a real show lying down. (By that time there were 100,000+ in the crowd and -- crickey! -- some were standing up. Ef 'em...

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In reply to by hendrixfreak

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Not standing on my hair when I'm lying down for one. Not that I do that now, of course, or have that amount of hair that could be stood on if I did.
HF - I imagine you enhancing a gig rather than being a nuisance. What I don't like is very different to what you're talking about. At medium size gigs in England, you often get groups of lads spending hours in the bar drinking, before pushing their way to the front of the stage minutes before the main band comes on. Pint of beer in one hand, mobile phone in the other. Having secured a place at the front they then seem to go into an epileptic fit during the fast numbers and talk loudly over the quiet ones. I'm much happier buying a ticket for a seat in a theater or a club to see bands now. I haven't been to a festival-open air, since about the year 2000.

Saw my first JGB show on 11/1/81 in a very small gymnasium.
the stage was only a foot or 2 high.
For the first set we sat on the floor at Jerry’s feet so close I could have shook his mic stand.
But folks behind us, basically the rest of the crowd, for some reason didn’t like that we were sitting?
So after a set of BS from these folks, we stood up for the second set.
So now the folks behind us that could previously see over us, now had to stare at the back of several six foot plus dudes heads.

What Daverock just said= I’d often rather stay home and stream!

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Dooood, I've been to England, long enough ago to maintain the fiction that Brits are well-behaved (I have the same fantasy about Canadians), while the soccer rioter and pre-drinking news etc. slowly seeps in. But the sort of behavior you describe would nix my attendance. I just wouldn't be able to stand it. To be fair, here in Colorado, it is not rare for people to talk constantly through a set, hold their effin' phones aloft (because if you don't have lots of worthless 90-second videos, the show never happened) and the usual rude pushing to the front after the early, easy-going arrivals are all in place.

My personal etiquette is: never talk during songs or if one must, keep it low and discreet, as in "See ya in a moment, gotta hit the loo. Can I bring you a beer?" Also, I cannot hear conversation with loud music. Just chat between numbers. If someone taps me on the shoulder and asks nicely for me to sit down, apologize, smile and sit down. It's okay to let out an occasional yelp in appreciation of the music peaking, but don't be a tape-ruiner. And if you needed your phone to hook up with friends at the show, hook up and put the friggin' electronics away.

Speaking of which, as much as I respect tapers, they can be the worst. Went to a Phil show in Denver years ago and got a nice spot with my peeps. Just before showtime, three pricks show up, push in front of us, set up 7-ft high mic stands, asked for more room and shushed us as the show began. We just shook our heads, but the 75-year-old ex-Marine with me wanted to crack some skulls. So, do we deliver justice and get thrown out or acquiesce and ensure it never happens again? We took option B. But those chumps thought they were divinity, as they were getting front-of-soundboard recordings, while the soundboard had its designated taper section all set up behind us.

Rant over! (But still mumbling to myself...)

Hey Oro! Que pasa? Hope you got the new Jimi live in LA April '69 show. If not, let me know...............

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In reply to by hendrixfreak

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Hope your feeling better?

Jimi LA and Woodstock Bluray are on Santa’s list!

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In reply to by Oroborous

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....so I bought Widespread Panic tix for March 4th. Flaming Lips just announced their tour. Guess what night they are playing here? March 4th. Love both bands and now I'm torn. Widespread is playing three night though. What to do? What to do.
And no. I did not insure my WP ticket.

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C'mon VGUY, if I knew that was YOU, I'd have no problem with you dancing in front of me, just tell the other 26 people to get the H*LL out of my sightline!!

1STSHOW, LOVE the critters!! My experience with trying to capture good photos is to make sure my phone is ALWAYS nearby. The best shots I have only lasted for seconds before it would have been too late.
For the record, I like Hobbes (with an E), and Big Boy Pete!! Lots of possible nicknames with those 2.

Not sure what to do, so I think I'll listen to some music. It's the Best!!

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Poncho, there used to be a little softcover pocketbook called Deadbase Jr. It had every known show and setlists. Not so overwhelming as the oversize Deadbase, but from the same people. Not a spreadsheet, but easy to deal with. Don't think it's published anymore. You might pick up one on ebay.

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HF, your story reminds me of a time at a Dead show. We were up front in our space and next to me was a large woman in a very furry sweater. Furry like prickly almost. And she kept rubbing my bare arm with her prickly sweater. Very annoying. I had to ask her nicely to move further away from me.

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Nitecate you found the formula for making friends and influencing neighbors: asking nicely. A genuine smile and a look directly into someone's eyes often does the trick in modifying annoying behaviors. Unfortunately for me, there are certain lines in my face that I cannot hide, so I hope to distract with eye contact and a big smile. I can do that at least twice a year.

Oro -- I'm on the mend. Had a 9-day follow-up today with a fresh EKG, exam of my entry wounds by a very nice looking young woman, and fresh advice on taking it easy another 20 days, with six meds per day (some twice) so I have something to do.

Interestingly, and it's a bummer, that my local Dead Hippie Brewing is closing, so we're headin' there tonight as on most Thursday nights for an open mic gathering. The owners, Dean and Cheryl, are about as nice as you get and their hospitality and vibe has been infectious. You can walk in anytime, talk to anyone, hang, make friends and on Thursdays play your ass off and everyone is grooving on the great beer selection and the parking lot scene. Sound familiar? I often play Pigpen tunes and that automatically gets a rise out 'o the crowd, tunes like Easy Wind, Mr. Charlie, Operator, Big Boss Man (okay, Jimmy Reed ala Ron McKernan), I think there's others... oh yeah, Alligator acoustic (try it, it's actually a children's song when done sing-song acoustic).

Poncho -- do you know the Setlist Program? It could be the source material for your Xcel spreadsheet, but you'd have to do data entry for 2,000 shows. We hardly knew ye when ye dropped off the face of the Earth...........

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In reply to by hendrixfreak

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....the Grateful Dead played The Forum in LA. Spencer Davis and Bruce Hornsby sat in.
It's a grate show.

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"Waves of violet go crashing and laughing. The rainbow winged singing birds fly round the sun. Sun bells rain down in a liquid profusion. Mermaids on porpoises draw up the dawn. What's Become of the Baby this cold December morning?"

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It’s dangerous to browse the internet. I was looking for some other stuff and ‘The Lyrics of Syd Barrett’ appeared on the screen. I couldn’t resist it. It apparently came out last year but I missed it.

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In reply to by Colin Gould

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Great watching Croatia knock Brazil out of the World Cup earlier today. Those Brazilian players are the worst behaved of any I have seen recently. The white haired ones seemed the worst. Fouling as often as possible, pretending to be fouled themselves, crying when they lost. What a shower. You wouldn't want to be standing behind them at a gig.

Seeing your name reminds me, Colin, I may order that new King Crimson box before Christmas.

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The sitting down or standing up at shows is a vexing issue. Pretty much every show I went to until the mid-2010s was a stand-up affair. Dancing or not, when the band was on the stage, most of the audience was out of their seats. The first time I ran into the issue in a significant way was at a Tedeschi Trucks Band show at the Morris Theater in South Bend, IN in 2016. I went solo and scored a 4th row ticket on Trucks side on the aisle. Looking around as I took my seat, I read the crowd as a sitting crowd, but I got up plenty and made myself as inconspicuous as possible (tough being over 6') in the aisle, but most folks stayed sitting throughout. After their main set, they come out and they are tuning up and a lady from the center yells, "Can we get up and dance?" Susan told us we could do what we wanted, get up and dance, sit, whatever. They proceeded to play a Bitches Brew jam that seriously melted my face, though I was probably one of only 10 people in the crowd who knew what they were playing.

On the other end of the spectrum was a Phish show on Northerly Island in Chicago about 2012 or so. This was a GA show in a largely undeveloped field on this island. The night previous they had the set abbreviated by a big storm and promised a three set show this night. First set rocks and they go into break and think I can sit down and rest (I was in my 40s at this point in time) for the next set. Nope, Phish fans were constantly jostling for position, bumping me, stepping on me. After the 2nd set, I figure folks must be tired and want to sit down-- nope, more jostling. I have not attended a Phish show since-- if I can't sit down at set break, that is f-ed up.

I am of the mind, let folks do what they want to do, like Susan said. Sit, stand, dance, whatever makes you happy. But, also let folks do what they want to do. Now, if you are a sitter, that may mean you are not going to have a good view for the show if the person in front is a dancer/stander, but that is the trade-off. At TTB this summer in Aurora, IL, it was a sitting crowd, so I went with that, however, when I did get up and explore, the sound was considerably better from a standing position.

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In reply to by estimated-eyes

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....yup. They have changed a lot since I first saw them in 1994. People up front on the floor tend to get very territorial. Throw down huge tarps and will say they are "holding spots for their friends" and will get hostile sometimes. A lot of times I never see their so-called friends ever show up. Sad really. I don't go up front anymore.

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In reply to by Vguy72

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Pretty much gave that up around 85-86. Combo of no more GA, getting a little older, and most of all…discovered the Lysergic shuffle which requires proper floor space lol

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In reply to by Oroborous

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Was fairly easy early on. Then it became a headache.

Back in 93 or 94 we decided to go to the Spring shows on Long Island. You were still able to call in for tickets back then and somehow I got right through. To the customer service rep - I need tickets for Thursday and Friday, but purchase Friday first because that will sell out quickly. Of course when she reads the first order back it is for Thursday. Annoyed, but I got 6th row. By the time she put in the Friday order, we got the farthest section back in the upper deck. That was the last time we got up real close. Of course as any seasoned head would do, we brought our Thursday stubs to the Friday show. The usher gladly showed us to our seats right up front soon after the lights went down.

As I remember it, it was quite easy to walk up quite close to the front of the stage when the Dead played at the Rainbow, London, in October 1981. It was standing room only down there.
I was even closer the first night on the October 1990 run at Wembley. Brilliant! Seeing people you have read about and listened to so much, for so long, at such close quarters. Prior to this night it was hard to believe that they actually existed. Nobody I knew had ever seen them, or even heard of them. Like living in a world of your own. Which, given the alternative, might not be a bad thing.
The last night I was up the balcony to the right, and that wasn't as good. I'll never know what was me - I was high as a kite - and what was really happening. The people around me appeared to be dancing and cheering before the band came on. It was like they could hear something I couldn't. When the band did come on, the only instrument I could clearly hear was Bruce's piano. I went bombing downstairs to try and get in to the stalls, but was easily ejected and went back to my seat. The balance improved during the show - but it was an odd sound. And as I have said before, drums and space was incredible.

Probably late to the party on this, just discovered on utube , lengthy (almost two hours) coverage of the Dead's May 1970 trip to England, rough cuts, casual interviews, a few tedious moments, loaded with inside looks and about 35 minutes of concert footage from 5/24: "Grateful Dead England 1970 (The Lost Film)"

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Is just exactly perfect. My first show 7th row middle was too close for the best sound. Got there early as HF suggested and had our pick. But it was so loud I had to sit some just to give my ears some relief. Next two times there we figured out, as Vguy notes, the balance and full bass effect was better about 20th row middle. A few rows in front the tapers section and soundboard (duh, that's why they put it there). For Brent's RR debut in '79 we got back closer to 12th row as we wanted to see the new guy and the sound was pretty darn good and it seemed the crew had figured out the Red Rocks by that third visit and how to bounce Phil off them. All my other shows were pitifully far back or to the side with McNichols '79 the worst sound of all, upper deck right side and an echo chamber. The Denver Coliseum, where I saw a few other bands, had terrible acoustics. College halls that were designed for good acoustics like C.U. Boulder's were ideal. Pin drop perfect for the Chick Corea/Gary Burton show. You could visually see the notes, no wait, maybe that was the shrooms.
Cheers

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So apart from Watkins Glen we had partaken of the GD/ABB gathering at RFK earlier that summer, the first day. The GD went on first, I think because Jer had an Old & In the Way show in Boston that night -- that's what we heard. (He 'coptered from DC to Boston with Peter Rowan, according to hearsay.

So a good friend who had not eaten the blotter said, "Let's go up front." Plenty of room to manuever that day. We got real close -- definitely whites of their eyes -- and several things unfolded, no longer sure the sequence. First, some Deadheads being assholes, a few miscreants were tossing fireworks around. Some genius lobs an M-80 onto the stage and it lands at Jer's feet. He used to do a little shuffle when he was jamming and, without skipping a beat, he kicks the M-80 (prior to explosion) back into the crowd with one smooth movement. When they started He's Gone, the crowd moans and boos -- the feral animals on acid syndrome. But Garcia carries it off and I think they closed the set with China-Rider. (Just looked at the Setlist Program, and that's backwards -- set closer with China-Rider, 2nd set opener He's Gone.) During China Cat I get acid-confusion. Bobby is playing a Gibson SG (I believe) and Phil is playing a big brown hollow body, but in my youth and ignorance I always associated the solid body with bass and the hollow body with a Gibson guitar -- so I'm like, wait, which one's Bobby and which one's Phil?? (I knew from photos who was who, but go figure in that "special moment"...) I said nothing, but I think my buddy realized he was leading a potential casualty around and we retreated. Also, when you're 15, although tall, you are rail thin and still getting initiated, so we did not make a habit of pressing forward. It was a foray only.

In 1976, during their theater tour, I had something like 7th row center, 3,000 people, I could the band quite well right in front of me and discovered for the first time the buzz of the amps in the back line. I was much closer in May '73 for Old & In the Way: 3rd row, audience left, right by Jer and his banjo.

If that's not a great way to grow up, I don't know what is.

The first six or seven years we’d go up front any chance we could if it was GA and we got there early enough.
Half the fun was hanging out with the heads all afternoon waiting for the chance for the mad dash to the front.
We’re talking small Auds we’re up front you were often less than 10’ away from them and the stages were often only 4 or 5’ high, very intimate! And the stage sound was amazing.

Speaking of the dash: At the 7/1/92 show that we worked production, we were on the stage when they opened the gates and it was wild watching the throng come swarming over the hill and down toward the stage at Buckeye as Healy blasted the Horse race Trumpet Fanfare lol. Like some kind of psychedelic scene from Braveheart!

It could be physically brutal and grueling though, especially if you weren’t in the very front row on the rail, where you could sorta lean and push back against the throng. Better ventilation too. Basically, it was on the wall or nothing, with the wall being only about 4’ high.
If you knew what you were doing, and the circumstances were right though, there was nothing like it, but nothing comes for free so it was often a long grueling day, but we were young, prepared and it didn’t really phase us, especially once we got electric!
So early on it was all about up front. Yes the vocals weren’t as prominent but you got the golden pure unfiltered sound of their amps/speakers, and in 83 when they started using the Meyers stuff full time they’d put small monitors on the stage in a half circle pointing out to help fill in the vocals better.

But besides the sound it was like going to school to be able to see how they played things and to check out all that marvelous gear out up close! “Oh, Finger Ease, that’s the stuff Bobs always spraying on his axe”, like going to school!

Perhaps the best part was the eye contact. If you were really paying attention you could see them communicating non verbally and they’d pick up on if you weren’t just some stoned civilian, but could tell if you were really catching all the little things they were doing. It was like you were in the band and if they picked up on you, they’d watch you and see if you caught little things they’d toss about. They seemed to really dig folks who could properly pay attention to all this, especially if they made a mistake!
I can still picture any of them throwing some musical little tid bit out there, and watch your reaction, and then smiling because they knew you caught it, PRICELESS!
It was big fun to joke around between songs with them too. We used to pick on Bob about songs and Phil especially always had a good time with that!
Sigh, those were the daze!
BUT!!! learning the fungal foxtrot in front of the SB was pretty damn sweet too lol.
And aw those awesome summer nights outside with a big ole moon during a hot Terrapin…
Sigh, yep, those were the daze my friends, we thought they’d never end…

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And the trophy goes to Oroborous for "fungal foxtrot" -- my gawd man, you should be a writer. Oh wait...

Another story: Roy Buchanan. We first caught Roy at Carnegie Hall in spring '74 and probably caught him a dozen times across that year into fall, most often in small theaters and clubs. (See: Roy Buchanan at Town Hall 1974...) At many shows, we had purchased "seats" and we sat in them -- for about the first 15 minutes. Then a half-dozen of us would emerge from our sometimes scattered seat assignments and basically make our way to the lip of the stage. It's not a Dead show and most folks remained seated while we formed a small cluster in front of Roy. He would smile to himself. His drummer later told me that the band referred to us as "Buchanan's rabbits," because we were always "popping up" at the lip of the stage. To this day, I've got more hearing damage from Roy's Tele and Twin Reverb (maybe 75 shows, 1974-1986) than from a roughly equal number of key GD shows (1972-1992). (Key shows: RFK '72, Watkins Glen '73, Capitol Theater/Passaic '76, Englishtown '77, Red Rocks '78 and every single subsequent GD Rocks show.) Not braggin', just happy lookin' back.

One such event featured a double bill of Roy and Boz Scaggs w/Les Dudek on slide. We were in the first 10 rows and it was so loud, no need to get closer! After both bands played, Boz, Les and Roy jammed at supersonic volumes...

Not to mention the many times we spent the day on the east stairs at the Rocks, then dashed in to actually cop front row (one behind the actual front row, reserved for handicapped) and at one ABB show realized that we had WAY better seats than the fairly large contingent onstage in the wings.

Basically, my life has been one dash for the front or a judicious stance near the soundboard when I wasn't working, going to school, chasing tail or poking around the backcountry. I'm semi-retired from the big shows and, looking back, pretty effin' happy with the way I misspent my youth.

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In reply to by hendrixfreak

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something to trip out on

Nazca geoglyphs in Peru

I (and probably you) had heard of them before

NOVA has a great show about the topic.

Recommended highly

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Some time in 1988, my friend Glenn suggested that we leave the seats and join him and his friends on the floor. That began my happiest moments down in front with 20 of my friends, perhaps 3-4 tarps from the stage at the Kaiser, Oakland Coliseum, or SF Civic. We were close enough to see the band, yet far away enough to hear the stacks. We had it down-there were the runners, which I count myself as one, there were the mules, who carried in everyone's packs including the runners, of course, and there were the back-up, who came in a little later and helped hold the space. Each runner had a blanket, so if one got down in front before another, he/she could lay it down to claim our space. During set break, we took turns going out so there were always folks holding the spot. There were many times at the Oakland Coliseum, where I felt like I was in the band's living room, unless I turned around and looked at all the people behind me.

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Something might be gaining on ya... Actually, I never understood that saying. It's like the line, "I never go to the doctor, he might find something wrong with me." I mean, if something might be gaining on you, you SHOULD look back and that'll probably get yer dogs whirling like in the cartoons to escape whatever it is. If it's not physical, then it's in your head and you'll deal with it no matter your preference.

Proudfoot -- the Nazca lines! One theory, of course, is that it was a signal/landing pad for extraterrestrials, which is a wee bit practical for my money. I think of them as being created by locals to attract anyone who could see 'em, which pretty much means outer space travellers. So I think they're aspirational/intentional. The mystery is that constructing them, engineering them, surveying straight lines for thousands of yards, took a lot of advanced knowledge and an incredible amount of work for what might have been, probably was, an abstract idea. Nothing technical of that nature that accomplished, indigenous peoples couldn't do 5,000 years ago. Modern humans have been around at least 40,000 years with Einsteins and Rembrandts like today. It's just that few civilizations ever did something analogous. The pyramids, for instance, were monuments to specific pharoahs who were treated as gods on earth -- that's pretty tangible. Also, they were public works that gave purpose and maybe a few bowls of gruel to the rank-and-file. That is, if one of those ten ton blocks didn't accidentally turn you into peanut butter and jelly. How many "Smithers" went down when the limestone slid? The Nazca lines seem much safer; but maybe there are human bones mixed in with the chalk, eh?

Reading The Dylan Tapes (2022), which presents ~30 transcriptions of taped interviews Anthony Scaduto did for his 1971 biography, then left in his basement when died. The widow edited. Highly recommended look at the formative as well as transitional Bob.

....GD -12.26.69 Dallas.
Phish - 7.16-17.98 (I was there).
Billy Strings Me / And / Dad
Helloween - Keeper Of The Seven Keys Pt. II
Pepper - Local Motion
.
Went to a Golden Knights game last night. OT winner Chicken Dinner.
They started this glow in the dark thing. Pretty cool. What's not cool, is the pre-orders re; sweaters don't roll out until early Jan when the orders were in early November. They have the money, yet don't have the product. Season ticket holders are like, "WTF?"
I got a glow in the dark towel though.
Being up close applies to hockey as well. Yeah, it's neat, but the glass warps the perspective. Give me 18 rows up. Or upper bowl. Can see the plays form from up there. Good shit.
Re; looking behind you at shows. Can be interesting, especially if one is tripping a bit. Micro-dosed at the Knights game. The chatter behind us was funny as fuck.

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Megadeth Rust in Peace
Motorhead Kiss of Death
Fleetwood Mac Rumors
Megadeth So Far So Good So What
Fleetwood Mac Tusk

An extra raise of the glass to Christine McVie

....gawdammm! Spun that magnificent bastard back to back. No regrets.
I don't know if any of you have been to the Gorge, but I insisted on getting in line early for the second show. I saw that line of the even lawn area above the floor the first night and wanted it. And got it. And we got a helluva reward. Fuck yeah.
Edit. Definitely not front row. But in the sweet spot.

I have loved Rust In Peace for years, but have never ventured beyond that (not including a few tracks on MTV.) (Remember when MTV had Headbangers Ball? Yo MTV Raps? MUSIC? Sigh...)

Anyway, So Far So Good is my first venture. Youthanasia is next at your suggestion Vguy.

Dave Mustaine...seems a little scary.

Actually, I do. I like to keep in touch, and make sure my creaking body hasn't got anything too seriously wrong with it. But I also like word "iatrogenic" which indicates that you get more unwell from seeing the doctor than you would if you had stayed at home. The idea that doctors spread unhealth can be developed to include the education system that is responsible for closing people's minds, and the social care system that it responsible for maintaining social problems rather than eradicating them.
High drama at the footy last night, with England's captain, the Roy of the Rovers like Harry Kane, missing that penalty, which led to England being knocked out. What started out as a football match ended up being more like a Greek tragedy - a great man with a fatal flaw and all that.
Last 5
Then Play On Fleetwood Mac
Spooky Two Spooky Tooth
Trouble No More cd3 Bob Dylan
Conversation Pieces Cd2 The Mercury Demos 1969 David Bowie
It's Saturday Night ! Starday-Dixie Rockabilly 1955-1961

Last Dead Paris 9/18/74

Excellent episode, originally aired 11/2. It's season 49, episode 17 and possible to stream. Remains a little mysterious, what caused them to devote so much energy to such scale of landscape art? So much has been lost regarding civilizations in South America.

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On the Nazca on a much less scientific show, Ancient Aliens.
Not that I watch that stuff, just surfing.
"Could it be... (NO)... that ancient aliens deposited these bobbydazzlers here on Oak Island? And if so, what was their purpose?" Our new name for Oak Island is Oxshoe Island because that's mostly what they find. But we've been with them all the way so they better find something this year, or.... yeah right. We're suckers for that stuff.
Cheers

Edit: Get well Nappy! This year's flu shot is said to be a good match for the strains floating about. Some years they miss the mark completely. Glad I got it early. Everyone around here has it too.

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You need to check out their 2nd LP, "Peace Sells...but who's buying?" from 1986, arguably their best.
Looking forward to France - Morocco.

Last 5:
Beach Boys Sail on Sailor box set
Beach Boys Feel Flows Box set
Irma Thomas Full Time Woman
Fleetwood Mac Kiln House <- Mac's Rockabilly LP, the follow up to Then Play on
GD 12-05-1971

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Were you there? Got a review?
Hamilton Ontario: The last GD show outside US.
1st set is on this week's tapers. Haven't looked what's on 2nd set.
Seemed a bit less than energetic.
Cheers
Last 5:
Passport - Looking Thru
Grover Washington Jr. - A Secret Place
Weather Report - Sportin' Life
Steely Dan - Alive in America '93-'94
Joe Farrell - Moon Germs, a killer jazz album with Herbie Hancock, Stanley Clark, and Jack De Johnette.

Last Dead: DaP-23 Eugene 1-22-78

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That is all...

P.S. The John Mayall 35-CD box is rockin'. Just got through the BBC sessions from '66-'68 with, in order Clapton, Green and Taylor on guitars. Also dipped into the Tom Petty 4-CD box, which opens with Around & Around and after Runnin' Down a Dream goes to a great Lucille. Only four tracks in. I got the Beatles' Get Back movie by Jackson on DVD and, frankly, found the first two discs utterly boring and banal, but the rooftop show is killer, surprisingly so. Worth the cost alone.

Go Nappy!!

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I thiiink...was "In Search Of"

Syndicated tv show back in the day
Narrated by Leonard Nimoy

Und

I have also begun to listen to Peace Sells, Cousins. I remember a track from MTV days "whaddyamean..." I like the high energy.

GD 11 18 72 single disc release from what...2015? Heard that yesterday. Tasty.

Hey Dave...11 19 72, please.

Please
PLease
PLEase
PLEAse
PLEASe
PLEASE
!!!

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Hey everyone, just stumbled across this beauty, 35 min Dark Star and an exceptionally long show. Been having trouble getting into this comment section, so I'm here now, might not be later, it comes and goes.
Nappy, you not feeling well, again? didn't you just get over Covid? Sorry mate, feel better soon. I have to ask what is the difference in symptoms? Friend has the flu he says, I asked if he had been tested for covid and he is one of those vaccine deniers who doesn't believe in the jab. So I asked him what were his symptoms and he says, "it's the flu just let it go" ...silence on my end and when I came back and asked what if it was Covid and if so he could be spreading it he just shrugged and said "it happens". Shocked as this guy is usually pretty copacetic about things. So are the symptoms the same as Covid? Sorry to run on everyone, back to 72 Dead for me.

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In reply to by PT Barnum

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A show that would be a welcome release, Dave.

Fuck cancer, screw covid

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....a tale as old as time. At least Mustaine and Co churn out records constantly. Metallica not so much. One record every five or six years, and Megadeth has been putting out better stuff in the past twenty years or so.
The new Metallica single is average at best. My personal opinion.
I cut my musical teeth on heavy metal.
Thanks for listening to my TED talk.

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Vaccine deniers remind me of some straight guys in the 1980s, who said they didn't take precautions, because they thought the only people who got AIDS were gays and prostitutes. Same sort of attitude in a way - don't care if I get it, don't care if I pass it on. But I won't anyway because I'm not that sort of person.

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