Pick of the Day, with Discussion

Post reply Log in to post comments

April 6, 2020 - 9:47am

8,101 replies

marye

Joined:
May 26, 2007

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

Comments

sort by

Recent

Recent Oldest A to Z Z to A

Reset

February 25, 2023 - 9:48am

#1291

DeadVikes

Joined:
October 26, 2016

Dave's Picks #7 4/24/78

Haven't listened to this show in a couple of years and wow, I think I like it even more now. A+ on sound quality and both sets deliver high energy Dead. Love the NFA, Black Peter, Around and Around and close it out with Werewolves of London. I went back and read the liner notes again and low and behold, they were written by Blair Jackson. Since I have 78 on my brain, I think I will check out Dave's 15 from 4/22 in Nashville. Of the three released from this time period 4/24 seems to be the top dog in my book. The William and Mary show is good, not great. On to Nashville.

Hope you all have a great weekend.
February 24, 2023 - 6:38pm

#1292

rockthing

Joined:
August 2, 2020

1970-02-23

You cats are already on to 1973. I'm still savoring the gentle respite in the oasis of Austin.

Death don't have no mercy, but there's always time for lunch.
Thanks for reminding me of LL. I need to see if I can get reinstated over there.

Grateful Dead Live at The Auditorium, Austin, Tejas on 1970-02-23
Harpur College was another of my heavy, heavy rotation tapes back in the day, along with the 2/18/71 Capitol Theater show I've already mentioned numerous times. Both were massive inspirations. For what seems in hindsight like a fairly significant period of time, if it wasn't one of those, it was Reckoning.

I Know You Rider: Lovin' the energy and grit of this Rider. It's almost angst.

High Time: This is a song! It's a pretty weird song, too, and after attempting it several times, myself, I must say it isn't surprising it wasn't played often. Damn, it's hard to sing. I submitted a completely deconstructed version of this for the February Dead Covers Project a few years back. I made a point of not revisiting to the original before recording, just going off memory and some notes left in an old binder of songs. I'm sure the ever-growing defenders of canon were thinking, "You ain't doin' it right if you ain't readin' it off a teleprompter." It was an "interpretation". Lol.

Dire Wolf: What a lyric. An electric version, no less. Pretty mellow electric set, almost acoustic.

Yellow Dog Joke… ah… well way to go for completely screwing up the joke, Bobby… actually, I'm not sure I've ever heard him make it all the way to the punch line. We should all heed Jerry's advice and "Don't encourage him." Everything was so light and positive in these days. Phil could be a bit surly, as we've already heard in this tape.

Monkey and the Engineer: This was a standard in my old folk-rock duo. My partner played it and I just followed along. I'd have to start from scratch to figure out how to play it again. Such good stories in these tunes.

Little Sadie: Nice. This wasn't on the Harpur College tape or Reckoning. Another dark story. I don't see how they could possibly be breaking strings playing such gentle music.

Me and My Uncle: I don't recall hearing an acoustic version. It's a great song and works in any format. At this point everyone hadn't already heard it a million times. Imagine that!

Black Peter: One of my favourite tunes ever. Doesn't get much darker than a song from the point of view of a death bed. Started doing this one myself occasionally a few years ago, but I always need a cheat sheet for the bridge. Nothing repeats. There are some interesting mnemonic connections between the chords and the words that help. Just have to sit down and do my homework. Ahh… yeah, Pig sittin' in nicely on the organ. This song needs a really delicate hand, but the organ adds a nice little gospel flavour. If only Pig coulda added just a touch more flair to his playing to fill in some lines before Jerry takes his solo. Pig's got the tone.

Seasons of the Heart: Never heard this before. Great pick! Thanks.

Uncle Johns: Have heard this one a few times. 😉

Not Fade Away: I'm gonna call the union! The Galactic Rock'n'Roll Union! That needs to be a band name, or a song, or something! Crazy to think this tune was in their set their entire career. Some good ol' primal energy here. Jerry's "wild" tone. He must've had the amplifier turned WAY up, cause it sounds like he's not in the mix at all. His guitar is just being picked up by a vocal mic, or something. Basically, no drums, either. I can't keep track of which guitars he was playing in the early years. He seemed to play whatever was available after giving up the Starfire. Sounds kind of like a Stratocaster, The Graham Nash Strat, perhaps? Alligator did not come on the scene until later, if I recall correctly. This tone has even more of a stereotypical Stratocaster sound than Alligator, which retained very little Fender electronics by the time it gets heard on Europe '72. Anyone? Oh, cool call and response with Pig. TC has already left at this point? I need to get my timelines straight. Bobby diggin' in with some soulfully aggressive singing, rather than simply aggressive.

Mason's Children: I can't recall ever hearing this, either. The name comes up often, but it's not on anything I've listened to regularly. Again, thanks for this pick! As you say, not exactly high-energy stuff, but some very rare pieces here. Always appreciate the chance to learn something new about this fascinating family.
February 24, 2023 - 8:28am

#1293

Forensicdoceleven

Joined:
June 17, 2008

Chances are that the universe neither treasures nor regrets us

Rockers!

Lunch time. Death takes a breather. We're in the land of the living, gotta eat lunch.

The "new, fixed" 2/17/73 was up at Lossless Legs first thing this morning. So, it sometimes pays dividends to get up early............

So, one can get it there, or I can supply it to anybody who needs/wants..............

The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own......

Rock on,

Doc
It is by going down into the abyss that we recover the treasures of life. Where you stumble, there lies your treasure......
February 24, 2023 - 6:09am

#1294

DeadVikes

Joined:
October 26, 2016

2/17/73

Hey Doc,

Where is the new Miller for this show? I see a 2020 transfer from Miller on the archive as of this morning, and this one has issues.
February 24, 2023 - 1:16am

#1295

Forensicdoceleven

Joined:
June 17, 2008

I met her accidentally in St. Paul, Minnesota......

Mornin', rockers!!!

For all you completists out there----as well as Row Jimmy fans----the talented Mr Miller just put out a "fixed" version of the fine St Paul show from February 17, 1973. Would make up part of a nice box set from early 1973----2/9, 15, 17, 19............

Ah well, one can dream..............

Rock on, happy Friday!

Doc
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before........
February 23, 2023 - 1:20am

#1296

Forensicdoceleven

Joined:
June 17, 2008

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.......
February 23, 2023 - 1:10am

#1297

Forensicdoceleven

Joined:
June 17, 2008

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……
February 22, 2023 - 7:47pm

#1298

rockthing

Joined:
August 2, 2020

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--
February 22, 2023 - 10:30am

#1299

daverock

Joined:
September 1, 2014

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.
February 22, 2023 - 3:51am

#1300

rockthing

Joined:
August 2, 2020

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.

John Perry Barlow

John Perry Barlow

Forums

Currently Listening To...

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

One man's atrocity is another man's art

I like long Pigpen songs.
That Good Lovin' on L&G is a good one.

I like Brent too.

And last night I listened to a Vince show, 9-10-93. I was at that show, on the floor with mail order tix.
It has an Attics, sung by old worn out vocal chords.

5/3/72

Ah Paris, what a show. Can't pass this one up.

WTJ, I have a good eighties pick that I don't think we have hit yet. I will be back.

The Atrocity Exhibition

Well, hopefully there are no Pigpen haters on here, or haters of any kind come to that. If such a beast exists, I would definitely advise him or her not to skip the Lovelights from the Europe 72 tour - all very differently styled to the ones played in 1971. Or any of the preceding years come to that.

I'm obviously only expressing one view point when I post on here, incidentally. In no way would want anyone to think I disrespected the opposite view - or that I expected them to agree with the one I expressed. The great thing about being on here - in theory - is that everybody loves the same band - but often for radically different reasons . And the more varied the views are that are expressed, the more interesting things become. The problem is never in seeing things"your" way, but in expecting others to as well.
Anyway - this isn't my natural habitat, so I'll shuffle off now, and leave you in peace. Hope it continues to grow in this space.

Paris

And if we are doing 5/3 might as well stick around for the jazzy Dark Star from the 4th. Other Ones and Dark Stars and Gargoyle's Oh My!

hey... it looks like the renovation of Notre Dame will conclude sometime next year. A crazy celebration will likely ensue probably without fireworks and assorted celebratory acts.

non fumeur s'il vous plait

5/4/72

Another monster show. Let's do it Jim.

For Friday I was thinking 2/26/81 from the Uptown Theater. Hopefully this one isn't a repeat.

2 Weeks Late...

and a dollar short. Did DaP20 12-9-81 Boulder today.
My short review would be meh, pretty good.
While many songs were good versions, overall not terribly impressive.
Typical sound issues at first and got worse into second song and then the Jack Straw how does this song go meltdown was almost humorous but as Jer said in an interview, "We cling to each other in moments of horror". Nice long set though. Has both the China/Rider and the Scarlet/ Fire on either side of the set break for those still trying to decide which is their favorite, but again nothing that really had the secret sauce. Seemed to go matrix sounding with audience audible in second set? 7 inch reels and not cassette though.
Just didn't seem to have that ephemeral thing that makes you say, yes that's why they picked this one. Only the second or third 80's release by then maybe? Could be a distracted listen is at fault but any listening is better than none.
Cheers
Edit: Cue the Twilight Zone music, this is post 7006 on this thread, my childhood address in Littleton, CO

12-9-81

I didn't start subscribing to Dave's Picks until the following year, so DaP #21, but when I saw this show was an official release I went and tracked down a copy. Back in the day, my intro to 1981 GD had been 7/5/81 Zoo Amphitheater, and that made me wake up to the possibilities (my collection at that time was mostly '68-'78) so when the next person I traded with sent me his list and he had a bunch of early 80s boards I said, basically, "pick the hottest show of '81 and send it to me" and this night in Boulder was his choice.

Now obviously that's debatable, and when I played the first cassette and heard that Jack Straw, I thought maybe the guy had been having a laugh at my expense. At the time I didn't even have a Deadbase so I didn't know this was the final night of that short winter tour, but I feel like it shows. That setlist looks like a reward for the folks who came out on tour in the cold rain and snow. Personally I love the Drums->Space->Other One->Stella Blue...

Yes Obeah

I agree, the best part of the show that I forgot to mention.
They finally caught fire, as often happens, in the crux of the jam.
We need more '80s Dave. Throwing one out there, Santa Fe '83?
Cheers

keep em coming

Based on choices here, I was able to tune into 9-10-93 and 2-27-81.

I'll be checking out that E72, 5-3, 5-4 and for extra credit 5-10 (dynamite). I also wanted to check out 2-26-81 and Richfield 1991. What's the pick of the litter there? 9-6-91?

E72 etc.

Been busy and out in the field. I'll try to work in the 2 Paris shows, at least the deep jams, this weekend. I had the 3 lp E72 album in my early days and it very much informed my listening, but it was an n-th generation cassette SBD from Rotterdam 5/11/72 that had me really and truly grok what the Europe tour was about. Dark Star > Sugar Magnolia > Caution (Who Do You Love verse) > Trucking > Uncle Johns. That's my fave jam from the tour. A mid-summer night listen back in summer '87 or so that will forever be burned in my memory as to how profoundly it influenced my "ear" for the Dead.

Always up for some Uptown Theatre (2/27/81). Before I headed out last week I marveled at the 1st set of 8/6/82 St Paul, which was in the Tapers Section. JOTW as of today is 8/14/71 BCT (haven't gotten to it yet.) Sweet pair of shows 8/14 and 8/15.

Here Comes Sunshine, 5 shows from late spring '73, is a "dream" box for me. I'm sure I suggested it here in the semi-regular what-box-would-you-like-to-see sessions. Never thought it would happen in this purest of forms, all 5 shows!

Take care folks.

Bluecrow

Hey Bluecrow, could not agree more, super excited for Here Comes Sunshine and love the fact we should have it maybe before the fourth of July. Extra bonus we get a MUATM in June and Wrigley June 91!
Yes, the St. Paul show in August 82 is really good, right before those Alpine shows, which I believe you were at. You lucky guy.

Be well all.

Education is the movement from darkness to light……

Hello once again, rockers!

Pick Of The Day: MIT free show May 6, 1970

What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to the soul…..

May in New England. The weather was cold, but the music was hot…………

Not much wasted time, or space, here. Opening with Dancin’, there’s decent grease, jamming, and rock and roll. Who couldn’t go for a short, sharp shot of 1970 good old Grateful Dead on a blustery Spring day?

Apparently some smart folks at MIT had the foresight---and ability---to record this little gem, which has circulated since the dawn of time. Much to our advantage, and might even make a nice little official release some day………..

Rock on!

Doc
The love of learning, the sequestered nooks, and all the sweet serenity of books……

rock on man

That 5-6-70 Dancin' is positively anthemic.

Currently making my way through 2-26-81 en route to Paris and Amsterdam 1972... :-D

5/6/70 Dancing

Damn - it is a great one!! Love the sound of those early Dancings! Love the later ones too like 10/1/77. Alas, never got one in my GD concert days.

2545 DaP46 arrived this morning ahead of schedule (was due Monday) and right on time for a weekend listen!!

5/7/23 …hmmm…how ‘bout 12/28/69 ?

Mason”s Children alone is worth the trip … (btw, anyone ever notice they revamped the intro on it just after the next time they performed it ?) .. listen to the …Good Lovin’ on… quality prior is mediocre .. the banter is classic, too.. one of my 1st 5 bootlegs

hmmmm Berman.

Int'l Speedway, Hollywood, Florida 1969. Sounds legit. Which source are you checking out?

-edit- I'll give a shot to the cotsman uploaded to archive in 2009

2/26/81

Circling back on this show from last week. Definitely worth a listen. Recording is great. First show of 1981 coming off a banner year in 1980. Solid first set with Feel Like a Stranger, Althea, throw in a Birdsong, Peggy O, TMNS. Start the second set with an explosive China Rider, Samson, He's Gone, Truckin, Black Peter, GDTRFB, and finish it up with JBG and US Blues encore. What a show. I will have to take a look at the other shows from the Uptown.

2/28/81

I'm going to give a shot to that one and with that I will have completed the opening trio of shows from 1981.

So far 2/26>2/27 for me...

Going with the Seamons matrix on 2/28.

Uptown Theater 81

Nice work WTJ.

Thoughts?

I will get the other two going.

nothing specific

Just enjoying the jams. Hollywood was a nice diversion, btw. Definitely a festival tape.

Up to drums and space on 2/28 now and the sound on the Chappell matrix is fine.

Happy weekend, folks :-)

How do we transform loss?

Happy Sunday, fellow rockers!!

Pick Of The Day: Merramec Community College May 14 1970

Loss and possession, death and life are one, there falls no shadow where there shines no sun…..

This was such an appealing format. We’ll start you off with some mellow acoustic tunes, and then finish you off with some highly charged, highly amplified psychedelic electric Grateful Dead. And THEN maybe toss in an acoustic encore. A format lost but not forgotten.......

The five song acoustic set is short by sweet. The electric set crackles with energy, with a really good dose of greasy Pigpen (including back-to-back Good Lovin’ and Schoolgirl [one of the last pigpen versions]), substantial country-westernish stoner Americana, the first Attics Of My Life, a fully electric New Speedway that includes a short Nobody’s Fault jam, and a St Stephan. And for all you Lovelight haters out there, short at a mere 17 minutes. And they send everybody home with a lovely Cold Jordan…..

Not as famous as Harpur College or the Fillmore East show the following night, but without a doubt worthy of a serious listen!!!

There's a bit of magic in everything, and some loss to even things out……

Rock on!!

Doc
There's death and there's loss, but there's also celebrations, right?

2/24/74

A top tier Dave's Pick and a good one to reel in some newbies.

Dave's #13

Alright WTJ, I am in on that great show for tomorrow.

Thanks.

Also, can't say enough good things about that Uptown Theater February 81 run. 2/27 is even better than 2/26.

DV 81 uptown run; need more shows

Hey now DV, I went through all 3 Chicago Uptown 1981 shows. I thought they were all strong with the bookend shows catching my ear in a different way on my relistens. It would take several more listens to refine my position, really though all 3 shows are strong and, in my opinion, really benefitted from the matrix treatment by Chappell or Seamons.

As for more show reccos, over on the SHF they are offering up 'Alternative 30 Trips'. Here's an example of a dead freak created list. Some good, and in some cases, lesser known gems in there.

1966 - 11/19/66
1967 - 11/11/67
1968 - 10/12/68
1969 - 4/22/69
1970 - 6/24/70
1971 - 8/6/71
1972 - 9/10/72
1973 - 12/1/73
1974 - 5/12/74
1975 - 6/17/75
1976 - 10/15/76
1977 - 6/4/77
1978 - 6/4/78
1979 - 12/1/79
1980 - 10/31/80
1981 - 8/28/81
1982 - 4/19/82
1983 - 9/11/83
1984 - 12/29/84
1985 - 7/1/85
1986 - 4/19/86
1987 - 9/8/87
1988 - 7/2/88
1989 - 8/19/89
1990 - 7/12/90
1991 - 10/31/91
1992 - 12/3/92
1993 - 8/21/93
1994 - 10/17/94
1995 - 6/25/95

2/24/74

I would have enjoyed chipping in on that one. As it happens, though, Daves 46 arrived yesterday, and from the early hours of tomorrow I will be spending 24 hours in a music free zone. Its unlikely it will still be on the agenda after that, but if it is..

Alternate 30 Trips Part Deux

1966 - 7/16/66
1967- 5/5/67
1968 - 3/16/68
1969 - 6/7/69
1970 - 9/19/70
1971 - 2/20/71
1972 - 9/16/72
1973 - 2/15/73
1974 - 9/20/74
1975 - 3/23/75
1976 - 6/3/76
1977 - 10/12/77
1978 - 11/23/78
1979 - 10/25/79
1980 - 9/6/80
1981 - 9/26/81
1982 - 10/10/82
1983 - 4/12/83
1984 - 11/2/84
1985 - 11/21/85
1986 - 4/21/86
1987 - 7/8/87
1988 - 9/16/88
1989 - 6/19/89
1990 - 9/14/90
1991 - 4/28/91
1992 - 6/17/92
1993 - 3/17/93
1994 - 9/17/94
1995 - 6/2/95

30 trips part duex

wow, now I could go for another 30 trips box, the first one was soooo cool. I got to say this, What about Gainesville? 1980 show that still has not seen the light of day, the one before and the one after but not Gainesville. So that would be my pick for 1980, for 95, I got to go with 4-1 or 2 or the Birmingham show. 94 Spring any. More but that's just off the top of me head. Again, anything from 67-70 would be mighty fine.

WAG

What about Gainesville? I always thought it was funny that in the 30 trips liner notes from the Lakeland 1980 trip, Dave either on purpose or by sheer coincidence completely ignores Gainesville. Anyway, I always thought that November SE 1980 set ran together better as a group of 4, kind of like 5-5, 5-7, 5-8 and 5-9-1977 FWIW

Also, FWIW just wrapping up 9-26-81 with the Encore on Chuck Berry's B-Day no less. Where'd Weir get that, his trusty almanac? I like the idea of 30 Alternative Trips and I wanted to hear a Shakedown Street, so picked a dead freak curated one for today.

Have a Grateful Day everyone. :-)

Common sense is often underrated...........

Mornin', rockers!!!

Pick Of The Day: Munich May 18 1972

Just before the supernova Lyceum shows. Quite substantial. Dark Star. Dew. Sing Me Back Home. Underrated and absolutely worth a listen...........

Off to the morgue......

Rock on,

Doc
Whoever you talk to, I'm either overrated or underrated, it's all who you to talk to.........
P.S. I forgot to add:
Last 5:
Dead 5/18/72
Ellington:
1943-12-11 Carnegie Hall
1945-09-24 New Zanzibar
1948-12-10 Cornell. Now there's a Cornell worth listening to!!! LOL...........
1949-02-xx Hollywood Empire
Simply amazing stuff, maybe I was born too late.............

Munich

Munich, what a monster show. Yes, I think I will pop this one in today.

WTJ, I am assuming you listened to a audience version of the September 81 show?

Buffalo 81

Went w/ the Chappell Matrix. I'm a sucker for a good matrix and am usually quite satisfied with them. Early 80's benefit most from the matrix treatment imo. Why did Rhino/GDP go with a matrix on DaP 8 and not on the 1980 Lakeland Trip?

headphone listening

There's nothing like it for me, because you can really hear the nuance. For me today it's 6-17-92 (first half of set II virtually identical to 6-28 Deer Creek) and if I have time on deck is, 12-3-92. I swear I'll get back to E72. Isn't Munich Moses Quasar's favorite? Just like Lille is Bolo's??

:-) :-) :-) It's Friday. Make it Grateful today all!!!!

-edit- What the heck melody is it they're toying with before Jackaroe on 6-17-92 set I?

Willy and What Tune

Is it Inspector Gadget? I'm seeing a cartoon.

thee tune(s)

Sounded like it could be a jazz standard to me, but TBH my knowledge of classical music is far greater than my jazz chops. Vinny brought some classical chops back to the dead as I listen back. He was pulling out all sorts of Chopin and Beethoven here and there if you listen for it. And now, to chip away at the list. I know I will not be able to get to it all. The nuggets I've extracted thus far are 6-3-76, 6-17-92, 12-3-92, 9-26-81 and 11-23-78 (a couple weeks ago)

Finding I am enjoying Vince's contribution to the band more than I used to. Anyway, Staying Grateful here. 5-18-72 was nice for yesterday. I listen to 5-19-77 all the time. One I don't is 6-4-77. Hmmm. Something I might remedy later :-) :-)¯ :-)

WTJ

Yes, 6/4/77, at one point we were searching for the lost soundboard. Not sure if they ever found one or had one returned. The audience is a little rough.

Atlanta

I thought I read (New Yorker? Nick P. article?) is that one big reason for the matrix release on DaP8 was because of the standout quality of the AUD. But that's 10 years ago, and my memory isn't to be trusted.

But speaking of the Fox, WTJ mentions that 5/19 show! Ahhhh. I, too, have that one in very regular rotation. It was like this back in the day, as set II was the very first tape I ever had from 1977. It was probably 20 years later before I ever heard the first set, and when I finally did it was so lovely to realize it was a cracklin' hot show from start to finish. I was glad that confirm that I hadn't placed a sort of 'newbie bias' on the show simply because it was a really early tape in my collection. I have the May '77 boxset that covers the week before, and it's all good stuff -- but I always come home to 5/19.

47 years ago

I just realized that I have Don't Let Go in my collection (aka JGB 5/21/76 at the Orpheum) and I've never listened to it. Got it playing now. I see it was a Friday night show, but it's working wonders for my Sunday afternoon. Cheers all

The weather in England can really darken your spirits.....

Good morning, rockers!

Pick Of The Day: Newcastle-under-Lyme, England May 24 1970

They'll always be an England, even if it's in Hollywood…………

A year after the Big Rock Pow Wow and here we are at another festival. From West Hollywood Florida to the Hollywood Festival, it’s the Dead’s first live appearance in Europe, and they deliver a fine show.

Decent amounts of grease. Two big jam sequences. A rare Attics Of My Life. There are some audience patches on circulating copies, but still worth a listen!

England is the paradise of women, the purgatory of men, and the hell of horses…..

Rock on!!

Doc
Whatever was the conduct of England, I am equally arraigned……..

Picks

Needed a boost today. Decided to fire up 8/13/1975 or One from the Vault.
Who is with me?

A few years ago I bought the remastered version they put out in 2007, man is it good.

Just love that introduction! The anticipation of breaking into Help on the Way.

Hey Now DV

It's been a while since I fired up 1ftv. I have the original GDM cds ripped to my FIIO X5. I'm hitting the road tomorrow so I will definitely tune into that since it has been a while since I did. Anyway, yeah that Bill Graham intro. sets the stage nicely. Are the remastered discs out of order, too? I should do something about that in my digital files....

Thanks for the picks and Have a Grateful Day all. :-)

P.S. DV have you ever been to or heard of the Casey Jones memorial trail near Pipestone? That's somewhere I will be visiting someday since I'm just a state over....

One from the Vault

Out for the afternoon, set this up for this evening. Funny yesterday, thinking of this very one for H/S/F. Dan Healy's intro text ends with: "This represents the beginning of the release of the vault tapes". Who knew, the music never stopped.

8/13/75

In the top 10 of all-time Dead shows.

8/13/75

Still hits the spot. Such a unique show and the recording is so good. Thank you Don Pearson and Dan Healy.

When I discovered the Dead in 85 and eventually picked up Blues for Allah, I remember thinking, wow, this release is definitely out there and at the same time so good. I used to have a Blues for Allah tapestry, loved it. I think it was thrown away during our last move.

Anyway, enjoyed the revisit today. Hope you all enjoy it as well.

If you don't have the remastered version, it is worth picking up.

WTJ, I didn't know the song order was off?
Never been to the Casey Jones Trial in Pipestone, but it looks fun.

8/13/75

This was possibly the first live Dead I heard apart from the Dark Star from Wembley 4/8/72, on the Glastonbury Fayre triple album. About an hour of it was broadcast on the radio, which I taped. I think it was this recording that was then circulated as the bootleg "Make Believe Ballroom." I'll dig it out later - the official recording I mean. It's lasted the distance better than most music from 1975, that's for sure.

In this bright future you can't forget your past.....

My friends!!!

Pick Of The Day: Lyceum Theater, London May 26 1972

The wise man must remember that while he is a descendant of the past, he is a parent of the future.......

The last show of the great and powerful, best ever Dead tour, and the last classic show with Pigpen still on board. Every show on the tour was a gem, but somehow the band really kicked it into overdrive for this one. Sides five and six of the original release were so intensely burned into our memories during those Saturday night tripping parties in high school, starting when it originally came out in November of 1972. It's been my favorite E72 show since forever, and yes I revisit it frequently. You should too!!!

In fact, I'm going to crank it up, way loud, on my morning commute today..............

The distinction between the past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion...........

Rock on, rockers!!!

Doc
Fear not for the future, weep not for the past......

8/13/75

According to my DeadBase X after a cursory look, the set break should be after Stronger than Dirt. Around and Around opens set 2. Not sure if there are other differences, but I might sleuth it later.

Stay safe all and Best Wishes. :-) :-) :-)

5/26/72

Have it going now, how could you pass it up. Disc 3 is some of the best Dead music you will ever hear.

Interesting WTJ, I have never owned a Deadbase.

Enjoy the weekend out there. Finally nice here in MN and plan on enjoying it to the fullest.

8/13/75

A great sounding show, and one that has grown on me over the years. It doesn't really sound like any other show to me. The first set - second set structure doesn't seem to apply to this one, with Help-Slipknot-Franklins being maybe the highlight of the show, as well as the first numbers played. Great bass on Eyes of the World, and that's only the 5th song of the first set. I'll listen to the rest this evening.

Ahhhhh yes

The Great American Music Hall.
The very first peak into the vault, truly a mysterious wonder in those daze…
Hadn’t heard this in forever. It really doesn’t sound like anything else does it?
Not like WOS 74, and not too much like post hiatus 76? So, in other words, cool sheet Mon!
Fully dug, especially the aural bliss. This one’s so clean extreme volume is easily obtainable lol.
Yassss, the H/S/F is magnificence. The other newbies are clear, precise, and fresh, if not the fully formed transporters they’d grow into. The old standbys are same mo as above, good but…?. After such a long listening absence, fresh perspective noticed the somewhat lack of extension on many of the songs. Remember thinking this would be top shelf if there was only a big, then…then, we get that sweet awesome Allah!!! This is the GD at their finest, matching the spaciest Other One or the scariest DS! I’ve felt and said all along, though they have so many great songs, everybody has songs, only the Dead can pull this otherworldly goodness off, and, not have it just sound like noodling.
Cool pick, fully dug!! And hey, it didn’t require a calendar ; )
Now where did mama hide those cookies up here?

EDIT: oh, can’t forget to mention 2 of my favorite Dead songs here, Stronger Than Dirt, and Sage and Spirit!
Boo yah!

Rarer than hen's teeth

Yes, I like Stronger Than Dirt and Sage and Spirit a lot, too. Pity they got retired off so soon. I might dig out the cd with the acoustic Sage and Spirit on later - 2nd disc of the cd of "Reckoning". 10/31/80 Radio City, New York. I've got it here, in my hand.