Grateful Dead

I would give my right hand to play well.

If you were left handed you'd have nowhere to put your slide if you did that .

Dennis.. tried this, it did not work for me. Kayaking is proving tricky also (I keep going in circles), but I'm working on it. Your friend Hound Dog played with six fingers.. imagine the chord work and finger picking that could be done, a 16.67% increase in productivity. Cheating to be sure, but man he could play the blues. Interesting side note, a friend of mine's wife was born with six fingers and I think toes. So was her daughter. The had the extra digit removed shortly after birth.

Somehow Jerry got by with 9 1/2 fingers. After burning his hand, Django Reinhardt had basically two working fingers on his right hand and he more than got by and was a big influence on Jerry, especially circa 1973.

Thanks for pointing me towards that youtube. That black and white looks more like 1923 than 1973 until you see that Fender looking guitar. Great stuff. Convinced me to get that Natural Boogie LP, but I seem to have misplaced the PIN of your wife's card. If you'd be so kind to send me a PM. I don't want it to sell out while it's still in my cart.

As you were.. on to the second set of 9/6/80 for my afternoon hike. Life is good.

Edit: Looks like Hound Dog played a pair of Kawai-made Kingston S4T's, so not exactly a Fender but a similar looking headstock.

Three more down, seventeen to go, lol.
All excellent shows. It's hard to find fault in any of these mammoth first sets but Aarhus (4-16-72) hit the spot for me of the three. Had great song selection, pace, and order of the songs was more to my liking. The second sets are where the special goodies are so far in every show. I'm particularly impressed with how Keith really shines especially on Pigpen's songs. His beer barrel style just fits perfectly. Yet his jazz chops are evident too as in the Dark Stars. Donna seemed particularly "engaged" on 4-14 at Newcastle and Bob is definitely going to lose his voice by the end of the tour at this rate, lol. Aarhus had a stately smooth feel to the whole thing which I found to my liking and would put it at number two of the five I've done with 4-7 Wembley still in first place.
Discovered I had on tapes the Stepping Out release which looks to be an odd compilation ala the road trips and I also had Hundred Year Hall on tape, which was not a complete show release BITD. Gotta look through my tapes more often! Also had burner CDs of Rockin' The Rhein which I had also completely forgotten. Has four CDs with the Academy of Music filler so likely a whole show. Can't go there, got to stay in order.
That's the news from EU. Cheers to all

1stshow - I was going to jump ahead to Paris this weekend - the shows, not the city - but I think maybe I should give Aarhus another spin after reading your comments. I can remember it's good, but I'm damned if I can remember why!

Oh ooo smell my underwear” 🎶

Yep, just finishing 5/3 for the first time ever, and I still don’t have any damn time.
So I’ve been listening, sometimes multiple times, in order, but I haven’t had time to keep track.
Oh well, guess that would be more like actually being on tour.
4/11 was a first time listen for me. Another great E72 outing but it felt like they let go of the stick a tad after perhaps grabbing it too tight at the Wembleys? I’m guessing back in 72 in some of these locations there wasn’t much media etc. But the bigger gigs, like the first ones at Wembley probably had a level of attention and possibly sales via that attention, that might have made them, aaa, not stressful, but, would definitely like to start right. Add to that the natural energy of itching to play etc, and yeah, can see how Wembley got the freight train and perhaps Newcastle received a more loose presentation? I definitely noticed more miscues, start offs like Jack Straw, Good Lovin, others. Now they all grooved past these brief moments, and delivered fine versions, but maybe they show a loosening that facilitated elsewhere?
Like an unusual Truckin and jam that covered some cool ground including King Solomon’s teases/coincidences? and some free jazz like moments (think Phil might of been quoting some actual song too?).
Another sweet suite, including a decent CAT, though I think the 4/26 is perhaps the bar? Nice to hear, especially as a change from the repetitiveness. Same with the even rarer Brokedown!
4/14s a blur at this point, they start to expand out more I guess, in several ways…
A nice DS, and a big pork fest ending. All good, but I find others more to my liking?

4/16, yes, agree, always felt there was something just a little different about this one. Perhaps being such a small informal, perhaps totally away from the spotlight! A brief chance to vibe like the ole daze, perhaps?
4/17 is just too much of a monster overall. Perhaps why I think this may be the first time I’ve done the whole show in one listen? I have the DVD, and Ive spent time with that 3rd set etc. So that was a treat to be sure! I’ll prolly go back and hit the dvd of there and Bremen after, but for now I want to go in order…
First time Ive just listened to 4/21, though we saw the Shakedown stream. Actually hit this one a few times. Love the stop and restarts, another cool inside look.
4/24 is another that feels a little more aaa, whatever the vibe I can’t name is, not stress, or pressure, their certainly having fun, but like Wembley, and the first non English speaking audience gig, that tenseness, yeah, that’s the ticket, tenseness, the good kind!
I think Phil especially was emotionally invested a tad more in the German gigs, and man does he and the boys take care of bidness! There’s a reason this was the first complete show they released…
And of course there’s a big reason they released parts of 4/26! Another freight train!
But I had never down the whole show until now, and was rewarded with good versions obviously left off only due to space required for 2 disc chop job. So that was cool.
4/29 I think I’ve heard the whole show at least once, I know I’ve heard the second set multiple times, though not the encores, until now! Another sick show and big DS, and a proper Caution Pork fest to close. I’ve really been enjoying the 2 Souls, Chinatowns, amazing Hurts Me Toos etc, but not so much the Good Lovin, Lovelights? Not dislike, just think that stuff doesn’t resonate the same to this old guy as it did the young one lol. Just burnout?
All good, just really noticing the other goodness more. But the Cautions have always been a big draw for me on this tour, and this one’s a beast.
5/3 was a first time for me, today. The whole damn show just sounds like the actual E72 album (streamed version)?
Like the sound of it, it sounds like E72!
The reverb etc. I’m sure having? 4 I think songs on the album from this show probably has something to do with it, but I kept chuckling about that reoccurring feeling. So many songs on this one could have been on the album. It’s a strong show, and by now you can feel the subtle morphing of band and songs into one that’s taking place over the tour.
It would be cool to take all the versions of each song and listen to just them in order!
None more so perhaps than He’s Gone! But that’s a task for another time, which I don’t have enough of to do this proper, let alone all that lol, but at least I’m finally getting to em all and enjoying the ride!
ONWARD!

One thing about the European tour in 1972, was that they weren't, as far as I know, playing to Deadheads. I seem to remember one of band said in print that the Newcastle crowd was the coldest one they had ever played to. I would think that most of the people who saw then that night lived in, or fairly near Newcastle itself. Didn't the crowd at one of the shows head for the exit after the first set, assuming that the gig was over? That also suggest an unfamiliarity with The band and their way of doing things.
If this is true - it certainly didn't harm the music. It may have affected the way they played - and for the better.
Having said that, I don't know when the Deadhead culture started in America - by which I mean when people travelled the land to see them. Up to a certain point they must have been playing to new people in The States,too. People who had no pre conceived idea of what they were like, but just went along because it was a rock gig. By 1990 everyone at Wembley seemed to be a Deadhead. I can't remember 1981 being quite like that.

Oro.. good job, you must not sleep much.

DRock, I'm sure you are right. Beyond the few Americans that ventured East for that tour.. most did not fully understand what their tickets brought them. SimonRob was at Bickershaw, not sure if he reads this thread though. I also wonder how prevalent the psychedelic scene was. Jessie Jarnaw speaks a bit about the travelling circus and when / how it evolved in his book, "Heads." Beyond the few that were exposed early on and could afford the travel with no work, it wasn't until a little self-sustaining economy emerged before it became widespread. By 81, a few, but 90 quite a few.. we probably all know one (Lemieux for starters.. still in college)

Can you imagine: not only playing for folks who have little or no idea what your about, but also many/most who don’t speak the language! Yet after almost every set and especially at the end, you can hear the crowds love it!
The power of music, the real language, the real form of communication!
Amazing!

EDIT: Heads, is that book any good?
I have it but haven’t read it yet?

I thought that Jesse Jarnow book was excellent - one of the best books I've read on the subject.
There were a few good books on Psychedelia that came out about 5 years ago. A British equivalent to "Heads" might be "Albion Dreaming" by Andy Roberts. "Psychedelia and Other Colours" by Rob Chapman is also excellent, covering both America and Britain.

Starting Beat Club Bremen as I write. Is that Bob doing their own introduction?
Some omissions in my Deadbase X in these first 6 shows I've done:
4-11 list omits 2nd encore of One More Sat. Night.
4-14 list omits a Ramble On Rose between Good Lovin' and NFA.
4-16 list calls a Me & My Uncle "Uncle John" and omits the TOO jam before that song and after the Caution.
And now I see Bremen does not list the duplicates omitted in the TV show airing? A studio recording session rather than a concert so it's interesting to hear the restarts and banter.
This Deadbase was copyright 1997.
Cheers
Edit: And one more; 4-24 second set list is out of order and omits the great Jam between Me & My Uncle and Wharf Rat. Now I'm wondering if BITD the available tapes had these mistakes or were some from reordering to fit on CDs later.

OK

excellent

Proper!

Germany: Some time traveler here once said my favorite show is the one I just listened to. Now it's Hamburg 4-29. They just keep getting better. Jerry mentions in response to an obvious audience call for something, we'll get to that, this is going to be a record, we have to do some new stuff. An awesome archive for Pig's legacy too. The He's Gone finding it's groove, that doesn't have the vocal harmonies worked out yet and so ends like a Bird Song. Priceless. And the Dark Stars. My pages of note are struck dumb. Paris next!
Cheers

They're just getting warmed up by the time they get to Paris.

I'm glad they didn't do this, but they could have divvied up the tour into little mini-boxes and it would have worked nicely.

England Part I (Empire Pool, Newcastle & Bickershaw)
Denmark (Copenhagen, Aarhus & Copenhagen)
Germany (Bremen, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich)
France (Paris, Lille & Luxembourg [close enough])
The Netherlands (Amsterdam & Rotterdam)
England Part II (the Lyceum, London)

The performances by country partner well with each other. By the time they get to Paris they are just getting comfortable in their shoes. 5/3 is the monster and really is a masterpiece, but the second set of 5/4 has a jazzy aloofness to it that really works. The Netherlands shows also partner well with each other.

But one box is better. I like the way the artwork has a central theme and is personal to each show; one box same artist for each show. Plus, as others have mentioned, at least once in your life the tour should be listened to from start to finish. Separate boxes would have resulted in a disjointed experience.

Maybe they could do that with vinyl releases, like they did with The Lyceum shows. Although I get the impression it didn't sell particularly well.
I tend to segment them myself, when I listen to them, although I'm glad the cds were released in that mammoth box. I listen to most of them every year - but I couldn't do it consecutively, one show another in one chunk. I take all year about it - then come Spring in the following year...start again.

Made through 5/4 and sorta first run of 5/7 (on crappy device while working) But got bogged down this week with mucho fuckery and distractions so lost my pace and mojo, hoping I can catch up this WE…
ONWARD!

NO MORE MINI BOXES!
Every piddly little release is one less possible future box! Like most things there’s only so many, nothing lasts as the pranksters say…
We’re running outta time so we need huge boxes with the best remaining 20 shows from each year.
Perhaps more from years they’ve been stingy or ignored.
This ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco, this ain’t no foolin around…
Seriously, sales are flat, saturation for some has set in, old heads don’t want any newer stuff and/or are dying off etc, yeah, this could all go away sooner than later. We need to demand more output for the faithful, and stop worrying about the picky folks who only buy limited things. I totally understand not buying things you won’t use, but if we don’t support these releases, eventually, they’ll just stop!!
They need to quit dicking around, otherwise,…..Smithers, release the hounds, it’s time to quit screwing around and storm the vault! Where the hell is Keithfan anyway? Thought he was getting close? Hear sound of foot tapping…AND,
Hey Mickey, what happened to “everything’s going to get digitized and you’ll be able to order almost any show” (paraphrasing).

Would you like yours in a mini or mega? 1972, 1977, 1978 still ripe for the picking. Added together that equals mega I'd say. Taken alone some fine mini ones there. I think there's a New Year's 1971 available yet to add...

P.S. Currently spinning the space jam from 10-18-1978

Agree..

Can anyone tell me why we did not get a Winterland '74 Box Set? The box design would, of course, been a mini Wall of Sound.

Wars have been fought for less.

Oh, the horror.

Hopefully it’s moving into production soon so that we get it for the 50th anniversary next year.
With all the video included.

I’ll take mini-Boxes.
3-show mini-Boxes, released once every other month, and not during a month where a DaP is released. Thus, the DaP’s and mini-Boxes would give us a release 10 months out of the year. The other 2 months would be RSD and Black Friday RSD.
Sounds like a grate plan to me.

Yes, next year hopefully - vinyl too. Bit of leisure wear to listen to it in. Nice.

Mini boxes score where you might not want 17 shows or whatever. I wouldn't mind a few shows from Europe 1990, having attended the London ones - but I'm not sure I would want the whole lot !

I’m not talking about preferences, if I was, I’d be down with Conekids idea.
I’m talking about the reality of only a somewhat limited number of boxes getting released.
Their not going to do this forever!!!
For example, say they only releases 8 or 10 more years at one box a year.
With 3 show mini boxes that’s only 30 more shows. Plus say 40 more Dave’s. (4x10).
There’s still way more than 70 great shows in that vault…
My plan,
25 for primal 67-70
15 for 71
20 for 72
20 for 73 (at least!
? 74 might just be mostly scraps
20? for 76? Maybe
77 is already over represented so he can spit the last few out on DaP
20 for 78
20 for 79 and 80
20 for 81 & 82
20 for 83 & 84
20 for 85 & 86
20 for 87 & 88
20 for 89 including fall tour (alpine should be a stand alone
90 not sure you’d need to do 20 as it’s already fairly represented?
20 for 91 & 92
20 for 93-95
These plus DaP and special separates and one might say we’ve received most of the best!
Take pre orders plus run an extra 10% so your not stuck with inventory but have a few for Johnny come latelies…
You could still make them “limited”…
Release 2 a year, everybody wins cept maybe the finicky heads who probably won’t buy much more anyway…

Voila, all hardcore heads gets represented,

And remember when Mickey made his bold pronouncement about making all shows available (about the same time he said Phil must have got the liver of a jerk) .
But I’m sure things won’t change, sales eventually will make cost prohibitive and the vault will go to waste, but hey at least we will have most of 77…and four versions of October 74…
Think about the cruel reality of only 3 to 5 shows a year for only 8 more years….the horror!
Tic toc…

I'm a dinosaur as Oro describes it and know zero about streaming and how younger folks get their music, movies, and TV but I'm guessing the Dinos are the ones buying hard copy CDs. My question is, if the '80s and '90s scene was populated by more younger concertgoers in huge stadiums in numbers way beyond the earlier shows shouldn't there be a demand for those shows in a format they like? I'd bet lots of folks will buy a show they attended. Mickey's model may fit that some day. That said, I'm ignoring the fact that some earlier shows had attendance in the 100,000+ range (Englishtown?) but there were just a few of those. I know Dave said that the last increase to 25,000 copies per release would be the last increase and maybe that's the limit for profitability for hard copy. I'm guessing the download option would be more profitable regardless of sales numbers (if they could ever get the damn things to work!) as all you need is a bank of servers and a few tech savvy people to run it. Large box offerings could be done as a pick and choose your favorite with quantity discounts for more shows. I know I won't be buying twenty shows from individual years I don't like as much and there is likely some truth in the theory that a good portion of "the good stuff" has already been released. Seems like, as with many things, tech is going to have to save us in this dilemma. Affordability is key either way. I can't afford $500 boxes even if I like the offering. It's as simple as that. So Mickey, let's get digitizing! Us Dinos will just have to figure out how to download and stream.
Cheers
Oh, and the price of the downloads needs to come down. Currently makes no sense if the price is almost the same just without the shipping. No incentive to be green.

Would love to see more shows released. My preference is still CDs.
It would be interesting to know what the terms of the contract are with Rhino? Are they able to release as much as they want or are there limits?
Do they even have the ability to release more per year then they currently are? Is Jeffrey Norman able to mix and master much more than he is now. He might need help. Maybe you could assist OB?

There are some shows they already mixed and mastered that could be released on CD. For example, the two shows from the first Road Trips that they released as digital downloads, 11/5 and 11/6 1979. Also, the shows from the download series.
Would also be interested in more video. Why not release the shows from the MUATM. They did this with the 91 show in the Giants stadium box, but would love to see the others released at some point. The 91 Chicago show was really good.

Okay, seems others are talking about 1988 for #48. We will see next month.

That’s all I ment.
Everyone’s made good points, and there’s no easy answer.
I was going for a conversation starter more than just to editorialize.
Like most things, no easy answers.
It’s just now that I’m all addicted to this collecting nonsense, I need as many RJ shows as they’ll give us, and I’m afraid things are going to start slowing down, and eventually it won’t be worth it to them, and so many great shows will never get fixed up and released. And don’t you worry 1stshow ole buddy, there’s still plenty of RJ shows in the vault.
As a rabid nut trying to tag as many of em as I can before I croak, I’m here to tell ya there’s plenty of gold left in them there hills! Yes many are cassette, but the gang has been getting better and better every year at fixing em up!
And, there’s still lots of DATs and still a decent amount of killer multitracks, all just rotting in the vault!

I totally get what yer saying, but think of it this way: suppose the summer 78 box was never released and only a couple others from that year. If they came out and said “this is your one chance to get the 20 best of 78”, including those shows in the July box, would you not find some way to get it? For sure, not everyone is going to want all of em, but I think you’d be able to scrape up at least 10k folks who would want at least one or 2?
Really they should be digitizing them all, or at least the top 20 or 30 from each year that haven’t been released, and have a system where they announce a certain number, or block at a time, and do pre orders, to have inventory control.
Some shows might sell big, some not so much. Perhaps have a rule that shows that don’t meet a certain threshold won’t get released?
I guess the solution would involve somehow having a cost effective way to prep them, but pre order so you don’t always have to have such big sales numbers for every show? Perhaps DL like you say, but that hasn’t worked so well, so far anyway…
Again, no easy answers, and I totally understand other pov. I just would hate to see so much good music not get the treatment it deserves. And yeah, the archive is awesome, but there’s nothing like getting a great show that’s been fully fixed/Normaned!

Hey DV, where ya been hiding? Good to see ya, and sorry, I won’t mention you know who. It has got to be really tough being a fan. It’d be one thing if they just stunk, but they have potential, if only they could stop beating themselves.
A well, it’s early still…

Hit 5/7, 5/10, and 5/11 this WE. Of course I’ve forgotten the finer points and things I wanted to say, but I’ve not wanted to be overly analytical, or get distracted with notes, and instead, just get right, relax, and try to enjoy them. (Which has not been hard ; )
5/7 is just too much! It’s not always the most precise or perfect of the tour, but that’s because it’s a freight train on steroids!
I’ve always preferred full steam ahead Dead even when that leads to more worts, not that this one has many, perhaps just a few more noticeable than some of the more reserved, precise (hey, they were trying to make an album) shows.
Actually, I think the album factor is one reason this tour is so good. They’re in a place where they’re ontop of their game and can let it rip, but keeping it just enough under raps to keep the consistency high for recording purposes.
Win win, but 5/7 seems more about the live gig, the large miserable crowd that seems to really appreciate the effort etc, more than playing it straight for the tape machine?
Choo Choo, all aboard! what a beast! Garcia starts out in 5th gear and doesn’t let up for almost 4 hours!
Dark Star AND an Other One! Full on grease fest with six beauties, including a nice LL that fits the format better than going on too long, and a nice unusual Segway into GDTRFB. Clearly they were enjoying themselves in spite of the conditions? They joke about blowing the big ones, but not this time bubba!
I’ve had this one so have heard it several times, but it was a real treat to sit outside in a warm but not super hot day and just groove on this one!
Yesterday I hit 5/10 for the first time and unfortunately didn’t get quite the best listen, at least to the later parts.
But I did enjoy it, even if it was perhaps a little more laid back than 5/7 etc. Hey they all can’t be rocket ships lol.
The word that kept coming to me was Smooth…this show seemed smooth. They’re gelling as a unit so well by now, and the consistency is so good. Sure there’s a miscue or clam every once in awhile, (I dare you to find a show that there isn’t ; ) but the overall tightness, energy, musicianship is truly better or on par with any tour they ever did!
Of course there’s the sweet He’s Gone they finally got right, and why it’s the one! Another Sing me as they’ve worked that one in the repertoire nicely. And if I remember correctly, this had another of those unusual Other Ones, kinda jazzy perhaps and similar to 4/16? Unfortunately this one’s a blur for various reasons including hitting 5/11 afterwards. I’ll definitely want to rehit this, 5/3, and the Wembleys after the tour…but for now I want to go in order…
Ok, 5/11, this one for whatever reason has always been perhaps my favorite?
Not saying it’s the best show of the tour, just for whatever reasons perhaps my favorite?
Certainly the set list is part of it: Nice Playing if not huge opener, plenty o grease, including a cool and final Caution, with final WHO Do You Love tease, Nice Truckin ender to mix it up, and a very cool, perhaps unusual Dark Star!
Maybe it’s just because I think this might have been the first ala cart show I bought when I hand to the head realized what I was missing not having these Dark Stars? (Now realizing same about the cool spacey TOO’s)
Other One can get real repetitive but these ones are often very diverse and different! The weirder the better I say!
Whatever the reasons, this show, even after taking the tour plunge, still resonates very strong for me? Hey, I even think the cover art might be my fav? Ok, maybe I’ll hit it again streaming while working, before moving onto 5/13 and 5/16, both I’ve never heard yet, so hoping I’ll get to spend some extra time with em during the week…
ONWARD! Ok, who stole my Heineken Dark?

I was talking about a mini box of Feb '74 before they released 2/24 (and now 2/23), but I like the way you think.

I always assumed, probably incorrectly, that there were problems with the recordings of much of the October 74 run. I know Owsley was very vocal that they had excessive bleeding from mic to mic, etc.

As for something to listen to today.. not that I am strictly a Today in GD History person but 9/18/70, 9/18/74 and 9/18/87 were all excellent shows. 9/16/87 was surprisingly good for the period also.

That's all I have for now.

Huge and another damn near perfect show with 3 Other Ones! The crowd seems more engaged and yelling a bit more than some of the more polite audiences. And interestingly they didn't understand that the show wasn't over at set break. Read attendee Bob Welle's review in DeadbaseX and his cool viewpoint of having been cruising around EU and just luckily caught this one, wondering who are these new people on stage.
After all these good ones in a row it's hard to see the almost Barton Hall fervor over this one though. I'm having a tough time doing a top 5 of the first 11 shows they are all so good but this one is certainly in there. Onward indeedy! Didn't expect anyone to join in my insanity to do them all so good on ya' Oro. Had to do it once in a lifetime, lol.
Cheers

Hey OB, not off to a good start here in MN, but actually not that surprised. Go Bills!

There is an interesting article in Relix with Dave L. that was posted last week I believe. Check it out.
Dave claims there is no list and they don't generally release shows or box sets based on anniversaries. This year's box was just a coincidence. So, what does that mean for 2024? Not sure. Would love to see that October 74 Winterland box released. Who wouldn't?
I thought the 74 Winterland shows were recorded by Bill Wolf as part of the Movie production agreement with United Artists. I believe everything is there and based on the material from the 2005 soundtrack, and bonus material, it is fantastic.

Madison Square Garden 87. Those are some good shows Jim. Might have to join you on 9/18 as I have that 30 Trips show handy.

Yeah 1stshow I hadn’t planned to do it.I mean I’ve been meaning to, but, like many things nowadays, always low on roundtoits ; ). Reminds me of this guy we picked up on Ziggy Marley tour doing merch back in 96 I believe.
Flew into DC, met PK from Jersey, counted stuff in at the 9:30 club, then just tried to keep up with ole PK. Out on town all night, then immediately had to drive to next show etc…
Dude knows everyone everywhere and can get you ANYTHING you need in almost any city!
Damn Rastas were asking him to get them weed everywhere as he had better connections lol
Been a road dog forever! Anywho, somewhere in the mayhem we ran into a buddy of his from Virginia who decided one show wasn’t enough fun. He only ment to go to the next one, and every night kept saying “ok, this is the last one, then I have to get back”…we’ll this went on for over a week until finally, after Panama beach show we literally had to make him get on a bus and go home lol. Guy was helpful and we all had big fun, but the poor bastard was wearing the same clothes etc and didn’t have anything with him, totally spontaneous trip. Think after a couple daze we bought him some fresh underwear and gave him a couple tour shirts to change into lol.
So that’s kinda how I started E72 this time, ok, I’ll do one more. Finally, though this isn’t a good time, time wise etc, figured, fug it, buy the ticket, take the ride! So, always more fun with a tour buddy!

Yeah, I’m with you on 5/3. It is a damn good show, but I didn’t get as blown away as some…
But I’ll need to reacquaint with it…top five, good luck. I can’t do it. Their all so good, sure I like some perhaps more, but their just different enough I can’t pick a top dog…
Yeah, what a surprise, the French were the most vocal lol

Yeah DV, im worried about the VIKS, Bills too, though they seemed like their old selves again this week. But like the Viks, ya never know what’s next lol. Rootin for underdog Lions, and Falcons, though I really like this kid Field with Da Bears…
I’ll have to try and find that Dave article. He always says that and he doesn’t do it all the time, and they have mostly stayed clear of anniversaries, but he has been dipping liberally from that early possibilities list he mentioned back at the start of DaP.

Those all sound familiar Jim, but I’m on a job site so can’t look up in my Db.
Tempting all, but I’m on tour in Europe with ole 1stshow and don’t like to listen to other Dead until the trip is over…
1970 is perhaps last frontier I haven’t really got the toe wet yet. Need another roundtoit!

Per your suggestions, doing the 9-18-87 anniversary.

I suspect that everything in the Vault that sounds good will get digitized, and a lot has probably been done already since the tapes are degrading and the job needs to get completed. Also, storing digital copies at various geographic locations can be an insurance policy against things like the Universal Music warehouse fire, California Earthquake(s), etc. Futhurmore, I assume that when Dave is perusing potential releases he listens to a digital copy, not a cassette copy, then he picks a few shows to discuss at the next business meeting.

Some will get the Full Norman.
Some will even get Plangentized.
Everything that gets digitized will be available for download and/or streaming in the future, we may just not be alive to spend the money on such.
The Vault will become the Catalog.
We are financing the digitization of the Vault by buying the new releases.
So bust out Dennis’ wife’s credit card and keep buying.
(Well, at least Dennis can bust out the credit card)

Hilarious.

Let's just hope she doesn't read this stuff.

Edit: I seem to have misplaced her PIN. Can someone PM me? I need the new Stax/Volt box set.

9-19-72%

DaP 46 filler

AKA, HF’s first show

HedrixFreak, HF, wherefore art thou?

Hope he's alright.. we seem to occasionally lose people who (voluntarily) offer their services digging a tunnel under the vault to help free the reels. A hazardous occupation.

…I heard a rumor that that psycho loser Bobert kept saying “Hendrixfreak, Hendrixfreak, Hendrixfreak” at that Beatlejuice performance, and it was the final straw that got her booted!

And I think maybe we lost Keithfan under there somewhere? Haven’t heard from him in fo ever…

Just as we are about to poke through the concrete of the basement 6 floors under the vault.. they find us. Coincidence? Certainly not!

Help, We're Being Repressed!

#Freethereels!

I suspect that he is in the outback freeing his mind and prepping for the Fall equinox.

Or maybe he went to Burning Man and is still stuck in the mud.

Errrrrr I mean Hendrixfreak?
That’s just it, he was out and about in Montana and was supposed to be back end of August…
Hopefully he’s just busy, wherever, and there’s no fuckery about?

Just started Bickershaw and it occurred to me that 12 shows into the tour there weren't all that many songs in the setlists from either Workingman's or American Beauty. A quick look to verify only found Sugar Mag and Truckin' from Beauty (whoops found a Brokedown too) and five out the eight from Workingman's with two of those played maybe once or twice in the tour. I knew going in to the full EU72 tour I was in for a lot of repetition in the setlists and having glanced at them beforehand saw the order of songs or placements were also similar, i.e. Casey Jones to end many a first set. So maybe knowing they were doing the album they did so many of the same ones to get a better shot at getting one that would be just exactly perfect for the album, more to choose from. Seems a bit opposite to their usual format of no format or you get what feels right that night. These shows are certainly not carbon copies by any means and I'm not complaining at all but just wanted to explore why they all sound a bit the same. Clearly some doing them all in a row impressions happening but not burnout at all. They are all just too good!
Cheers

The make up show.
Yeah 1stshow, there is definitely a looooot of repetition! Lol
But yeah, all good, perhaps getting a little burnout, though I haven’t had a lot of good, sit down sessions.
By necessity, some I’ve been just streaming on crappy work device, (or I’d be still doing this months from now and I’m getting itchy for some other Dead ) I’ve tried to hit those shows multiple times.
5/13 was one, and another first time show.
I thought it was a mostly well played show, especially considering it was another cold outdoor show.
Loved JG joking about a movie and playing drive ins lol
The PITB seemed a little different, and awesome! Oh, loved Pig making Europe sounding police sirens on the organ during the first spacey part of TOO, another beauty. Nice how their starting to work He’s Gone into the flow of the set.
Don’t have my info here, but believe this might be the first show without a Good Lovin, which no offense, but I am getting burnt on. Have really been enjoying the other stuff, especially Hurts Me Too and Mr Charlie! And I need to learn the rest of the words to ChinaTown Shuffle as I can’t get the chorus outta my head lol.
In fact slightly light on the grease, perhaps the chilly cold and being on the road, or maybe time limits? This show was a little shorter by E72 standards, more like a “normal” Dead show.
Wonder if that was due to having to get back on the road, the cold, or…?
Overall another great show, though if hard pressed I don’t think I’d include in top five or whatnot…
Kudos to them though in spite of being less than ideal circumstances and this far into the tour etc

Oh, I think the repetitiveness and lack of certain songs was totally by design.
Always good to have as many good versions of songs to attempt to choose from. Nothing worse than wanting a certain song badly but only having a so so version…
They had all those new songs they wanted to get out, or try to, so I can fully understand not doing too many other recently released songs.
Making the album was a big part of the tour and after hating their studio stuff versus the great live albums, they were trying to make an album, but live in front of grooving people. Same sorta MO they did with In The Dark. Kinda surprises me they didn’t use this approach more often since it obviously worked so well for them.
And perhaps unknown to some, but even though they played all tracks live, they did go back and clean up and/or sweeten some things in the studio afterwards, so really a sorta highbred album. Same with Skullfuck.
Ok, on to 5/16/72 and a world radio broadcast!
Onward!

Is that true, though, that there was more repetition of songs during the E72 tour than others in the late 60's and 70's?
I haven't checked it out, but listening to shows, I always get a sense that they had a core group of songs that they leaned on during specific tours. It was the same listening to the 1973 box that has just come out. There weren't any shows that were wildly different from any other - possibly 6/10/73. That has a different feel than the earlier ones.

That's not a criticism - the more they played specific songs - especially the ones incorporating jams, the better they got to know them and the more they were able to re-interpret them. Part of the ongoing mystery - especially from late 1971-1974. Maybe.

Finishing up as I write.
Highlights: Dark Star, The Other One, Lovelight (Jerry!).
The line-up for this festival is astounding. Woodstock level of mud too.
DR, guessing you've heard Hawkwind's performance. Good?
Cheers

Yeah they always went heavy on what was new. Guessing partly for their own sanity/interest, and partly for the crowds.
Not unlike Taylor Swift etc: make an album, go on the road to support it, rinse and repeat…of course like most things, they weren’t that formulaic, thank goodness lol. Plus, they were smart enough to figure out that it’s better to work stuff out on the road BEFORE you go into the studio to record it, especially when you do constantly tweak and re-invent them. So this tour was perhaps a bit of both lol.
Also, (think we’ve discussed before?) folks didn’t tour so much back then, probably not at all in 1972 Europe?
So they didn’t have to worry about that like they did later on.
Sometimes I think they, or someone, just really enjoyed certain songs, so played en more.
I’d say they played less repetitive in some ways as the years passed and they had more and more songs to choose from.
Ok, maybe not Bob, he seemed to need to play everything to death lol. Speaking of, why Me&My Uncle every night! I mean they just put it out on the last live album only a year before! With so much new stuff as the Dead, and from WM and AB, AND both Bob and Jers recent solo albums, why Bob, why LOL ; ) Perhaps trying to bring more American “culture”?
As far as reinterpreting songs, I think they always did that, though some more than others and with various results.
I guess that’s yet another thing dependent on the listeners taste and chever way yer pleasure tends…
But I’d bet the biggest factor on this tour was trying to get at least one good useable version of all the new material since they purposely chose this methodology to get the new songs out on a new album. That and mix in some familiar stuff as you never want to do all unknown songs. I could tell ya a story about doing that lol

With the exception of Copenhagen and London, they hit these cities just once and my guess is most locals had not had any real exposure to the touring Grateful Dead. Copenhagen is the real outlier, two hits at the same venue and similar second set setlists.

I always assumed they wanted to make a presence in Europe and knowing people were not as exposed in the US, wanted to paint a strong picture for each city.

So 51 years later listening to the whole tour, there is lots of repetition. But if you were there then, it was all brand new. That's how I digested it. They wanted to hit Europe with a cohesive picture of what they were doing then not knowing when or if they would return.

1stshow -no, I have never heard Hawkwind's set at Bickershaw. Curiously, I have never read anything about it either, not from the band or from people who were there. Simonrob was there - maybe he knows something.
1972 was the year it all came together for Hawkwind, culminating in the Space Ritual tour in December. In fact - a timely thought - the 11 cd special deluxe edition of Space Ritual is out next Friday. Probably not good value for money unless you are really into it - they basically played the same set on that tour wherever they played - this new set features three of them. I'll be getting it - but the original album may be better value overall.

Going back to The Dead's repetitive - or otherwise - song lists - they would have played to a different audience every night, for the most part, during E72, so maybe it mattered less than later on if they played the same songs a lot. Maybe that was the case for American gigs at first, too. It wasn't common practice in England in the 1970's to see the same band twice on the run, so I wouldn't think it was in America at first. As teenager, apart from anything else, I wouldn't have been able to afford it.

Daverock gets the call out.

Sorry - I'm not sure what that means!

The September GD Bulletin came out yesterday in an email.
At the end there is a section Community Bits that briefly summarizes what it being discussed on these boards.

It says:

In the Pick of the Day, With Discussion thread, Daverock raises the interesting point that for Europe ’72, there weren’t so many Dead Heads in the audience — and that affected the band’s playing. Maybe for the better? What do you think?