Pick of the Day, with Discussion

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April 6, 2020 - 9:47am

8,062 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.

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February 22, 2023 - 3:51am

#1261

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.
February 22, 2023 - 3:28am

#1262

daverock

Joined:
September 1, 2014

2/22/69

That is a great show. According to the cd notes it was recorded, along with shows in late January and the Feb-March shows, for possible inclusion on Live Dead. It probably won't happen - the song lists are obviously very similar, but it would make a great box set to release all the shows recorded.
The shows from 1967-1971 inclusive are the main ones for me in 30 Trips.
February 22, 2023 - 1:16am

#1263

Forensicdoceleven

Joined:
June 17, 2008

You can't blame gravity for falling in love…..

Mornin’, rockers!!!

Pick Of The Day: Dream Bowl February 22, 1969

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

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

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

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

Rock on,

Doc
There comes a time when the mind takes a higher plane of knowledge but can never prove how it got there…..
February 20, 2023 - 3:08pm

#1264

daverock

Joined:
September 1, 2014

Heads in Mississippi

That's good to read - they opened with Mississippi Half Step - Franklins Tower the first time I saw them 3/24/81. A great start to the show for sure.
February 20, 2023 - 1:11pm

#1265

PT Barnum

Joined:
December 2, 2009

5-19-74

In my experience, any show that starts off with Mississippi half-step uptown toodleloo is usually a great one and 5-19-74 is no exception. That pacific northwest box grows on ya, for sure.
February 20, 2023 - 12:53pm

#1266

daverock

Joined:
September 1, 2014

5/19/74

I haven't played it this year yet, but it has become one of my most played shows from this year - mainly because I bought it on vinyl. But it is really good, too. To me, it's better than its song list suggests - the songs leading up to the Truckin' jam are well played and forward moving, and that final jam is superb. It has been castigated in some quarters for the vocal drop outs. A price worth paying, in my opinion. All three 1974 shows in the box it was culled from are top notch.
February 20, 2023 - 12:24pm

#1267

DeadVikes

Joined:
October 26, 2016

Dave's 13 and 42

Hey Bluecrow, #13 is definitely in my top five. Love this show. Listen to it quite a bit. #42 hasn't resonated with me as much as #13, don't know why. How do you all feel?

I will throw out Dave's Picks #7, 4/24/78, for our old buddy That's Otis. I believe you are fan of this era. Hope all is well out there for you and the rest of the crew!
February 19, 2023 - 2:34am

#1268

rockthing

Joined:
August 2, 2020

5/19/74

I've got a beta-max transfer of 2/24/74... which stayed in heavy rotation for a long time when it first hit my library, but low and behold Portland 74 has collecting proverbial dust in the old hard disk, too. Time for something brand new (to me).

A Pat Lee master cassette passed down the generations.

It's a little hissy, and I'm not getting much Phil at the start, but Jerry and Bob's gutiars are crystal clear. Jerry's voice coming in a close second in the mix with some occasional Keith flourishes wafting to the fore. Billy's cymbals sound crisp, if somewhat thin. Getting a nice Jamaican dub sound when he switches to the highhat. Kick is in there, clear, but with with a soft tone, and none of the hyper-compressed abrasive contemporary festival sound. Donna's harmonies are on, and blended well with Jerry and Bob for the Across the Rio Grande-oh finale of Halfstep. Jerry plays an aggressive outro solo.

Mexicali: The mix and tape quality remain consistent. It's mostly a guitar oriented sound, but Bobby's voice is clear, if slightly too far back. Even in '74 they could do this one in their sleep. Have you ever heard a real train wreck during Mexicali? I can't recall one. A fan let's out a hoarse, "Whao!" apparently feeling the southwest polka vibes.

Big Railroad Blues. Love me some BRB. There are short pauses in the tape where Pat Lee is clearly well aware of the need to conserve footage. Could do with A LOT more Phil in the mix. Might fiddle with the EQ in a bit.

Black Throated Wind: Awkward song that I sometimes really like, and other times can do without.

Scarlet: Crowd gives Donna a big cheer as the song reaches it's finale. Of course they egged Bobby on with some of his crazy antics, too, but it's nice to hear that early 70s audiences appreciated her contributions.

Beat It On Down The Line: Always love this one. Nice double vocal from Bobby and Donna. Some unfortunate microphone feedback during Jerry's solo. Phil's backing vocals are there. The bass frequencies either never made it onto the cassette, or have evaporated through the generations of open reels and cassettes.

Tennessee Jed: Nice bounce to this laid-back rendition. Another one of my favorite tunes, as I've mentioned before. Another nice, appreciative response from the audience who are almost completely unnoticeable for the majority of the time.

Bobby McGee. I picture the audience mostly having a lie-down on the lawn during this first set. Just a nice day in the park with some live music in the background.

Ok, well, that's as far as I'll get in this sitting, but really looking forward to that big Truckin' jam at the end of the show. Now spoilers! 😉 Just kidding.
February 19, 2023 - 12:14am

#1269

rockthing

Joined:
August 2, 2020

Woodstock

>DAVEROCK>

"It's about 37 minutes long, but it seems more like an hour when you watch it."

HAHAHA

I'll be on the lookout for that CCR set. John Fogerty strikes me a somewhat difficult man. Brilliant songwriter and producer, though. Never get tired of Cosmo's Factory, in particular. Gotta get reacquainted with the first album. I recall it being more psychedelic.

Got a trove of stuff to listen to after yesterday's catch up. Thanks!
Not sure where I'll start, but probably with something that already has ID tags. lol.
February 18, 2023 - 1:04pm

#1270

daverock

Joined:
September 1, 2014

Woodstock

There was a good cd of CCR's set that came out a couple of years ago. Apart from Hendrix, possibly my favourite set of the whole festival. "Lovelight" was included on a dvd as an extra, on one of the celebratory reissues of the festival. I don't think I'm being controversial when I say that it wasn't there finest hour. It's about 37 minutes long, but it seems more like an hour when you watch it.
The Dark Star, I've just remembered, was included in the 6 cd 40th anniversary release of Woodstock, too. That's okay. But it's not a show I would suggest as a contender for an official release.

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.

got DQ'd

for the rest of that post, dang it, which went on to say among other things that night before also excellent

(took a dozen tries to write that one pared down sentence above - jeez louise) can't even mention venue

set 2 is fire - grate china rider to open

december 12, '80 (ha, finally got the date in after 20+ tries)

S
W
I
N
G

A
U
D

(ha again - one letter per line worked)

last 3

Branford Marsalis Royal Garden Blues (1986 vinyl)
april 28th 2009 The Dead at IZOD Center with Branford Marsalis, my last live sound experience with ALL of the remaining boys together
april 27th 1969 Labor Temple in Minneapolis (CD), Thank You Mr. Latvala

edit plus 2
Deep Purple Mark I & II (1973 vinyl)
Cannonball Adderley Live in Belgium august 1962 (CD)

BOT Flagged the word
S
e
x
t
e
t
as in the Cannonball Adderley band formation containing exactly 6 members, lol!
Peace!

Bluecrow

Yeh, the posting here continues to be a huge struggle.

Love those 80 shows. Bring on Oakland.

Can't get the rest of the post in.

12/12/80 again

as PT Barnum mentioned (and like i was also trying to say) this is the first show after John Lennon was killed. it's a beautiful intense show.

DV - I plan to check out the Oakland run.

Was checking out the 6th and 7th from Felt Forum run a couple days ago, as Obeah suggested. In case it wasn't obvious "young grasshopper" = bluecrow in wishing for a release of 12/5.

and I'm with Oro - less rehash, more unreleased shows!!

what a relief to not get beaten over the head with hey now this time around. still, built this up in bits and pieces

Another young grasshopper

I'd love a release of 12/5/71 too!

I also hope some of the off-the-beaten-track stuff from '78 comes out too. The laryngitis shows from January, for example. And if there was a board in the vault for 12/19/78 -- ohhhh, what a gift! The 45th anniversary is coming up for this, the one and only show played in Mississippi. If you've never heard the Stella Blue->NFA from this show, do yourself a favor and give it a listen. The transition is a thing of joyful, triumphant beauty.

Dec. 19, 1978

It's a '78! OK, I'm in today.
Reviews are all good.
Cheers

Wow! Impressive show. That Stella NFA transition is so smooth cool. The Truckin' and TOO were totally on theme, didn't stray much but extended nicely. That whole over an hour 2nd set jam is just tight. If the show doesn't get released that alone would make some good filler for a late '78 DaP.

Dec 19 1978 redux

Yeah 1stShow that is a great point. I'd be thrilled to have that 2nd set portion excerpted/released as filler if that's all that the vault holds.

I've always found '78 fascinating since the Dead's live performances don't follow the conventional narrative often seen when a band is experiencing friction and disunity. For a band that was about to experience a dramatic personnel reshuffle just 2 months later, you wouldn't know it from this night's performance.

And on that note, it's also interesting that the reviews say that the show was sparsely attended... it seems that sometimes a flat or sparse crowd can impact the band, with the lack of crowd energy translating to a decline in the overall performance, but obviously that didn't happen on this night. I'd be really excited to see something else come out of the vault from this tour or even the January '79 run. All the more especially if that Stella->NFA was destined to be disc 3 filler :)

12/19/78

The big question as to release (for this and other late '78 early '79 shows) is whether the master soundboards are even in the vault as there seem to be a lot of gaps in what they have. Set II here only circulates as an audience (a really fine one for sure). This show doesn't show up on the list of returned Betty Boards, either as reels or cassettes.

And for the record - hey now is still alive and well as it DQd most of my original post. I'll get to it eventually.

Phil is sure belting it out on Trucking!

12/19/78 cont.

Awesome show Obeah. Thanks for suggesting it. That Stella is beautiful, with the transition into NFA sort of like they've got a musical "foot" in both and that's saying something. Very cool. And a Casey Jones encore? My goodness! Here's hoping, young grasshopper, this one's in the vault and it sees the light of day!

…and that’s right, you heard correctly…

this week I’m on tour :) it’s 1981, and while this year is curiously under represented with (5) complete shows having been released so far, it’s a “Good Times” to get re-acquainted, and so I’ll be fahkengruven to
Oakland on 12/26, and Stabler Arena @ Lehigh on 9/25, and onto Indy on 12/5, and then off to Long Beach on 8/28, can’t miss a show in Europe so over to Edinburgh on 9/30, and back to the good old US of A in New Jersey @ Rutgers on 5/15 and remember…

…Same Happiness Different Tour!

Peace All!
uncle_tripel

december stuff

I'm really pleased to see so many folks enjoying 12/19/78! It's one of the remarkable things about Grateful Dead history: even those of us who are lifelong fans and who have traded far and wide can still find corners of the vault that we've yet to explore. It's no wonder Dave Lemieux always sounds so excited in his seaside chats; Ali Baba's cave would find itself jealous of the riches hidden within. We can only hope, as Bluecrow observed, that the masters of this show are quietly waiting to be revealed!

Speaking of December... 30 years ago, a Monday, and I was just getting myself together to get back over to the venue: the San Diego Sports Arena. Acoustics are rubbish in that place; a tumbledown barn half full of square hay would be better. Still, I saw shows from January-December in '93, and in a year of mostly sub-par gigs, the San Diego shows were two of the best that I caught. It was always my experience that the Grateful Dead played well in December.

Picks

I love 81, might have to check out some of those shows Uncle T.
There are definitely some great shows Post Egypt 78. I am little biased as we start getting more Shakedown Street songs.

I have 11/1/79 going this morning. What a show and run. Nassau, with a killer Scarlet Fire that appeared as hidden tracks on Dick's 13. Been done before here, but I go back to this run often.

Haven't heard from Jim or OB on this thread in a while. Hope all is well.

Man this is getting old

Sorry DV, my fine message got denied
Been lurkin, but busy and got them H N blues!

Jumbo’s under the weather and been busy, but bet he’s been lurkin..
So everyone wish him well!

Go Vikes!

Would love to post more, but my heads sore from this damn wall I’ve been bangin…

Posting

Hey OB, yes, the posting has been rough. None of my longer posts ever make it through.

Yes, go Vikes! What a squad. 3-0 barnburner last week. Losing Cousins was a killer.

Finishing up 11/1/79 today and then moving on to one of those 81 shows Uncle T mentioned.

Hang in there OB.
Get better Jim! Hope to hear from you soon.

Try, try again

Been hitting a lot of 88 lately including the other 3 Alpines I hadn’t heard, and the fine Frost shows. Also, all the fall tour. Hit a ton of 83 this year, a few nice 93s (nice surprise, just gotta poke around), and a bunch of 73, including that awesome box.
I’ve heard all 73s except 2 or maybe 3 only because of tapes. Same with 83 plus the last 3 of the year that I’m working on. Probably 90+% of 88, say 60-70% of 72, all of 71 except like the first 10?! Most of 74, and a lot of 79, 81, and 82.
Have dug in pretty well with most others except some of the primal years and last couple years…

Looking forward to primary 2024 focus on 84, 74, and some 94, with secondary focus 69, 79, and 89!
Should be another Grateful Year!
The Other One says she can hardly wait! LOL

Enjoyed the 12/19/78, need to check out more late 78, though I like spring so much I get stuck there lol

9/25/81

Qued this one up, and the sound quality is terrible. Charlie Miller's notes, "This recording basically sucks-it starts out bad and gets worse."
Will give 12/26/81 a shot.

You have been busy OB. Do you have any recommendations from your recent tours?

deadvikes

my copy aint that bad.

reeling in the years

Oro I am glad to hear you, too, enjoyed 12/19/78. I stumbled upon that show back in the day while doing my own surveying, in that instance a good deep dive into Stella Blue. There's so many ways to approach this catalog! I liked reading your plans for future listening. Myself, I've been bouncing back and forth lately between Fall '72 (as I've stated elsewhere, it's still such an unexplored country for me, and what fertile soil I've found it to have!) and 1984.

I'm a big fan of '84-'85 and wanted to get myself primed for Dave's Vol 49. However, like Fall '72, Spring '84 was another wasteland in my collection. I had the April show from the Alladin Theater in Vegas and that was it. It's been so much fun getting into those Marin Vets shows from the end of March!

I love hearing what folks are listening to. Y'all give me so many great ideas. I just wrapped up listening to 5/12/77 II...ty to whoever suggested it!

12/9/81

How about Dave's 20 from 12/9/81? It has been a while.

Boulder '81?

I'm in. Seven inch reel to reels, not cassette.
A Jack Straw tests their mettle.
Sounds like fun!
Cheers

Listening methodology

In my quest to attempt to hear em all, I’ve come up with a way to deal with anniversaries and still efficiently chip away at the stone…
I found trying to constantly worry about and have to choose lol, anniversary shows, sometimes gets overwhelming and in the way of progress…so you end up just listening to the same shows over and over…OR,
Also, no offense to the many who roll this way, but I find the This day in GD history approach too predictable and limiting, but that’s just me…

My system is to use the last number of the year for primary focus, and add 5 to it for secondary focus.
So next year will be primary 84, 74, and 94, with 69, 79, and 89 being secondary.
I listed 84 first because I’ve done most of 74 a lot already, but it will be nice to rehash some of the big dogs, like that awesome 5/14 show is due for a spin…
That way I can go deep on years I’m behind on, but still manage to get enough variety in.
So this year I was able to finish the rest of 73, 83, get acquainted with some 93, more acquainted with 78, and serendipitously a lot of 88. Unfortunately I was a lacking in giving 68 more love.

Of course any show can be gone to at any time chever way your pleasure tends.
But using this template has served me well, mostly in not getting a headache trying to choose all the time lol.

Of course there’s also the full tour method: listen to every show on a tour in order without any other dead until completed. More work but greater understanding and fulfillment as I’m sure 1stshow will agree after his big trip to Europe this year!

So, how do y’all roll?

12/9/81

Can’t say when, but like that 78 It’s on my radar for when the time is right…
Now I HAVE to check out that 9/25/81 show lol

Ha, I too checked out/enjoyed that 5/12/77 disc via good ole BC.
I’ve unfortunately never met him, but I can totally see listening to that out on the late night, back roads of the west in my minds eye!

Dec. 9, 1981

A distracted listen so take this comment with a grain of salt. Really good solid show but I can't for the life of me figure out what made this a DaP. There is almost always a set, segment, or even just a 3 minute MLB jam or the like that just shouts that this should be an official release. I did like the setlist and the unusual placement of Good Lovin' at the end but even my favorite thing to listen for, TOO, was a bit underwhelming. The end of 1st set China > Rider and the beginning of 2nd Scarlet > Fire were the highlights for me. The encore Satisfaction was good too!
The distraction was my sis called during my listen and we discussed her 4-24-70 GD show (or was it 4-25-70; see Jerry's Middle Finger discussion of these two shows as there was/is much confusion in the data as to whether there were two shows at Mammoth Gardens or just one) and I was telling her how to hear her show on the Archive. We also talked at length about the Denver Pop Festival of 1969 at Mile High. Look it up. Must have been fun until the end when the riot and teargas forced Jimi (and the original Experience in their last show) off the stage. Frank Zappa invents The Wave too!
Cheers

12-9-81

Maybe as Oro says, right street, wrong house.

I listened to it a few weeks ago and still liked it.
Maybe chosen because of the double whammy of China Rider and Scarlet Fire.
A lot of people were upset when it was released. I wasn’t one of them.

Anyway, doing the MSG Box today, 9-20-82 first, now on 10-11-83.

Methodology/Dave's 20

My methodology for listening is I have no set methodology OB. I tend to go with what I haven't listened to in a while when I am at home or what I feel like listening to. Particularly like to hit the box sets or all the other official released shows that I own. Also like to hit the shows offered up on this site from the fine people here. Love to explore the achrive.
My 2018 car has a hard disc drive that holds 250 CDs and right now it consistents of 90% Dead. I will probably have to keep the car forever as I don't to lose that library.

Dave's 20 is a good show. I like it. Upper echelon show, not sure. I think it was picked because it was a rare reel to reel for the time period and Dick gave Dave a copy back in the day. I will say it has more audience patches than any other Dave's released to date. Still enjoyable. The Scarlet Fire Estimated He's Gone is worth the listen as well as the Other One Stella Blue out of Space. Fun Satisfaction encore. Bob states, "we like it hear, we will be back." They never went back.

back home sit down and patch my bones…

now that was fun, got to say my 1981 tour last week really reinvigorated me, went to some mystic places I hadn’t been before, and heard some great passages that no deadhead should miss. I went on this tour because, after watching you toob [dreams we dreamed] He’s Gone: A Tribute to Brent, it was time to listen more carefully, and yes it was very well spent ‘Good Times’. What initially started as six shows, well, you know how it is when you’re on tour lol, ended in 10 shows…and when you get confused, just listen to Jerry play…I decided on these shows as I had never listened to 9 of them.

Here’s my tour list with archive identifier in case you need some ’81 in your life; great playing, awesome vocals, some far-out space, and some surprising jams that sometimes aren’t listed in the set lists of compendium’s, etc…
12/26 Oakland #84265
9/25 Stabler Arena @ Lehigh #148686
12/5 Indy #111784
8/28 Long Beach #113680
9/30 Edinburgh #151109
5/15 Rutgers #95751
9/26 Buffalo #18110
5/2 Phila #30152 [I attended this one]
5/17 was the only partial show Set 2 of Onondaga #112865
After 9 shows, I just couldn’t pass up listening to 5/16 Barton Hall #30647 (I don’t own 30 Trips box, so this was a 1st listen for me, and what a Shakedown.

All these shows are SDB’s with many having audience patches, that’s always just been a part of that taping hierarchy I guess, so it’s the GD warts and all.

and get back truckin' on, hey now get back truckin' home!
Peace All!
uncle_tripel

Why stop now

Uncle T?

Here’s some other fine 81 shows you should check out if you haven’t.
9/12/81 the whole Greek run is good
12/3/81
12/6/81
12/7/81
3/7/81
3/23&24/81
3/13/81
Stanley shows are good

I’m extremely biased but I’ve always thought 5/17 and 9/26 were release worthy!
5/17 gets overlooked because of SB BS, but there are some hot Auds and this show is almost better via aud!
I was in the 3rd row, JG was trying out the new McIntosh MC2500 amp, and he was screaming loud lol.
He just rips the whole show!
Had a final the next day and my ears were still ringing so bad I couldn’t hear the profs instructions lol

There must be something more than my bias about 9/26 because Dave has played it in various places a lot over the years…

All those December shows are hot and in mho better than DaP 20. 20s good, but I think all the others are better, especially Indianapolis.
I started doing E fall 81 but didn’t finish, need to hit that tour up sometime, think I’ve hit most of the spring one?

ISTSHOW: curious if your sis checked out the archive and what she thought etc?

Edit: checked out the 9/25/81 show and dug it. I didn’t go with the CM dissed version but I want to see how bad it gets when I have more time lol

Enjoying the Love for '81

Been away for a bit. Had the flu for the first time since the 90's, the shot did not work for me this year. Boy am I glad to have that behind me!

Funny 81 and the MSG box get mentioned here. Right before the plague found me, I hit up the MSG box in backwards order, starting with 83 and ending with 81. 3/9/81 is still my favorite in the box. The China Rider, for example, is creative and extremely high energy.. especially that thump at the end as Sampson starts. And what about those aliens at the end of Half-Step in the 83 show? Performance Art to be sure.

Dave's 20? It's ok, enjoyable.. it's light on the x factor though, at least to my years. Glad it came out but I agree with Oro.

One of the first shows I offered up on Pick of the Day was 8/12/81 at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City. I don't think the entire thing circulates in soundboard, but the parts that do are well recorded for the era. A nice little show. 81 is an interesting year, I can't seem to put my thumb on what it is.. they are a little all over the place but when they shine, they shine. 81 and 82 are the last years where Jerry still had a bit of youthful spirit in his voice. By 83, the gargoyles and gravel gremlins began to set up camp in his voicebox.

An oddity and certainly not a high-water mark for the year is the Cole Field House show in College Park, MD. No Terrapin at the house of the Terrapins that night, somebody forgot to send the memo. Still, an oddity simply because it has to be the loudest, acousticly terrible venue they played at that year and the tapes seem to support this premise. It came a little more than six months before my first show, I wish I was there to hear what the tapes do little justice in recreating.

That's all I have. I feel a post flu nap coming on.

Keep on kepping on guys, great stuff Tripple, Oro and others.

Oro

Sis did go to the archive and listen to her show. No response yet on her review but she gets busy and I don't hear from her much. She did tell me she was right up front crushed into place right in front of Bob Weir. There was a jug of Kool-aid being passed around but since she was already dosed she did not partake. She also got to see The Who and Jethro Tull in 1970 at that short lived venue. And she was at the Sunday show in 1969 of the Denver Pop Festival featuring Hendrix as the headliner. Pretty impressive rock concert resume for a high school kid. Then she moved to S.F., CA to do the hippy thing but says she did not remember going to shows in the couple of years she was there. Can you imagine? 1975-76 in S.F. and you didn't go to any shows? Aw, sis!
Cheers

Jim

Good to see you back Jim. Those flu bugs can be a bitch.

Love that MSG Box. Hope it sells out at some point. I think it is better for us if these sell out rather than sitting around for years.

81 hut hut hut

8/28/81: on a job etc, so didn’t get the best listen, but seemed like a fine show!
Interesting second set!

Yeah DV I’m about ready to give that box a spin, or at least 81 and/or 82 as I hit the 83s recently.
Just need to make it through the rest of the year…hopefully then I’ll have some more GD time.
Yep, you’d think sales might have an impact on what comes out?
Like how we haven’t had an 89 (cept Giants maybe?) since that overpriced JFK measly 2 show box…
Still sitting on those awesome fall 89 (think spring 90 quality) multitracks…

1stshow: Doah, picture palm to forehead: living in the promised land in 72 and no shows?
The HORROR! Say it isn’t so, ; ) LOL she did seem some great stuff though!

Glad Jim’s back from the Dead, or is it back to the Dead ; ) lol

I Had It Wrong

She wasn't in S.F. until '75-'76.
Could have seen the early post-hiatus though if she had the mind to.
Still hasn't answered me on the 1970 archive listen.
Happy solstice tomorrow.
Cheers
Edit: She loved it, she says! Said it brought her right back to standing there right in front of Bob. I'm guessing Bob noticed her as she was a cute (hard to ignore) teenager with long blond hair.

girl in the yellow underwear?

1stshow - it would have been something if Hendrix had dedicated Foxy Lady to your sister ! Meant respectfully, of course. To have seen Hendrix live must have been magical.

Mile High 1969

Fortunately for sis she was nowhere near the stage for the Denver Pop Festival as that's where the teargas was aimed apparently as the riot ensued. But just look at Jimi's setlist for that show (Sunday, June 29). A greatest hits list with Voodoo Chile > Slight Return as the closer. I'm sure I've heard part of that show somewhere and Jimi liked to talk a lot between songs as I recall.
Cheers

Mile High 69

It does look quite wild. Just been reading about it online- apparently it was last show by the original Experience. Looks like the whole set is on youtube, too.

10/3/87 Shoreline

There is a 2023 Miller upgrade of this fine show. First five or six songs are also part of View from the Vault III.

Always liked this late fall run in 87.

Happy Solstice

To all pagans, heathens, druids et al. Notice where sunlight falls today where ever you are. Celebrate at a megalithic site and rock on!

Longer Days

Right on DMCVT. Here's to longer days!

More time to enjoy life and listen to music. Time for a relisten to Here Comes Sunshine.

a good read

if you are interested, here you go

leathersmithe archive sonic journal

last 5
Johnny Cash: Live at Carousel Ballroom 4.28.68 [Bear’s SONIC Journals] (CD)
Art Tatum: Piano Starts Here, Live 1949 at the Shrine Auditorium in LA (CD)
The Ragpicker’s Dream: Mark Knopfler (CD)
Bunny Wailer: LIVE, Recorded in Kingston Jamaica Dec. 25, 1982 (1983 vinyl)
Steel Pulse: True Democracy [wealth maketh many friends, but the poor is separated from the neighbor] (1982 vinyl)

more 1981 is currently on-hold until the holidays have passed; I’m ending this fine year of new music with a re-listen of the HC Sunshine box set, and Mark Knopfler Box 1996-2007

Enjoy the holidays if you please, looking forward to more great music in 2024.
Make Tapes, Not War!

Peace All!
uncle_tripel

quick edit - ORO, forgot 2 thumbs-up for 8/28/81

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays people!

Hope you all have an enjoyable one.

Last 5

All vintage Christmas vinyl.
From 1956 - 1970s.
From tire stores and hardware stores BITD.
Cheers

Running Lionel trains later!

Random adventures of late

In no order as I can’t remember through the holi daze…

DaP 20
The 83 N ew Years run
12/18/73
12/19/73
6/14/85 2nd

mmmm adventures

I'm with Oro.

Been listening to a lot of shows from New Years Runs with just a touch of the Giants Box lately. 76, 77 and 79 got a lot of love. Somehow caught an annoying bug over Christmas, so that coming off the flu has me too tired to do much of anything useful. Once the daily routine is behind me all I have been doing is lying around, watching sports and listening to music and even that is leaving me wiped out.

Happy New Years all. Give more than you receive and don't let the Hey Nows bring you down.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year all!

Back to the grind tomorrow.

Dave's 49 hopefully by the end of the month.

What will the 2024 box be?
Will the site let me post? I have tried to post about the 2024 box set and it gets blocked every time. Why?
Edit, started RT. 4.3 yesterday from 11/21/73. It has been a while for this one.