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    Anyone who has ever seen the Dead can testify that one of its shows will add quite a bit of color to the environment here at Stanford. Anyone who has not seen one of these spectacles should have the opportunity to do so. The Grateful Dead are an important part of the Bay Area's cultural history. Those of us who saw them last week can testify that the Dead are alive and well. The Concert Network would be hard-pressed to find an act which would bring Frost Amphitheatre to life as the Dead would. - The Stanford Daily

    As you know by now, we'd certainly have voted aye on this motion, so much so, that we've loaded up DAVE'S PICKS 49 with not one, but two complete Grateful Dead shows from the Frost Amphitheatre, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 4/27/85 and 4/28/85. The first shows from '85 in the series, these back-to-back hometown performances couldn't be more different while delivering the same level of passion and precision, five hours of it, in fact.

    In 1985, the band were celebrating "20 Years So Far," a feat that found them on these particular nights confident with invention in terms of both setlists and playing. There are old songs renewed, rare covers revived, undeniably nuanced Jerry moments, and a few surprises from Brent Mydland too. While it's impossible to select highlights, we can say with certainty that the overall clarity of these shows is unparalleled, courtesy of Dan Healy's recordings.

    Limited to 25,000 numbered copies, DAVE'S PICKS VOLUME 49: FROST AMPHITHEATRE, STANFORD U, PALO ALTO, CA 4/27/85 & 4/28/85 has been mastered to HDCD specs by Jeffrey Norman at Mockingbird Mastering.

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  • dissident1980
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    I was skeptical ...

    I was skeptical about a 1985 release to lead off Dave's Picks this year, BUT, these are two very hot and very fun shows! Nice picks Dave :-) [Now, onward to September 1970! ... hee hee hee]

  • hendrixfreak
    Joined:
    I suffer from premature congratulations

    Just finished the first show on #49 and have to add that Bobby finished off the show with Around & Around into One More Sat Nite and man, the band is ferocious! Those songs, except on E72, sometimes leave me cold, on this one my freakin' pants caught fire and... I ain't lyin!

    Props to Billy, Phil and Brent and Mickey is playing with a remark-worthy precision that lays the sneakers-in-the-dryer effect to rest.

    Dave L., you have chosen wisely. Hats off! And flaming pants off too!

  • That Mike
    Joined:
    Angry Jack Kerouac

    A great road story, Jack, well told! They sure were different times.
    “Roads were made for journeys, not destinations”
    Confucius

  • hendrixfreak
    Joined:
    Strangely, I may be on topic here...

    Enjoying the first #49 show. Yes, early first set sounds driven by the pre-show blast of marching powder but they settle down and my comment is:

    Jerry may be in rugged shape, off-stage, but he sure seems to be the one driving the segues from song to song, where segues occur. He leads into GDTRFB, Truckin', Other One into Peter. I find Jer in exemplary form for most of the first show and on all "his" songs, in fact, like days of yore, the band is running after him at full tilt.

    Ya know, I don't mind an "energetic" '85 show with the serendipity of setlist and the robust even raw treatment of the music. This is Rock and Roll, after all. I keep comin' back to Jer and his performance here.

    So, a wide variety of shows sometimes leans on so-so performances, but in this case, the selection provides a reconsideration of long-held biases.

    In other words, this sucker rocks with the fat man in the lead. God bless and RIP Jer.

  • estimated-eyes
    Joined:
    So Far

    Reaffirming here how much I love this release now that I have fully digested it a couple of times. Listening to it on the home stereo over the weekend took me back to my dorm room in 1989 watching the video So Far. I have heard plenty of 1985 shows, but the way this one is mixed and remastered, the sound/feel of the band is exactly like they sounded when they recorded that video. Not surprising as they recorded So Far shortly after, but man... this is a time machine release. Brent's keys during Bird Song took me to that place, in particular. Thank you, Dave!

  • Dennis
    Joined:
    Kingfish - Big Iron

    Nice call, I have a Kingfish show from 76 NYC. Very nice recording.

  • 1stshow70878
    Joined:
    Big Iron

    Said this one before.
    Kingfish did killer versions.
    Can't go wrong with Marty Robbins.
    Cheers

  • Dennis
    Joined:
    off topic, of course

    I’m sure we all have thoughts about songs the Dead could have played. I’m not talking about big hit covers, like knocking out a Stairway to Heaven. No, odd songs you really never saw coming.
    I mentioned several times about how they should have done Ghost Riders in the Sky as a Bob song.
    And Jerry really blew it when he didn’t do On Broadway, while he was on Broadway. Just to hear Jerry belt out –

    But they're dead wrong, I know they are
    'Cause I can play this here guitar
    And I won't quit til I'm a star on Broadway
    The house would have went nuts!

    Well I’m laying in bed last night waiting for edibles to take me to sleep-world and this one crossed my mind. This may actually be an early version of Fire on the Mountain. I always thought Fire on the Mountain was about being in the band. Some of the phases remind me of Hunter.

    The song – Six Man Band by the Association.

    Well, I'm a day at a time
    I'm a day at a time
    Well, I'm a seeker and knower
    In a six man mind
    'Cause I'm a travelin' man
    Yes, I'm a travelin' man
    Well, I'm a comer and a goer
    In a six man band
    Well, I'm a California man, my instrument in hand
    I'm electrified
    On a fast flyin' trip, dirty laundry in my grip
    Mostly drip-dry
    We got the seventeen jewels that dictate the rules
    And the time to fly, as we're passing by
    We just got the time to say hello, and then a fast good-bye
    I'm a travelin' man
    Yes, I'm a travelin' man
    Well, I'm a comer and a goer
    In a six man band

    Use of the word “grip” in the second verse, an old term, reminds me of the 20’s. Would a kid today know what a grip is? Does the youth have a sense of jewels in a watch?
    But then throw in a huge jam after “fast goodbye”, coming out with Jerry growling out “I’m a Travlin’ Man”

    Just a thought, ok maybe drug induced, but….

    Anyone else have a song the Dead should have done?

  • dmcvt
    Joined:
    Angry Jack Straw in Vermont?

    Your story, great stuff. Minor point, even adjusting for 1985, everyone outside of Burlington being farmers?? Hmmm... guess you did not get around outside Burl much. If you had said mid 60s, maybe, that's about when the back to the land movement, hippies, communes etc started the meaningful shift that turned Vermont from republican farmers to crafty democrats. The interstate highway system that made this happen began construction the early 60s. I get it about the difficulty is driving east west, drove out to Watkins Glen in 1973 from Maine. When I moved here in 1980 after visiting friends for years, lived on a farm in the mountains near Killington, old timers told stories about rural electrification still, which came in after WWII. Just sayin.... (and wowee zowee, first post in more than a month with no hay now or crapcha)

  • 1stshow70878
    Joined:
    C'mon Louis!

    Ten days of it will be here today. You're killing me Smalls!
    Nothing innovative about lousy service Mr. Dejoy.
    Cheers
    Must be something with W. Colorado as my buddy in Crested Butte doesn't have his yet either.

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Anyone who has ever seen the Dead can testify that one of its shows will add quite a bit of color to the environment here at Stanford. Anyone who has not seen one of these spectacles should have the opportunity to do so. The Grateful Dead are an important part of the Bay Area's cultural history. Those of us who saw them last week can testify that the Dead are alive and well. The Concert Network would be hard-pressed to find an act which would bring Frost Amphitheatre to life as the Dead would. - The Stanford Daily

As you know by now, we'd certainly have voted aye on this motion, so much so, that we've loaded up DAVE'S PICKS 49 with not one, but two complete Grateful Dead shows from the Frost Amphitheatre, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 4/27/85 and 4/28/85. The first shows from '85 in the series, these back-to-back hometown performances couldn't be more different while delivering the same level of passion and precision, five hours of it, in fact.

In 1985, the band were celebrating "20 Years So Far," a feat that found them on these particular nights confident with invention in terms of both setlists and playing. There are old songs renewed, rare covers revived, undeniably nuanced Jerry moments, and a few surprises from Brent Mydland too. While it's impossible to select highlights, we can say with certainty that the overall clarity of these shows is unparalleled, courtesy of Dan Healy's recordings.

Limited to 25,000 numbered copies, DAVE'S PICKS VOLUME 49: FROST AMPHITHEATRE, STANFORD U, PALO ALTO, CA 4/27/85 & 4/28/85 has been mastered to HDCD specs by Jeffrey Norman at Mockingbird Mastering.

I am really looking forward to Mars Hotel too! But It seems a better solution instead of boycotting would be to stop posting, just here. After that, move the party to a no hassle dead related forum. I ain't gonna little sweat the little stuff or waste time jumping thru silly hoops at my age. I'm going outside now. The birds are singing.

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In reply to by daverock

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They love our money, I know that.

in the immortal words of Squidward, "whaaaatever"

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In reply to by proudfoot

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Another illusion shattered ! It's ironic that a band that was anti-commercial and which stood outside the commercial dictates of "business", as far as they could and still survive, should be sold and promoted as they have been. The music will always be great - you just have to see through all the pap.

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BTK... a lasting and profound memory for me, of all the heads with the blazing tie-dye shirts inflitrating every corner of the Alladin ... the tables, the bars, the slots, the sidewalks ... it was a crazy visual (and yes, olfactory) experience like none other...as a Vegas regular, I've never seen anything quite like it since then .....and the show featured some of my faves ... jackstraw, Althea, scarlet fire estimated eyes other one!!! .......tcc

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In reply to by proudfoot

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I always thought this was widely considered to be not that great a show?

I always thought it should come out one day though...

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Just got the e-announcement from dead dot net. . . Onethebus: The guy on Hoffman was right. Looks like the first road show with the Wall of Sound has only two songs from Mars Hotel. Nice show tho (and duly ordered w/ the green FTMH LP).

I think I finally figured out the Great and Powerful Hey Now: You have to humbly present the Wicked Witch of the West's broomstick on bended knee first. Onward.

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Sorry could not post two sentences. Aargh!
Cheers

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Boycott is not necessary, sales are already hurting: last 4 DaP are still available, #49, 48 and 47 sell for as low as $25 new on Ebay.
Listen to the River box, from the classic 71 -73 period, is still available; so is the MSG box.
I'm guessing this forum is not one of their highest priorities.

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In reply to by Cousins Of The…

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Getting 2 discs and m/o show.
Thought maybe rest of 6/26 or 6/22 maybe, or chopped up tid bits.
So maybe not a top shelf show, but another good 74, “which is nice”

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In reply to by proudfoot

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It's got a great write up in the Taping Compendium.

Listening to "Natural Boogie" by Hound Dog Taylor and the HouseRockers as I type. Much joy.

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In reply to by daverock

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Proudfoot tried that a week or two ago.

He’s back…..

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13 years 4 months

In reply to by icecrmcnkd

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I posted it here, but it got hey nowed.

Good Grief

This house of clowns seem to be non-caring and incompetent. (probably impotent to boot)

MaryE and Captain Dave excluded, without them we would be lost at sea

Fix the HeyNow nonsense already dimnet. I'm quite confident it's hurting sales

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Truth is something you stumble into when you think you are going someplace else.
Jerry Garcia
Daily Zen calendar for 3-28-2024

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In reply to by billy the kiddd

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....Marlins are 0-1. Just as I like it.
Check out those new NFL kickoff and hip tackle rules. Also talking about extending the season another week and adding another bye.
Gets worse every year.

Are nothing but greedheads!
Now their going to get you to purchase more apps just so you can watch a playoff game, AND, back in Bu faf, their now requiring a private license or some BS ontop of the exorbitant tic prices for season tix. Know a lot of long time season ticket holders that aren’t going to reup…
So for u T u b e sub plus package not including extra app games, and it’s like a grand and you have to listen to their blowhards.
NHL package is like $64 and you get every game, (81+ )either audio feed!

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In reply to by Oroborous

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Oro - I read the (Dollar) Bills were introducing a seat licensing fee, and I honestly thought they already had it. The Leafs and Craptors charge an exorbitant Personal Licensing Fee ripped right out of TicketBastard’s book, that basically lets the owner of the teams control resale of tix. Gamgsters. This, of course, bleeds over to the concert industry, too, so that we get Taylor Swift pricing.
Why do they charge this Personal Licensing Fee? Because they can. Thankfully, there is enough decent sports coverage on TV to scratch my NFL or NHL itch, but when it comes to concerts? Woeful.

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1990

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In reply to by wissinomingdeadhead

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....I'm all in on that good shit.
Shit apparently passes the hey now test. 👏

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Hello,

a heavy sandstorm (it’s origin is the Sahara desert)) has colored the sky today, here in Southern Germany.

It supposed to be a sunny spring day with blue skies, the weather forecast said, with temperatures up to 20 centigrade.

But instead the sky was yellow, overcast and no sun at all. Temperatures only made it up to 12 centigrade.

Happy Easter
G.

How many miles/km did that sand have to travel? If I took a shovel full of sand and tossed it as far as I could, it wouldn't fall that far from the shovel. I can only imagine the forces at work to carry that much of something as dense as sand so far. Note to self, do not breath that stuff in.

Sand castles and glass camels, unusual occurrences in Southern Germany.

Nice matching 3/29 Nassau Coliseum Avatar, VGuy.

Two back to back postings without getting rejected by the HayCow demons

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Fantastic!! Raw electric Dead. Just part way into disc 1 and I'm enthralled. This ain't Dylan pluggin in at Newport. Plugged in band and plugged in home field crowd. You all will love it.

Salmon for dinner BTK [heart failure diet]
Ending the night with a few Coors, a tasty bowl, and DaP 25.
Peace

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So the 4/8/72 Dark Star will be on a loop. That’s a given.

Other than that, what a joke.

Oro, you will appreciate this. Hotels in Buffalo are going for $900 a night. Normally around $200. For three minutes of darkness.

Dave, did you get that reference? Release 9/19/70.

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abit late for yesterday

Sounds: 3/31/73 II and accompaniments
Food: pan seared sea bass, haricots verts, wild rice
Drink: arneis (white from piemonte), and always H2O
Convo: my wife

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In reply to by JoeyMC

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Interesting menus from yesterday, here: pork loin teryaki, brussel sprouts with onion confit, curried short grain brown rice, "special" chateauneuf du pape to go with. Burlington gets 3 minutes of total eclipse in a week, I know folks coming from as far as Boston heading there, a city of 45K will see another 50K plus visitors... ahem, will pass on that chaos and head up to the North East Kingdom where the word is Get NEKed and dance. Let's all get foolish today.

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In reply to by dmcvt

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Definitely not trekking up to Burlington, but having a slow day at the office in Rutland, so out of totality. Should be able to go outside and peek at the magic of the cosmos. Enjoy the NE Kingdom, the one trek my wife and I made looking for moose, it was stunningly gorgeous. Looking forward to going back in summer.

Since Hank Kingsley allowed me to post that, will add, looking forward to Dave's 50, mainly since it will be a new release, and a new Betty for one of the nights. Thought I had SBDs of both, but was mistaken. The non-subscribers may hate missing the bonus this time.

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My sister hosted Easter this year and she didn't want to do the usual ham and potato salad thing so she got tamales and enchiladas from El Molino. Friends, if you're ever in Sonoma, check it. Best mole sauce I've ever had.

Weird footnote to Easter dinner: my other sister, the really straight one who never so much as smoked a joint, was asking everybody if we've had mushrooms. Um, who, me? Why would you ask? Apparently, psychedelics are getting a lot of positive press in the mass media these days, and now she's all curious. So I told her, yeah, shrooms can really be of benefit in the right situation blah blah. You might see the light. You might laugh your ass off. Both, if you're lucky. So now she wants me to score for her. Mind you, this is a sister who used to tattle on me for smoking weed.

Weird. Life is weird.

Drove home through a massive downpour listening to the Wall of Sound edition of Road Trips. It was a good day.

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In reply to by Crow Told Me

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Mr. Hanso, You may not be a country music fan (slightly here) but the Marty Stuart Band soon come to Rutland Vermont's answer to The Capitol in Port Chester, The Paramount will be entertaining. He's a total show boat no doubt, but he came up playing with Lester Flatt and Johnny Cash. I came over for Les Brers a few years ago because I had met Bruce Katz master of the B3 who was playing with them, kindly invited me to sound check and show. I will get my bluegrass ticket punched soon seeing Tony Trischka doing an Earl Scruggs tribute, rumored to have Alex Hargreaves joining on fiddle. NEK is special, no doubt. Hill Farmstead, what can I say, one of the best breweries in the world. Holy Cow, no Nay How.

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And his Fabulous Superlatives?
Wonder if Cousin Kenny is still with him.
Cheers

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Very aptly named band, all virtuoso(i?) musicians.
And yes, Kenny Vaughan is still with them.

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Not a country fan. At all. Love bluegrass, but despise country. Exceptions are Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, some Waylon. But I love bluegrass, and I know how good Stuart is. I saw that on the Paramount schedule and thought about it. I like that theater, small, but decent sound. Railroad Earth was great a few weeks back. I also caught Bruce Cockburn there, and the intimacy of the place made that a really great show. Before that, found out hours before the show that my nephew through my brother in law was opening for Daughtry there, and so we got to see him, and left before Daughtry (who's from the same hometown, and now has a mansion less than a mile from where I used to live in high school and college). Will have to really think about Marty, especially if Tony Trischka is playing with him; he was one of Bela Fleck's early teachers/mentors. Let's survive the impending snowfall first. Another foot or so expected Wednesday after hitting 60 today.

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In reply to by alvarhanso

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My attitude to country changed about 1983, when I heard an album called "Miami" by The Gun Club. Righteous stuff !

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In reply to by daverock

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Punful... oops, Tony not playing with Marty, sorry. Will see TT down in Maryland hopefully. That's exactly it for the Marty show, excellent musicians. Neither a huge fan of the genre generally, do appreciate Brad Paisley for his PLAY recording chops, Robert Plant hit some nice notes with AK, great players like Alvin Lee, Danny Gatton, even Roy B had some country twang. Bluegrass, newgrass, Billy, oh yeah. Next live music up, acoustic, Doug Perkins and Patrick Ross in a tiny old town hall Friday night, if it don't snow too much.

Haven't heard that name in maybe 20 years. Trying to remember the band I saw him with (Smokin' Grass?), but I remember because he used to play with Mike Gordon, when Gordon did bluegrass things. A buddy from school was a Kentucky bred fiddler, and he jammed with Doug and a couple others at setbreak on Wheel Hoss and Blackberry Blossom. Thanks for that blast from the past. Guess I misunderstood on Trischka.

John Sinclair was the man whom Abbie Hoffman advocated for during The Who's Woodstock set that led to Pete Townshend hitting Hoffman in the head with his guitar. Hoffman's ill-advised speech was at like 4am, and he said, "I think this is a pile of shit, man, while John Sinclair rots in prison for 2 lousy joints" whereupon Townshend tells him to get off the stage. John Lennon then took up Sinclair's case with a song titled John Sinclair. RIP to a counterculture hero.

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I still love country, at least what we call country music in the 70s, bands like Poco, Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, Flying Burritos Bros, New Riders otp sage, emilou Harris and Gram Parsons. Nearby we had Folk (Pentangle, Fairport Convention, Bod Dylan, Donovan, Incredible strings band...) wich still goes on with Gillian welch or billy Bragg;
To me the first jerry album with the new riders stays a classic. I never heard about blue grass before Jerry Douglas & Allison Krauss, Peter Rowan, and discovering Old and inthe way, then Grisman or Tony Rice.
Nowadays it seems like everything like Country music comes into what is called Americana.
Elvis Costello gave a great Tibute to country music, and George Jones with Almost Blue . Johnny Cash is more like folk for me. All american recordings serie can match a small box of the dead.
Lucinda Williams began with country folk albums, but she plays also RnRoll, and ballads.
Only Blues don't change.
Anyway whatever we feel with good music is better than words.

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In reply to by daverock

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Saw Gillian a couple years ago with David Rawlings, outstanding concert. If we more broadly consider "country" as part of Americana, the tent is much larger. Vince Gill, good stuff, for example. The song that Plant and Krause covered, "Can't Let Go" is a personal hit, great lyrics, tune, put out there by Lucinda W on Car Wheels, a fine album. Doug Perkins moved up to Vermont years ago and performs locally and a little randomly, up in Burl and many other smaller venues, did gigs with Mike Gordon, adept on both acoustic and electric. He once tried to teach me "Good Bye Pork Pie Hat" but it did not take. Not your standard three cowboy chords...

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The “June ‘76” Box just might be the most under-appreciated box in the Dead canon, IMHO. The Boston shows alone are incredible, an energized band.
I’m not the biggest Who fan, but sometimes Quadrophenia at 11 Volume is exactly what you need. I got playing it because Phish covers “Drowned” on their recent live release, and quite nicely, too!
Last 5
Who - Quadrophenia
Who - Who’s Next
Weir - Blue Mountain
Art Blakey & Jazz Messengers - Just Coolin’
Neil & Crazy Horse - Down In The Rust Bucket

Late condolences to the very funny Joe Flaherty. RIP Guy!

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