Grateful Dead

a plume of ash billowed 2.5 miles above the Mt. Saint Helens volcano in Washington.

At 9:09 p.m. a much stronger explosion sent an ash column about 10 miles skyward.

This event caused the Portland Oregon area, previously spared by wind direction, to be thinly coated with ash.

Dead Heads who were attending the Grateful Dead's concert at Portland Memorial Coliseum still question whether the band had helped cause this while playing Fire On The Mountain that night.

Should we listen and see today?

There's a new Charlie Miller Upgrade on archive..

I'm the last person you should seek out for advice, permission, orders or any type of instruction.

Do you recall the recent failed overthrow of the Venezuelan government? I planned that.

Ha.. my guess, they needed money.

I doubt if any of this needs to be that formal. Consensus is probably enough. A day of rest and reflection. Seems norml enough to me.

I missed 5/15/70 which was a biggie for me, and we never got around to 11/8/69 yet. I will be doing extra stimulus for both of those.. :D

Seems like a good idea Jim. The only way I am able to do this is I am still working at home.

And I don't think we can all make every show, although, I have tried. Some days I have to finish in the morning the next day.

However, the leader of this pack, Bolo, and the rest of the crew would have to give it the Thumbs Up.

And I am interested in your take on To Terrapin....

Still wonder what was going on back in 2007 to 2009 that they released some unreal stand alone shows.

Would love to see some more pop up again.

How about leaving a random day, perhaps Sunday, as a day to revisit that show you missed but wanted to hit and talk about or any of the other show you were behind on? A day of peace and re-visitation/re-visualation.. A chance for the slackers to peek in on a show from a few days ago they squeezed in a day or three late.

Is something like that reasonable?

A day in support of the under achievers.

I remember when E72 came out.. I think in the fall, but I more or less started on 4/7 and struggled to keep up with the anniversary dates. Hearing the post from deadheadbrewer finally pulled me out of the closet. I can do a show every two to three days unless I have time carved out, without distractions, cell phones and it helps if I am able to indulge in a bit off external stimuli, especially the kind that warps space and time. Just saying...

In other words, I missed To Terrapin and am beating myself up about it. Heaven help the fool.

I love this show. The sound quality to my ears is one of the best 77 releases to date. Jerry just seems to really be on fire the entire show. Kills it on Bertha, Sugaree is so good. New Minglewood Blues is a top 5 for me and the Brown Eyed Women is another high energy version. The Playing in the Band into Terrapin is hot. And the finish, NFA through US Blues is stellar.

I don't think this release gets a lot of talk, but it should.

And I think it is still available on this site for under $30!

I really enjoyed revisiting this release today. I remember having some mixed feelings about it when it came out, but today it sounded fresh! I've always loved that "Sugaree", and the whole 3rd disc is pure Spring of 77 butter.

Good pick!

Peace

Thanks for all the great reviews of this show. I now know I will be stuck re-listening to this show for the next couple of weeks. That's the way this thread has worked for me. I can't always keep up with the daily schedule but I've gained a whole new appreciation for some shows, namely, the 2 DP #18 shows(2/3&5/78), DP#5 (12/26/79), the Cow12/31/76. It's just been taking me a couple of weeks to grok each pick. Thanks to everyone for contributing. This thread has been one of the few highlights of this lockdown!

Yesterday's 10/12/68 pick definitely took me places.

Places I'd been before, and new places as well.

As said here by others, some really wonderful stuff going on throughout this magical show as the band jettisons into a new universe & explores the improvisational music cosmos.

By October '68 Dark Star has begun to grow larger wings, but it's still a baby bird that will take flight and leave the nest soon. Of note in this version is Bear's recording (I believe) and Mickey's playing of the "Scratcher". It sounds as though Mickey's walking around on stage while he plays, at least that's how it sounds with Headphones, the instrument is truly circling around your head in this recording. How bad ass is that? And this is a bootleg from over 50 years ago!

However, while Dark Star is just beginning to really gain strength in it's legs, St. Stephen is Standing Proud & Tall and has possibly reached it's greatest height, this is an almost absolutely perfect version of the song, and if you listen to some of the earlier versions from the summer of that year ('68 mystery reels come to mind, possibly from Carousel June '68), it's some amazing growth that this song has gone through in appx 4 months! The audience already loves this song as evident when you put on 9/2/68, within the first notes on that version the crowd starts getting so excited it throws the band off with surprise. St. Stephen, with it's William Tell Bridge, will continue to be this height for a little while longer, but will begin to diminish and shrink with age in the following year. I'm not sure it ever gets much higher than this version.

That brings us to The Eleven, I think Bolo says it best, this version can convert a non-believer. So imagine what it does to all of us already at the church. This is an absolute ripping version of the song and all the long months of rehearsal are truly evident when you listen to the effortlessness of which they throw this song down.

And to complete the suite they seg seamlessly into a sultry Death Don’t. Listen to Jerry sing during Death Don't, man could that guy sing a song with emotion. People would criticize that voice, but I always thought it was the most wonderful voice of all ;)

Oh... and there's a Set 2!!!

Which just absolutely shreds your face off, if it was still left, hanging there by a thread.

This is manic air guitar, give you the chills, tears in your eyes, shake your head in wonder stuff here people!! I want to hear it again, and again and again!

So like I said, it took me places, I dived deep into some '68 after this 10/12 relisten, I had to hear the next night 10/13/68 SBD (not as good, but see for yourself), 10/20/68 30 Trips release (check the difference between the Dark Star’s), and 9/2/68 (interesting recording, I need to check back on this, my mind was melted at this point and life distracted me).

What a Trip!

And like mentioned here, this was all during a time when Pigpen & Bobby were on thin ice and "fired" from the band.
Fascinating.

I believe a ’68 release or box set was mentioned, it’s hard to think that we’ll get one based on what exists (appx 37 shows / fragments) and quite a few have been released. Sadly most of Summer ’68 is a black hole, as well as the touring at the end of the year. There are definitely shows that were recorded that we don’t have, whether or not they still exist or not is a bigger question, I know Bear recorded more than we have especially in regard to the later part of the year, but for now the trail stops there and I’m afraid it is a bit cold…

That all being said, if there was a ’68 box style release I’d vote for The Quick And The Dead tour in January - Feb ’68. Always loved that stuff, it’d be repetitive and have some warts and all feel, but shit I love it.

Love to hear thoughts on what you all would see as potentially release worthy. This 10/12/68 show should be a definite consideration.. if they can make it sound even better I’ll be the first to drop down some cash to get it!

You’re still here?? Crazy kids..

After I came to earth from that I continued our little Cal Expo ’90 relisten and loved it too. I think 6/10/90 is my favorite show from the run, but you know Playing In The Band usually makes me say that. The Jack Straw is definitely worth listening too. And Phil saying he’s not gonna quit the band and it’s all a bullshit lie, with Jerry saying yeah, the rest of us are, well.. that’s priceless.

What’re we gonna listen to today?

Edit: 5/28/77 you say... looks promising and it's been awhile.

What's on tap for today gents?

FourWinds, where are you?

I might check out 5/28/77, the last night of the Spring Tour. To Terrapin Release from 2007.