Grateful Dead

Continuing on with 73:
3/16/73
3/19/73
3/21/73
3/22/73
2/22/69
Plus miscellaneous spins of DaP 45
Now playing 3/27/83, followed by 2/23/70.
Don’t have Dave’s 7, one of 5 I don’t have copies of…
Hmmm, that’s a bold statement DV as DaP 37 blew me away.
Perhaps because I was not expecting it to be and sound as good as it was?
Every show I’ve heard so far from this tour is good, highly recommend 4/11 and 4/16 too!

Agree, like DaP 13 better than DaP 42.

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

Hope you all have a great weekend.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rockers!

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

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

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

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

Rock on,

Doc
It is by going down into the abyss that we recover the treasures of life. Where you stumble, there lies your treasure......

Hey Doc,

Where is the new Miller for this show? I see a 2020 transfer from Miller on the archive as of this morning, and this one has issues.

Mornin', rockers!!!

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

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

Rock on, happy Friday!

Doc
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before........

ROCKTHING.............

Check your PMs...........

Music is the one incorporeal entrance into the higher world of knowledge which comprehends mankind but which mankind cannot comprehend........

Rock on,

Doc
I frequently hear music in the very heart of noise.......

Hey rockers!!!

Pick Of The Day: Austin, Texas February 23, 1970

I reluctantly discussed this at the end of last year. Here I am again. It appears that I’m stuck in a time warp. The galactic rock and roll union. I have no special talent, I am only passionately curious…..

It appears that the currently circulated recording of this show is the only surviving audio document from the Dead’s four show excursion through Texas in February 1970. It’s tough coming right after the wonderful, brilliant Fillmore West/Fillmore East shows earlier that month, and perhaps it’s not unexpected that the intensity level might come down a bit. That being said, this is still interesting, enjoyable, and worthy…..

The band is in 1970 electric/acoustic/electric mode. The circulating recording appears to be missing part of the first electric set, coming in during Know You Rider. For fans of acoustic Dead, this set is nice---Monkey And The Engineer-Little Sadie-Me And My Uncle-Black Peter-Seasons Of My Heart-Uncle John's Band. The festivities are completed with a jammy NFA and Mason’s Children.

The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind. I live in that solitude which is painful in youth, but delicious in the years of maturity……

Did Bear travel to Texas, and did he record? Banana boxes, reveal thy mysteries…..

Rock on,

Doc
Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of truth and knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods……

>daverock>

The vocal dropouts are not evident in the audience tape, so that must have happened on the way to the board tape.

That said, the recording is slightly overpowered by Jerry and Bob's guitars from the taper's vantage point, but a little time with a simple Equalizer was enough to bring more Phil and better presence to the vocals. I do recall a few lyric flubs with the new material, but in the overall mix it didn't really jump out at me. Probably much more obvious in the official release/soundboard recording.

2/22/69>
Oh, my. I can see this is gonna send me on a primal quest. I have all these fall '69 and fall '68 shows that I've never listened to, but I don't have much from the spring of those years. I love this gentle psychedelia. It's really these delicate type of sounds that really trigger the senses. I'm only up to Dark Star at this point, but what a beautiful way to start a show.... oops, "The transitive diamonds?" Haha. I'd probably have trouble remembering my name if I were there, so whatever.

It's such a shame that we're restricted to streaming this show. Imho, if the official release isn't so significantly better sounding than one of these circulating boards that it isn't a no-brainer to buy it, then what's with the classism, eh? I know the boys need a retirement plan... but... --mini rant off--

Rockthing - good notes on this show - cheers! I'm going through it very slowly, but it's the L.P. I am listening to. Although it has the famous vocal drop outs, the sound and balance of the instruments sounds fine throughout to me. I have just played the side with Loose Lucy and Money Money on. A short side. The lyrics are a bit naff on both of them - but I like the music, and they were both played so rarely that when they do crop up, it's a welcome surprise to me.
I presume the version you have listened to has the earlier vocal dropouts too.