Grateful Dead

Sorry, another diversion, but had to chime in: Been a while since my canoeing daze. Did a memorable Ponca to Pruitt run on the upper Buffalo River in Arkansas in February (BEFORE the river was declared a Nat'l Scenic River and became a Six Flags affiliate). It was a dazzling winter day following a couple of days of snow – ice stalactites chomping down from frosted limestone bluffs. My girlfriend and I were the second canoe to let a then unnamed rapids flip us – remember changing to "dry" while standing naked in the snow. In 22 years since I've been in west Texas, I've never made the Rio Grand's Santa Elena Canyon run, and now the river's dry as a bone. The times they are a changin'.

Just background music, not a deep dive. Got distracted by chores.
12-28-79 A six night run in Oakland. How could one survive that much fun? Sugaree start is unusual.
9-20-74 Love the Mars Hotel era setlists.
Good picks! Cheers! Remembering family veterans this weekend.

I'm not a rafter but I got to do the Upper Salt in AZ when I worked for R.E.I.
Rode Maytag rapid like Slim Pickins rode The Bomb in Dr. Strangelove. Front of the raft waving the free hand like a bronc rider (still peaking about then) as the 15 foot wall of water with a curl coming back at us came up. Most of the class 3-4 was mellow that day as the river was high that spring. My only raft trip. Unforgettable.

I can't get to it today BC. I quote have to unquote stick to official releases. The universe is currently pointing me towards 12/28/79 and I have it lined up. If anyone has anything else official I should call up, or another direction I can point I have a lot of time with the FLAC player today. Thanks.

Stay Grateful all and :-) :-) :-) today. :-)

It seems like Bob's guitar drops out of the mix as the show goes on? Which is a fairly big problem. May be the case for next night also?

Cool.

The DIB factory is just across the river from me.. Small world..

Oh.. the Gauley's a classic. I guess you have a few rivers out West that compare.. but here in the East, there is nothing like it. The Beast of the East. A beautiful canyon.

listening now - WRS.

they need to release complete shows of all '74. it's that simple.

I met Jon in the early aughts out here in the west on an 8-day river trip I was guiding. previous life time stuff, so to speak. unusual trip to say the least, almost every "client" was big time rafting/whitewater. me? just a boatman on the mighty San Juan. somewhat early in my career. But yes, I knew that river pretty well by then. There was at least one other company owner from WV on the trip, plus the owner of DIB, Spouses also. One, maybe 2, family friends. One for sure was a doctor. Moki Mac, another company owner, decades in the business and a legend out of Moab, was also there as the only other "crew" besides myself. Mac was in fact a friend of several of those folks. this trip was not MM trip but WRX. All boats personal, except the one I rowed, even MM. It was late October, hardly anyone on the river and we encountered no one in the lower canyon over 5 days. That is total gold. By chance watched one of the first helicopter "deliveries" of desert bighorn sheep in the low.er.

That first night Jon did something remarkably weird, comic, simple, and memorable.

so - etched in memory in terms of at least 2 key details. it was dinner. I'm standing behind a cook/prep. table. a bit higher than what you would expect - the classic homemade tables/emergency backboards of WRX. Jon has dinner before him. He's got a crazy funny grin. He is holding a miniature pepper mill. 1-1/2" high? it's suspended from a chain around his neck. it's a "charm". Only its functional. If I had to guess it held one, maybe two pepper corns. And he slowly turns the handle all the while smiling at me. honest to god, I am wondering what am I looking at. and at this juncture almost 20 years later I can only smile and laugh. I don't think i dreamt this.

at the end of the trip I showed Jon a couple of pieces of cast silver I had done in a workshop. one was based on a bear pictograph my sweetheart and I had come across previous year - despite everything I think that site is still not on the radar. still proud of that piece, cast in cuttlefish, so ripples along the body. balance and aesthetic is spot on for me. Jon asked me if he could buy it for his wife. I wasn't ready for that - told him can't do it now but maybe down the line. Let's stay in touch. in the end a missed opportunity of connection.

I still remember standing in the company office a year or so later and being told that he had passed away suddenly. He was 62. Legend.

Truthfully the Gauley may well be on a hypothetical bucket list based simply on that.

my apologies for a non-Dead post on this thread.

That must be Joe Smith. I enjoy his modern day interviews and comments. I am not sure the boys were fond of him back in the day, but Jerry gave an amicable interview towards the end. In Anthem to Beauty, someone dug out the letter from him to the band that they "graded." I think they gave it an "F" for "F*** Y**"

Whiz also gave a great account of recording that show in Anthem to Beauty. No one was in the truck when Morning Dew was played and the recording came out flawless. Those were the days....

I'm sure you all knew all this, but just in case.. ah, the end of one of the truly great tours from any band at any time.

Up late last night, well just because.. up early this morning because it's my curse. Got water heating and some freshly roasted to see me through what will surely be a great morning. Everyday should be a holiday weekend.

Definitely agree with Jim, WTJ and others on this show.
Let me take it a step further.
Obviously part of it was released with the original E72 release and I bought a copy of the CD release in I believe 85. Still have it .
Didn't get the box when it came out in 2011, seems crazy now, but that is the way it goes. Passed on the individual shows that sat on Dead. Net for years. Still can't believe that one. But my daughter was very young and money was tight.
Anyway, I believe my first two individual shows I purchased on the secondary market was this show and 4/26.
I was able to listen to the whole show tonight, basically uninterrupted.
The goose bumps are still there. Definitely a top five show in my book. The Truckin, Other Ones, Dew, Other One, Sing Me Back Home still might be the best music I have ever heard.
The sound quality still to this day amazes me how good it is.
We have to be thankful for the Warmer Bros executive, I forget his name and the unbelievable effort of the Wiz, Bob Matthews, Betty Cantor and others for recording this tour. This one is for you all.
Enjoy the weekend all!

I've heard of him, his name used to pop up.. he's a bit before my time and a bit South (Gauley River WV, etc.). The Gauley's a classic run and a bit of a beast. It's gods country down there, stunningly beautiful, really awe inspiring. Even the drive there is breathtaking. I'm about 2 1/2 hours North but occasionally make my way South, made it last fall and hope to make it at least once this year.