Pick of the Day, with Discussion

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April 6, 2020 - 9:47am

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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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March 27, 2023 - 9:28am

#1171

DeadVikes

Joined:
October 26, 2016

Deer Creek 1989

Good ideas OB, I don't think I have ever listened to this show.

Rob Eaton, there probably should be more written about him and all the work he has put in preserving hundreds of shows and his big role in helping get the Betty Boards back to the band or Grateful Dead Productions/Rhino. Well done Rob.
March 27, 2023 - 8:09am

#1172

Oroborous

Joined:
June 19, 2007

Stepping out 👹

So while you fine boys and girls were (hopefully) getting yer 78 and 72 on, I was cheating on y’all.
On Friday, I hit 7/14/85, the other fine show from Ventura that year. Needed the Friday energy and had not heard that one though have ment to for a while. Interesting show. Not quite the rocket sled 85 can be. Just a nice solid evening of GOGD! Then I revisited the video from the Giants box on 6/17/91. Forgot how much I like this show! And that audio, oye!

Today I’m going to pick 7/15/89. The show between. The one show I’ve not heard from this tour, and never heard anyone mention it?

Yeah, it’s quite the tale about the tapes journey back home where they belong!
Here’s to Betty!!
🥂
March 26, 2023 - 11:41am

#1173

1stshow70878

Joined:
September 11, 2014

Yes! Thanks Betty!

The story confused me a bit as I knew only part of the Betty tapes story. So this million dollar guy must have gotten one of the lots from that auction. I can just see Rob and Dick up all night listening to crusty, moldy reel to reels in Petaluma. Rob was genius to DAT them even though the guy forbade it.
Found my Rockin' The Rhein bonus disc (burner) and It's possible I've only listened to it once. What was I thinkin'?!? Rolling now starting with a Playin', Sunshine Daydream, and is that Caution starting? Cool.
Thanks again DV and Doc and cheers!
March 26, 2023 - 10:52am

#1174

DeadVikes

Joined:
October 26, 2016

Firstshow. Betty

Firstshow, I believe she left the band in the early eighties after a relationship with Brent that went bad. She fell on rough times and had some of her recordings and Rex's recordings in a storage locker. She could no longer afford the rent and the locker was sold off to three different parties. I thought it was actually in 1986 before Jerry's coma. Anyway, she informed the band about her situation and the music in the locker. They did not act. At the time, I don't think they saw the value.

I believe Dave has written about the returned reels in the Summer 78 Box and a couple of Dave's Picks.
Also, there are a couple of good articles out there on the Betty Boards and ABCD LLC and their quest to return the reels to the band.
I believe Dave's #21 was the first release from the returned reels and the 78 Box was the first box set from the returned reels.

Oh, and wasn't that your first show?

Edit. The write up from Dave on the reels was included in the GSTL Box, not the July 78 Box.
March 26, 2023 - 9:34am

#1175

1stshow70878

Joined:
September 11, 2014

Just read the rob eaton story

about how these tapes came back. ( Dead Essays 3-26-72 from deadessays dot blogspot) Very interesting and a tidbit of copyright law that allowed him to get them back where they belonged. The guy who had them wanted a million dollars and the office basically told him to eff himself. He owned the physical tapes but not the music on them. So Dick's 30 and Dave's 14 + bonus disc it is. (and bonus disc for Rockin' The Rhein if I have it) Thanks Doc.
Cheers

Edit: so now I want to find out how/why the Bettys came to auction in 1986 in various lots. Was she gone by then? Why wouldn't she have gotten these back to the band? And interesting to hear a good portion of this lot was JGB and Saunders and some Jerry and Howard Wales too.
March 26, 2023 - 1:18am

#1176

Forensicdoceleven

Joined:
June 17, 2008

If you fell down yesterday, stand up today…….

Mornin’, rockers!!!

Pick Of The Day: Academy Of Music March 26 1972

Yes, I know this was briefly discussed recently, but I compose these things well in advance, so here we are……

Back in the day, in the crazy daze of tape trading, there were no commonly circulating soundboards of this run yet. It was rumored that they weren’t recorded, there was a flood in the vault, perhaps the building had been struck by lightning. Our audience recordings---much like the Port Chester 71 run----varied from borderline listenable to truly wretched. We dreamed of better quality………

Well, apparently, maybe they had been there after all, well guarded, well protected, top secret material. The official releases started in 2003----can you believe it’s been nearly twenty years already?---and were a revelation. While perhaps not up to the creamy scorching brilliance of the E72 tour, the entire AOM run is excellent in it’s own way, looser perhaps, but all worthy!

I always wondered what exactly was the AOM run? Open, paid rehearsals? A tune-up for the European tour? A week long musical party to pay for their fun across the pond?

The March 26 show was released in 2015, and while appearing “standard on paper” does have a good mix of grease, jamming, and rock and roll. What more could one expect of the Dead at that time? Absolutely worthy of a revisit!!

The past is the beginning of the beginning and all that is and has been is but the twilight of the dawn……

Rock on!

Doc
Nothing leads so straight to futility as literary ambitions without systematic knowledge……
March 24, 2023 - 2:49pm

#1177

bluecrow

Joined:
September 21, 2015

11-20-78

Thoughts Part I - Not sure if i ever listened to Set I, but Set II caught my attention many years ago. In part because of the obvious set list weirdness (thumbing through Deadbase) and as part of that set list weirdness the first Jack-a-Roe after the initial handful in Spring '77 (previous 6/7/77) (Jack-a-Roe can be my Cumberland) - its the only one in '78, before being brought back in rotation final month and a half of Godchaux era from 1/7 to 2/17/79. So, as Oro mentions, the word from Healy to a head was that Bob was "sick as a dog" (see IA), so not on stage beginning Set II but, trooper that he is, does make it back. Sounds like Jerry was going to open set with Shakedown but given circumstances slowly leans into what could easily be a jam out of Playing. Pretty freaking cool.

[Edit] - Thoughts Part 2 - What a unique and amazing Set II. Total "Wow". As Inspector Clue notes, despite an eyewitness account, Bobby is back on stage for Jack-a-Roe and rest of set. The intro and outro to World to Give are otherworldly haunting and gorgeous. In that way they remind me of the atmosphere of Days Between. I think Jerry struggles on some high end vocals, maybe that's why the song didn't last. On the outro Bob's not so much playing slide but making whale calls and it sounds fantastic and beautiful. Tough to have the board cut during the Playing reprise because that Reprise is a beauty but being in the audience from there on out its clear that its a big old party and the Around and Around is a full on swinging-from-the chandeliers closer. Maybe, just maybe, the end of Set II was in fact recorded at the board, we can only hope. Would love to have Set II released.
March 24, 2023 - 12:07pm

#1178

daverock

Joined:
September 1, 2014

Gateway drugs

Many people discovered Chuck Berry through listening to The Dead. The Stones served the same function in England.
March 24, 2023 - 9:57am

#1179

1stshow70878

Joined:
September 11, 2014

11-20-78

Wanted to hear that third IIHTWTG so I went to the Bertrando/Sacks that starts at the post-Supplication Jam which without it's connection was fairly hard to guess but it sounds like Jerry was just noodling and trying to get to Playin' already. Then Drums into more pre-Playin' then shuffles right into a good Jack-a-roe. Playin' starts for real and abruptly shifts to a bouncy and funky Shakedown and has the crowd clapping along in time. Slow shift to the IIHTWTG with an almost silent (confused or maybe just respectful?) crowd. Fairly different from the debut which was as-written-clean (was this ever on a studio album?) including Bob adding some slide that turns into whale song (Jim, the gift that keeps on giving, lol) while Jerry fans the ending. Tough song to sing with lots of chord changes. Maybe that's why it was dropped? Then Playin' reprise with Bob trying to go elsewhere, but settles nicely before the slam into Around & A.
Glad I got to hear this and thanks to Oro. Will try that 11-21-78 on your recommendation.
Cheers
Edit: Duh, of course! IIHTWTG was on the Shakedown album. There's a ut-oob of the Cleveland IIHTWTG with good sound but no video. Lots of interesting comments there. Lots of love for this song. One guy suggests this was a tough one to sing as it stretched Jerry's vocal range a bit. Same guy has a great detailed logical argument for why they dropped Cosmic Charlie, well reasoned. Another poster said this was their wedding song - cool! Another said it was a dedication from her hubby who has passed on. And a strange number of people said they liked/loved Bob's slide on this. No accounting for taste I guess. Oh and one said Bob had issues at start of second set which may explain some of that weirdness with the "Jams". (as Oro has already documented in his review a few posts back)
Doc, you know what happens when the going gets weird. If not see Hunter Thompson.
March 24, 2023 - 8:41am

#1180

Oroborous

Joined:
June 19, 2007

11/20/78

Miller 95660, it’s an SB, but it has flaws and several patches. I didn’t mess with the others…
11/21/78: went with Carpenter SB, recording overall better than 11/20, still has some patches.
11/21 is a hot show! Only hiccup I recall is Black Pete…hell did they ever play bad in Ra cha cha?
78 nuts will want to hear 11/21 and at least the Playin Sandwich from 11/20!

December 73. What a month!
Not sure about 1985 1st show. With no net, Deadbase etc, all we were focused on was trying to get to as many shows as practical, and hopefully later getting tapes of those shows. Never dreamed of the riches that have been mined since!
Years later when I did start to consider these things, besides shows we were at it was all about those magic last ten shows of 73, featuring just the guys.

3/24/71: I like 1971, but sorry, just did like 96% of 71 last year so not ready for rehash yet. I will say I really enjoyed this show though.
That JBG off of Skullfuck was the lightning bolt that changed me from interested, to whoa, I have got to see these guys!
It was April 78 and I was at my buddies. We listened to Skullfuck a lot sans not much else live Dead to listen to. Live Dead was still probably too weird for us to fully engage. Steal Your Money was cool, but it was all about S&R.
Being a Hendrix freak in HS, I was really into JBG, and I’d heard this version many times, but for whatever reason something happened that day and JBG just blew me away. I made him replay it over and over and from then on the scaled tipped and I started becoming more into the Dead then the other stuff.
The final straw was finally getting to see them in January. The rest as they say is history.

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.

68 and Loud

I completely agree.

On occasion and if I'm not careful volume gets the best of me. One day I might live to regret this. Thankfully, that day was not today.

A new one for me. Some sound weirdness especially in and around banter, but what the hey.

I don't know what it is, but I have soft spot for The Eleven, Born Cross-Eyed and especially New Potatoe Caboose. Good show with some vintage grease to end the night with me feeling a little dirtier than I did when I woke up.

If there's no pick for tomorrow, I suggest the next in line. It's a partial, starts with a rare Clementine. 1/20/68 Euraka Municipal Auditorium. I think we should set up a go fund me to find all the missing reels, there's a couple missing from this show. It would be something for them to be found.

4/30/88 at the Frost

Hey Jim, I know you have had a lot on you plate this year. Thanks for checking this one out. Yes, the recording is decent, not great. Like a lot of 88 recordings out there. Still think they have some good ones in the Vault.

I liked the show, anytime I see a Hey Pocky Way, I am in. Nice Shakedown to open the second set. Love the triple Encore with China Rider OMSN.

It is good to get out of the comfort zone once in a while Doc.

Carousel Ballroom 68, okay Jim, Ok will have to que it up this morning.

Enjoy the weekend out there.

Edit. Oh and after the carousel ballroom I will be moving on the 12/9/79, Dave's Picks #47. Love this one and I need some 79. If I had the keys, I would be putting out a big 79 Box.

Lewiston, for your consideration

44 years ago today, there when Roy Buchanan along with Levon and His All Stars opened for the Dead. My last in person show, on the bus since their first album, however things had changed so much.... Doc was there, a wild late summer scene, part of my farewell to Maine.

All is worthwhile if the soul is not small.....

Hey rockers!!

Yes, we were there and had a blast. Beautiful day and tremendous music. A very fine show by the Dead, one of my all-timefavorite in-person Dead experiences.

Would make a solide offical release. It is worthy......

Doc
Everything I did in my life that was worthwhile, I caught hell for.....

All is worthwhile if the soul is not small.....

Hey rockers!!

Yes, we were there and had a blast. Beautiful day and tremendous music. A very fine show by the Dead, one of my all-time favorite in-person Dead experiences.

Would make a solid official release. It is worthy......

Doc
Everything I did in my life that was worthwhile, I caught hell for.....

9/6/80

Hey DMCVT,

Love this show and will get it going again this weekend.

And yes, it would make a great releasen.

Pretty sweet you and Doc were there.

9/6/80 Lewiston

I'm in - hopefully sometime this weekend I can transport my mind and spirit into late summer beautiful day/evening Maine. Sounds like a dream show and setting. Very cool that a couple of you guys got to be there. Didn't realize this was the last show before the Warfield run. Long and heartfelt write up on grateful seconds (he was there). Comment at the end from a guy who was 8 at the time and lived a "bike trail" away from the fairgrounds. Listened to part of the show from his clubhouse. Rode his bike over and snuck in. Totally dug the Drums. Made major bank (for a kid) collecting cans and bottles for deposit afterwards (which is exactly what 8 yr old me would have done.) Think I might travel John Deere with the Jim Wise FOB.

Been Gone

But back this week. I can do Lewiston again.

As I recall there is not a good soundboard that circulates, right? And the one that does is first set only and it sure does sound like an audience (or ultramatrix on steroids at least).

High energy though.. like Gainesville, there must have been something in the water.

You have to wonder if this was recorded and if so where the hell are the master tapes? I think someone (Parrish??) tossed out the language that some of the master reels were left on the seat and when the truck pulled away they must have flown out the window or something.

I'd love to see more reels (and cassettes) returned.

Anyway, Lewiston Me for me tomorrow.

Edit: Started tonight - why not? Gave up on the "soundboard" and settled on the Jim Wise same as Bluecrow. Good news, Bluecrow.. The John Deere Broke down and was sitting in the yard for the last half of the week. I got it working today. Had to replace the solenoid. Damned electronics are always interfering with time travel. Just imagine if this broke back in time before Jebediah Solenoid created the first working model for riding mowers.. we would have been screwed.. I mean, nothing wrong with being stuck in 1980 but why not go back another 10 to 15 years...

High energy is right. Pretty good audience.

Follow-Up

While I was in the neighborhood, I took a quickie with 11/28/80 Lakeland Civic Center - Lakeland, FL (30 Trips).

I figured why not.. most enjoyable, especially To Lay Me Down. Not sure why I like that song so much, but I do.

More 1980

Ah, yes, more 1980. You don't have to twist my arm. A shorter show for the time period, but still really good. Will get it going after I finish up Dicks #36, which was mentioned on some other threads. Such a great show, but apparently didn't sell well at the time. No idea why.

My Favorite Non-Multi-Track 1980 Release

Random Musing - 1980

My favorite non-multi-track 1980 release has got to be Dave's # 8, 11/30/80 Fox Theater. Love how that Matrix worked out. If anyone remembers the seaside chat, he was spot on.

Crowd noise was not as big an issue in 1980 as they could play in some pretty intimate venues. Also, as the age of the cassette master replaced the lovely Ms. Cantor Jackson, a lot of those early soundboards are a bit sterile sounding without the crystalline highs and the booming lows. Blending those early 80's soundboards with one of those near perfect audience masters works. When they aged out of the smaller, cooler venues (thinking after Jerry's coma and In The Dark) audience tapes had to compete with hundreds of the guy next to you screaming "JERRY!!" at 95 decibels, this was no longer possible.

That SBD/Dr. Bob matrix is almost exactly perfect (or as good we are going to get for the time).

On the opposite side of the same coin, I think some of the Ultra Matrix's have a bit too much of the guy yelling JERRY! then I sometimes want to hear. Thinking a lot of 87 suffers from this, and by then the audience tapes were no better.

Anyway, if Mr. Norman can pull of similar wizardry I wish they would do more like DaP#8.

Being that it’s the anniversary

9-16-90 playing now.

Wonder what the Black Friday RSD release will be.

Music comes from a place we don't know...........

Mornin', rockers!!!

Pick of the day? September 24, 1972. Because..............Dark Star!

Minor rain storm headed my way................

The man that hath no music in himself, nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils......

Rock on!

Doc
Music comes from an icicle as it melts, to live again as spring water......

9/24/72

Oh yes, this is a great show, I am in.
Thanks Doc.

Why Not

It's an early audience, but contains one of the few Seven's that were recorded.

09/29/69 Cafe au Go-Go - New York City, NY

It's no betty board, but an interesting inflection point in GD history, so maybe worthy of our time. Primal GD on the heels of WMD Americana GD.

Despite the recording quality, it's pretty good for a 1969 audience. Worth the trip for the Seven alone. Plus, it's pretty short. Something different, something quick, and well, it's really something.

So why not mix it up with a shortie from the fall of 1969.

9/29/69

Will mix this in as I listen to the new box today. Thanks Jim.

Hope everyone had a good summer

Been a while, just wanted to say hello. Watching the Dark Star from 10/18/74, cool to see video of Ned on stage, as well as see Jerry interact with the head nod. Enjoyed the April 78 release. With the 50th anniversary of the Winterland shows a few weeks away, doesn't look like anything is happening. Be good everyone. Bob t

Bob T

Hey Bob T, how have you been man? Hope all is well.
Yes, love that bonus footage from the GDM soundtrack. Might be one of my favorite UJB.
I have been traveling for work this week so still haven't made a dent in the new box, but loving it so.far.
Good thing there is no rush at this point.

Picks

Hope everyone is enjoying the new box set. Really enjoying it so far over here.

If anyone is interested in a pick, it has been a while, how about 5/16/81, Barton Hall from the 30 Trips box?

5-16-81

Started playing it last night and finished it tonight.

Good call DV.
And I’m having a Bell’s Octoberfest too. They’re gone from the store but I have 5 more cans in the fridge.

Conekid

Nice Conekid, must be esp.

Enjoyed the show again, nice Shakedown Bertha, Sailor Saint. Show ends with that audience patch.

Enjoy the last few Octoberfests. Still have a couple six packs to get through. Would buy a few more but the self life of this beer is only 3 months and it goes bad fast.

Change alone is eternal, perpetual, immortal…..

Good morning fellow rockers!!!

October 19, 1971

The second great seismic shift of 1971. The Yang to the Yin of February 18. Similar, yet different. Old, yet new. A vision of the new era. Change can be for good if you combine audacity with safety………

An old friend missing, a new guy who seems to fit in right away. Six new songs. The return of the complete CE/TOO/CE suite. The unusual occurrence of back-to-back Garcia songs twice in the first set. The first of the Fall 1971 FM broadcasts. One of only two 1971 shows that featured both Black Peter and Brokedown Palace. There ain’t no grease, but there’s plenty of Bakersfield left, as well as big jams.

Not without its rough edges, yet somehow it hangs together oh so well. Absolutely historic and worthy of a serious listen……

Rock on!!
Doc
He who rejects change is the architect of decay, the only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery………

10/19/71

Oh, yes, Doc this is a good show at the University of Minnesota at the Northrup Auditorium. Good idea.

Some may never live, but the crazy never die.....

Morning, rockers!!

This is for AJS. He'll know what I'm talking about...........

October 20, 1984, Carrier Dome. The last show we saw on that tour, maybe not Augusta level but very enjoyable. We had a great time. Maybe it was the liquid 25, courtesy of Deadhead Fred, a little drop'll do ya!!

Or maybe it was the music. Worth a listen!!!

If I had known being insane was so much fun, I'd have gone crazy long ago.....

Rock on,

Doc
No one can drive us crazy unless we give them the keys......

Doc & Angry Jack

10-20-84 - Syracuse

I was there also, think I met doc in the bathroom during drums,,, he was wearing a tie-dye :-)

My records show we rated Jack Straw at end of set one, a plus 2. Also second set opener of Shakedown got a plus 2 rating from our crew. We have the Black Peter that night at a plus 1.

Thing I remember was the air pressure blowing you out of the exit doors,,, deadheads LOVED this,,, kept going back in just to be blown out!

My wife went to Syracuse (both her parents also!)

Carrier Dome

Love the energy of this show. I'm pretty sure I tossed this out for a pick of the day a few years ago. I was not there, but hey.. we make it to the shows we can and hope for magic and a lightning strike or two.

Still, an enjoyable show and how about that Jack Straw. Another one where I wish I was there.

10-20-84 playing now

Just finished set 1.
It’s a Miller, but the file on my music player doesn’t have an ID number.
Vocals are pretty weak in some places. The playing seems to be trying to make up for it.
Shakedown poking around now…..

Edit:
I would have had fun had I been there.
Drums/Space was good.
I’ll listen to it again.

Most jokes state a bitter truth…..

November 7, 1971
Harding Theater, San Francisco, California

Deadicated to bolo24, because I will not follow where the path may lead, but I will go where there is no path, and I will leave a trail……

Great and classic show and a long-time personal favorite. It has pretty much everything you could ask of the Dead in this era. Rockers, Cowboy songs, hot jams, the unusual coupling of Dark Star and The Other One, an unbelievably smoking NFA transition jam (maybe the best ever?), plus even the often-expected equipment difficulties, AND jokes from the audience! The circulating broadcast copies are excellent quality and highly recommended. The band sounds loose, and the crowd sounds juiced. OK yes there’s no Pigpen, but still highly highly recommended, a classic of the first rank!!

Rock on!!
Doc
It is requisite for the relaxation of the mind that we make use, from time to time, of playful deeds and jokes

I guess I missed it....

I didn't see the notice about the next Bear's Journal, John Hammond.

If you missed too, it's available on Amazon and Bear's site.