Grateful Dead

OK, maybe I'm prejudiced because it was my first show and like a first love, you only see the wonderfulness of it all. But truth be told, it was pretty freakin' wonderful.A beautiful day, a beautiful setting, a beautiful stage set and The Dead at the peak of their 'post-retirement' form. True, the Godchauxs were just months away from getting the heave-ho but you'd never know it from the performances here. Additionally, it was a great set list, very peppy and the concluding jam, centering around Not Fade Away and a rhythm section assisted by roaring motorcyles, is one of the coolest things I have ever experienced to this day. Why this hasn't been chosen for release, I have no idea. Find it and treat yourself. evbaby

Have to agree with evbaby, this was my first show. The day was perfect and hot including the music.There was a buzz in the audio all day but when the grateful dead took stage they had found the problem and the sound was the cleanest I've ever heard, especially considering it was in an arena . the stage was the most awesome I.ve ever seen. I wish I had taken my camera an had pictures of it.If any exhist i would be interested in them. Also please release this show as a whole.

Does anyone have a copy of this Santa Barbara sho June 4 1978 campus stadium, that would be willing to send me one???? please!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey isn't that the poster for the 73 show(s)? I have one (my best relic of years at UCSB!) and was told it was from the 73 shows.

Trader X Loony lobo is correct - this is the poster for the 1973 show. The poster for the 6/4/78 was a black background with a picture of a skull (pretty cheasy) - I have a framed copy hanging in my bedroom. This was my 3rd Dead show, and it was a doozy. - Fun in the Sun! Here is a link to the Audio Archives for those of you that would like to listen tothe show. http://www.archive.org/details/gd78-06-04.sbd.cotsman.10530.sbeok.shnf T-Rex3, If you still need a copy, drop me a line.

One of these santa babra shows they had some wierd sound gun thingmills bless dangerous doug and danno

It seems like the Dead would usually start shows in some sort of loping, let's-get-warmed-up mode, but Warren Zevon had just played a savage set, and the Dead came out of the gate like gangbusters! One of the most intense Bertha's I remember. We drove all the way down and back from SF for this show the same day. What a long day!

Elvin Bishop was great: "Stealin' watermelons off the vine..." Warren Zevon actually got booed offstage, threww down his mike from behind the piano and stomped offstage. Lots of great freze-dried little thingies in the hot summer sun. I'm glad evbaby mentioned the cycles, I would have forgotten. That was so spontaneous, what a surprise.

I caught the soundcheck the day before. As I wandered up to the side gate the band was jamming a long instrumental "Dancin'" riff. They eventually stopped and Bobby & Jerry started playing the melody of an old Harry Belafonte song called "Yellow Bird" on twin slide guitars. (I recognized the tune, having heard it on my parent's records hundreds of times). Then the band started jamming a riff that at the time I presumed was an instrumental vamp of Feat's "Dixie Chicken" (plausible), which is listed above as Iko (possible), but as it followed another Harry Belafonte song it coulda been "Women Smarter" (probable). The half dozen of us kindred strangers made the mistake of applauding and were chased off.Yes indeed, despite much anticipation, Zevon got booed off mainly due to distortion. He exited Zieg Heiling and calling the audience acid casualties. Elvin cracked me up saying when he was done he was "goin' fish fish fishin'". Jerryy cracked Elvin up during the Waku jam by playing some preposterous low fuzzy blues lick. Of course The Dead cracked everyone up by having that miked up Harley revving up during NFA. (they also managed to blow the same break lick on Prophet as on the recently released Englishtown bootleg!) Another lovely day at UCSB.

Further to my entry above;This nagged me for a couple days so I did my own homework. The Harry Belafonte song (melody) that Bobby & Jerry played on twin slide guitars during the soundcheck between instrumental Dancin' and DixieChicken/Iko/WomenSmarter is actually called "Don't Ever Love Me" ("..this can never be, she said pleadingly, don't ever love me..) Cheers Steve

Regarding soundcheck above; again, some more, revisited, etc. The Powers asked me if I want to formally ask to revise the song listing. I called the my Dad in the States and hummed him the Harry Belafonte melody.. to be absolutely sure.."Is this Don't Ever Love Me or is it Yellow Bird?" "You're mixing the two, you dingbat. It's Yellow Bird". "Definitely Yellow Bird?". "Definitely Yellow Bird. The Grateful Dead played it, huh?" "Yup." "Mmmmm.....'' There you have it.

Ixtlanvet remembers a aparently drunk Warren Zevon getting pelted with crap, and making a hasty retreat,and the thing that stands out for me [to this very day] was the "GROOVE' that Bill and Mickey had in there solo. [and how it was the crowd driving them and them driving the crowd]

As it seems with most here it was my first live show. What a great ride. Was able to find a spot in the shade at the back of the venue and let it all wash over me. Was great to experience the band as it was meant to be, had only listened to recordings before. Two things stood out first was Warren Zevon, his band breaks into the intro to Werewolves of London and Warren comes in with the first chords on the piano and misses them by a mile. Painful to hear and the crowd reacted accordingly. He did come back tho. second was a visual of the large yellow planes taking off from the airport behind the stage, It was surreal enough to have been planned. Had a great time.

...and wow! what a day!spent the entire show right up front... very outtaspace! i remember warren zevon walking onstage with a full Stoli Quart and it being empty by the end of the 45 min. set! playing the piano w/ the soles of his shoes... and i believe Jerry & Donna joined him for Werewolves...? Dan Healy was spectacular for the GD set! what i remember and what really happened that day is questionable? so correct me if i am wrong anywhere. i remember pretty much the entire band joining in on drums..? keith playing some sortof aluminium garbage can lid? and then the Harley rolled out on stage with Senn 451's duct taped to the side and watching my skin vibrate with the bikes roar! ...simply beautiful Ship of Fools incredible Estimated Eyes and mindblowing Not Fade Away w/ donna letting out a scream that almost rivaled Englishtown the year before...???? i remember being as happy after that show as i have ever been! PEACE! www.myspace.com/heliotroupe www.heliotroupe.com www.myspace.com/dannykellysongs

I am very surprised about the Warren Zevon fiasco. I'd figure he'd get a better reception from the crowd. I suppose he was still an unknown back in '78. In his later years, he probably would have gotten a better reception.

Just got a copy of Warren Zevon's set, from an audience source. This is what I heaar.... There doesn't seem to be any problem with his set at the beginning despite an occasional "we want the Dead" cry from some lone voice out in the crowd. But he does appear to be a bit wasted. Things are generally ok until right before "Werewolves of London" when he calls the audience "F*n' acid casualties." Then much of the crowd turns on him.... some booos, loud yells, and more chants of "we want the Dead!!" He plays one more song and ends under a wall of feedback and noise.

...BEFORE LEAVIN SUNNY CAL. TO THE EAST COAST--WORKIN AT MORY BOOGIE INOCEANSIDE CA.---I DROVE ONE OF THOSE "DRIVE-AWAYS"--SOMEONE PAYS PEOPLE TO RIVE A CAR ACROSS WHEREVER---SOI GOT THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THIS SHOW---THEY GAVE YOU 7 DAYS TO CROSS COUNTRY----HAHAHAHA---- LEFT SAN DIEGO GOT VEHICLE-- LOADED UP ME FREINDS AND "SWEET CAKES" AND HEADED TO SANTA BARBARAAAAAA----GREAT SHOW---AND BY THE WAY---BONNIE RIATT SANG ALSO--BACK TO N. SAN DIEGO COUNTY CO. --DROP OFF THE LOAD---AND MY CO-HORT AND I--I DID MOST OF THE DRIVIN-ENDED UP IN HIS TOWN OF PHILLY--I COULD'VE MADE IT TO HOMETOWN FER LAST CALL--BUT MY FRIEND'S MOM SAID" DO YOU WANT TO SLEEP AND SHOWER AND HAVE BREAKFAST IN THE MORNING?" AFTER 48 HRS FROM CARLSBAD CA.---TO SOMEWHERE IN PHILLY PA.--- I SAID "COOL!" WOKE UP THE NEXT MORN TO L.I. N.Y. TO SEE MOM BEFORE HEADIN TO THE "BIG APPLE" TO DROP OFF THE CAR AT THE AREA --TO MEET "POP'S"---MY DAD --WITH MY TAN AND PONY TAIL--HUARACHES-WORN OUT CORDEROYS AND MEXICAN SHIRT---HE HAPPENED TO BE ON THE STREET WALKIN(I GUESS MOM CALLED HIM)---BUT I THOUGHT THAT WAS WEIRD--ON A STREET IN THE "BIG APPLE"--HE WAS WALIKIN WITH A CO-HORT- I GUESS- "WHOA THAT'S MY SON! ---"I HAVE TO GO!"---THE GUY SPLITS AND THE NEXT THING MY OLD MAN SEZ IS "YA LOOK LIKE A HOBO!! I SAID " LUV YA TOO DAD!!"" KEEP ON TRUCKIN

What you are hearing is absolutely true and factual, sorry to say. It was the ONLY time I saw a Deadhead crowd boo an opening act off the stage. I'm not in the business to diss off musical talent that has passed away and I DO like Warren Zevon's music. But this is what happened and why you're hearing that on your tape: The lineup that day at the UCSB football stadium was to be first a local reggae rock band I believe they were called Waa Koo and they were quite good, followed by Warren Zevon, then the Elvin Bishop Group and then the Grateful Dead. But after the local band played there was a little bit of a wait followed by Elvin Bishop, NOT Warren Zevon. (?) Then after Elvin Bishop put on a down-home kickass performance Elvin says "Stick around, were gonna have a little jam session with Jerry Garcia and the local boys." members of Waa Koo, The Elvin Bishop Group and Jerry Garcia played for about 30-40 minutes. Lots of fun! But then there was a kinda long wait. And Warren Zevon's band took the stage. Then Warren came out and he was VERY very drunk. And he proceeded to be abusive and disrespectful to the audience. And now you know why Warren Zevon was booed off the stage at the UCSB football stadium back in June 1978, sorry to say.

my 26th B-Day!
Drove up the day before and stayed with friends in SB. Started the day with champagne/cocaine brunch at the El Encanto Hotel above SB> Wound up meeting the the jewler for the HA's at the bar while sipping on a couple of Ramos fizzes, so we missed the first band.
The day was perfect: warm, with a slight breeze. The setting: an open-air football/track stadium on the UCSB campus in Goleta, just a few mile up from SB. might have had a 1/2a hit of some L...
We found room up front to the left of center stage (jerry side) for the show.Elvin Bishop was great; he ALWAYS put on a great show! Jer later came out and jammed with him and some others from the opening act. Jerry was in his usual understated, "i'm just sitting in" , mode....
Zevon was next, and I loved his hillarious set! He pounded through his songs, snarled at the audience, and chugged down 3/4s of a bottle of Kamchatka vodka while doing it. He abrubtly left the stage, some say he was forced off, only to be dragged out later to "apologize" to the crowd. Yes, he was booed; but it was for his drunken ranting between songs, not because of the songs themselves. Like I said, I found it all hillarious!
The Dead's set was announced with the roar of a Harley's engine on the side of the stage, being pumped through the sound system, sending us all hustling back to the front.
The band was in great spirits, and rocked the s**t out of the place and us! Jerry and everyone on stage was smiling and laughing throught there two sets; and killing it musically!
They finished with US Blues, into Sunshine Daydream, and left us all to stumble out into the streets of Isla Vista as the sun set low in the west; leaving us all grinning, hooting and hollering, fully satisfied, yet wanting more...
Some have said this show doesn't "listen" well, but for all who were there, it was as good an outdoor show as you'll see!
Sorry if you missed it!!!!!!