Grateful Dead

4/16 the show I heard the minute I opened the steamer trunk & yes it was spectacular. &....4/16/79 The Brent Rehearsal vey unique & why not 4/16/78 another underrated gem from the 1st Spring Tour '78. Now a rant, last night the wife & I went to a cocktail party in the lobby of her downtown Philadelphia office building it was a party hosted by the law firm to celebrate a very successful year financially & to hand out promotions to some officer personnel. It started at 6 and ran until 9 the one guy she works with had to much to drink & we took he and his girlfriend home it was on the way so it was no big deal. His girlfriends car was parked in the garage & even she was in no condition to drive either. I'm a 20 plus year Wharf Rat so I was the only sober person in attendance by 8 o'clock. So we are on 95 as the couple we were taking home live in Fishtown the wife and I live in NE Philly so its sort of on the way. Well right off the bat this dude asks what are we listening to (12/28/80 set 2 SBD) the wife says the Grateful Dead dude asks her who likes them old F****S the wife says my husband LIVES for the DEAD he then proceeds to tell me you don't look like a Deadhead now I understood what he was saying yet his GF was very embarrassed. Rather than debate this drunken idiot, I ask him what does a DH look like in your eyes?. He said your supposed to have long hair & not conform to rules. Now I'm bald headed by choice as I shave my head every March for St. Baldrick, I'm heavily tattooed arms, neck, chest you name it I'm inked as I appreciate the art of tattoos & I'm a collector of tattoos in fact if it wasn't for my job I get my face tatted also the wife loves my tats but I think she'd be like WTF you tatted your face you idiot!!!. And I conform to rules today. So do I qualify for being a DEADHEAD? Come to my house every room even the kids room has either a tape or CD of the GD, even the bathroom has a newly acquired DeadBase Jr. in it, if I have to do something in the girls rooms yes the good old Grateful Dead is my listening companion. My question is DEADLAND what does a DEADHEAD look like? @80'S fan ENJOY Philly today its simply gorgeous out last Saturday it was cold rain and snow today it's like a Sunshine Daydream!!!!!!! The weather is absolutely beautiful in Philly today the kids are at my sisters house for the weekend the wife is sleeping off a hangover I think its the perfect time for 4/16/72. YES HAPPY SATURDAY DEADLAND!!!!!

My brain is too immersed in E '72 shows at the moment to make such a drastic switch but 10/19/89 is one of my favorite shows (the 18th is no slouch either)... actually have to drive to philly today for a family thing so maybe I'll bring it along just in case....

Might as well add a random post...Though it's possible for another box this fall, 2 in a year is kind of unprecedented. But at the same time, a May release for the '78 Box leaves an opening in the Fall. Maybe the plan is to go relatively light this year, after an enormous 50th celebration last year. That said, 2 of my top picks for the next box would be the Ark run from April '69 or the Spectrum run from October '89. I'd also love an early 80's Box, it's just more difficult to imagine considering potential issues with the source tapes. Maybe the next big release is a dvd/cd release of this year's MUATM. And if true, how sweet it would be if the Alpine run is included- like a cd/dvd box set from Summer of '89. So nice to read the praises of 4/14/72...One of my favorites from the tour. It just has that special something and I fell in love with it instantly- especially the Dark Star.

....if any of you Google+, but, if you do, join the Grateful Dead circle. It's unpretentious, not "in your face", like some other communities that shall remain nameless, and posts some really cool artwork and photos. Maybe I will see you there!.... ....and yeah. 4.15.70 gets better with every listen. TOO -> Dire Wolf....yeah, I said it.... ....I lied earlier. I blog/post/comment there occasionally too. Look for Vincent Thompson. I carried over the same avatar, so I should be relatively easy to find.

I love the link to the early Viola Lee Blues rehearsal but I hate the mistreatment of Pigpen. At the beginning, his low harmonies sound WAY better than Weir's do after Pig is booted. Also, his organ and harmonica contributions are essential. Sadly, this denigration of Pig apparently continued throughout his tenure. Did you ever notice his diminishing contributions during the E72 dates? There is a point in the tour where he ceases all extended rap segments, never to return to these for the short remainder of his life. I get that his drug of choice was not the same as the general flow in the band (except the Phil "Heineken Years" later) but why was he treated like an outcast? There is an untold story here, and I'm not surprised the surviving band members don't want to talk much about it. Long live Pigpen, the lost soul of the Grateful Dead.

That's pretty funny, but now I'm going to hear that every time I listen to Eyes of the World.

Canned music, canned music, playin' on the radio...

The beguiling chanteuse, Lee Wiley, 1940; Dizzy, '45; Getz, '50; Pepper Adams, '58 and Blakey from the Jazz corner of the world, '59. But I've enjoyed thoroughly the first four shows of '72. Especially the new ones, 4/07 and 4/11. Of course lost my mind at 4/08 and the first four-discer, 4/14. Will be back on the tracks tomorrow for 4/16 and 4/17 Sunday. Man, to be 29 again to experience fully these back-to-back shows! Turned 29 X 2 recently so I need a little more time 'tween these jewels. Where's that confounded announcement?

I believe it is "the clerk he wrote it down" rather than "turkey"

All 22 shows. Sitting there on my porch. Waiting for me. Oh why is that clock on the wall so slow...