Grateful Dead

Despite the seemingly endless stream of box sets coming into the house I am actually listening to ‘Absolute Elsewhere’ by Blood Incantation. They’re described as death metal in the review in the latest issue of The Wire magazine, but I won’t hold that against them. The reviewer calls it a goddamn masterpiece. I’ll need to listen a few times to see if I agree but it is certainly interesting and I like to hear new things.

Finally checked it last night, wow.
Puts a whole new spin on things!
These shows just got even better…

Definitely overheads, but that doesn’t surprise as it’s the first 2 or three shows that sound different.

Check the 4-12-78 video, maybe there’s a good shot of the drum setup.

See how this one stands up..
Curious about the sound stage and recording consistency?

EDIT: this one mos def moved up a notch from the one previous time I heard it.
Really sweet show, perhaps most well played consistent of all so far?
Perhaps same with the mix/audio…definitely cymbals now, and everyone is in their proper soundstage position etc, good sheet Mon!
Overall, Maybe not some of the previous fireworks but very few lows. Only Ooops, and a small one, I can think of was in the otherwise delightful Dancing! It’s like their coalescing or morphing into a cohesive beast, but one with patience and finesse, and having a fine time doing so!
Eager to see how the 15 resonates after this one?
Mañana…

Overhead mics: yeah, I’m well aware what they are/for, i was trying to imply that “if” she hadn’t used them at some of the shows, then that might explain less prevalent cymbals…or maybe they were used but turned down…
since the pictures aren’t dated it’s hard to determine. In fact the pic on the last page shows Bob playing an Ibanez Musician Series guitar, which from the pictures I’ve seen (if dated correctly) he used from 5/5/78 until Egypt. So is that picture not from this tour, or did he use it at some point on the tour?
I’ve seen pics of Jerry trying one out also, but no idea when?

Rolling into the 15th hot! After second set from the 14th.

B.E. is all over the place. Funny at times! LIG cooks!!

Among others they would have a mic over each drummer either hanging or on stands four feet above each drum kit since sound rises from the drums, cymbals.

4 11 78

Finished 10 8 89 and 4 14 78 earlier today

Scarlet Fire

GBtGD

Hmmmm?
Another quirky good but inconsistent show?
Definitely a creeper. Starts a bit off (technically and otherwise) but by mid set they start settling in and syncing up. Second set, like much of this tour may not be flawless, but their is some fine playing and highlights!. And I’ll have to find that video cause wondering WTH was up with JG at the end etc? Wow?
These shows are hard to pin down, interesting run.
14 mañana…

Absolutely no noise reduction ON THE RECORDING, but that doesn’t mean some kind of processing on the final release, and, it seemed like 4/12 sounded much different, especially in the frequency spectrum we’ve been discussing.
There are other ways in mastering to treat noise beyond basic noise reduction, like, not your 80s tape deck Dolby…
I’ve been looking at pics and some don’t seem to have overhead drum mics where others certainly do. But haven’t dug deep so don’t know dates that correspond to pics etc. Just wonder if that was something Betty was messing with as she’s known for her mic placement perhaps above all else…
Also noticed JG moved into the center, and Bob to the left, (as per their stage orientation at the time) of the soundstage on maybe the 10th? Before that they were switched, and the 12 all kinds of things going on lol,
Always fun to try and dissect things!

No where in the notes does it state any noise reduction was used in the reel recording of any of the shows in the box.

Will be doing the 15th tomorrow!

Going to have to listen to the 11th again as I thought they were a little out of sync...