Grateful Dead

As I have already posted a few times, this release sounds way better than the hissy, muddy cassettes I used to have. So, compared to the hissy, muddy cassette recordings of early 80’s shows that I used to have, I will give this recording a 10. And no, I am not that stupid. Not that stupid to try to compare the sound of a cassette master to that of a multi-track recording. Especially Eur 72 which was professionally recorded with the intention of creating a commercial release.

Appreciate your Bird Song feedback. I went back and gave them all another listen. The Dave' s Picks 11 is my newest and you are so right about the solo at the 3 min mark. Jerry just bends that one note over and over and then gets to work. As if to say 'you guys ready'? It's difficult to imagine them playing this in a darkened arena after watching them perform on the Sunshine Daydream Veneta movie. I also keep going over Berkeley to see if the soloing is as good, but I inevitably get so lost in the gloria of it all that I forget I'm supposed to be evaluating. Such is life. Icecrmcnkd I'm sorry but the audio here is a 1 or 2 out of 10 compared to the best sounding recording released. It's a 1 because there are none worse or few at best. That's a cute game you played calling it a 10 by comparing it to unpeofessional releases (wink wink).

The problem with recordings that are superior is that you hear every little nuance and note ... This is my opinion only... In ref. to Dave's 27, The band sounds Ok but I'll probably never listen to this set again as Jerry's vocals are barely acceptable. and in some cases painful to listen to.. . 1983 brought Jerry a crappy demeanor on stage and a huge heroin habit and it certainly shows in his performance... Take any pre heroin show from the beginning of the band and listen... There is clearly no comparison from the psychedelic era thru cocaine and up until heroin... Anything before his addiction is superior in every way and i wish they would stop releasing sub standard shows. There are too many good ones to put this in the category of great shows...

What shows from 1983 did you have on cassette that sounded better than DaP 27?

Yes, for only 11 minutes long, this is a very concise yet perfect Birdsong. Not only is the beginning of Jer's first solo great (the slinky "get ready" bends you mentioned), but check out the 2nd guitar solo at 9:15~... Jerry starts with a few building licks over several measures (once again, kinda of a "are you ready?...) until he reaches a peak, THEN resumes the soaring, bending "bird in flight" thing all over. I've said it before, but if you showed Mozart the general gist of "Birdsong", THIS is how he'd map it out: each part of solos seem to logically connect to the next.... intro>body>conclusion. Despite the fact that it's not long, never goes too far "out there", and the energy is controlled and deliberate, this version is simply stunning. Kind of like a perfectly mapped-out studio version that they executed live, flawlessly. One of my favorite GD tracks of all time. But I'm curious to hear your answer to icecrmconkid's question.... If this recording is a "1" out of 10, What '83 releases or other early/mid 80's recordings do you feel are better?

Not saying it’s one of the best. But it is one that I always liked.

“A subscription business is perhaps the most reliable and predictable form of revenue” I’m ready to subscribe to Dave’s Picks 2019!

Are there any bad Bird Songs out there? This is one of those songs were it got better over time, in my opinion. 7/26/87 is great. Loser & Cassidy both also got better over time, in my opinion.

Nice, balanced post on your review of DaP 27. Just thought I'd say it, 'cause it hit a lot of the same chords I was feeling after a few listens.

Hmm, so basically releases should be just pre-hiatus? So the 30-yr GD legacy is really about the first (less than, actually) decade? If the Dead were just a 9-year band, I would've stopped listening long ago. This is from Blair Jackson's Garcia bio: "Despite Garcia's plainly visible malaise, the Dead played better in 1983 than they had in 1982. In fact, they improved each year through the first half of the '80s, as if Garcia's deteriorating physical condition almost didn't matter." Of course we know he gets busted in Jan. 85 and (presumably) starts cleaning up. BJ continues, "The Dead's tours that summer and autumn [of 85] were unusually strong, with especially varied set lists, crisp and purposeful jamming and a higher level of energy onstage than anyone had seen in quite a while." No question, that summer of 85 is hot. And 89-90 is some of my absolutely favorite years. But so is 83-84, more so the more I listen to them. There's a sort of rushed (or is urgent the right word?), yet raw, 80s psychedelic sound. At the risk of hyperbole, it's the best, most energetic and raw sound since 73- so in nearly a decade.

Agreed. But the recordings generally stink compared to the 70's offerings. Your comment totally ignores this fact. For each quote from someone saying the 80's had some great shows, there are 10 more quotes from Dick, Dave, and yes Blair Jackson questioning the 80's recordings' viability as official releases. Do you want to add some of those quotes to balance your comment, or should I?

No, I agree with you. And some of those patches are definitely sorta cringe-worthy. But as someone mentioned: they also highlight how much of a general improvement the sounds quality here is. Dave spoke (in the liner notes) about the "unfortunate at best" recordings from June 83 or in his words, "magnificent full shows for which no usable recording exists." My response was more so to snoone about the quality of the 83 performances (not the audio).

Can we stop with the name calling? Let's assume nobody here is stupid and even if they are, the "smarter" ones should be smart enough and classy enough not to call them stupid. I've always agreed with the basic premise that all releases sound better than the cassettes I had. Maybe some people knew Betty and got tapes directly from her, but I got from a buddy, who got from unknown people that he met at shows. Is the recording of this show better or worse than others, of course. But I also go with the assumption that the "official" releases are the best available out there. True? I don't know, I just assume that. I'll take all official releases, it's the anal completist in me. On this release I like the Looks Like Rain, this is the closest to the greatest Rain ever done (4/16/83 Meadowland, NJ). Don't believe me, take a listen, Garcia's on fire in the last minute or two, his notes hit like raindrops at the moment it goes from a drizzle to a downpour. And Weir yelling is in perfect form (can't take no more fuckin rain today) https://archive.org/details/gd83-04-16.sbd.miller.28294.sbeok.flacf/gd8… Don't agree, then you're a fucking idiot :-) (notice I didn't say stupid :-)) I agree with whoever below that I seldom will listen to a whole show, but listen to "parts" and there is ALWAYS a good part. Finally, where is Jim (JiminMD), I'm assuming on vacation, but I still worry.

I'll second that, Dennis. We're also not discussing the fate of Western civilization, we're discussing a band- a band beyond description?

Agreed - but '83 had more great MOMENTS or sets than complete, great "shows". Brilliant peaks followed by lotsa murky valleys... Jerry's '83 uninspired heroin drenched brain, morbid obesity/lack of stamina and voice, and general grumpy-cat staring-emptily-over-my-belly-at-just-the-tips-of-my-wallabees-over-my-glasses-teetering-on-the-end-of-my-nose demeanor made "inspired complete shows" mostly a thing of the past. But there are some amazing '83 nuggets for sure. The '83 TTATS show (10/21/83 in Woostah!!!) is a goody! I attended 10/15/83 (my 2nd show) with the St. Stephen and the RIPPING Big RxR Blues, but honestly much of that show (generally considered one of the years best) plods along unremarkably. Kinda like watching Sinatra in his later years - yes some inspired moments and glimpses of the old charisma (being reaaaally generous on the charisma based on my comment that ends my first paragraph), but from an execution standpoint just a shadow of their former glory.

I just mentioned my second show, and Dennis (the guy asking for an end to the name-calling - what a stupid idiot ;) then mentions my first!! 4/16/83 with Looks Like Rain. This was one of my favorite songs and I was so happy they played it. But even as a 15-yr old newbie watching from center-ice, 8 rows up on the left side, I knew that they weren't "on" this night (LLRain WAS good, but I loved this song too much to be objective). 4/17/83, the next night, was better though sadly I wasn't there. I was HUGE into CSNY at the time and was stoked to see Stephen Stills sit in. Quite a first-show treat. Then my 2nd show I got the Hartford St. Stephen - the Gods were smiling on me, making sure to set the hook hard. And it's still there, though I really haven't listened to much Dead for a few months... breather....

First I want to once again thank you guys for the hard work and great care obviously put into the Dave's Picks Volume 27 release. I appreciate the release on a historical level, as there are not many early 1980s shows in my collection. With that said,I had to take a break from East Coast shows between fall 1980 through 1984. My first show in a while, and I believe it was in October 1984 at Brendan Byrne in East Rutherford was a bit of an upset. In those days, there was a ticket service called Ticketron, and I bought a ticket on the day of the first show,rented a car, and drove out to Jersey.The seat was right to the side of Jerry, and was stunned when the band came out by his physical appearance, and demeanor. This was not the Garcia I last saw at Nassau in May 1980. Something was wrong.Don't need to elaborate any further, but with that said I think this release is important in context that it reflects the changes happening with the band in regard to live performances.In the end, glad to be a subscriber, and appreciate every release! Hope everyone enjoys the rest of the summer...

Don't believe the hyperbole either way. This show is not the best show with amazing sound and definitive versions of songs, but it is also not a terrible show with awful sound that is unlistenable. My opinion is this: I like receiving a show from an otherwise little tapped era; the sound is not crystal clear like many 70s or late 80s recordings but it is much better than the Alpine 82 Dick's Picks and the Spectrum 82 Road Trips; and the performance is generally just fine-- again, not definitive, but good enough. In brief, I like adding this show to my collection. Songs that stuck out as good versions to me on this recording: I love the Wang Dang Doodle opener and the Jack Straw that follows is good enough. I always like Minglewood and the Deal closer is a scorcher. The Help-Slip-Frank is solid (not better than any in 76 or 77 though), I think the Estimated is lackluster and the Eyes is rushed. The jam and space segments are interesting. The jam in Throwing Stones I will describe as 'Chaos.' I am not sure what is happening there-- I haven't listened to early versions of it, so maybe this is the norm for the era? Regardless, that 'solo' is just noise to me. Maybe another listen will reveal more. The Black Peter has some really rough vocals. I agree with Slow Noodle, two Black Peters released in the past year run circles around this one. Jerry's vocals are pretty bad here. BP is not my favorite tune, but the version on Berkeley 72 made me sit up and take notice-- just an exquisite version, beautiful and perfect in every way. This one, not so much. I will probably listen to this show sometimes and as I said earlier-- good to have a decent show from an era without many releases.

Yet another reminder why I can't get into that band. Happy for all of you do enjoy them tho'

Thank you for the sober, well written post. Your objectivity tells me your opinions are likely reliable. Any post that is all positive or all negative tends to just be unreliable noise by era hard-liners with an axe to grind. Era rhetoric gets absurd, sometimes comical.

...and yet the descriptions NEVER stop,,, never stop, never stop, never stop....

Seriously, what's with all the name calling? Taste in anything is subjective, especially when it comes to music, art, film, etc. It's all about how the music resonates with the individual. If it makes you feel good, then it's doing its job. Again, Jerry's often quoted licorice analogy comes to mind. Some dig black, some dig red, some dig both, and others don't dig licorice at all. The need for validation through a sense of sameness is one of the primary causes of human discontent and unhappiness. Just because you don't see it or hear it the same as someone else, doesn't make them wrong or stupid, etc. Personally, this show is like nails on a chalkboard to my ears. That doesn't mean I don't appreciate its historical relevance, nor does it negate anyone else's overall appreciation for it. I'm on this site to experience different perspectives, find out about shows that I'm unfamiliar with, and learn things about the Dead that I may not already know. But the immaturity and insecurity of name calling honestly kills the vibe for me. Just saying.

worth your time also 4/19/82

they eventually adopted the Samson and Delilah chord-y thing, but early versions had the type of jam you hear on 9/2/83. not sure when they started the S&D chords. sometime in 84? opinion alert: I happen to like the the more chaotic jamming approach than the S&D chords. 1000 opinions in Deadheadland it's very similar to a political thing: one person's president is another person's lying sack of shit. 9/2/83's great! 9/2/83 sux! and the band keeps playing on

What an idiot.

Unless you think I called someone a hyperbole, I don't think I did any name calling-- hope that wasn't directed at me, SkullTrip. I guess I was trying to say that there will be haters and lovers of the show, but on a whole for many of us, this show is adequate.

94 and 95 rocks shirdeep. phish should put that phil lesh show out sometime. why not? they put out the one out where Weir played with them, on Dead songs on the recent fall tour

Not sure why that would even cross your mind, Estimated-Eyes. Guess I should have been more specific though. I'm responding to people being called "stupid" and "assholes" for various reasons in the thread. Just seems juvenile and unnecessary. And thanks, Thin. I take that as a compliment, idiot that I are.

The Grateful Dead was not just about good music thats why I think you get mixed reviews on shows and you can't compare shows from one era to another. You know The Dead probably thought they made enough music over the years to make everyone happy, but I don't think they succeeded when you read these threads.

Thanks for taking a joke from this asshole in stride. Well done. I had a colleague who used to pipe up in meetings after someone (usually me) had voiced an opinion or question, half under his breath, with perfect comedic timing: "idiot..." Yes it was funny every time.

Which Dave's Picks has the best sound quality? Top five. I'm not familiar enough with all of them to make a list but would love opinions.Last 2 I listened to have good sound. DaP 18 76 Orpheum (though Bob's guitar is missing.) DaP 13 74 Winterland. Thanks.

All good, brother. I live my life for the punchline and tend not to take things personally. Just how I'm wired. So your post gave me a solid chuckle.

I don't think the real problem here is this show, whatever its (obvious) flaws. It's that this is part of a subscription series, and the fact that it's getting such strongly negative reviews demonstrates that it's definitely considered by many to be a subpar show FOR THIS SERIES. If this just came out as a release that anyone can buy, any time, I wouldn't care. I would have listened to the sound clips, and probably wouldn't have bought it...even though most of the shows I saw were square in the middle of this era. But because Dave's Picks are set up as a 4-releases-per-year subscription series, I got this as a result of subscribing. Here's my experience with this release: When announced, I felt a little thrill. "Oh, an 80s release. Maybe the tiny but very vocal minority who bitch about EVERY SINGLE 70s RELEASE will finally chill out a bit. Maybe, when the next Pick after this one is back to the 70s again, they won't complain" (I won't hold my breath.) But I was glad I'd be getting it. I watched Dave's entire seaside chat, and began to feel some trepidation. When he admitted he is prone to hyperbole, then declared that the Dead really made Wang Dang Doodle their own here, I started to worry. Anyone who hasn't heard it, check out Koko Taylor singing that tune. Then listen to Bob Weir sing it. You have to admit, it's a white boy trying to sing the blues, and Koko has more soul in her little finger than ol' Bobby has in his entire body. I love Bob, but gimme a break. I get the discs. Wang Dang Doodle is actually not bad, though you can hear Jerry's vocal struggles right out of the gate, even on harmony. Then Jack Straw, which is pretty much a train wreck. It's mainly downhill from there. A few bright spots, but many rough ones. I've already posted about this show, so I'm not going to go through a song-by-song critique. But this performance is the kind of thing that could clear a room if your guests have overstayed their visit. I wonder how many of the last, say, five releases before this led to words like "disappointing," "cringeworthy," or "awful" in their respective threads on the board? Remember, these comments are coming from Deadheads, not just civilians. Releasing this is not the problem. The real problem is foisting this on subscribers, who already shelled out good money for it without knowing they would get it. When I heard the combination of shaky performance and subpar audio, I was dismayed; by the time I got through the multiple audience patches, I was INSULTED. Like I posted before, I was relieved when I finally got through disc 3. I've never had that experience with a Dead show - I avoid the bad recordings and performances in the archive, and skip what I don't like in my own collection. But I needed to at least make sure the discs didn't have any skips. As a Deadhead, the relieved-it's-over experience was a jarring one. I could see a couple tracks from this making it onto a Road Trips-type compilation, or as filler for something else, but I don't think it was release-worthy. I'll still most likely subscribe again next year, but if I got 2-3 in a row like this, I wouldn't subscribe again. I work for myself, so I can pull the trigger in real time on a la carte releases, and that's what I'd do.

If you don't like it, sell it. Someone will buy it. It doesn't really make sense to complain about being forced upon a release because you subscribed. If you sell it as new, you can probably get more money than what you paid for it, if you want. Other than that, its just impatience. Variety is the spice of life and this band probably offers more variety than any other band ever! Think about that and be grateful...then just wait for one you do enjoy to come down the golden road.

Grateful Dead/Dead & Company guitarist Bob Weir will embark on a fall tour with bassist Don Was and drummer Jay Lane under the moniker Bob Weir and Wolf Bros. Weir, Was and Lane confirmed 19 dates spanning October 16 – November 18. The new band will explore songs of the Grateful Dead and more in a trio setting. Bob Weir & Wolf Bros will kick off the tour at Grand Sierra Resort & Casino in Reno on October 16. From there, the trio will visit Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Portland (Oregon), Seattle, Missoula, Salt Lake City, Albuquerque and Denver ahead of a Halloween show in at The Chicago Theatre in Chicago. The tour continues with stops in Nashville, Louisville and Syracuse along with a two-night stand at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York. The three-piece will perform at Washington, D.C.’s Warner Theatre on November 12. Bob Weir & Wolf Bros conclude the run with stops in Philadelphia, Boston and New York City. A pre-sale will be held using Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan program. Registration has started here and will run through Monday, August 6 at 5 p.m. ET. DATES: Bob Weir and Wolf Bros Tour Dates October 16 Reno, NV—Grand Sierra Resort and Casino October 18 Los Angeles, CA—The Theatre at Ace Hotel October 20 Santa Barbara, CA—Arlington Theatre October 22 Portland, OR—Keller Auditorium October 23 Seattle, WA—Moore Theatre October 24 Missoula, MT—Wilma Theatre October 26 Salt Lake City, UT—Eccles Theater October 27 Albuquerque, NM—Kiva Auditorium October 29 Denver, CO—Paramount Theatre October 31 Chicago, IL—Chicago Theatre November 5 Nashville, TN—Ryman Auditorium November 6 Louisville, KY—Palace Theatre November 8 Syracuse, NY—Landmark Theatre November 9 Port Chester, NY—The Capitol Theatre November 10 Port Chester, NY—The Capitol Theatre November 12 Washington, DC—Warner Theatre November 13 Philadelphia, PA—The Fillmore November 16 Boston, MA—Boch Center Wang Theatre November 18 New York, NY—Beacon Theatre Read more: https://www.relix.com/news/detail/bob_weir_announces_fall_tour_with_wol…

9/17/82 Cumberland County 1st Throwing stones and I think 1st Touch. Good show..est/eyes, great setlist.

The best sounding to my ears have been (off the top of my head) 21 4/2/73, which I think has a ton to do with it being on 10" reels instead of 7" (take that how you will). The clarity and definition on that recording is simply stunning, in particular I had a slack-jawed reaction to Eyes> China Doll with Phil's very quiet, yet still audible touches accentuating China Doll in a masterful way. The 11, 11/17/72 was a great tape as well. 26 11/17/71 was my commute music this morning, the first Other One in particular, and Phil was thunderous, Bob and Jerry were both quite present, and Keith sounded good, and has one of his few solos I can recall somewhere in that show, with Jerry even calling for the piano solo. The Wall of Sound Picks 2, 9, 19 are not my favorites because of the limitations of capturing the WoS properly and the vocal issues. They have a good presence for most of the instruments, but the drums can be hit or miss on WoS recordings, and there's almost always adjustments for the first 2-3 songs that afterwards, it settles down. DaP 13 is a proto-WoS show and it has the aforementioned issues that take a few songs to straighten out, but by the meat of the show, you're transported far away on a cloud of fantastic music. DaP 10 12/12/69 and the accompanying bonus disc from the previous night (one of the greatest single Dead discs?) are masterpieces of recording from Bear. I feel like I'm in a tiny club and can picture myself there from his Sonic Journal. To make it easier to read, and a more concise personal top 5 for sound quality: DaP 21 4/2/73 DaP 11 11/17/72 DaP 10 12/12/69 and 12/11/69 bonus disc DaP 26 11/17/71 (will have to check the bonus disc and disc 3 again for 12/14/71, but seem to recall not being as blown away by that show's sound) DaP 14 3/26/72 (could be totally biased on this one, I seem to like it a LOT more than others here, mainly because of that TOO>M&MU>TOO>Wharf Rat) Bonus 6th choice: DaP 8 11/30/80 the outlier as the only Matrix in the Series thus far, I think it shows how to put out a good cassette master SBD

Boise, Idaho invaded by goats. Hahaha By the way, does anybody look at all those Phish things that get posted on this site, presumably in error?

Dave's subscriptions make it clear that you get 4 shows a year. I know they hype sound quality and overall I think they get it right even when it's a great board from 1983. Anyhow, some years sound better than others but I really do think Dave % CO. do try to give us cool shows to enjoy! Cheers!

don't hear how shitty this show sounds....maybe because I got on the bus around 1988 and started collecting tapes from many different eras I tend to like them all... I dunno, I like this show! I think it comes with many cool/great moments

Nope. Perhaps somebody is trying to convert Deadheads to Phish, but I just scroll past them. I like Phish, but this is dead.net, so I'm curious, too, at the reasoning behind the spate of them with no text around it to offer anything to the discussion. I like people talking about other bands here especially newer stuff that I don't listen to/wouldn't be exposed to due to my own listening habits being fairly closed off to new stuff given the plethora of stuff available to listen to from the bands I already am into. But it works better when there's discussion, not random posting of songs. For example, it wasn't here, but on another site, I was recently exposed to Gentle Giant, and was absolutely blown away by their fierce musicianship, amd I'm appreciative of that. Just posting Phish vids when no one is talking about them is odd indeed. And since I went and brought them up, and have given appropriate context, how about some insanely complex Gentle Giant live: https://youtu.be/UM-yGcpaY_4

I think that all those Phish posts are from a person that forgot what website they logged into. There’s like 3 people here who actually care, and I think that all 3 are the same person.

Love a happy and surprising Opener. I am finding a hard time beating a: Half-Step Stranger> Franklin's Circa 4.15.89 or thereabouts: https://archive.org/details/gd89-04-15.dsbd.jerugim.430.sbefail.shnf Sixtus

....but I love The Grateful Dead.

Dreading - audio wise, I would rate this show an 8.5/10. The Cornell release audio sounded bad - soupy/muddy, far away, and I rate the audio for that 5/10. Really, the audio on this release is just fine, real good in fact. I have heard some real bad audio, and this is not bad - at all! Dave L. and TPTB should continue to release more '80's shows like this, use the master recording and splice with aud patches as needed. The band's performance, again, real strong, even the lyrical flubs don't distract from the overall intensity and jamming going on with the boys.

Come on man. That's just silly. That recording is clear as a freaking bell, and you say DaP 27 is an 8.5/10? Stop trolling, or go get your hearing checked.

....but it sounds better than Cornell? Let me check the calendar. Nope. It's not April 1st. You almost had me there.

It's been an interesting roller coaster on this board lately. Like a pack of psychedelic colored licorice, choose your color. Here's one example. Black Peter. Some like it. But lots of people seem to hate this version, and mhammond had the funniest crack about Garcia nearly dying singing it. Oddly, that's one reason I liked it. Normally I'm not such a fan of that song, as it can drag on forever and the so-called harmonies can be utterly atrocious. On DaP 27 though, I actually sort of liked it. Sure, Garcia's voice is ragged throughout the show, but he somehow relaxes it a bit on parts of Black Peter (even though it's still rough) and goes deeper in tone than he usually does on that song. For once, it gave me the sense that he WAS Black Peter, not just some white guy singing about him. He really was dying, and his delivery showed it, but in a way that got my attention rather than making me grimace. It's not my favorite version (I've only heard 2-3 that I thought were really great), but it was something definitely different than usual, and worthwhile from my standpoint. Especially because this ain't my favorite era, so I was looking for a few tunes that stood out as being different and made me notice. On a different note, there's a couple of interesting shows coming up at Weir's Sweetwater in Mill Valley for those who are in the area. Barry Zito, the ex Oakland A's and Giants pitcher (who had an incredible house on a ridge in Marin County that I got to tour vicariously online when he sold it recently) has become a wandering troubadour with an acoustic guitar. He's performing at the Sweetwater on August 8th. But more noteworthy is Julian Lage, one of the best guitarists alive (mostly jazz, but mixes in some rock, folk, country and classical, and can play about anything), will be there on Sept. 21. Unfortunately I'll be out of town, or would be there in a heartbeat, to see him at such a small venue. It's strange, to see that Lage's show, for one of the best guitarists in the world, is cheaper than Barry Zito's show. Goes to show the power of celebrity, I suppose. https://www.sweetwatermusichall.com/calendar