Grateful Dead

My first show while attending West Virginia University!!!Peace, Zott

Oh, Oh, Oh Possibily the best '79 show. 10 stars out of 5. Jerry and Brent are really getting in to the groove together here, particularly on Danic' and Scarlet. My friends and I have an on going debate about which is the best scarlet/fire around. For the purely classic flawless version, hands down it is Barton Hall 77. But for the major power punch and emotional upwelling this scarlet /fire takes it for me. Definately the best one with Brent. Jerry takes off between verses 1 and 2, instead of 2 and 3 and just flys. And He is still going strong during the jam and Phil slams into Fire and jerry is still resisting. Incredible an dmust listen. There are SBDs around. The nest nightis also 5 stars.

This was my wife at the time's first show and she got religion. It was a spiritual experience for me too. And I was chemical free! Shows like this only happened once in a great while and I was glad she busted her cherry on this one. I never got shit for puttin' on the Dead again! hahaha.

had a big accident getting there because of snow - we tumble the car several time just =missed going into the lake. God save us thatday and we made it to the show on time all the way from NYC. Nothing Left to Do But Smile Smile Smile.

Move ahead to the Stanley shows of 81 and give a listen!! I Highly recomend!!!!

Ahhh. 1979. Winter. Drove in Dans VW bug without heat - man it was a cold wind blowin off Lake Erie on I 80/75. First time in Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgers we met were very friendly and helpful. Willie Stargel and the family won the world series 2 months earlier. The Stanley was / is a beautiful venue. Everthing was ripe for a wonderful weekend. Alabama/ Greatest nice opener. Remember friend of the devil being slow and forceful. Pleasantly surprised with dancin>deal. During break met older head with a home made Tshirt with " Old Deadheads don't die they just NOT FADE AWAY" on the back. Loved It!!!. Scarlet> Fire GREAT. Passenger was a welcomed slap in face. Terrapin> Playin sweet. At the time I didn't like sailor saint being "promoted" to post drum status, but years later still enjoy hearing this version out of space. Good lovin' I could have done without. Don't ease encore just set the anticipation for the next night. Ah 1979

Set 1-Alabama: first run in 1st solo from Jerry, then Brent takes over; very good 2d solo is long, starts with Jerry, gritty playing, Phil hitting a heavy bass, then Brent gets a run, then returns to Jerry with a hot run; very good, long, dark version -GSET: very good solo but the band loses its way in the middle, Jerry keeps going though -Peggy-O: band isn’t quiet in sync; long, a bit disjointed but very good solo -Cassidy: nice interplay btwn Bob, Jerry & Brent in the solo; very good but short jam -FoTD: Brent takes the first 2 runs in the solo, and then Jerry takes over, very good -Easy To Love You: Brent & Jam combine for a short but nice instrumental -El Paso: solid -Tenn Jed: good solo -Dancing: a little laugh as either Bob or Brent goof on the opening lyrics (one starts with “dancing” the other with “calling”); pretty interesting jam, a little funky, a little spacey -Deal: very good, laid back solo Overall: nothing great, but much of it is really good. My grade, Good+ set Set 2 -Scarlet: a little trouble spitting out the lyrics; 5 run solo, 1st 2 runs ok, third run really nice, fanning, last 2 runs strong too; comes back with “I ain’t often right” verse, which he omitted earlier; then another solo after the “let her pass by” verse, rather than the outro, very strange; then back to the “wind in the willows”; reprise then jam proper starting at 8:08; nothing noteworthy but still enjoyable jam -Fire: very good 1st solo 2:15 – 5:43, precise & pensive; 2d solo 7:47 – 9:35, also very good; reprise; 10 mins total Fire; very solid Scarlet > Fire -Passenger: good grungy 1st solo and better 2d one -Terrapin: Jerry’s voice going a bit; solo 3:20 – 4:36, beautiful, haunting; good but not great transition jam; outro jam really gets going; excellent version -Playing: good to very good jam 2:47 – 13:45 -Drums: -Space: maybe wishful thinking but sounds like hints to World To Give, pretty good Space -Lost Sailor: not much to say, but band sounds together & it sounds good -St Circumstance: good feel & sound; Brent sounds great backing the “I’m gonna go for it” -Wharf: speaking of Lost Sailors…, Jerry’s ragged voice adds poignancy to this tune; solo 6:16-7:50, soaring, very good; good outro -Good Lovin’: I thought Sugar Mag was the natural choice but this seems right too; high energy (post-drums has been very energetic); VG 1st solo E: Don’t Ease: 1st solo-Brent run on organ, Jerry takes over, both very good, Jerry medium pace but true; excellent energy & full band contribution on 2d instrumental Overall: Good+ show, 8/10 overall

what a night!

Everyday I check out a show or 2 or 3 early in the morning being an early riser it starts my day off rite. Choosing this one because we all talk so much of the next night. This show has many a great moments, like a lot of 1979 does. The band was firing on all cylinders in late 79. So many of these shows just kick ass with great jams and energy of tour heads . I like the years before the band got to big. To me the energy was us the X factor. It came to an end around late 85 86 even though it really came to an end in 87 with the touch tour heads. More power to them yet I still love the secret dead of 70's early 80's. Secret meaning word of mouth threw friends not the media and success of record sales. Some may take this wrong so I want to assure you its not meant to be taken any way other then what it says .......

The second set of this show was AMAZING!!! I have NO idea why Dead Heads don't acknowledge this as one of their GREATEST!!!