Today:
This is an archive of my Facebook posts that I have been putting up every so-often. It is one Grateful Dead show per day. This is meant to be a 'how-to', or introduction to the greatest band ever and their shows. This is all my opinion...except for the facts.
I'll add a show a day starting next week. Take a look and if you see something interesting there should be a link to Archive.org so you can listen to the show.
Enjoy
Mark
Wednesday April 13 2016
Since the Grateful Dead introduced Throwing
Stones into the song repertoire in 1982, a common set of songs emerged. The
Other One> Wharf Rat> Throwing Stones> Not Fade Away, become a S2
post-drum standard. the sequence was played 21x. Here's the yearly breakdown.
Thrilling stuff!!!!!
March 25 2016
Grateful Dead
3/25/90
Knickerbocker
Arena
It’s been a
while since I posted one of these and no one complained, nor noticed...I
rediscovered this show in my daily ritual of listening to 'today in GD history'
and feel the need to share. This was released commercially some time ago as
Dozin' at the Knick, and for good reason. Spring '90, with shows at the Cap
Center, Hartford, Copps, The Knick and Nassau produced some of the best
performances in GD history - everything just seemed to go right.
Highlights
(IMO) are the Good Times, Bird Song and Let it Grow in S1. S2 is pretty much
all a highlight. The Eyes is amazing, the Crazy Fingers is beautiful and the
Truckin' is powerful. Post-drums gives us GDTRFB>Black Peter and a
Werewolves encore to name a few.
This is a
great soundboard, so no downloading. But definitely worth it
February 3 2016
Grateful Dead
08/27/80
Pine Knob
Music Theater
While Cow
Palace is the greatest name for a venue, Pine Knob could be the worst. Just my
opinion.
Anyhow, this
show won't get put on too many 'favorites' lists, but it is solid throughout.
Highlights are the Big RR Blues, Stranger S1 closer and everything pre-drums in
S2: china>rider and eyes>estimated...wow. Plus the bonus of a S2 CC Rider
(very rare).
A lot of
outdoor ampitheater AUD sources have something to be desired but this is a
pretty good SBD.
check it out
Feb 2 2016
Grateful Dead
5/17/78
Uptown
Theater, Chicago
The shows that
come out of the Uptown are always good: SBD's a plenty made this a standout in
trading circles.
It really was
the last smallish venue they played in Chicago before moving into UIC and
eventually Soldier Field.
This opens
with great versions of Half Step>Franklin's and Lazy
Lightning>Supplication. A post-space Terrapin into a bouncy NFA. All this is
capped off with Warren Zevon's Werewolves of London. Great Show.
Jan 29 2016
Grateful Dead
10/27/73
Indianapolis
State Fair Coliseum
1973 was a
busy year, starting in Feb, they played consistently (save a couple of breaks
in Apr and Aug). In Oct they toured the midwest 'who cares' states of OK, NE,
MN, IN, MO and IL.
S1 has great
versions of Greatest Story, El Paso, BE Women and a killer China>Rider
closer.
S2 is gold:
starting with the Playin'>1/2 Step>Big River>Playin' (playin sandwich
with a little cowboy filler). The He's Gone>Truckin'>Nobody's Fault Jam
is also amazing.
This is a
great SBD (a couple of rough, but brief, AUD patches) from a highlighted era.
Jan 28 2016
Grateful Dead
6/9/90
Cal Expo
Saturday
Night...one more. This song was played (over 300x) and mostly on Saturday's.
Duh. In the 70's this was a standard played on any given night, but starting in
the late 70's through 95, it was a strictly for Saturday's. The last exception
being in July 87 at JFK in Philly (a Friday). That was when the Dead and Dylan
toured.
Breakdown of
OMSN not played on Sat:
Sun - 27
Fri/Thur - 20
Wed - 17
Tues - 14
Mon - 9.
This show is
from a Saturday WITHOUT the song being played...IKR!!!
Middle show of
a 3 night run at Cal Expo. Typical 1990 Dead - very solid with a lot of punch.
Brent shines throughout. This whole run was widely available (i.e. omnipresent)
on tapers' lists.
Jan 27 2016
Grateful Dead
7/21/90
World Music
Theater
This is the
first or three nights of Brent's last run of shows
Crazy Fingers
always comes before drums in the 2nd set. Right? Three times in the Dead's
career they busted it out in the post-drum sequence. Five times in the first
set.
A little
history: This song was only done 11 times in '75-'76. It proceeded to get
shelved until a bust out in Ventura July '82. Something that a lot of us
younger types took for granted, as they played this one quite a bit in the
later years.
This is pretty
standard, but well executed 90's show. The Scarlet>Fire>Playin>He's
Gone is a magical 46 minutes.
Jan 26 2016
Grateful Dead
1/20/68
Eureka
Municipal Auditorium
This is a
short one with a couple of unfortunate cuts at both ends of the set frown
emoticon.
We start with
Clementine, a song that has been mistakenly referred to as a Coltrane tune. It
has a the same feel as 'My Favorite Things' and the Dead do a nice job of
jamming this. Unfortunately, this wasn't given a chance to develop, as it was
only played six times with its run ending in Jan '69 (this is #2).
The rest of
the show is nearly perfect with New Potato>Cross Eyed>Spanish Jam (which
debuted only a few days earlier)>Caution Jam and Dark Star.
This show is
roughly 35 minutes and the jams don't get too far out there. So even the novice
can appreciate the beautiful playing from a band coming into their 3rd year of
existence.
Jan 8 2016
Grateful Dead
11/9/79
Buffalo War
Memorial
Yes, this show
has some incredible performances of TLEO, Loser Jack Straw and
LL>Supplication. But my favorite part of this is the Dancin' in the Streets
into Franklins Tower. The segue is perfect! This combination has been played
10x: 5x Dancin'>Franklin's and 5x Franklin's>Dancin'. No one reading this
will remember, but I made a big deal about 1/2 Step>Franklins from Cape Cod
(10/27/79); another great pairing. Next week I'll highlight a show that has the
trifecta of 1/2 Step>Franklin's>Dancin'....very exciting!!!
They were
really fusing the 70's disco sound into their shows at this time. Both Brent
and Bobby are on fire during this show. Bobby is doing a lot of phrasing that
is both extremely complex and whimsical, which just adds to the Jerry solos.
His playing is too often overshadowed by Jerry's but Bob is a phenomenal rhythm
guitarist: rarely playing standard chords and creating dissonance that resolves
nicely when it needs to (much like Dixieland Jazz when everyone is seemingly
playing a lead at once).
This show was
made available as Road Trips v1n1. You can listen to it for free in an
ultra-clean SBD at
Jan 7 2016
Grateful Dead
3/26/87
Hartford Civic
Center
Spring tour
'87: 16 shows in the Northeast. This is the first of two in Hartford. Show
starts off with Midnight Hour: They played this 18x from '66-'71 and it didn't
resurface again until NYE '82. Only played like 44x total. I got to see this
'rare song' as an opener at MSG and Nassau in '91 and '93 respectively...but I
had to wait until almost my 60th show to see a Shakedown Street. Every show I'd
say, "this is the night I get a Shakedown." Not until 1995 Memphis
(but got Shakedown and Unbroken Chain in 1 show!!).
1987 was a
musically solid year. Jerry's voice and playing ability were hitting new peaks
after the coma. Brent was a beast since having to take more of a lead role in
'86. Also, the audience had exponentially increased due to the popularity of
Touch of Grey.
S1 has some of
my fav's: Cold Rain, Brother Esau, Push Comes to Shove, Desolation Row and Bird
Song. S2 includes the always great China>Rider and beautiful versions of
He's Gone and Black Peter. Cool Mighty Quinn encore too.
This is a
fantastic soundboard:
Jan 6 2016
Grateful Dead
4/22/69
The Ark,
Boston MA
Playing 16 out
of 30 days in April 1969 and moving across the country from CA to the midwest,
four Mass shows then back to the midwest. It was a busy month. This is their
2nd of three shows in Boston that month.
Nice rarety in
Sitting on top of the world. The Morning Dew had recently begun to get a little
slower/somber and this has the makings of a great early
version.
Jerry's jam leading to the crescendo is amazing. Nice to hear stuff like Doin'
that Rag and Schoolgirl. The Cryptical>Other One>Cryptical is typical of
the era, but very good.
Mellow set 2
Mountains followed by a jam into Dark Star (25+
minutes)>Stephen>Eleven>Lovelight (27+ minutes). Great extended
jamming in the second set.
Jan 5 2016
Grateful Dead
6/8/90
Cal Expo
Easy to Love
You
Jack-A-Roe
Cal Expo has
always been known as the Summer shows for the Dead. Played in May/June/August
there have been several amazing shows from this venue. The first of three
nights in 1990 offers solid sets. Highlights in S1 include Easy to Love You,
Queen Jane and Bird Song.
Pre-drum S2 is
where most of the talking points are. Opening with an Uncle John's Band then
right into China>Rider. The jams in both Estimated and Foolish Heart are
great - experience the interplay between Jerry and Brent...f*cking Brent!!
Jan 4 2016
Grateful Dead
5/19/74
Portland Memorial
Coliseum
Part of their
'74 mini tour of the Northwest making stops in Missoula, Vancouver, Portland
and Seattle.
Great Scarlet
Begonias and it's nice to hear the rare Money Money. However both songs are
tarnished by Donna's horrendous singing. This will be my only Donna diatribe,
as it has been done to death: She was a backup studio singer - and a very good
one backing up the likes of Elvis, Cher and Boz Scaggs. The songs she sings
solo w/ the Dead (both studio and live) are always great, soulful and with good
tone. But she can't sing backup live. It is very different than singing with
cans on and getting to do retakes. She is almost always off-key and makes many
songs on an A+ live show unlistenable.
China>Rider
to close out S1 is phenomenal, soulful Ship of Fools, great WRS, fun set 2 Big
River followed by a uniquely dark Peggy-O. Set closes with Trucking>Mind
Left Body into an upbeat Not Fade Away and GDTRFB.
Great show.
Vocals drop out somewhere in Sugaree for a couple songs, but the music makes up
for it.
Dec 23 2015
Grateful Dead
12/30/69
Boston Tea
Party
This is the
middle show of a 3-night New Year's run in Boston. The 60's were officially
coming to an end, as was the more psychedelic style of the Dead's playing.
Songs like Alligator, The Eleven and Cosmic Charlie would give way to more
bluesy/country-ish numbers that were to be included on Workingman's and
American Beauty. This was part of an era where the 'main attraction' of the
band had transitioned from Pig to Jerry.
Show starts
strong with a great Good Lovin'. Lots of jamming in this opener followed by
nice early versions of Mama Tried and New Speedway (4th time played).
The
short-lived Mason's Children appears here. The song was played about 18x from
12/19/69-2/28/70 (in other words just about every other show). We also get the
standard (yet beloved)-fare of the time: Cryptical, Cosmic, Alligator, Eleven.
Jerry is on fire for this show.
Dec 22 2015
Grateful Dead
08/03/82
Starlight
Theater, Kansas City
A S1 comprised
mainly of songs about women? Perhaps I'm reading too much into the setlist:
Minglewood, Peggy-O, El Paso, Althea, Cassidy (phenomenal version here) and
Women are Smarter (I was told early on not to label my tapes as 'Man Smart,
Women Smarter' as it was too misogynistic - never been done since).
Anyway, 1/2
Step>Franklin's kicks ass; great transition between songs. El
Paso>Cumberland could be one of my favorite song pairings. A lot of energy
in this show: Big RR Blues, Women are Smarter, Might as Well ending S1. Then to
go into Shakedown in S2 (listen to the interplay/riff trading between Brent and
Jerry). To Lay Me Down is always good to hear (and a rare mellow point in the
show). Let it Grow in 2nd set...yes! The Bobby jam right before drums is very
cool too.
Post-drums is
equally as fun with the He's Gone, Other One, Stella and Sugar. Of course the
Casey Jones encore (only played 2x in '82 and another 2x in '84 before being
put on hiatus until '92).
One of those
shows that perfectly captures the early 80's. Give this one to anyone looking
to get into the Dead
Dec 21 2015
Grateful Dead
04/07/91
Orlando Arena
- Orlando, FL
This is a
solid show from start to finish. I love the added layer of Hornsby with the
band.
They played the standard East Coast Spring
dates at the large, 2nd-tier venues like Cap Center, Knick and Nassau before
coming south to Greensboro, Atlanta and, finally, Orlando. This is 1st of 3
nights in the city that Disney built. The highlight for many - me included - is
the Sugaree and the Rubin & Cherise. By this time people were thinking that
the latter would be a standard addition to the setlist. Nope, we'll see once
more in June at Buckeye, then no more.
Mellow, yet
exploratory Crazy Fingers>Playin'>UJB pre-drums. The Box of Rain leading
out of drums is a crowd fav. I love this song on American Beauty, but don't
like it live. Luckily, we get a very upbeat GDTRFB into Lovelight. Not a
lengthy post-drum set, but a good one.
Dec 19 2015
Grateful Dead
12/19/73
Curtis Hixon
Convention Center
Fall/Winter of
73 was a busy time for the Dead. After doing a mid-Atlantic run in September,
the boys took 3 weeks off and start touring again beginning in Oklahoma City on
10/19 and ending in Tampa two months later.
The is the
second(last) night in Tampa. And there is a lot of debate on which is the
better of the two. 1st night had the China>Rider s1 ender with a s2 Weather
Report Suite>Dark Star>Eyes>Wharf Rat which is phenomenal.
Tonight's show
contain an extended Here Comes Sunshine that could be in any topX list. Other
s1 notables include Dire Wolf, Big RR Blues and the Ramble on Rose>Playing
closer.
S2 is a jam
fest including another WR Suite (rare that is played in back-to-back nights)
into He's Gone>Truckin'>Nobody's Fault (fav of mine)>Other One with a
LOT of exploration, into a beautiful Stella.
Dec 10 2015
Grateful Dead
6/24/84
Saratoga
Performing Arts Center
A ton of
energy from everyone for this one. The previous night in Harrisburg was known
for great weather but a mediocre show. This was its antithesis: rain, rain,
rain but a fantastic outing. The SPAC is a great place to see a show!
This stat took
me a long fucking time to compile: Playin' and China Doll have been done in the
same show 70 times. The segue from one into the other started in Cleveland
(3/2/81). This combo was played 33x (most had Playin>China - a few times
reversed). It's a smooth transition as the opening/closing chord is a D. In
'73-'74 the transition was mainly Eyes>china Doll, which happened at just
about every show the two songs appeared together (minimum 18x).
Dancin' in the
Streets opener into Dire Wolf. The former hadn't been played since '81. Jerry's
voice is a bit beat up, but he compensates well with the guitar. A groovy
Minglewood shows Bobby forgetting where he is by, "these 'wherever we are'
fillies" line. Funny.
S2 opens with
Miracle>Bertha...no rest. Crowd loves the 'rainstorm' line in the latter.
This is a
super crisp SBD that really highlights Phil's bass.
Dec 9 2015
Grateful Dead
03/24/86
The Spectrum
For the most
part, the Dead always played well at the Spectrum. Probably scared of the fans.
If Santa and kid with cancer aren't safe from Philly fans, no need to think the
GD would be.
A few of
oddities here: Box of Rain just got reintroduced 4 days earlier in Hampton
(July '73 before that), so its a great way to end S1 - the crowd loses their
mind. I love Phil: great personality, wrote a bunch of great songs, great
book...but can't sing for shit. Lost Sailor, to use a line from the Godfather,
"you won't hear from him no more"...last time ever played. The 3rd
item of interest is the one-song, post-space Morning Dew. But what an amazing
version it is!!
Well played
show from a year that isn't seen as a fav. Always like the Alabama>Greatest
Story opener, Rooster (Brent shines here...have I mentioned I love Brent?), of
course the Box of Rain closer.
The bread of
the S2 sandwich (1/2 Step & Dew) would be good enough for me. This is one
of the better AUD copies out there:
Dec 8 2015
Grateful Dead
9/7/85
Red Rocks
One of those
shows that gets extreme reviews: 'best show EVER', or 'show sucked'. I think a
lot of it has to do with expectations: people see Frozen Logger and say,
"they haven't played this since Berkeley '72", thinking they're
getting a super-rare gem. Really, its just filler waiting for everyone to get
on stage before they start with 1/2 Step.
Esau could be
a TopX version, Dupree's is great to hear and Loser has a nice, angry touch to
it.
I may be
over-generalizing here, but a Shakedown set opener could be the greatest thing
to ever happen - ever. This one doesn't disappoint. Followed by Crazy Fingers,
we get two contrasting Jerry songs.
The Mr.
Fantasy>Hey Jude seems like a serendipitous accident. First time ever (and
wouldn't come into regular rotation until March 88). They did a couple solo
versions of Hey Jude in '69 which are forgettable. Add Brent, and you get the
late 80's/early 90's pairing that made this pairing a show treat.
I love Comes a
Time. I wouldn't call it rare, as it was played a ton in 85/86. Nice to hear.
Dec 4 2015
Grateful Dead
03/30/94
The Omni,
Atlanta
Following a
string of miserable weather in the Northeast, the Dead arrived in Atlanta to
near perfect conditions. This was apparent in their opener, Here Comes
Sunshine. The musicianship in this show is great, but the part that amazed me
was their new sound system. Not being a technical person I can only say that
their electric setup sounds acoustic. It's really cool.
Highlights in
S1 are Same Thing and New Speedway. The former has an echo-y/haunting quality
that makes this version a fav of mine. You gotta throw Promised Land in for the
Atlanta reference.
s2
Scarlet>Fire>Playing>Dark Star. Mmmm...dream come true for most.
Here's the kicker, it is that LAST Dark Star they ever played. Ever.
Stella is
beautifully done. Liberty could be my favorite new song.
The following
afternoon I woke up in my hotel 20 miles outside of Atlanta...not knowing how I
got there. Decided to check out the Wharf Rats during setbreak on the 31st.
Unfortunately, it took another 16 years to stick. Better late than never.
Dec 3 2015
Grateful Dead
06/30/74
Springfield
Civic Center
This is a
great source for this show. Nice SBD (the first minute of Don't Ease is a
little uneven, but it smoothes out). Tremendous BT Wind and Jack Straw (the
Europe 72 version I really like).
The
playing>Uncle John's>playing is amazing. Great segue into UJB:
transitions from jazz to Phil bombs back to more mellifluous phrasing.
China>Rider
into a S2 Big River (unheard of in later years) and a solo Scarlet (another
rarity).
Truckin'>Eyes>Stella>NFA>GDTRFB
is a very rare (if only-ever) grouping of those songs.
Shouldn't be
too long before this one is released commercially.
Dec 1 2015
Grateful Dead
02/14/68
Carousel
Ballroom, San Francisco
When the
Morning Dew isn't one of the highlights of the show, you know it is amazing.
Welcome to the era of the psychedelic dead. The Dew opener (or not opener
depending on what authority you are looking at) is weak - not a fan of the
1960's Dews. However, School Girl and Lovelight are amazing especially for the
blues lovers out there.
The rest of
the show is just a psychedelia-driven powerhouse: Dark Star>China
Cat>Eleven dominates set 1.
S2 is a “best
of the 60's sound”. Other One>New Potato>Cross-eyed>Spanish
jam>Alligator>Caution. While it might have been fairly typical at the
time, this was one of those defining sets that people look back 50 years later
and say, 'remember when.'
Much to the
dismay of many traders, this show was released as a Road Trips and the SBD's
are no longer downloadable. Oh well. Stream this one and enjoy.
Nov 25 2015
Grateful Dead
12/15/86
Oakland
Coliseum
This was
Jerry's return show after being in a diabetic coma. They open with a fitting
Touch of Grey where you can really hear the crowd through the SBD during the
"I will survive" line. Very Nice. Candyman also gets a huge ovation
from the crowd ("won't you tell every body you meet, that the candyman's
in town").
Two 'first
time played': "Black Muddy River" which will later become an encore
staple, and "When Push Comes to Shove", which had a great run until
its last play in Alpine Valley '89.
While Jerry is
great througout, the Bobby/Brent combo are the shining parts of this show. Both
have brought something extra. Great versions of Let it Grow, Cassidy and Esau
in S1.
S2 get crowd
into it with Iko. Later we get a Playin' with some very nice phrasing by Garcia
into Terrapin.
Jerry was
nearly dead and lost all muscle memory (i.e. not being able to play guitar)
during the sickness. Merl Saunders had to come and sit with him for hours each
day going over basic chord fingerings and chord changes; the way a new guitar
student would learn. You can find more about that in
Greenfield, R.
1996. Dark Star: an oral biography of Jerry Garcia. New York: W. Morrow.
(correct APA citation style!)
Nov 24 2015
Grateful Dead
6/12/92
Knickerbocker
Arena Albany
I love this
place! Only saw the Dead here once, but got to see Phish in Albany a bunch.
Great sound. Anyway '92 summer they played Albany, Richfield and Charlotte
indoors, surrounded by the typical outdoor monsters (RFK,
Giants,
Soldier Field etc).
Save for the
China Doll late in S2, every song is fast-paced and energetic. Always love the
Jack Straw/Sugaree combo to open a show. Nice job by Bobby with the BT Wind.
The New Speedway really gets the crowd going and doesn't let up with a Promised
closer.
S2 opens with
nearly 25 minutes of Scarlet>Fire; a pre drum Truckin'>Smokestack
Lightning is always a fav combo of mine.
The AUD's
(audience copies) were typically the shows that distributed in the trading
community for these later era shows, but those were usually DATs (digital audio
tape) and sounded fucking amazing. This link a very clean SBD (soundboard) that
rivals any CD you'd pay for. I'll save the diatribe about not being able to
download SBDs anymore, as it has been repeated ad nauseum.
The encore is
Attics. Considering it was only played 3x in '92, consider yourself lucky to
witness it.
Nov 23 2015
Grateful Dead
10/17/83
Lake Placid NY
The Olympic
Center, notable for quite possibly the greatest moment in US sports history:
Defeating the Soviet Union ice hockey team. This HQ SBD starts with a Sugaree
opener, and a great one at that. 15+ minutes of extended Jerry breaks make this
the highlight of the show IMO. That said, there are a lot of other great spots.
The dual S1 closer of Bucket (only introduced in May of '83, so still newish)
and a kick-ass Deal.
S2 rocks with
the Touch>Samson opener. Touch of Grey hadn't become a radio hit yet, just
being first played in Sept '82, and the Darkies hadn't hit the scene yet (the
derogatory term describing most people of my generation that started seeing the
Dead after 'In the Dark' came out).
I
digress...this is followed by a fav Jerry ballad, To Lay Me Down, which
wouldn't be played again for nearly 5 years. Terrapin leads into D/S and
post-drums is all high energy: Wheel>Miracle>GDTRFB and Good Lovin'.
They've played better versions of Revolution, but if that was the worst thing
to happen, this goes down as one of the '83 greats.
Nov 20 2015
Grateful Dead
11-20-78
Cleveland
Music Hall
This is too
unique a show to pass up, so it's 'today in GD history.'
The 1/2
Step>Franklin's is a favorite combo for me (like the Cape Cod show, perfect
way to start). Passenger, Peggy-O are nice contrasts and the latter could be a
topX performance. LL>Supplication might just be my favorite Bobby songs.
Set 2 is just
one of those famous 'holy shit' sets. It starts off with a jam - not just a few
chord changes while one of the band members tune up - but a full blown 15
minute jam/drums. This goes into Jack-a-row then Playin>Shakedown>If I
had the World to Give>Playin'. Whew.
Don't let the
sound levels in 1/2 Step turn you away, they get corrected.
Nov 18 2015
Grateful Dead
05/06/89
Frost
Amphitheater, Stanford University
This is one of
those tapes that I'd always give to newcomers as the great sound quality made
this a trader staple. This epitomizes the sound/style of the Dead in the late
80's. Show is high energy and S1 includes Jack Straw, Peggy-O, Race is on and
West LA, but not before closing with China>Rider. Great way to end a set.
S2 opens with
a couple of covers that the Dead perfected over the years. Sam Cooke's Let the
Good Times Roll and the Meters' Hey Pocky Way. Keeping the energy up they go
into a Samson, ease off with Ship of Fools and then go into fav's
Playing>Eyes.
Brent brings
them out of drum with I Will Take You Home followed by 5 more tunes and an
encore. Good mix of newer tunes, classics, jamming and song placement. Just a
solid show to get any beginner into the bands liver performances.
Nov 17 2015
Grateful Dead
3/31/84
Marin County
Veterans Auditorium
At first
glance this appears to be a typical mid-80's show.
Show opens
with an Alabama into a real funky Stranger. Bobby's phasor and Brent solid
rhythm work lay the groundwork for Jerry's solo's. Haven't heard this show in a
long time, so this was cool to hear. We get a lot of that same thing in the
Althea later in the set.
Dupree's makes
a showing which is nice. Factoid: They played it ~17 times in '69 and it didn't
return to the lineup until Oct '77. From 82-88 it became one of those 'rare
regulars' that you'd hear every so often, but not often enough.
Set 2 starts
with a Scarlet>Fire...bring the aforementioned effects into this sequence
and you get some cool shit. Never a big fan of drums>space, but tonight we
get an unusual Space>Blues for Allah jam. The whole show is pretty musically
trippy.
Enjoy
Nov 16 2015
Grateful Dead
5/26/73
Kezar Stadium
This is one of
those unbelievable shows from an unbelievable year: 1973. The sound guys
started to perfect the Wall of Sound and this show is a prime example of their
insistence on perfecting that monster.
This 3-set
beast has a lot of standouts starting with an early set Deal into Jack Straw.
This Playin' is close to perfect, as is the middle-extended HC Sunshine. A
China>Rider in the middle of the show! The highlight is the
Truckin'>Other One>Eyes>China Doll sequence towards the end of the 3rd
set.
A few weeks
ago I found a crystal clear SBD of this and have been playing it constantly. A
lot of great moments in this one.
Nov 12 2015
Grateful Dead
1/30/70
The Warehouse,
New Orleans
Busted down on
Bourbon Street...
This show is
from the night that we all know from the Truckin' lyrics. After playing at the
Warehouse, the Dead returned to their hotel to be greeted by the police, who
had already searched of their rooms. 19 people were arrested on drug charges
and held for 8 hours. Bail come to $37.5K (that's ~$227K today - based on
simple CPI adjustment).
Anyway, This
show is notable for being Tom Constanten's last one with the Dead (having come
on as a member in '68). Tom who? Exactly.
These
Warehouse shows weren't circulated all that much, and the one's that did were
of mediocre quality. This is a pretty good version (and the only one that's
available.).
Highlights
include the Cumberland, High Time and Easy Wind. The latter I didn't have on
too many recordings, so nice to hear. The Other One>Cryptical comes to ~ 18
minutes and really showcases Jerry's fierce playing.
Nov 11 2015
Grateful Dead
10-18-78
Winterland
This is the
second of a tremendous five-night run at Winterland in the Fall of '78. Known
as the 'From Eqypt with Love' series, this was their first run of shows in the
States since playing Egypt in September. The run has a bunch of highlights,
such as Hamza El Din's solo prior to the band coming on stage during nights
4&5 and the second of only three performances of 'If I had the world to
give' on night 1.
This Wednesday
night show is solid throughout. Starting with Sugaree that really kicks in
during the first guitar break. The cowboy medley is played with precision and
the Music closer really shines during Jerry's crescendos.
S2 is as solid
as S1 (even a lyric blunder makes for an interesting Terrapin). Coming out of
drums we get a nice Mojo Jam/Mind Left Body Jam that segues into an amazing Wharf
Rat. (they did the Mojo jam again and a full 'I've got my Mojo Workin' on
Sunday and Saturday respectively).
Great show
from a legendary run. You'll like this.
Nov 9 2015
Grateful Dead
2/18/71
Capitol
Theater, Port Chester NY
I'll admit
that this isn't my favorite era in GD history (Pigpen's decline had really
kicked in and Keith wouldn't be onboard until 10/19/71) but a few shows stand
out. This Port Chester show is one that just about every trader had in their
collection (albeit in crappy condition until technology enabled the sound flaws
to be fixed).
This is akin
to the 2/9/73 Roscoe Maples show where A LOT of classic songs were played for
the 1st time (Greatest Story Ever Told, Bertha, Loser, Wharf Rat and Playin' in
the Band). The Wharf Rat is sandwiched between Dark Stars which makes this a
particularly cool/unique sequence.
If you a fan
of the earlier stuff, you'll love this show.
Nov 6 2015
Grateful Dead
9/21/82
Madison Square
Garden
This is a
pretty cool show with the Playin'>Crazy Fingers opener (usually a Set 2
combo). The segue into Me & My Uncle is nice too (seems I've run out of
adjectives today). Great West LA and a China>Rider closer (lots of 'out of
place' songs here).
Second set has
a High Time, Estimated>He's Gone pre-drum and post-drums offers up a Throwin
Stones>NFA>Black Peter>Good Lovin'.
Just a cool
show.
Lisa:
"I've lost my perspicacity!"
Homer
"It's always in the last place you look"
Nov 5 2015
Grateful Dead
08/13/75
Great American
Music Hall
Going back to
yesteday's Eyes opener from 6/17/91: When was the last time they played EOTW in
the 1st set? Here's your answer. The Great American Music Hall. This was the
very first "From the Vault" release. I was so excited to get this on
CD. Played the hell out of it.
It is only the
2nd time they played Help>Slip>Franklins (June'75 being #1).
I believe this
was the Blues for Allah release show, so the crowd was introduced to those
songs. We also get a lot of 'older stuff' like Sugaree, Other One and GDTRFB.
check out the Crazy Fingers - nice rendition.
The track for
Eyes is mislabeled. It actually starts midway through the 'Roses track.
This is a
favorite for a lot of traders, so take a listen.
Nov 4 2015
Grateful Dead
6/17/91
Giants Stadium
Just a crappy,
rainy Monday night in the cesspool known as the Meadowlands. This show more
than makes up for the miserable weather conditions. We get a VERY rare Eyes
opener. When was the last time they even played Eyes in the 1st set?...it's
been a while (I'll have that show tomorrow).
The first set
shows the magic that Hornsby brought with him. Dark Star teases throughout,
some great versions of Brown-Eyed Women and Masterpiece. The set ends with a high
energy Might as Well.
Saint opens
S2, always loved this song. We also get a Truckin'>Speedway>Dark Star Jam
before drums. Post-drum China Doll into uptempo Playin' Reprise and Sugar Mag.
Nov 3 2015
Grateful Dead
6/17/76
Capitol
Theater, Passaic NJ
This was the
1st of 3 nights in beautiful Passaic NJ. The Dead gave some great performances
in this sh*thole of a town (that's just the central Jersey bias in me coming
out). 10 in all. Not sure why this one wasn't as popular as some the the '77 or
'80 shows: switching instruments on April Fools, bringing out John Belushi,
playing Mission in the Rain and Cosmic Charlie...OK maybe I can see why this is
overlooked.
Solid show,
clean SBD recording. A lot of fav's in this one. The seconds set is almost a
'best of'. Help>Slip>Franklins>Dancin', Samson>Ship of
Fools>Lazy Lightning>Supplication etc etc.
Listen to this
gem. Solid from beginning to end.
Oct 30 2015
Grateful Dead
10/30/73
Kiel
Auditorium, St Louis
Yet another,
"on this day" show which, IMO, epitomizes the '73 era. A lot of jazz
infused jams which are beautifully executed by all members.
S1 starts with
an extended HC Sunshine, done in true Wake of the Flood fashion. Great versions
of Ramble on Rose, Mexicali and TLEO follow. The set ends with an amazing
China>Rider>Playin' which goes over the 30 minute mark.
S2 starts with
a good 1/2 Step followed by a great Big River. The best is yet to come as we
get a Dark Star w/ hints of Mind Left Body jam thrown in. This segues into a
Stella>Eyes followed by a full WRS. Great Mischief Night show
Oct 29 2015
Grateful Dead
6/14/76
Beacon
Theater, NYC
I rarely saw
Beacon shows on traders' lists...hmm? This is classic '76 Dead: extended jams,
mellow yet frenzied jams, Jerry and Keith pairing nicely plus a great SBD
recording.
Beacon Theater
is an iconic place: Upper West Side, beautiful venue. Most know it for the
Allmans playin every March. Bands however, were not so enthusiastic about it
because the unions (from lighting to t-shirt sales) are overwhelming with their
demands.
Highlights
include the 18+ min playing, the beautifully done Crazy Fingers (even props to
Donna for her vocals!), a Dancin'>Cosmic Charlie and a relatively NEW
Help>Slip>Franklin's (this was only the 6th time played). Even staples
like Big River and Mama Tried offer some lagniappe to the listener.
Oct 28 2015
Grateful Dead
10/27/79
Cape Cod
Coliseum
I reviewed the
2nd night of this run last month - listen to it if you haven't already - it's
worth it.
Tonight's show
contains some frenetic playing in S1; well executed runs by Garcia and
remarkable keys from Brent. Set it capped off with the Lost
Sailor>Saint>Deal combo.
S2 opens with
Dancin'>Franklins. The segue between the two is amazing and amounts to ~30m
of brilliance. The Dancin'>Franklins (sometimes reversed) was played 4x in
'76, 3x in '79 and a few others sporadically. Last time was at the Meadowlands
4/6/87 (useless GD fact of the day).
This is
followed by a He's Gone>(a blistering) Caution Jam>Other One before going
into drums. The show is wonderfully captured with a great SBD (soundboard)
recording
Oct 26 2015
Grateful Dead
12/13/90
McNichols
Sports Arena
This was one
of those shows that just about every collector had with an A rating. Some SBD's
and crisp AUD's made the rounds and everyone jumped on them.
It's a
well-executed show all around. First set appears standard, but contains an
awesome Sugaree and a nice Ramble on Rose. The highlight for me is Hornsby's
Valley Road to close the set. A lot of energy here.
S2 opens with
Help>Slip>Franklins...always a fan favorite. Nicely played Eyes; post
drum Other One followed by an amazing Dew. The crowd is in a frenzy when the
crescendo in the solo comes. US Blues encore closes this fantastic night.
Oct 22 2015
Grateful Dead
9/26/91
Boston Garden
As a Yankees
fan, I dislike everything about Boston...Everything. However, there is no
denying that the Dead played some amazing shows in the area. Knowing I'd get
ripped to shreds for even suggesting that this show contends with the 70's
Boston Music Hall stuff, I'll qualify the statement as, "In MY opinion,
this contends with anything played in '71 or,78 at BMH" Flame on bitches.
S1 gives us a
Jack Straw>Cold Rain (either a stong opener) and a Mexicali>Cumberland.
Closes w/ a nice Box of Rain (never a fan of this song live. Definitely a
'better on the album' tune)
S2 Dark Star
opener (reminiscent of 10/16/89 Meadowlands), Eyes, Other One>Dark Star,
Attics. Plus the double encore of Brokedown, We Bid You Goodnight.
Bruce Hornsby
is the player of the night. Great show to finish a massive Northeast Fall tour.
Oct 21 2015
Grateful Dead
5/31/92
Sam Boyd
Silver Bowl, Las Vegas
...a spoonful
of water, saved from the desert sand
It's tough to
pick top show from this Vegas run: all 3 have their highlights. But this one
stands out for several reasons. 1) It's rare to get a
Help>Slip>Franklin's AND a Scarlet>Fire as your respective set
openers. 2) So Many Roads, only introduced in Feb of that year, was gaining
traction as one of those amazing Jerry tunes. 3) Set 2 - either side of drums -
A LOT of music, including an Attics and a Morning Dew. Lastly, the encore of
Baba O'Reilly>TMK. They only busted this out at Cal Expo 12 days earlier.
I also
remember this being one of the first shows I had to buy a 100m tape for -
annoying, but in a good way.
Oct 19 2015
Grateful Dead
9/19/90
Madison Square
Garden
Wednesday
night in NYC. This was the 5th show of 6 they played at the Garden in Fall '90.
We saw Hornsby join the band the previous Saturday prompting the band to step
up their performances.
S1 starts with
an energetic Jack Straw into an equally energized Bertha. A couple of cowboy
tunes keep things upbeat before Jerry mellows the crowd out with a Roses. The
crowd expects a typical closer after 6 songs, then we hear the familiar F-minor
vampings that everyone in attendance knows as the intro to Help>Slip>Franklin's.
F*cking awesome.
S2 is
highlighted by a rare S2 Let it Grow. The 10min Jerry/Bruce jam that precedes
drums is beautifully done. Post-drum GDTRFB keeps the electricity going and the
Mighty Quinn encore rounds out a great experience.
Phenomenal
show. Luckily, most of the boots from the MSG 90 run are of exceptional
quality, capturing 6 days of really creative playing.
Oct 15 2015
Grateful Dead
12/30/89
Oakland
Coliseum Arena
It was pretty
well-known that the New Years' show was never the best of the run. True, '89
NYE gave us a Dark Star, Bonnie Raite as a guest and a S1 Shakedown closer
(whaaaaat?!?!). This NYE-eve show's second set has to be ackowledged.
Nice Bertha>Good
Lovin' opener into a Sugaree. Always a fan of West LA and MNS. Great way to end
the set. Best is still yet to come..
The Jack Straw
S2 opener - love it (saw that 6/16/91 - something about odd song placement that
gets me excited). Followed by a rockin' China>Rider. Estimated>Terrapin
gives us nearly 29min of pre-drum bliss.
Post drum Take
You Home (big fan of this) into a spacey Other One. Great stuff!
Oct 14 2015
Grateful Dead
5/26/93
Cal Expo
This is for
all the heads who think nothing good came after Pigpen, or after Keith, or
after [insert ridiculously early date here]. Nothing makes you sound more like
a douche than a statement like, "Dude, I can't listen to anything after
'73." Really? GFY!
But, I
digress...
This could be
a top 5 Playin' in the Band. Not a top 93, or 90's Playing', but top 5 EVER. Do
yourself a favor and listen to this monster. This isn't a 20 minute meandering.
This is a purposeful, musical exploration with a vengence. They were all on for
this.
The Crazy
Fingers leading into it provides a nice segue and the Corrina on the other side
of drums is nicely done. Aside from Way to go Home, I thought all of their
'new' 90's stuff was great and looked forward to them playing it.
You also get
the Samson>HC Sunshine opener which is very cool.
Oct 13 2015
Grateful Dead
6/30/84
Indianapolis
Sports & Music Center
1984 was a
pretty sh*tty year for music - as the Euro-pop Duran Duran nonsense was
flooding the airwaves. It is also the year that doesn't get a lot of accolades
from the GD community. There are a lot of fantastic shows that get overlooked
because of Jer's weak voice during this time. But the playing is strong as
ever.
Here's a show
that just kills from start to finish: from the Jack Straw, Dire Wolf opener to
the Saturday Night closer, this has a lot of highlights. S1 we get an always
welcomed Dupree's, Esau and the LSD combo closer.
S2
Shakedown>Playin>Terrapin would be worth the price of admission alone. We
also get a post-drums Playin' Reprise>Spoonful (a fav of mine) into a nice
Stella. Then comes the GDTRFB>Sat Night that really heats things up.
Oct 9 2015
Grateful Dead
10/15/76
Shrine
Auditorium
Exciting
discovery here...
Finding the
'best' version of Sugaree is a myth, that I'll never see come to fruition in my
lifetime. However, this one could at least be a topX contender. Mellow fluidity
coupled with a fierce climax make this a winner. Kudos to Keith and Jerry.
The S2 Eyes>Music
is a combo that works beautifully. Cool fact is that this is the ONLY time this
sequence was ever played (EOTW ~380x and TMNS ~230x). Both have wonderful
execution and flow.
From 4/8/78
through 3/19/90, Eyes of the World found its place leading into drums before
getting a shift in the song order.
Franklin's
>Sugar Mag to close the show ends a night of f*cking brilliance...no encore
needed. (Another rare coupling: Only played 4x - never after '78).
Oct 7 2015
Grateful Dead
6/21/80
West High
Auditorium, Anchorage AK
This was
another of those ubiquitous shows - a 3-night run in Anchorage during the
Summer Solstice. Show opens with a blistering Sugaree, both Jerry and Brent are
on fire for this. The Minglewood maintains the energy and the Candyman gives
everyone a few minutes to relax. The set ends with a great Stranger (which
really works as the closer).
S2 opens with
an equal amount of energy with Big RR Blues and Samson, followed by more than
26 minutes of Terrapin>Playin'.
This is a
great show. Some argue it was too 'typical' for the era, but great regardless.
It was also one of the first tapes I got with an A rating, so I wore it out
quickly.
Oct 6 2015
Grateful Dead
7/14/90
Foxboro
Stadium
One of those
show that I had the opportunity to go, but said, 'eh ,I'm seeing them in
Buffalo in 2 days..." I've made many stupid choices in life, this was one
of them.
Great early
90's show from the S1 Shakedown opener/Sat Night closer, the S2 Eyes opener
through the upbeat post-drum selection. This is topped off with the Bid You
Goodnight encore. The entire show is a lot of fun to listen to and widely
available, as just about every trader had this in their collection.
Oct 5 2015
Grateful Dead
12/5/71
Felt Forum,
NYC
The second of
a 4-show run at the Felt Forum; this one was aired in WNEW. The setlist is a monster
with 31 songs...Some highlights include the only playing of Muddy Water, the
Dark Star Jam>Me & My Uncle>Dark Star Jam and an early version of
Sugaree. Sitting on Top of the World was only to be played another 5 times
after this.
There are some
great Pigpen classics on here, including Mr Charlie, Next Time You See Me and
Hurts Me Too. Show closes with the upbeat GDTRFB>NFA, not a bad way to spend
the night in NYC.
Sept 30 2015
Grateful Dead
Roanoke Civic
Center
7/8/87
Summer '87 is
notable for the Dylan & The Dead shows (6 of them). But sandwiched in
between those were 3 shows in Pittsburgh and Roanoke sans Dylan.
This looks
like a typical late 80's show, but it has several highlights. Although Hell in
a Bucket had been played nearly 100x, In The Dark was released a couple of days
prior and the band was in full force for this radio-friendly opener. Dupree's
was nearing the end of its regular run, so it's certainly welcomed (lyrical
flubs and all). Brent does Good Times, as only he knows how..grit and balls.
The Let it Grow closer highlights a solid 1st set.
S2 contains
many notable moments; my favorite is the Crazy Fingers out of space. I love
this placement. And just when you thought that was the post-drum 'ballad' they
segue from Truckin'>Comes a Time.
Not bad for
show most wouldn't give a second look
Sept 29 2015
Grateful Dead
8/10/82
University of
Iowa
"Is this
heaven?...It's Iowa"
This is one of those "who gives a
shit" on paper shows. But, this was a de facto 'must have' for just about
every collector given the proliferation of available SBD's . The sound quality
is amazing, the songs are performed with (A LOT of) energy and precision.
Starting with the Stranger opener through the Bertha s1 closer, the set is
electric.
S2
China>Rider, Sailor>Saint, Eyes and a post-drum Iko. Great transitions
with an early 80's upbeat tempo throughout. Not able to end on a ballad, they
double-encore with Baby Blue>JB Goode.
Sept 28 2015
Grateful Dead
8/4/71
Terminal
Island Correctional Facility, San Pedro CA
This is one of
those extremely rare shows that you never hear about. The Dead playing in
prison. The quality is amazing and a great early song selection, to boot. Phil
is on fire throughout. Definitely worth a listen, you'll be happy you did.
One of the
most memorable lines was from Rich Bogart at the 7/12/90 RFK show during
Bertha: "Deadheads always get excited whenever they sing a line about
jail." I still laugh when I think about that.
Sept 25 2015
Grateful Dead
7/7/69
Piedmont Park,
Atlanta GA
Atlanta has
been home to many Dead shows at the Fox Theater and The Omni. The 6/20/74 Omni
show is legendary.
However, this
free show in Piedmont Park in '69 deserves some attention. It starts with a
Morning Dew (not uncommon at the time). Casey Jones is new - played only 6 or 7
times - and you can hear them still tinkering with the arrangement. As usual
the Dark Star>St. Stephen>Eleven is amazing (though, not for the
faint-of-heart). The Lovelight closer (x>36min worth) shows why so many
people loved Pigpen. The bonus is Gregg and Duane Allman joining in on the
Lovelight jam!
Sept 24 2015
Grateful Dead
10/31/85
University of
South Carolina
Get your
gamecocks out...the boys played the southeast in Fall '85 before moving up to
the mid-Atlantic/New England area in November.
Solid show
end-to-end. We get a Space jam intro before they bust out Zevon's Werewolves of
London. Music Never Stopped follows (always like the early set MNS). Great West
LA and a powerful LL Rain (an unusual set highlight).
The 2nd set,
although short, is fierce. A massive Shakedown>Playin get things going
before mellowing out with a Ship of Fools into a trippy pre-drums jam (it was
Halloween after all). Post-drums is blistering with a Dear Mr Fantasy>NFA,
US Blues Encore.
Sept 23 2015
Grateful Dead
12/19/78
State
Fairgrounds Jackson MS
Farewell to
you old southern skies...
The only time
they played in Mississippi. Dec '78, showing the South some love, they played 8
shows, hitting places like Jackson, B'ham, Atlanta and Nashville.
Open with a
Miss 1/2 Step>Franklins Call it obligatory, but its such a great tune to
open with (unfortunately, all decent versions have the first verse cut). Great Minglewood and the LL>Supplication
duo, highlight the first set. Really not a low point in it.
S2 starts with
a 22m Scarlet>Fire going into Promised Land then Stagger Lee (who saw that coming?).
The jam into the Other One is why they were the best at what they did! This
show is def an ass kicker.
Useless Info:
The Help>Slip>Franklins trio became a
staple. But, they played Franklins solo 113 times (once at my first show). They took a break w/ the
Help>Slip>Franklins for a while, bringing it back at Hampton 1989.
In Atlanta 6/20/74 - They played (premiered)
Slipknot with no Help or Franklins
There are two instances of Help>Slip sans
Franklins. The first was 12/31/76 Cow Palace: Help>Slip>NFA. The second
9/20/91 Boston Garden: Help>Slip>Fire...Whaaaaat!!! The latter was in
just about every taper's collection.
My stats are
not scientific, so if there are errors, well, go **** yourself.
Sept 22 2015
Grateful Dead
4/28/80
Birmingham AL
Sweet Home...
The Dead only
played in Alabama a handful of times. The one from Tuscaloosa in 1977 is a
heavily circulated show and really overshadows this 80's Birmingham appearance.
Boutwell is a smaller arena holding about 6,000; a great place for a Dead show.
You won't see this one on any 'best of' lists, but it is fun nonetheless.
S1 opens with
Alabama Getway>Promised Land. There is a lot of excitement in the playing
and the crowd loves the Alabama ref's in both. The entire show rocks (for lack
of a better term). We get a China>Rider in S2 with a pre-drum He's
Gone>Other One. Black Peter segues out of space into a powerful Sugar Mag.
This is topped off with a GDTRFB encore. Encore!!!
Sept 21 2015
Grateful Dead
04/01/88
Meadowlands
Arena
This was the
final night of a 3-show run at the Meadowlands. Whether it was MSG, Nassau or
the Meadowlands, The Dead always brought their best to the NY area. The second
set song selection is typical of the era, but played exceptionally well.
China>Rider, Estimated>Eyes is 35 minutes of high-energy jamming.
The highlight
for me is set 1: 1/2 Step, Jack Straw, To Lay Me Down, Ballad of a Thin Man,
Push comes to Shove, Cumberland, Deal. The Minglewood (although not my fav
song) is upbeat and doesn't disappoint.
The tape I had
for set 1 was always one of my go-to's - love it!
Sept 18 2015
Grateful Dead
2/4/79
Dane County
Coliseum
The Dead were
getting fed up with Keith & Donna's antics, and the former's inability to
play with the viruosity he did in the earlier part of the decade. In her
defense, Donna does a wonderful job of set 2's From the Heart of Me. This was
their last tour (last show was 13 days later).
The great
thing that came out of all that was Jerry's need to fill in the lack of keys.
This provides for great versions of Shakedown (which, IMO, didn't become the
groove juggernaut until Brent arrived), Black Peter, Playin' and Terrapin.
Not to be
missed is the Iko coming out of drums. I love this mellow version - more funk
than what we see develop in the 80's.
S1:
Sept 16 2015
Grateful Dead
2/21/95
Delta Center,
Salt Lake City
Say what you
want about '95 shows...a lot of it is true. However, this is an exception that
needs to be recognized.
They open with
Bobby's Salt Lake City, very cool upbeat number.
This is all
about Set 2!!
Foolish
Heart>Samba>Trucking>I Just Wanna Make Love to You>That Would be
Something.
The highlight
being Visions of Johanna. THIS COULD BE THE SADDEST/GREATEST VERSION OF
ANYTHING JERRY HAS DONE (yes. That even includes JGB's Shining Star from
Halloween '92).
Show is capped
off with a Liberty encore. Jerry pumped out some great songs in the 90's and
this one of them.
Sept 15 2015
Grateful Dead
6/23/74
Jai-Alai
Fronton - Miami, FL
Every
collector I traded with had this show on their list, and for good reason. This
thing rips (in a cool, mellow way) from start to finish. Only Let It Rock ever!
1/2 Step,
Cumberland and a beautiful TLMD. Set 2 opens with a jam into Ship of Fools -
unusual placement, but it works. Great Dark Star>Spanish Jam>US Blues.
Don't forget the WRS/Let it Grow trio towards end of s1.
Sept 14 2015
Grateful Dead
9/11/83
Santa Fe Downs
This was only
the 3rd Wang Dang Doodle, so they were still playing around with it in the
rotation - the week before this they tried it as an opener. Very cool. It didn't
fall into that 'regular' song category until Fall'89/Spring '90. Brent is on
fire all night. Great versions of West LA and Dire Wolf.
S2:
Help>Slip>Franklin's>Let it Grow...holy shit. I saw the MSG S2 Let it
Grow in '90 and thought it was unique - guess not. The post-drum WDD into Dew
is pretty cool too.
Sept 13 2015
Grateful Dead
06/08/77
Winterland
I used to
listen to the Grateful Dead Hour on WNEW (NY) every Monday at midnight. I heard
an Eyes that blew me away, yet I could never find what show it was from. The
intro passages were simple yet brilliantly executed. (mostly an E Major scale
played over an Emaj7). This is when I realized how Jerry could take something
so basic and make it sound so beautiful.
S1:
Sugaree Def a
contender for a TopX verion; the crescendo's and climaxes are wonderful, but
it's what Jerry & Keith do in between that blows me away
Jack-A-Roe
(nice. slow & rhythmic)
S2:
High energy
start that leads into an Estimated>Eyes and post-drum Other One>Wharf
Rat>NFA>GDTRFB
I could write
several paragraphs about the S2 songs, but it's best just to listen:
Sept 11 2015
Grateful Dead
11/11/73
Winterland
Arena
The last date
of a 3-night run at Winterland in November.
All of Bobby's
songs hit their mark; emotional vocals combined with great backing by Jer and
Keith.
To Lay Me Down
- Beautiful, both for Donna's backing vocals (this is why she was brought in)
and Jerry's guitar phrasing.
Dark
Star>Mind Left Body Jam Could be the best out there. This one is cohesive,
jazz-infused and (I hate to sound all douchey) mellifluous throughout the 35+
minutes of it!!!
Eyes>China
Doll - mmmmm, the former is just played so well.
Rocking Sugar
Mag (which I never see as a highligh for any show) and triple-encore with a Bid
You Goodnight to close it.
Perfect? No.
But pretty damned close.
Sept10 2015
Grateful Dead
12/29/77
Winterland
Arena
Show is
noteworthy for the return of China Cat Sunflower, not played since Winterland
in October of '74. That's a pretty big deal in the GD community.
The Jack Straw
opener sets the tone for this show - furious yet melodic. 2nd set
Playin>China>Rider>China Doll and a double encore that starts with an
amazing Terrapin...what!?!? Even Donna's Sunrise is worth a listen.
Sept 9 2015
Grateful Dead
12/31/72
Winterland
Arena
I'll be
focusing on Winterland this week. From the late 60's (a lot of uncertainties to
when the first actual show was) until they closed it NYE '78, this saw nearly
60 Dead shows (including 6 on NYE). Excellent versions of Jack Straw & BE
Women (I love the Europe '72 versions of these).
The
exploratory Playin that ends s1 has to be the highlight...nope. The
Truckin>Other One>Morning Dew sequence that clocks in over an hour is as
good as it gets. The Sing Me Back Home is the cherry on top of this beautifully
done show.
Sept 8 2015
Grateful Dead
6/23/88
Alpine Valley
Alpine was one
of those places that brought out the good in the Dead.
From the NOLA
influence of the set openers ('Aiko' and 'Hey Pocky Way'), to the first time
ever, 'Believe It Or Not', a Morning Dew closer and a Blackbird encore (albeit,
a douche-chill-worthy version). Shows like this is why I most of my disposable
income was spent on Maxell XL II's.
Sept 4 2015
Grateful Dead
9/4/91
Richfield
Coliseum
I am loathe to
put up a 'Today in GD history' show, but the sound quality on this one is
superb (or I'm just lazy today). Ten-song first set with an amazing
Scarlet>Fire S2 opener . Bruce Hornsby really brought out the best in the
band and this is no exception. This has a lot of my fav's here: Jack Straw,
He's Gone, LTGTR, BT Wind, Jack-a-Roe, China Doll, Cold Rain.
Sept 3 2015
Grateful Dead
6/16/85
Greek Theater
This Greek
show brings back the much-loved Cryptical>Other One segue. First time since
1972, and only played a handful of times; all in '85.
Midnight Hour
became a staple in the mid-80's, as was Brother Esau...but very welcomed Bobby
tunes. Nice placement of 1/2 Step towards the end of the 1st set. 2nd set is a
lot of fun: Scarlet>Fire, Sampson, Cryptical>Other
One>D/S>GDTRFB...
Sept 2 2015
Grateful Dead
3/23/74
Cow Palace
No venue has a
better name than the Cow Palace. Period.
This is the
debut of little known songs 'Cassidy' and 'Scarlet Begonias'. Great show
overall, but the highlight is definitely the Playin'>Uncle Johns>Morning
Dew>Uncle Johns>Playing segue that starts off the 2nd set (with a Playin
restart ~a minute into it). This was also the official premier of the Wall of
Sound.
Sept 1 2015
Grateful Dead
5/12/91
Shoreline
Ampitheater
Show brings
back a tune not heard since RFK in '73: It Takes a Lot to Laugh, Train to Cry.
CC Rider might not be on my top 100 fav Dead songs, but the added 'Train' makes
it special (a combo they did 5 more times over the next year).
This show
really showcases the interplay between Bruce and Vince.
Highlights
include the 1st set sandwich of Picasso Moon and Deal. Both are fierce and well
jammed.
2nd set
Help>Slip>Franklins is a 30 minute start to a really upbeat set
capped-off with a Weight encore.
Aug 31 2015
Grateful Dead
03/27/88
Hampton
Coliseum
This isn’t a
1st time, as the Dead played with Bob Dylan the summer of ’87, but this is the
first time they would play Ballad of a Thin Man sans Dylan (only other time is
5 days later at the Meadowlands). Another noteworthy appearance is To Lay Me
Down which hasn’t been played in nearly 5 years.
The entire 2nd
set kicks ass. Sugar>Scarlet combo (I was lucky to see this in Buffalo ’90)
starts off the 2nd, which doesn’t have a low-point.
Aug 29 2015
Grateful Dead
2/9/73
Roscoe Maples
Pavilion
This is one of
those epic shows that most traders had in their collection. First, the
introduction of the Wall of Sound. Second, for some stellar playing on known
tunes like Playin', Sugaree and China>Rider. But most know this for the
debut of TLEO, Eyes of the World, China Doll, Here Comes Sunshie, Row Jimmy,
Loose Lucy and Wave that Flag.
In other
words, this is a great f*cking show!!
Aug 27 2015
Grateful Dead
3/17/91
Landover MD
The previous
year at the Cap Centre saw, perhaps, the biggest breakout until 95's Unbroken
Chain. This is a big one too. Unbeknownst to me this was the 1st time the
Grateful Dead played Rubin & Cherise. Even more surprising is that they
only played in 4 times - all in 1991.
2nd set smokes
and has a New Speedway, which was only brought back a month earlier.
Aug 26 2015
Grateful Dead
7/2/81
The Summit
Although this
song became a staple throughout the 80's and 90's (~ 200x) "Women are
Smarter" was only debuted in Houston in 1981.
This show goes
under the radar, and not well circulated in the taper community. Many see this
as standard-fare for the time, overlooking the introduction of on oft-played
tune.
Very
solid/high energy show.
Highlights
include 1st set Jack-a-Roe and Dire Wolf
2nd set
pairings of Scarlet>Fire and Estimated>Eyes and a post-drums Black Peter.
Aug 24 2015
Grateful Dead
7-1-85
Merriweather
Post
'85 was hit or
miss with Jerry's voice, but this was one of those great one's. This was the
last time they played MPP and the taper community will argue that the previous
night's show was the better of the pair. However, this one shouldn't be
overlooked. Tight playing/unique song
choices in 1st set: Dancin' in the Street>Dupree's!! Walkin' Blues had only
been played a handful of times and they were still in the 'feeling out' period.
Brother Esau. Let it Grow smokes.
2nd set
Scarlet>Fire could be top 5 of the 1980's. Post drums is a lot of fun.
Aug 23 2015
Grateful Dead
10/28/79
Cape Cod
Coliseum
Solid slow
from beginning to end. The previous night's show was a staple in the trader circuit,
due to a really great SBD that circulated, but this show plateaus at the
beginning and doesn't let up.
Not a
low-point in the 1st set!! But, the Half-Step>Franklins is definitely the
highlight. I'd pay just to see this opening 30-minute combo.
2nd set, also
solid throughout has a great China>Rider and an extended Playin'. Post Drums
may look standard on paper, but exceptional versions of Stella and US Blues
make this show an essential listen.
Aug 22 2015
Grateful Dead
6/26/76
Chicago
This is the
first of 4 nights at the Auditorium Theater. '76 contains a lot of 'must have'
shows, and this one doesn't get the love it deserves.
Highlights:
Sugaree -
Coming in at over 11:00 minutes is great interplay between Jerry & Keith
A standalone,
extended, Scarlet Begonias followed by
LL>Supplication
(I'll never get tired of this Bobby pairing)
2nd set
Playin'>St Stephen>Wheel>Playin' sandwich is brilliantly executed.
The quality of
this show made it a staple in tapers' collections. Worth a listen.
Aug 21 2015
Grateful Dead
8-31-81
Aladdin
Theater Las Vegas
"Ladies
& gentlemen, boys & girls. The circus is in town"
Aside from
their run in the 90's at the Silver Bowl (which I got to see in '94 and '95)
the Grateful Dead only played Vegas 4 other times - once in '69 and 3x at the
Aladdin in the early 80's.
The
Sailor>Saint combo only opened the 2nd set 4 times. It was part of the 1st
set "LSD" closer: Lost Sailor>Saint>Deal (25x, 2 more times
they switched Deal with Don't Ease), or was embedded in the 2nd set
(technically more LSD combo's).
Highlights:
Little Red Rooster: This song was meant for
Brent. It's ugly & nasty and Brent was a master of that sound.
2nd set:
Lost
Sailor>Saint>Scarlet>Fire>Playing>
All that is pre-drums. After that you get Good
Time Blues (another great Brent display)>Morning Dew.
Aug 20 2015
Grateful Dead
3/28/90
Nassau
Coliseum
Although the
next night is arguably Grateful Dead's best performance in the 1990's, this
overlooked Wednesday night at Nassau is packed with highlights.
High Time
(last time played 12/88);
Foolish Heart (listen for Bob teasing
Franklin's);
The Weight - first time played;
2nd set Cumberland;
Hey Pocky Way;
Revolution encore
...enough said.
Aug 19 2015
Grateful Dead
3/24/73
Philadelphia
There are a
lot of great '73 shows with many breakouts. However, this overlooked gem should
not be missed.
30 songs!!!
1st set closer is a 19+ minute Playing.
The heart of
the 2nd set is the He' Gone>Truckin'>Jam>Dark Star that clocks in at
over 45 minutes.
August 18 2015
Grateful Dead
6/8/77
Winterland
For all you
Dead fans...I know it's hack to say that a '77 show is great, but take a listen
to this one. Easily a Top 10 Eyes:
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