Grateful Dead General Thread

[Druggist 303]

I just started the stream so I am a set behind.  I am listening/watching as a I work on some stuff for school (I am going for a Masters and just found out I can graduate within the year if I bust my ass, woo hoo!).  Love Iko Iko!

[Hate 20247]

Goddamn what a great show!!! I may watch it again before I pass out later. Where are you in the show Druggist?

[Druggist 303]

I made it through Wharf Rat last night-great version!  I loved Phil’s playing on the Scarlet Fire and the jam at the end of Blow away is great.  I thought it was interesting Jerry switched to a fender (Strat?) for space>Other One and then back to Tiger (?).  I don’t know I’ve ever noticed this before.  I love seeing that old stadium too.  It reminds me of how old Soldier field looked when I saw them.

what a great show!

[alincoln 2391]

Couple of other legendary early June runs 

June 9 - 10, 1973, RFK Stadium, Washington D.C. - The June 10 show is the legendary one with the Allman Brothers opening and Butch Trucks, Dickie Betts and Merl Saunders joining the boys during the third set.

June 7-9, Winterland, San Francisco - The June 9 show is the most celebrated but the 8th is almost its equal.  The 7th is a bit of a warm up as the band works its way back up to the heights of May on the 8th and 9th

[Druggist 303]

Great recommendations.  The only one of those I’ve listened to all the way through is the 6/10 show but it has been a while.  I do remember checking out the Help>slip>Frank from the 77 run and it is pretty epic.  I will have to put those on while I study this week.  Love me some 73 Dead!
 

[alincoln 2391]

Thanks for clarifying the year (1977) for the second run.  Looks like I missed it.  I will try to remember to post later in the month regarding the run during the second half of June 1974 (6.16 - 6.30) which is the best June run in GD history imo.

[Hate 20247]

I’ll have to check those out as well. I love the “jazziness” of 73-74. The 6/10/73 starts with Morning Dew?? That I’ve go to hear.

I’ve also never checked out any of the June shows from 77. I’ll take a listen to those as well. I’ve listened to every May 77 show which is as good as it gets. I did a quick peak at the 6/10/77 set list and it’s fantastic. The Half Step to start is terrific.

[Druggist 303]

I listened to the 6/10/73 show while at work today.  Since I had to pause for phone calls and such, it took all day to get through the 4&1/2 hrs.  What a great show.  I will definitely need to go back to that one.  I was a bit distracted, being at work, but the songs that jumped out at me were box of Rain and They Love Each Other.  The Bird Song isn’t the best one I’ve heard, but it isn’t far off.  The Playin and Eyes are both typically great as are all 73 versions (the eyes sounds so effortless as they go through the chord progressions and changes).  The dark Star has some really nice spots and I love hearing Jerry and Dicky Betts trade leads in the third set.  The jams have a different feel with the guests there and I really enjoyed it.  Thanks for the recommendation!

[Hate 20247]

I’m listening to it now, but there is no way I’ll finish it tonight. It may take me a few days to get through the whole show. Is this the first and only opening Morning Dew?

[Druggist 303]

10 hours ago, Hate said:

I’m listening to it now, but there is no way I’ll finish it tonight. It may take me a few days to get through the whole show. Is this the first and only opening Morning Dew?

There are probably others, but the only one that comes to mind is 11/30/73 (dicks picks 14, along with 12/2/73).  I remember when it was announced, Dick wrote that he loved that they opened this 3 night run with Morning Dew and also closed the run with it on 12/2 and that was one of the reasons for the pick.  Pretty cool and both versions are really nice.

i wish I could find the things Dick used to write when announcing his picks somewhere online.  I still remember bits an pieces, but would love to go back and read those.

[Hate 20247]

https://archive.org/details/gd90-06-10.sbd-matrix.miller-ladner.6937.sbeok.shnf

 

I got a little caught up on this one this morning. One of the few reasons I still have a Facebook account is for the “I love the Grateful Dead” group. The moderator posts daily links for “this day in Grateful Dead History” which is pretty cool because I’ve heard a lot of great shows this way. This one stands out because before the show there had been a bunch of rumors that Phil was going to quit. The rumors got back to him before the show and he said that he would deal with it. His statement and Jerry’s reaction are so awesome. It’s a great show, btw. It’s hard to not be a great show when it starts with Bertha. The Jack Straw is damn good as is the Dire Wolf which is a very underrated song, imo. The Eyes in the second set is solid and the Crazy Finger>Playing Jam is pretty cool. I don’t think I’d heard that before.

[Hate 20247]

The Shakedown Stream tonight is from 5/11/91 Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California.

I have to admit that I am not a fan of the "Hornsby" era.  There is too much sound with him and Vince together and it never really felt like they played long enough for it to really click.  Maybe it's just me, but I've never really gotten into any shows from late 90 and 91. I know the Giants Stadium show from 91 is supposed to be legendary, but I never really got it like a lot of others have.  Oh well, I'm making my own show tonight.  I have a 4 am conference call tomorrow morning with participants from Belgium, Finland, US, and India.  The trick is to not get too drunk tonight that I sleep through my alarm since I am the host.  It's a fine line to walk, but someone has to do it. Tomorrow is the anniversary of one of the greatest days in my life...my first show! 

[alincoln 2391]

I kind of agree that things went downhill from 89 on which is why the title of the Alpine Valley video from July 89 "Downhill from Here" is so perfect.

93 is arguably better than 92 but that is the only exception imo.

89>90>91>92<93>94>95

 

 

 

[Hate 20247]

Spring 90 was pretty good in spots like the Nassau Coliseum shows at the end of March. They just started mixing into too many original Brent songs for me, which I never really liked. I loved everything Brent brought to the band except his songs. 92 and 93 are surprising solid years. Vince was firmly entrenched and a Jerry was still pretty healthy. They aren’t great, but there are some really good shows in there. The 93 Vegas shows and ,imo, my show from 6/13/93. I’ll be drinking and listening to it tonight! I can’t wait.

[Hate 20247]

Here is a link to the show if anyone wants to check it out.  I'm listening to it now. It may be a very early and very drunk night. Then again, i may catch my thrid wind and stay up listening to some other shows.  Anyway, this show has a fantastic Minglewood, Loser and Deal in the first set.  The Tennessee Jed is great...I mean how can you not like Tennessee Jed?  The second set has the first ever LL Rain with Bobby on the acoustic, the best ever Lazy River Road (imo), and a chilling Other One into Days Between.  It's kind of a letdown with Johnny B. Goode and I Fought the Law to finish out the show, but it's still dam solid.  If they had finished the second set with any other combo of songs, I think we'd be looking at a top ten post Brent show.

https://archive.org/details/gd93-06-13.schoeps.ladner.8584.sbeok.shnf

Edited June 13, 2020 by Hate

[alincoln 2391]

Back to the June show topic.  One of the best runs in GD history took place during the latter half of June 1974.  The Wall of Sound at its absolute apex during a run of eight shows in two weeks across the Midwest, South and New England.

 

Sunday, June 16, State Fairgrounds, Des Moines, Iowa (Road Trips 2.3) 

Tuesday, June 18, Freedom Hall, Louisville, Kentucky (Road Trips 2.3)

Thursday, June 20, Omni, Atlanta, Georgia

Saturday, June 22, Jai Alai Fronton, Miami, Florida (Dave's Picks 34)

Sunday, June 23, Jai Alai Fronton, Miami, Florida (Dave's Picks 34)

Wednesday, June 26, Providence Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island

Friday, June 28, Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts (Dick's Picks 12)

Monday, June 30, Springfield, Massachusetts (Dick's Picks 12)

 

Standout performances from the run include:

China -> Rider 6.26 (listen to the legendary intro jam); 6.16 (blistering)

Truckin' 6.26; 6.20; 6.16

Eyes 6.20 (best Eyes you've never heard); 6.18 (best of 74?); 6.16 (real unique transition into River)

Playin' 6.16 (Do not sleep on 6.16!)

WRS 6.18; 6.28 (if 6.18 isn't the best ever, this is with a transition into Mind Left Body Jam and US Blues that is top shelf)

To Lay Me Down 6.23 has no peer

Ship of Fools 6.23 brings the heat on the ballads and don't miss the Dark Star -> Spanish Jam

Every China Doll played this run is among the best ever.  

6.18 also has all-timer Stella and Other One

 

6.18 is probably the most well regarded show from the run, but 6.16 and 6.23 aren't far behind.  Enjoy . . .

 

Edited June 17, 2020 by alincoln

[Hate 20247]

I listened to a bunch of those shows today and they were all great. Like I’ve said earlier, I love the jazzy 73-74 era. I don’t know if it was planned or it was just the natural progression of the songs after the psychedelic era, but I really really like this era.

I had planned on listening to a show, but I kind of got sidetracked. My son is sleeping over at a buddy’s house and I’m getting fucked up and jamming. Right now I’m all over the map and listening to early 70’s, late 80’s, and early 90’s Dead. I have a pretty good mix of shows I’ve downloaded over the years and I just hit shuffle to see where it leads me. Goddamn, there has never been music like this before or since. It’s like the rock and roll version of Beethoven, Bach, and Haydn. I can’t stop listening to them.

[Druggist 303]

It’s my birthday so I listened to 6/18/74 today at work.  Great show.  Along with what was mentioned above, the jam from WRS into the Other One into the jam into Stella is as good as it gets and the Morning Dew encore is easily in my top 3 versions.  Also, agree on the To Lay Me Down from Miami.  I have been listening to the new Dave’s Pick and that one really grabbed me. I also got my Dark Star fix with the 6/20 version and it did not disappoint.
 

Tonight I put on 6/18/76 from the actual day I was born and that show smokes too.  Time to study, so I think I’ll see if there are any other 6/18 shows of note.   

[alincoln 2391]

1983 

[Druggist 303]

Thanks!  And the dark Star was 7/25/74.   I just pulled up Relisten and saw I was wrong.  Anyway it gets really good around 11:30 or so.

[Druggist 303]

Just started 6/18/83.  Only AUD sources, but they are good.  Great setlist and the comments from people who were at the show are a trip!  Really enjoying Bird Song.

i came across this artist page today.  He has done a lot of GD stuff:

http://scottmcdougall.net/grateful-dead-art

 

 

[Hate 20247]

I’ve got a 4 hour drive today, so I will check out the 83 show. I just did a quick preview of a couple of songs and it’s pretty damn good, especially for a AUD recording. I wish there was a better recording of it, because this show is apparently one of the best early 80’s shows according to the comments.

[Hate 20247]

I'm checking this one out tonight.  It's from a very little listened to year for me, 1987.  It's a very solid show so far.  It's got some songs in the first set that are not on my favorites list, but they are really good this show.  The sound is pretty dam good as well.  They were pretty sharp this night.  I'll probably have to finish this show tomorrow, but I'm enjoying it so far.

 

[Hate 20247]

And very strangely, the Shakedown Stream for this week was just announced to be 10/2/87 from Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, CA.

 

Edited June 25, 2020 by Hate

[Guest Lobo]

17 hours ago, Hate said:

I'm checking this one out tonight.  It's from a very little listened to year for me, 1987.  It's a very solid show so far.  It's got some songs in the first set that are not on my favorites list, but they are really good this show.  The sound is pretty dam good as well.  They were pretty sharp this night.  I'll probably have to finish this show tomorrow, but I'm enjoying it so far.

 

That's a great "Throwing Stones"---> "Turn on Your Lovelight" (full stop) "The Mighty Quinn" to finish it all out.  That combo (particularly the first two) was somewhat common a few years before I started listening religiously to the Dead.  But yeah, good audio and everybody seems in good form.  Mydland and Bill seem in the zone of all folks.  Will try to get back to listen to the whole thing this weekend.  I should have taken up smoking weed for Covid19 but didn't get around to it.  I think the last time I even smelled weed was with "Hate" at the Dead & Co. show in Austin a few years ago.   

 

[Hate 20247]

Watch the show tomorrow night and you can live vicariously through me once again /no homo.

And I really enjoyed the second set from the show I linked above.  They weren't quite 89 sharp yet, but you could get glimpses here and there and it makes it easy to see how good they were just a few years later.  I may have to check out a few more 87 and 88 shows. I'm open to suggestions if anyone has some shows from those years. 

Edited June 26, 2020 by Hate

[Guest Lobo]

 

[Guest Lobo]

Starts in a couple hours.  I know next to nothing about this particular show.  But it heavily promoted by Weir this past week as a special "live share" with the country tonight.  Kinda cool watching the same set with thousands of dead-heads nationwide.  

Here's the setlist:  https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/grateful-dead/1987/shoreline-amphitheatre-mountain-view-ca-6bd6061a.html
And apparently it's a deep vault take that had the video feed cleaned up a lot as of late.  It's pretty cover heavy including one that is not that common with the Dead---"Gimme Some a Loving."  Second half of the second half is very unique in both content and order.  After the kids go to sleep, I plan to head out to the street and listen to at least that portion with some of the neighbors.  Happy listening.  Steal Your FaceMask.  

[Napoleon 8826]

Sweetwater Music is having a big ol' sale and this guitar caught my eye. $500 down from $1,000.

D'Angelico Premier Grateful Dead DC "Open Box" Semi-Hollow Guitar - Red, White & Blue

 

$499.99

Instant Savings: $500.00 Was: $999.9

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DCPMGDRWB--dangelico-premier-grateful-dead-dc-open-box-red-white-and-blue

 

[Hate 20247]

Anyone else listening to Brent go off on Red Rooster?  I can understand not liking Brent's songs, but damn he could play keyboards\organ. 

[Guest Lobo]

My bad, I never posted the link to the "new" show.  Shoreline 10/2/87 (setlist is a few posts above).  

 

[Druggist 303]

I’ll throw that 87 stream on now while I study.  I just saw a Weir post on FB that they are replaying all 3 Fare the Well shows on the 5th.  
 

https://relix.com/news/detail/fans-sets-marathon-broadcast-of-grateful-deads-fare-thee-well-run-at-soldier-field/

I bought the box set after it happened and have watched them from time to time.   One of my favorite things in the set is the complete Circles Around the Sun setbreak music.  Only about 2/3 of it are on Spotify and the rest is just as good.  Neal Casal was amazing. RIP.

[Guest Lobo]

Thanks.  Gonna turn that on this weekend.  It's been five years and I've never found the time to listen to a single one of those shows in their entirety.  Just bits and pieces here and there.  Probably has something to do with my daughter being born right before those shows happened.  Didn't realize yesterday was the 28th anniversary of my first Dead show.  Glad I spent it watching them.  

[Hate 20247]

The show was ok as far as I’m concerned. I think they should have shown the next night, 10/3, as I think it had a lot more energy. I’ll have to check out some more 87 and early 88 shows to see how they were progressing. Being such a fan of 89, it’s been interesting to check out some of the shows that lead up to them being in such good form. Jerry looks better and younger two years after that show from last night and the band is really firing on all cylinders.

[Hate 20247]

What's better than coming home from a backyard BBQ fucked up but not too fucked up to get home and listen to some Grateful Dead??  Nothing!!!

[Hate 20247]

Where is everyone?  I've been on the DL the last couple of days with the Saharan Dust doing a number on my allergies.  I'm making up for lost time tonight.  I had planned on listening to the early July shows from 89 on each of their respective anniversaries starting with 7/2/89, 7/4/89, and 7/7/89.  I ended up with the allergies and got sidetracked tonight.  I'm listening to 7/2/88 from Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Maine.  Any shows that starts with Iko Iko is going to be a good show!  I'll be visiting the drunk thread as well.

https://archive.org/details/gd88-07-02.sbd-matrix.dan.21211.sbeok.shnf

[Hate 20247]

I forgot to mention, earlier tonight my son and I were running a couple of errands and I had some Dead on in the background while we were driving around.  "Here Comes Sunshine" from the PNW album was on and my son said "I like how they keep playing the song...I like that they just keep letting the song go on for a while".  I don't know that I've ever been prouder!

[Hate 20247]

This show is worth it for the closing Sugar Magnolia... holy shit it's awesome!!

[Hate 20247]

And 7/3/88 with a fantastic Tennessee Jed and Bird Song so far!  You can begin to hear shades of 89 throughout 88.  They were so goddamn close in 88.  It's like listening to 71 or 76.  You know where they are about to go but they haven't quite gotten there yet, but it's still fantastic!!

[Hate 20247]

It’s the first decent night in the last week in Texas. I sure hope you’re up listening to some Grateful Dead right now!

[Druggist 303]

Checking in.  Those 88 shows sound like a good place to start today.  Both set lists look really solid. 

I’ve been on a Jerry solo kick.  

At least once a month I have to throw on Freedom Jazz Dance from Legion of Mary (GarciaLive 3).  I had another version of this on an old tape and both versions are as good as the best shit the Dead ever did.  Highly recommended!

I also checked out GarciaLive 12 for the first time.  It is Jerry and Merle from 73.  I love their sound.  It has some Texas girl singing with them I’ve never heard before.  She improvised a lot of vocals.  She can be a bit much, but over all it is pretty good and the band is on.

The System>Honey Chile is a really nice 34 min jam with a long section that sounds like Mind Left Body jam.  Also they do It’s a Sin, which is a jam in the 6/18/74 Other One-one of my favorites.  
 

Here is an interesting article about the vocalist Sarah Fulcher that is a good read.  Lots of stuff about Jerry and the scene back then.  Also, she later played in an all-girl proto-punk band called The Klitz.  Great fucking band name!

 

https://aquariumdrunkard.com/2019/12/17/blanks-and-postage-like-a-road-leading-home-the-elusive-sarah-fulcher-and-the-less-elusive-jerry-garcia/

 

 

[Hate 20247]

Who else was at Willie's Picnic 7/4/2003 in Spicewood (Fuck Pat Green...diaf)?   It was fun to see them in the Hill Country.  The crowd erupted during Jack Straw when they sang "Leaving Texas 4th day of July"!

[Guest Lobo]

To this day, when I see one of those Pat Green stickers on a truck (admittedly, it's much more rare these days since their heyday on West Campus in the last 90's)...I still flip off the driver.  

Some poster, I can't remember names for shit---especially pretend ones, on TOS send me a good audio copy of that whole Spicewood show on 3 discs.  If you're still on here man, PM me so I can repay the favor someday.  I'm gonna put that show on tonight while we set off fireworks.  Their "El Paso" and "Ripple" and then a kind of jazzy Texas swing vesrison of "Milestones" all with Willie up there with them was the highlight (other than the Jack Straw sing-along).  The China Doll--->China Cat Sunflower--->I Know you Ride--->Not Fade Away was a damn fine finish.  I know the second set like the back of my hand by now, but I really don't stop and listen to the first set as much as I should (Tomorrow Never Knows & Eyes of the World stand out).  I guess I'm not as nostalgic for the first set since I missed most of it in person, because again...Pat Green sucks cocks in hell.  What a douchetastic, no-talent frat cover band asshole.  He's like if Rex Kramer was a musical act.  

[Druggist 303]

4 hours ago, Lobo said:

To this day, when I see one of those Pat Green stickers on a truck (admittedly, it's much more rare these days since their heyday on West Campus in the last 90's)...I still flip off the driver.  

Some poster, I can't remember names for shit---especially pretend ones, on TOS send me a good audio copy of that whole Spicewood show on 3 discs.  If you're still on here man, PM me so I can repay the favor someday.  I'm gonna put that show on tonight while we set off fireworks.  Their "El Paso" and "Ripple" and then a kind of jazzy Texas swing vesrison of "Milestones" all with Willie up there with them was the highlight (other than the Jack Straw sing-along).  The China Doll--->China Cat Sunflower--->I Know you Ride--->Not Fade Away was a damn fine finish.  I know the second set like the back of my hand by now, but I really don't stop and listen to the first set as much as I should (Tomorrow Never Knows & Eyes of the World stand out).  I guess I'm not as nostalgic for the first set since I missed most of it in person, because again...Pat Green sucks cocks in hell.  What a douchetastic, no-talent frat cover band asshole.  He's like if Rex Kramer was a musical act.  

I am pretty sure that was me.  I think I dropped it off on a porch on the west side somewhere.  No worries.  That was a pretty beautiful venue.  The sunset while Willie was playing with them was gorgeous.  
 

Leavin Texas, Fourth day of July!!!!!

[Guest Lobo]

The guy who gave them to me mailed them to me.  I remember that much.  I’m digging them out here shortly to put them in after kids go to bed so I’ll take a pic of your handwriting on the discs and post it.  Thanks either way!!!

[Druggist 303]

Saw this on the Facebook group Hate recommended.

[Hate 20247]

I didn't get a chance to listen to my favorite show (7/4/89) last night because we had some people over for dinner and fireworks, so I'm doing it tonight.  I plan on having a drink Tuesday night and watching 7/7/89 as well.  I hope everyone had a great 4th of July.  What's more American than the Grateful Dead?

[Hate 20247]

And I know I talk about 7/4/89 quite a bit, but if you go by headyversion.com, the show ranks pretty damn high on the list.  Not one song they did that night is ranked out of the top 22 of the versions they ever did.  Most of the songs rank in the top 15 or so with Morning Dew and LL Rain the notable versions in the 20s.  Those also happen to be two of thier most played songs over their 30 years together.  There is no shame in being ranked in the top 22 of either of those songs.  Anyway, it would be interesting to the highest ranked show on headyversion by rank of each song played.  I would bet 7/4/89 is in the top 10 if not the top 5. 

[Hate 20247]

If anyone wants to check out the 7/7/89 show, here is the link to the youtube mix that will play all the individual songs in order from the show.  The show was released as Crimson, White, & Indigo a few years back.  It's a fantastic show with only one song I don't really like.  Stuck Inside of Mobile is the one I could do without.  I never really got into a lot of the Dylan songs they began playing 87-90.  I never really liked Queen Jane or Desolation Row either and both of those were in pretty good circulation during that time.  The other songs from this show are terrific.  Enjoy!

 

[Guest Lobo]

Random question---anybody listening to Sirius/Xm this morning around 11:00a or so?  I was looking through their online playlist and it's just not there.  Obviously a lot of times...they just list the first song and roll through the jam and just list it as some 27:00 minute song starting with the first tune.  I would have thought after all these years, they'd fixed that.  But I get it, that the software does it that way.  Anyway, I tuned in about 1:30 or so into "Franklin's Tower."  It sounded like a mid-to-late 80's version.  The sound quality was for shit.  Even after the song wrapped up and the DJ clamored about being digitally enhanced and remastered from the mixing board.  It was just garbage.  But the actual song itself was an incredibly good version in terms of harmony, guitar/bass dueling, Mickey and Bill wonderfully in synch. I Mean, maybe the best version I've heard in terms of musicianship but shitty overall on audio.  Even my audio display which usually says the date/city the song is from didn't display anything except the generic channel stamp.  Anyway, it was really good.  I guess I gotta do some digging, Jerry was so melodic on it.  Sounds like it was from some throw-away show but this particular "Franklin's Tower" needs some love.  My two cents, keep the change...