Analogman Posted April 8, 2008 Author Share Posted April 8, 2008 Extra! Extra! Read all about it! This is a special Tapers Section focused on the Winterland 1973 release. Our scheduled Tapers Section that was originally slotted for this week (and it's a great one, by the way!) has been moved back to the week of June 23-29, so be sure to check in then for some great early-April Grateful Dead music. But, we've been so excited about the Winterland 1973 release that we wanted to do something a little special for this monster boxed set. As some of you might recall, the Winterland box was originally planned for an April, 2006 release, but, as is standard in the Grateful Dead world, things get in the way, other projects come up, and things get put on the back-burner (hey, Three From The Vault took more than 10 years to come out, so this isn't too bad...). Despite the delay, we always knew it would come out, but the results are way beyond our very high expectations. Taking our time and utilizing Rhino's well-known skills and abilities to produce exquisite packaging, to go along with what we already knew were exceptional performances mastered in HDCD by Jeffrey Norman (plus a restoration process that makes these the best-sounding 1973 recordings you'll ever hear) made the wait worthwhile. This truly is the complete package, with every detail being just exactly perfectly. Above everything, of course, is the music. So, without further ado, let's get on to some listening. So, the music... Our first selection from the boxed set is the Playing In The Band from 11/9/73, the Friday night show. As you may have noticed if you've been checking in to the Tapers Section these past 18 months, I love Playing In The Band from 1972-1974, and I'm certainly not alone. Although the next night contained the famous Playing sandwich with all that great music in between, this is a terrific stand-alone version. This show has often been overshadowed by the next two nights, but it certainly will be re-evaluated as a solid peer to the 10th and 11th with the release of this boxed set. Our next cut is from 11/10/73, the majestic Weather Report Suite. Like Playing In The Band, this is a tune that, to these ears, could do no wrong in 1973. Remember, folks, these shows took place only three weeks after the release of Wake of the Flood, with Weather Report Suite being almost as new. But, all three (3!) versions of this jam in the boxed set feel as though the band had been playing this tune since the band's inception. Certainly one of the songs that makes 1973 so great, as it could act as either a stand-alone first set closer, or the springboard for an epic second set jam. Lastly this week, in honour of the new Winterland 1973 boxed set, we have a couple of tracks from the final night, the classic 11/11/73, widely considered one of the greatest shows in a great year, with a truly stunning Dark Star to cap the run off in style. From the first set of this great night at Winterland, we have two songs played beautifully in 1973: Sugaree and Black-Throated Wind. Also, from the second set, we have the opening song, Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo. when you get the boxed set, don't forget to listen to what comes just a couple of songs later (yes, dark star>Eyes>China Doll...). Now, as you probably know by now, the boxed set comes with a tasty bonus CD of music from 12/4/73 in Cincinnati and some cool packaging. Very cool, actually. But, above all that, and to complement the absolute stellar quality of the performances, Jeffrey Norman and his crack restoration team have done incredible work with these tapes to make them sound WAY better than any two-track recording you've ever heard from 1973. This isn't a sales pitch (when have you ever heard me make a sales pitch here...). Rather, from one Dead Head to another, this boxed set is so good, I just want everyone to hear it. I'm excited. What can I say. Well, there you have it. Our first ever project-specific Tapers Section. Next week, back to our regularly scheduled great-tunes-from-the-appropriate-week format. Thanks for listening. Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 Great news! The Winterland box arrived today. I'll report back after I check it out. I'll probably listen to the Cinci bonus disc first. Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 So- the Cincinnati bonus disc has a couple of never heard (at least by me) gems on it. The Eyes nearly runs off of the road but segues in to a monster Phil-led Space. Directly related to the the brain-fry section from the previous show (12/2, Boston) this is some creepy stuff for sure. Acid, anyone? Link to post Share on other sites
NightOfJoy Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 YES! If only it was still around....sigh. Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted April 11, 2008 Author Share Posted April 11, 2008 Quote of the dayApril 10th, 2008 Gene Shalit: How do you play at that frantic volume and sustain any kind of rational mind? Jerry Garcia: It Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted April 12, 2008 Share Posted April 12, 2008 25 years ago today: Broome County Arena, Binghampton NY 4/12/83 I: Alabama > Greatest, Bird Song, Minglewood, Peggy-O, Cassidy, Loser, All Over Now, Dupree's, Let It Grow II: Help > Slip > Frank > Sailor > Saint > Terrapin > Drums > Space > Other One > Wharf Rat > NFA E: NFA > Baby Blue This might be my favorite show from all of '83. Seriously, Bird Song 3 songs into the show? PLUS Cassidy and Let It Grow, all in the first set! The second set is fantastic as well...it's as good as it looks on paper. I could be wrong but I'm thinking this was where the NFA chant came into existence. Of course, by '88 or so we were all sick to death of it. Link to post Share on other sites
Moe_Syzlak Posted April 12, 2008 Share Posted April 12, 2008 Oh that reminds me that this Thursday is the 25th Anniversary of my first Dead show! I will be celebrating by going to my first Sandra Day O'Connor show. Link to post Share on other sites
Three dollars and 63 cents Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 When I was in high school, I saw Sandra Day O'Connor read the Gettysburg Address in Gettysburg. I remember being really excited about the field trip, but my class was in the back of the crowd, and we couldn't hear very well, and I ended up just being really, really bored. Boy, I wish Binghamton still got as many good shows as they used to. I lived there for a few years and am only about an hour away now, and there's not much of a music scene around here anymore. Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 "The Barbary Coast 1906, the wickedest place in the world (maniacal laugh). Nothing but sin and no salvation. Nothing but...whoo-ohh..lots of fun, hey! > Yeah, San Francisco, the pearl of the Pacific. The jewwwel of the Ring of Fire. Hanging out and having fun until, until I say, I say, I say until, until that one fateful day... > San Francisco in ruins.." - Phil 4/18/82, Hartford Civic Center Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted April 21, 2008 Author Share Posted April 21, 2008 Here is a raucous That's It For The Other One>Death Don't Have No Mercy from 4/22/69 at the Arc in Boston. Sadly, there's a cut in The Other One that returns during the Cryptical reprise. Sorry about that, but at least you've been warned. What a stellar Death Don't, too. So much great music was played in the first five months of 1969 that it can be a daunting task to choose what to play here. We are also happy to play this classic 1969 combination of songs, Beat It On Down The Line, Good Morning Little Schoolgirl, Doin' That Rag. The BIODTL has severe tempo issues, but it makes it a very interesting version. Is it fast? Is it slow? Is it mid-tempo? To quote a line from the great British comedy show of the mid-1990s The Fast Show, Link to post Share on other sites
Oil Can Boyd Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 Who is playing slide on Smokestack Lightning on Three From The Vault? According to Dead.net it's Jerry. Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted April 21, 2008 Author Share Posted April 21, 2008 I figured - as Bob did not start playing slide until after this time period - if I am thinking right. I don't know if I would call it "funky" - sounds sort of fumbling to me. I still have a hard time getting into this show. Link to post Share on other sites
jc4prez Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 any guesses on what the press conference is over? I saw Bill with Oteil and the guitarist from Max Creek yesterday at the green apple music fest. The music was a bit sloppy (mostly the guitarist fault) but Billy sounded great. Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted April 21, 2008 Author Share Posted April 21, 2008 I haven Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Since it's 4/22 (and Aman posted the weekly playlist) I just wanted to yak for a minute about 4/22/69. What a wonderful show - the Dark Star from that night might be my favorite from all of '69 - it has all of the beautiful segues of the Live Dead version, plus is an added 6-7 minutes longer. That 3 night run at The Ark (4/21-23) is one of the finest 3 night runs in GD history imo. The whole month is just top notch. The 4/26 & 27 was well thought of enough to be a Dick's Pick. Link to post Share on other sites
jc4prez Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 [quote name='Analogman' dat I doubt it's a tour as all of them are booked this summer - it must be business, political, or health related. They have or had a show scheduled in new york and they just played two in chicago over the weekend. As I said I saw the free one. Billy was in fine forum, but the guitarist was pretty weak as were most of his songs, each of the dead tunes were played a little to fast. They only did 5 number in an hour twenty min set, so as you can guess all of the numbers were jammed out quite a bit. Once the songs left their original structure the band took off. The one thing this really proved is how you can't play these tunes with one guitarist. Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted April 23, 2008 Author Share Posted April 23, 2008 It seems he has started, or been a part of several bands the past few years. Link to post Share on other sites
jc4prez Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 It seems he has started, or been a part of several bands the past few years.Yeah, there was pod (gordon and anastsio) and that one off rhythm devils tour. From what i understand he feels there is no reason to leave hawaii at this point. I also herd he was really disappointed in the reunion shows, saying that everyone didn't bring a full deck of cards to the shows. Speaking of the Rhythm Devils though, the same band from that tour minus gordon and bill (george porter will be on bass) are playing a street festival for free here in chicago on july 5, so i imagine there will be more more shows. The music from that tour was really good but the new songs and Jen Durkin (vocalist) pretty much killed relistanablity of those sets. Also herd bobby and joan baez came out with Mickey in Golden gate park during the green apple music fest, the set also featured tommy lee and Ludacris is you can believe it. What a pairing. Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted April 23, 2008 Author Share Posted April 23, 2008 Yeah, there was pod (gordon and anastsio) and that one off rhythm devils tour. From what i understand he feels there is no reason to leave hawaii at this point. I also herd he was really disappointed in the reunion shows, saying that everyone didn't bring a full deck of cards to the shows. Speaking of the Rhythm Devils though, the same band from that tour minus gordon and bill (george porter will be on bass) are playing a street festival for free here in chicago on july 5, so i imagine there will be more more shows. The music from that tour was really good but the new songs and Jen Durkin (vocalist) pretty much killed relistanablity of those sets. Also herd bobby and joan baez came out with Mickey in Golden gate park during the green apple music fest, the set also featured tommy lee and Ludacris is you can believe it. What a pairing. There was another one - with Neal Schon - Tri-Chrome? Or something like that. Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 There was another one - with Neal Schon - Tri-Chrome? Or something like that.Yeah, the Trichromes. He had Backbone for a short spell, too. I caught The Rhythm Devils at a rollerskating rink out here 1 1/2 ago with Gordon and Kimock in the band. That Durkin chick wasn't too bad, either. Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted April 23, 2008 Author Share Posted April 23, 2008 Speaking of ladies - anyone see them when Joan Osborne was in the band? I guess people loved her or hated her, yes? Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Speaking of ladies - anyone see them when Joan Osborne was in the band? I guess people loved her or hated her, yes?Joan was pretty damn good. She had a knack for hitting notes/parts of tunes at appropriate times and knew when not to sing. I thought she was a nice additon. Great voice, too. Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Talk about strange. I just got an email from a pal saying that Joan Osborne will be singing in Kimock's band (with Melvin Seals, John Molo, and Ray White) at our friend's place for three nights stating Friday. werd. Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted April 23, 2008 Author Share Posted April 23, 2008 Cosmic, man. I think she put out some cover song album this past year. The Grateful Dead has publicly commented on tomorrow Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Speaking of ladies - anyone see them when Joan Osborne was in the band? I guess people loved her or hated her, yes?When I saw them in '03 she did Donna's parts on the Weather Report Suite and it was awesome. Link to post Share on other sites
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