The Grateful Dead

[quarter23cd]

I got an iTunes gift card for xmas and I downloaded the "Steppin' Out" set with it and I am loving the hell out of this.

 

I only saw the GD once in concert--1990 at RFK. God bless the internet. I'm going to have to go back and re-listen to that show. To be honest, at the time I wasn't that big of a fan--I was young and just growing out of my hair-metal phase and getting into stuff like the Allman Bros and such, and so I think I was more there just to see what the fuss was about.(and my friend I was with was a huge fan) Having not been around for the earlier years, I didn't really know what to make of the "scene". Contrary to the reputation I'd heard about up to that point, it didn't really feel like much of a "community" thing. Moreso than other concerts I'd been to, I guess, but I guess I understand the "darkness" some of you guys described creeping in during the later years. I barely remember the music.(although I do remember the rain!) It will be interesting to go back and re-visit this one.

[mountain bed]

Hey q23 - that 7/12/90 RFK show has a very VERY far out Dark Star. Well worth a spin. I think it is one of the last, if not the last, version done with Brent.

 

The CD soundtrack of one of the View From the Vaults has it as filler.

[lessthanIthink]

That '91 MSG run is pretty good - in fact, the 9/10 show with Branford is outstanding. Should have been a Dick's Pick imo.

 

Agreed.

One of the best shows I attended.

 

9/16 from that run is solid as well.

[Mr. Heartbreak]

Unfortunately, I only got to the 9/13/91 show ... still pretty good, though.

[darkstar]

That song is a good example of the breadth and scope of the GD songbook. I caught that song more times than I can count. Sometimes, it was just a first set filler yawnfest. But if Jer was on it could really rip your face off.

 

The thing that is interesting to me about West LA is that there is no rhythm from the guitars or bass - it's ALL lines...counterpoint.

 

 

There is a killer version of West LA on the Downhill From here video. Jerry is really rocking out in that one....may be the best version I've ever heard

[mountain bed]

There is a killer version of West LA on the Downhill From here video. Jerry is really rocking out in that one....may be the best version I've ever heard

Those three nights were just about the best run I ever saw. On the DVD you can see my van on there!

[darkstar]

Those three nights were just about the best run I ever saw. On the DVD you can see my van on there!

 

 

Your van eh? Microbus or souped up 70's style with the lift kit and shag carpeting and a waterbed in the back?

 

That video ( Downhill ) is actually pretty good. As discussed before I'm not a big fan of the 80's-90's Dead but those were definately smoking shows. Lots of energy evident just from watching the video. Thats the thing about that time period that always gets me. Shows were hit and miss. Some nights the boys would just groove and other nights they just seemed to be phoning it in. There weren't a lot of consistently great nights....but thats not to say that there weren't some really great shows during this time. I'm gonna make an effort to listen to some more 80's and 90's stuff this year.

[darkstar]

Hey....anyone have a spare $40K I can borrow I want this

[Mr. Heartbreak]

I'm gonna make an effort to listen to some more 80's and 90's stuff this year.

In that case, may I recommend Frost Ampitheatre, 10/9/82? Very loose, but Jerry is on fire most of the night (at least, to my ears). Some of my favorite versions of songs, including Alabama and the Throwin>Touch combo.

http://www.archive.org/details/gd82-10-09....5800.sbeok.shnf

[darkstar]

In that case, may I recommend Frost Ampitheatre, 10/9/82? Very loose, but Jerry is on fire most of the night (at least, to my ears). Some of my favorite versions of songs, including Alabama and the Throwin>Touch combo.

http://www.archive.org/details/gd82-10-09....5800.sbeok.shnf

 

 

Hmmmmm.....checked that out, sounds interesting. Gonna have to take yer advice. Thanks MR.!

[mountain bed]

Your van eh? Microbus or souped up 70's style with the lift kit and shag carpeting and a waterbed in the back?

Just an old two tone green Ford Club Wagon. Would seat 8 people easily.

 

That run was like a Woodstock experience...after the first night it started to rain and just kept it up for the next 48 hours. The third night was played in a total downpour. I had no rain gear, just two trash bags I fashioned into a jacket and bottoms. During Sugaree when JG sings "in spite of all you've gained you still have to stand out in the pouring rain" I just cracked up at the ridiculousness of it all. Of course, my brains were pretty loose by that point.

[dmait]

>That '91 MSG run is pretty good - in fact, the 9/10 show with Branford is outstanding. Should have been a Dick's Pick imo.

 

I was at that show as well - on Phil's side. There's a crisp soundboard recording of it on dimeadozen.

[NightOfJoy]

It did get pretty crazy....I stopped going to shows in 92 or so and only went to JGB shows....great tunes different vibe. I remember the good old days back in late 70's early 80's when you could walk up to the arena the night of a show and get a ticket, no one was getting too crazy, and the vibe was way more mellow......whattya gonna do?

 

I stopped making any effort to see them after I had a fence pushed down on me by gatecrashers at Foxboro, MA in 90 or 91. I was bleeding the entire show. I still got the dang 3 inch scar on my bicep. Out of the hundreds of concerts and shows I've seen since 1981, that was the only time I ever got hurt (except the bloody nose I got in a mosh pit during a Beastie Boys show at the Aragon but that doesnt really count). Stoooopid gatecrashers. All in all, almost all my memories of following those guys around were rather pleasant especially the Alpine runs. Gone are the days......

[NightOfJoy]

Just an old two tone green Ford Club Wagon. Would seat 8 people easily.

 

That run was like a Woodstock experience...after the first night it started to rain and just kept it up for the next 48 hours. The third night was played in a total downpour. I had no rain gear, just two trash bags I fashioned into a jacket and bottoms. During Sugaree when JG sings "in spite of all you've gained you still have to stand out in the pouring rain" I just cracked up at the ridiculousness of it all. Of course, my brains were pretty loose by that point.

 

Thanks to that rain, I had a creek running through my tent. That made sleeping somewhat difficult so four of us attempted to sleep in a early 80s Toyota Celica hatchback instead. Looking back, the tent would've been more comfortable. It didnt really matter though.....the free-form pharmacy all around us made the situation tolerable.

[jerryskid89]

Long live the Grateful Dead!!!!!!!!

 

'89 Alpine Valley was grate! First day hot-n-dusty, Second day rain, third day rain and mud!

 

plenty of woodstocks!

 

 

One of my all time favorites to listen to is One From The Vault: 8/13/75 Great American Music Hall. The energy as Bill introduces the band is amazing, then they just fire into it!

[Mr. Heartbreak]

Dang, you guys have some harrowing stories of what you went through to see Jerry and the boys! Floods? Injuries?

 

About the worst thing I ever suffered was getting separated from the people I was with at Saratoga in '84. We were all dancing around (probably due to some chemical enjoyment as well as the great music...) and I guess I drifted too far from shore. Before I knew it, I was alone. I didn't care until after the show, when I couldn't find anybody, and I was NOT the driver.

 

Eventually, I stood at the exit and put out my thumb. All was well, as some kind soul gave me a ride right to the door of my house in CT, even though he went about 45 minutes out of his way to do it. Gotta love the old school Deadheads.

[Vacant Horizon]

didn't take part in the last thread b/c i am basically burned out on the dead. they were my life for a good 12 years. even after garcia died. although that was a relief as it gave me a legit reason to not see shows that i knew were getting worse and worse and the damn hassle of seeing them. traveling for hours with no sleep, sleeping in cars, shitting at gas stations, camping in the rain...i could go on. but damn, when 'the boys' hit the stage it was awesome. no band has done that for me since. just garcia's guitar and the excitment of what they might play and the dancing and trying to guess at what they might play. i got pretty good at that.

...so, my harrowing story was spring 93. planned on seeing the final two shows at richfield in cleveland. got mail order tix and went with a buddy who had an old VW bus. unfortunately, in came what the media called the 'storm of the century'. we went anyway and what should have taken 3 hours took around 8 b/c of the low visability and drifting snow. not to mention the wind shield wipers on the van iced up several times. but i didn't care. we were seeing the dead and nothing was gonna get in the way. long story short, we get to cleveland hoping to go right into the venue and the gig is cancelled!! one of only a few times the band cancelled a show. anyway, it was huge hippie party at the hotels. the next night was just great! quick short first set, but tight and a nice long second set with a rare Touch opener. and the bust out of I Fought The Law. we thought that was so cool until we had heard it 70 times by summer 95.

...so, i am not able to listen to the dead anymore. but am really loving me some jerry band these days. that two disc set from 91 is probably one of my all time favorite cds ever!!

peace-craig

[Vacant Horizon]

Unfortunately, I only got to the 9/13/91 show ... still pretty good, though.

 

 

well, this is not popular with the heads, but my all time favorite era when it was all said and done had to be 80-81 and 90. used to love the 70s, but just never liked donna or keith. 91 had some fun stuff )scarlet>victim>fire), but way too much middle range with bruce in there. and damn it if vince was always too high in the mix.

[Vacant Horizon]

I was at Pitt 95. pretty fun, but it rained. don't remember a riot. but, that was my last show and the one i saw the most naked people at:) mostly men, unfortunately. amazingly, it was the last time my dead buddies from college and i were able to get together to see a show together and ultimately, garcia died weeks later. it was time to be over. maybe not for jerry, but for the scene.

[Analogman]

Wasn't there some kids who got struck by lightening on that last tour? I know someone who was at the last show.

[nettles]

Me and a friend lost our ride back at RFK stadium and had to hitchhike home to jersey, it was pretty easy though the next show was at the meadowlands, but he was all freaked out because we had just graduated high school and his parents where throwing him a huge graduation party the next day, we didn't get back til about 9am and needless to say pretty banged up, his folks was pisssssed!

[Analogman]

Like the last few weeks, this week here at the Taper

[mountain bed]

June 1974 has got to be one of top 5 months in GD history. I've never heard a weak show from that month.

 

Even though the 7/31 is longer I think 7/19 kicks its ass (from the same time frame). All in all though the whole year is must-hear stuff. There are only about 40 Wall of Sound shows. Essential listening.

[RaspberryJam]

I love the nostalgic stories thread! My first time seeing the Grateful Dead was Nov 1985 in Rochester, NY. Sold out, but an old hippie looked kindly on us and let us pay $35 for 2 tickets, had a blast. I was 15. My parents let me go with my older boyfriend of 3 months. It all worked out, I eventually married him, but I'm pretty sure I won't let my daughter do that. I remember a great show, the one that gave me a lifelong love affair with "Deal."

 

I remember my idiot brother in law crashing gates in 87 or so even though he had a ticket. Dick.

 

I remember flying out of Albuquerque in the ice storm of the century to go to a show in Arizona. Some deadhead on the plane bought a round of drinks for everyone after a successful but hairy takeoff. And sitting in a hotel hot tub with a bunch of strangers with music blasting from the windows of some room.

 

Good times.

 

There was a lot of beautiful stuff, a lot of scary stuff near the end. I saw so much great music. A concert always came when I needed it the most. I met wonderful people. I wondered out loud the other day to someone when I stopped putting GD stickers on my car. I realized that it was when I couldn't see them anymore. I moved overseas in 93, right after the Vegas shows. I never got to see them again, although from stories my friends told, I probably wouldn't have wanted to go.

 

I'm just thankful that even though I'm a mom in my late 30's, I feel like I really lived my youth, because of the travelling, friends and music I got to experience over those years and probably 30-40 GD shows.

 

I'm also thankful that I listen to awesome music from bands who are touring TODAY. Like Wilco.

[darkstar]

June 1974 has got to be one of top 5 months in GD history. I've never heard a weak show from that month.

 

Even though the 7/31 is longer I think 7/19 kicks its ass (from the same time frame). All in all though the whole year is must-hear stuff. There are only about 40 Wall of Sound shows. Essential listening.

 

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