The Grateful Dead

[mountain bed]

6/14/76 - Beacon Theatre NYC

 

This show should be mentioned if only for the amazing 30+ minute Help > Slip > Frank sequence. The Slipknot in particular is 13:20 minutes long and contains the most unbelievable playing! The jam includes some stuff with just JG and the drummers that reminds me of some of the Trane/Elvin Jones duets. Then Phil joins in and there is a great musical argument between Jerry and Phil. Bobby gets his .02 and things veer off course for a minute but then the theme is re-established and dovetails nicely into a 11 minute Franks that is just exactly perfect. My favorite Slip ever.

 

Sorry that I can't post this stuff up -I'm listening to Maxells from a looong time ago.

[Analogman]

One good thing about messing with Wilco AUD shows, no one has started this whole re-mastering, my source is better than yours deal - it will happen some day - I suppose.

 

I say this as I was just reading the comments section under some Dead shows that were put up at bt.etree - and they are grilling the guy - but, on the other hand, there are groups of people out there who have the time, means, and knowledge to work on getting things cleaned up - so I can see where they would be upset.

 

One of things I recall shaking my head about is reading that a lot of those analog reel to reel tapes were dubbed to cassette back in the day - which, in hindsight, was a bad idea - at least for source purposes.

 

Also - I have quite a stack of old Rolling Stone magazines from the 80s, and in some of them there are various interviews with those who did the early work on digitizing analog masters - and in some cases, there was mention of the fact that those tapes were tossed in the garbage after they were digitized - which was a major mistake.

[darkstar]

6/14/76 - Beacon Theatre NYC

 

This show should be mentioned if only for the amazing 30+ minute Help > Slip > Frank sequence. The Slipknot in particular is 13:20 minutes long and contains the most unbelievable playing! The jam includes some stuff with just JG and the drummers that reminds me of some of the Trane/Elvin Jones duets. Then Phil joins in and there is a great musical argument between Jerry and Phil. Bobby gets his .02 and things veer off course for a minute but then the theme is re-established and dovetails nicely into a 11 minute Franks that is just exactly perfect. My favorite Slip ever.

 

Sorry that I can't post this stuff up -I'm listening to Maxells from a looong time ago.

 

 

Oh man, those old Maxell tapes.....printing out the "J" cards, wondering how the hell to get the hiss out........good times. I listened to a LOT of crappy sounding tapes trying to convince myself they weren't that bad

[NightOfJoy]

Oh man, those old Maxell tapes.....printing out the "J" cards, wondering how the hell to get the hiss out........good times. I listened to a LOT of crappy sounding tapes trying to convince myself they weren't that bad

 

I have a whole bag full of Maxells that are looking for a good home.

[Lammycat]

I have a whole bag full of Maxells that are looking for a good home.

Blanks or shows?

[mountain bed]

Blanks or shows?

Dude, don't start a bidding war with me on this - I will crush you.

[Lammycat]

Dude, don't start a bidding war with me on this - I will crush you.

I was actually going to suggest you grab 'em if they're blanks as I know you still dub shows! I don't listen to the gazillion tapes I have enough now anyway.

[NightOfJoy]

They are shows.

[Analogman]

Link

 

We have lots of cool stuff this week from throughout the Grateful Dead's recordings, including music from 1976, 1991 and some other nuggets.

 

Our first stop this week is at the first night of a three night run at the Capital Theatre in Passaic, NJ, in 1976. The band started their comeback with two shows in Portland, OR, four in Boston, two in New York, followed by these three in Passaic. From the end of the second set, we have this mighty Let It Grow>Wharf Rat, from 6/17/76. When they came back in 1976, the Grateful Dead left behind the Weather Report Prelude and Part 1, which is too bad, but these go-it-alone Let It Grows sure are good, with that nifty little drum break.

 

While we're talking about the whole Weather Report Suite, and looking at this week's date, we'd be remiss if we didn't play the whole Weather Report Suite jam from 6/18/74 in Louisville. There are certain shows that are legendary amongst Dead Heads, and certain jams that are equally famous, as this is one of them, rightfully so. So, here you go: Weather Report Suite>The Other One>Space>It's a Sin Jam>Stella Blue. There is a cut in the master reels during Stella Blue, but otherwise this sequence sounds great, and is played exquisitely.

 

One little technical side note: I often refer to

[Lammycat]

Phil & Friends with the Black Crowes. I hope this becomes a temporary trend:

 

 

 

Phil Lesh & Friends and The Black Crows

will play on Sunday, October 5, 2008

at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

Alpharetta, GA

Showtime is 6:30 PM

Ticket prices are $71.00 for Upper & Lower Reserved

and $50.00 for General Admission Lawn

 

The first mail in dates for these performances are

Wednesday Through Saturday, June 18 Through 21, 2008.

 

(ed: GDTS spelled "Crowes" wrong).

[Analogman]

No surprise there - Chris was singing with Phil and his band a few years ago.

[Lammycat]

No surprise there - Chris was singing with Phil and his band a few years ago.

Yes, but the BC have never shared a bill with them before (to my knowledge). Very nice double bill.

[Analogman]

I would like to see The Black Crowes - but, I would have prefered to see them when Marc and Eddie were in the band. Phil Lesh, I respect, but I don't think I would want to see him again. I did once - several years ago.

[quarter23cd]

Phil Lesh, I respect, but I don't think I would want to see him again. I did once - several years ago.

I've heard various recordings of Phil & Friends over the years and while its neat to hear the various "star" guest vocalists, it never struck me as being absolutely essential that I go see this band. And I had been on the fence, from what I'd heard, of how I felt about this newest lineup, until just the other day I listened to the recording of the show I passed up seeing last week when they were in town and I am kicking myself for skipping it. From the "YEAH!" that launches the opening "Minglewood" onward, I had a huge grin on my face. (the "Cumberland Blues" is something to behold)

 

So, yeah, I guess I am now on the Phil bandwagon. A little late, as usual. Oh well. That pairing with the Crowes sounds like a good time.

[Analogman]

When I saw him - it was with Warren Haynes/Jimmy Herring/Rob Barraco/John Molo.

 

Here is the show.

[NightOfJoy]

When I saw him - it was with Warren Haynes/Jimmy Herring/Rob Barraco/John Molo.

 

Here is the show.

 

Set list looks tasty.

 

I've only seen Phil once back in 11/02. It was ok but nothing memorable. I did catch a hell of a virus though and ended up with walking pneumonia for the month of December. I definitely recall that.

[Analogman]

It was a free show.

[mountain bed]

When I saw him - it was with Warren Haynes/Jimmy Herring/Rob Barraco/John Molo.

 

Here is the show.

Imo that band (during '01, anyway) was the best band in the land. I saw them with SCI opening and it was one the top 20 shows I've ever seen.

[Lammycat]

I've seen P&F quite a bit since the inception and have always had a blast. I preferred the the Warren/Herring set-up, as well. The Chris Robinson stuff was pretty damn good, as was the Jon Scofield stuff, as was the Trey and Donna stuff, too.

 

For whatever reason, to my ears and in general with but a few exceptions, the shows don't translate as well over to disc. I find myself infrequently listening to any of the shows after the fact.

[NightOfJoy]

For whatever reason, to my ears and in general with but a few exceptions, the shows don't translate as well over to disc. I find myself infrequently listening to any of the shows after the fact.

 

The same goes with Ratdog. I've seen them 6-7 times, always had a blast, etc but I dont ever put the shows in the player. I may be a victim of trying to get a taste of the past when attending these post-GD shows.

[quarter23cd]

The same goes with Ratdog. I've seen them 6-7 times, always had a blast, etc but I dont ever put the shows in the player. I may be a victim of trying to get a taste of the past when attending these post-GD shows.

This is true. I purchased the Instant Live recording of the Ratdog show I attended last summer and I still listen occasionally, mostly because the sound quality is tremendous, but I don't know if this qualifies as "essential listening".

 

The thing about the post-Dead bands is that they sound fantastic when you're there in the moment, but really, if I'm at home and in the mood to listen to GD songs, I go straight to the GD versions.

[Lammycat]

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra to perform GD tunes, Lee Johnson's "Dead Symphony," for Garcia's birthday (8/1):

http://www.dead.net/features/news/baltimor...hony-august-1st

[Analogman]

From Gan's blog.

 

 

Our next Grateful Dead Night will be on Wednesday, June 25 at 12 Galaxies in the SF Mission district. We are very honored to have legendary GD crew member & JGB manager Steve Parish coming down to do a spoken word tribute of his many years traveling with Jerry Garcia and the GD. He will be accompanied by a keyboard player - I believe it will be composer George Michalski - for this performance.

[jc4prez]

I actually think some of Phil's stuff holds up really well on disc, especially the scofeild stuff and the Cambell/Sless/Osby/Molo/Osborne lineup. I also listen to parts of the trey/page/kimcock/molo shows quite a bit.

[mountain bed]

20 years ago this week - the Dead at Alpine Valley. 6/19, 20, 22 and 23. The longest run they ever did at Alpine. Dylan did a show on 6/18 there, so we were there almost a whole week. Yikes.

 

When we arrived there had not been a drop of rain in the area for 65 days. The grass on the little airstrip adjacent to the venue looked and felt like hay - it crunched under your feet when you walked on it. And I'm sure you all remember the heat in the Summer of '88 - it was well into the '90s every day. We bought a tarp on the way up there and ended up stretching it between our van and the truck of our camping neighbors, otherwise I'm fairly certain we would have DIED.

 

The guys next to us I'll never forget - Larry and Mike from Doylestown PA. Tapers, super nice guys, and flat out crazy about partying. I swear those guys tripped every day in that heat, I have no idea how they did that without stroking out. They were righteous dudes though - 2 weeks after the shows I had some sweet 1st gen AUDs of the shows.

 

The Dylan show on the first night was easily the best Bob show I ever saw - out of a dozen or so. GE Smith was in that band. There were electric versions of "Hollis Brown" and "Gates of Eden" that were so powerful that I then realized why Dylan was the greatest. It was truly spine-tingling.

 

The Dead debuted a number of tunes at this run - Foolish Heart, Victim, Blow Away, and Brent's lullabye. I know there are some who love that song, but it was a huge buzz killer to me. Night one - pleasant but uneventful. Night two was the best - the second set (especially post drums) was the same old setlist you've heard a hundred times (Other One > Wharf Rat > Around > Good Lovin', E; U.S. Snooze) but man they played the fuck out of it. Awesome!

 

Night 3 - best space of the run, lots of scary feedback, not too much electronics. But without question the worst Stella I've ever heard - Jer was so lost for the longest time everyone around us was looking at each other like "damn, he's gonna die RIGHT NOW!" Very creepy. The last night was the longest of the run, and also was cowboy night. Near the end, during the Dew this long haired kid somehow got up on stage. He then proceeded to set Indian-style right in front of Jer - i guess he was worshipping or something. Big Steve came out and very calmly and gently led him off the stage, and as he did Jerry just sort of waved at him singing "I guess it doesn't matter anyway". That was strange as hell.

 

Anyway...these weren't the best shows by any means but it was a memorable run for me and my friend.

 

Sweet blog.