The Grateful Dead

[Analogman]

Furthur Closes Festival, Plays Live Rehearsal Show

 

Of particular note, Williams sang lead on Donna Jean’s Terrapin Station song “Sunrise,” while Phil Lesh supplied lead vocals on an Aoxomoxoa song Furthur has never played, “Rosemary.” Lesh and Williams also shared lead on the Aoxomoxoa song “What’s Become of the Baby.” The group closed its performance with a cover of Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away.”

 

Wild and wacky stuff.

[Lammycat]

In a lot of ways I enjoyed the JGB shows more than the dead shows

saw my first in May of 83 at the the Bushnell in Hartford-missed their peak by a few years

and I feel lucky to have seen a bunch of the jerry solo acoustic shows

 

good times

 

Ditto, dmada with the sentiments about JGB shows, the Bushnell, the Jerry (and John) acoustic shows (I think the only true solo show was that Capital theatre early and late shows on 4-10-82). Garcia was supposedly pretty damn intimidated up there all alone....

 

Some folks would argue that prime/peak years for JGB shows were 80-83.....

[Dmada]

Ditto, dmada with the sentiments about JGB shows, the Bushnell, the Jerry (and John) acoustic shows (I think the only true solo show was that Capital theatre early and late shows on 4-10-82). Garcia was supposedly pretty damn intimidated up there all alone....

 

Some folks would argue that prime/peak years for JGB shows were 80-83.....

You are correct, I meant the Jerry and John acoustic shows.

Definitely loved the set up in 1983, but after listening to some of the 78 shows (like the pure jerry warner theater release)-I think the band was just a little tighter and less speedy if that makes any sense (shift to a different white powder perhaps? )

loved seeing Jerry in the theaters, its really what got me hooked (5-30-83 show in particular-

- Set 1 -

How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You), They Love Each Other, Mission In The Rain, Mystery Train, Gomorrah, Run For The Roses

 

- Set 2 -

Rhapsody In Red, I'll Take A Melody, Simple Twist Of Fate, Harder They Come, Tangled Up In Blue, Midnight Moonlight

 

 

the last three songs just blew me away

 

ahh the good ole days

[Lammycat]

I held a shitty, tiny recorder in my hand above my head for that^ show. Recording came out.....shitty!

[Dmada]

I held a shitty, tiny recorder in my hand above my head for that^ show. Recording came out.....shitty!

thats probably the copy I have

 

yeah tough to find good quality from those days

[Analogman]

I think there are several sources for that show up at bt.etree.org. There are well over 400 Jerry shows there. I doubt all of them are being seeded, but they are listed there. I have never really heard any of his solo stuff - except for the Legion of Mary show I have.

[Dmada]

I think there are several sources for that show up at bt.etree.org. There are well over 400 Jerry shows there. I doubt all of them are being seeded, but they are listed there. I have never really heard any of his solo stuff - except for the Legion of Mary show I have.

Yeah, I did get one of the copies from there-not bad, but not great either.

 

You should really check out the JGB stuff-some of it is just fantastic. I have had the warner theater show from 78 on repeat for the last few days.

 

There are a bunch of 82-83 shows on there that I may check out this weekend.

I am partial to the JGB shows 74-83 and the acoustic stuff 84-86. Not a huge fan of the bluegrass stuff or the later incarnation of the JGB that played arenas from 89? on.

[Analogman]

Taper's Section (June 7 to June 13, 2010)

 

This week we've got a good variety of music from 1970, 1973, 1974 and 1988, with a bit of something for most people.

 

Our first stop this week is 10/17/74 at Winterland, the second of five nights that were recorded and partially filmed for the Grateful Dead Movie. From this show we have Weather Report Suite , which was included on the bonus CD that accompanied the Beyond Description boxed set. The next night's version, from 10/18/74, is included on the Grateful Dead Movie DVD as a bonus track, filmed from 5 camera angles and mixed in 5.1 surround sound.

 

Next up, from Cincinnati on 12/4/73, we have Eyes Of The World . This was a short show, owing to the fact that the band started a little later than usual by all accounts. However, it was a good show, as would be expected from the era. Some of the show was included as a bonus in the 9-CD Winterland 1973 boxed set, but in case you missed that bonus disc, it's a pleasure to bring it to you here.

 

Our next stop this week is one of my favourite Pigpen covers from 1970, It's a Man's World, recorded live on 6/7/70 at the Fillmore West. There's an excellent version of this James Brown classic on the Dead's Harpur College album (Dick's Picks Vo. 8) so check that out if you get a chance.

 

From the Family Dog on 2/4/70, as part of the TV shoot for Night At The Family Dog, we have this quite-early, electric Black Peter. It was recorded to 16-track audio for TV audio mixing purposes, and we're fortunate these old analog tapes have stood up so well for so long.

 

Lastly this week, one of only two live Grateful Dead versions of Bob Dylan's Ballad Of A Thin Man, recorded on 3/27/88 in Hampton, VA. The other was played on 4/1/88, which was included on the excellent David Gans-produced Postcards of the Hanging. It's too bad they didn't play this song more often, as it would have been a nice change from Queen Jane, Masterpiece and Memphis Blues in the Dylan slot of the first sets. g.

 

Next week we'll have music from 1973, 1974, 1983 and 1989, so be sure to stop in for more great Grateful Dead tunes.

 

David Lemieux

 

That is an odd Eyes of The World.

[Mr. Heartbreak]

June '73 had some pretty interesting shows...

Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, 6/9/73

[Vacant Horizon]

Taper's Section (June 7 to June 13, 2010)

 

 

 

That is an odd Eyes of The World.

 

 

why do you think it's odd? just curious. the weird thing to me is that bob's guitar sounds a lot like garcia and he's strumming a lot rather than his usual sparse riffs etc.

 

on another note, i really wish they would just start releasing entire shows/tours for download at the dead site instead of all these pieces on bonus discs etc. i'd also like to see them do tour highlights from the later years. like highlights from summer '92. they weren't playing well, but damn every show had at least a few gems.

[Analogman]

It seems to me that it falls apart a few times.

[Vacant Horizon]

It seems to me that it falls apart a few times.

 

yes, i see that. thanks.

[mountain bed]

Yes, it's that time again, dudes. Go pull your copy of 6/10/73 and waste 4-5 hours of your day.

 

At least waste 20 minutes for the "Eyes". One of my favorite versions.

[Analogman]

Road Trips Vol. 3 No. 3

 

New 1970 “Road Trips” Features Prime Acoustic and Electric Dead

 

 

Taper's Section (June 14 to June 20, 2010)

 

As we head to the start of Summer, we have some excellent Fall Grateful Dead music, recorded in October and December, between 1973 and 1989.

 

Our first stop this week is in Charlotte, NC, on 12/10/73 when the Grateful Dead were continuing their majestic run of shows that started October 19 in Oklahoma City and ended December 19 in Tampa. From Charlotte, we have this typically hot-for-the-era Playing In The Band. You'll notice Donna is absent, as she missed the end of the tour due to her pregnancy. From the same show we also have this beautiful Brokedown Palace, always a treat to play this American Beauty classic.

 

From October, 1974, and included as a bonus track on the Grateful Dead Movie DVD, we have this terrific Scarlet Begonias, with a nicely stretched-out jam. The GD Movie is, in my opinion, the greatest audiovisual document of the Grateful Dead, and added to the magnificence of the Movie, there is two hours of bonus footage on the DVD, and loads of other extras, so it's certainly a DVD I recommend to everyone.

 

For a change of pace, in just about every way, we have Victim Or The Crime from Without A Net. I don't have the recording dates in front of me, but I seem to recall that this is from 10/15/89 in NJ.

 

Finally this week, we are pleased to play the final live east coast version of Saint Stephen from 10/15/83 in Hartford. The Grateful Dead would play it one more time, on 10/31/83 at Marin Civic, but then put it away for good. These three versions (Hartford, San Rafael and MSG on 10/11/83) are Brent's only versions of this Aoxomoxoa classic.

 

Be sure to stop in next week for some tasty Dead from 1969, 1979 and 1988. And as always, we encourage you to write to us with questions or comments about the Tapers' Section at the e-mail address below. Please put "Grateful Dead" in the subject so that our futuristic spam filters let the missive through.

 

David Lemieux

[Lammycat]

I was at the Hartford show and was well aware of the St. Stephen played at MSG a few nights earlier. The entire place was on edge (imo) with anticipation out of Space. Those first notes of Stephen still send shivers down my spine. The place absolutely lit up. Still my favorite of the three they broke out.

[Analogman]

Taper's Section (June 21 to June 27, 2010)

 

This week at the Tapers' Section we're going to check in on some Grateful Dead music that covers just about 20 years, with selections from 1969, 1979 and 1988.

 

Our first stop this week is at the Fillmore Auditorium on 12/19/69, when the Grateful Dead were wrapping up their Bay Area performances for the year. New Year's Eve 1969-1970 was the only Dead NYE show that took place outside of the state of California, with a monster show in Boston on 12/31/69. From this first of three Fillmore shows, we have a terrific late-1969 sequence of Good Lovin, That's It For The Other One>Uncle John's Band>Lovelight . The first live Uncle John's Band (with vocals) was just two weeks before this.

 

Next up is the first night of the Dead's NYE run in 1988, a rare three-night run (NYE runs were generally 4 or 5 night affairs 1979-1991, with the exception of the two nights in 1985). From that show in Oakland at the Coliseum, we have the entire first set, consisting of Iko Iko ; Walkin' Blues ; Jack-A-Roe ; It's All Over Now ; When Push Comes To Shove ; Stuck Inside of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again ; Bird Song ; Jack Straw. This show also featured an excellent second set, with a particularly fine post-Drums sequence.

 

Finally this week, from Chicago on 12/5/79, we have a good chunk of the first set, made up of Alabama Getaway> Greatest Story Ever Told ; Dire Wolf ; Me And My Uncle > Big River; Cold Rain And Snow. We've played quite a bit of this tour here at the Tapers' Section, and with decent tapes of the whole tour in the vault, we expect we'll keep playing more as the years go by. These are from cassette masters, from the PA feed, and aren't quite of the same quality as the reels mixed specifically for later-listening by Betty 1976-1978, but they are very good nonetheless.

 

Be sure to stop by next week for some music from 1973, 1985 and 1989 as we roll into the 4th of July. Hooray for America! And, as always, we encourage you to write to the email address below with questions, comments, suggestions, or just to say hi.

 

David Lemieux

[Vacant Horizon]

Taper's Section (June 21 to June 27, 2010)

 

 

was there anything better than going to a 3-5 night run at MSG. damn, that was so great!

 

 

thanks for posting these Digital Man

[Dmada]

I was at the Hartford show and was well aware of the St. Stephen played at MSG a few nights earlier. The entire place was on edge (imo) with anticipation out of Space. Those first notes of Stephen still send shivers down my spine. The place absolutely lit up. Still my favorite of the three they broke out.

I was also at that Hartford show (dont think I missed one in hartford 82-89)

that SS breakout remains one of my top concert moments for any band

 

Lots of grate shows at the civic center

[Analogman]

Grateful Dead Live at Jai-Alai Fronton on 1974-06-23

[mountain bed]

Grateful Dead Live at Jai-Alai Fronton on 1974-06-23

I know we've talked about this before, but June '74 is one of the greatest months in Dead history. They were just simply untouchable at that time. It wasn't too long after 6/74 that they just got so tired from lugging around The Wall, all the blow etc. that a break was necessary.

 

Of course, I can't really hear the music suffering very much.

[Dmada]

well Im going to catch furthur tomorrow and the alphabet soup after party (rumor has it we may see Chimenti and Weir there)

 

we shall see

perhaps I might enjoy JK more when Im just hanging back in a baseball stadium and listening to the music and not seeing a jerry clone up close

 

should be a nice evening anyway!

[Lammycat]

JK is really a lot more than a Jerry clone. He's got his own style and has been allowed to (and felt more comfortable in his own shoes through this) to do his own thing. He struggled last fall when he came in to the band, imo, because he likely was trying to fill those shoes too closely. He really is an excellent guitarist and does his own thing. I was heavily impressed with the shows last spring. Even shit like Truckin was all-out and with a new vibe.

 

Enjoy the music.

[Dmada]

JK is really a lot more than a Jerry clone. He's got his own style and has been allowed to (and felt more comfortable in his own shoes through this) to do his own thing. He struggled last fall when he came in to the band, imo, because he likely was trying to fill those shoes too closely. He really is an excellent guitarist and does his own thing. I was heavily impressed with the shows last spring. Even shit like Truckin was all-out and with a new vibe.

 

Enjoy the music.

I know-the guy is very talented-I dont think he struggled last fall but agree he was trying to emulate Jerry way too much-which was kinda weird for me.

 

But I am looking forward to hearing them play again. I dont over analyze these shows, I just go and have a good time-should be a beautiful summer evening.

Last nights set looks good on paper

Rochester 6/25

Set 1: 1. Not Fade Away 2. Here Comes Sunshine 3. Feel Like A Stranger 4. Truckin 5. Feelin Alright (?) 6. Strawberry Fields Forever 7. Cosmic Charlie

 

Set 2:

1. Viola Lee Blues> 2. Bertha> 3. Viola Lee Blues> 4. Cumberland Blues> 5. Viola Lee Blues> 6. Born Cross Eyed> 7. New Potato Caboose> 8. Time> 9. Death Don't Have No Mercy> 10. The Wheel> 11. Going Down The Road Feeling Bad> 12. We Bid You Goodnight> 13. Attics Of My Life

[Dmada]

Well Futhur was better than I expected.

They sound pretty good, the got a little lost in the latter part of the second set-but over all a solid show

 

nightmare outside that coney island venue

surreal hearing and seeing the band with the cyclone, wonder wheel, the old parachute jump and the ocean in the background

 

good time

6/26 MCU park, brooklyn, NY

Set 1: 1. Chinacat Sunflower> 2. I Know You Rider 3. Black Throated Wind 4. Mully Gully> 5. High Time 6. Loose Lucy 7. Throwing Stones 8. One More Saturday Night

 

Set 2:

1. Shakedown Street 2. Caution> 3. Jam> 4. Jack Straw 5. Playing In The Band> 6. Dark Star> 7. Saint Stephen> 8. The Eleven> 9. Dark Star> $ 10. Lady With A Fan> $ 11. Terrapin Station> $ 12. At A Siding $ 13. Donor Rap

Encore: 1. Brokedown Palace $

 

$= Kenny Brooks on Saxophone.

[Analogman]

Taper's Section (June 28 to July 4, 2010)

 

Here we go, barreling through the start of the summer and ending the week here at the Tapers' Section with the 4th of July. This week we're going to cover 16 years of Dead, with music from 1973, 1985 and 1989.

 

Our first selection is from the late summer of 1985, on 9/3/85 at the Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, where we have the entire first consisting of Feel Like A Stranger>TLEO, Rooster, Dire Wolf, Cassidy, Big RR, Music>Don't Ease. That's a fairly typical song selection from 1985, but it's loads of great tunes, so no complaints here.

 

From a few years later in Miami, we have music from the penultimate show of the Fall Tour of 1989, on 10/25/89 in Miami, the entire first, which features Hell In A Bucket ; Sugaree ; Just A Little Light ; Friend Of The Devil ; Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again ; Cold Rain And Snow; Picasso Moon; Deal. This tour is filled with great music, from the start of the tour in Hampton to the final night in Miami (with that epic Dark Star!). This night in Miami is occasionally overlooked due to the next night's excellence, but as you'll now hear, there's lots to love about 10/25/89.

 

Lastly this week, we have music from 10/30/73 in St. Louis, the second of two nights on the great Fall Tour of 1973. From this show we have Here Comes Sunshine, Me and My Uncle, Ramble On Rose, Looks Like Rain, Deal, Mexicali Blues, TLEO. There are a couple of repeats from this week's earlier selections, but these versions are very different, especially the version of TLEO, which features an entirely different tempo and melody. Just goes to show why we keep listening to this band; there's always something new and interesting. When asked by my old film school friend Jeff how many versions of Sugar Magnolia can I possibly hear, I responded “all of them!”

 

We'll see you here next week for more great tunes. We don't yet know what we'll play, but we expect it'll be good. Feel free to write the address below with questions, comments, praise or complaints. We're you're one-stop, catch-all, answer-every-email place to voice your opinions about the music and our work here.

 

David Lemieux