Oil Can Boyd Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 As others have alluded to, I'm particular about Dark Star. Those that I like are among my favorite stuff by the Dead. I feel like from 1969 though 1970 they really nailed it. For me, pre-1969 versions are not quite there and those after 1970 are too noodly. There are a couple outliers I like - the Veneta 8/27/72 and the 12/31/78 Closing of Winterland mentioned above by jw harding - but other than that I tend to stick to 2/13/70, 2/27/69 (Live Dead), anda couple of others. Link to post Share on other sites
worldrecordplayer Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I'm a Dark Star fan, of all eras. Of course not every version does it for me, but the basic openness of the song appeals to me, can be so different from version to version. But I agree, not the song i would put on to convince someone of the Dead. Link to post Share on other sites
jw harding Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Grateful Dead Marathon going on now: http://www.kpfa.org/home Link to post Share on other sites
IRememberDBoon Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Dark Stars better when you don't try and play close attention. If that makes any sense. Its like you can play it driving down the road alone and then look up and you've gone 20 miles and don't consciously even remember driving. That's when it does what its supposed to do. I thought the one they did with Wilco was nice and spacey.Whether you know it or not. Phish does 45 minute songs and tons of 20 minute plus that are the EXACT OPPOSITE of boring. They are firing on all cylinders since Trey got clean and they are UNREAL now. The only word to describe their jams during like "Bathtub Gin, or DWD, or Tweezer and a bunch more is PURE BEAUTY! Its sad when old deadheads blow them off because they really have don't something these last few years that is seriously beautiful music. And it never slows or "noodles" or any of that shit. They just rip it beginning to end. I would advise anyone who has written them off to try a time or two more and get somewhere where its loud and you will become a convert Link to post Share on other sites
calvino Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 After listening to another version of Dark Star on DP9 I have to say that I am 100% baffled as to why people love this song and get excited when it is included In a set. What's the appeal? What am I missing? I listened to Dave Pick's 9 over the weekend, enjoy the version Dark Star quite a bit. The segue into China Doll was great as advertised. Link to post Share on other sites
worldrecordplayer Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Dark Stars better when you don't try and play close attention. If that makes any sense. Its like you can play it driving down the road alone and then look up and you've gone 20 miles and don't consciously even remember driving. That's when it does what its supposed to do. I thought the one they did with Wilco was nice and spacey. Whether you know it or not. Phish does 45 minute songs and tons of 20 minute plus that are the EXACT OPPOSITE of boring. They are firing on all cylinders since Trey got clean and they are UNREAL now. The only word to describe their jams during like "Bathtub Gin, or DWD, or Tweezer and a bunch more is PURE BEAUTY! Its sad when old deadheads blow them off because they really have don't something these last few years that is seriously beautiful music. And it never slows or "noodles" or any of that shit. They just rip it beginning to end. I would advise anyone who has written them off to try a time or two more and get somewhere where its loud and you will become a convertPhish have been freakin unbelievable the last year or 2. Outstanding Mind melting playing, night after night!!! They are not to be missed. Link to post Share on other sites
jw harding Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I was lucky enough to catch Phish's legendary Tahoe Tweezer this summer. 37 minutes of blissful insanity. Their lengthy jams are not always so thrilling, but when they are they are as good as anything out there. Not bad for a band in their 30th year, the year of the Dead's demise. And while their songwriting is not as accessible or classic as the Dead's, with more quirky and avant influences, each song does have the possibility of going into the unknown. With the Dead, there were just a few tunes that filled that role - Dark Star, Playin, Other One, Truckin, any others? While the Dead often extended their tunes, they stayed pretty close to the song structure. Link to post Share on other sites
calvino Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 I do not listen to Phil Lesh and Friends' shows very often. Listening to the 2/12/2005 show today - fun show. https://archive.org/details/2005-02-12.paf.nak300.robr.28166.flacf Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 I do not listen to Phil Lesh and Friends' shows very often. Listening to the 2/12/2005 show today - fun show. https://archive.org/details/2005-02-12.paf.nak300.robr.28166.flacfYeah, some of my favorite P&F stuff with CR and the dude from Railroad Earth. They did a bunch of shows that winter. Good stuff. Link to post Share on other sites
NoJ Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 I swear I saw Scatman Crothers at Alpine one year. Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Did he have an ax? If so, that wasn't you it was Jack Nicholson. Link to post Share on other sites
worldrecordplayer Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 I do not listen to Phil Lesh and Friends' shows very often. Listening to the 2/12/2005 show today - fun show. https://archive.org/details/2005-02-12.paf.nak300.robr.28166.flacfOf course it's all subjective, but some of the most beloved Phil and Friends shows are the "Q" shows, the quintet with Warren and Herring. Here's one worth checking out:https://archive.org/details/paf2001-07-07.mg210.pasternak.98755.flac16 Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 I'm thinking The Q might be back this year. The best line up he's had. Link to post Share on other sites
dagwave Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 i'd love the Q to come back! Check this out from Jambase: In-ear monitor recordings from dead show at Soldier Field.....good Lord, I may havestumbled upon the next Picks? edited for better link (scroll down) http://www.jambase.com/Articles/120719/Ear-Monitor-Recordings-From-Jerry-Garcia%27s-Final-Show-Surface Link to post Share on other sites
jw harding Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 I swear I saw Scatman Crothers at Alpine one year.Was just reading something about the Shining and wanted to see who the custodian guy in the movie was played by. Sure enough, Scatman Crothers. He was also in Cukoo's Nest with Nicholson. Would've been something to see him jam with the Dead. Might rival the time I saw Harry Dean Stanton sit in with Levon Helm for a few songs. Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 i'd love the Q to come back! Check this out from Jambase: In-ear monitor recordings from dead show at Soldier Field.....good Lord, I may havestumbled upon the next Picks? edited for better link (scroll down) http://www.jambase.com/Articles/120719/Ear-Monitor-Recordings-From-Jerry-Garcia%27s-Final-Show-SurfaceWas just catching this. I caught a few of these a little while back Pretty cool stuff..... Link to post Share on other sites
worldrecordplayer Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 i'd love the Q to come back! Check this out from Jambase: In-ear monitor recordings from dead show at Soldier Field.....good Lord, I may havestumbled upon the next Picks? edited for better link (scroll down) http://www.jambase.com/Articles/120719/Ear-Monitor-Recordings-From-Jerry-Garcia's-Final-Show-SurfaceLove the Unbroken Chain bust out Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 JGB 9.15.76 NY, full show video and very well shot: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nVdcxbz21w Link to post Share on other sites
Mr. Heartbreak Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Wow, that is mighty fine. Love Catfish John as an opener. And Donna is in fine form, harmonizing beautifully and no caterwauling. Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 And drinkin' a beer.... Link to post Share on other sites
calvino Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Thanks for posting - that voodoonola YouTube site is a great resource - the amount of video is pretty incredible. Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 It really is. TONS of great footage..... Link to post Share on other sites
Mr. Heartbreak Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Wow, I totally called Tore Up Over You without even looking at the setlist. That was weird...like being back at a Dead show and doing it. Link to post Share on other sites
Shug Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 After listening to another version of Dark Star on DP9 I have to say that I am 100% baffled as to why people love this song and get excited when it is included In a set. What's the appeal? What am I missing?Is there a Dark Star on DP 9? That's MSG 9/16/90 right? Did you mean DP 19 which is Oklahoma City 10/19/73? There are a lot of versions of Dark Star that well-versed fans will point out as exceptional, like Rotterdam '72, 2/13/70 Fillmore East, etc. I listened to the Veneta Oregon '72 Dark Star today, and WOW! fucking fantastic playing to my ears. On that day (easily heard in the Bird Song and the Playin In The Band, too) I think they were in a perfect state to play in a dreamy, care-free, meandering way, that was still purposeful and focused, a real nice balance between the two. I don't think I've heard any other show where the hit that spot and stay there for such a long time. In its best incarnations, Dark Star was a vehicle for superb improvised jamming. When it was played in an uninspired way I can imagine it being tedious for some. To me a good Dark Star is the Dead doing what the did best, collective jamming. Simple riffs and themes like the structured part of Dark Star can make excellent leaping off points for free form jamming (just like the Allmans did with There Is A Mountain) and its also relatively easy for a band to find that riff again to bookend the jam or maybe find it and then take off again into space or another song like they sometimes did. I think Heads loved Dark Star because in the early days it was the prime jamming vehicle and you knew it was gonna get weird. Some people just loved the weird openness and possibilities for psychedelic adventure that Dark Star consistently provided up until 1974. In later years when there was less chaotic jamming at Dead shows overall, getting a Dark Star represented a chance to hear that kind of playing again (even though they didn't always pull it off) and it became rare and human nature is to value rare things higher than those that are common. They never dropped Playin In The Band for very long and it was kinda similar in function to Dark Star, but people didn't get as excited for it because it was common, I'd say. People who love Dark Star probably love the Playin in the Bands that got weird too, like 7/29/88. But Dark Star had some things going for it that set it apart, too, like the lilting little melody that got the thing started. It was like a lighthearted carefree moment before the weirdness started and then they might find that place again after a long journey to strange places, so there could be a sense of having a touchstone in the middle or at the end of the psychedelic storm. Plus it was sung by Jerry and when his voice was still high, that could also be soothing and reassuring. All these impressions would of course be amplified when a listener was in a psychedelic state of mind and if they got emotional then personal meaning gets placed on to the song, making it more special to that listener. I know that's a lot of analysis, but if you really want to understand why people love Dark Star, that is where you have to go. Link to post Share on other sites
worldrecordplayer Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 JGB 9.15.76 NY, full show video and very well shot: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nVdcxbz21wThe Hells Angels boat cruise I believe this is. There's a story behind this show, I just don't remember what it is right now. A fund raiser for Sonny perhaps? Link to post Share on other sites
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