This is a fun show to compare soundboard vs. audience tapes-- the 'board is sharp but doesn't have a lot of 'vibe'... whereas the audience recording captures truckloads of vibe, which really makes this show extra special to me. A beautiful field-recording for its age, too!
I've had an AUD from 8/6/71 of Truckin'--> Drums--> The Other One--> Me and My Uncle--> The Other One for over 30 years. I was disappointed when Richard's Picks 35 ended up leaving out Truckin'. Jerry's brief outro solo has some of the most absolutely rocking energy I've ever heard from him. But the TOO--> Uncle--> TOO is ripping hot.
Thank you for taking the time to share your insight. I have not ruled out buying the whole tour. It is very tempting.
I have 19 of their albums (20 if you count either Ace or Dylan and the Dead and 21 if you count both) and I like all of them a lot, but lately the one I keep coming back to the most is their first album. I don't get why it got so many bad reviews. One critic described it as "their horrible debut" and another one referenced Garcia's "pedestrian set of chops." I think the album is all killer, no filler, and it contains the seeds of all of their subsequent albums. Along with a psych touch on some songs, it also displays their folk, blues, and country roots as well as their extended jam side. The musicianship is first rate (most notably Garcia's). I would call it one of the most impressive and eclectic debut albums of its time and it has aged quite well.
Garcia himself put down the album in Rolling Stone in the early 70's which I suspect influenced some people. I listened to all of it for the first time recently (although I had heard The Golden Road and Minglewood on hits sets). Not mindblowing but it was fun and showed their roots as a Rolling Stones influenced group. I also remember thinking that it showed Bill was the most experienced at his instrument at the time along with Garcia. BTW I think both quotes you mention are from the not especially insightful Dead writeup by Dave Marsh in the 80's Rolling Stone Record Guide.
Try this one, if you haven't. I much prefer it to the Archive app. It's attractive, easy to navigate, and even scrobbles to Last.fm. I often click "random show" and let it pick one for me. It's the app version of the relisten.net site, for the Dead's music. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/listen-to-the-dead/id715886886?mt=8
Phil referred the first record as having the "ritalin and hashish" sound, being that it was recorded in 3 days in LA.
The first GD album is essential for fans of garage rock and for those that want to hear the soundtrack of the original '66/'67 bay area hippie raves. Quality songwriting or musically advanced jamming is not the point on that record. Freedom, fun, and youth is key on that first release. Like most bands, the first album is extremely influenced and informed by what the band were listening to themselves: The Rolling Stones, Chicago blues, 20's/30's jugband, folk, and contemporary singer-songwriters. Of course, add a little Lysergic to the mix and let the individual styles of each member shine through and you still end up with a unique blend/product. I've always loved rockin' out to that first LP.
Found a copy of D*ck's Picks 12 today (June 26 & 28, 1974) so I've listened to some of that. Also watched the View from the Vault DVD (the first volume from 7-8-90) and it was just so-so. Wish they had just stuck to the concert footage and left out all the effects and video clips during Eyes and Drums and Space... Set list also left much to be desired.
Congratulations. That's one of the top 5 DP's, IMO. Three discs of absolute top level Grateful Dead music.
Unfortunately I've also found videos from this era usually emphasize tacky effects in Drums/Space rather than letting you see what the band members are doing. There may be exceptions I haven't found yet.
Downhill From Here is an exception to the rule in that the Drums/Space section stays focused on the musicians and doesn't include any of those effects. The show is from July '89 though. I don't remember if Truckin' Up to Buffalo and Crimson, White, and Indigo are the same way.
Also listened to 3-30-90 today while watching my son's swimming lesson. I just love the PITB > China Doll transition. One of my favorite shows in the Spring 1990 boxes. I also went out on the Internets and found 7-19-90 (Deer Creek Amphitheater in Noblesville, IN) that has this transition. This is a show that our friend "musicalbeds" has been recommending for some time (along with the previous night). Glad I finally checked it out!
Around 1983 to 85 there were a bunch of Playing -> China Doll segues, including some nice ones (can't remember the dates offhand).
Unfortunately those cheesy effects were done live as part of the video screens used during large shows at the time, so I don't think there is any way to go back and re-edit. I think III and IV are the best of the series, even though I was at the show that became II and not at the others.
My brother was over for the afternoon, and we watched Festival Express. I still think anything with Janis is the best part of the film. But there're some great scenes of The Dead jamming and performing. And a fun bit with a very drunk Janis and Pigpen jamming and singing on the train. (I think Bobby may be in the scene, too.)
I take from the rather ambivalent nature of your post that you haven't gotten too deep into that one. The Boston portion contains one of the tightest Weather Report jams ever that leads into a monstrous jam that includes a Mind Left Body Jam (~5:00), a Dark Star Jam (~10:30), a really pretty funky/jazzy type of jam that's reminiscent of the Beautiful Jam from 2/18/71 (~14:30), and a Tiger Jam (~24:00). This all feeds into a U.S. Blues with a 3 1/2-minute instrumental opening. You might want to have a cold beverage handy in case your teeth begin to melt.
100% correct. It will be savored this evening using headphones, and a hot cup (or two) of 100% Kona coffee. Black, of course!
