The reaction to DP6 when it came out was tepid. It didn't seem to be up to the standards of 1-5 at all. Which isn't to say it doesn't have some nice parts - I need to spin it again one of these days.
Today I listened to the 1980 show from the box. Excellent second set. "Not Fade Away" segues into "Black Peter", that's an unusual combination that took me by surprise. I also went to the postal office to get my DaP #16. A lot of Grateful Dead activity, and it's not even noon yet.
Looking over Deadlists "Not Fade Away" usually came out of Drums/Space in 1980 and often led to "Black Peter" (or other Garcia ballads like "Stella Blue" or "Wharf Rat"). A few years later the "Throwing Stones"/"Not Fade Away" combination happened.
Then I guess it took me by surprise because I'm not very familiar with 1980 (excepting "Reckoning", "Dead Set", and a couple of archival releases). Thanks for the information.
I know I am in the minority, but I had always loved my crappy nth generation audience tape of that second set, so I was excited for it. Still one of my favorite Scarlet->Fires. First set is mediocre though.
If Harpur College was a multitrack then Norman did an abysmal job of mixing. Happily, I can tell you with high confidence that the whole show comes from a 2 track recording. Multi's of 1970 would be Holy Grail material, the only one ever released is 4 February 1970 from the Family Dog, it got snuck into the Download Series. I believe it is the only such recording from that year. PS- The real gem from 1970 would be 8 May, but DL2 confirmed to me via email that it is not in the Vault.
It's one of a number of shows where I go "they pick something from this year and THIS is what they chose?!?!". Seriously. Also, IIRC, the other night of the run totally beats the crap out of this show all around. Same with the 1985 DP.
Is there any inside scoop as to what happened while recording the 5/2/70 electric sets? Something didn't get plugged in perhaps? I have never been able to find any info on that.
The story is lost to the dim mists of time. Of course, we could speculate needlessly, since we Deadheads are wont to do so, but in the end there's just a song...
Like in all things audio-related, they were just ahead of the curve in terms of the back to mono movement. Only for that one day. Later that year, they tried the no-recording-at-all approach, but decided that was way too futuristic. Also, see Neil Young's quote in my signature line.
The Wall of Sound was a mono set-up. Technically, it was a series of transmission-line arrays that served as a point source for each instrument/vocals. In his later years Bear continued to advocate for a mono PA system, with the speaker array hung directly above the stage. He rightly pointed out that only people siting in the center of the floor can get stereo, everyone else in the hockey arena gets a time-smeared sound. Bear said that if the band would use a mono system it could be smaller, while also delivering cleaner sound. Sadly, his understanding of acoustics and sound propagation have not been taken up within the industry.
Interesting stuff there. I've always wondered why a PA would be in stereo when most of the audience isn't centered.
I was of course being facetious, but glad you took that ball and ran with it and provided some interesting information!
In recent years bands like Furthur employed a more "narrow" mix that was barely stereo, so there have been improvements in this regard. I designed my home system to be a miniature version of a PA: stand-mounted monitors and a pair of subs at their feet. Of course, I get to sit in the sweet spot!
Show of the Day: 1 December 1973, Boston Music Hall. Sadly TPTB chose not to represent any part of this show in Dick's Picks 14. Mississippi 1/2 Step > Playing In The Band > Uncle John's Band > Playing In The Band is well worth your time. The transition into Uncle John's Band is hereby nominated as an "Archtop Moment."
I really like that Scarlet>Fire as well, but I agree with Warewolf that the Eyes>Spanish Jam>Other One part of the set is better. I really like the whole show though, even if the next night is better. They're both good. That Scarlet>Fire has a lot of interesting contributions from Brent in particular, and it's a pretty exploratory rendition overall.
I thought they were performed good, but I just thought they were lacking a little substance or something.
I maintain that the Harpur College electric set is in stereo, albeit an extremely narrow stereo: the drums are the only instruments that peak beyond the centre of the spectrum but, sure enough, they do occasionally. It's only a significant distinction insofar as, in my opinion, it suggests that, rather than being a technical glitch causing the tape to be mono, it was a conscious (if curious) mixing decision. Bob Matthews recorded it, right? Maybe it's just the front of house recording and at that venue they went with a very focused stereo image for the PA during the electric set for whatever reason.
