I'm pretty sure this was the worst show from a very excellent tour. The setlist looks amazing. Foolish Heart Minglewood Mississippi 1/2 Step JBG set closer. Help>Slip>Franklins... Yet, every time I listen to this show it seems to me to be hollow and soulless. It doesn't help that the sbd source I have is amazing and lets me hear every nuance, but feels sterile and cold. The Bird Song is pretty but goes nowhere slow. In the end, the band just gives up on jamming it out. The Help>Slip>Franklins and the Samson, in particular, have always been a huge disappointment. No real spark. For context, this was the first night in Charlotte and the police went crazy arresting people. They had cameras in the parking lot and were busting people like crazy and processing them on site. It was so bad that many people just left Charlotte. People were handing out free tickets at the door the next night and I saw free tickets on the ground as I went into the show. I think the band picked up on the vibe.
I’d advise trying the Seamons Matrix, it doesn’t sound lifeless to me. I’d respectfully disagree that the second set lacks spark; however, I didn’t have the background as context. I’m through the first set of the next evening (10/23) and have to say it is a bit better than the first night so I get the opinion that 10/22 may be a weaker show among a monster tour.
looks like someone else "go into the act' in 1988 The PA system must have been truly huge and the 2000 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records mentions it: "Largest PA system: On Aug 20th 1988 at the Castle Donnington 'Monsters of Rock' Festival a total of 360 Turbosound cabinets offering a potential 523kW of programme power, formed the largest front-of-house PA. The average Sound Pressure Level at the mixing tower was 118dB, peaking at a maximum of 124dB during Iron Maiden's set. It took five days to set up the system."
I listened to nothing but 78 over the past 3 days, finishing up the 'Chuck Box' plus the 3 shows that stand between it and Egypt. I won't go into the 78 box at length, because a lot of you have it. It's extremely baffling to me that this is still not sold out 2 years later, to me its essential Grateful Dead (though I think I slightly prefer how they were playing earlier in the year.) However, I should mention that on 7-3-78 Phil really tears it up during the chromatic section of the jam, and this might have the best version of Stella Blue they ever did. Also, during Looks Like Rain: Weir: I think it's gonna rain today Donna Jean: Me too! Phil does a bass solo after Eyes of the World on 7-5-78, how rare is that after 74? I put an 'Archtop moment' in my notes for the 10-20 seconds after 'True to me' in Wharf Rat, but I don't have time to go back and look up the timing. Also it seems like Donna Jean is absent for Truckin,' and Phil steps up to the mic in her absence? It definitely sounds like him on the 'Busted!' verse. And I already knew Garcia invented heavy metal soloing back in 72 (check out any version of the 'Tiger' in E72 Other Ones and Dark Stars,) but now I discover he also invented the 'Metallica voice' in "Werewolves of London-aah" (Metallica were from San Francisco after all. )
Loving 7/31/74 (from Dave’s 2) today especially the Truckin’ Jam into Mind Body into Spanish Jam Both Eyes & WRS are very strong as well. Lately 74 WOS has been working for me better than usual. Now getting into 5/28/77 third set via a very strong Estimated - the best jam yet on this tune?!?! (Although I’ve not heard nearly all of them as I’m short the mid-May box and April) but they are cookin’ - especially Jerry...
I just listened to 9-17-70, I don't think the recording is as bad as some others. There was a 'cleaned up' version of the Dark Star sequence that was not half bad (certainly much better than 5-3 or 5-8.) I've always wondered if one of the New Riders (maybe Marmaduke) sang on the studio cut of Box of Rain - there are definitely multiple tracks of Phil singing, but I'm not sure. Marmaduke is not credited. I bring it up because it sounded like maybe Torbert, who is playing bass on this performance of the tune, as in the studio recording, might also be singing here. But it's hard to tell obviously, because the recording is so poor. Dark Star>St. Stephen>Good Lovin' is one of those classic GD segments that everyone should probably check out at least once, but the poor recording makes this a tough listen.
6 November 1977- Broome County Arena, Binghamton, NY. (Home of the McIntosh factory!) Disc 2. Weir: Being Sunday we're going to open with a song of spiritual derivation.
That sounds right. I just looked it up, it's really not a common tune in 78, maybe because of Phil singing. It sounded pretty off on 7-5, especially the high parts, maybe that's why I took note of it.
Some very special things happened at Red Rocks in August, both new tunes being premiered (Shakedown Street, If I Had The World To Give, I Need A Miracle), along with some great jams both nights.
I notice you left out From the Heart of Me. 8-30 was the first really show where there's not at least a pretty good AUD on the archive. There is a SBD for set 2 at least.
I wrote those songs out from memory, I had no idea Donna premiered From The Heart of Me at the Rocks. I had a pretty good tape of that show years ago, and it's used to patch the circulating SBD (thank you Mr. Miller). I'm pretty sure it circulates. Great 2nd set on the 30th. It's amazing to recognize that Shakedown Street gets a relatively perfunctory first workout at the Rocks, then melts like hash in the sun in Egypt.
5/28/77 Estimated>PITB>Terrapin>NFA>Wharf Rat>PITB is all-time stuff especially for the 77 naysayers....
Found out yesterday that my kid's ballet recital is going to be at a place named Freedom Hall --- so opting for 6/18/74 this afternoon. Going with the Miller complete show, rather than Road Trips Vol2. No. 3. Barring the 1st few song mix issues - it sounds pretty great. Never been a huge fan of Loose Lucy - but this a pretty good version. Garcia gets lost a couple times vocally wise, though. Finishes strong.
I’ve seen it before of course but methinks this is just about the greatest thing of any sort of any type of anything ever.
You caught a smoking show. Killer run, and I think Riviera was prob the best show overall (Nashville a close second). Who opens the show with a 21-minute Wheel, and encores with a 17-minute Dancing? Only one band that I know of! Edit: Black-Throated Wind > Jack Straw reprise works so well...amazing they don’t plan or rehearse, it all just clicks into place
