Not to speak ill of the Dead, but there are a bunch of really tricky vocal parts and harmonies they imposed on themselves but could only rarely pull off outside the studio or live after around '72. Every time something like "Box of Rain" or "Weather Report Suite" kicks in on a live recording, my heart melts and my ears cringe. (I'm also looking at you, live vocals on "Here Comes Sunshine.") Was there ever a near-perfect live "Attics of My Life"? I've never heard one. Thank god we'll always have American Beauty.
Exactly, that's the number one problem with all of them. And half the time it's like they can't even figure out who is soloing, even if one guitar is playing way down in open position and the other one is playing above the octave, holding the guitar behind his neck, with the guitar on fire, standing on his head...
1-17-69 Robertson Gym, UC Santa Barbara Dark Star>St. Stephen>The Eleven>Death Don't Have No Mercy>That's It For The Other One>Cosmic Charlie By the time I'm finished with this, I kinda forgot about the 17 minute Lovelight which opened the night. What a show.
Okay, here's a question I posed a very long time ago... Strangest venue you can think of: For me it's probably Jai Alai Fronton in Miami '74.
saw many a show at the capitol in Passaic; the dead, new riders, kinks, steve stills, zappa, old and in the way, Garcia...
74-06-22 Jai Alai Fronton. Garcia's solo on Greatest story ever told is excellent. Phil's playing too! And check out Garcia's singing on Deal.
Loyola University, Chicago, Il. Mertz Hall Cafeteria*, named after alumni Fred Mertz. He actually didn't go to school there, but was the janitor before becoming a NYC landlord in the fifties. * also reported as the "Rambler Room." setlist: Whinin' Boy Blues Tom Dooley This Time Forever Deep Elem Blues KC Moan Knockin' On Heaven's Door Big Boy Pete Jack A Roe Dark Hollow Oh Boy
This brings to mind the Yessongs film where, as I recall, during a particularly busy part of Clap, the screen shows Steve Howe’s feet tapping. More generally, it seemed like a lot of directors of TV shows on which groups appeared during the sixties (and later too of course) couldn’t distinguish between guitars so you get the camera zooming in on the bass or rhythm guitarist during a guitar solo. Do the bridge or skyline in the background reference Binghamton?