Grateful Dead Archival Live Release Thread

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Al Gator, Feb 5, 2021.

  1. Crispy Rob

    Crispy Rob Cat Juggler

    Location:
    Oakland, CA
    Rip It Up and Blue Suede Shoes
     
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  2. bzfgt

    bzfgt The Grand High Exalted Mystic Ruler

    I remember one from 1972 with Jerry singing Big River, maybe? Anyway I've come across several but I never pay that close attention
     
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  3. bzfgt

    bzfgt The Grand High Exalted Mystic Ruler

    Right but Watkins wasn't really just a soundcheck, it was a concert for the people that had gotten there early
     
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  4. Crispy Rob

    Crispy Rob Cat Juggler

    Location:
    Oakland, CA
    That’s the Radio Luxembourg show, and that they also soundcheck Sugar Mags. Both were included on the official release.
     
  5. pbuzby

    pbuzby Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago, IL, US
    From what I remember it seems like they used soundchecks for rehearsal more often than jams. There is one from the 90's with Vince where they were considering reviving "Man's World."
     
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  6. bzfgt

    bzfgt The Grand High Exalted Mystic Ruler

    Yeah there's one with Ain't That Peculiar
     
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  7. Crispy Rob

    Crispy Rob Cat Juggler

    Location:
    Oakland, CA
    Only the Peculiar Remain
     
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  8. lucan_g

    lucan_g Forum Resident

    Without question that is the highlight of the whole damn thing. A glorious piece of music -- a 1973 high point.
     
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  9. lucan_g

    lucan_g Forum Resident

    That's just the price of becoming a Dead fan who actually likes owning the music. It only really gets awkward when spouses/significant others start to pay attention... and of course explaining to visiting friends what is going on also gets a bit complicated...
     
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  10. uzn007

    uzn007 Watcher of the Skis

    Location:
    Raleigh, N.C.
    I think the Dead usually didn't bother. They might run through a song or two that they were thinking of performing, but by and large, I don't think they spent a lot of time soundchecking beyond what was necessary for Healy to get the room to sound good. The Watkins Glen soundcheck is unique in that so many people showed up early for the show on the 28th that the Dead (apparently, according to conventional wisdom) treated it as a "bonus" show for the people who were already camped out. So it's not like 90-minute soundchecks of multiple complete songs with unnamed abstract jams were a regular thing.
     
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  11. BlueTrane

    BlueTrane Forum Resident

    From Bill Graham’s memoir:

    ***************************
    The kids just came in by the thousands and thousands. This was the day before the show. All the bands had said they wanted to do a sound check. That morning, I called them all up and said, "Sound check? You got to be here today." Because I wanted a show that day. I wanted to give the crowd something. I didn't want them to just sit there.

    When the Band got there, they said, "We'd like to tune up and rehearse and run through a couple of numbers but there are all those people out there."

    I said, "You want me to move them?"

    Musicians aren't used to doing run-throughs in front of an audience. Usually, it takes them hours to find the right keys and do the tuning. It takes them forever. That day, it all got done within one song. The kids went ape.

    The Allman Brothers were next. Their guy said, "Look how long the Band was out there. We'd like to play at least half an hour. Maybe forty minutes."

    I said, "You want to do a sound check for forty minutes? I got the Dead waiting here."

    So the Allmans went out and played for an hour. The audience went bonkers. I mean, they went wild.

    Then came the natural move. The Dead roadies were saying, "You really f-ked us. How much do we get for a sound check?"

    The Dead played for an hour and a half. By seven o'clock that night, the kids had seen a great, great show.

    I loved all three bands and they all were right for that kind of outdoors gig. The next day, we had an outdoor show for the first time at the Ontario Motor Speedway in Southern California with Leon Russell and Loggins and Messina. I rented a Lear jet, flew cross-country, and worked that show. But there were only about thirty thousand people there.
    ***************************
     
  12. Wright

    Wright Forum Resident

    I didn't realize the Band and the Allmans also did "soundcheck concerts" on that day.
     
  13. Tim 2

    Tim 2 MORE MUSIC PLEASE

    Location:
    Alberta Canada
    Interesting, thanks for your post. :righton:
     
  14. Mr_Flanders

    Mr_Flanders Forum Resident

    Location:
    Morehead, KY
    “Don’t Ease Me In” I guess!
     
  15. Al Gator

    Al Gator You can call me Al Thread Starter

    Clickable Thread Guide

    List of releases

    By Release Date
    By Concert Date
    This week: 1972-04, 05 England (released 2002-07-09 on Steppin' Out with the Grateful Dead: England '72)

    Next week: 1990-06-16 Mountain View (released 2002-07-15 on View from the Vault 3)
     
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  16. Al Gator

    Al Gator You can call me Al Thread Starter

    [​IMG]

    Steppin' Out With The Grateful Dead: England '72

    Recording dates: April 7 - May 26, 1972
    Recording location: England
    Release date: July 9, 2002
    Recorded by: Bob Matthews and Betty Cantor-Jackson
    Mixed by: Jeffrey Norman

    https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lZQNMPQYjJC1grZIYu6lib2q6ep0JAMTw

    Disc 1
    1. "Cold Rain and Snow" (Traditional, arranged by Grateful Dead) (May 24, 1972, Strand Lyceum, London) – 6:02
    2. "Greatest Story Ever Told" (Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, Robert Hunter) (May 7, 1972, Bickershaw Festival, Wigan) – 6:00
    3. "Mr. Charlie" (Ron McKernan, Hunter) (May 7, 1972, Bickershaw Festival, Wigan) – 3:52
    4. "Sugaree" (Jerry Garcia, Hunter) (April 11, 1972, Newcastle City Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne 7:34
    5. "Mexicali Blues" (Weir, John Barlow) (May 24, 1972, Strand Lyceum, London) – 4:10
    6. "Big Boss Man" (Al Smith, Luther Dixon) (May 7, 1972, Bickershaw Festival, Wigan) – 6:28
    7. "Deal" (Garcia, Hunter) (April 11, 1972, Newcastle City Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne) – 5:51
    8. "Jack Straw" (Weir, Hunter) (May 26, 1972, Strand Lyceum, London) – 5:19
    9. "Big Railroad Blues" (Noah Lewis) (April 8, 1972, Wembley Empire Pool, London) – 4:26
    10. "It Hurts Me Too" (Elmore James) (April 8, 1972, Wembley Empire Pool, London) – 6:07
    11. "China Cat Sunflower >" (Garcia, Hunter) (May 23, 1972, Strand Lyceum, London) – 5:05
    12. "I Know You Rider" (Traditional, arranged by Grateful Dead) (May 23, 1972, Strand Lyceum, London) – 6:02 / "Happy Birthday to You" (Patty Hill, Mildred J. Hill) (May 7, 1972, Bickershaw Festival, Wigan) – 1:48
    13. "Playing in the Band" (Weir, Hart, Hunter) (May 7, 1972, Bickershaw Festival, Wigan) – 10:10
    Disc 2
    1. "Good Lovin'" (Rudy Clark, Artie Resnick) (May 7, 1972, Bickershaw Festival, Wigan) – 20:31
    2. "Ramble on Rose" (Garcia, Hunter) (May 7, 1972, Bickershaw Festival, Wigan) – 6:41
    3. "Black-Throated Wind" (Weir, Barlow) (April 8, 1972, Wembley Empire Pool, London) – 6:07
    4. "Sitting on Top of the World" (Walter Jacobs, Lonnie Carter) (May 23, 1972, Strand Lyceum, London) – 3:30
    5. "Comes a Time" (Garcia, Hunter) (May 23, 1972, Strand Lyceum, London) – 7:01
    6. "Turn on Your Love Light >" (Deadric Malone, Joseph Scott) (May 7, 1972, Bickershaw Festival, Wigan) – 13:02
    7. "Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad >" (Traditional, arranged by Grateful Dead) (May 7, 1972, Bickershaw Festival, Wigan) – 8:22
    8. "Not Fade Away >" (Charles Hardin, Norman Petty) (May 23, 1972, Strand Lyceum, London) – 4:54
    9. "Hey! Bo Diddley >" (Bo Diddley) (May 23, 1972, Strand Lyceum, London) – 4:30
    10. "Not Fade Away" (Hardin, Petty) (May 23, 1972, Strand Lyceum, London) – 3:06
    Disc 3
    1. "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu" (Huey Smith) (May 24, 1972, Strand Lyceum, London) – 5:15
    2. "Black Peter" (Garcia, Hunter) (May 24, 1972, Strand Lyceum, London) – 8:52
    3. "Chinatown Shuffle" (McKernan) (May 24, 1972, Strand Lyceum, London) – 3:23
    4. "Truckin' >" (Garcia, Phil Lesh, Weir, Hunter) (April 7, 1972, Wembley Empire Pool, London) – 10:14
    5. "Drums >" (Bill Kreutzmann) (April 7, 1972, Wembley Empire Pool, London) – 2:44
    6. "The Other One >" (Weir, Kreutzmann) (April 7, 1972, Wembley Empire Pool, London) – 19:31
    7. "El Paso >" (Marty Robbins) (April 7, 1972, Wembley Empire Pool, London) – 4:470
    8. "The Other One >" (Weir, Kreutzmann) (April 7, 1972, Wembley Empire Pool, London) – 8:20
    9. "Wharf Rat" (Garcia, Hunter) (April 7, 1972, Wembley Empire Pool, London) – 10:48
    10. "One More Saturday Night" (Weir) (April 8, 1972, Wembley Empire Pool, London) – 4:57
    Disc 4
    1. "Uncle John's Band" (Garcia, Hunter) (May 23, 1972, Strand Lyceum, London) – 7:20
    2. "The Stranger (Two Souls in Communion)" (McKernan) (May 23, 1972, Strand Lyceum, London) – 7:57
    3. "Dark Star >" (Garcia, Hart, Kreutzmann, Lesh, McKernan, Weir, Hunter) (April 8, 1972, Wembley Empire Pool, London) – 31:27
    4. "Sugar Magnolia >" (Weir, Hunter) (April 8, 1972, Wembley Empire Pool, London) – 7:15
    5. "Caution (Do Not Stop on Tracks)" (Garcia, Kreutzmann, Lesh, McKernan, Weir) (April 8, 1972, Wembley Empire Pool, London) – 17:15
    6. "Brokedown Palace" (Garcia, Hunter) (April 11, 1972, Newcastle City Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne) – 7:02
    Presenting an overview of several nights in England on the European tour of 1972, this remarkable release is concentrated goodness. Mixed from the multitracks, the sound is exquisite; it beats the complete Europe ‘72 box because more time was taken for each disc, resulting in a clearer instrumental balance. Like the Ladies and Gentlemen 1971 release, each disc is ordered like a set, making for a listening experience that flows naturally.

    The first disc is like a first set without long jams, but it's still very worthwhile as it highlights the band's songwriting and their enthusiasm. Many of these songs were still relatively new to the band, and it shows in the fresh-sounding renditions. From the opening Cold Rain and Snow the band is showing how nimble they were. Greatest Story may be the best version this reviewer has ever heard, Jack Straw is nearly as good as the version on Europe '72, China>Rider is sweet, and Playing In The Band is another stunning mid-length version showing the song starting to stretch.

    The second disc has a focus on Pigpen, opening with a long Good Lovin'; it’s a solid version but not a highlight. Some shorter songs follow, including a great Black-Throated Wind and an emotional Comes A Time. Pigpen’s up again with a fun Lovelight, segueing into Goin’ Down the Road. The end of this is cut into Not Fade Away from a different show (a controversial decision at the time), but it’s a very smooth edit and works well; this final NFA>Hey Bo Diddley>NFA is a great way to end this disc.

    The third disc doesn't start out as strongly, as Rockin' Pneumonia is a rarity rather than a refined performance, and Black Peter hadn't fully developed yet. However, the rest (nearly an hour) is from the first night of the tour and is one of the best sequences they played in Europe. Truckin' is standard but strong, and leads into an extraordinary version of The Other One. It’s extremely exploratory, ranging from loud and driving to quiet, and even the El Paso in the middle doesn’t detract from the quality. It finished with a stunning Wharf Rat, with a particularly intense ending section. This is must-hear Dead.

    The fourth disc starts with a couple of short songs from their May Lyceum run. Uncle John’s Band is a very pretty version, but The Stranger has never clicked for me; this version does have a nice solo from Jerry.

    After that we get one of the greatest sequences ever played by the band. It begins with Dark Star. This 30-minute version is beyond description. It starts off staying around the theme, with Jerry’s guitar leading the way but the rest of the band right there with him. I’m not going to describe all the different jams that follow, but every one is a highlight; it’s not fair that one performance got such an otherworldly, fluid sequence of jams.

    The transition into Sugar Magnolia is perfect, as if the two songs were made for each other; it’s hard to tell where one stops and the other begins. Sugar Magnolia itself is joyous, one of the best versions the band ever played. This turns into Caution, and while it may be Pigpen’s song, it’s Jerry’s unbelievable leads that turn this into one of the best versions of the song ever played. On many days I’d claim that this Star>Magnolia>Caution is my favorite sequence of music played by the Dead. This release puts a version of Brokedown Palace from a couple of days later as the encore, and it works very well, easing the listener back to the real world.

    Overall, this is arguably the best compilation release from the '72-'74 golden era and shows all the various strengths of the band, and it belongs in any Grateful Dead collection. Of course, all these shows are now available on the Complete Europe 1972 box set, so the serious collector can go that route instead. For the audiophile, I think Steppin’ Out sounds better.

    It’s packaged in a double-width jewel box, with a booklet that includes a Blair Jackson essay; it’s nothing to write home about but it serves the purpose. On a release like this, I think the performance dates should be included in the liner notes.

    This is core Dead, and in one way or another these performances belong in every fan’s collection. For all but the most dedicated fans, this release plus the original Europe ‘72 release, Hundred Year Hall, and Rockin’ the Rhine are plenty of music from this tour (I haven’t heard the second Europe ‘72 compilation). This release includes what are arguably the tour’s best versions of both The Other One (although Hundred Year Hall is just as good) and Dark Star, and excellent versions of lots of other songs, and taken on its own merits it’s arguably the best compilation ever released by the band. For the fanatic there’s the complete Europe ‘72 box, and we’ll go through that show-by-show in around a year! I’ve actually started making my notes on the first sets of that massive box set.
     
  17. SJR

    SJR Big Boss Man

    Not much to add about this one. It’s an essential release.
     
  18. Crazy Otto

    Crazy Otto Voodoo all night long

    Location:
    Cologne, Germany
    Steppin’ Out With The Grateful Dead

    At the time of its release, Steppin’ Out was a really big deal. Europe ‘72 and Hundred Year Hall had given us a nice taste of what this famous tour had to offer, but this was the most comprehensive offering yet: a four-disc embarrassment of riches compiling highlights from the band’s shows in England; the Bickershaw Festival (5/7) and the 4/7 and 4/8 Wembley shows are especially well represented.

    Notes & Highlights
    • 16-track masters were used for this release, and it shows: it’s still one of the best-sounding things they’ve ever put out, with amazing clarity and depth, and production superior to the Europe ‘72 trunk.
    Disc 1
    • Rain & Snow is always a fun opener and I love to hear Pig’s organ underneath everything. There’s an absolutely insane Greatest Story, a Mr. Charlie with funk to spare, and a Playin’ that’s starting to show signs of where it will go in the coming months and years.
    Disc 2
    • A solid Good Lovin’ opens the disc, with other highlights including a swinging and fully formed Ramble On Rose and rollicking On Top of the World. There’s a nice jammy Lovelight from 5/23 with some killer slide work from Jerry and minimal rapping that goes into GDTRFB -- this pairing is not quite 4/26, but it’s still highly enjoyable. Some studio wizardry was employed in the transition into the unusual first-set NFA, as this one comes from 5/7, but it works well.
    Disc 3
    • Keith flashes some gorgeous piano work in Black Peter, a performance that makes plain how well he and Pig complemented each other. Another upbeat Pig number is always welcome, and Chinatown Shuffle fits the bill.

    • A concise Truckin’ kicks off the first big jam centerpiece, which comes from 4/7 at Wembley. The relentless Other One that charges out of a brief drum solo doesn’t go quite as far afield as others in ‘72, but it keeps the pedal to the metal nearly the entire time. There are a few slower dissonant passages, but they don't last long and it keeps picking up steam; they even come back for more after a side-trip to El Paso. A passionate and perfectly played Wharf Rat is the ideal comedown for this blazing sequence. Saturday Night wraps up the disc; I’m not normally a fan of this song, but this version from 4/8 flat-out burns it down.
    Disc 4
    • The Dark Star > Sugar Mag > Caution sequence from this disc is scintillating, dazzling, and mind-melting: it’s easily one of the top two or three Dark Stars ever, and that Caution is just full-stop bananas -- I still haven’t heard one that gets me going like this one. One of my favorite segments of all time.
    There’s not much more that needs to be said; this is possibly the best compilation they’ve ever put out and one of the most obvious no-doubt-about-it essential official releases out there.
     
    Last edited: Nov 26, 2021
  19. MHam

    MHam Give Me Bass Relief

    Location:
    CA
    Steppin Out, along with the 3 cd FW 69 set, the Ladies And Gentlemen set, and The Movie Soundtrack set is a damn good desert island box of Grateful Dead. And then throw in Veneta 72 if there's room and you're all set.
     
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  20. pbuzby

    pbuzby Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago, IL, US
    They did new mixes for most of the E72 box where they unaccountably mixed Keith Godchaux's piano into the background. In that regard, Steppin' Out is preferable.
     
  21. dgwint

    dgwint Forum Resident

    The LL>GDTRFB is from 4/26-HYH.
     
  22. Crazy Otto

    Crazy Otto Voodoo all night long

    Location:
    Cologne, Germany
    ...?
     
  23. Willowman

    Willowman Senior Member

    Location:
    London, UK
    Turn On Your Lovelight from Bickershaw is my highlight on this. The lead guitar sections get me every time. Superlatively inventive playing.

    killer sections at 2mins and 6mins, then at 9 mins a crunching slide section.
     
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2021
  24. dgwint

    dgwint Forum Resident

    My bad - total brain fart on that one!!!
     
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  25. Flaming Torch

    Flaming Torch Forum Resident

    I have the Steppin Out 4cd set. I notice nugs net has a flac version but no details as to the resolution. Anyone know?
    A great set representing 1972 in the UK but I have not played it in a while (probably a few years!)
     
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