That what I love about about GD shows-everyone may hear them a little differently-and I know I may even hear them differently at different times. I know some don’t seem to care for 76 much at all -almost no matter what show and others can’t get enough of them. I didn’t know they didn’t have Colt Park in the vault-bummer if true. Special show for me at a pivotal time in my life. And Roosevelt-I love what I have heard.
We were chatting about "High Time" a while back. I'm listening to December 28, 1979 (Road Trips Vol. 3, No. 1) and boy is it good. I don't do lots of '79 since '78 is so darn close in time but I should do more '79 since, with "Alabama Getaway" etc. were are in modern Dead territory.
I listened to some of 10/15/76 today for the first time. I have 1976 as mostly a disappointing year for "Music Never Stopped" but there's a very good one in this show with Garcia getting near the energy level of 1977/78.
I've got a portion of 8/6/71 on an AUD tape and Jerry has a brief solo at the end of Truckin'. It may be short but it's a real corker and the crowd is going completely bonkers. It's a shame that track didn't make DiP 35.
10/29/1973 One of the top shows from the Fox Box, for sure. But I have to say, the big jams are all about Keith - he's a true MVP here, a primary drive force that transforms a very good show into an all-timer. What a musician he was. And just remember who is he playing with here. Result ? Well it just does not get any better than this. It's unfortunate that Phil's bass is out of tune (lower E string was significantly off) at the start of the second set, for the duration of whole 4 numbers. You can't unhear it, and spoils those performances.
I can’t think of another band where every year sounds so distinctive. 79 is close in time to 80… but they do NOT sound the same. It’s very strange… kinda like every new years some weird magic goes down and the band is reborn. Jan/Feb of the next year does not sound like the prior fall. Creepy.
Approaching it’s 54th birthday! An all time Mind Blowing Concert, a favorite of many here. 10-12-68. Avalon Ballroom, pristine quality sound. Opens with Dark Star and that’s just the appetizer to this trip through Heaven and beyond. Mind altering. CAUTION! Do not drive while listening! It’s too potent.
10/15/76 TOO>Comes A Time transition is gorgeous. Too bad about the missing sbd reel, but glad there's a high quality audience patch so I can hear this sublime Comes A Time>killer Franklin's Tower. Thanks tapers!
Here’s the setlist- All the selections are different/ superior . etree Grateful Dead Live at Avalon Ballroom on 1968-10-12 by Grateful Dead Set 1: d1t01 - Introduction d1t02 - Dark Star -> d1t03 - Saint Stephen -> d1t04 - The Eleven -> d1t05 - Death Don't Have No Mercy Set 2: d1t06 - Cryptical Envelopment -> d1t07 - Drums -> d1t08 - The Other One -> d1t09 - Cryptical Envelopment -> d1t10 - New Potato Caboose -> d1t11 - Drums -> d1t12 - Jam -> d1t13 - Feedback
And the following night had the same setlist. I believe that's the only documented time they did that.
Agree! They seem not to be gelling on a lot of that. I thought it was just me because people praise it, but now you've emboldened me.
A friend of mine has a name for this era... 1983 & 84, which are his go to favorite years of the Dead: Eighty-Throar!
Today’s listening is Paramount Theatre, Portland, OR, 01/10/77. I’ll keep this very short. The Music Never Stopped. Jerry has not only blown my hair back, he’s blown my scalp clean-off my head. Holy s h i t. “Did you hear what I just heard?” … Oh, and the first Black Peter since the ‘74 “retirement” shows. I: Promised Land, They Love Each Other, Mexicali Blues, Dire Wolf, Cassidy, Deal, Passenger, Tennessee Jed, New Minglewood Blues, Peggy-O, The Music Never Stopped. II: Bertha > Good Lovin’, It Must Have Been The Roses, Estimated Prophet > Eyes Of The World > Dancing In The Street > Drums > Not Fade Away > Black Peter > Around And Around.
This is a fine show, the next night will re-grow your hair and scalp. The two prior shows on 29 and 29 September in Seattle also have some glorious moments. Most importantly Jerry is playing Wolf 2 as of the 28th.
I moved to Portland in the summer of 1977 so technically could have attended those Paramount shows. But I was only 12 and didn't know anything about the Dead at that point. I was still into Kiss, though that was going to wane quickly. I did see some great shows at the Paramount - Johnny Winter, Al DiMeola, Moterhead/Ozzy, The Tubes.
Just saw Elvis Costello play a show of Hunter/Garcia songs (or billed as such, there was a brief interlude of non-GD with his former band mate from ‘72 including a Neil medley and a few originals) at GAMH. He put his own twist on the arrangements and it was really good, especially Sugaree and a Loser>Wharf Rat medley. Another highlight was that it was the first time I’ve heard Jerry’s Alligator Strat played live, on the last tw0 songs (Tennessee Jed and Brokedown), albeit with Costello playing rhythm on it rather than lead, for the most part. A really fun time at my favorite venue.
I haven’t heard the next night, and I don’t remember the two previous nights. Impressive they played twice on the 29th though Oh yeah, I hear that bad Wolf howling, and I love it! That’s why I prefer Fall ‘77 over Spring ‘77. It’s a bit wilder. You know the score.