The Grateful Thread

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by JRM, Apr 11, 2014.

  1. Archtop

    Archtop Soft Dead Crimson Cow

    Location:
    Greater Boston, MA
    2/24/74 and 6/22/74 belong on the list too. I do agree that Veneta is probably the best of '72, but I downplay its historical significance because it didn't spawn Feelin' Groovy (not that this is the be-all, end-all of quality); it was a one-off that took a very long time to be surpassed, IMO. I stand by my vote for the 6/16/74 version because, as I stated in the GD for Beginners thread, I'm only here for the insanity, and the 6/16/74 China--> Rider might just be as insane as they ever got.
     
    Last edited: Jun 23, 2022
  2. tdcrjeff

    tdcrjeff Senior Member

    Location:
    Hermosa Beach, CA
  3. SJR

    SJR Big Boss Man

    Keep smokin’ the good stuff! :winkgrin:
     
  4. bzfgt

    bzfgt The Grand High Exalted Mystic Ruler

    I've said it many times, and I don't anticipate changing my dadgum mind...my favorite Brown Eyed Women is 1977-05-26.

    (Yes, I've heard 1977-11-04)

    Also some other smoking renditions in that show. It used to be kind of the black sheep of May 1977 before it got a release, so I've always championed it....but I haven't listened to set II yet since it's been released. I just finished checking out set I on the release, though, and:

    Outstanding TMNS. Not as incandescent as 5-7 and 5-9, but really perfect and smoking.

    One of the best Sugarees ever.

    Minglewood is a top version.

    Bertha may be a top version.

    Jack-a-Roe is very substantial.
     
  5. Archtop

    Archtop Soft Dead Crimson Cow

    Location:
    Greater Boston, MA
    Looks like I've got a rip or two to do...if I trust bzfgt, and I do (to a point).
     
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  6. bzfgt

    bzfgt The Grand High Exalted Mystic Ruler

    Damn it I listened to that whole set and then realized I still haven't heard the release, as I was listening to the wrong damn files.

    Well, it sounded great anyway...but now I'm listening to Samson and I think this release sounds even better, it really sounds amazingly good.
     
  7. Archtop

    Archtop Soft Dead Crimson Cow

    Location:
    Greater Boston, MA
    The floaty bit of the Music Never Stopped on 5/26/77 isn't of sufficient duration to make it an all-timer, but it does remind me that '77 isn't all about tunes I have no use for. Great version and I'll take 1977 first sets every day and twice on Sunday.

    There's really no end to the absurdity, is there? Even Camus would be ROTFLHAO.
     
    Last edited: Jun 24, 2022
  8. bzfgt

    bzfgt The Grand High Exalted Mystic Ruler

    Anyway I don't think I've listened to the second set in 12 or 13 years, so while I remember digging it I don't know the details. The show seems to have a kind of poise that works really well for first sets but might hold the second set back...not an uncommon trait in May 77.

    I listened to the first three songs, two of which are typically first set songs, thus staving off the reckoning. Samson is really great on here, a top rendition. High Time is absolutely outstanding, Big River is very strong, with a lot of Garcia....maybe not all time stuff on Big River, but really good.

    So far so good, as the fella who jumped off a building said as he passed the 7th floor.
     
  9. notesofachord

    notesofachord Riding down the river in an old canoe

    Location:
    Mojave Desert
    How far did 5/3/72 go in the C>R tournament?

    That one has the magic, for me.

    It doesn’t rock out or jam as hard as many other great versions, but each note from each player paints a wonderful canvas of sound - like gazing at a Monet.

    [​IMG]
     
  10. SJR

    SJR Big Boss Man

    This arvo’s listening is Riverbend Music Centre, Cincinnati, OH, 24/06/85.

    [​IMG]

    This show was released as part of the behemoth 30 Trips Around The Sun box set, aka “The Porch Crusher.”

    Well, the time has come—I’ve finally taken the plunge into 1985. I’m very light on ‘85, and have barely even scratched the surface of this year.

    There are three things I know for sure of 1985:
    1. It’s @LandHorses ’ favourite year;
    2. There’s an all-timer Shakedown Street (coming up next week);
    3. Dick’s Picks #21 — Richmond Coliseum.
    That’s about it.

    Anyway, let’s get on with the show …

    This looks like such a fabulous setting and venue. The first thing I noticed here was an interesting looking setlist, and … uh-oh, Jerry is in red.

    [​IMG]

    “During the break we’re gonna be holding a raffle and the lucky winner gets to hold the rhythm section hostage”

    Whoa, an absolutely stonkin’ Alabama Getaway kicks-off this one and it is a total smoke-show with Jerry in face-melting mode—he’s delivering the vocals with verve and gusto, with a little extra growl and bite, and he’s completely letting rip with some incendiary soloing; the blazing start continues into GSET which is smokin’ hot, and features some of those crazy vocal effects—phew, what a fantastic opening one-two punch; lyrically, TLEO is an absolute train wreck with Jerry forgetting, mumbling and just messing up the words completely, but it is saved by some bat-s h i t weird playing where there’re all locked deep inside some odd syncopated groove and seemingly all playing a different tune, then appear unsure how to end it—it’s strange and I’ve not heard a version like this one before, but I kinda dig it; once it gets going and gains traction, a searing New Minglewood Blues again features some scorchin’ hot playing and Bobby even cracks himself up with his “bluegrass Phillies start looking good” line, and then later proclaims, “T for Cincinnati”—I’m not sure what that’s all about? Is Bob off his chops, or is Ohio famous for bluegrass? Anyway … jeez, this one is pumpin’—a relentless rager that just doesn’t quit; Tennessee Jed ebbs and flows and rolls along quite wonderfully and features a massive, blistering solo; a tight and crisp Esau has a nice lilting funky groove, with reggae/island-like drums and percussion up-front and some more cool vocal effects—this must be one of the most underrated Dead tunes, I really like it; a hard and heavy Loser has some crunch, with a pinched, piercing mid-solo and organ stabs and swirls throughout; and holy s h i t … an absolutely ferocious Let It Grow hits overdrive and goes off as Jerry smites the earth and lets his Tiger run wild—a complete and utter barn burner, that brings a manic 1st set to a close. Wowsers.

    Apparently, during the set-break the heavens opened and huge crashing thunderstorms drenched the place …

    The 2nd set is one insanely long and uninterrupted sequence, and it’s absolute killer.

    Riding the back of a huge and supercharged groove, Iko Iko features a Bobby-sung verse?! I’ve never heard him sing on this one before. He sings something about “Dixie boys” … it must have drawn some befuddled looks and caught everyone off-guard—like, WTF Bob?!; “Great God of mine!” … holy mother, that pounding Samson intro gives you one hell of a drubbing, beating you into submission—this is a huge swingin’ beast that proceeds to “tear this whole building down!”; then, “there’s nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile” as He’s Gone features some distortion-like licks, a bubbling mid-jam, and an outstanding, bluesy outro jam that segues smoothly and seamlessly into; “whoa-oh”Smokestack Lightning(!)—now Bobby ain’t no Pigpen, but he does an admirable job here growling through those deep (Elem) blues—it’s got a sleazy, slinky vibe and groove and more cool echo-drenched vocals; before surprisingly and unexpectedly it finds its way into Cryptical Envelopment(?!) which is a little rough to say the least, with Jerry croaking his way through; a tremendously trippy Drums > Space has a huge, experimental Drums featuring all the tricks of the trade Rhythm Devils that bounces from idea to idea; and Space is really quite beautiful and dream-like with TOO teases, strange voices and bird/whale song-type sounds; a very short but poignant Comes A Time is given gravitas due to a weathered and gruff Jerry vocal, and an emotionally-charged solo, though there’s no real outro jam; instead it’s bam!TOO is here and it’s not f u c k i n g about, as for five minutes, it is an intense, rampaging juggernaut that winds itself up to an explosive, maniacal peak—Christ on a bike! … is there anything more thrilling than a TOO that blows the doors to your mind wide open or your head clean off?!; a downtrodden-sounding Jerry lends a hefty dose of pathos to a high-soaring, Wharf Rat which features a strong vocal, and is flat-out brilliant—full of heart and soul, it closes the meat of the sequence on a transcendent, almost spiritual note; before a trio of rompin’ rockers see us home (and dry).

    What the actual f u c k? That was wild and wicked, man. I did not quite expect that! I loved every minute of this big sloppy mess—it was an insanely good time.

    “Push back, push back the night—that’s right!”

    I: Alabama Getaway > Greatest Story Ever Told, They Love Each Other, New Minglewood Blues, Tennessee Jed, My Brother Esau, Loser, Let It Grow.

    II: Iko Iko > Samson And Delilah > He’s Gone > Smokestack Lightning > Cryptical Envelopment > Drums > Space > Comes A Time > The Other One > Cryptical Envelopment II > Wharf Rat > Around And Around > Good Lovin’.

    E: U.S. Blues.

    [​IMG]
    1985/2015 Rhino Records (2) – R7-547369
     
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  11. bzfgt

    bzfgt The Grand High Exalted Mystic Ruler

    Cincinnati is very close to Kentucky, which is the bluegrass state
     
  12. SJR

    SJR Big Boss Man

    Right, gotcha :righton:
     
    US Blues and bzfgt like this.
  13. Crispy Rob

    Crispy Rob Cat Juggler

    Location:
    Oakland, CA
    The second set of this one, along with SPAC, Hershey, the first set of Cleveland, both Merriweather Post second sets, and a good portion of the Greek ‘85 run, all came my way fairly early on. When I was 15-16 in ‘86-‘87, they all got a lot of play in my room and when doing yard work at my parents’ house. I’m not quite as hard core an ‘85 advocate as @LandHorses - but I’m also not all that far behind. A really fun and varied year with lots of good playing although vocally far from their best year.
     
  14. SJR

    SJR Big Boss Man

    After very limited listening, I can agree with that last sentence. The playing sounds inspired and it’s hot hot hot, but yeah, the vocals suffer a bit, especially Jerry’s croaking croon.

    That doesn’t put me off though, as I dig those down-beaten, ragged and ramshackle vocals of the likes of Dylan, Young, Beefheart, Zappa, Waits et al.

    “It’s not what they sing, it’s the way they sing it.”
     
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  15. Eyes74

    Eyes74 Abstractor of the Quintessence

    Location:
    Canada
    I really love the NFA from 4/22/78. And the whole first set. Great show.
     
    Last edited: Jun 24, 2022
  16. Six Bachelors

    Six Bachelors Troublemaking enthusiast

    He seems really comfortable in the JGB shows. I guess it's a matter of taste whether you want to hear a guy playing comfortably or being challenged and challenging others.

    I didn't know Jerry was playing that song so late. The version on the Vol. 2 Let It Rock set from several years ago - from 20 and 21 November '75 as I recall - is wonderful.
     
    Crispy Rob, MorningDew, bzfgt and 2 others like this.
  17. US Blues

    US Blues Undermining Consensus Reality

    All powered by The Dandruff of the Gods.
     
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  18. OhioHead

    OhioHead Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ohio
    @Six Bachelors - I would agree Jerry was more comfortable in 90’s in JGB vs GD, why 4K to 10k phans vs 25k - 40k fans per night, less of a circus on the JGB tour vs. GD tour, less songs to flub lyrics on, songs more suited to his vocal range & ability to rip solos.

    The Jerry plays Dylan release is very good, I know there is a boot of Jerry floating around Van, I would purchase an official Jerry plays Van release.
     
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  19. hyde park

    hyde park Forum Resident

    Location:
    IL, USA
    My friends went to these shows and taped them -- they had a blast. I was happy to be able to hear the tapes.
    Will be running into many who went, tomorrow at Wrigley.
     
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  20. NeonMadman

    NeonMadman Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Bump
     
  21. OhioHead

    OhioHead Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ohio
    Got to pump out the SLO & Company releases for the ultimate cash grab before the Wolfe Bro shows ;););),
     
  22. trumpet sounds

    trumpet sounds "The radio makes hideous sounds." Bob Dylan

    Location:
    Chicago, IL, US
  23. dsdu

    dsdu less serious minor pest

    Location:
    Santa Cruz, CA
  24. Bigthunder

    Bigthunder Forum Resident

    Location:
    East Valinor
    "4/22/78 is a really solid show. Warwick and I would listen to it in my trailer before shooting a big action scene." - Val Kilmer on the set of George Lucas' Willow sometime in '87
     
    budwhite, Six Bachelors, ARK and 6 others like this.
  25. pbuzby

    pbuzby Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago, IL, US
    Van Morrison? I can only remember one or two of his songs that Jerry played, please remind me.
     

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