Grateful Dead Archival Live Release Thread

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

  1. frightwigwam

    frightwigwam Talented Amateur

    Location:
    Oregon
    Dick had died the year before. I don't know if this show was really high on his list. Did he rave about it on some newsgroup? Dave said in an interview at around this time that he felt some responsibility to cover all eras of the band's history. Maybe the sales for Dozin' and other releases from the period encouraged the organization to keep bringing out more '90s shows, too.

    I have wondered why they never have released the 10/31/91 concert. Is it too personal to the band? Does Dave just figure that everyone already knows that one, anyway? It would be just like him to choose 9/25 because he thinks it's a good show that's been hidden in the shadows of the next night or others in the run.
     
  2. Crazy Otto

    Crazy Otto Voodoo all night long

    Location:
    Cologne, Germany
    Yeah, I know. TPTB did make a point of saying Dick's wishes/plans/whatever were going to be followed, so I assumed he wanted this show released...but who knows if they followed through on that promise.
     
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  3. frightwigwam

    frightwigwam Talented Amateur

    Location:
    Oregon
    I assume that they took his opinions under consideration, but just as it had been while he was alive, the releases weren't necessarily his picks.

    We know that Vol. 16 was one of Dick's favorites, and he once wrote about 10/19/73 (Vol. 19), " I guess we can say with confidence that things take on new meanings on 10/19/73 in Oklahoma. This could easily have been the first of the DP series, except for the absolute awesomeness of “Here Comes Sunshine” on 12/19 /73." Of course, Vol. 36 was famously on his short list for the first release in the series, too. But would he have been really so eager to put out a "hidden gem" from '91, if it had been up to him? I don't have the impression that Dick really was all that enthusiastic about any late-period Dead.

    IDK, unless someone knows of a Dick's rave for this date, I'll assume that the organization just thought that the Deadheads who had been packing the venues in that era, and had bought Without a Net and Dozin', etc. wanted more souvenirs of that time.
     
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  4. pbuzby

    pbuzby Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago, IL, US
    I don't know if Dick talked about 9/25/91. In the interviews I've read with him, the interviewers usually wanted to pump him for details about the 60's and early 70's stuff in the vault (as I would have) rather than discussing the 90's. The pick does seem to be in line with his tendency to pick a show the day before the most celebrated one from a run.
     
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  5. SJR

    SJR Big Boss Man

    Previously posted . . . Some very brief notes—I wasn’t too enamoured with this Pick.

    Dick’s Picks #17 — Boston Garden, Boston, MA, 25/09/91.

    I’m betting a few of you guys were at this show/run?

    1st set highlights include the show opening, cool-effect sounding, jazzy Help On The Way (despite lyrical flubs) > Slipknot! > Franklin’s Tower; a dirty, swaggering Walkin’ Blues; a beautifully heartfelt It Must Have Been The Roses; a sweet-sounding Queen Jane Approximately; and a bouncy Tennessee Jed.

    2nd set opens with a pretty hot Victim Or The Crime; a gorgeously executed Crazy Fingers; a superb and exploratory, spacey jamming sequence of Playing In The Band > Terrapin Station > (the interestingly named) Boston Clam Jam > Drums > Space (segueing into the first ever) That Would Be Something (granted it’s only a couple of minutes) > Playing In The Band; there’s also a fun The Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo) encore.
     
  6. mikestar

    mikestar Friendly Optimist

    Location:
    Capitol Hill
    I attended the entire run. What a week. This show was real good but not great IMO. Obv the next night is the one of the run. Had great seats for that, 20th row or so with wifey. 9/21 is the unsung hero of the run. No setlist porn but a beauty live. There's a killer box set here, they'd be foolish not to release it at some point.
     
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  7. notesofachord

    notesofachord Riding down the river in an old canoe

    Location:
    Mojave Desert
    I’d buy it!
     
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  8. Driver8

    Driver8 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Maine
    "Once in awhile you get shown the light
    in the strangest of places if you look at it right"

    Post-Brent Dead is my least favorite era. Looking at the live shows I've acquired, I have about 20-ish post Brent shows. That is mostly because I got connected to a "tree" in the cd trading days: one was a few nights at MSG in 1991 and one was the complete Boston '94 run. Based on what I've heard, I think 1991 was perhaps the bands last most consistent year. Bruce brought a good element to the band and perhaps inspired Jerry a little.

    This was a released that I initially skipped. It went out of print and became a little expensive. "Real Gone Music" re-issued some (all?) of Dick's Picks and this one popped up used in my local store, so I grabbed it. I spun it a few times and then it's been filed away on my shelf since. I dusted it off the other night and put in on the hi-fi in preparation for this thread. My expectations were low. Now, I don't want to say that I was blown away, but I really enjoyed listening to this show this time.

    Disc One: Any show where they play Help>Slipknot>Franklin's is A-OK. It took the boys a few minutes to warm up as the opening sequence, but they were cooking once they started playing Slipknot. The next highlight is It Must Have Been the Roses - Jerry's weathered voice suits this song and this version does not disappoint. Dire Wolf is always a nice tune to hear and Bobby does a nice rendition of Queen Jane. I think Music Never Stopped sounds great and really enjoyed it to close out this concise first set.

    Disc two: A polarizing song, Victim or the Crime opens Set II - it's a dark and brooding way to kick things off, but somehow it segues into a majestic and inspiring Crazy Fingers. The paradox of darkness into light of these songs paired together makes for a really good listen. Playing is surprising good and Terrapin is, as always, a treat. Boston Clam Jam mostly tip-toes around the Playin' theme but I hear a sprinkle of Terrapin in there too before the band dissolves into an interesting (and tame) Drums. Space takes us to the end of the cd.

    Disc Three: Still floating around in space the band starts to chart their course - with a little Dear Prudence tease, Jerry takes the boys into a rare That Would Be Something before returning to the Playing theme and then a lively finale. The band then sweetly trickles into the delicate China Doll (again - another song that suits Jerry's 90's voice). Bobby calls upon us to dance and shake our bones with a solid Throwing Stones which gives way to the closing Not Fade Away. Quinn the Eskimo encore is good.

    Is this one of the greatest Dead shows of all-time? No. It is a really good listen for 90's-era Dead. Absolutely. I enjoyed listening to this over the past few nights more than I would have ever predicted. Don't forget to listen to the bonus Samson>Eyes.
     
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2021
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  9. Harm1985

    Harm1985 Forum Resident

    I'm going to sound very stupid, as someone probably already mentioned this upthread, but does That Would Be Something contain the melody of Dear Prudence?

    Coming off the back of DiP 16, which I played a few times back to back, I'm not as enthusiastic about Di17, but it's still an enjoyable show overall. Of course, The Dead don't fit any mold, but I'm kind of missing the set 1 short songs / set 2 jam structure. It seems like in the 80s and 90s every song was stretched a few minutes longer than it really should.

    Regardless, I'll take Crazy Fingers any day of the week. Nothing wrong with with Walkin' Blues and Throwing Stones either. For me, that's the added value of these shows, contemporary songs played live.

    Not a big fan of the synths on PITB (II) though.
     
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  10. pbuzby

    pbuzby Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago, IL, US
    On 9/25/91 there is a short improv where Jerry plays a Mind Left Body type chord sequence and Bruce plays a bit of Dear Prudence, before Jerry starts TWBS.
     
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  11. frightwigwam

    frightwigwam Talented Amateur

    Location:
    Oregon
    I guess that might have been Jerry's way of saying, "'Dear Prudence' is a JGB cover, we don't do that here, but I see what you did there."

    There is one "Dear Prudence Jam" noted by Deadlists, on 12/30/91 Oakland, that lasts a few minutes, out of "Saint of Circumstance" and moves into "Drums>Space." One commenter on the Archive thinks, "More mind left body than dear prudence IMO. But under developed, qualifies as neither but could have been either. lol."

    This was the first time "That Would Be Something" came up in a Dead set. They didn't touch it again until 6/8/93, but then it would show up another 15 times until 6/24/95--where Bruce played piano the entire show.
     
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  12. pbuzby

    pbuzby Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago, IL, US
    Deadbase mentions a "Dear Prudence" jam/tease in 3/13/82 Reno as well.
     
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  13. frightwigwam

    frightwigwam Talented Amateur

    Location:
    Oregon
    Hmm. Deadlists comments, "Lucy in The Sky tease before Black Peter. Sometimes referred to as a Dear Prudence or Strawberry Fields tease. Clearly it's LSD."

    Listening to it just now, I'd say that it sounds more like the "Dear Prudence" guitar part, but I could hear "Lucy," as well.
     
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  14. dsdu

    dsdu less serious minor pest

    Location:
    Santa Cruz, CA
    I'm sure it's not the first time that that's been said about the GD.
     
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  15. pbuzby

    pbuzby Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago, IL, US
    It reminds me of "Lucy," but it's short and scattered enough that it's hard to be certain what Garcia had in mind, if anything.
     
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  16. Archtop

    Archtop Soft Dead Crimson Cow

    Location:
    Greater Boston, MA
    It feels like Lucy, but harmonically, it's Prudence.
     
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  17. hoggydoggy

    hoggydoggy Forum Resident

    I don't really do 90's GD, but that's a genuinely gripping second set - I'd wager that it's the guest slots that probably disqualified it from DP status (I don't recall any name guest artists on any other releases in the series, which is probably down to licencing/money)
     
  18. GuitarStrangler

    GuitarStrangler Forum Resident

    Location:
    Slovenia, Europe
    Here's a brief one...

    Dick's Picks Vol. 17: Boston Garden 9/25/91

    I can say things very similar as for Dick's 9, except there are no atrocious Bobby singing parts. Playing is OK, but I have to be honest with myself and admit that I am just not able to warm up to this sound of the band. It's not just the Welnick keyboards: those guitar MIDI sounds, when engaged, are especially cringe-worthy. Biggest offender is Bobby's »trumpet« sound. He ruined what would be very decent Terrapin (from the main concert) and Eyes of the world (from bonus part).

    Overall rating: 2.5/5
     
  19. Spazros

    Spazros Forum Resident

    Location:
    Philadelphia, PA
    Dick's Picks 17

    It has been a VERY long time since I listened to this and I was pleasantly surprised. I really dig Slipknot on this one, I am not as big a fan of this Dire Wolf as some others though. I thought "Music Never Stopped" had some juicy jamming and the second CD is worthy from start to finish. I don't like Victim but it was very interesting hearing them do it in a dour, foreboding, soundtrack type of way and then brighten everything up with Crazy Fingers. The rest of the jam filled 2nd CD is right up my alley. China Doll starts off strained but it is touching. Great fun on the Mighty Quinn encore. Don't know how you just stick two songs from a wholly unrelated show on this but I dug both them and would like to hear that whole show.

    I don't have the next release so I may take a break but Im sure I'll break down and listen.
     
  20. 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: 1990-07-08 Pittsburgh (released 2000-06 on View from the Vault 1)

    Next week: 1978-02-03 Madison, 1978-02-05 Cedar Falls (released 2000-06 on Dick's Picks 18)
     
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  21. Al Gator

    Al Gator You can call me Al Thread Starter

    [​IMG]

    View from the Vault Volume 1

    Recording date: July 8, 1990
    Recording location: Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA
    Release date: June, 2000
    Recorded by: Dan Healy

    Disc 1
    First set:
    1. "Touch of Grey" > (Robert Hunter, Jerry Garcia) – 6:36
    2. "Greatest Story Ever Told" (Hunter, Mickey Hart, Bob Weir) – 4:44
    3. "Jack-a-Roe" (trad., arr. Grateful Dead) – 5:09
    4. "New Minglewood Blues" (trad., arr. Weir) – 7:18
    5. "Row Jimmy" (Hunter, Garcia) – 11:50
    6. "Mama Tried" > (Merle Haggard) – 2:32
    7. "Mexicali Blues" (John Barlow, Weir) – 5:31
    8. "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" (Bob Dylan) – 6:13
    9. "Let It Grow" (Barlow, Weir) – 12:15
    Disc 2
    Second set:
    1. "Samson and Delilah" > (trad., arr. Weir) – 7:05
    2. "Eyes of the World" > (Hunter, Garcia) – 15:14
    3. "Estimated Prophet" > (Barlow, Weir) – 11:40
    4. "Terrapin Station" > (Hunter, Garcia) – 14:56
    5. "Jam" > (Grateful Dead) – 4:46
    6. "Drums" > (Hart, Bill Kreutzmann) – 7:38
    7. "Space" > (Garcia, Phil Lesh, Weir) – 9:04
    Disc 3
    1. "I Need a Miracle" > (Barlow, Weir) – 5:28
    2. "Wang Dang Doodle" > (Willie Dixon) – 5:20
    3. "Black Peter" > (Hunter, Garcia) – 9:42
    4. "Throwing Stones" > (Barlow, Weir) – 9:22
    5. "Turn On Your Lovelight" (Deadric Malone, Joseph Scott) – 8:39
    6. Encore: "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" (Dylan) – 7:07
    7. Bonus tracks from July 6, 1990, Cardinal Stadium, Louisville, KY: "Standing on the Moon" > (Hunter, Garcia) – 9:44
    8. "He's Gone" > (Hunter, Garcia) – 9:41
    9. "KY Jam" (Grateful Dead) – 13:42
    The Grateful Dead inaugurated their short-lived View from the Vault series with this show. The series was mainly intended for video, which means that some of the shows were chosen for the availability of acceptable videos, not just for the quality of the performances. Each show was released on DVD, with a separate CD soundtrack release. The videos are simply recordings of the screen feeds, including any strange graphics added during the show. They’re all from the last decade of the band’s existence and provide the opportunity to explore some latter-day Dead. It’s been a while since I watched the videos so I’m focusing on the music here.

    This show starts with their hit, Touch of Grey - shocking for the Grateful Dead! From there it’s mostly a standard first set; don’t ignore a fine Row Jimmy and the Phil-sung Tom Thumb’s Blues. But it’s not a great set, and even the closing Let it Grow doesn’t reach the next level.

    The second set starts with a lively Samson. Then they swap the typical ordering of the next two songs, resulting in an unusual Eyes>Estimated. They’re slow, deliberate versions; enjoyable but not quite first-rate. This stately set continues with a typical Terrapin with a short jam at the end. At times Jerry seems to be struggling and the music isn’t as good as the setlist indicates.

    Drums is relatively melodic, and when Space turns into I Need a Miracle it seems as if the set is coming to a standard close. But Wang Dang Doodle is completely unexpected, and Jerry’s tired voice is perfect for Black Peter. The set-closing Throwing Stones>Lovelight is very engaging, with a wild section in the former and a wonderful Jerry solo in the latter. Again Jerry’s voice suits the Heaven's door encore, and he plays some incredible guitar with the band locked in. This final section redeems an otherwise spotty show.

    There’s some filler from the July 6 Kentucky show, and it’s the highlight VFTV1. It starts with a lovely version of Standing on the Moon which goes into a slow, delicious He’s Gone. But it’s the wild jam that follows that makes this segment key; it has themes from He’s Gone and The Other One and is an extraordinary segment of improvised music.

    Sound quality is a little hollow - quite listenable but far from one of the best recordings. The liner notes are as simple as could be, in both the DVD and CD editions. While it’s nice to have some officially-released music from the summer 1990 tour, in the end it isn’t a key release.
     
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  22. bzfgt

    bzfgt The Grand High Exalted Mystic Ruler

    Hmm, I can't agree with you about Eyes--best version of the year, stupendous
     
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  23. uzn007

    uzn007 Watcher of the Skis

    Location:
    Raleigh, N.C.
    IWT, great show, like all the summer 1990 shows I caught. I'll have to give the Eyes another listen, but I certainly remember it being a good one. This was my first experience seeing the newly-slowed-down arrangement, though, so maybe I'm not quite objective.

    For this show, I went with some college friends who drove in from Chicago, and we managed to met up outside the venue without cell phones or pages or anything. Gone are the days!
     
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  24. pbuzby

    pbuzby Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago, IL, US
    I watched a bit of the DVD once. All I remember is that in "Eyes" after one of the "wake up to find out" lines it looks like Jerry says something angry off mic.

    They did start a fair amount of late 80's and 90's shows with "their hit" but they didn't play it every night like most bands would have. I remember one of the reviewers saying that it was difficult to appreciate live versions of "Touch" because they always seemed to be working out some PA problem during the song.
     
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  25. bzfgt

    bzfgt The Grand High Exalted Mystic Ruler

    I have to say other than Eyes nothing from Pittsburgh is better than "good but not great" for my money. But what an Eyes.
     
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