Grateful Dead Dave's Picks 2020 Subscriptions

I really like the Boise show and thought it was a great choice for the era. The real 80s head scratcher for me was the Boulder show from 81 that was a bit of a train wreck of a performance and off pitch.

 

The USPS got in touch with me and told me that the package wasn’t delivered because there was a menacing dog standing near the community mailbox. Kinda hilarious. Got the cd yesterday and listening right now. It’s an energetic show, but Jerry’s voice has had better days!

 

Anyone check the pitch on this new one yet?

 

I will if I ever get it.

 

I posted my “review” on The Grateful Thread. Apologies if you’ve already read it—

Hitting more early-80’s Dead, 1983 — yet another year I’ve neglected to listen to for so long.

This week’s pick — #27 BSU Pavilion, Boise State University, Boise, ID, 02/09/83 . . .

“Citizens of Boise, submit or perish — you are a conquered people”

Wang Dang Doodle kicks off the 1st set — I don’t hear this one often, but it’s a good bluesy rocker, with cool Jerry solos into a solid Jack Straw. After that opener, things slow down with a mid-paced They Love Each Other then Mama Tried > Big River, which is played fast. A big, firing on all cylinders Brown-Eyed Women up next. A hot, smokin’ version of NewMinglewood Blues with great guitar shredding, followed by a fierce and relentless Big Railroad Blues — which just rocks and gallops along, Jerry in particular letting it rip. One of the best versions of this one I’ve heard yet. A Looks Like Rain, which whilst not the best has some nice shimmering guitar playing from Jerry, then a really long, bouncy Deal closes the set.

A rather sloppy, flubbed Help On The Way > Slipknot! > Franklin’s Tower opens the 2nd set. There’s some great playing during a melodic Franklin’s Tower but the perfectly played, cohesive Slipknot! jam is the highlight here — I’ve heard better versions of this sequence though (any from the 70’s). Estimated Prophet > Eyes Of The World comes next, both nicely played with amazing jamming and there’s a great improvised jam section at the end of Eyes Of The World between Bob, Brent and the drums. [There’s a striking section in Eyes Of The World where it sounds like they’ve patched in an AUD recording for a few seconds and are there lyrics missing here?] Jam > Drums > Space is cool and especially the Space section, beautifully melodic, which segues into a fairly chaotic but funky (real early version of) Throwing Stones, with the guitars loud in the mix. Then comes a rippin’ up-tempo Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad into an emotional Black Peter, with beautiful bridge section, before ending on a highly energetic Sugar Magnolia. A cover of Bob Dylan’s It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue closes the show — this is really becoming a favourite encore of mine, though not as good as the one from The Spectrum, 06/04/82.

Overall a fun, high-energy show with some great versions through the sets. The vocals, and at points the keys and guitars, are way up front in the mix and loud, which takes a moment to get used to!

Jerry’s singing and soloing is pretty great throughout, despite some forgotten words and musical screw-ups.

It’s been interesting hearing some shows from 1981, ‘82 and ‘83 these past few weeks — they’re admittedly not the greatest years for the band, in terms of what came before and what was to come after, but there’s some good stuff around.

Fast-forwarding through the mid-80’s (as I’ve not got anything from that time) to their comeback in 1987 next.


1983/2018 Rhino Records (2) ‎– R2-565021, Grateful Dead Records ‎– R2-565021

 

Thanks! Agree with your review... I've now made it through Eyes...The Slipknot is intense! I do struggle with Jerry's guitar tone in the early 80's and of course his voice is not what is was even a few years earlier. Regardless is great to hear inspiration from a band that had been at it for so long at that point.

I definitely see myself revisiting this and DaP35....maybe creating an early 80's mix from them..Did that recently with the 89 Giant's, RFK and Crimson, White & Indigo which was a great soundtrack for some hot yard work!

 

Received 8903 Friday. No shipping notice whatsoever.

 

late 80's summer shows were always good

 

My beef with Boise is I was at a very similar show a few days later at a Red Rocks (9/6/83) that I think includes a FAR better Help-Slip, and post drums a similar (excellent) space, just Jerry and Bob doing an improvised duet, but 9/6 they go into UJB... to me, it’s just a better show. Of course, I don’t know what sort of tape they have in the vault. Anyway, this is all subjective I know, and this is exactly what ReListen is for.

 

I hope mine arrives tomorrow, tracking says it has been in Hartford, about 80mi south of me, since Thursday.

 

I actually listened to it this past week. Finished it up this weekend when doing chores around the house. I liked it much more than I remembered, warts and all.

 

My copy of 35 arrived today with a very low number: 870!!

Now, I'm hoping that I dig it. This is my first real foray into the world of 80s Dead...

 

Out for delivery.

 

Still no sign of mine

thank jah it isn’t a 68-78 show!!!

 

no problems whatsoever with Boise 9/2/83....it would have been my 1983 pick as well, either that or 12/28/83

 

It's not off by much, but it appears to run very slightly slow/flat. I chose Let it Grow as my sampling point.

 

not delivered yet - local post office got it 6 days ago - I'm dyin' here...................

 

Tracking shows my copy is here, but no delivery yet. Tracking shows UPS Surepost which means the USPS does the final mile. Looks like they have switched fulfillment vendors again, I think this is the third switch.

I was able to buy a sealed copy here on SHF and it arrived today, via Media Mail from SC. Thanks Lee!

 

Couldn’t agree more. I never quite got 80’s Dead until I learned to re-calibrate my listening to AUD files. Websites like www.gdluckynunbers.org and www.DeadListening.com really pushed me to find AUD recordings that enhanced the listening experience and I’ll gladly take a solid 80’s AUD recording on part with a Betty Board from the band’s 70’s peak.

 

16683 and 20691 arrived today. Threw out 20691 immediately unopened.

 

Safety first!

 

It’s a very good, if but a bit sloppy (Help on the Way=yikes!!) show. However, it suffers from a less than ideal mix (Brent too loud, Jerry much too quiet).

 

Lalalalalalala... I don’t want to know this! I’d rather live in innocence and naïveté.

 

The question was asked and I answered it.