IDK, but 5/25/74 Santa Barbara is another party show. I wrote in my notes that Billy pushes the tempos on almost everything like he has a hot date waiting for him afterwards. Even "Ship of Fools" and "Wharf Rat" are quicker than usual. Maybe that was just the vibe at UCSB (or the coke/speed supply was plentiful there).
Got the email that the Hoffa Box blu ray version only has 1000 left. Looks like that one won’t suffer from July 78 Syndrome. Who knows about the DVD version. Odd they even bothered with a DVD version in 2019.
Now listening to 4/1/84[Marin Civic]on TIGDH on SiriusXM's Grateful Dead channel via the webstream now playing Morning Dew.
Its kind of absurd that they didn’t just include both and charge the higher Blu-ray price for all of them. What does a dvd cost to make? I’m guessing about 15c.
I got this as well... shocked this is moving what seems like so much faster than PNW last year. Guess I better make a choice sooner than later on this. Now that I am caught up on this thread I wanted to discuss a couple things 1) I recently got an amazing lot of GD official releases on Ebay (Actually arrived on the anniversary of Jerry's passing) that included Ladies & Gentlemen, Steppin Out With..., Europe 72, So Many Roads and so much more, a total of about 55 discs worth of music. Most importantly it included Grateful Dead Movie Soundtrack. As most of you know, this release is just mind-blowing great, I haven't listened to anything else I got in this lot yet because I just have been looping GD Movie sound track. 2) The 5/16/81 MAMU > Big River is a SCORCHER! Brent is burning especially on Big River. Might be my favorite Big River ever. 3) I am watching "Long Strange Trip" for what I think is the 5th time. This is just really well done and I enjoy it every time I watch it.... I wish someone would splice together all the Sam Cutler clips. That guy is hilarious.
How often do you guys get a show or release and only focus on that one for a while? I normally listen to something one time through and then move on to another show. Am I missing out by not completely immersing myself in one show at a time?
usually give it 2 full spins and then one more listen to what stood out to me. they have so much music i always feel behind
Hmm. I can't agree with this statement, the best of live Airplane (including these, also the May '68 FE show, Woodstock and some unreleased stuff from '69 and '70) I like as much as the Dead from those years, but... It's a very different experience, which may not appeal to others here as much as it does to me; and as uneven as the GD were in 1969, the Airplane were even more wildly inconsistent, and could on occasion be absolutely horrible. But as I say, at their best...
I often don’t make it far into drums and space, more because I’m just not in the right “frame of mind” for it most of the time if you know what I mean, rather than not digging it. Ahh, but with the right mindset I’m all in. I have Oakland 7/24/87 going, and it is magnificent. Jerry completely on point too as PITB jams into Drums, and on Space we get some of his trippy Fripp mode - the more far out it gets the better: PITB > Drums > Space > UJB
I usually listen for a week or so — at home on my system and in my work van when I'm driving around. There's so much it's too easy to just flit between shows.
I would say so. That you’re missing something, that is. For me the best part about the Dead is getting to know a given performance on a more intimate level. The more I’ve kind of etched a show in, I can appreciate different things about it. It’s easier to really appreciate the differences between shows, especially if the same era, if you have more than a passing familiarity with it. I might be listening more as a musician though. There is probably a lot of extra mileage in switching out of pure listening and into “hey, what’s going on here musically, what exactly is Jerry doing and I wonder if I can figure that out, what chords / scales / theories are driving this, what was that pedal, etc etc” mode. Once through kind of washes over me and leaves a general impression. A few more I connect with it a lot more. I don’t do that with every show, but if it’s got a reputation or it’s an official release, as long as the first impression isn’t terrible (rare), I spend some time with it to really get into it and learn for myself what the hubbub’s about. I think that’s kind of the magic of the band, and why tape trading was what it was, and a big part of how the band and these shows became so legendary. People would get a tape and just live it and breathe it until the next one. I mean, I think - I wasn’t on the bus in those days. If you were, you’re probably like “don’t tell me about it kid, I was there” It’s a different time now though with hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of shows instantly at your fingertips. It’s easy to bounce around and water it down in a way. So I try to pace myself and stay on a show (or more typically a run or a month / season). More often than not anyway.
Location, location, location. Get ready for some Dave's Picks from NY/Boston/Philly in the '90s, I guess.
I pledge to listen to any specific Airplane dates that anyone cares to recommend. Last night I tracked down 5/7 and 10/25-26/69. I stumbled upon the Altamont recording, so we'll see how they sounded there. I'll check out their full Woodstock set and look for 5/68 Fillmore East, too. I have the Dead and a few other listening projects going on at the same time, but I will try to give the Airplane a fair hearing, before too long.
27 September 1972- Joisey. Dark Star- Because I felt the need to hang 10 out on space + time. Cumberland Blues- Since it got a lot of good press recently. Attics of My Life- A Hunter/Garcia masterpiece. Uncle John's Band- Well, you see, I skipped The Promised Land.
Playing just the Dead tracks from the Festival Express Blu-Ray (“Don’t Ease Me In”, Speedway, H2H, and “ Easy Wind”). Feeling like a Live/Dead sequence may be in order next, perhaps from 1/2/70 or maybe one from the Fillmore ‘69 box.
