Wanted to change things up from what seems like weeks of mostly early 70's and went through 7-15-84 Greek Th over the course of today. Great show (Do it in the Road not withstanding) inspired playing and super clean soundboard. Brent was on point throughout and Jerry sounding emotionally charged. Dancin>Bird Song opener shines. Fantastic Playin > UJB and that space>China Doll is haunting. I almost prefer it to 7-13-84 if it were not for the Dark Star encore on the 13th.
Taken as a whole, I agree; however, numbers 12 & 14 have a binary relationship on my Big List that reflects a personal animus for dividing 73 and 74 by the septic niceties of calendar geometry. Back around 2011/12 - during my hormonal honeymoon with the Dead - I began charting daily listening at one point in the hopes that my rational self might bump the stylus were I to document the sheer number of exclusively rotated plays on paper. Easy to get lost...and found. Were Hubble to beam images from the music's solar system, we might wonder at volcanic explosions of molten primal grist or the high, bright, intricacies of jazzy constellations. Wish I could hear it all for the first dozen times again... It's not planned this way, but I inevitably turn my mind toward Christmas somewhere in the 72 hours prior to arrival, so I can say with integrity that it's nice to see an early sign of holiday spirit. Which is fortuitous because I drew @sami as thread secret Santa... Spoiler: appallingly apropos (lamp shade not included)
Reacquainting with studio '73-'74 after spending the week inside the PNW box set . . . "Wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world But the heart has its beaches, its homeland and thoughts of its own Wake now discover that you are the song that the morning brings But the heart has its seasons, its evenings and songs of its own" . . . 1973/2018 Rhino Records (2) – R1 516259 (Rocktober reissue) "Well I ain't often right but I've never been wrong It seldom turns out the way it does in the song Once in a while you get shown the light In the strangest of places if you look at it right" . . . 1974/2018 Rhino Records (2) – R1 516247 (Rocktober reissue)
Finally got around to sorting out my Dead collection in chronological order. I am up to 1991. Only official releases need apply.
As is often the case, I woke up with a random song in my head playing in repeat. Today it was “just a Little Light”. so dosing at the Knick it is.
6 December 1969- Altamont Motor Speedway. A Day That Will Live in Infamy. 6 December 1973- Cleveland. The inside-out Dark Star, among other musical goodies. 6 December 1989- Earthquake Benefit, Oakland. After a 10 year hiatus I got to experience the Wolf live in concert. Utter bliss. Happy Listening!
True that, and still it is good to remember our history. 50 years ago today. I'm still not sure who I blame more: The Hell's Angels or Mick Jagger. Probably Mick, because the Angels are what they are, Mick had more choice in the matter.
I’d say the blame belongs to whoever thought hells angels would be be a good idea for security. I guess the idea was they wanted “enforcement” that wouldn’t bust kids for drugs or perhaps there was an arrangement for the angels to supply the drugs. Either way, using organized crime to keep order and protect safety was beyond Ridiculous. You have to be very high, very stupid or very corrupt to make that choice, possibly a combination of all three.
I read an article this week which pointed out that since the venue was moved outside of SF, there were different chapters of the Angels involved. The SF chapter had much more experience in dealing with hippies, crowds, etc and had done security for the Grateful Dead in the past. https://nypost.com/2019/12/05/altam...utm_campaign=iosapp&utm_source=pasteboard_app
I think the Rhino should release more audience recordings like the Hard to Handle (8/16/71) on the Fallout From the PhilZone.
Re: Altamont. Acid, bourbon (all day), and a propensity for violence made the Hells Angels, in retrospect, a bad choice for security. Story goes that Airplane and Dead suggested the Angels to Cutler, the Stones manager. Both bands had used the Angels for security prior. Angles were supposed to simply guard the stage. Paid in beer. Bike gangs in Europe were more social clubs than violent drug gangs. This fact may have influenced Stones management (Cutler and, of course, Mick Jagger) to agree upon the Angels. The stage, unlike Woodstock, was not on scaffolding. The Stones were on a little island, surrounded by bad vibes. Grace Slick and Jerry Garcia sure as heck picked up on those vibes. Note that the cat the Angels beat to death had pulled a revolver. Killer was accordingly acquitted. "Just keep cool..." ""Let's just relax..."
“Dealing with hippies”. The only way the Angels deal with anything is through the threat of physical violence or, physical violence. They didn’t want to lose money like Woodstock and wanted some guys that would crack skulls if the fence was going down. They dead were working beyond the confines of the law in that time and when your guilty of crimes, you can’t go to law enforcement for help. Kind of like dialing 911 if your coke guy shorts you an OZ on a LB. I’m sure there was someone working for the dead that said, “the Angeles get a bad wrap, we work with them and they are good guys.” Which is true if you’re in a Business relationship that is to their advantage, like to party like a madman at their clubs or a gathering they organize or need some muscle for any number of situations. Got a problem with the mob, a labor union or can’t get your money from venue? an Angel can clear things up. Using them to keep kids ten feet from the stage, not so much.
mick also agreed because the hells angels in the uk are nothing like in the states. they were thinking it was a biker club of harmless folks. they had no idea. the angels were friends of the dead but even they didn't expect that outcome. you can see their reaction in gimme shelter.
