31 July 1973- Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City, NJ End Set 1: Playing in the Band; Set 2: China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider
I remember OMSN used to get played now and then back on MTV in the early days (Remember “Closet Classics”?). I could’ve sworn it was a different backdrop. Like Skull & Roses, etc? Regardless, I like the tye-dye. Way better than a green or blue screen. What a great presentation. This was PRIME DEAD, folks. My college age kid came down when she heard “Sugaree” (A favorite of hers)... She stopped and said “How old is this??” I told her, she sat down on the couch and a few minutes later said “This is cool...” I smiled.
I was in the car picking up some food and started out listening to Dark Star from 5-14-74, but then the phone died, so I put on Bears Choice, which is probably the best Grateful Dead live album. Maybe Live/Dead. It's kind of a toss-up.
Here’s what I remember from back in the day (By which I mean the 80s). It was a mixture of Anthem and Aoxomoxa as the backdrop, along with some other trippy effects. Was this is a different take than the one we saw tonight? May have to go back and compare:
In the past just for fun in Spotify I combined the 2 shows to make a double album of early live Dead. So Bears Choice is the warm-up with mostly acoustic stuff with the electric stuff at the end then merging into a hot Live Dead set.
Same take, they played in front of a green screen so different backgrounds could be laid in as desired.
Makes sense. I didn’t remember Keith being that animated (for Keith, I mean) on OMSN during the Shakedown Stream. I’m sure you’re right that it was the same one though. Great stuff!
Unlike the Veneta movie these guys realized there was a piano player on the stage so they included him in the video. Keith was young and totally mind-melding with Jerry- great interplay between them.
For sure! Keith sounded great. For whatever reason, he stood out more for me just now, watching that OMSN clip, then he did on the same performance during the Stream. I dunno, it must’ve been the doses (Of beer. Not so lucky as to have the other kind).
I traded with a guy in Australia about 15 years ago. I filled up a hard drive and sent it to him and he sent me a t-shirt and some Aussie cash to cover postage. I never converted the cash to US dollars. I thought the paper notes were awesome so I kept them in the envelope he sent it in tucked it inside my Dead Base. I think it's cool that I could help turn someone on the other side of the world to some Dead!
Just now watching the Beat Club show on YT. This is killer. I'd only seen a few clips with the blue background. Ironically I was about to listen to this cd this morning on the way to work, as I've slowly been making my way through the box. Glad I waited for the visuals.
It's such a treat to be able to see an extended video of them in their prime. I love these low-budget TV shows because they just shoot the band with no special effects or crowd shots or interviews or anything. It's just the band, playing.
Somebody doesn't like Wake Up Little Susie. To me, the performances of Dark Holler and I've Been All Around This World alone (as well as the odd banter in betwixt) make it one of their best live albums. I love being entranced by their songs. Many of them do nothing for me; it's all about the improv. But listen to Weir's lead stuff on All Around...it sounds like Jerry, but it ain't.
I never said I don't like Bear's Choice or WALS. I had that on vinyl in the first vinyl era and always dug it. But Live Dead is better.