Re: Tapers ... I like to think of Dr Bob(Wagner) wandering around in an overcoat and bucket hat. It cracks me up. I mean, a Nak Dragon is a big deck!!! Lololol
I started that yesterday and will resume today. However, I'm having to listen to a few tracks from 5/1/70 first, particularly Candyman. The cut in that one on 5/2 is brutal, but having it from the night before (along with New Speedway and one of the all-time MAMUs) helps.
Slightly out of order, but I wrapped up the Spring '90 Capitol Centre run with Phil's 50th birthday show on the ides of March, back in 1990 (3/15/90). Between two of the songs showing up on Without A Net, the Terrapin Station (Limited Edition) official release that seemed to somehow be way less limited than a lot of other stuff and the general love for this tour, there's already been a lot of praise written about this particular show, so I'll keep my comments pretty brief. (side note: Despite owning the official release, I listened to the Charlie Miller xref on Relisten) As pointed out numerous times, definitely the hottest night of the run. Everyone on stage that night was fully dialed in and they all had moments to shine throughout the course of the night. "Jack Straw" and "Sugaree" are both hot and a great start to the show, and Brent's first song of the night (a relative bustout of "Easy To Love You") is a pretty solid version. Not even "Walkin' Blues" can kill the vibe. "Althea" and "Cassidy" are the other highlights of the first set, with a very special nod to Phil's Dylan tune, he's clearly having a blast singing "Tom Thumb" and the crowd is eating it up. Set two starts out with a really nice "China > Rider", the one that inspired my rapturous gushing about Jerry yesterday. The funny thing is, though, listening back to it again this morning in an attempt to isolate what hit me about Jerry's playing was futile. Rather, I kept being drawn to Brent and hearing how he was the one pushing the jam further. After a fine "Sampson", we get to the heady center of the night with that "Terrapin > Jam > Drums > Space" run. For real, when someone tries to tell you the band never tapped into that lysergic psychedelia of the '60s this late in their career, point them here. Sure, the MIDI might sound different from, say, a '69 trip, but to these ears that exploratory spirit is still intact and it carries all the way through, well, that it until we land back to earth with a thud into Brent's "I Will Take You Home". Meh. Imagine had this landed into a "Wheel" instead? Heaven. Fortunately a really gorgeous "Wharf Rat", with some great fanning from Jerry. "Throwing Stones" and "NFA" are both great, Brent really bringing some love to these tunes, and we close out the night with a "Revolution", per the birthday boy's request, apparently.
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I think the cut in Candyman from 5/2 was corrected on the more recent Miller transfer. The old tape I had and the DP both have the jump-cut into Cumberland. The timing of the cut is so good that it sounds like they played it that way.
Since I'm on a 1986 kick........................... Today is the 35th anniversary of Brent's meltdown show. I wasn't there so I don't know how the confusion looked on stage when drums was supposed to start. For those that don't know (since nobody listens to 1986)........after "Eyes of the World," Brent doesn't leave the stage and keeps playing keys. It eventually goes into a Brent/drummers jam (that I think sounds similar to Little Feat's "Rocket In My Pocket").......then Brent plays "Maybe You Know How I Feel" singing it very s**tfaced......then the rest of the band returns and Jerry (appropriately) starts "Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad." This segment is actually mostly pretty good, and worth a listen to at least once........especially if you think drums>space is too standard and want to hear something different. The jam is good, "Maybe You Know" is lousy, but you hear Brent's anguish. The following "Goin Down The Road"> "Morning Dew" is great.......(who doesn't want to listen to "Morning Dew?"). It's an interesting 2nd set......very sloppy in places. Listen at minimum from the end of "Eyes" through "Morning Dew." Remembering Brent Mydland: The Impassioned Final 'Maybe You Know'
Today’s listening is Dave’s Picks #15 — Municipal Auditorium, Nashville, TN, 22/04/78. Another stellar show from that April ‘78 run. This one’s a lotta fun! The 1st set gets off to a flyer with a killer Bertha > Good Lovin’ opener—this combo absolutely smokes; things slow down and mellow out for Candyman, which is a real beauty; Tennessee Jed, in Tennessee!, is a lot of fun—good times; a super-solid Jack Straw with great jamming, is perfectly played and sung with gusto; yet another super-sweet, intricate rendition of Peggy-O, in a month full of ‘em; the sizzling intensity is back for a snarling, growling, aggressively energetic New Minglewood Blues; before the set closes with a stunning, scorchin’ white-hot Deal. “We quit, see you all later” . . . A real-powerful Lazy Lightning > Supplication kicks-off the 2nd set, with some fantastically dazzling jamming; a tight and muscular Estimated Prophet, with a hefty mid-jam and an exquisitely jammed outro segues into a fast and frenetic Eyes Of The World; an epic finale sequence commences when a crazy-hot NFA appears out of a huge Rhythm Devils; before a bat-schiit insane, raging Wharf Rat which goes off with dazzling, super-shredding soloing and an intense, soaring outro—an all-timer, fo sho. An astonishing version that’s up there alongside my favourite from Albuquerque, NM, 07/10/77; a terrifically rockin’ Sugar Magnolia ends a dizzying 35-minutes of high-charged/coke-fuelled ‘78 Dead. But wait, there’s more—a massive, off-the-rails wild One More Saturday Night concludes. I: Bertha > Good Lovin’, Candyman, Looks Like Rain, Tennessee Jed, Jack Straw, Peggy-O, New Minglewood Blues, Deal. II: Lazy Lightning > Supplication, It Must Have Been The Roses, Estimated Prophet > Eyes Of The World > Rhythm Devils > Not Fade Away > Wharf Rat > Sugar Magnolia. E: One More Saturday Night. 1978/2015 Grateful Dead Productions – R2-550932
I don't torrent, but on the latest Miller version on the archive (uploaded May 2017), it has a few more seconds of Candyman but cuts off mid-lyric.
Today I checked out 4/20/69 (Clark University). Pretty good show. Highlights includes Dark Star, Morning Dew, The Eleven, Love Light, Dupree's Diamond Blues and Mountains Of The Moon. A rather decently played show for the most part, but with some impressive jamming. The Dark Star in particular is terrific. It might not be much of a mind-blower, though it has a very relaxed feel throughout. Jerry's playing is especially noteworthy. The Love Light is typical Pigpen-extravaganza (which is always a good thing). Good Morning Little School Girl, St. Stephen and Doin' That Rag is also worth mentioning. The Mountains Of The Moon-encore is pretty much perfect. One of my fave Primal-era songs. This show is worth a listen. Earlier in the day I listened to 8/4/74 (Philadelphia Civic Center). Great show. Highlights includes Truckin', The Other One, Space, China > Rider, Bobby McGee and Peggy-O. Exceptional playing in this show. A grand '74-show in many ways. Th jamming is truly incredible during the second set. The first set's excellent as well. The rather fusion-esque TOO-jam might be worth the price of admission alone. I also find the China > Rider to be one of the most flawlessly exectuted versions. There's not much to say, this show's a goldmine. Just give it a listen.
I always liked this show and felt a special kinship with Brent for being human like the rest of us. Along with the humanity of Jerry staying with his brother and not letting him alone
First of three nights 52 years ago today. 04/21/69 The Ark - Boston, MA Set 1: Hard To Handle Morning Dew Cryptical Envelopment Drums The Other One Cryptical Envelopment Sitting On Top Of The World Alligator Drums Jam Alligator Doin' That Rag Set 2: Foxy Lady Jam Dark Star St. Stephen The Eleven Turn On Your Love Light Encore: Viola Lee Blues
4-28-71 is just such a great show and one that has some spectacular recordings. I had it on cassette in the late 80's and loved it then and still love it now. Currently cranking the CM masters of the Teac Reels. Sounds better than many official recordings and the band was just so on point that night.
Thanks for that Wharf Rat tip!!! Definitely down with your assessment and couldn't have put it better myself. Jerry Fireworks Garcia on full display !!
Certainly the 2-tracks of this run are my preferred of capturing Phil's sound the way I like it from this period - lots of crunchy mids, which really flesh out the band's sound of the time. Phil's bass sound is fully present & correct in this fashion on Skullf*ck, but the mixes & EQ'ing on L>GD lose all that yummy fatness & elasticity (hollowing it out into something which is all low end & without any sonic interest, IMHO).
I came on here to post the same. The finished model is 6 foot, 8 inches tall and 10 feet wide, and features 390 working speakers. It pumps out a not-exactly-Winterland-worthy 800 watts.
I think a lot of it is ignorance or perception. i.e Jerry is just a noodling jam band guy. I use to work with a guy who was a very good blues guitar player in his own right and a major Clapton, Duane Allman, Jimi Hendrix and Grant Green ( Grant Green thanks to me) fan but couldn't get into Jerry. He would say things like he doesn't tell a story and just noodles. I am like dude! You love Freddie King, Jerry is all about Freddie King and if you love Chet Atkins and the Beatles so much find a solo that nails all of that more perfect than the solo on the album version of Box Of Rain. Talk about a perfect and composed solo. Harrison never came close to the brilliance of that solo and I am a major Beatles fanatic (aside from the fact George couldn't improvise for **** and McCartney had to do the solos on some tracks but George could pull of the composed Chet Atkins stuff pretty well).
I agree. I think someone else touched on it the other day—amongst his peers, Jerry was rated very highly. I think to the “average Joe”, the Dead are an aimless, jam band! If only they knew. He’s not as well-known to them as Hendrix, Page, Clapton, Beatles (God forbid I mention them in this thread ) and the typical rockstar poseurs etc etc so their perception is askew.
Actually David Nelson played the solo in Box of Rain! So that may not be the best example of Jerry's brilliance.... But it does raise the question, what was Jerry's most perfect solo? Well, there may be many answers, but personally I wouldn't turn to the studio albums for examples of Jerry's best guitar work.... So that automatically poses difficulties for the general listener if the guy kept his most distinctive playing off his albums! "What, I have to listen to hours of jam-band noodling to find the diamonds?"
