That’s funny. My first thought was “hey, I like turning to look at the crowd during shows”. Then I looked a little closer.
I'm doing a chronological run of official multi-track released live shows. Today, it's 5/8/77, Cornell, which I've listened to enough times over the years I've lost count. I don't hold this show above all others in some exalted way, like the recording itself is a demi-God. But this really is a very, very good show. I love the sound. The performance is damn near studio quality. I love (almost) all the versions of the songs here. But if there was one thing I could substitute, it would be to trade out the disco-Dancin' for a garage-Dancin' from '70. Even that is a minor consideration, because the version of Dancin' here, is very good. I just like the older, dirtier-rock versions better. Everything else from this show is farking great Grateful Dead. Yep, 5/7 and 5/9 are excellent, too. Damn near everything from this Spring '77 tour is. So, yeah. Cornell. 'Nuff said.
Yes, that is one of the great mysteries....that guy is at every show where they played a post-Space Dark Star, always wearing the suit and facing backwards. No one has ever been able to determine who he was.
FWIW, Cornell wasn't a multi-track, but it was one of the best of Betty's many great two-track recordings.
Yes, thank you for pointing that out. Technically, you're 100% right. But as I've listened to all these multi-track releases in sequence, I'll tell you, this one sounds just as good as any of the multi-tracks. It's just a testament to how spot on she was with her mixing, in the moment.
The 1977 Betty Boards also used dbx, which allowed over 90 dB S/N on a 2-track 7.5 ips Nagra recording. As has been noted in other threads, her mixing board in Spring '77 sounded better than earlier or later ones.
9-6-88 - Capital Centre. I always wonder why 'centre,' it's Maryland, not Montréal. Solid show, but I don't have anything particularly noteworthy to add. Garcia had some guitar problems in set 1, a strong finish with Cumberland, Stagger Lee, Cassidy, Deal. Nice Estimated>He's Gone>Total Throwaway in set 2.
Grateful Dead • 1976-06-14 (03:20:22) • Beacon Theatre, New York, NY, USA 6/14/76 Grateful Dead 1976, less than a month from America ‘s birthday of 200 years. Beacon Theater, NYC, 6-14-76 Was wondering if this was planned for a release, so even, in control and tight performance. Great concert! Superb sound. Setlist is varied and has some lesser played gems like: Might As Well, High Time, Crazy Fingers and Cosmic Charlie! Plenty of jams, great tone on guitar. Enjoy! Set 1: Cold Rain and Snow (Obray Ramsey cover) Play Video Mama Tried (Merle Haggard cover) Play Video Row Jimmy Play Video Cassidy (Bob Weir song) Play Video Brown-Eyed Women Play Video Big River (Johnny Cash cover) Play Video Might as Well (Jerry Garcia song) Play Video Lazy Lightning (Kingfish cover) (>) Play Video Supplication (Kingfish cover) Play Video Tennessee Jed Play Video Playing in the Band (Bob Weir song) Play Video Set 2: The Wheel (Jerry Garcia song) Play Video Samson and Delilah ([traditional] cover) Play Video High Time Play Video The Music Never Stopped Play Video Crazy Fingers Play Video Drums Play Video Dancing in the Street (Martha Reeves and the Vandellas cover) Play Video Cosmic Charlie Play Video Help on the Way (>) Play Video Slipknot! (>) Play Video Franklin's Tower Play Video Around and Around (Chuck Berry cover) Play Video Encore: U.S. Blues
I'd be curious to read what you come up with. I used to know this kid who was a budding jazz pianist, and he said he found this "Dark Star" very boring from a harmonic standpoint (compared to 4-8-72, where they change the tone center throughout the jam).
He appears to be wearing a suit and tie. I'm assuming he's a CIA analyst who was involved in the 5-8-77 experiment, doing some follow-up work.
Yesterday: 10/9/76 Oakland (first two discs of DiP 33) Today: 9/25/76 Landover (first two discs of DiP 20). I'm relistening to the latter right now because the CD set just arrived in the mail yesterday. It's an interesting comparison. At 10/9, of course, it's the first show of their Day on the Green weekend opening for The Who. Very loud, bright, boisterous and crashy. Early in the day by their standards, and I'm sure they had to be conscious of appearing on the same bill as a more aggressive band. One of the great Help/Slip/Franklins, for sure! The entire second set is a highlight. 9/25 is more of that classic 1976 sweetness with more subtlety in the performance, especially by the drummers. Love 'em both, of course. It's interesting how emotionally different the two shows are, given that they were only a few weeks apart.
September 21………only saw twice in 1991 Gahden and 1993 Garden 1991 - Probably considered the worst show of Boston 91, but I think it’s played better than the setlist looked. It sort of brings out the worst and best of Bruce…….worst, his awful loud accordion solo that cuts of Jerry in “Uncle John’s Band”…….best, piano in “Eyes of the World” and his small outro before drums. 1993 - caught between the great 9/20 and the great sax-o-ma-phone 9/22…….but this one is no slouch. A good 1993 night.
OK so I did indeed crank side 1 of Feb. 28 1968. Here is my honest opinion. First, I was pressed for listening time, so I figured, as it's a new record, I can play it without cleaning it. Then I looked at it and noticed some ugly blotchy areas, the record was sold as unopened mint. But I am so retarded, and was so eager to hear it, I put it on anyway. In retrospect that may not have been the best idea, but my needle picked up no noticeable dust or goo. First, there are severe volume changes in the performance, which I would imagine is a bitch to mix. Sometimes it seems to me, and this goes for both the FLAC and the album, due to these large volume fluctuations the bass comes up a bit to hot. That being said, at least from what I recall of the more than a few dead concerts that I've seen, is that I don't recall that kind of distortion even with large swings in the volume. Nevertheless this became a nonissue with little schoolgirl, which is just vintage pigpen.
Spinning DaP 39 now...on "They Love Each Other"... The blesh changed dramatically by the early 80s compared to the Keith and Donna years (my favorite lol) but in a chunky, greasy way seems like...honestly really like Brent...the openers make me feel like a rooster on c*caine...not that I've ever done it (genuinely)...surprised to hear the Dead this steeped in disco still, but they always sound a few years behind, not that that's a bad thing! Even dramatically different from the Frost shows a few months earlier and SPAC a few later. Also, collecting question: is the nugs.net FLAC the easiest way to snag most of the Road Trips (unfortunately sans bonus discs)? I have every official release besides and I feel like I'm missing some great stuff...
Thanks! Great knowledge. Great recording, no wonder it got released as an archive. Was curious, if the performances were once planned to be released in relatively “real time” ? Imagine if this was released as a multiple LP in time for Holiday Season, 1976!
That’s Uncle Sam - “hiding out - in a rock and roll band!” Another Grateful Dead “first” -the first ever Halogram! lol
