I find myself chortling too at the outrageousness of some of their jamming, they’re having such a ball!
First listen to 1985/06/30 Columbia, MD and the only other '85 show I've heard is 11/1 from DP21 and that one track on SMR65-95 Let's see what all the chatter about '85 is all about. I have to say, I'm only up to Mama Tried, but I like it a lot already. Killer high energy sound (the recording is a little too trebly, though, and not enough Phil)
While I understand why you’d both say that, I can’t agree. One could see every year as transitional as they were always evolving. Pretty much, each year has something different from previous, and also something the same from all that preceded it. 4/28/71 happened in 1971? Nuff said Zafu
Part of what it implies is a lot of unique playing as they figured out where they wanted to go next. Like The Other One from the SkullF album or Dark Star from 4-28-71. Unique takes on those songs that have held up well over time. Lots of great, exploratory playing in the context of NFA>GDTRFB, of all things, and then all those great jams in the fall after Keith joined and was finding his feet. I wouldn't argue that 1971 reaches the same epic heights as '72-74, but it's got a lot of great stuff you can't find anywhere else.
Glass half-empty: Where are the SBD tapes of 09/17, front half of 09/18 & 09/19 and masters of most of 09/20? Glass half-full: Wow! We have some SBD's of this run, including one of the best 70 minutes of the Dead's career???!
Queuing 7/1 up as we speak. I have to admit, I was impressed by 6/30/85. It had a lot of pep in its step and there were a lot of cool moments sprinkled throughout. Jerry sounded on fire and was some of the more interesting playing I've heard from him post-70s.
The post with the GD babies is freaking me out. I keep seeing them March around J.F. Sebastian's place in Blade Runner.
The book The Grateful Dead Family Album has a few photos of band and crew members between infancy and high school.
I thought "transition year" was an obvious description and it has been used here before, but perhaps some elaboration will clarify my intent. Before going on let me be clear that there is some great music in 1971 (although unlike most I don't put 4/28 at the top LOL); 8/6 and set 2 of 10/31 are at the top for me. Near the beginning of the year losing Hart changed the focus of the drumming rather dramatically, and as has been chronicled eventually led to the extended freeform jamming that characterized '72-'74 but was only hinted at in '71. There were dozens of songs introduced into the repertoire between mid-'70 and early '72, and it's safe to say most of those songs didn't find their "place" until well into '72. The addition of the Godchaux's, especially Keith, also really changed the focus both of the jamming as well as the performances of the shorter (mostly new) songs. All this led to shorter jams, songs moving around to find their best place in the concert structure, some songs really starting to stretch out and others being (essentially) dropped, the band learning to "swing" a little more (maybe a lot more) in the rhythm section now anchored by keys and one drummer, etc. This resulted in some shows and especially parts of shows being transcendent, but overall left much of the year seeming rough and unfinished even by GOGD standards. For me, a show like 4/28/71, as good as it may be (not counting the trainwreck in St. Stephen), pales in comparison to 4/8/72, 5/11/72, 5/26/72, 8/27/72, 9/21/72, etc
I truly don’t know how to reconcile some of your comments with my opinions, they are pretty far apart; so I won’t. Doesn’t really matter, I’m sure you’ll agree. All that does is we share the magic that is the GOGD. Rock on brother Edit: Ok, I do have to take issue with the characterization of “train wreck “ for St Stephen from 4/28/71. You can’t be serious. You just can’t be. I think some context is important here. That song was in what I consider the 3rd dead set of what was already an insanely long night. The show could have ended after Sugar Mag and we would have left happy as fk. So to see some vocal or random chord mistake as a “train wreck” on Stephen is too much for me to remain silent on. lol. Clearly, ymmv. Omg. I think it’s time to light my Saturday fatty.
If Dave's looking for another two-fer from the Brent era to release, look no further than the 6/30/85 and 7/1/85 Merriweather shows. I think @LandHorses is on to something with this '85 stuff. If the other June/July '85 shows are like this, I'd put that tour up there with Spring '90 as far as Brent era tours go. I want to hear the rest of this tour just for Jerry's playing alone. Shame little has been released from '85 so far.
For me it is like the similar, brief mess in He's Gone from 9/3/77. It's a little disruptive but doesn't characterize the whole song, much less the whole show, but also does not occur in most of the much longer '72 shows. Nevertheless it is noticeable and worthy of comment; nothing like skipping an entire verse (3/18/77) though. FWIW, the band also thought it worthy of comment (note the laughing once they are back in sync)
I think June/July 85 is pretty much equal to Spring 90 in greatest 80s-90s tours. They’re the two best.
I pounded through the entire box in a row recently in roughly a week. I'm sure I drove some crazy as the first sets are pretty similar in a lot of them. Haha
