I didn't realize how much that coma break changed their sound til I listened to all those early/mid 80's in a row and then the 87. The change in sound from 79-86 is very gradual in comparison to 86-87.
Yeah, that's really interesting. I saw three shows in '86 and then a bunch from '87 onward. I wasn't in a position to listen critically and I've never done that sort of chronological run-through of the 80s like you're describing.
It was a visceral feeling, like it wasn't even the same band. It felt like a bigger change than from 71-72 or from 78-79 even. Both Keith and Brent changed the sound, but in a more gradual way. 66-67 is the quantum leap though - a performance of Midnight Hour irrc (9/3/67).
He sounds slower for sure, but slowing down gave them a new found control that allowed them to reach the heights of 89-90.
Yup and I think they also allowed Brent more leadership in their sound plus they hit their commercial peak meaning they kind of had to become a bit more conservative and polished.
This is a great show and a fantastic recording. Real lean as a 5 piece here briefly. The Bertha is top notch as is MAMU.
If you want the big jolt..........listen in entirety to 7/7/86 and 12/15/86 right after. ************* Since the Jerry in Red period is my favorite listening (I call it 83-86 even though no red tshirts until 85), I sometimes wonder if Jerry didn't get sick and kept going, how the band wouldv'e continued sounding in 1987 and beyond.
I always wonder how they'd have sounded if they did not take a hiatus in '74. They were going places.
Mickey had some kind of cannon on stage for a while. I think it gets briefly discussed in one of the Deadcast episodes but I don’t recall the details. I just took a quick look for a photo but couldn’t find one. However someone on Reddit mentioned that at 36:25 in this Woodstock Love Light video you can sort of see Mickey set something off that could be it. There’s a noise and some smoke; it doesn’t sound quite as loud as the sound in St. Stephen but that could also be related to proximity to the mic in this particular performance.
So wild they just busted out DS for the first time in four years. I like the sound of Donna in it, for sure
The Closing of the Winterland was a very special occasion. There was also a banner hanging from the balcony which read "1535 Days Since The Last SF Dark Star."
It's different with vinyl. They are still getting crud out of the stampers for the first couple of hundred discs.
@US Blues begins a new trend. Love it. The higher the number, obviously the better; as the initial crud is disposed of
I tried to listen to the 9/9/72 TOO yesterday and I think it short circuited every synapse in my body, so I had to take it off. Gonna give it another go right now.
Spinning the Bear’s Choice 50th vinyl again this Saturday morning. This is it. I’m finally getting “Black Peter.” The majesty of the song and the inevitable tragedy and finality of the lyrics is sinking into my body. Simply stunning. This band still holds so many surprises for me. I spent last weekend in Los Angeles, flying over for a mere five days from Australia to see Dead&Co at the Forum. Friday night was my first Dead(-related) show, and I expect Saturday will have been my final opportunity. I know people here will tell me it’s not the Dead, but this is as close as I will ever get and I feel so fulfilled by my experience. The lot scene, the kindness of strangers who became friends, and my god the music. Being in a room with 18,000 people singing and dancing along to the songs that have soundtracked the last few years of my life was an amazing feeling that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. I’m still processing the whole thing, but I felt the need to share it here within the place that really pushed me onto the bus a few years ago. Love is real…
I'm glad that you got to experience that and that you at least got some sense of the camaraderie that pervaded the crowds, at least from '82-'85 for me.
The 24/192 of bear's choice has to be definitive. There is no way the vinyl could have the dynamic range that this version has. That said, my spouse told me she is not a fan of pigpen. Oh well.
