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Other than Pearl Jam, who else is there?
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Re: Grateful Dead

Wed August 26, 2020 3:06 pm

I will need to check that out pronto.

Re: Grateful Dead

Wed August 26, 2020 3:19 pm

Dick’s Picks Vol. 5 - Oakland Auditorium Arena, Oakland, CA 12/26/79

A larger time jump than usual, I went nearly straight to a year later as they were finishing out the 70s with this series of shows. This one, the first with Brent Mydland for me, was really great to listen to. Just like when they lost Pigpen and Keith Godchaux joined the band, the change heralds new beginnings and a band at least here in top form. The first set is a good run through much of their Americana style catalogue, with a strong Dire Wolf, a great great New Minglewood Blues, and a solid Brown Eyes Women highlighting. The scorching duo of Alabama Getaway (southern rock done near perfect here) and Promised Land was really awesome.

Set 2 per usual delivers on the jammier side of the band, with Uncle John’s Band starting and ending proceedings. In the middle there is much to love, including strong Estimated Prophet, a beautiful Brokedown Palace, an appropriately nailed Around and Around and Johnny B. Goode, and a long and funky Shakedown Street. The jams they included in this set were both really good and didn’t get bogged down at all (save for 10 mins of drum soloing). Also loved how into He’s Gone the crowd seemed to be here - such a great song. A good listen for sure.

Set 1: Cold Rain and Snow, C.C. Rider, Dire Wolf, Me and My Uncle > Big River, Brown Eyes Women, New Minglewood Blues, Friend of the Devil, Looks Like Rain, Alabama Getaway > Promised Land

Set 2: Uncle John’s Band, Estimated Prophet > Jam > He’s Gone > The Other One > Drums > Jam > Not Fade Away > Brokedown Palace > Around and Around > Johnny B. Goode

Encore: Shakedown Street > Uncle John’s Band

Re: Grateful Dead

Wed August 26, 2020 5:57 pm

12/28/79 was a big one for me, one of my favorite Sugarees

Re: Grateful Dead

Thu August 27, 2020 12:58 am

super nintendo chalmers wrote:12/28/79 was a big one for me, one of my favorite Sugarees


I just ordered this Road Trips! It's fantastic, this is probably my favorite live "Terrapin."

Brent is kind of a dubious presence for me but his keyboard playing and backing vocals are growing on me. I still can't stomach any of his own songs, though.

liebzz, are you able to get the Road Trips releases through whatever channel you're using?

Re: Grateful Dead

Thu August 27, 2020 2:33 am

Kevin Davis wrote:
super nintendo chalmers wrote:12/28/79 was a big one for me, one of my favorite Sugarees


I just ordered this Road Trips! It's fantastic, this is probably my favorite live "Terrapin.

Brent is kind of a dubious presence for me but his keyboard playing and backing vocals are growing on me. I still can't stomach any of his own songs, though.

liebzz, are you able to get the Road Trips releases through whatever channel you're using?


Nope.
Download Series, Dick’s Picks, official live, a few but not all the Rhino releases. Spotify.

Re: Grateful Dead

Thu August 27, 2020 9:42 pm

Jerry Garcia Band - After Midnight: Kean College 2/28/80

We made it to the 80s!! So in this first foray, in keeping with the 80s is the distracting, Casio toy keyboard sounds coming from Ozzie Ahlers. I don’t think it ruins the show really but it’s quite jarring up against what was a really on night for Jerry Garcia. Catfish John was pretty wild given the keys centered focus with that crazy keyboard sound. Simple Twist of Fate was pretty epic and only trumped in the first set by the After Midnight > Eleanor Rigby jam > After Midnight closer to the early show. That is a good 35 minutes of bliss.

The late show is also very solid, with a great Tore Up Over You, Knockin’ on Heavens Door, and then there’s the fun and mixed bag of Robert Hunter singing on Tiger Rise and Promontory Rider. The former was great while the latter not so great. Either way a fun though slightly odd show.

Early Set: Sugaree, Catfish John, That’s What Love Will Make You Do, Simple Twist of Fate, How Sweet It Is to Be Loved By You, After Midnight > Eleanor Rigby jam > After Midnight

Late Set: I’ll Take a Melody, Tore Up Over You, Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door, The Harder They Come, Tiger Rose, Promontory Rider, Mission in the Rain, Midnight Moonlight

Re: Grateful Dead

Fri August 28, 2020 6:53 pm

Jerry Garcia Band - GarciaLive Volume 1: Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ 3/1/80

A couple nights later, JGB are up to similar shenanigans, but I think deliver a stronger show. I either got used to the keys or they were just not nearly as prominent and distracting. Simple Twist of Fate here is simply great, as is the cover of Sitting in Limbo. That’s All Right gave a hard blues edge that wasn’t as prominent in the prior show and was a great driver into a great Deal to end the first early show.

The later show starts with a wonderful Mission in the Rain. Russian Lullaby here was really good as was The Harder They Come. Tiger Rose was even better and Promontory Rider was sung much better this night. The encore here is a beautiful Dear Prudence that kicks into a wonder Jerry solo about 5 minutes in. His authenticity in his playing and singing isn’t spoken about a lot and you can definitely hear it in both of these JGB shows.

Early Show: Sugaree, Catfish John, How Sweet It Is, Simple Twist of Fate, Sitting in Limbo, That’s All Right, Deal

Late Show: Mission in the Rain, That’s What Love Will Make You Do, Russian Lullaby, The Harder They Come, Tiger Rose, Promontory Rider, Midnight Moonlight

Encore: Dear Prudence

Re: Grateful Dead

Fri August 28, 2020 7:06 pm

territory ranger!

Re: Grateful Dead

Fri August 28, 2020 7:19 pm

liebzz wrote:Jerry Garcia Band - GarciaLive Volume 1: Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ 3/1/80

A couple nights later, JGB are up to similar shenanigans, but I think deliver a stronger show. I either got used to the keys or they were just not nearly as prominent and distracting. Simple Twist of Fate here is simply great, as is the cover of Sitting in Limbo. That’s All Right gave a hard blues edge that wasn’t as prominent in the prior show and was a great driver into a great Deal to end the first early show.

The later show starts with a wonderful Mission in the Rain. Russian Lullaby here was really good as was The Harder They Come. Tiger Rose was even better and Promontory Rider was sung much better this night. The encore here is a beautiful Dear Prudence that kicks into a wonder Jerry solo about 5 minutes in. His authenticity in his playing and singing isn’t spoken about a lot and you can definitely hear it in both of these JGB shows.

Early Show: Sugaree, Catfish John, How Sweet It Is, Simple Twist of Fate, Sitting in Limbo, That’s All Right, Deal

Late Show: Mission in the Rain, That’s What Love Will Make You Do, Russian Lullaby, The Harder They Come, Tiger Rose, Promontory Rider, Midnight Moonlight

Encore: Dear Prudence


Thank you for these :heartbeat:

Re: Grateful Dead

Fri August 28, 2020 9:20 pm

Go to Heaven

So now I see what people were complaining about with Brent Mydland. I would say half of this album is quality stuff, and really just good sketches on songs that will find their true place in a live setting. Alabama Getaway is a great template for some bangin’ southern rock. Althea is kind of muted here but you can see where it could liven up in concert. Feel Like a Stranger is some good straight away rock with some 80s flourishes but it still works. Saint of Circumstance shows a lot of promise. Don’t Ease Me In is not quite as good as live but ends the album on a good note.

It’s the other half that I think gives this album its bad name. Far From Me and Easy to Love You both suck here. Sorry if that offends anyone’s sensibilities and sure it may get an aha moment on concert, but both are jarringly our of place from Grateful Dead tunes, with the former sounding vaguely like a late 70s power ballad band like a Boston or Journey. Antwerp’s Placebo is just a few seconds so it barely counts, and Lost Sailor frankly bores me.

So this album, rather than placed in the purely bad category is a mixed bag of sorts. There’s enough to redeem it and make it worth the listen, and doesn’t collapse on itself the same way other 80s albums from their contemporaries do - but this one ain’t going on their tombstone either.

Re: Grateful Dead

Sat August 29, 2020 12:16 am

I feel like "Feel Like a Stranger" is the single song all those second generation jam bands (Phish, Widespread Panic, Umphrey's McGee, etc.) modeled their entire careers after. Despite liking some live versions of the song, I don't mean that as a compliment.

"Saint of Circumstance" sounds like Kool and the Gang.

Re: Grateful Dead

Sun August 30, 2020 11:50 am

Go to Nassau - Hempstead, NY 5/15/80 & 5/16/80

This as pretty decent for me, with some solid versions of songs, but it really was the new songs that were most interesting and made the biggest impression. Of the older stuff, Jack Straw, China Cat Sunflower> I Know You Rider, Playing in the Band (reasonable and spirited), Uncle John’s Band, Going Down the Road Feeling Bad, and Good Lovin’ all hit the mark, but new songs like Alabama Getaway, Althea, and Saint of Circumstance found their groove in the set nicely.

“Set 1”: Jack Straw, Franklin’s Tower, New Minglewood Blues, High Time, Lazy Lightning > Supplication, Peggy-O, Far From Me, Looks Like Rain, China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider

“set 2”: Feel Like a Stranger, Althea, Lost Sailor, Saint of Circumstance, Alabama Getaway, Playing in the Band, Uncle John’s Band > Drums > Space > Not Fade Away, Going Down the Road Feeling Bad, Good Lovin’

Re: Grateful Dead

Thu September 03, 2020 3:27 pm

Uh oh, have the 80s broken you? ;)

Re: Grateful Dead

Thu September 03, 2020 4:14 pm

No. I am away this week, but getting through slowly. On Download Series Vol . 7. In the last third of it actually. I think that as it pertains to these two shows, the new stuff has good energy, but their classic songs sound tired. Also, Lost Sailor needs to come out of the set list, as does Looks Like Rain which I haven’t really cared for save a couple of versions through it’s life thus far. They do seem rather slow and tired though. Maybe it’s these shows and the Nassau release.

Re: Grateful Dead

Fri September 04, 2020 2:57 pm

Download Series Vol. 7 - Springfield, MA 9/3/80 & Providence, RI 9/4/80 (2nd set)

As noted, for the Grateful Dead, this show and a half seems mostly to kick around mediocrity. The standards have to sort of be adjusted because this is probably a great show(s) for most other bands, but having listened through the 70s, this is a band that is seemingly tired and not feeling the songs they’ve played a million times before. There’s still some very good moments here though, and really the new songs for the most part (Lost Sailor excepted - it drags down the set pretty hard) are where the band is finding its groove and its purpose. Althea, Feel Like a Stranger, and Saint of Circumstance are all strong here. I also thought Brokedown Palace to close out the Springfield show was really quite beautiful as well. The Supplication Jam (the better half with Lazy Lightning) was quite good also. Good Lovin’ near the end of the Providence set was really better than expected. All in all I would say there’s nothing that has to be heard, and hoping for some better shows in the near future. I will be going back with the Ladies and Gentlemen set soon, but not quite yet...

Set 1: Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodleloo. Franklin’s Tower, Mama Tried, Mexicali Blues, Althea, Little Red Rooster, Candyman, Easy to Love You, Let It Grow, Deal

Set 2: Feel Like a Stranger, High Time, Lost Sailor, Saint of Circumstance > Jam > Drums > Space > He’s Gone > Truckin’, Black Peter, Around and Around > Johnny B. Goode, Brokedown Palace

Providence Set 2: Supplication Jam > Estimated Prophet > Eyes of the World > Drums > Space > The Other One > Wharf Rat > Going Down the Road Feeling Bad, Good Lovin’, US Blues

Re: Grateful Dead

Fri September 04, 2020 5:18 pm

This thread is a lot like my experience with the Grateful Dead. Every so often I'll go to a show to see what is happening (counting Dead & Co. here too), and every time I go, every song (or post) is too long and I get bored fast.

Re: Grateful Dead

Fri September 04, 2020 8:56 pm

There’s nothing short form about the Grateful Dead.

Re: Grateful Dead

Sat September 05, 2020 3:43 pm

Reckoning

This live album of acoustic tracks seemed to have a bad rep. Perhaps people were not into it on the heels of a sleepy-ish Go to Heaven, or because it’s not really representative of the live Dead sound, but I found it refreshing even if there are a few dull moments here and there. Mostly, it’s straight forward versions of songs that we haven’t heard a lot of. Dire Wolf continues to sound its best acoustic. The Race is On was also quite pleasing for me. A ballad like slow It Must Have Been the Roses grows into a fine version. Dark Hollow, Jack-a-Roe, Deep Elem Blues, Cassidy, and On the Road Again were all good highlights. The winners here though were To Lay Me Down (stunning), an awesome Bird Song, and that very audible excitement at the start of Ripple. A truly underrated live release.

Re: Grateful Dead

Sat September 05, 2020 6:53 pm

Does Reckoning have a bad reputation? I always thought it was very well-liked; it certainly is by me. Dead Set definitely has a bad reputation, though that is liked by me as well, especially the expanded version.

Re: Grateful Dead

Sat September 05, 2020 11:07 pm

Kevin Davis wrote:Does Reckoning have a bad reputation? I always thought it was very well-liked; it certainly is by me. Dead Set definitely has a bad reputation, though that is liked by me as well, especially the expanded version.

My recollection looking at old reviews (grantee I think it was on Wikipedia) were that dans were disappointed.
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