Grateful Dead

[liebzz]

Yeah he often stole the show on his songs back then.

[washing machine]

I love the keyboard journey from Pigpen to Vince. Two ends of a spectrum. I wouldn't say the keyboard defines the band's sound, but you really feel the musical temperature across decades through those guys. Changes the whole atmosphere.

[liebzz]

I am listening to the MSG show they just released. The first set is unquestionably great. The band is loose and jammy at exactly the right amount. The second set is also pretty great but for a vocal hatchet job of Uncle John’s Band. Thankfully they find their literal groove soon after with Drum/Space/The Other One/Stella Blue.

Setlist for those interested:

Madison Square Garden, New York, NY 3/9/81

Feel Like a Stranger, Althea, C.C. Rider, Ramble On Rose, El Paso, Deep Elem Blues, Beat It On Down the Line, Bird Song, New Minglewood Blues, China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Samson and Delilah, Ship of Fools

Set 2: Estimated Prophet, Uncle John’s Band > Drums > Space > The Other One > Stella Blue, Good Lovin’

Encore: US Blues

[i got bugs]

Just got all of those and will listen soon

[elliseamos]

I have and continue to love CCS > IKYR.

Like any show that has that starts in a strong position as baseline.

[liebzz]

I have and continue to love CCS > IKYR.

Like any show that has that starts in a strong position as baseline.

And it’s a real good one here!

[liebzz]

Good week of Dead-ish experiences. Listening to the reissue of Ace. I often find Wolf Bros a bit of a drag, but they sound great here - the added instrumentation of the Wolfpack helps tremendously.

A few days ago saw JRAD at one of their 10th anniversary shows at the Capitol Theatre. They really are a helluva band

[super nintendo chalmers]

Good week of Dead-ish experiences. Listening to the reissue of Ace. I often find Wolf Bros a bit of a drag, but they sound great here - the added instrumentation of the Wolfpack helps tremendously.

A few days ago saw JRAD at one of their 10th anniversary shows at the Capitol Theatre. They really are a helluva band

Slob Weir is playing on my bday next week. Kinda wanna go, but eh.

[super nintendo chalmers]

Good week of Dead-ish experiences. Listening to the reissue of Ace. I often find Wolf Bros a bit of a drag, but they sound great here - the added instrumentation of the Wolfpack helps tremendously.

A few days ago saw JRAD at one of their 10th anniversary shows at the Capitol Theatre. They really are a helluva band

Slob Weir is playing on my bday next week. Kinda wanna go, but eh.

[liebzz]

Good week of Dead-ish experiences. Listening to the reissue of Ace. I often find Wolf Bros a bit of a drag, but they sound great here - the added instrumentation of the Wolfpack helps tremendously.

A few days ago saw JRAD at one of their 10th anniversary shows at the Capitol Theatre. They really are a helluva band

Slob Weir is playing on my bday next week. Kinda wanna go, but eh.

He might be bearded, less slob since his entire social media presence are workout videos that are simultaneously impressive and hilarious.

He’s also playing near me soon, but I prioritized Phil Lesh tickets for his 83rd birthday bash - I’ll be at the Friday night show.

[oasisfan35]

The Music Never Stops: Grateful Dead Unveils Full ‘30 Days Of Dead’ 2023 Live Audio Series
Stream or download all 30 tracks selected from the vault by GD archivist David Lemieux for this year’s series

Many of the tracks included in 30 Days Of Dead 2023 featured multiple songs. Lemieux chose the second set from “Space” through the “Playing In The Band Reprise” finale to represent the Grateful Dead’s March 25, 1991 concert at the Knickerbocker Arena in Albany, New York. The other five-song suite included in this year’s series was a run of “They Love Each Other,” “Cassidy,” “Tennessee Jed,” “Let It Grow” and “Don’t Ease Me In” played in Dayton, Ohio on November 30, 1981.

David Lemieux made sure to highlight some of the Dead’s most beloved pairings. A “Scarlet Begonias”/”Fire On The Mountain” from August 30, 1980 was picked as was a “Lost Sailor”/”Saint Of Circumstance” performed on December 13, 1980 (with bonus “Deal”) and “China Cat Sunflower”/”I Know You Rider” delivered on February 28, 1970. The “China”/”Rider” was shared with the versions of “High Time” and “Dire Wolf” that followed.

Check out the complete tracklist for the Grateful Dead’s 30 Days Of Dead 2023 below:

Spoiler: show

Comes A Time (08/26/1980 – Cleveland, OH)
Casey Jones, Sugar Magnolia (03/20/1971 – Iowa City, IA)
Feel Like A Stranger > Bertha (10/19/1994 – New York, NY)
My Brother Esau, High Time (09/16/1987 – New York, NY)
Estimated Prophet (04/22/1977 – Philadelphia, PA)
Saint Of Circumstance > Jam (12/11/1979 – Kansas City, KS)
Loose Lucy (10/27/1973 – Indianapolis, IN)
Scarlet Begonias > Fire On The Mountain (08/30/1980 – Philadelphia, PA)
Let It Grow > Might As Well (10/02/1976 – Cincinnati, OH)
I Need A Miracle > Crazy Fingers (04/04/1985 – Providence, RI)
He’s Gone (05/05/1979 – Baltimore, MD)
Dark Star > St. Stephen > The Eleven (12/07/1968 – Louisville, KY)
Row Jimmy, Picasso Moon > Don’t Ease Me In (03/18/1991 – Landover, MD)
Playing In The Band > China Doll (08/31/1983 – Eugene, OR)
New Minglewood Blues, Peggy-O (05/06/1978 – Burlington, VT)
Here Comes Sunshine (03/09/1993 – Rosemont, IL)
Uncle John’s Band (03/18/1977 – San Francisco, CA)
Foolish Heart > Playing In The Band > Uncle John’s Band (06/11/1992 – Albany, NY)
Shakedown Street > One More Saturday Night (05/12/1979 – Amherst, MA)
Brown-Eyed Women, My Brother Esau (06/23/1984 – Harrisburg, PA)
Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad > Jam (03/31/1986 – Providence, RI)
U.S. Blues (06/29/1976 – Chicago, IL)
Space > The Other One > Black Peter > Throwing Stones > Playing In The Band Reprise (03/25/1991 – Albany, NY)
They Love Each Other, Cassidy, Tennessee Jed, Let It Grow > Don’t Ease Me In (11/30/1981 – Dayton, OH)
Dire Wolf, Casey Jones (10/26/1969 – San Francisco, CA)
Lost Sailor > Saint Of Circumstance > Deal (12/13/1980 – Long Beach, CA)
Feel Like A Stranger, Ship Of Fools > Samson & Delilah, Never Trust A Woman (09/30/1981 – Edinburgh, Scotland)
China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider > High Time > Dire Wolf (02/28/1970 – San Francisco, CA)
Victim Or The Crime > Dark Star (12/31/1989 – Oakland, CA)
Dark Star (10/24/1971 – Detroit, MI)

[liebzz]

I need to reinvent myself as an archivist, if for no other reason so I can have this exchange:

Wife: “Can you take care of XYZ?”
Liebzz: “In a moment, I just need to finish this Scarlet Begonias.”
Wife: “can you please do this?”
Liebzz: “Damnit! Can’t you hear I’m at work!?”

[liebzz]

Went to see Joe Russo’s Almost Dead last night. They were even better than last year, though it seemed like there was a lot more psychedelic transitions last night, like a Space between nearly every song. They basically only stopped playing last night in between sets. Like a constant stream leading one song into the next:

Set One: Good Morning Little Schoolgirl, Let It Grow (I swore this was the whole suite), Mississippi Half Step Uptown Toodeloo, He’s Gone, Dancing in the Street, Franklin’s Tower

Set Two: Playing in the Band, Brown Eyed Women, Truckin’, Cassidy, Althea, Eyes of the World, Samson and Delilah

Encore: Running Down a Dream

[darth_vedder]

I finally hopped on the bus during Covid shutdowns and haven't hopped off since. Most of my attention has been focused on what is available on Apple Music and Dave's Picks.

I always like these guys and grew up with their Greatest Hits CD (Skeletons From The Closet) + American Beauty + Shakedown Street. Outside of that and the usual classic rock radio staples, I didn't know much about them. I'm pretty much a head now, and listen to them all the time. They are prefect for working from home. I can mess around in Microsoft or Jira or some crap like that for hours and have some Dead concert on.

I love listening to the Europe '72 shows this time of year, checking out 4/17/72 as I type. I'm so addicted, I don't even want to listen to Dark Matter until it officially comes out tomorrow. In general, Europe '72 might be my favorite time of the band, I just love Keith and Pig together. My only gripe about that run is that they didn't play "Ripple" or "Operator". That whole 1972-1974 run is pretty superb, and besides Europe '72, I tend to gravitate towards Fall '73, and Summer '74.

The first live show that really grabbed me was probably Dick's Pick's vol. 3, 5/21/77. As such, I have a soft spot for that year and have recently been enjoying Fall '77, which I haven't listened to nearly as much as Spring '77.

It's all been great, from Pig to Keith & Donna to Brent, so many great songs and tours. Glad I finally hopped on the bus.

[liebzz]

Welcome aboard

[liebzz]

Some thoughts to add. I have fallen more for the Spring ‘77 stuff, but I too really love ‘70-‘73 and there’s a really strong period from ‘87-‘90 where there’s tons of great shows to mine.

[darth_vedder]

Thanks, and yeah I love going through the various eras. In a way it reminds me of PJ. I go by keyboard/piano player eras in the Dead and drummers for PJ. To a degree, there are obviously many more thing to each band.

I totally forgot to mention 1971. I really love Spring of that year when it was just the original 5. In addition to DP vol 3, Skull & Roses really got me, then Ladies & Gentlemen, and DP vol. 35. Then, by October/November we have Kieth but no Pig, as well as no Donna yet. So, very interesting time for the band.

[Kevin Davis]

Glad to have you "on the bus," as they say, DV. Ladies and Gentleman is essential stuff, a top-shelf GD release for me. That final night sequence starting with "Alligator" is crazy!

[liebzz]

Glad to have you "on the bus," as they say, DV. Ladies and Gentleman is essential stuff, a top-shelf GD release for me. That final night sequence starting with "Alligator" is crazy!

Yes. Adding Dick’s Picks Vol. 8 (Harpur College) to the mix. Acoustic set, followed by 2 electric sets. Dire Wolf, Friend of the Devil, and Uncle John’s Band are all essential from that acoustic set.

[darth_vedder]

Glad to have you "on the bus," as they say, DV. Ladies and Gentleman is essential stuff, a top-shelf GD release for me. That final night sequence starting with "Alligator" is crazy!

Yes. Adding Dick’s Picks Vol. 8 (Harpur College) to the mix. Acoustic set, followed by 2 electric sets. Dire Wolf, Friend of the Devil, and Uncle John’s Band are all essential from that acoustic set.

Thanks KD and liebzz! I went back and read some of y'alls post, very insightful, thanks for sharing your Dead adventures.

Those DP shows + Skull & Roses + One and Two From The Vault + Reckoning + Europe '72 (the actual shows more than the compilation) really hooked me. After that it was pretty much everything available on Apple Music + some Dave's Picks.

Currently, I'm going though some April '72 shows to somewhat align with the European run, I'll continue this through May. Sometime around there, it's also fun to through in Spring '77, I know Cornell (5/8/77) gets all the love, but I really like 4/30/77 - NYC, and 5/26/77 - Baltimore (and my first love, DP vol. 3 - 5/21/77).

Another thing that gets me with the Dead is their country side. I have always liked country music from afar, but more "outlaw" type stuff and definitely not the Nashville Hit Machine stuff. I've had American Beauty since high school and knew a handful of Working Man's Dead, so I definitely was aware they dabbled in "Alt. Country", but I didn't know they went full on slap your knees, hee-haw, saloon, disco dance country! I just absolutely LOVE their covers of "Big River", "Mamma Tried", "Me & My Uncle", "The Race Is On", "El Paso", etc...On top of that, they have their own catalog of country songs with "Ripple", "Cumberland Blues", "Dire Wolf", "Pride of Cucamonga", "Mexicali Blues", etc... I know the last one is technically in Bob's solo 'Ace' but it was a Dead staple and they all played on the studio album, so it's a Dead song (same with Jerry's stuff like The Wheel and Deal).

TL;DR - Country Dead is were it's at for me