Today in Grateful Dead History: November 24, 1978 – Capitol Theater, Passaic, NJ

This spritely show from the hallowed halls of the Capitol Theater in the great state of New Jersey was broadcast live on several FM radio stations across the country, and, as such, was a popular bootleg recording almost immediately after the performance.  It was also the last stand for Jerry Garcia’s vocal chords, and his subsequent collapse into bronchial hell caused the postponement of a few northeast area shows that would be rescheduled for early 1979. 

As was often the case when Jerry was not in good voice (for instance, the Dead’s two shows on 1/7/78 and 1/8/78 in San Diego when he didn’t sing at all), he makes up for things by playing the bejeezus out of his guitar.  You get the first hint of this during Sugaree, and there’s more where that came from during Big River and especially during Estimated Prophet and Shakedown Street in the second set.  This Shakedown Street is a particularly funky version – the band has only played it a handful of times and they stick pretty close to the disco-synced tempo from the album.  Jerry has a lot of fun running around those beats tonight.  I also really enjoyed Stagger Lee tonight – the lyrics wander a bit, but they really rip it up musically.

You’ll also notice that Keith is particularly present on this recording.  1978 was not a particularly kind year for Mr. Godchaux, who was battling a few pill sized demons, and his playing was often non-existent, both because the sound crew never seemed to turn him up in the mix and because he often wasn’t playing.  Not tonight – these are vintage ’76 Keith runs and you can actually hear him.  Even Donna Jean gets into the act, with a rare (and, dare I say, nice) version of From the Heart of Me.

Longtime readers of this project know that I’m not a huge fan of 1978 Dead shows – they often have none of the intricacy of 1977 and none of the pep of 1979.  But this one basically checks all of the boxes – lots of great playing, tons of energy (despite Jerry’s illness) and cool second set jams.  It’s a very solid show from a not so solid year.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t direct your attention to the interviews which were aired on the radio broadcast during intermission.  The Bobby / Donna Jean segment is fairly standard, but the Billy / Mickey portion is pure gold.

Listen here:  https://archive.org/details/gd1978-11-24.pre-fm.miller.87642.sbeok.flac16

Today in Grateful Dead History: November 23, 1973 – County Coliseum, El Paso, TX

Out in the West Texas town of El Paso, the Grateful Dead played this show on November 23, 1973.

They played El Paso at this show (like they did at 64 other shows in 1973).  But it’s nice to hear it tonight.

Most of the rest of the first set here is a standard 1973 Grateful Dead performance.  Thank God.  Nothing is borrowed, nothing in lent.  It’s just really good playing and really good tunes for the Texas crowd.

Until we get to the end of the first set, when the band unloads everything it has on Weather Report Suite.  Listen carefully, especially during the quieter parts in the prelude – this is perfect 1973 Dead, with Jerry, Phil and Bobby playing as one but also as three, the holy Dead trinity taking communion.

The second set bobs and weaves – you get more of that same type of interwoven musical magic during He’s Gone and Truckin’, but the climax of the whole thing is The Other One (these three songs are played in sequence tonight, and represent the heart of the matter).  The first fifteen minutes of this song, when the beat is still driving, the bass is still pounding and Jerry is still wailing, are a one-way ticket to the cosmos.  The last five minutes sounds like what happens when you get sucked out of the air lock. And out of that, a pitch perfect transition into Me and Bobby McGee.  I’m not always a fan of Bob dropping these types of songs right at the end of crucial jams, but it totally works tonight and transitions us all back to Earth for a nice and slow Eyes of the World that allows the band to show off more of its interstellar interplay.  The rest of the night is pure rock and roll.

This is the Grateful Dead in 1973.  Cherish it.

Listen here:  https://archive.org/details/gd1973-11-23.sbd.miller.112801.flac16

Today in Grateful Dead History: November 22, 1968 – Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Columbus, OH

According to Deadlists, the Grateful Dead’s official website and several commentators on the Archive, Bill Kreutzmann was sick tonight, leaving Mickey Hart as the band’s sole drummer for possibly the only time in band’s career.  However, other Archive folks who say that they attended the show claim that Billy was there.  In his book, Phil Lesh describes this show and specifically talks about both drummers.  So who is to be believed?

Well, the normal route would be to listen to the tape, which would typically answer the question, but unfortunately for us, tonight’s recording is an echo-laden audience recording of dodgy provenance, and it’s really, really hard to tell what’s going on with the drums.  I can tell you this – there certainly are a lot of cymbals at work tonight (which would definitely be a Mickey thing), and there are frequent fills in places where they don’t normally belong (also a Mickey thing), but at some points it all just sounds like too much noise for one person.  So, either Mickey got on stage by himself and went completely bananas for the duration of the show (definitely something I could see him doing) or Billy was there too.  I’d be interested to hear what others think after listening to the recording.

Regardless of the drum situation, the second half of this show is a killer, starting with Cryptical Envelopment>The Other One>Cryptical and ending with a massive New Potato Caboose.  This is ruff, rugged and raw Dead, with Jerry doing whatever he pleases and the rest of the band members just trying to keep up.  (You can’t hear Phil at all on this recording but you’ve got to assume he’s busting a move given everyone else’s energy).  The drums play a huge role in this performance, or maybe they just sound like they do given all of the echo.  No matter – the Dead are clicking during the second half of this show, and the roughly 200 people who were reportedly there better have enjoyed the Bay Area bombs being dropped on their heads.

The first half of the night is a little more “basic”.  Obviously, the 1968 favorite Dark Star>St. Steven>The Eleven combo never really disappoints, but compared to other versions from this year, this one is a little too relaxed (in execution, not tempo) for my taste (it’s not like I would ever turn it off, but if I only had I few minutes, I’m skipping ahead).  Pigpen, as usual, kills it on Lovelight, but the playing is not top-notch for the era.  It’s still ’68 Dead and it’s still darn good.

Check out this interesting Ohio Dead experience here:  https://archive.org/details/gd1968-11-22.aud-goodbear.cotsman.21933.sbefail.shnf

Today in Grateful Dead History: November 17, 1985 – Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, CA

I’m posting this one late, but honestly, there’s not a ton to write about this one – it’s a typical 1985 show, with a hot first set and a gradually disengaged second half.

Even though Jerry Garcia immediately pooches the words to Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo, it’s still a nice musical effort and a fun way to start the show.  The three songs that end the set, Big Railroad Blues, Looks Like Rain and Might as Well are all energized, good versions that will be a treat for those who like those tunes.  In between are some sloppyish but fun numbers like It’s All Over Now and Cassidy – nothing spectacular, but they’ll get you dancing.

Like a lot of ’85 shows, this one sees the band slowly lose interest in playing as time goes on.  Things start off fine with China Cat Sunflower>I Know You Rider and then Samson and Delilah, but He’s Gone takes the momentum away, and, according to Archive comments from people who were supposedly there, Jerry was so bored with the music that he barely played at all during Never Trust a Woman and faced his amps the whole time.  Post-Space is similarly mailed in.  As if to throw us a bone at the end, Jerry plays a genuine It’s All Over Now Baby Blue as the encore, but it’s a low-key way to end an evening.

Stick with the first set here tonight – the second just kind of meanders along.

Listen here:  https://archive.org/details/gd1985-11-17.148831.fob.neumann.km84i.hecht.miller.clugston.flac2496

Today in Grateful Dead History: November 16, 1970 – The Fillmore East, New York, NY

Here we are, yet again, facing a show from early in the Grateful Dead’s history that may not actually be the show it says it is, or at least it inspires a bit of debate regarding its origins.  I’m pretty certain, having spent all of five minutes looking into it, that this recording probably does come from the Fillmore East on the 16th and that a portion of the show is probably missing from the tape.  What we’re left with is the Grateful Dead sharing the stage with Steve Winwood, amongst others, in an early 70’s rave out at the Fillmore.

The first portion of the set is hit or miss – even the classic tunes are pretty sloppily rendered tonight, save Cold Rain and Snow, which is a magnificent tale of woe set to the appropriately slashing guitar heroics of Mssrs. Weir and Garcia, and I’m a King Bee, which is exceptional in its Pigpenian simplicity. 

Things get a little more interesting once Steve Winwood jumps on the organ for Hard to Handle – while this (and the other songs Winwood sits in on tonight) is not a study in musical intricacy, his technique is much more assertive than Pigpen’s and makes for an interesting contrast.  What doesn’t work so well is Winwood’s vocal on Not Fade Away – he screws up the second line of the song (as an Archive commentator points out, everybody knows the words to this one) and live, on stage, Winwood lacks the powerful delivery that his recordings with Traffic would lead you to believe could be summoned at his beck and call. 

More interesting is harmonica player Will Scarlet’s contributions to Truckin’>The Other One and Uncle John’s Band.  At first it is a little strange to hear a harmonica during these numbers, but Scarlet, who was a frequent collaborator with Jerry and others in the Dead’s orbit (like David Grisman), makes each note fit in like it belongs there, something that a lot of Dead guests are never able to achieve.

Outside of the guest appearances, I have to admit that I wasn’t really captivated by the music here tonight.  Everything is fine in the very good 1970 kind of way, but none of the big numbers really jumps out as exceptional or even really noteworthy.  This show is more about the guest interactions and the energy in the room, which is high, then the band’s actual performance of the tunes, which is fairly standard (and probably a little toned down due to the guests).

Listen here:  https://archive.org/details/gd70-11-16.sbd.winters.17361.sbeok.shnf

Today in Grateful Dead History: November 15, 1972 – Civic Center Music Hall, Oklahoma City, OK

In a year chock full of epic Playin’ in the Bands, today’s masterpiece from Oklahoma City stands out as a top version that never loses track of where it started over 31 minutes of intricate, jazz inflected jamming.

The Grateful Dead were certainly stretching things out on this tour (witness the 33 minute Dark Star they created in Kansas City on 11/13), but this could occasionally lead to some seriously spacey and unaccessible music.  Not here.  One of the best things about this version of Playin’ in the Band is that you always know that you’re listening to it – no matter where you drop into the song, it definitely sounds like Playin’.  Here the Dead are treating the song in the manner of a traditional jazz song, keeping the feel of the tune throughout while allowing avenues for exploration along the way.

You’ll notice that Bob Weir is pretty high in the mix today.  This is noticeable because he’s usually mixed really low, not because he is overwhelmingly loud here.  This is an almost perfect balance, which allows us to truly hear what Bob is up to without drowning out Jerry and Phil, who are supplying plenty of fireworks.  Keith, unfortunately, is still low, as always, but all things considered, this is a pretty great recording of this particular song.  When you pay attention to Bob, you’re really going to appreciate how he was able to voice the chords he needs to get the song across while constantly changing the fingerings – it’s almost like he’s improvising while comping himself at the same time.  This is trademark Weir, and you won’t hear it any better than right here.

Jerry Garcia, meanwhile, just tears into the song, laying out so many runs and so many gorgeous ideas that I can’t point you towards one particular sequence – the whole thing is pretty magical.  Throw in Phil Lesh, who does pretty much the same thing, just slower and lower, and you have the recipe for a classic.

The Playin’ in the Band is definitely the highlight here tonight and if you are at all pressed for time, please focus your energy there.  But that does not mean that the rest of the show is a slouch – most of the rest of the songs are played at the height of their ’72 powers.  Box of Rain is notably good here.  For a song that often gets muddy, especially in the vocal area, this one is clear, the harmonies are good, and the playing is outrageously on point.  There’s no special jam here, just a really well played tune. For anything else, just pick your poison – they’re all good here.

If you choose to start at the beginning of this show today, please don’t get turned off by the recording levels during the first few minutes of Bertha – they get ironed out and then we settle in to a great show in OKC.

Listen here:  https://archive.org/details/gd1972-11-15.sbd.miller.110631.flac16

Today in Grateful Dead History: November 11, 1967 – Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA

An air of mystery surrounds the available recordings of this show, as it seems that parts that have circulated for years may be from the previous evening’s show at this same venue, a show which is very highly regarded by one and all.   Once you untangle what probably belongs to tonight’s show, you’ll be rewarded with a tasty 1967 treat that, while not as solid as the band’s effort on November 10th, still rewards the listener with all types of glorious noise.

We start the night a few seconds into Turn on Your Lovelight, still a baby in the Grateful Dead cannon.  This extremely early version of Lovelight lacks the bounce that the original Bobby Bland tune possesses and that later iterations of the Dead would at least passably mimic.  Instead, the tune plows straight ahead with no swing at all, just a furious jet plane to psychedelic nirvana.  It’s followed by a very poorly recorded Beat It On Down the Line and a sloppy, amped-up version of Death Don’t Have No Mercy which loses some of its punch when it’s played at this tempo.  The Good Morning Little Schoolgirl which comes next isn’t subtle at all, but it will certainly keep your attention. 

At this point, you’re going to need to switch recordings (more on that at the end) to listen to Cryptical Envelopment>The Other One, another very early rendering of these songs.  Tonight’s version is certainly less formed than the one that the band played on the 10th, but it’s still amazing to hear just how good these tunes sound considering that they have barely been worked out on stage.  Jerry Garcia, as you might expect in 1967, is the dominant force throughout all of this, just wailing away like a rock god undiluted by hippy country folk hymns and desirous of nothing other than to successfully peel off your scalp and inject the pure guitar madness directly into your brain.  After the riotous Other One, the band makes things hum with a superb Alligator>Caution that, so far as I can tell is not the same version as the one recorded on the 10th (if you follow the directions below).

This show is an excellent companion to the Dead’s show from the 10th, and illustrates how a slight difference in mindset can push this version of the Grateful Dead over the edge from barely contained fusion to full scale out of control meltdown.  Either type sounds good, but there’s something to be said for dialing things back a little bit, which is what sets the previous night apart from this one.

As I mentioned before, if you want to hear the proper songs from this show in the proper order, you’re going to need to move back and forth a little bit.  I’m basing this on the setlists on deadlists.com and the brief entry for this date on the Grateful Dead Guide, along with the notes on the Archive recordings.  Any input re: the correct order is most welcome. 

First, listen to Lovelight through Schoolgirl here:  https://archive.org/details/gd1967-11-11.141133.sbd.dalton.miller.sirmick.flac1644

Second, run through Cryptical>The Other One>Cryptical here:  https://archive.org/details/gd1967-11-11.116172.sbd.motb-0173.flac16

Lastly, return to the original recording for Alligator>Caution.

There will be a quiz later.

 

Today in Grateful Dead History: November 10, 1973 – Winterland Arena, San Francisco, CA

The Grateful Dead chose to release the band’s three November 1973 nights at Winterland as a box set, and it’s a good thing that they did, because the recordings of these shows on the Archive are not top-notch, with numerous cuts, drop outs and level adjustments.  Unfortunately, most of us didn’t pounce on those CDs when we had the chance, so we’re “stuck” with what we’ve got online – sonically, it’s not great.  Fortunately, the playing is the ’73 band’s usual top-notch effort, so it’s worth putting up with the recording problems in order to listen to a superb show.

Like the show from the night before, Playin in the Band anchors today’s concert.  However, tonight’s version is a massive sandwich with Uncle John’s Band>Morning Dew>Uncle John’s Band in the middle, making it a classic 40 minute combo of powerhouse Dead.  (The band performed this sequence a few other times, notably a week later on 11/17/73 at UCLA).  Not only is Playin’ superb, but Uncle John’s Band, a song that the band often struggled to master live, is nearly perfect tonight.  There are plenty of tight moments throughout the playout at the end of that song before we launch into one of the best Morning Dews of the year, a heartfelt 11 minute extravaganza anchored by some phenomenal interplay between Jerry, Bob and Phil.   After a brief Uncle John’s Band reprise we return to another seven minutes of Playin’ in the Band, which is definitely the more furious part of the song, with everyone giving it their all.  If you do nothing else with tonight’s show, listen to this entire sequence and walk away happy.

Since it’s 1973, there is a ton of other stuff going on here once we get beyond the major highlights.  Just in the second set, the Truckin’>Wharf Rat is ridiculously good, and when you listen to Wharf Rat, you’ll understand exactly why Bob Weir is the most underrated part of this band – his gorgeous playing in the background of the song and his interaction with Jerry as the music picks up heat is a lesson in purposeful listening and the art of musical giving. 

The tunes that open the show are all good, but none of them really stand out as classics.  Pick any song in the first set and you’ll like it, but probably not love it.  For those of you who hate Bob’s vocal extravagances during Looks Like Rain, today’s version might be the one for you – he’s really calm, never gets too carried away, and Jerry’s guitar is turned way up and partially covers him with beautiful runs anyway.  The set-ending Weather Report Suite (which is unfortunately cut) is the best part of the set, Let It Grow in particular rising beyond the typical racing guitars towards a more dynamic and enthralling finish.

This is pure 1973 Grateful Dead – the band is playing as one, the songs are all good/great, and the second set Playin’ sandwich is an all-timer.

Listen here:  https://archive.org/details/gd73-11-10.sbd.unknown.3290.sbeok.shnf

Today in Grateful Dead History: November 8, 1987 – Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center, Oakland, CA

Here is a good example of a Grateful Dead show where you can get lulled into thinking that the whole night is going to be blase based on the lackluster first set, only to be pleasantly surprised when the band comes roaring out for an inspired effort in the second half of the show.

There’s really not all that much to report about the first set – it’s short, there aren’t a lot of great songs on the setlist, and nothing seems to be really clicking.  Bob Weir’s slide guitar efforts on Little Red Rooster are reminiscent of some of his worst work from the late 70’s and The Music Never Stopped doesn’t go anywhere.  At this point, I was ready to write this show’s obituary.

But the second set opens with a very energetic China Cat Sunflower>I Know You Rider and really doesn’t let up from there.  (Yeah, I know Jerry totally wrecks the lyrics – I’m going to key in on the great playing instead).  After a typically schmaltzy Looks Like Rain, the boys blister Crazy Fingers, and they throw in a well done ending jam into Truckin’ to boot.  This Truckin’ is basically just the song with little true jamming, but it’s a good effort and definitely more engaged than the playing in the first set.  The big highlight is the very spacey The Other One which follows Space – it opens with a Spanish Jam and then some seriously out there riffing, offering the home crowd a risky and rewarding exploration.  Stella Blue is a captivating way to come down from that high, and Turn on Your Lovelight brings the whole thing home in raucous style.  On top of all of this, we get a two song encore – the only Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues encore in Dead history and then a sloppy yet appropriate Touch of Grey to send us home happy.

Don’t judge this book by it’s cover (but you also don’t need to waste time with the first set if you don’t want to).  Listen here:  https://archive.org/details/gd1987-11-08.122167.sbd.miller.flac16

Today in Grateful Dead History: November 5, 1985 – The Centrum, Worcester, MA

This is a hot show from 1985, which was made all the warmer by the attendance of basketball hall of famer Bill Walton, on his birthday, plus a gaggle of Boston Celtics, some of whom had been dragged by Walton to the show the night before and came back for more.  Danny Ainge did not attend.

That legendary Celtics team was treated to an up-tempo beast of a 1985 Dead performance which is notable not for any massive jammers but more for the great execution of basically all of the songs in a year that was usually a little sloppy.

Things get off to a perfect start with Hell in a Bucket and we’re enjoying the ride from there on out.  Today the Dead bust out Kansas City, a song they would only play twice, both during this week.  The song is no better or worse than any other Dead blues cover, but it does sound a little thin here.  It would never appear again after tonight, so whatever it was about that song that caused it to briefly appear in the setlist, the band didn’t seem to like it much, either.  The first set highlight, as usual, is Bird Song.  Tonight’s version is a gorgeous take, with stellar jamming and a beautiful sound throughout.

The second set opens with a monster ’85 Shakedown Street that shakes the rafters in Worcester with that special Grateful Dead funkiness.  My favorite bit comes a few songs later, with a starting-from-scratch Supplication into a partial version of Playin’ in the Band.  This is a very intricate jam at a time when the band was relying more on force than delicacy, and the crystalline notes during the transition between the songs, plus Phil Lesh doing amazing runs in the background, will melt your heart.  This is not a very long passage, but it’s a very good one, and the definite highlight of the evening.  It’s followed by an above-average I Don’t Need Love that would have reached legendary status had Brent not just let the song peter out towards the end.  (You know you’ve listened to too many Dead shows when you start writing about epic versions of Don’t Need Love).

The rest of the night just rocks out – everything is well done, and the crowd really gets into things during Good Lovin’, with Bobby serving as an adequate MC.

This is one of those shows with lots of recording options to dig through.  It’s also a perfect example of the benefit of audience recordings from the 80’s.  If you’d like to do an experiment, please listen to any song other than the first one on the soundboard recording.  Now, please listen to that same song on the audience recording I chose.  Please assess both recordings honestly.  I’m going to bet the audience blows the soundboard away.

Listen to this good one here:  https://archive.org/details/gd85-11-05.aud-oade.21246.sbeok.shnf

Today in Grateful Dead History: November 4, 1979 – Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI

The Grateful Dead’s fall 1979 tour of New England and the Mid-Atlantic states is a great journey – the introduction of Brent Mydland earlier in the year energized the band and they were performing with a focus and energy that simply did not exist in the hazy final days of the Keith and Donna era.  A few days before this performance in Providence the Dead played two of my favorite shows of the year at the Cape Cod Coliseum on 10/27/79 and 10/28/79 and the band’s killer energy and commitment to exploration carries through here almost a week later.

This show is also slightly historic as the second set leads off with the first ever performance of Alabama Getaway, a key rocker for the majority of the 1980’s.  This is a fully fleshed out version on day one, with Brent maybe playing a slightly larger role in the proceedings then he would in later years.  It’s followed, as it would be frequently in years to come, by an amped up Greatest Story Ever Told, which the band had just resurrected in 1979 after a four and a half year absence.

There are plenty of songs in this vein during the first set, too, like Big River which is wrapped in juicy Garcia guitar jangles and Althea which is clear, clean and crispy.  The set-ending Lost Sailor>St. of Circumstance>Deal triumvirate packs a punch, with classic runs during Deal.

The heart of the second set can be found during Estimated Prophet>He’s Gone.  Estimated Prophet starts off a little wobbly, but it builds as it goes, and the transition towards He’s Gone follows the typical path until the boys decide to riff a little bit on the guitar theme that usually comes at the end of the last verse of He’s Gone prior to the “nothing’s gonna bring him back” scatting.  I can’t recall hearing this riff used as the introduction to the song, and it’s great to hear Jerry, Brent and Bob all trade licks before launching into the proper song.  At the end of the tune, things become a little scattered and the boys turn the next eight minutes into a catch-all jam that lacks a central progression.  If there is one particularly notable thing about this jam, it’s the speed with which the guitarists and drummers play – there are a couple of points that pop up at random when the band goes into overdrive for twenty seconds before dialing things back again.  I’m not sure what they were trying to get at, but it is a very unique piece of Dead music.

The post-Drums/Space segment starts with a strong The Other One and a very powerful Wharf Rat.  Around and Around and the Us Blues encore are both really loud and proud rockers.  Which is really one of the major takeaways from this show – everyone is pouring their hearts into the playing.  The Dead are not taking the night off here in Providence.

Last but not least, I’m linking to a very good audience recording of this show, but it does take a song to get going, and there are a couple of minor patches throughout.  Don’t sweat it – when it gets lined up, this is one pure audience pull.

Listen here:  https://archive.org/details/gd1979-11-04.akgd200.friend.andrewf.101485.flac24

Today in Grateful Dead History: November 3, 1991 – Polo Field, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA

As I alluded to in my discussion of the Grateful Dead’s October 27th show at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, today’s show was an impromptu celebration of the life of Bill Graham, the legendary concert promoter who died on October 25th.   It featured a whole manger of performers, but so far as the Dead’s set went, we get to hear the boys play with John Popper (from Blues Traveler), Neil Young (from Neil Young) and John Fogerty.  More on this in a minute.

First, we need to briefly discuss Bill Graham and his role in American music.  It’s quite the story.  Bill Graham, whose real name was Wulf Wolodia Grajonca, was born in Poland, fled the Nazis and immigrated to the US from France as part of the group known as the One Thousand Children, unaccompanied minors who left Europe without their parents.  Graham’s mother was killed in the Holocaust.  Graham served as a decorated soldier in the Korean War and got into concert promotions after moving to San Francisco in the early 60’s.  He was instrumental in establishing the Fillmores (first West and then East) as major venues for the evolving rock scene (the story of how he took over the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco is fascinating and a little dicey, as most aspects of concert promotion tend to be) and he later restored Winterland Arena as a San Francisco hot spot for all manner of performers.  He promoted all sorts of shows all over the country, although his main base was definitely the West Coast.  At one point he managed Jefferson Airplane.  And then there was his relationship with the Grateful Dead.

You can tell just by reading the names of the venues that I’ve named above that Bill Graham and the Dead must have had an interesting relationship – they were basically tied together in a psychedelic symbiosis from the very beginning.  If you were going to pick someone who would be the opposite of everything Grateful Dead, it would probably be Bill Graham – the only similarity, at first, was that all involved were outsiders.  As time went on, that status eroded (to the point where the San Francisco Civic Auditorium is now named after Graham).  But at the time, this crew was waging war on the establishment.  The difference is that Bill Graham was organized and very good at his job.

There’s so much more to the tale of the Dead and Bill Graham, and I don’t have the time to tell the whole story here, but I think that once particular anecdote will illustrate the relationship.  Bill Graham produced the Dead’s legendary New Year’s Eve shows, and every year Graham would emerge in costume as part of the midnight ball drop.  It was the only time he was actually part of the act itself, but without him, there likely wouldn’t have been an act at all. 

I would be remiss if I didn’t at least describe the way that Graham died: his helicopter flew into power lines on the way back from a Huey Lewis show.  Could a legend like Graham’s end any other way?

This finally brings us back to today’s show.  The most interesting Dead-specific note from this performance is how well the band’s newest member, the one who had the fewest interactions with Bill Graham, Vince Welnick, plays here.  This is a really, really good Vince show – all of his runs fit in exactly where they should, he adds tons of color to the proceedings, and he never steps on anyone’s toes.  I won’t insult Vince by saying that for a while I thought he was Hornsby, but . . .

So far as Dead songs go, they actually play well today, all things considered.  China Cat Sunflower>I Know You Rider is gloriously funky, and the Other One>Wharf Rat combo is impressive – there is a ton of energy in the air and the band harnesses it through their playing.  They play Sunshine Daydream without Sugar Magnolia, maybe a nod to the Sunshine Daydream-less show from the 27th?

But that’s probably not what you’re interested in.  What you probably want to know is how well the Dead played with their special guests.  Well, Popper did fine during Wang Dang Doodle, but he was just playing harmonica on a Dead song.  Neil Young did nifty Neil Young things during Forever Young, but, again, that’s a tune that fits the Dead cannon pretty nicely. 

And then there’s Fogerty, who was playing Fogerty songs.  With the full Grateful Dead as his backup band.  (I have to mention that it’s the full Dead here because Weir and Garcia were part of a team of musicians who backed Forgerty before, at the 1987 AIDS benefit in Oakland, but in that case, Steve frickin Jordan was the drummer and they had the Big Man on sax.  Here, it’s just the Dead). I must admit, this worried me a bit, because Fogerty songs require a very straightforward beat.  And that’s not Mickey and Billy.  You’ll hear what I mean from the start.  Fortunately, the boys very quickly learn that the best way to make this partnership work is to just follow whatever John Fogerty does on guitar.  Once they dial that in, we get pretty sweet versions of Born On The Bayou, Green River, Bad Moon Rising and Proud Mary.  Today was the first and only time the Dead would play these songs and Forever Young live.

This is classic show with some inspired performances during a troubled week for the band.  But the music plays the band here in Golden Gate Park and somewhere Bill Graham was probably smiling.

Listen here:  https://archive.org/details/gd1991-11-03.153781.mtx.tobin.flac16

Today in Grateful Dead History: November 1, 1968 – The Silver Dollar Fair, Chico, CA

I love it when the Grateful Dead play unusual events or venues (like the San Francisco Symphony’s Black and White Ball or the Zoo Amphitheater in OKC or the Seminole Indian Village), and today’s show from the Silver Dollar Fair (which is still taking place) in Chico fits the mold.  I’m pretty sure that the attendees of this storied agricultural exhibition were not at all ready to board the rocket ship that the Dead arrived in, but hopefully there were at least a few freaky cowboys in attendance who could enjoy the voyage.

Unfortunately for us, this is not a full recording, and parts are cut, some significantly.  Out of what’s here, the crucial piece is the towering The Other One, complete with the usual Cryptical Envelopment intro.  Upon close listening, you’ll notice that Bob Weir is basically missing from the mix at the start of this song, but he arrives eventually, although his instrument is turned down.  This allows us to focus on the interaction between Jerry Garcia and Phil Lesh, who were playing at a much higher level than Weir at this time and seem to be tied together spiritually throughout this song.  Each run hears the two of them playing off of each other in beautiful synchronicity and the cosmic energy throughout is tremendous. 

The Dark Star that opens the recording is very lose, and the jamming is more noodly than organized, almost the polar opposite of the locked-in dynamic during The Other One.  There are definitely better versions of this song from this era, but, hey, it’s still a Dark Star, right?

After a really brief section of New Potato Caboose which is chopped before it can really even begin, we’re dropped into the middle of a Caution jam.  Who knows how much time has elapsed here, but what we walk into is hyper, loud and bordering on out of control.  I can picture the fair audience running for the exits.

This is clearly a flawed recording, but it’s redeemed by the very worthwhile The Other One, which is worth hearing twice – you’ll have a lot of time to listen today since there’s not a whole lot else here.

Listen here:  https://archive.org/details/gd1968-11-01.150968.sbd.eaton-latvala.miller.flac1644/04+Caution+(Do+Not+Stop+On+Tracks).flac

Today in Grateful Dead History: October 29, 1977 – Evans Field House, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL

I’ve had my hands on this show for a while now, so I’m a little biased when listening to it since I know the ins and outs pretty well already.  I can definitely say that when it comes to Dead shows from the second half of 1977, this one rises to the top, primarily on the strength of the second set and the band’s relaxed approach throughout the whole show.

You’ll notice the party atmosphere right from the beginning when the show opens with Might as Well and progresses through really solid versions of Jack Straw and Dire Wolf.  Things calm down a bit from here, but the set-ending Let It Grow is a big one larded with Jerry solos and plenty of Phil bombs.  The band is engaging with the audience throughout the set in a way that we seldom hear in the late 70’s.

The second set is anchored by two classic ’77 set pieces – Estimated Prophet>Eyes of the World and St. Stephen>Not Fade Away.  In my mind, this is one of the classic versions of Estimated>Eyes – Estimated Prophet in particular is dynamic and forceful and the weaving of Jerry and Bob is a magical tapestry.  Eyes of the World, like the best versions, does not wander too far afield but stays peacefully anchored in that great beat.  There are obviously better versions of St. Stephen>Not Fade Away out there (Cornell ’77) but this one is right up there, even if it doesn’t have that same oomph.  The Black Peter that follows it stretches out for a long time and is darn good in its own right.

This show is more than the sum of its parts – the band is dialed in, there is nary a bad note or missed lyric, and the energy doesn’t lag at all (which is sometimes a problem in late ’77).  Give this one a spin and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the quality.

Listen here:  https://archive.org/details/gd1977-10-29.137373.mtx.dusborne.flac16

Today in Grateful Dead History: October 27, 1991 – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Oakland, CA

This was the Grateful Dead’s first public performance after concert promoter Bill Graham’s death in a helicopter crash two days earlier, and for many in the Bay Area crowd, the band’s shows at the Coliseum were a wake, of sorts, for the man who had almost single-handedly shaped the live music scene in Northern California (and beyond) for the previous 30 years.  (There would be an actual celebration of Bill Graham’s life in Golden Gate Park on November 3rd – the Dead played that as well).

Graham’s passing explains the incredibly rare Sugar Magnolia show opener, since it was one of Graham’s favorite Dead tunes, and it’s also likely why Carlos Santana and Quicksilver Messenger Service guitarist Gary Duncan joined the band for Iko Iko and the not-played-since-1972 version of Mona in the second set.  These guest turns highlight the fact that even though Jerry Garcia was a one-of-a-kind guitarist, there were a host of other shredders out there who could play faster and louder.  (Notice I didn’t say better).  Both of these songs are turned up to an enormous degree, and the interplay between all of the guitarists is great, even though the tunes they are playing are incredibly basic.  The China Cat Sunflower>I Know You Rider that opens the second set is also really good for the era, and you can tell that the band is intent on putting on a powerful performance for the mourning Oakland fans.  Most powerfully, we get a plaintive Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door encore that’s made all of the more powerful by Bruce Hornsby’s accordion playing and Jerry’s beautiful solo.  The crowd is as silent as any large-venue crowd you’ll ever hear at a Dead show.

The first set has a bunch of magical moments of its own outside of the aforementioned Sugar Magnolia.  Sugaree stretches out for a lengthy 13 minutes of Jerry solo bliss, and Althea is as good as it gets in 1991.  I really loved Cassidy tonight, and even though Touch of Grey is sloppy, it makes its point as the set-closer.

This is one the better 1991 Dead shows, due in large part to the feeling behind every note in the band’s performance and the special guest rippers in the second set.  You can’t go wrong with this one.

Listen here:  https://archive.org/details/gd1991-10-27.AKG451.Darby.120120.Flac1644/gd1991-10-27.AKG451.t02.flac

Today in Grateful Dead History: October 26, 1985 – Sun Dome, Tampa, FL

The Sun Dome, huh?  Florida definitely has the best venue names of any state in the union.

This show distinguishes itself, not because of the quality of the playing, but the verve with which the Dead perform the material.  Some 1985 shows start out moving very quickly (I’ll let you guess why) and peter out as they go, but tonight, the Dead stay fast-moving throughout, even during songs like He’s Gone that are not exactly barn burners.

There are a couple of exceptions to this rule (there always are in Dead-land), and they happen to be some of the highlights.  Comes a Time is focused and emotionally taunt and Jerry’s Marlboro ravaged voice lends a hint of despair to the song.  Don’t Need Love is a forceful plea and demonstrates, once again, how even the most basic of Brent songs (in this case, a vamp with him saying the same thing over and over again) can captivate an audience.  The transition between Throwing Stones and Going Down the Road Feeling Bad also needs to be noted – this is an interesting and seemingly unintentional passage, likely born out of confusion, but it kinda works tonight.

The first set is just well done Dead: if you like any of these tunes, you’re going to like them here.  My favorites, by far, are Big River>Big Railroad Blues, but the rest are good too.  There’s really no first set jammer (like Bird Song or Let It Grow) here today, so just enjoy the shorter songs.  In all cases, the energy remains high.

This is not a massive 1985 show, but it’s not a boring one either.  If you just want some ’85 Grateful Dead, settle in and enjoy.

Listen here:  https://archive.org/details/gd1985-10-26.151828.senn441.lamarre.miller.clugston.flac2496

Today in Grateful Dead History: October 25, 1980 – Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY

Well folks, after three shots at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco, I finally got around to reviewing one of the Grateful Dead’s Radio City Music Hall shows from the band’s fall acoustic / electric showcase, and let me tell you, the quality here seems to be much higher than any of the previous shows from this “tour” that I’ve heard.

Maybe I’m partial to the venue, which is where I saw the best concert that I’ve ever seen (the Allman Brothers in 1995 if you’re checking), or maybe it’s just the New York City vibe, but whatever the reason, this show really pops.

The highest of the highlights here happen to be the two songs that the band released commercially – an absolutely stunning To Lay Me Down released on Reckoning and the sublime Franklin’s Tower which was highly edited and included on Dead Set.  To Lay Me Down achieves that emotional heft that you only get on the best versions, and here the harmonies are simply spectacular.  As you probably know, this band frequently had trouble hitting all of the notes, lyrically, but when they did, it could be breath catching, and today’s performance of this song illustrates that proposition.  Franklin’s Tower is powerful, in part because they get all of the words right, too.  But the playing on this song is amazing.  This is not an overpowering Franklin’s, but it achieves a swinging ease that reminds me a lot of the feeling on the album version, with much longer solos.  It’s a really nice testament to where this song stood in 1980.

There are a bunch of other great moments here at Radio City.  In the acoustic first set, Bird Song, as usual, soars, and the instrumental Heaven Help the Fool is tremendous.  This is a song that could have worked really well as a transitional bridge between other songs (I’m thinking Lost Sailor / St. of Circumstance) but, alas, it never found a role in the band’s repertoire after these runs.

Since a lot of the acoustic performances from these shows tend to blend together, I think it’s the electric moments that really make or break a show, and tonight’s electric component is top notch 1980 Dead.  There’s really something for everyone here: Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo is a fitting opener and a fine way to move into the aforementioned Franklin’s Tower.  There are more incredible harmonies on High Time (played electric, although it would have worked acoustic too), and the band doesn’t let us down harmonically with Uncle John’s Band, either.  Deal smokes – led on by the raucous NYC audience – and the Playin’ in the Band>Drums>Space>The Other One combo wouldn’t be out of place in 1972, were The Other One a lot longer.  The ending stretch is a little weaker, unless you like the party songs, which are all played here tonight and they are all played well.

So far this one is the pick of the litter when it comes to the 1980 acoustic / electric bonanza.  Here’s hoping we’ll find more gems like this in future installments (there are many to come).

As you may know, corporate Dead was pretty strict about taping at these shows since they were recording everything for official release, so you’ve got to deal with what are sometimes pretty crummy audience tapes.  Not tonight – once this one gets a little warmed up, it’s a good one.

Listen here:  https://archive.org/details/gd1980-10-25.nak700.rolfe.miller.93804.sbeok.flac16

Today in Grateful Dead History: October 22, 1967 – Winterland Arena, San Francisco, CA

There are almost no complete tapes of 1967 Grateful Dead shows, so that in and of itself makes this show something to hear.  Add in the fact that it’s also the band’s first performances of Cryptical Envelopment and The Other One and you’ve got a historical must-listen, to say nothing of the fact that, musically, this is a darn fine Grateful Dead show.

Don’t be concerned with the sonic flaws during the first few minutes of the opening Morning Dew – once they boys are up and running, this is a furious masterpiece.  The first hints of something truly special come during the jamming on the next song, New Potato Caboose.  I’m not a big fan of the lyrical portion of this song, but once they start driving home that jam, all bets are off – this is a rainbow full of sound, fireworks, calliopes and clowns.

After infant versions of It Hurts Me Too and Cold Rain and Snow, the band rips into a forceful version of Turn on Your Lovelight.  The only problem with this version is that it cuts off too soon, right when the energy really reaches its peak.  You’ll notice that the rhythm of this song is a little off from what you’d expect, especially during the first verse – there is not nearly the same swing that the band would develop soon – it’s a straight ahead beat and a straight ahead monster of a jam, with the swing popping up as the band plays on.

The set-closing The Other One is the final piece of the puzzle tonight.  First off, you’ll notice that the lyrics are very different from the final ones – I think the band made the right decision to change them.  Second, although this is a first performance, it definitely doesn’t feel like one – everything that makes The Other One great is here, and it’s here in spades.  Of course, since it’s 1967 Bob Weir’s guitar contribution is not nearly as important as it would become, but oh boy does Jerry Garcia thrive.  This is a beast and a wonderful preview of 600 Other Ones to come.

All 1967 Dead shows are gifts, and this one is a particular treat.  I’ve linked to the version on the Archive, obviously, but if you have Spotify you can find the show there, cleaned up a little bit, as the second half of the Anthem of the Sun 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition.

Listen here:  https://archive.org/details/gd1967-10-22.sbd.miller.116257.flac16

Today in Grateful Dead History: October 21, 1988 – Reunion Arena, Dallas, TX

It’s not often that I need to stop in the middle of listening to a Dead show because I don’t recognize the song that the band is playing, but midway through today’s first set I was surprised to hear something totally new – a Garcia / Hunter composition, none the less, called Believe It or Not.  This song was recorded for Built to Last, but it wasn’t included on the album.  It was on So Many Roads, so I must have heard it at least once before, but it’s not very memorable.  The Dead played it seven times – six in 1988 and once, randomly, in 1990.  I’ve never reviewed any of those shows, which is why the song seemed brand new.

Frankly, the lyrics here are not the issue – this is actually a pretty tasty country tune.  For example:  “I know I’m no angel, my prospects are high / As the flood line in summer when the river’s gone dry / But I’ll roll up my shirt-sleeves and make my best shot / To show how I love you, believe it or not”.  Etc. Etc.  The problem, so to speak, is that the music is bland and there’s not a ton of room for a killer guitar solo, a la Standing on the Moon.  Which is probably why the Dead didn’t put it on the album and why they gave up playing it live.  Still, so far as trivia goes, this one is a good one and you should at least listen to it once.

There are a couple of other interesting moments tonight, starting with Feel Like a Stranger>Franklin’s Tower, a powerful combination that seems to keep the boys interested, despite Jerry’s lyrical boondoggles.  The second set opens, weirdly, with a pretty good Wang Dang Doodle followed by a short Victim or the Crime.  This is actually a pretty good performance, and it doesn’t wander.  The transition from Victim to Foolish Heart is  . . . abrupt, and Foolish Heart is pretty mangled.  The rest of the second set is not particularly interesting, but at least the band doesn’t completely lose steam as they move on – Goin’ Down the Road Feeling Bad chuggles along and Sugar Magnolia is the typical Bob Weir delight.  There’s never anything wrong with a Brokedown Palace encore, and this one is a pretty one, to boot.

This is your run of the mill ’88 show with the one weird song thrown in to make it interesting.  Frankly, if you call it a day after Stranger>Franklin’s and Believe It or Not plus, maybe, Brokedown Palace, you aren’t going to be missing much.

Listen here:  https://archive.org/details/gd88-10-21.dsbd.miller.30814.sbeok.flacf

Today in Grateful Dead History: October 20, 1990 – Internationales Congress Centrum, Berlin, Germany

Today’s Berlin show picks up right where yesterday’s show left off, with a few sparkling jams and nice energy throughout.  This show is a worthy compliment to yesterday’s performance and is definitely worth your time.

Musically, the big difference here tonight is the gooey Dark Star which anchors the second set – it’s a really good 1990 Dark Star, loaded with interesting little passages and it doesn’t get lost in noodle land.  If you treat Drums and Space as parts of the whole, then you’ll be really rewarded when the boys return to Dark Star again on the trip out of Space – this is a nice transition and the sonic boom when Dark Star returns is worth the price of admission.

Eyes of the World is the other second set highlight.  It’s also well-focused and dialed in, but the band just doesn’t explore any super-interesting places.  Don’t get me wrong – I would be dancing my tail off to this song were I in that audience, but on the tape it’s a little less energetic than I’d like.  Other than these two songs, the second set has got a lot of filler, which is what keeps this show from equaling yesterday’s effort.  One fun bit comes right at the end of Not Fade Away when Mickey drops the boom on the audience, overpowering everything else going on.  You won’t miss it.

The first set has its moments, especially the unique session that Bruce Hornsby lays on us at the end of Let It Grow.  This is a gorgeous sequence of music, and it sounds like the rest of the band is content to sit back and let Bruce do his thing for a while – occasionally Jerry joins in, and you get murmurs from Phil, but the drummers actually do their level best to ruin the vibe and then eventually learn to be quiet and let the chips fall where they may.  The crowd is enraptured throughout, as was I – this was a completely unexpected and wondrous moment and should be added to your “unique Dead jams” database.

The rest of the first set has plenty of good songs, like Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo and Friend of the Devil, but the vibe is relaxed and lyrics are definitely not priority number one.  Still, this is good Dead throughout.

I’m linking to the Matrix recording from this show, and I think that on a whole, it’s a good one.  One word of warning – the encore is posted right after the end of the first set and it throws you for a loop when all of a sudden the Not Fade Away chant springs up, so you might want to anticipate that event and adjust the playlist accordingly.

Listen here: https://archive.org/details/gd1990-10-20.mtx.hansokolow.98728.flac16