During the morning Covid model programming/forecast/reading I like to randomly pick a show and play. Actually helps me type and my thoughts flow better. Today I clicked on 7-8-78 Red Rocks. Then hearing Donna on a pretty wild rampage I thought, "Damn, it's Donna's Birthday". So the in honor of Donna I start the inaugural Grateful Dead Show of the Day. Click on the link and enjoy!
8-22-2022: https://archive.org/details/gd78-07-08.sbd.unknown.294.sbeok.shnf
8-23-2022: https://archive.org/details/gd73-11-30.sbd.vernon.8099.sbeok.shnf
Interesting stories behind the concert and how Dick's Picks released it. Back in the days of cassette tapes I was an active trader through The Dead-Flames Digest. Met many of the folks personally, some older, some younger. That's besides the point, maybe more later. I traded for this show, of which only 1 source was known at the time. When it arrived I quickly inserted the cassette and holy shit, it was one of the worst audience recordings ever. Sound like it was recorded inside a Folgers coffee can. Still, it was a new show. First song, first set, Morning Dew! WTF! I quickly forgot about the awful quality, I really felt something special. This show rocked my world for the next few hours. Holy "What the hell did I just hear". Audience vibe was incredible. Band felt it and obliged with an instant classic. I put it in my top 5 right then.
Talking about it with my digest friends I got into a conversation with a gentleman that was there. He said the show was nearly canceled. There was a looong delay, I believe power or technical issues. Security was ready to call it off but Garcia said fuck that. It was around 2 am when the band appeared. Morning Dew opener was truly appropriate and unprecedented. The rest speaks for itself.
So how did this get released? Your's truly started a massive push by the Dead-Flames folks to put the pressure on Dick Latvala, the dead's archivist and master reel-to-reel "tape baker". Much to my excitement the late Dick followed through. Enjoy, this is a gem!
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BMH 11-30-73
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8-24-2022:
https://archive.org/details/gd1982-08-07.fob.unknown.suraci.83513.sbeok.flac16/gd1982-08-07d1t01.flac
Remember this baby well. Barely had pot to piss in at this point in life but I scraped up money and found a ride to head down to one of my all-time favorite venues. Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI. One of the bonuses of following them back then was there was no need to worry about tickets, sometimes literally. I remember people dropping out of the trees over the fence to get in. Yes, my eye drops were working fine 😉 I had a general admission ticket but given the empty seats near the Amphitheatre stage we quickly upgraded in front of Phil. A little tricky getting passed those security guards (wink wink, they were higher than some of the patrons). This was my first live Music Never Stopped opener, and I knew we were in for a good ride. THe highlight of the show was the Let it Grow. I would say it was the best of the decade! Enjoy. A lot of memories in that old venue.
Why stop on the first night. Watch out for the Scarlet>Fire! I was like "what the hell just happened?" Enjoy!
First time I ever heard Mission in the Rain. 1976; if they played any more laid back the songs might go in reverse. I remember Sara was housecleaning when I plopped the cassette in. Couple hours later she comes down and says, "that was great cleaning music! I was grooving." Happy birthday dad, may your spirit enjoy this gem.
So sick of 5-8-77 being annointed the "best" show all-time (why a debate about such a stupid concept). Move over Cornell! (Check out the Glenn Falls show during this run 😲
8-28-2022:
https://archive.org/details/gd71-10-19.orefm.clugston.3301.sbeok.shnf Feeling a need for some early dead? This is a 31 song classic from the University of Minnesota. This is to my brother Al (I beleive he was there) that introduced to the band in 1972. He may have bought American Beauty but I wore it out.Not a hell of a lot of tapes circulating back then.
Ahh the Hornsby days. I really loved the shows I saw with him. What made this special was Sara was 6 months pregnant with our first, so I guess this was technically Alaina's first show. It was as hot as a pistol and water cannons sprayed the crowd. Warmup was Carlos Santana! We were in the 5th row right in front of Hornsby. A guy next to me had a sign: I Need Fungus. The masses descended an more than obliged. Whew, what a show!
9-1-2022:
https://archive.org/details/gd1985-06-30.sbd.miller.89192.sbeok.flac16 Memorable run for sure. When I was in Maryland I went to many shows at this dingy old venue. There is a plaque in honor of the dead shows. 1985 was a fun year. The Starlight in KC was one of my favorites though (Joe's BBQ at an old gas station made into a restaurant is to die for). Enjoy!
9-19-2022:
https://archive.org/details/gd89-10-09.sbd.serafin.7721.sbeok.shnf I remember after Alpine Valley of this year (considered in the top 10 all-time) I had an angel on one shoulder telling me "Get back to work, time to go home" and a devil on the other saying "Fuck it, on the road again!". I chose the former and missed gems like this show.
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