Who's ready to boogie with a little Brent-era Grateful Dead from the Gateway to the West? DAVE'S PICKS VOLUME 47 features the complete unreleased show from Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, MO, 12/9/79 and you're going to need stamina because this one is high energy from start to finish.
By the time December 1979 rolled around, Brent Mydland had fully cemented his place in the Grateful Dead canon with his twinkling keys, harmonic tenor, and songwriting skills. No more is that evident than at this show boasting 25 songs including soon-to-be classics from GO TO HEAVEN like "Alabama Getaway," "Don't Ease Me In," "Lost Sailor," and the Brent-penned "Easy To Love You." It's also packed with whirling takes on fan-favorites like "Brown-Eyed Women," "Shakedown Street," and "Terrapin Station." And you've never heard a 2nd set quite like this with eight songs before "Drums" including an improvised "Jam" launching from the end of "Saint Of Circumstance." It doesn't stop there though, with a blazing finale of "Bertha>Good Lovin'" and perhaps one of the best versions of "Don't Ease Me In" the band ever did play. We've rounded out Disc Three with an extra nugget from '79.
Limited to 25,000 numbered copies, this release was recorded by Dan Healy and has been mastered to HDCD specs by Jeffrey Norman at Mockingbird Mastering. Grab a copy while you can.
Proudfoot the Warfield
The Warfield in SF indeed does still exist. It is one of the jewel theaters originally built as a movie palace. You can google it. It holds 2,300. It used to be run by BGP, but sometime in the 90's (I think) it was taken over by southern Cal promoters Goldenvoice. This was really Jerry's home base for his JGB and JG Acoustic shows. A beautiful venue. At some point in the 80's Graham tore out the movie seats on the floor and built tiered levels and a dance floor, which made it really cool. You could be on a tier above the dance floor, see the band over the dancer's heads and place your drink on the tier wall. So many wonderful memories, not only the Dead and Jerry, but many other bands, Neal, Heart, and many more.
SF Blues Festival
I went to the SF Blues Festival at Chrissy Field twice, I think. I remember one year seeing BB King, not sure what year that was. Lovely outdoor venue, spacious and low key, everybody really chill hanging out and digging the tunes. I recorded at least one year. Someday I'll upload the recording to Archive.
The Warfield
The Warfield Theater most certainly still exists! There's an event up on the marquee for tomorrow. That building is now just over 100 years old - for California, that is quite venerable.
Back in the day - 35 years ago - when I lived right off the Panhandle, we'd get to the Warfield by walking all the way down Golden Gate Avenue. A decently long walk, but a straight shot until the street terminated at Market Street, with the theater right there on the corner. We'd preparty as we went. Today, though, I don't think I'd make that walk... the 4-5 blocks closest to the Warfield could be renamed "Fentanyl Avenue"...
A Warfield story
I was too young to catch the Grateful Dead at the Warfield. But like many folks, I saw quite a few Jerry Garcia Band shows there. The Warfield became kind of my "home venue" in the years 1992-'95 since my dad had a rented flat just a few blocks west of the Tenderloin. I'd drive up from college for a weekend and catch a show, maybe two if I had the money.
But one of my best Warfield memories is from the Phish show on Friday 5/27/94. It was the final night of a three-night run. We had scored second- and first-row balcony seats for the Thursday and Friday shows. Good shows, one and all, but on Friday, things got interesting in set II. First a fiddler (Morgan Fichter) came out and joined the band for several numbers. Then they debuted "Simple" in the middle of Mike's Song. By that point it was clear that it was an unusual night, but we didn't know the half of it. Because next, an opera singer (!) came out on stage and began singing O Mio Babbino Caro. Apparently she was unmic'd - I don't recall that specifically, but what I do recall is that her voice absolutely FILLED the space. It was spellbinding.
Meanwhile, as this aria was being performed staffers appeared in the aisles and began passing out boxes of Flintstones-themed Kraft Macaroni 'n Cheese (that date was the premiere of the Flintstones movie.) We were told that these boxes were to be used as shakers, and so that's what went down for the Possum closer and the Fire encore. It was one heck of a way to close things out and give the audience something to remember and talk about.
And after the show, on the sidewalk outside stood a man handing out posters. This was back in the day before eBay, so he wasn't even mobbed... he was having to sort of proffer the posters at passers-by. I still have both my poster and my box...
JGB at the Warfield was an…
JGB at the Warfield was an honor and a priviledge. Had my friend all set to see his one and only chance to see JGB there he extended his trip to SF by a day so he could catch the first in that run and Bam They came out and canceled the show. Bummer for my bro but man I saw so many JGB shows there while living on Potrero hill I am forever thankful!
Dead/Beatles
Made a Warfield Show Once
..not the GD though, but close and on New Years Eve on Y2K. A wonderful venue, had a great time.
Thank you for the Warfield info
Gotta dig out some of that 1980 run
Howard Cosell announced Lennons death...
....live on Monday Night Football.
Dolphins vs Patriots.
Burned in my memory. I had just discovered The Beatles. Hadn't discovered the Dolphins yet, but my dad had it on the TV.
I went and cried in my room that night and lit a candle by my mom's permission.
I was her when Elvis died three years earlier, so she understood. Albeit, under different circumstances.
Those first Simple's were rough at the edges Obeah, but they eventually got it just exactly perfect.
Vegas '96 is still my favorite Simple. Was fortunate enough to be there. And I've checked out a lot of Simple's.
It's on Spotify. FF to the 11 minute mark for the money shot. It's up there regarding the most listened song I've ever listened to. Pretty much memorized. Then Harry Hood. Then Weekapaugh Groove. In that order.
Good shit.
I'm also interested to hear…
I'm also interested to hear that you recorded one of the years you attended. I'm sure there are many people who would love to hear those recordings. I hope you do decide to upload them someday.
Dead/Beatles
Marye - thanks for that reference to "Demon Box". I got that when it came out - but I would never have remembered that this was the book with the article about some of the Dead family's visit to Apple in.
simple
sack scrapes and sax capers
ding dongs and well wishers
golf clubs and cymbal crashes
or something like that floats in my mind as you mention Simple.
I gotta dig out Hampton Comes Alive
That release has Weekapaug Groove of course...my son and I drove around town a couple years back with that loud on the car stereo...we had a good time with that.
Jammin'.
my prediction
48 is a multiple of 4, which is a multiple of 2.
2 + 4 = 6
2 x 4 = 8
it will be something from '68.
Yup. Mark my words.
Beatles-Dead
I was turned onto the Beatles as an infant as my mother would drive me around doing errands and the Beatles were on the Radio. So, Sgt. Peppers was my first introduction, I should have realized that was part of my life formation. Didn't hear the (earlier - had to edit) stuff till the early 1970's. So many of their songs were easy, not sophisticated, but when you add in George Martin they become deep and developed psychedelia.
The Dead we got inklings in the late 70's, but didnt fit my Yes/Rush place I was at the time. For me, lighting hit, four months later thunder. From then on, the race was on.
Was reading a very long Rolling Stone article about Bear, a few days back: Here is an interesting paragraph:
Concerning much of what has been attributed to him during this period, Owsley says, “The only thing I haven’t been associated with is walking on the moon, for Christ’s sake.” Owsley did not parachute in to the Human Be-In in January 1967, as was widely reported, but he did provide 300,000 hits of acid called “White Lightning” for the event. Five months later at Monterey Pop, Owsley passed out his “Monterey Purple” backstage to Jimi Hendrix, Pete Townshend and the Stones’ Brian Jones, not to mention much of the festival’s staff and crew. Owsley also sent a photographer back to England with a telephoto lens packed with tabs of purple acid on the condition that he share them with the Beatles. “The thing about Owsley,” Townshend said, “is that when he gave you something, he would take it too. Just to show you. He must have had the most extraordinary liver.”
Edit: PM me if you want me to send a path forward to the article to the article.
McCartney and the GD
I remeber hearing (circa1993) that McCartney stated that the GD inspired him to get back out on the road. This came from my music teacher at the time. She was showing me an ariel shot of the GD at Deer Creek 93 that was in Billboard magazine and told me that little McCartney tid bit. I don't remeber where she read or heard that.
Rock on, gang
Deadheads Man, Alright
That's correct, The Grateful Dead did inspire Paul McCartney to back on the road and tour in the 90's. If you google Paul McCartney Grateful Dead there is a reddit post that has a short video clip, "Listen you know, if Jerry can do it that good, you know.. I mean.. there's hope for us all"
I recall seeing this at the time somewhere else too.
A great peace sign from Paul and a great endorsement, "Deadheads, man, alright!
Does anyone remember when could just drop a linq in here? Then again.. with AI coming on board and weird, random posts that seem to be computer generated, if someone really wanted to down a site like this they could probably write some endless loop of gibberish that would drown out our humble but sincere support for our favorite band. Let's hope that never happens.
Rock on Paul! Well Deserved and Hard Earned Rock and Roll Royalty.
My sons were lucky enough to see Paul McCartney a few years back
when he came to town. I was too cheap to buy a ticket, but I am sooooooo glad they got to attend.
Sir PM...a salute to you, good sir.
....and they didn't buy poor old dad tickets?
That's it Jr., you blew it. Out of the will.
Wishing Al Di Meola a speedy recovery. He collapsed on stage last night. Heart attack somewhere in Europe (Brussels??), sounds like he's stable and recovering. Didn't something like this happen to Colonel Bruce Hampton a few years back without the happy ending? The Rock and Roll Lifestyle.. Saw the Guitar Trio decades ago in the early 80's. They were great, but they could have benefited from a little wisdom via Robert Hunter.
Memories...in the corner of my mind
I too remember Sir Paul mentioning the GD and helped inspire him to go back as well as forward. If I have it right, I think it was after he "saw", in person, "heard" from friends media, but my memory is that after he saw the Grateful Dead playing stadiums, the light came on that there was a still a hippy, freak, neo hippy that still wanted to see great live music. I wonder if it was after he saw Sting opening for GD. That was summer 93 i believe.
As an aside, I used to work with a gentleman, and I told him I used to travel seeing GD. His response, deafening. But when I said "Guess who is opening for GD? Sting!" He said that could not be true, it had to be GD opening for Sting. I said back, "you truly do not understand how big their underground was." I mean GD back then, sold out a stadium with a "minimum" of 60,000 people at lets say $30/ticket. That is $1,800,000. If they offered Sting $200,000 just to show up to play, equipment only, I am sure he was like hell yeah. No P.A., no promoting, no risk of loss, just cash to play.
Wasn't it CSN and maybe Y, who only had 5,000 fans out front at a stadium date and refused to play. I think it was Big Steve who set them right. No play, no pay.
Al Di Meola (?)
Was a huge fan of Al. Still am, but decades now since I even listened to him.
Think Col. Bruce died at his birthday party, Maybe 70th. Again, going from fragmented memory. I think he went side stage and did some coke, and basically dropped dead. I should know more about that, but you know, a rabbit hole for this weekend.
Col Bruce
Yep he died at his 70th birthday party at the Fox Atl. Hope they recorded some of it. Guest performers are strong.
And wow, never realized he played on "We're only in it for the money" and "Lumpy Gravy" by Zappa. Weird because I sat at the bar a couple of times when he came to hometown. Have more stories about this stuff, all I know is Gustav Berglund was a wild performer to see live, and was fun to talk to.
If you have never heard of Bruce with the Codetalkers, and then just the Codetalkers (with Bobby Lee Rodgers) same band Bobby Lee from the beginning, you should poke around a little. I am going to check archive for some content. Haven't been to Archive in a long time.
Re/ Daily Dose 8-21-80
Listen’n to 8-2180. Killer set list opens with “ cold rain and snow” always a sign for a special evening is bout to be had! The first set is solid , jerry sounds beautiful on ‘Peggy-o, it’s all over now! One two punch pretty cool at the time! I love it! The second set is what “dreams are made of”! Uncles John band , trucking into The Other Ones, drums, the wheel back into UJB & finally sugar magnolia in all her glory; encore with “Alabama Getta Away!”One of my favorite tracks of ‘Go To Heaven ‘One of my favorite studio albums from the band, the Dead I mean! They had the best of the best , putting on tape is a whole different cup of tea than playing live. another magic in their Music always intoxicated me with musical mystic hymns of unbound joy & freedom! Love! . 8-21-80 would make a grateful Dave’s pick one day! Any other fans of this performance, especially their second set is primo Dead especially for the band in summer & fall of 1980 tour in the dead’s playing. I love this show!
The only Beatle I caught live....
....was Ringo & His All Starr Band around 4 or 5 years ago. Wife and I did not leave disappointed.
I just relistened to the Golden Gate Park '75 show....
....from Boxilla. Didn't realize it was the anniversary of the show until I put the discs away. True story. Whoa.
Cobo's anniversary is a week away. Vguy paying attention.
Magical Mystery Tour on tap. When I was young, the helicopter sounds were mind blowing.
In fact. They still are.
Hello, Goodbye.
Those lads from Liverpool were....life changing.
Re/ProudFoot 8/19/80
I concur , primo performance and great for a Dave’s pick!
Setlist
Mississippi Half-Step
Franklin's Tower
New Minglewood Blues
Dire Wolf
Cassidy
Row Jimmy
Me and My Uncle
Big River
Althea
Easy to Love You
Feel Like a Stranger
Little Red Rooster
China Cat Sunflower
I Know You Rider
Estimated Prophet
Eyes of the World
drums
Playin' in the Band
Comes a Time
Playin' in the Band
Around and Around
Alabama Getaway
Johnny B. Goode
*** Miller sound board on you tube! It went up a month ago!
… love it, definitely best of the three night run, on my younger brothers birthday no doubt! I got him on on the bus in highscool & college. Brought him to 50% of the concerts in our area close to home being the meadowlands, giants stadium, MSG , capital theater, Philly, basically the whole eastern coast line ! I took him to his first and last show when he moved on in to his Jethro Tull affection! He loves the band & Ian Anderson. I took him to all the beacon runs across the years! Always had a great time. Ian is a Shoman in the highest order! I loved their first album. Enjoy the rest of their catalog but never really made me a hardcore collector like Dead! There’s nothing like a grateful dead concert!
Stop making sense
I saw that baaaaack in the day
I'd love to see it again
Talking Heads
Were on CBS Sunday Morning 5 days ago. It was an interesting interview with the band and things like why they broke up and why/how the movie is back in theaters. Was/Is definitely worth the watch. They were yet another interesting band that brought tremendous change to the musical landscape. Once I saw the video for "Once In A Lifetime," I knew things were getting weird and changing rapidly. For me, it started with the Police. They were just so interesting as to their approach to music. Wonder why GD never tried a Police-type song. Probably because they couldn't pull it off. Was fortunate to see the Police twice, basically February 1982 and January 1984. Somewhere in there. Never say Talking Heads, wish they would have come around here.
Stop Making Sense
Considered by many as THE concert movie of all time?
Not sure I’d go that far but it does kick Ass!
Tina Weymouth is awesome!
I have it on Blu-ray and it sounds fantastic via Auro 3D!
If I wasn’t so far behind on my Dead, I’d fire it up lol
Who knows, maybe we’ll break it out this WE…
EDIT: while we’re killing time…what concert movie would you consider the goat? (Besides the GD Movie etc)
Or, if you feel that or other dead concert video is tops, list it and what ever mere mortal outing you consider second…just for shits and giggles
out of nowhere comes this post
2112 side one
IS SO FREAKING AWESOME!
I have it on during planning time at work
I STILL get goosebumps when the "we have assumed control" part comes on.
MAN. what a masterpiece of rock.
Stop Making Sense
I thought that was great, too. I played it for various visitors back in the 80's but it didn't really rub off.
If you had been lucky enough to see The Police on their first British tour, you would have seen The Cramps. Lord have mercy. There was a life changing band.
Off the cuff, 5 music films I have watched a fair few times over the years have been, in no particular order
Rock N' Roll Party Honouring Les Paul...........Jeff Beck and guests
Elvis '56.........................................................a collection of T.V. appearances
Going Back Home.....................................Dr Feelgood
Rumble in Brixton Stray Cats - or Live in Japan- Brian Setzer Orchestra
Ladies and Gentlemen.............................The Rolling Stones live U.S. 1972
I watched Sunshine Daydream a few weeks ago. I had come to think this show was a bit overrated, but there is some fantastic music cherry picked for this release. China Cat/Rider and Dark Star - Sing Me Back Home are stunning. I'm not so sure about Bob's move into El Paso - that sticks out like a sore thumb. There just to show nobodies perfect, perhaps.
Simple! + DaP48
Thanks VGUY I will most certainly check out that recommendation today - I'm stuck at work, and Spotify is my chief source of diversion when I'm here, so I appreciate that heads up and the guidance for getting to the money shot :) All this talk about Simple has def fired me up to want to have a good listen. And any time I hear "Harry Hood" in the same sentence... well, you had me at "Weekapaug"
As to Dave's 48, hmmm! As I've noted, it's been a Keith-heavy year for official releases, with TWO shows from Vol 45; another from 46; and then five more with the HCS box set. (And there's WotF, too.) Now, the last two "season finale" Dave's releases - Vols. 40 and 44 - have both been Summer 1990 picks. We last had a Pigpen/TC-era release with Vol 43, but before that we have to go back to Vol 30, a gap of 13 picks, so it feels too soon for another one. That would seem to indicate that for this year's "season finale", Vol 48, conditions are ripe for either another Brent release, or maybe it's finally time for Dave's to enter the Vince/Bruce era.
If the former, it's worth pointing out that there are no Dave's Picks at all from '82, '85, '86, '88 or '89 (ofc '89 does have lots of official releases, unlike those earlier 80s years.) But for the latter, I always wonder about sales. With Dave's 45 (a double release) taking months to sell out, and 46 not sold out at this writing, does Rhino want to bankroll and produce 25,000 copies of a show from '93 or '94? My own guess is "no". Fall 1990 already has some official releases, and so does June 1991. But there are some good Shoreline shows from 1991 including the August stand. The Oakland run in Feb 1991 was notable (NSB breakout on 2/19; long show with Olatunde on 2/20; CNY show with the final post-space Eyes on 2/21, a night where Garcia was clearly 'on'.) And there's also the Halloween run that year - both 10/27 and 10/31 are excellent. So my own feeling is, if Dave's is going to enter the Vince/Bruce era with Vol 48, then we'll see a release from 1991.
Concert Movies
Just off the top of my head, it seems to me that The T.A.M.I Show (yes this was a Television Broadcast first), The Last Waltz and Stop Making Sense usually show up near the top of the 'experts/critics' lists. I would add Neil Young Heart Of Gold from approximately 18 years ago, Woodstock (C'mon Man!!), and just a personal favorite, Monterey Pop.
My Wake of the Flood is "out for delivery"!! Damn, I can't WAIT to put it on the 'box'!!
Music is the Best!!
Talking Heads
I used to tell my kids, "there was only ONE good band in the 80's, the Talking Heads" An obvious exaggeration, but maybe not that much of one. Looking forward to the movie, were the punk, were they psychedelic, who cares, their music is good and weird
another random
I see The Last Waltz mentioned by Senor Unos
If you remember SCTV and the Schmengi Brothers...they had a sketch called "The Last Polka"
good silliness
DaveRock has doubts about Dark Star into El Paso...the reviewer in Dupree's Diamond News back the 90s wrote it is "f^cking brilliant!"
one person's brown acid is another person's Monterey Purple, I tell ya
DS>>El Paso
It wasn’t so much the El Paso, as they tended to like the completely different psychedelic Segway/juxtapositions, it was that Garcia was clearly gonna go Dew…talk about Maximus pleasuris interruptus lol. Fuggin Bob lol
OBEAH: sounds like you need to take a deep dive into fall 91…the last truly good consistent tour?
Fall 1991, make a great box…David?…o David?
9/6/91
9/8/91
9/16/91*
9/22/91
9/24/91
9/26/91*
10/31/91*
Favorite/must haves*
7 Shows
66 one time songs: really good selection!
16 Repeats
6 Threepeats
(Not including D&S)
The three peats are: Dar Star, Attics, Let It Grow, Saint, Stranger, and Good Lovin’
The repeats are: Spoonful, Dark Star Jam, Wang Dang, Candyman, Maggie’s, Standing on Moon, Last Time, Stella, Samson, Eyes, TOO, Bertha, All Over Now, Heaven’s Door, Minglewood, and A&A. Hey, no matter how you slice em, Bobs ALWAYS gonna have repeats!
9/17 and other Oakland and Richfield are probably worthy, but then you start getting into more repeats and perhaps too big a box?
Crazyness
Now I remember in the mid eighties The talk from older than me heads was discussions of the Wildness of DS>El Paso or maybe Me and My Uncle, so a lot seems to be perspective. All I know/presume is that the majority of heads know what its like when they are just hitting a peak and then quickly changing directions. It's like OMG, and then it vanishes, the ride stops short. Great for ticket sales (need to finish that thought). Like for me a Stranger>DS (with drums/space)> DS>Stranger. Last for an hour and 20, would be nice. Some of that is kidding. Shakedown could replace Stranger.
Bob was interviewed a few year back and he described it in an awesome way. Basically, each tour we get the opportunity to bring forth songs and jams, each one allowing to create new music but also to go back to other jams which have been left unfinished.
Again, to prolong the musical conversation over decades is interesting to ponder. I should have seen some of the GD bands, besides Ratdog and Phil&F's.
Is a movie a concert with other interactions or does a straight concert on film allowed.
Like those discussed and yes for me it is The Band. But as far as straight concert I really like Jimi Hendrix's Blue Wild Angel and the Who's what is it like 1970 at Isle of Wight's performance. I guess my favorite concert recording would be the Who's 1989 PPV. The DVD is fantastic but still have video tape of the PPV, now why would I do that?
Edit: not including GD
Mr. Ones & DR
T.A.M.I was an incredible production and always worth a watch. DR -I have always enjoy the Les Paul Tributes. He still doesn't get the credit he deserves.
Oh Yeah, as far as the Magic Bus and Magical Mystery Tour, complete influence from Kesey, thru SF mid-late 60's. Not to throw fire bombs...but where di dark side of the moon come from? Dark Star! I assume everyone has watched the 1964 trip to the World's fair, "Magic Trip." It was really great to see them finish that project.
Some might not know of Jerry's bus tour in either 63 or 64. He came down south looking for the True Grass. He recorded the radio shows, and some television too. Now me reading that is from the 80's. He spent a week in my state. Weird thing 10 years after, I was taping off the radio and television.
The Sphere opens tonight with U2....
....event parking prices were released. A hundred bucks. Disgusting.
Crazyness
Gary - I think it works sometimes. I can still remember sitting in a mates house listening to The Other One - Me and My Uncle- The Other One from 6/8/71 for the first time ( since memorialised on Dicks Picks 35). Jaw dropping.
I also like that T.A.M.I. show - the one with James Brown and The Stones on.
My favourite Hendrix on film has always been Woodstock. I like the whole set, but that final 30 minutes is incredible.
Speaking of which, I noticed the other day that another live Hendrix show is being officially released soon, from August 1967.
Obeah bringing straight…
Obeah bringing straight analysis :) I love speculation about picks...
p.s. That Stella Blue at the end of 47 is really quite nice.
Who would pay $100 to park a car? Who would do that?
$100 for parking
I will walk, thank you.
Better yet, say phu'q to U2 and spend the day at Valley of Fire State Park with a "snack" or two and then enjoy "Closing of Winterland"
Non-GD concert videos
I recently ordered the remastered Ziggy Stardust Movie - 50th CD/Bluray but haven’t received it yet.
I like the DVD a lot, looking forward to the remastered Blu-ray.
Yes, The Who Isle of Wight is great.
Rush 40 - 6-Blu-ray Box is awesome if you can find it.
The First Waltz - Hard Working Americans is a good concert/documentary video.
Sunshine Daydream CD/DVD - I saw several on Amazon the other day, new, not overpriced.
Bob Dylan Surprise appearance at Farm Aid
All you Dylan heads are probably aware of Dylan's appearance at Farm Aid. I recommend a blog" called "Flagging Down the Double-E's" which features an interview with the bassist for the band which reveals how the surprise appearance came about. Here's a a little excerpt from the blog:
"As if that wasn’t surprising enough, he played accompanied by two longtime members of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers: Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench, both of whom he’d toured with extensively in the ‘80s. Alongside them were the rest of Campbell’s current band The Dirty Knobs: Bassist Lance Morrison, guitarist Chris Holt, and drummer Steve Ferrone (himself a latter-day Heartbreaker following Stan Lynch’s departure).
They performed three songs, all ‘60s classics: “Maggie’s Farm,” “Positively 4th Street,” and “Ballad of a Thin Man.” The first two of those Dylan hasn’t played in over a decade. Another surprise. And, oh yeah, one more: He played guitar on all three."
Dylan hadn't played guitar in 10 years. The blog also has video of the three songs.