Welcome back to the Tapers' Section as we end out August and start September with music from 1969, 1977 and 1980.

Our first selection this week is a bit of a straggler from last week based on its date, and features a bit of an odd ending to an otherwise typical jam from 1969, specifically Dark Star>St. Stephen>The Eleven>Drums>High Time. This is from 8/30/69 at the Family Dog at the Great Highway in San Francisco, where they always seemed to play something a bit unique when they played at Chet's venue. See last week's selection for further proof.

Next up is music from the famous Englishtown, NJ, show on 9/3/77, enshrined as the wonderful Dick's Picks Vol. 15. From the end of the concert, we have He's Gone>NFA>Truckin', Terrapin Station, each and every one of which are played superbly. This was the first Grateful Dead concert since 6/9/77, and to return after three months off, with a fresh new album in the can (Terrapin Station) and playing in front of 100,000 New York City area fans obviously pumped the band up. A truly remarkable show.

We'll now head down to the Capital Center in Landover, MD on 8/31/80, where the Grateful Dead were in the midst of a terrific late-summer tour, which included many outstanding concerts. From the Cap Center, we have the end of the first set, featuring Tennessee Jed, Far From Me, Lazy Lightning>Supplication, Deal. They came out playing hard at this show, and never really let up. One of the band members once asked the vault for a copy of Lazy Lightning>Supplication, and when he was played this version, asked “didn't we used to play it a bit slower than this?” He was then played a 1977 version and said “ah, that's the one.”

Also from this tour, on 9/2/80 in Rochester, NY, we have the end of the concert, featuring Space>Iko Iko>Morning Dew>Sugar Magnolia, which is included as part of Dick's Picks 21, the only 1985 Dick's Pick.

Be sure to stop by next week for music from 1974, 1982 and 1990, including music from Vince Welnick's first concerts as a member of the Grateful Dead.

David Lemieux
vault@dead.net