Grateful Dead

Not too bad today Oro but not as good as the last 2 days. Actually took a long walk last evening. Very much limiting outdoor time but it's bloody hot anyway. Slight improvement on containments but the early monsoon brings dry lightning storms so it ain't over. Need the flooding rains that the later monsoon season brings, but then look out for the debris flows from the burn scars.
7-8-78 On Ship of Fools now, Jerry's vocals are VERY animated. Has that growling thing going in some of the songs too. They really dug Red Rocks!
Cheers

3/19-3/25…
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Firstys first, better late than never!
Y’all getting any smoke relief yet?
Crazy how much even just that little bit o rain we received helps, but still far from safe…
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Might fire up part of 6/18/83 per Joey?
Can’t believe I didn’t go to that show, IDIOT!

But hey, why not. 1stshow's first show.
Going with my original taped copy of this from the Red Robin Italian made bootleg 3-CD that came out around 1995-96 that my buddy Dan paid $75 for at Triple Play Records in Grand Junction, CO. I didn't have the coin to buy one so I got some metal cassette tapes (TDK MA110) to copy it to. Likely the only "metal" tapes in my still too large tape collection.
Sounds like the soundboard Betty and not the cleaned up version in the July '78 box. The amplifier buzz at the beginning of the 2nd set is a dead giveaway, no pun intended. It's not noticeable on the official release. I have another set of tapes for the 7-7-78 and 7-8-78 shows from a local source (our city attorney BITD, lol) that were from around that same late '90s time and they are almost this good but obviously from a low generation tape source with very professionally done covers with great artwork. I missed most of the "tapers" era as I didn't start collecting tapes until about 1990 in PHX from a good connection and good ski buddy where I worked at the R.E.I. (Thanks, Dave S.!).
The band was high and so was I. Cheers

Extremely high energy show
If you were in attendance, I envy you big time

Sigh, I rememberd 7/9/95, but still hard to digest, especially how we serendipitously ended up going, and watching The Band onstage etc,…then….poof. So it’s now longer since they stopped then the years they played : ( as my Aussie buddy says “getting old ain’t for pussies”
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Currently finishing a good but…8/26/93 and after 8/27/93, to finish this stretch of our quest!
I’ll pick up at MSG and finish the rest of what I’ve not for the year out sshhllater.
Next? Maybe a little 68 palate cleanse, Then Summer 91, which I’ve heard all but like 5, but want to do most of the summer in sequence (with videos!! : )
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What do I think of 8/21/93 etc PF? Good but maybe not RJ? Disclaimer being I was not there, I listen to a lot of shows so sometimes I miss little things that can add up, plus set setting etc…I’m sure it was an awesome show to be at, but here in my more clinical setting sometimes things get considered differently?
That being said, Sweet HCS opener, buzz kill WB, Lazy River good but more mellow, same with QJ, good, but more of the laid back mellow place they sometimes habitat this year?
more mellow, though very nice Bird Song, but things are looking up! Rocking PL to close set.
Second, good China Cat/Rider, ok way to blow, ok but less inspired Truckin, but from here on things get more inspired! Fun Schoolgirl>Smokestack and Last Time with help from Huey on harp! Bet that was cool to see! Another amazing D/S before Last Time, and good but? SOTM after it.
I say good but because JG kinda fumbles through the first half, but does finish strong, though I didn’t think it was the GOAT? since there are many real Bobbie dazzlers and competition is steep lol I’ll have to try it again…
But after strong finish, a Rocking good OMSN and good but lame IFTL encore.
I HATED this as an encore! It would have been a good end the first set instead of Dough Knees tune, but felt it was a cheesy encore, but that’s just my two centavos…
Felt same about Day Job…liked it, but not so much as an encore!
The next night had a strong first set, real nice H/S/F set opening, then sorta slipped into that good, but kinda formulaic remainder. Nice Days Between and awesome D/S as is usually the case during the later years! Mickeys Rave lol
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Over all, I’ve found the year surprisingly consistent, well played, and often more energy than you might expect. Garcia is especially inspired often, both singeing and playing and except for a couple LSDs, don’t recall his voice failing him much.
I think I already discussed the first part of the year, so will skip to Vegas, except to comment on Oaksterdam. Overall solid great start, sometimes those first of year Cali shows could seem like tour warm up etc? The 22 I was distracted by the so so recording, especially low vocals? Overall I found it to be a bit of a creeper, the new songs are fun, but I’m not usually as enamored as most by first versions, honestly they often are kinda ruff. These are ok, but from PITB onward this show picks up very nicely, Probably due to OC joining them, which as Branford has stated, they seemed to always step it up when they had certain special guests!
Certainly the case here, and especially the Segway from D/S into TOO! Boo-Yah!
Vegas first ok tour opener, second night a creeper, shifting gears with nice Broken Arrow and Bird Song! The rest kicks ass…
Felt maybe the next night was a lil hair better overall, though I think I liked the second night best? They continue on the momentum at Shoreline, with maybe a slight dip the last night.
Good, but…
Same with first of Cal X, third night better, and perhaps second night best?
Giants starts out the summer tour strong, first three like a house a fire! Then settle into more well played Dead. Nice Scarlet and a Crazy Fingers etc, but maybe a so so Stella?
Second more of the same, with very cool jam between PITB and drumzz. Bobs voice is roached by the end of this one, recovers a bit for the first Palace show, but hurting again as second night progressed. Overall more consistent playing and energy.
Buckeye maybe a step up, and Buffalo good, but perhaps a tad laid back etc with uninspired formulaic set list. KY I didn’t get good listens in but seemed like more of the good, but not quite gas stomper of early tour, or later…
Like, Chi town seemed strong again, Deer creek built on this with ok first, but really good second and third nights!
I really liked the RFK shows and thought they possibly the best of the tour?
Eugene already discussed, Shoreline first good but…ok first set, some flubs in Scarlet, and sorta status quo the rest, except always nice to catch an Attics. Funny how they sometimes sneak in a big dog near the end to bring some shows up?
Same with LSD (more of what I call a good encore, but alas never got : (
Seems like Jer liked playing it, but it was one of those tough for him to sing?
Second night nice Wang Dang, Candyman, LIG etc.
sweet Crazy Fingers, good Saint…rest more of the good but maybe more Cali relaxed year status quo. Oh, another “good” encore, Rain, which I did catch at the super fun “RAIN” show on 6/30/95.
Starting 8/27/93…now…
Onward!
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Hey, they can’t all be the best, of course YMMV lol…

Lots of good said about the 8/21 & 8/22 shows. 8/22 was my 39th B Day.

I will 2nd blue crows suggestion about JGB 8/7/93 Seattle. The first appearance of the lightning bolt guitar. The Deal was so hot I saw smoke coming off the fret board on a run down that Jerry smoked…….noodle fingers flying !

A quick mention of 2/22/93 Oakland. Worth the listen.

Off to work ….TGIF

On the way - Jethro Tull 7/7/70 Tanglewood

Cheers
Enjoy the day.

I was able to give this a spin yesterday. I enjoyed the show. Gonna continue on with the other two in the coming days.
There is some interview footage from this run on u tube with Jerry talking with Entertainment Tonight guy...Bobby and Vince footage as well

I did think of that earlier
31 years, bro.
31.
Wow.

Encore

yowza - didn't even cross my mind that it was "that" anniversary. my 50th show. 16th row center courtesy of my brother. back in Chicago for a family visit and he had extra tickets for 7/8 and 7/9. the 7/8 Visions of Johanna blew me away. only decided to follow it up with 7/9 at the last second (weird head space) and raced to Soldiers Field and made it to the floor with seconds to spare before Set I.
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that So Many Roads was incredible - only time I saw it (another great late period song.)
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thought I heard a blackbird sing up on bluebird hill
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I think it was this night that, as we walked out, it gently rained on us but there didn't seem to be a cloud in the sky