Week of February 22-28, 2026
Welcome back to the Tapers’ Section, where this week we have Grateful Dead music from 1968, 1977, and 1984.
Our first stop is at the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco on 10/13/68, a few months before the Dead started recording Live/Dead, where we have this classic sequence from the era: Dark Star> Saint Stephen> The Eleven> Death Don't Have No Mercy.
Next up is the big second set jam from 10/12/77 in Austin, where we have Estimated Prophet > He's Gone> Drums> The Other One> Black Peter> Truckin'> Nobody's Fault But Mine> Iko Iko> Sugar Magnolia, Johnny B. Goode.
Lastly this week is the start of the second set from 10/14/84 in Hartford, where we have China Cat Sunflower> I Know You Rider> Samson And Delilah ; High Time; Estimated Prophet> Eyes Of The World > Space.
Be sure to join us here next week for more music from the vault.
David Lemieux
dead comment
There it is ...
My First Show > sandwiched between Augusta on the 12th & the night after, the 15th (just played on the Dead marathon). Both of those were hot/pretty hot ... But as a 'newby' that night, it was hard for me to tell if that was true at the time for this show.
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When I re-listened it last year, I thought it was 'pretty good' (in comparison to others), but that the vocals were "rough". Edit: It is right there 'in the pocket', energy-wise, as well - the China Cat > Rider transition smokes! It's just not anywhere near as cozy/tight a hall as Augusta - which really uplifts that show & which I still prefer ...
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I'll give this slice another shot later - along with the other two quality selections on offer.
Austin '77
This TOO tops the other two '77 TOOs I heard today. Top notch selection. Consistently good. Go Keith, go on that Johnny Be Goode. Doh, it got cut off!
Cheers