Grateful Dead

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Yes, that Longbeach 1997 Blues Festival has an amazing lineup.
Also-Nappyrags-seeing The Stones/Ike and Tina Turner/B.B.King in 1969 now has legendary status. Terry Reid was good too-I saw him in a small club about 15 years ago. Apparently he was Jimmy Page's first choice as vocalist for the New Yardbirds, but he turned it down as his solo career looked as though it was going to take off. It was him who recommended Robert Plant, for the New Yardbirds gig I think. Great singer.

Dusted off Van Halen's eponymous debut CD last night for listening. In my mind, there was no Van Halen after Diamond Dave left. :-O Maybe I'll crank 1984 next.

I've told this tale here before, but one night at a tiny jazz club in Saint Paul, the bartender asked the 12 or so of us who were there for the regular Tuesday night band to please indulge some friends of the owner with a set while the Tuesday night band took a break. At the end of the hot bluesy set, the bartender came up as the fill-ins left the stage and said, "Ladies and gentlemen--the Steve Miller Band." They had played a "hits" show for many thousands the night before. My friend and I sure didn't recognize them, but enjoyed the set!

I saw Phish at the Cabooze with about 75 attendees back in 1991, and saw Widespread play for about 100 at a park in a smaller city about the same time. When I lived in Frisco, Co, someone said to go see a group one Friday. I went, and the band played for free for about 15 of us in Dillon, and their name was String Cheese Incident.

First caught them with Sammy on the 5150 tour. You have to have a unique singer or two to make it in rock. To replace a one-singer frontman like Bon Scott or David Lee Roth and to be successful at it - damn near impossible. But Sammy got the job done in the studio and onstage, though I prefer those old records with DLR best.

Saw them a couple more times with Sammy, saw them with the guy from Extreme singing (decent record, but man that guy did not fit in onstage).

And finally DLR returned and just plain couldn't sing his own songs. But they ran deep in their catalog and the Van Halen brothers were spot on. It was always a thrill watching Eddie play. The LPs didn't do Eddie justice; you had to see him play live to fully appreciate the command he had over that instrument. Never saw anything like it.

Reading GaryF’s great write up on seeing Ricky Nelson’s final show (!) made me think not of all the shows I’ve seen, but the one I really regret missing, and shoulda coulda. My wife and I were watching Dylan’s No Direction Home, and when we saw the clip of Odetta we did a collective “Wow”! I wasn’t familiar with her much, but did some digging, great respect for this lady’s voice, like Roy Orbison meets Johnny Cash. As it turned out, she was playing a small folk club in town called Hugh’s Room, that I’d been to many times (I met Chris Hillman there). We hemmed and hawed, and for some frigging reason, we decided to count our toothpicks that night rather than venture out, and see her, something I’ll always regret, because she passed away six weeks later. To have heard her “live” would have been a joy.
It is for this reason that when Wayne Shorter made an ultra rare appearance a couple of years ago, I went. No more missing legends.

Agree with what has been posted. A terrific talent. I must admit I never got into their music, however.. the glam and DLR were such a violent depart from what I had settled into by the time they really took off. Still, I respect the talent he was and a little confession, I had the hots for his wife.. so jealously clearly played a part.

re DLR:

1981: yours truly is a McDonald's schmuck employee in South Pasadena CA. I take the trash out the back door, which is very close to where the drive-through order intercom is. There is DLR in a BMW ordering something. I called out to him, but he ignored me. (I am still surprised at that...no, not really.)

what a juxtaposition, as I think about it 39 years later.

RIP, Eddie.

Oh, yes: I also had the hots for VB, JiminMD.

I am having my occasional listen to Doors' albums.

Waiting for the Sun: awesome
Morrison Hotel: awesome
LA Woman: awesome

so good.

1/11/78 is a great show.

A box set of California January 78 would be good. Jerry's voice is in the trash compactor for much of it, but again.......

I don't listen to the GD for the vocals.

Not exactly huge acts in the 90s, but saw them in tiny venues with no assigned seating..

Saw Kansas in Ocean City Maryland at Scandals. $5 cover charge, walked right up to the front of the stage. I was familiar with their greatest hits so I figured what the heck. I was in college a half hour, so I made a night of it with some friends. It was funny... The lead singer had on a black Kansas hat.
A guy in front of the stage next to me had the exact same hat. After the show, the lead singer was leaning into the crowd giving high fives to the people in front. The dude next to me with the identitical hat had removed his own, swiped the lead singer's hat when he leaned in for the high 5 and immediately returned it; except he swapped the hats unbeknownst to the singer and returned the wrong one. So now that dude has the lead singer's hat as a trophy and the lead singer has no idea. Smooth move. My wallet also went missing that night. I've always wondered...

Went to Disney World with my wife back in the 90s. There's a place called Pleasure Island where I saw Cheap Trick play. I had never been into them. The only song I recognized was I Want You to Want Me. It was funny though, because I recognized the line that Damone sings in Fast Times during Surrender. They kicked ass. That was another one where I just walked up to the front of the stage. As soon as I got home I bought Greatest Hits and Live at Budokan. The Dream Police

Lazy or a sign of intelligence? We all have it. I am finished procrastinating.. Just roasted a couple batches of mighty fine coffee, city plus to French roast?? I usually wait until the next day to brew but I am out so I am grinding and brewing while still hot and oily. Getting ready to listen to some March 68 GD and believe it or not doing some scary (to me) work on a steep graded roof.

Three weeks until touchdown on the next Dave's Picks. I think they announce the next subscription sometime around Thanksgiving.. so we get a peek into #37. Then sometime around Christmas/New Years we get a sneak peek into #38.

I am going to celebrate New Years this year so long as I am healthy. I believe 2021 will not be quite the shit show 2020 was. I will be sure to be blasting GD as loud as anyone around me will tolerate, I will not be driving and I will be partaking in something special and enlightening (I hope). Here's to flushing out 2020 and preparing for 2021. May the four winds blow you safely home.

Don’t love Van Hagar.

Got to see VH in 2007 and 2015. It wasn’t the glory days, but at least I got to see them.

Think I’ll watch VH 5-29-83 US Festival tonight.

....before the Vid:

9/5/19 Gary Clark jr. @ Ford Amphitheatre (small)
8/19/19 Nate Ratecliff and the Nightsweats @ Ford Amphitheatre (small)
8/16&17/19 Folk Fest in Lyons at Planet Bluegrass home site. (small festival)
7/5&6/19 Dead & Company @ Folsom Field

Would of gone to D&C, Rocky Grass, Folk Fest, what ever interesting local stuff came to Ford Amphitheatre and was going to get Bravo Vail Classical package, and of course our local Bonfire block party...sigh....
Good thing we really like to stay home AND listen to the Dead!

FESTIVALS: like Jim not a fan. Too much music, people, everything. Personally like smaller shows with bands that play long. Like to get fully entrained and go deep with the music. That can be taxing and if loud cause listening fatigue.
So more is not better. Same with people...that being said, I’ve seen a few, and the small ones like Rocky Grass are nice, or used to be....Top ones I can remember:

ROCKY GRASS: 2009-2016 & 2018 (small, beautiful site, VIP all the way)
FOLK FEST: 2011, 2014, 2015 & 2019 (same as above) 2011 Bob, Jackie Greene and Chris Robinson played. Very Unique, fun set in intimate setting.
RELM FEST: 2006&2007: played. 2007 Vince Herman of LOS sat in with us.
FURTHUR FEST: worked merch from Pittsburgh on 7/14/96 through till the end on 8/4/96. (14 shows). Went to local Denver shows in 1997 & 1998 as a civilian.
WINTERHAWK BLUEGRASS: 1990
VAIL MUSIC FEST (part of annual taste of vail) played 2003 or 4?
WOODSTOCK 94: worked at main Saugerties site before, then sent down to original site until Saturday, Returned late that night to main site and road in on back of corporate company pick up via private road, bodies in the woods and everywhere, fucking surreal! Didn’t have to work much until breakdown on Monday....aftermath Surreal! Still have a jar of mud from the site. Best momento I could think of considering....saw Aerosmith late, late Saturday, End of Arrested Development because they were before the Allman Brothers on Sunday, with I believe a very young Duane Betts on a couple tunes. Can you imagine being that young in front of that many people. I was overwhelmed and I was just hanging out lol.
Also saw Traffic, Santana, and Jimmy Cliff, p/o Metallica from afar, and Dylan from too far. Messed my knee up so couldn’t do the long slog through the deep mud anymore by then...truly a once in a lifetime event, I still get overwhelmed looking at pictures of the huge crowds.
Many more small local style ones which I think are better in many ways, too numerous to remember lol.

With the Dead: the Band on numerous times, Little Feat at Maine in 88, Sting 93, Steve Miller a few times in 92. Had dinner with him at Buckeye 92 show I worked production. Sitting in crew catering and he comes in and sits caddy corner across from me. Very pleasant, just too dudes shooting the shit about the heat etc...
Also, 10,000 Maniacs, Youssou n Dour, Dylan/Petty, Rusted Root, CSN, and perhaps my favorite, Violent Femmes at 91 Buckeye (Rueben & Cherise) Not sure we knew who they were, but it freaked us out, then cracked us up! Might of been tripping, now my ole buddy Howard was, so early on some of their more violent lyrics freaked us out until we got it! Then we started giggling like school children. Truly Bizarre opener for the boys!
Saw Bobby & the Midnights at small theatre in Chrotchfester in 83 with Joan Jett opening. Sad to say but the crowd was unruly and nearly booed her off. If not for her background a lessor artist would of walked off for sure.
7/28/78: my second show, first stadium summer show, and first big cobill show: Bob Welch, Pablo Cruise, Foreigner, and Fleetwood Mac!.
Saw Muddy Waters open for Clapton in 79 and they blew Clapton and my adolescence the mind away.
Uriah Heap open for Tull in 78. Probably best all around bill as far as performance was 38 Special, Molly Hatchet, and the Outlaws on 12/3/79, which was the night all those poor folks were trampled under foot in Cincinnati. Saw The Who the next night in Buffalo, unbelievably emotionally charged performance.
First Red Rocks show was Fishmans Vision fest 7/7/97. Grisman quartet, Merl Saunders, Govt Mule, and Fishman with ??
Place was maybe half full....awesome!

Just that band name made me feel so much better about my life...... What was the band's next incarnation, "Up to Our Elbows"??? (Sorry, had to... perverse thrills are becoming a bigger part of my life at this point.)

Multi-band shows:

Watkins Glen, Day One: ABB, The Band, Grateful Dead (laid out on my sleeping bag, tripping and smoking dope, for the GD's evening performance on a summer evening)
Watkins Glen, Day Two: Grateful Dead, ABB, The Band (GD come on at NOON, as we snorted our breakfast of chocolate mescaline and ate blotter for lunch)

Also, Jesse Colin Young, The Beach Boys, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young at Mile Hi in Denver, July 1974.

I've been cured of interest in festivals since July 1973.....

Way too many to remember. Numerous Band, and Ziggy Marley Gigs at clubs and small venues (doing merch). Bob, Jerry in different forms, Go Ahead, Kansas, Hunter, Jorma/Tuna, Bromberg, lots of Jazz, Miles in 86 at Chautauqua institute, Bela and FT with Chic Corea band in 2017, Dimeola at collage pubs, Wynton Marsalis, Chuck Mangione at the Tralf.
Return to Forever at Sheas and Paramount. Pat Metheny in several small settings, so many awesome small theatres, gyms, sheds and clubs....
Shea’s Buffalo, the Warfield, the Tralfamadore (Buffalo), Rochester Auditorium Theater, Darian Lake back when it was a tiny little bandshell before they recked it: Neil Young, the Allman Brothers, Bob Weir, Santana etc..
Boulder theater, too many too remember. Red Rocks, the Gorge, State Bride Lodge, Toga, Merriweather, Alpine, Shoreline, Rieverbend, so many sheds.....
Probably my favorite fun night at club show was a totally unplanned night out fall of 88 at a tiny old theater turned Bar called the Chance In Poughkeepsie NY seeing the Radiators! 2 Go Ahead shows in 86 at the Tralf were serious fun too with Billy literally walking around with a mic like a drunken MC! Smoked Hash and helped Harry and crew load out and thus gave them wrong directions lol. They were 100% right, except backwards...instead of take 3 lefts I said 3 rights for some dumb reason, stoner!
Another favorite, Jorma playing solo electric at the Tralf. Our table was so close we were pouring him beers outta our pitcher. He sat and played through all kinds of effects etc and it was amazing, especially that close!
EDIT: shheeeeeiiitttte, how could I forget the fabulous Philmore in Denver! Saw many an awesome Phil show there including some momentous jams with Trucks & Tedeschi ala Derick and the Dominos

Saw the Derek Trucks Band at the 02 in Birmingham U.K. - pretty small venue and probably no more than 3/4 full. Saw Tedeschi Trucks last February and by way of contrast was in the horrid cavernous Wembley venue instead of the much better London Palladium the year previously. Blackberry Smoke were also on the ticket and seemed nonplussed at the lack of atmosphere.

Another one that doesn't measure too high on the ol Richter scale. Summer 2004 I was following MMW around and they played a show in Columbus with the Roots and 311. I think MMW was the first act, then Roots, then 311.

Hendrix, Sexfist is a long-time Chicago bluegrass outfit. They started to hit the bigtime and began touring all over the world as the Henhouse Prowlers. Over that time they've had a bunch of different members, so occasionally they'll play the odd show with former members under the old moniker.

Also, I caught Gary Clark Junior last fall in Chicago. He came on close to midnight and played for 2.5 hours straight. I think it was a lalapalooza aftershow or something. Pretty impressive.

Looking forward to the first 4-disc Dave's Pick!!

I am in an online meeting right now with the topic of...

MARKING ATTENDANCE IN AN ONLINE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT.

wheeeeeee....

Simple Proudfoot - disconnect and then later say I couldn’t mark attendance because I was unable to attend.

Too funny! Immediately thought metal/punk band lol
Or!
Sounds like a good name for a Spinal Tap album!

PROUDFOOT: tell the PTB all the kids were all present in the universe cosmically!

coworkers...some good, some insufferable.

Paul Butterfield - Dingwalls, Camden, London
Nick Gravenites / John Cipollina Band - Dingwalls, Camden, London
Robert Hunter - The Venue, Victoria, London
Joe Ely - The Venue, Victoria, London
Commander Cody - The Venue, Victoria, London
David Lindley & El Rayo-X - The Venue, Victoria, London
The Texas Mavericks - Het Paard, The Hague

That's enough for now.

Ok...a line up out of nowhere...I didn't go (I had moved out of town) but I knew about it....

The Hollywood Palladium
Feb '72
Alice Cooper
Howling Wolf
Commandedr Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen

I wanna know what kind of drugs the booker was on....

music and refreshments all day long

no politics
no money
limitless food and water
full sanitation

Saw the Jerry band with only 50 or so people at the Keystone Palo Alto, twice; both gigs were announced on KSAN the day of the show. One was late 1978, the other early 1980; great shows both.

right now small bites.

Last show I saw was the experience Hendrix tour in spring of 2019. It was put on by Billy Cox and had Dweezil Zappa / Mato Nanji / Ana Popovic / Eric Johnson / Zakk Wylde / Jonny Lang / Dave Mustaine / Doyle Bramhall II / Joe Satriani. It was a wild night, and a great vibe.

Jim, dang I hate that I missed seeing Frank Zappa. I had one shot the 1988 tour in Washington D.C. but through all my means I could not get tickets.

....making me miss them even more!!
I saw Slayer and Poison back in 1983ish. Crowds of about 150.

At the mighty small TLA in Philly. The Tragically Hip and Guided By Voices.

GBV my goodness they must have gone through three cases of beer in 2.5 hours. At one point I counted 36 empties and somebody was occasionally removing empties off stage to make room for more empties. That was one of those shows I went to by myself, which I have done a handful of times. Masters of the two minute song. I'd wager not too many have heard of them, but those boys could rock the house.

I know I have seen many but two come to mind.

In the early 90's I saw two very memorable shows at this small hometown bar/restaurant called the tip top cafe. I saw a lot of memorable shows there like widespread panic in 1990. The two I am talking about were by Steve Morse of the Dixie Dregs (but was also in Kansas for a while, and has been with Deep Purple since 1994). This night was one of those throw away nights. He came to our city in between gigs in Nashville and Atlanta, I think. There was maybe all of 15 people there. It was his Steve Morse Band and he played loud and long. I can remember standing within 3 or 4 feet from him and the stage was only 2 feet tall. If you like a shredder, Mr. Morse always fits that bill. Sat at the bar and drank and asked him a bunch of Dixie Dregs questions as we were into them since 1981. If interested get the Dixie Dregs "What If" album, it is all instrumental southern twist of bogey/rock.

The other was a Bluesman named Kenny Neal. He is Louisiana Swamp Bogey blues. He is awesome as well. Again maybe 25 people there. Another throw away city between a larger southern tour. One of the friendliest guys I ever met. Even with a small crowd, he got us to bogey with him. He would pick his guitar to his mouth and sing and growl thru the pick-ups. Crazy stuff. Another show where you could just talk to him at the bar. He is still around, if you see him around go see him. Definitely worth it.

His web site is here:

https://www.kennyneal.net/

This little bar was just one of those old not seen as much bars where the promoters snuck in some big acts and up and coming acts. You could step out and go across the street to the grass field parking lot and smoke one. Man did I use to move some merchandise thru there.

My problem is my fried brain. I saw most of the 70's arena rockers which I might name a few here soon.

G

Easy, when the Rolling Stones sat in with Muddy Waters at the Checkerboard Lounge in Chicago, 1981.

If you get a chance check out Kenny neal's dad, Raful Neal...Swamp blues at it's best...

Same bill?

Poison is so girly and pop

Slayer is the only band that _scares_ me.

Another Jerry vinyl set, The Greek 1990...Record Store Day this coming late November

http://mgtrk.musictoday.com/m/1/17126418/02-b20281-b870485716164ec5839a…

I've never been a big festival guy, but I caught a very weird multi-act show in October 1987: my school in Binghamton, NY won a contest for a free show sponsored by MTV. Somehow they roped in Warren Zevon as the headliner, but he was preceded by punk bands like X and Australian band The Saints.

There's no evidence of this online anywhere other than on setlist.fm, where it shows Warren playing there that day. No setlist exists, though I'm sure he played Lawyers, Guns & Money, Carmelita, and of course, Werewolves of London.

Prior to the show, I guess you could say I was already a fan of Warren's, as I had his first couple albums and loved them. Seeing him live made me a fanatic. I ended up catching him more times than I got to see even Jerry & the boys. I totally get why Jerry and Bob Dylan were both fans.

By the way, the punk bands never did anything for me. Never saw any of those acts again!

ooops.

Small Venue thoughts:

Craziest: the Ramones at One Step Beyond (a little dance club in Santa Clara, CA). So loud and so packed you could almost pick your feet up and not fall down. 1987

Biggest Name: Santana (at Cal Poly in the Gym and at San Jose State Event Center) both 1990

Unique: Michael Hedges at The Palms bar in Davis, CA, the Palace of Fine Arts in SF, CA, Villa Montalvo in Saratoga, CA

Other Mentions:
Leo Kottke at Villa Montalvo in Saratoga, CA
Dread Zeppelin at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz, CA
Bela Fleck at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz, CA
Many at Mountain Winery (Paul Masson) in Saratoga, CA

Again, thanks to all for sharing... good memories for tough times.

Frank Zappa, what a great musician. Gone too early too.
Luckily I had the chance to see him on his 1988 tour 3 times in Germany: Offenbach, Mannheim and Würzburg. All shows had different set-lists. Mannheim was a blast!

I also got to see Zappa on his 1988 tour, at The Ahoy in Rotterdam. I had also seen him at Knebworth in 1978 but the first time I saw him was with the Mothers of Invention at the Bath Festival in 1970. I somehow contrived to miss his 1969 performance in my hometown of Portsmouth at the Guildhall at which he allegedly become the first performer ever to receive a lifetime ban from ever playing there again. Something to do with lewd behaviour (farting into microphones?) is what I heard but am unable to verify.

I never much cared for big festivals, myself. They had pretty much had their day when I started attending in 1975, with Pink Floyd at Knebworth. I attended a few more big ones, where I would typically be off my head about half a mile from the stage, with thousands of people milling about. I went to a few smaller free ones-more like exercises in misadventure than anything else. The last two I went to were the so called world music events, WOMAD, which I attended with my then girlfriend in 1998 and 1999. Much more civilised by then-we stayed in a hotel and went down to the festival each morning.

Most of the gigs I have been to in the last 20 years or so have been pretty small. Soft Machine, here in Lowestoft, last year was tiny but brilliant .

A good double bill I saw was in about 2004 when the MC5 were supported by the Sun Ra Arkestra. At the end of the MC5's set, both bands took to the stage for a jam. It was a hell of a thing.

Caught ‘the Rolling stones’ at roseland ballroom NYC!

Yah don’t say?!?!

Hey there Casey , hows it hanging?! Yes sir, the infamous Rolling Stones at the now closed down Roseland ballroom NYC! It was a Standing only occupancy. There was also a private Balcony a’ little table and chairs! Hope all is well with you & your daughter, peace be with you both god bless & have a grateful day!🙏❤️💀🌹

More obfuscating language and to bring up my family out of the blue? You are a disgusting creature indeed!

Saw them during the South of Heaven tour in '88, at the small Mountain View theater; that was the last concert they had there...Slayer was like a Bosch painting soundtrack to me.

What did I do now? I wished yo peace. We used to talk about our children together all the time. I didn’t see no harm in a posblessing. I won’t do it again. I didn’t use her name as well for Your privacy. I respect that & you.
I think it’s time for me to stop communicating to you in anyway on this forum and outside of it. I wish you nothen but peace man. Take care, ciao’
I won’t be responding to any of your posts, I don’t think it fair to the forum that you make this your battle ground or arena. I gratefully wish to not disturb this forum. I hope you can understand my reasoning, if not , I wish you well.🙏

I saw a few people over the years at small venues
Mountford Hall, Liverpool University:
Tyrannosaurus Rex, Late 1971
Led Zeppelin, Late 1971 ( small venue but packed solid with people!)
Tom Paxton Probably around the same time but lost in my memory
Planet Gong Late 1977, Daevid Allen and Here and Now doing their Floating Anarchy Tour.
John Martyn Late 1977, Touring solo around the time the ‘One World’ album came out.

Eric’s Club, Liverpool
Many visits but the ones that stick in my mind, all from 1978 - 79
Prince Far I, this is the concert that everyone claims to have been at. I know I was there because I can’t remember a thing about the evening
Tapper Zukie
National Health

As for multi-act concerts I can’t think of many:
In 1971 at the Royal Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool I saw
The Groundhogs
Mick Abrahams Band
and top of the bill Elton John. They obviously thought he wasn’t a big enough draw on his own.
That’s it apart from the occasional folk festival and the Roskilde Festival in Denmark in 1978 where Bob Marley and the Wailers were the headliners I also heard Terje Rypdal and the Jukka Tolonen Band in one of the smaller tents.

Double Post!

😳 🙄

Denver's Rainbow Theater was a small, converted, 3-room movie theater with walls taken down. Not sure of the capacity, but maybe under 1,000? Saw Jerry there, two shows in '79 or '80. Also, Roy Buchanan, Bonnie Raitt, Carlos Santana, John Mayall, Steve Morse, Leo Kottke, Robert Hunter, those are shows I recall off the top of my head.

Oh yeah, Denver's Ebbett's Field, capacity = 200, caught two Roy Buchanan shows in September 1974 and for one I sat at the table at the lip of the one-foot-high stage, like four feet from Roy. Too close! Second show, I sat on the front row bench about 10 feet away, much better.

Um, Grateful Dead from the fourth row center at the Capitol Theater in lovely Passaic, NJ, in '76 or '77 (both featured multiple shows in spring and I caught multiples).

Missed show: Jerry Band at the Capitol in maybe 1975. I drank too much whiskey on the way to the show, the opener, James Cotton, blew my doors off and I had to go outside and walk it off for two hours while Jerry ripped it up without me. (Man, that and missing 6-10-73 stings to this day....)