Just transferred this to the ipod, armed and ready. Autumn 2011 begins.

Who knows where we can score some sugar cubes?

Or some high test skag?

I'm building a rig to pump Persian out of the AC vents in my truck.

I'm going all in on Sherm. I've got some funeral home operators as clients.

fuck yea

i'm taking this tour clean. gonna be a trip.

I thought it must have been a misnumbering that they open with "Greatest Story" but fuck if it doesn't work.

I always thought, especially with the 2nd disc, that Europe 72 was a little overrated, but that 100 Year Hall was a smoking, if traditional set (open with Bertha/Uncle, etc).

If they play like this on all the shows, and the set list varies, I think we start to see the magic of the 72 Tour open up.

Monster to play on a gloomy day in Montgomery.

I'd like to posit a theory that the Dead were, in fact, a much better band with just one drummer.

Edit: Apologies to Mickey Hart

I haven't played this yet. I can't find a minutes fucking peace to pop some Gravol and enjoy.

So I've made it to Truckin' when I started but by the time I finished writing with all the interruptions I got through to the end of it all. This is great playing all around. Crisp guitar work from JG, and Bobby is singing tight and thoughtful like his slow down on Me and My Uncle at 2:44. Altogether a well rehearsed band clear headed and not burnt on the edges. Of the China-Rider I've always favored Chinacat and do here, but not really huge on the chorus singing from Rider here. Not too big on the Sugar Mags either here. The quality of the mixing is truly fantastic; everyone's coming through without muddiness. You get a real sense of Lesh using it all over the board, too.

My standouts;

Greatest Story - agree with Loog, great opener
Loser - Bobby's rhythm playing here really drives it
Black-Throated Wind - not too familiar with it and I dug
Mr. Charlie -always fun
Fadeaway->Down the Road->Fadeaway - one of those few runs I dig
Truckin' - I get the feeling they like singing along on this, Jerry 'specially
Wharf Rat - just clean as a one studio take


On the 2nd half I missed The Other One and Drums. I just don't do it anymore and never really have.


Also, Casey Jones did not make my DL file but I saw it listed on Bloor's first set list at the end.

Finally playing it, suicide in 2011 currently off the books.

Yes
Yes
Yes

LOVE The Other One for some reason, but Drums can pretty much kiss my ass.

If Drums had stayed what it is here, 2:39 between Truckin' and The Other One, it would be fine, but they couldn't help themselves.

Again, the Dead was better with one drummer: 2:39 versus "holy fuck this is tedious"

I have this to look forward to, as I had to stop just before 'Truckin''.

Definitely a solid set, 'Mr Charlie' and 'One More Saturday Night' kicked my fucking ass, particularly the former, I can't recall a more righteous version. I do have to echo the remarks on the sound quality, really impressive. Also 'Big Boss Man' stood out for me. I'm feelin' PigPen right now.

Yeah, Pig rules here. I wonder if he literally declines to nothing during this run?

Could be a creepy and fascinating experiment, eh Dr. Jack?

He sounds remarkably strong in the opening show. I'm guessing he's balls out for the first couple and we're literally going to here the last gasp of the dying. This show is April and he's finished with the Dead in June. It's gonna be a sharp decline. So yeah, creepy/fascinating is what we're seeing. Kind of like watching Chris Farley hosting SNL about a month or so before he died.

drums that lead into The Other One is a song, it has a reason and a pace and a direction. Drums that lead into Space is comically pointless.

Had no idea it was that short a span. I imagine it will be noticeable, sad even. He's great here. Bluesy, strong and on mark.





I'll revise my comment on Drums and Space, The Other One, only to say that in concert it was liveable and understandable in the sense of Jewels' comment [also a good bathroom/roll break] but on tape it just drags it down for me.

So I'm listening again, and like I've sort of said - I'm in a different boat then you guys, because other than American Beauty and Workingman's Dead (which I've listened to obsessively for about 6-7 years), I don't have much knowledge about Dead shows (as I always ask questions). I've been enjoying the hell out of this set, and some of the other shows recently so thanks.

The first disc on this really kicks my ass. I'm assuming by your guys' comments, that the fidelity that I'm experiencing is sort of unusual for these shows, so I'm glad I didn't just think that out of the blue. It's really a great sound for live music. I love the opening, wasn't really familiar with "Greatest Story Ever Told", though I had heard it on GDradio recently, but "Sugaree" is one of my favorite Dead/Jerry songs - I think it's a perfect song for beginners like me to latch onto. While I've played this first disc a half dozen times or more already, I've played "Sugaree" about twice as much. Just great for the summer. The version of Me and My Uncle is good, not the best I've heard, but I love that song from other points in life, so I'm happy any time I get to hear it. I LOVE the transition from "China Cat Sunflower" to "I Know You Rider" - and I even love the version of "I Know You Rider" on here, considering it's typically one of my least favorites when I listen to these sets. Enjoy the solos a lot, even if the chorus seems a little off.

"Big Boss Man" is fucking awesome, totally one of the highlights from the first disc, Pigpen does sound great and the instrumental fucking rips. Wasn't familiar with the song really, and I typically like the more folky songs rather than the bluesey numbers, but yeah this rules. - though I don't get why it fades out to silence. Story behind that?

and then "Black Throated Wind" slays me. I love that chorus. His voice breaks a couple times, but it just sounds rad. "Loser" isn't my favorite song, but I can totally see the appeal. Can't really explain it. When the instrumentals come in at 4:10, I like it more, just don't like the song itself that much. Not a huge fan of "Mr. Charlie" either, but I love the way "Beat It On Down The Line" explodes. I mean the way they're playing here, it's basically the most American sounding song I can even think of. Totally fun. And then closing this disc with "Tennessee Jed" is great, it's one of my favorite Dead songs and though the vocals aren't as clear on this as some of the other songs on the set, I still love it. Really reminds me of The Band in this one.

Ok, moving onto disc 2...

I'm full on ready for the next show. It's reminding me of our Dick's Picks Experiment, where that was all we listened to day in, day out for months. Saturday morning I woke up and listened to Complete Fillmore '69 and the jumped in the truck and put on this show for the ride to Calgary:

http://www.archive.org/details/gd77-05- ... sbeok.shnf

Solid show, I'd recommend checking it out.

Contra, the fadeout on Big Boss Man is explained here, I snagged it from a blog post reviewing the Complete set:

Oh dang bummer. Got a link to that blog? Would like to read it too.

You bet:

http://halmasonberg.wordpress.com/2011/ ... 4772-4872/

Who's putting out this week's link? I like this a little better because it gives me some time to get around to the show. And, I'm not in my office much these days...

I'll get it up tonight.