Can it really be 40 years since Workingman’s Dead was released? Why, it feels like only yesterday that “Uncle John’s Band” first started wafting out over the FM airwaves, spreading its warm smile coast to coast and announcing to the world that the Good Ol’ Grateful Dead were now traveling to some cool new spaces (in addition to most of their deliciously weird old ones). This edition of Road Trips (Vol. 3, No. 3) celebrates that magical and transformative spring of 1970 with one of the best-loved aural documents of that era: The Dead’s early and late shows at the Fillmore East on May 15, 1970, presented nearly in their entirety over the first 3-CD set in this series (plus the accompanying Bonus Disc).

This was a big tour for the Grateful Dead family. For one thing, it was the first jaunt the Dead undertook with their country-rock offshoot, the New Riders of the Purple Sage (which at this point still included Garcia on pedal steel guitar), as their opening act. As an added treat, at a number of shows that spring—including these two—the Dead started the evening by playing a casual and intimate acoustic set consisting mostly of old folk and blues tunes, but also usually featuring a few songs from the (still unreleased) Workingman’s Dead. Over the course of the two acoustic sets that night the group tackled such tunes as “I Know You Rider,” “The Rub (Ain’t It Crazy),” “Deep Elem Blues” (which does not appear on the previously circulating recordings of the late show), “Uncle John’s Band,” “Black Peter,” “New Speedway Boogie,” “Candyman,” “Friend of the Devil” (those last two wouldn’t turn up until American Beauty later in 1970), and these four which have never before appeared on an official GD release: “The Ballad of Casey Jones,” “Long Black Limousine,” “She’s Mine” (sung by Pigpen) and “A Voice From on High,” the last featuring John “Marmaduke” Dawson and David Nelson from the New Riders. There’s plenty of charming between-songs banter and the sound is crystal clear.

There is lots to love in the electric sets the Dead played at the Fillmore East, too, including truly epic versions of “Dark Star,” “That’s It for the Other One” and “Morning Dew”; favorites like “China Cat > I Know You Rider,” “St. Stephen” and “Cosmic Charlie”; the exciting new tunes “Casey Jones” and “Cumberland Blues” (which they also played acoustic); and Pigpen workin’ it on out on “Hard to Handle,” “Good Lovin’” and a fantastic “Lovelight.” The Dead always played great at the Fillmore East—this was already the group’s third headlining stint there in 1970—and it was shows like these that established the band as a top East Coast draw during this era.

The Bonus Disc (which will be included with the first wave or orders) features a few more songs from the Fillmore East shows, such as the second-ever version of “Attics of My Life” (another American Beauty classic) and a hot “Easy Wind” (which previously appeared on Fallout from the Phil Zone), and then a blistering sequence from the previous night’s show at Meramec College—Kirkwood, MO: an electric “New Speedway Boogie” (complete with “Nobody’s Fault” jam), “St. Stephen,” “Not Fade Away” and “Lovelight.”

The Grateful Dead were already established as paragons of the free-form, improvisational San Francisco psychedelic sound when they abruptly shifted gears for the acoustic Workingman's Dead, a lovely exploration of American roots music illuminating the group's country, blues, and folk influences. The lilting "Uncle John's Band," their first radio hit, opens the record and perfectly summarizes its subtle, spare beauty; complete with a new focus on more concise songs and tighter arrangements, the approach works brilliantly. Despite its sharp contrast to the epic live space jams on which the group's legend primarily rests, Workingman's Dead nonetheless spotlights the Dead at their most engaging, stripped of all excess to reveal the true essence of their craft.

Same period as this last Road Trips and the first Dead show I saw, Hollywood Palladium, August 6, 1971. A great recording and a classic show:

http://www.archive.org/details/gd71-08-06.aud.bertrando.yerys.129.sbeok.shnf

Released in 2004, After Midnight: Kean College, 2/28/80 is a three-disc offering from a short-lived incarnation of the Jerry Garcia Band, featuring Garcia (guitar/vocals), John Kahn (bass), Ozzie Ahlers (keyboards/vocals), and Johnny De Foncesca (drums). The aggregate lasted less than six months, with De Foncesca replaced by former Sly & the Family Stone and Santana percussionist Greg Errico less than a month after this late February show. Opening up for Garcia on a majority of the East Coast run was his lyricist and primary collaborator, vocalist Robert Hunter. He joins the JGB during the second set for readings of his own "Tiger Rose" and "Promontory Rider," in addition to offering up his recollections of the experience in the package's liner essay. The quartet is exceptionally compact, with an ability to instantly expand and sidetrack into an impressive exchange of improvisations. This is evidenced by the exploratory jam linking "After Midnight" to an incendiary jazz-fused instrumental interpretation of "Eleanor Rigby" before returning for a reprise of the former. With the exception of the lamenting rocker "Sugaree" and the gorgeous Bay Area ballad "Mission in the Rain," the selections may appear short on originals. Hunter's notes point out that many of the "good Garcia solo-band songs hadn't been written yet," adding that on this evening the artist plays as many Bob Dylan tunes as he does from his own non-Grateful Dead repertoire. Speaking of which, "Simple Twist of Fate" and "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" are each given emotive interpretations, the latter adopting the nimble reggae-influenced gait reminiscent of Eric Clapton's reading. Those familiar with Hunter's interpretations of his own work will find that the versions of the aforementioned "Tiger Rose" and "Promontory Rider" by the JGB are a refreshing change of sonic scenery. While definitely a recommended spin for inclined parties, enthusiasts not familiar with this era or JGB lineup are particularly encouraged to check out After Midnight: Kean College, 2/28/80.

Oh yeah, I have that, it's got some good shit on it.

I caught it on XM channel last night coming back from Doha. Right in the middle of the Midnight --> Rigby --> Midnight run. I had to get The Machine on finding it after that.

Road Trips Volume 3 Number 4 is a live album by the rock band the Grateful Dead. The twelfth of the Road Trips series of archival releases, it was recorded on May 6, 1980, at Recreation Hall, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, and on May 7, 1980, at Barton Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. It was released on September 7, 2010.

Road Trips Volume 3 Number 4 was the second Road Trips album, after Volume 3 Number 3, to contain three CDs; each of the previous entries in the series had contained two CDs. It was the first Road Trips to be released without a bonus disc.

The first disc of Road Trips Volume 3 Number 4 contains selections from the first sets of both concerts. Disc two is the complete second set from Penn State. Disc three is the complete second set from Cornell, except for a few minutes of "Rhythm Devils" and "Space"

The latest Road Trips release focuses on an interesting period in the band’s history. Newcomer Brent Mydland was injecting new life into songs and becoming more comfortable with each passing show. This pair of shows – played at Penn State’s Recreation Hall and Cornell’s Barton Hall – focuses heavily on material from the recently released Go To Heaven and also includes a number of stellar jams including a blazing China > Rider and a top-notch Cassidy. There’s also good versions of the Lost Sailor > Saint of Circumstance and Lazy Lightning > Supplication pairings.

[Newcomer Brent Mydland was injecting

Formerly The Warlocks contains every note played at the band’s legendary run of the same name at the Hampton Coliseum on October 8 and 9, 1989. This marks the group’s first box-set release focusing on material from the ’80s. There are plenty of highlights on these shows – of which high-quality recordings have circulated for years – including bust outs of Dark Star, Help On The Way > Slipknot! and Attics of My Life.

For the 1989 Hampton Coliseum shows, the band wanted to maintain a low profile, so the venue was not included as part of the regular ticket sale for the East Coast fall tour. Instead, tickets went on sale at local outlets ten days before the concerts, with the band billed as "Formerly the Warlocks" instead of the Grateful Dead. When the band came to town, the marquee of the Coliseum read "The Warlocks", which had been the Grateful Dead's original name for a few months in 1965. The two concerts featured several songs that the band had not played live for some time. They had not performed "Help on the Way" since 1985, "Dark Star" since 1984, and "Attics of My Life" since 1972.

In a 1993 poll of Grateful Dead tape traders, the October 9, 1989 show was ranked number 4 on the list of all-time favorite Dead concert tapes, and the October 8 show also appeared on the list.

thank you

came across this at the record shop yesterday for $135...