26 was great as well. It was nice to hear Pigpen belting out Lovelife after an extended absence. It also coincided with a near brawl with the neighbours. Bad vibes, man but a great show.

All I know is it's a Saturday morning and I'm compelled to play this because of Volume 23.



Europe '72

There's no going back now.

do "they" share a body with you?

This is only the second out of 13 volumes of Grateful Dead live recordings that tape archivist Dick Latvala has picked from the 1980s. Though Latvala's '70s bent is acknowledged, the '80s would be a challenge for anyone, since the band's performing was below-standard for so much of the decade. In choosing May 6, 1981, at the Nassau Coliseum, Long Island, NY, Latvala has followed the taste of Dead Heads, who rank this among the best shows of that year and of this period in the Dead's performing history. It's a show that appeals to hardcore fans largely because of a 15-minute section in the second set (and on the third CD) following "He's Gone," an instrumental passage containing the group's so-called "Caution Jam" (an improvisation based on the earlier composition "Caution [Do Not Stop On Tracks]")-in its last-ever performance-and their "Spanish Jam" (based on Bob Weir's "Solea")-in its first performance in nearly five years. This is the Dead and its most deadly, engaging in simultaneous improvisation without a theme in sight. The rest of the show is fine, but it's the second set explorations that make 5/6/81 special. (Note that, as a hidden track on Disc Two, there is a medley of "Scarlet Begonias" and "Fire On The Mountain.")

My favorite part of this show was when I looked at the set list for the 2 discs and realized we were listening to a band that didn't have enough material for 2 discs, so they just repeated whatever they were feeling.

I will say that I think I have reached the point where this has ceased being an exercise, or a project, and is now a Way of Life. Not only can we, and will we get through them all, we will weep when we finish. Reap the Whirlwind, indeed!

that's really weird. this 40 minute saint of circumstance sounds a lot like scarlet begonias... and that actually makes a bit more sense than a 40 min saint.

This doesn't feel like an 80s show.

Comparing this The Other One with the The Infinite One from #26, we are clearly not listening to the band of the past.

Oh, I think this is obviously an 80s show - from the keys, the singing, the tempos, etc....

This is middlin Dead, imo. Not terribly off the rails on drugs, but not a band at its peak by any means.

Named after the Grateful Dead's vigilant vault keeper Dick Latvala, the Dick's Picks series ultimately encompassed three dozen entries spanning 23 years (1968 -- 1991) of live concert recordings. Inside the debut installment are over two hours of highlights from the band's final 1973 gig (December 19) at the Curtis Hixon Convention Center in Tampa, FL. With a surfeit of options to inaugurate the ongoing project, Latvala cited his desire to disseminate items that were "lesser known" by Deadheads and to reveal the sonic splendor of the opener "Here Comes Sunshine" when asked the reasons that he chose this specific date to christen Dick's Picks. It was clear that the entire evening could not be presented on two CDs. Therefore, Latvala -- with input from a variety of sources, notably bandmember Phil Lesh (more about that in a moment) -- selected representatives from the first and second sets. Deadhead purists were initially displeased that the concert had been condensed and/or resequenced. Meaning, they wanted every note. In addition to the sublime "Here Comes Sunshine," a potent "Weather Report Suite" and "Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo" are worthy of investigation. The former for its incisive instrumental explorations, while the latter is notable for the conspicuous absence of the typical "Upon the Rio Grande-O/Upon that lazy river" refrain. The late 1973 lineup of the Grateful Dead is minus contributions from Donna Jean Godchaux (vocals) -- whose final trimester of pregnancy was not conducive to life on the road. A further point of contention between connoisseurs of the music was the out and out hatchet job done to "Playing in the Band" at the behest of Phil Lesh (bass/vocals). A caveat of including the performance was the removal of his bass solo. The centerpiece of disc two is 50 minutes of vintage, uninterrupted and nonstop musical interaction from participants Jerry Garcia (guitar/vocals), Keith Godchaux (keyboards), Bill Kreutzmann (percussion), Bob Weir (guitar/vocals), and Lesh. An above average "He's Gone" and "Truckin'" (will Weir everlearn the words?) land into a rare overhaul of Blind Willie Johnson's "Nobody's Fault but Mine." The short but effective detour through the "Other One" is both preceded and followed by some transcendent spacy jamming that ultimately dissolves as Garcia tugs at the heartstrings with the ballad "Stella Blue." Rounding out Dick's Picks, Vol. 1 (1993) is a typical closer of the era -- an energetic update of Chuck Berry's "Around and Around."