Esau.

I'm sure your talking live versions here, but the only version(s) of the song I've truly enjoyed have been the studio, Mars outtakes, as well, the acoustic demo recorded in 73. Although I thought it was pretty incredible when they pulled it out finally in 95, at the same time I was disappointed because I've always felt that song would have been even better had it been played during it's prime - when it was fresh, Phil's voice was better, and Jerry was in better shape all round.
 

Looks cool. And I have to say that even though I've enjoyed Jambase's "Songs of Their Own" video series, I'm glad this project isn't just the usual suspects when it comes to Dead tributes. The likes of John Popper and Reid Genauer are great and all, but I'm all for Dead covers by artists that aren't a big part of "the scene" 

I don't know what it is, but I just love Dylan shows.  Especially when I don't recognize any of the songs.
 
There's just something about his live shows I like.  I basically never listen to Dylan otherwise.

The 4-disc set has the same setlist, but the timings of the many songs are shorter on the 3-disc version. For example, Les Brers is 6 minutes shorter, Hideaway is 5 minutes shorter and Mountain Jam 8 minutes shorter. Many of the other songs have smaller/shorter edits.

I dont know how this ever happened but I am kinda late to the party on this New Years Ever show from 1973 at San Francisco's Cow Palace. There is some great shit going on in here. I hadn't listened to the Brothers in a long fucking time, years in fact. Last week I stumbled across Govt Mule from this past New Years (loooove you NW) doing a 3 set show consisting of a first set of Dead songs, a second set of songs by The Band and a third set of Allman Brothers songs. 
So I got an itch and then this came across my path. Synchronicity yo! 
I am almost halfway through. Kreutzmann and Garcia have yet to join but up to the point I am at it's been excellent so there, ya dinks:
http://exystence.net/blog/2016/02/22/the-allman-brothers-band-feat-jerry-garcia-live-at-the-cow-palace-new-years-eve-1973-2015/

Even better is the four-disc version, if you can find it. There are a lot of edits on this one (although it is most definitely still awesome!).

I had to configure a background process to start indexing everything.  The processes took all weekend to complete, and now you should be able to search and find the results you're looking for.

Awesome. Thanks bouche.

It seems that when editing an existing post, adding/changing a youtube link doesn't trigger embedding.   I'm looking for a solution.

I know.  Thanks for reminding me.  Couldn't find a setting to turn it on. I just did a quick look and there's a plug-in to provide the functionality.  It's now beside the submit button.

Same for me.
I went into the epic covers thread and edited my posts. All I did was cut the URL I had already posted and re-pasted it. Automatically showed the video.

05-03-1986
 
Cold Rain and Snow opened the show and as it slowly plodded along I couldn’t help but wonder how worried fans were about Jerry Garcia’s well-being at the time. 1986 was a rough year for Garcia. Years of poor diet and even poorer decisions left his body a mess. In July of that year he fell into a diabetic coma that lasted 5 days. As we all know he made a miraculous recovery and one I am selfishly thankful for or else my life never would have changed in the way it did once I saw the band.
 
The Race Is On told everyone in attendance that the Kentucky Derby was underway, or soon to be or had been completed.  By the time They Love Each Other was halfway through I started wondering if this might end up being the weakest show of the set. Garcia just isn’t quite there. Phil was certainly doing his best to keep this ship afloat while moving forward. CC Rider makes another appearance and I soon hoped this might be the turning point in the show since its one of Garcia’s best accompaniment songs.
 
High Time was up next, complete with some cheesy synth from Brent during the intro. Man. The 80’s was one fucked up decade but I love this song so full pass. BIODTL flew right into Promised Land with Phil providing fire charges throughout. A rollicking Deal closed out what had to be the quickest first set thus far clocking in less than 48 minutes. In fact this the first show which only takes up 2 cds. So much for marathon Dead shows that one could potentially hope last up to 4 hrs. Youch.
 
My favourite second set opener featured Scarlet Begonias but with a far too quick intro. I could listen to those chords for minutes on end before Jerry starts to sing. Brent Mydland and Phil came out ready to rock for this one while Garcia’s fingers were back to their nimble selves as they danced around the fret board, especially during his solo and then the segue into Fire On The Mountain. There is some really layered playing going on as they make their way to Fire. This show has picked up a ton of steam and I am starting to understand why it was chosen. Any worries a fan may have had up to this point about Garcia’s health must surely had been alleviated or at the least forgotten. Heck, most were probably concerned for themselves by now. Garcia was forgetting some words and his voice was having technically difficulties but all in all this was a pretty fine version.
 
Man Smart Women Smarter began and I was almost immediately giggling. Which other band would dare offer a massive retrospective of this scale and include Garcia’s issues as well as Weir’s out of tune guitar? God bless the good ole Grateful Dead. Funny enough, my other favourite “Weir’s guitar is fucked and out of tune” moment from all the tapes I gathered over the years also happened in 1986. GDTRFB comes out during the tail end of Women Are Smarter and I have to say, I love it when these intros are as seamless as this one but for my money the early 70’s had the absolute best ones. This one has a really nice spirited finale with Jerry, Brent and Bob giving all the vocals they had.
 
I could still hear some issues with Bob’s guitar and not long after that they left the stage for Drumz which was a touch sad because it seemed like Mind Left Body Jam, or something in that vein, was about to float from the speakers. Drumz was interesting due to what sounded like a loop and some digi-weirdness. I’m not sure how well it ages but at the time I am sure a few heads were exploding. My favourite part about this one is that it inspired me to create a playlist of some of the ones which I find particularly tasty. This stuff always sounds incredible on my main stereo. Bob and Jerry come out to start Space and they create a fantastic canvass of sound together, especially Weir. He sounded perfect to my ears. Great sustain and delay happening from the two of them. By the time Phil had a belly full of wine and joined the stage we were on our way to The Other One. The second verse was really trippy and it was a shame this version ended far too quickly.
 
Comes A Time made an all-too-rare appearance and it’s one damn sweet version. Brent Mydland added the most important colours to Garcia’s solo. I think this was my favourite part of the set but we are definitely heading to the era when his ballads were the best parts of shows that we all waited all night for.
 
Sugar Magnolia inched it’s way out and before you know it we are back into a blazing dance party thanks to Phil getting behind the wheel so he can drive the bus again. Weir’s guitar sounds completely fuckadoozled once again but it’s easy enough to drown him out since everyone else is pounding away. None the less, I could never blame anyone for getting caught up in how bad his guitar sounds here because its almost fun to listen to how shitty it is coming across.
 
Sure enough after Phil hits a note there is a colossal sound of badness. Something bad went down. Before you know it, Bob states “Listen. My guitar is broken. Jerry’s guitar is broken…’and all hell broke loss?’…..we’ll see you all tomorrow” Phil steps up and says “What Bob meant to say was is that Jerry’s fingers are totally frozen his guitar is broken and my mind is blown so I don’t think we are gonna do an encore tonight. We’ll see you all tomorrow”
 
Just like that. Show over.
 
By the way, what were Garcia’s first words when awaking from his coma and seeing a room full of family/friends you ask?
 
 "I'm not Beethoven."
 

http://www.proofsyrup.com/order/maple-bacon
 

06-24-1985
 
We are now into the start of summer 1985 and Garcia’s health/addiction problems are really starting to take a hold if you solely base things on his first soloing venture during Alabama Getaway to begin set one. He’s slowing down yet he’s still inside the music. By the second solo you get the feeling he has dusted off his rusty strings and there might be a fine night of music ahead. “Hey, maybe nothing is wrong with him so we don’t have to worry!” Greatest Story Ever Told is up next and the sweating has already begun inside the Rivebend Music Center.
 
They Love Each Other slowed things down a notch but not before you can hear someone say “What are you doing?” just before it starts up. God bless The Good Ole Grateful Dead for having little to no plans. Their controlled chaos could lead to magic for most people at the best/worst of times while either saving your soul or sending you to the depths of insanity. Jerry fumbled through some of the lyrics. It’s a little known ‘fact’ that if he got lost in the words he would look out into the front crowd to read lips to help him get back on track.
 
A dancey Minglewood brought back more stinky summer sweat. I will ALWAYS see this bouncy bald half nekkid Deadhead from Buffalo in 1993 in my head when I hear this song. Tripping balls I still remember thinking “There’s gotta be a way I can find my inner stomp like that guy”. Every time I see Gord at any show I think the same thing. I’m sure he is stomping somewhere as you read this. Tennessee Jed came out as I made these thought patterns and writings and then wondered why there isn’t a song about anyone we know but then I realized I had smoked a gagger so my thought patterns are fucking completely off-kilter. Its times like this Velvet has always helped bring me back to where I need to be. Is that metaphorically ironic or what?
 
Luckily another My Brother Esau has made its way into this massive release. Things got weird at the end. Bob tells the crowd that during the set break there will be a raffle and the winner of said raffle will get to hold the rhythm section hostage. It’s an interesting bit because Esau ended somewhat abruptly and you can hear a little argy-bargee going on. Clearly there are some nonplussed folks onstage so what Garcia does what he does best in these moments.
 
He dials up Loser. Moments like these must be cutting if you know who you are, especially if he comes out smoking like he does on this one. Although I suppose if a great song comes out of brotherly bullshit then who cares in the end? Instead of “Everyone’s bragging and drinking that wine” Jerry sang “Everyone is laughing and drinking that wine” so things feel like a Bob Dylan Idiot Wind scenario. Someone is pissed off. I don’t think he made a mistake. I suspect his intention was clear. If I were a betting man I would say that he was plucking his strings angrily.
 
A great Let It Grow with some dirty Garcia tones set the finale to this first set and I am hoping the animosity seemingly brewing between band members boils over into the second set. There’s no better way to dealing with personal issues on a stage then blowing off some fucking steam. Just ask Coventry Phish how that works out for ya.
 
 
So the other night I had a dream about Iko Iko because that’s always been one of my favourite dancey Dead covers and sure enough they opened the second set with it. Always enjoyed this song as a set opener. Turn it up boys because go-time has been activated. Everyone doing their Grateful Dead milkshake dance while Bob Weir sang, what? WTF was that? I was in the kitchen dance my ass off doing the dishes and then that happened which leads into an awesome percussively led intro to Samson and Delilah. This is smoking shit that should be turned up really loud because everyone is everywhere which is where you want them to be. I got sore sitting there listening to them pump this one out after I had come into the living room to get more into being enveloped.
 
He’s Gone led us into the other spots we love in the second set. It’s such a perfect pre-Drumz song. No wonder they ended up placing it there for years to come. “Let’s slow slow things down but not do a full-on ballad” yet when you hear this vocal delay you wish they performed it every show especially when they jump into a blues staple like Howling Wolf’s Smokestack Lighting while somehow bleeding into Cryptical Envelopment? Are you fucking kidding me? This is deep bleed material. One can only wonder what they might do after Drumz.
 
A supremely weirded Space that provided hints you are in a jungle constructed by Dr Seuss, that’s what. I loved this segment of these shows from this era and I am guessing Hunter S Thompson did as well because when the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. Garcia starts throwing around The Other One. Obviously that’s the call here but noooooooo. Somehow the decision to throw everyone off was an interesting choice as Comes A Time makes it’s way onto the stage. Fucking perfection and anyone deeply engrossed in this one can feel Jerry while he sings “and I feel the wind and I taste the rain, never in my life to cause so much pain”
 
And there it is. The segue into The Other One we have all been waiting for. This is the kind of direction Deadheads must have loved where the Dead were heading when it came to these sorts of setlists because it does feel like anything could happen. We look back now post-Jerry and see what Phil/Bob did with all their incarnations but this was a band who seemed lazy when it came to thinking out which songs they should play because as we all know, they had a vast repertoire but songs got slotted and that was that. Having said all that we get to the end of the song which segues back into Cryptical. Thank you. Heads must have been exploding. “I totally forgot they did the first part!”
 
Following Cryptical we get a second post-Drumz/Space ballad from Jerry. Wharf Rat. Again, thank you. Around and Around followed with Bob and Brent having a ton of fun with Jerry doing his standard rhythm guitar but another surprise popped out with a spirited Good Lovin’ with a short Weir speech about the state of the world and why we need to change things. I always love when he invoked Pigpen or was invoked by Pigpen. Fantastic set closer. US Blues was a perfect encore and completely complementary to the speech Weir had just delivered. “Son of a gun, better change your act”
 
God bless the Good Ole Grateful Dead
 

Here is an interesting Dead project someone compiled;
 
Internet Genius Compiles Every Guest To Ever Jam With The Grateful Dead From 1965-1995
 
http://archive.org/post/253261/the-crowded-dead-stage-1967-1975
 
http://archive.org/post/253296/the-crowded-dead-stage-76-88

merry christmas y'all!  
 
The Beatles finally started including their music on streaming services (apple music and spotify to follow), also radiohead shared their rejected James Bond music.   
 

However or whatever ya'll may celebrate, enjoy, be well and be safe. Budmo!
 
 

Classic!
 

10-21-1983 – Brent Mydland’s 31st Bday
 
A clearly amped up crowd is greeted with The Music Never Stopped and everyone showed their appreciation which is a possible sign of things to come because Phil seems locked and loaded. I was always surprised by the amount of folks arriving late, I know we missed an opener in 1994, and I am feeling sorry for those who decided to have “just one more beer” because the band was feeling great. Loser was up next and we are off to a wonderful start. Jerry’s voice sounds like the tale teller in this one as if he truly lived this one a few times. Loser contains one of my favourite solos. In fact, it was the first things I heard once I learned Garcia had passed away and I couldn’t stop balling. I had maintained my composure for the most part but once his strings started to squeal with just a perfect amount of distortion while letting them ring, well you know the score.
 
CC Rider comes out once again and if you put your face close enough to your speakers you can feel the breeze from Mydland’s leslie rotating speaker during his solo. Bob’s slide playing his really come along by this point, its no longer jarring but I doubt anyone will ever confuse him with Duane Allman although his slide is endearing to my ears because its so unique much like all his voicings.
 
Off we travel to slave away in the mines Cumberland. Where exactly? Well that’s the sort of folklore the Dead liked to toy with much like “Which Springfield do the Simpsons live in?” I always felt it was a shame that Cumberland Blues became such a rare song, only appearing perhaps a few times a year because it is such a fun dance along with the potential for some classic Garcia train lines which you get a taste of here. Cassidy followed and once again I am all in with this first set. Classics mixed with odd rarities. I could listen to the open ended jam that always seemed to surprisingly land on the “Flight of the seabirds” line, as if we just spent our time watching said seabirds fly. For that split second it’s just a perfect combination of music and lyrics.
 
Ramble On Rose is another great call in this set and then My Brother Esau put on his roller skates to roll over the crowd. You can’t ask for more from this first set and if you do then tits/cock or gtfo. Speaking of trains, Big Railroad Blues followed Esau. Phil has had such a great set but the band was starting to sound just a touch spent during it so it came as no surprise that Promised Land sent everyone backstage to refuel. In fact, Bob announcing that they were going to take a short break sounded like Jerry’s. You have to wonder if everyone was fighting off the fall tour flu but you certainly couldn’t tell based on the music.
 
A quick nod of Happy Bday led into Scarlet Begonias which immediately told me it was on and its gonna be go time, especially once I listened to Garcia’s solo. He came out for that second set ready to fire along with Phil. Saddle up boys and girls. I sure hope you secured your strap nice and tight because the transition to Fire was well executed rollercoaster of a journey with the collective fret boards locked in as one instrument. I often find that if this song is uninspired it can drag you through the mud, not unlike what those of us who experienced Coventry had to deal with but this one is not in that category. Everyone is right on top of where Fire needs them to be.
 
Then Uncle John’s Band? Are you shitting me? Fantastic. Especially with Brent in the band but I did always feel for the high part Bobby had to sing yet he slid in perfectly with Brent and Jerry here. In the grand scheme of things none of it was very pretty and they never were going to sound like they did on the album but this 3 part harmony section worked when they got there. They certainly do here, for the most part. While they understood harmonies, having learned from CSN (little known fact) this was not a band known for them. Too many factors worked against them, the primary one being the huge catalogue of songs they employed as well as the fact they didn’t do those songs all the time, let alone practice, which is what a harmony band has to do but they got there during this version. No one can fault them for that but one thing we can all appreciate is a Playing In The Band coming out from insides of UJB. Hell fucking yes we can!
 
Phil is all over the place during this one. It’s a damn shame this isn’t a 20 minute plus version that you might find in the 72-74 era because the ethos from those days is most definitely there even if it doesn’t sound like anything from that time and space. The lead in to Drumz is absolutely magnificent and had I not heard everything up to this point I would have assumed Lemieux included this show just for the final minutes of Playin’ - total must hear as is the Drumz if you are into that sort of thing which I am. I often think I can convert people based on my stupid-ass huge speakers and some of the great versions I have but the only folks who have heard anything on them from this portion of the second set is my six year old son. He fucking digs it so perhaps I am onto something. Come on over. Bring some party favours and let’s test out my theory bitches!
 
Garcia was first to board the Space shuttle this evening and I figured we were in for some kind of treat. Couldn’t you listen to him run through whatever scales/frets/ideas/sounds for an entire night? Bobby quickly joined and I soon thought of the Other One because that’s what I do during the ideas they bounce off one another. They love to dance around that tale but it stands to reason. Bob whammy-bars the fuck out of his guitar and I immediately am reminded of all those times his guitar would go out of tune during the mid-80’s “So that’s why”. You don’t notice as much when the entire band is onstage but while he is pounding on that thing when it’s just the two of them you are able to do the math. None the less it sounds fucking awesome during this segment. This is honestly a must hear Space and a loooooong time is spent with just Jerry and Bob onstage. I can’t recommend it enough. Just as I write that I totally hear where things might be heading but if they don’t come out with Truckin’ or even Miracle then I am gonna guess someone died onstage but I suppose they could still get into the Other One. This is a neat one.
 
Truckin’ it is and perfectly slides in. I love how quiet things were from the audience during that Bob and Jerry segment. As soon as the band gets on and they inform their intentions you remember that they are in fact playing in front of a few thousand people. Meat and potatoes stuff here folks. It’s a frontal lobe change party now folks!
 
Wharf Rat must have destroyed everyone in the house and if that didn’t then surely the I Need A Miracle that vivaciously stumbled on her high heels yet finally came into the fray must have. If you don’t have a boner by now then you aint no friend of mine. Touch Of Grey follows and I figure will sound different to a lot of folks unless you were an avid tape collector. This is how I first got to know it outside of the MTV video hit. At this point it is still in it’s infancy and gained some stature for having been involved for so long prior to making it on an album while becoming the biggest hit the Grateful Dead would have. Many older fans complained about the Toucheads but don’t kid yourselves, every single one of us reading this review (save for a couple who may stumble around here) are a Touchead. I highly doubt I would have come across this band had that video not hit so many people who inadvertently got me to my first show. Luckily I know who my Patient Zero is but I have never chosen to go beyond that simply because the story leading up to it was so influential.
 
Johnny B Goode closed things out and my theory still stands this particular test in time. They knew it was a fucking great show.
 
 

"Shoot da puck Dickie"
 
My former father-in-law attended many a hab game in the '50s and he told me that's what the "Frenchmen" (his word, not mine) would say whenever the puck was on Dickie Moore's stick.
 
When watching games on television with me 45 years later, he would shout "shoot da puck Dickie" at the television several times over the course of the game, even if the habs weren't playing.
 
Good times!

Hey Folks,
 
It's that time of year again, in keeping with traditions and because I know some folks here are interested, I bring you another Dark Solstice mix.
 
Dark Solstice Mix 2015 ~ The Funk Awakens
 
www.darksolsticemix.com
 
The usual blend of nonsensical ecclectic and groovy tunes. Listener Discretion Required...
 
Happy Solstice Everyone!