dead recommendations?

[thatpatguy]

hey everyone,

I want to call on the hardcore deadheads here. I'm a fan of the dead for sure, but not nearly as much as some of you all are.

Anyway.. my buddy Dave's birthday is coming up soon and I was thinking of hooking him up with some GD stuff. He's a huge Neil Young, Bob Dylan and The Band fan, so I'm kinda surprised that he never really got into the Dead.

His tastes really fit into what the Dead did, you know, blues, roots rock, folk, bluegrass, country.. that whole "Americana" thing.

What I would like to get would be a recommendation for two studio records and two live shows that, in your opinion, would make a fan out of anyone.

Thanks guys, I look forward to hearing what you all have to say.

Edited May 30, 2005 by Guest

[bradm]

The "Reckoning" album, which is from an acoustic show in 1980 (IIRC) is really good, and showcases their roots/country song stuff rather than open-ended jamming.

Aloha,

Brad

[Del]

American Beauty and Workingman's Dead...

[MarcO]

Del's right you know.

[timouse]

for live,

europe 72

and either

dead set or without a net.

all 3 are very accessible yet show what the band is capable of in a live setting.

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

Just avoid Steal Your Face like the plague.

[Tooly]

as far as live shows go, you still cant go wrong with Cornell, 74 i think it is, sweet dancin in the streets that still gets me boppin in my seat

[paisley]

agree with American Beauty, Workingman's and Reckoning

if they're just starting their collection... any one of those 3 will sink the hooks in

[thatpatguy]

thanks for all the great suggestions so far, what about live shows I can get from like archive.org?

[Drawbar]

Europe '72 is a great one.

Barton Hall 5/8/77 is a killer show. It turned me on to the Dead.

Check em out.

Josh

[M.O.B.E]

dont forget Skeletons from the Closet! thats a great one for any newbie

[jon.]

5/8/77 was my first show on tape, it reduced me to the gibbering freakshow that i am today.

Deadset is a great intro to the GD as well.

You should definately d/l 7/18/90 - a totally fucking stellar show.

Workingman's is crucial.

Maybe try to avoid too much Donna in the early going....she actually sounds great on 5/8/77 though....

Anything off of Fall tour 89' - you will find that they are widely reviewd on the archive, so you really can't go wrong.

Those chicago 81 shows are always nice - cant remember the dates...

Cheers

[dJEd]

Blues for Allah or Wake of the Flood or anything else mentioned really.

[guigsy]

Those chicago 81 shows are always nice - cant remember the dates...

02.26.81 through to 02.28.81

not sure if the matrixes are up on the archive, but they're brilliant sounding!

[skelter]

I'd recommend Dead Set ... it's like Phish's A Live One to me - not necessarily representative of the live show but close enough that it won't scare anyone away.

[Blane]

surprised nobody has mentioned this, but in '70 the dead did what was probably their most "americana" tour ever. They were playing with New Riders of the Purple Sage and did a mix of electric and acoustic sets (a la 1980). Some of these shows have a great mix of hilarious banter, great acoustic classics, and big jammed out electric segments. I'd highly recommend this as a primer on both sides of the dead's music (psychedelic and folkloric) as well as the rapport they have with their audience. Two recommendations would be:

5-15-1970 (hilarious banter and great tunes) may or may not want to grab the NRPS set which is also available on the same download. Beautiful SBD recording available.

5-2-70 (Dick's Picks #8)