I guess I would go with:
Veneta 8/27/1972 (82 is good too)
Portland 5/8/1980 (opened second set with Fire on the Mt and Mt. St. Helens blew...I still remember a bunch of dead heads wandering around in the ash falling and the city being really quiet after the show. Sound is much better on recordings than it was live)
San Diego 8/7/1971 has really good Jerry & Phil synergy
Oakland 2/17/1979 (Kieth and Donna's last show)
Eugene 6/4/1982 My all time favorite has to be a non-dead show...Jerry and John Kahn did a couple of shows at the South Eugene High School Auditorium in June of 1982 and the second show was amazing. At one point they paused for what seemed like a long time and the audience was in a trance, you could have heard a pin drop. Jerry broke it by saying "pretty quiet out there" and people began calling tunes, clapping, etc. |
I have the cassette of Englishtown. Obviously haven't listened to it in years, but remember it to be killer. I think it's one of Dick's Picks.I need to get CD. Lehigh Univ back in '81 was pretty awesome. (at least I think it was '81) |
Englishtown, New Jersey 1977. Special to me because my first show.
But I recently obtained a very good sound quality (HDCD) bootleg of it and was surprised how well it confirmed my memory of the show. |
Thank you for the imfo. I too was there and yes breakfast with the Dead was great. I remember the keyboard player spooning Granola out of a bowl that was placed on the keyboards and Jerry kidding that he drank his orange juice already. |
Qdrome,
You're thinking of the '82 US Festival. I know because I was there, pressed right up against the boards in front of the Dead as they came on in the morning. Awesome show! I also know that the event was extensively recorded because there were cameras in my face all day. However, having emailed Steve Wozniak a couple years ago regarding this very topic, I learned that none of the footage is available for release due to legal/contractual snafus with the various parties involved. I've found bits and pieces of the '82 event on ebay (personal video camera stuff), but nothing worth getting, and nothing on the Dead. I guess we'll just have to wait... |
The Dick's Picks Oklahoma Fairgrounds show is pretty awesome. A must have for any Deadhead. Killer China Cat/Rider and Eyes. |
I have asked this ? before but does anyone know if the US Festival show 1983 was recorded and released? I saw them there and would love to pick up a copy.
Thanks dead archivers! |
I really like 6/9/77 (Winterland) and 10/17/83 (Lake Placid).
Lots of good stuff in '73 and '77... |
Rballdude-
Are sure it was November '73? Pig Pen died in March of 1973.
Europe '72 tour was one of Pig's last (April 1972) as he was already quite ill by then.....
My first show was Watkins Glen "Summer Jam" in July of 1973 and PP was gone then. |
I agree with Rballdude, your first show (early 87' for me)is always the most special, but for some reason, I found my shows on the "ten's" (i.e. 10th, 20, 30th, etc.)were always lightning. In regards to top 5, 77' shows are always there of course, but, when I discovered the Dead, it was the last run (April 71) at the Fillmore East that always did it for me and still does..... |
Your first is always the most special...first Dead show, first date. They both happened the same November night in '73 at the Denver Coliseum. Once we made our way through the "crush" and found a seat, we noticed the stage. The Wall of Sound seemed to ascend to heaven. Opened with Me and My Uncle and the ocean of sound was amazing. They played most of Europe '72, the best songs the Dead play, IMHO - blues, country, rockabilly, rock. Pig especially stood out, played the mouth harp like his life depended on it. Wailed on a quite small keyboard. The Dead, particularly Jerry, loved playing Red Rocks, and all the shows there were magical, as well - due in part to the setting, the vibe, the audiance and the band. A very spiritual place...and, of course, we did our best to conjure those spirits when we went. |
What I was reffering to was the 4 CD Filmore '71 show on Arista.But Fishwater is right.Look at the more than 30 Discks Picks now out and how heavly documented the year 1977 was.A true rennaissance for them.Man now that I see what's out and how many great sets are availible (lopok at thier discography on the web site I use most foten AM either www.allmusicguide.com or www.allmovie.com and you can see how many great sets are oput their from different periods.But 69-71,Europe 72-73 (as keith and Donna joined) to 1977 thier are hgreat peak era's not shows for me.And you can find gems all the way up to thier 30th and final year.Man now i want to put all my jazz aside and listen to them and Tuna and see when Zimmy will get back from Europe.Only thing that is said for me is as good as Phil and Freinds might be at times Ratdog (Bobby's band) never was as of course.I just wish that sans Capitain Trips that the rest of the boys could play together as a unit.Let's wish them good health and hope that 2015 will be a 50th reunion of rockin geezers that will knock everybody for a loop and the Gen X and y'ers will tell their grandkids about.Hey the Grammy's finally got arounf to giving the most sucessfull touring band in hostory and lifetime achievement award.Let's hope that in these time of war and ploitical deceit that at least the goodwill if not the efficacy or "The heads" (and I saw my Mass Govenor Weld at a show in '93) aren't sneered at cnaically and the technofreindly kids of today who as a group might be lcking and sentiment political or oitherwise,among them are youngsters who are results oriented and may bring some of those sentiments to fruition fi we are going to survive as a species.
Oiko Oiko
Chazz_ |
Easier to discuss eras. Used to tape but didn't see shows until '82, started taping in '89. My favorite eras.
PIGPEN,Early 70's, late 70's, 1989-90 (Jerry found the midi). I don't count Vince. Samba In The Rain!!!! |
My favorite year by far is 1977, anything from that era just sounds right to me. Although, the Nassau shows with Branford or the Manhatten Center shows from '71 would also work for me. Too bad all I got to see was the last few years, better than nothing but not even close compared to anything in the 70's. |
As a llways asorry for not using an overlay spell checker.Need op figure it out since I am not a touch typist and look at keyboard and get lazy and dopn't look over posts.I did not mean a Stones "Liver" show but at that time Keith probaly could have used new Liver.
Chazz |
Yeah that hazy air in some places with poor ventilation like the old Boston Garden makes it hard to rember the late 80's show (think hat some time around release of movie "Hunt For Red October" beacuise it was fall and everybody had "The Hunt For Dea October" shirts.Anyway they played a 25 really revved up version of "Turckin" I'd love to have on tape and "Dark Star Pt.II" or at least that what evrybody said it was.Seems like the Arista multi track stuff often had beter sound than the picks,I even (herresy you say) liked "The Other Ones".Too bad taht unit couldn't have kept up a little longer.But have to say I think peak years were '72-73 (same era as best Stones if you can ever find Takrl Bootleg "Bedspring Symphony" it's late 73 just before Mick Taylor lost his mind and made one of the worst rock careeer moves ever.The playing on that disc is better according to Hot Wacks,the bootleg bible,better than any liver performance they ever released and unlike most stoines everything was al, sped up.)But yeah after Europe 72' for a bit Dead were in top form.Sorry fans of Brett.And agreealso Barnford made some of those shows fun too
Chazz. |
I was at the shows in DC 1973. Stayed both days and it was most likely in the top 10 of all time rock shows. We had a blast. |
I like my Dead really jazzy. I want piles of exploration and improvisation. So I love i prefer the 1971 - 1979 era, but IMO the Dead reached their peak in 1973. There are some truly some awe inspiring shows in that year. My favorite is probably 6-10-73 RFK Stadium. It is a total monster. The Bird Song, Playing, Eyes > Stella segment is particularly great. A truly amazing Dark Star that runs 26 and 1/2 minutes in the second set. Followed by a third set packed full of bluesy tunes with Dickey Betts sitting in.
I'm not a big fan of the Dead past about 1979 and honestly haven't listened to very many shows from then on, but I really dig the shows with Branford Marsalis sits in particularly the new years eve 1990 show. To me he brings out the jazz flavor of the dead that I really dig. |
Boston 12/73?????
My favorite was Maynor Downs in Austin Tx, early 80's didn't tape that one. It was or may have been the 4th or very close. They had parachuters open the show. |
I love it Herman.....I'm sitting here laughing at your response. I saw them through the mid seventies, the eighties and painfuly through the ninties and I can't remember either. I know that I saw them as I sort of remember driving to the show and I was told I had great time.....but I don't rememeber .... :-) |
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Hello Phasecorrect
I don't have all the DP's but I do have a quite a few.
If I had to list 5, it would be these:
In no praticular order-
Vol 1- Tampa
Vol 3-Pembroke Pines
Vol 5- Oakland
Vol 13- Nassau Colisieum-A great "hidden" Scatlet/Fire on disc 2
Vol 8- The famed Harpur College show
I also like 14, Boston Music Hall.
This week I'm ordering the latest, which I believe is 36, a show from Philly.
The set list looks fantastic and the Deadhead reviews have been great. |
