Not Really A New Year's Eve Show

100 Days of The Grateful Dead: 12/31/72 Winterland, San Francisco - soundboard (SBD) 320 kbps mp3 download, setlist

Grateful Dead -- December 31, 1972 / Jan 1, 1973
Winterland, San Francisco
12-31-72 a.k.a. 12/31/72 aka 72-12-31
1st Set: Around And Around, Deal, Mexicali Blues, Brown-Eyed Women,
Box Of Rain, Jack Straw, Don't Ease Me In, Beat It On Down The Line,
Candyman, El Paso, Tennessee Jed, Playing In The Band, Casey Jones

Set 2: The Promised Land, Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo,
Big River, Sugaree, Truckin-> The Other One-> Drums-> Drums & Bass->
Jam-> Space-> Jam-> The Other One-> Morning Dew, Sugar Magnolia,
Sing Me Back Home, Johnny B. Goode

Set 2: Uncle John's Band, One More Saturday Night

Great show? Yes, a great show.

transcribed from: The Deadhead's Taping Compendium, Volume 1: An In-Depth Guide to the Music of the Grateful Dead on Tape, 1959-1974 by Michael Getz and John Dwork [out of print] The final show of 1972 actually begins with the first second of 1973. After a momentous countdown the band begins perhaps its poorest first set of the season. The set ends on a high note, however, with a fine version of "Playing in the Band." Garcia is barely present during the first-set songs, but during the improvisational "Playing" he is omnipresent. The jam consists of four themes. The first has Garcia playing in a relaxed and cautious state while the band taunts and jeers at him. Ultimately, after much meandering and exploring, Garcia penetrates the jam into a "Playing" frenzy. Garcia and Lesh work this together for a few minutes before Garcia emits a few strange but appropriate sounds. The descent to the reprise is long and well done. Just as the band concedes on the timing, it sounds as though one is looking at a small pond deep inside the north woods as the morning sun breaks. The second set begins with solid but deep versions of "Promised Land," "Half Step," "Big River," and "Sugaree." The jams, though structured, yearn for an inner level. "Truckin'" provides just the vehicle they desired. The jam out of the song sends the band way into outer space. A structured "Truckin'" strut quickly evaporates into a delirious "Truckin'" light-speed drift with the whole band displaying stellar form. Lesh seems to be controlling the flow as he fights to maintain "Truckin'" and not enter "The Other One." The result is easily the longest "Truckin'" > "Other One" interzone jams of the band's career. A stubborn Garcia attacks Lesh with an array of new and deeper themes, crying out for a "Cryptical" rhythm, but to no avail. Ultimately, the jam and Garcia begins to slow down for what would logically be a drums solo, but Lesh surprises the band with a sudden but calm bass roll into "The Other One." Garcia and the band race after Lesh, but the resulting "Other One" jams are dreamy and relaxed. This transition is quite impressive, allowing the listener to sneak into one of the Dead's more intimate moments. Entering the jam at this point is David Crosby, who for the most part plays a cautious and nonhindering rhythm. Crosby entered the jam at one of its drippiest moments: a daring feat. After a serious of twisted and sedating "Other One" jams, the pace slowly comes to a close and Billy takes over. After an impressive drums solo, Lesh is the first to return and enter another classic '72 bass solo. Instead of a fast pace, he creates a funky upbeat groove that for the most part exits "The Other One." Garcia and the band, still including Crosby, return on top of this Kreutzmann-Lesh creation and enter one of their finest improvisational jams. Garcia really holds the reins here, controlling not only the pace but the direction, too. Jerr enters into an overdrive jam, digging deep into the annals of the Dead. The resulting jam features Garcia improvising at a mind-boggling pace and creating some beautiful sounds in between. The band retains a tight rhythm, but as with some other of that era jams, sometimes they do nothing but listen to Garcia in awe. Garcia appropriately dive-bombs the finale, spiraling down into a "Tiger" space. The drop is slow, however, and it feels like a strongman slowly dropping through the air. Lesh in particular provides some haunting bass bombs and along with Garcia creates yet another demented "Tiger" roar. During its aftermath Jerry enters another fast-paced jam, but the band doesn't catch the bait, and it quickly diminishes into a sensuous Weir solo that leads the band to an uncomfortable silence screaming for Lesh to take over. Lesh does seize the moment, returning the band to the monster that created the current space. An enormous bass roll launches Garcia and the band into a series of nasty "Other One" jams before entering the first "Other One" verse. After the lyrics Jerry wanders away from "The Other One" into a beautiful jam. Indeed this jam, which lasts about five minutes, is probably the most serene of that era. It is almost as if Garcia suddenly realized that the jams set up through their 1972 repertoire could no longer exist in the following years. This jam then, which I'll dub "Enlightment Jam," is the final serenade for what may have been Garcia's finest year. All of the band's various 1972 explorations seemingly led them to this final dance with improvisation. Listened to closely, this theme will give the hearer a lump in the throat and a tear in the eye. Appropriately, this melts into "Morning Dew" and gives Jerry one last chance to moan through lyrics and his guitar. Garcia really puts forth an emotional display. The finale is monstrous: the band has finished its last 1972 quest. Although the following years would allow the band ample exploration, the fall of 1972 featured night in and night out explorative improvisational bliss. This truly was one of the band's peaks, and probably was Garcia's peak as an improvisational guitar player. New Year 1973 is completed with structured rock 'n' roll and in that respect foreshadows the upcoming years. FLASHBACK: You may not believe this but by the time December 31, 1972, rolled around I was getting pretty down on the boys. As far as I was concerned, it had been downhill since Mickey left, and the first time I'd heard the band with Godchaux I about puked (at the Chicago Auditorium Theatre, October 21, 1971). They did "Dark Star" and "Saint Stephen" in that show--which ought to have been a thrill, right?, since I hadn't seen them do either before, but their performance was so lethargically abysmal, I thought they might as well just hang it up. It just didn't seem to me that the Dead were into making music anymore. My Deadfreak friends and I were pretty agreed that the Skull and Roses album, which came out about the same time, was a downer: good songs but bad renditions and odd selections (couldn't they tell good nights from bad ones anymore?). In short, it was becoming depressingly clear that '69-'70 would never happen again. Anyway, the good news was that I had caught them in Berkeley on August 22, 1972, and enjoyed myself. It seemed like they were getting a new style together, working Keith in a bit and even jamming respectably despite having only one drummer. And so when I found myself on the West Coast again at holiday time, I got tickets for the New Year's show at Winterland. However I was still thinking that I wasn't going to be interested in following the Dead much longer--it just wasn't fun anymore . . . Winterland is packed: we are about in the middle of the floor . . . As things get close to starting time, these two guys--both wearing corduroy jackets, and one of them with a ponytail that comes down to his ass--are working their way through the crowd. They crouch down right in front of us and open a velour-lined briefcase--more like a large jewelry box--full of little white pills (mind you, it's hard to distinguish colors in that Day-Glo environment). One of them says, "Acid, courtesy of the Grateful Dead." It was eight months since my last trip, and it's tempting, but, no, not tonight, I say to myself . . . Someone next to us takes one, and my companion, Kirk, saying, "Why turn down a free hit?," puts one in his pocket. Eventually, Bill Graham comes out and leads everyone in the countdown to midnight: 3, 2, 1, and the band breaks into "Around and Around." I was turned off from the start, as this song epitomized for me the metamorphosis of Bob Weir into a (pseudo-) rock star egotist ("Johnny B. Goode" usually made me cringe as well). "Deal" gets me dancing--one of my favorite Jerry tunes and he's starting to rock 'n' roll on that one. . . . When Phil gets up and sings "Box of Rain," the crowd loses it--he really sings it pretty nice--and Donna chimes in with some fine harmonies to boot. "Jack Straw" really rocks--I'm getting off on this one. Then they blow me away bringing out "Don't Ease Me In." I knew this from the '70 acoustic sets--but this is rock 'n' roll! At the end of the solo, which really rocked; Jerry's leads were tight, and right on the money--Jer dances from way back by the speakers all the way to the mike just in time to sing "The girl I love! She's sweet and true." I just crack up laughing: If Jerry's having a good time then who am I to sulk at times gone by and paradise lost? "Playing in the Band" starts out as, well, just another song (I've never heard the expanded version before)--but the jam develops into a really cerebral thing ("So this is what happened to the 'Dark Star' energy," I'm thinking to myself) an then, at an uptempto place, they drop this mirrored ball around while they shine the spotlight on it: a new twist back then on the light show idea; people go wild. To me it seems a little cheap, but I am digging the music and so I just close my eyes and go ride the music. . . . This is what I came for. The second set build up with some nice renditions of "Mississippi Half-Step," "Big River," and "Sugaree." I'm still pining for "the old days" of psychedelic, cosmos-pointing "Dark Star" highs and "Lovelight" rhythms. (Pigpen didn't make this show, and this too indicates to me that things won't ever be the same again--no Pig means no "Alligator," no "Lovelight," no "Hard to Handle," no "Good Lovin'"--no blues, no rappin'.) They come out with "Truckin'," and people are dancing again. . . . They move on into a jam, get lost in space, and suddenly the boys are all around Bill-the-Drummer and they're gettin' down!! Lesh is on the bottom, Jerry's sailing high above, Bobby's filling in the space betwixt and between, and Keith is just everywhere--first they paint wild abstract textures and then, the unexpected, unanticipated, I-though-it-couldn't-happen-again hard-driving jamming; following Kreutzmann's beat they re-create something out of nothing--Void becomes Chaos, becomes Order, My friend Kirk--reacting at the same time as me, as the whole Winterland crowd--utters, "Oh, shiiiiit." It's pure, visceral, timeless awe, and wonder. Like Bill Graham says, "The Grateful Dead are not the best at what they do--they are the only ones who do what they do" In two or three minutes of that "Truckin'" jam, all my assumptions are proven false: they can still maintain intensity through a jam; Keith can support the momentum without dragging it down into the space-quagmire, and, yes, the boys can get it on with just one drummer. I've gotten more than my money's worth ($4.50, as I remember.) P.S. "Morning Dew" was icing on that cake. After that I was ready to go home--I could do without the "Johnny B. Goode" encore, and "Uncle John's Band" (one of my favorite songs) seemed trite, forced, and formulaic. So be it--that image of Jer, Bobby, and Phil gathered tight in a semi-circle around Billy K. and just smokin' from "Truckin'" all the way into "That's It for the Other One" will forever be etched into my mind as my final of my last Grateful Dead concert, in the wee hours of 1973. (Note: this remained my last show until December 8 and 9, 1994, when I had the privilege of seeing the Dead at Oakland Coliseum.) by ROBERT A. GOETZ

Source: PreFM> Master Reel> DAT> SHN> Bertha Remaster Audio Quality:	12/31/72 Winterland @ Archive.org: the Soundboard for Listening Only
Download The Show Here 12/31/72 - Part 1 --- Part 2 - 12/31/72 Happy New Year! And hey, if you have downloaded here before, but you have never commented, don't be a dooshbag... leave a comment!!!! Grateful Dead - Part 3 - New Year's Eve '72 - Winterland

Mud Love Buddy

25 Years Ago Tonight...

Grateful Dead -- December 30, 1983
Civic Auditorium, San Francisco

12-30-83 a.k.a. 12/30/83 a.k.a. 83-12-30

1st Set: Bertha-> Greatest Story Ever Told, Friend Of The Devil,
Me & My Uncle-> Big River, Ramble On Rose, Little Red Rooster,
Brown-Eyed Women-> Looks Like Rain-> Deal

Set 2: Shakedown Street, Man Smart (Woman Smarter,)
Terrapin Station-> Drums-> Space->
Mind Left Body Jam-> Truckin'-> Wharf Rat-> Good Lovin'

Encore: (Keep Your) Day Job

Today I've been groovin' to some good ol' Grateful Dead from 1983. Jim Tuedio from The Deadhead's Taping Compendium is pretty dismissive of the first set but I thought it was pretty great and overall, I thought that although the second set had some great moments, the first set had more energy and was better played.

In the first set, I especially liked Ramble On Rose. Jerry sang "The grass ain't greener, the wine ain't sweeter, either side of the hill" with so much passion, he nailed it. Red Rooster after that was pretty grate, too. Rooster is not really one of my favorite songs, there's nothing wrong with it, it just doesn't move me, but this was a really smokin' version. And yeah, Brown-Eyed Women>Looks Like Rain>Deal was really good. If I had been there I would have been pretty damn happy after that first set.

The second set was interesting and had moments of grateness, as well, starting with Shakedown. I love Phil in the beginning of Shakedown, you know how he always goes, "Bowm" really loud in the beginning of the song? Ok I'm not describing Phil's bass very well, LOL, but if you are reading this you probably know what I am referring to and if you don't, listen to it. Anyway...Women Are Smarter was ok but Terrapin was pretty lackluster. In contrast to Ramble on Rose in the first set, I felt like Jerry just kind of muddled through and I hate to say it, but his singing was cringeworthy at times. Drums and space were pretty standard, but what was really noteworthy was the Mind Left Body Jam out of space. That was pretty cool and not something they played very often. Truckin' after that was really good, I liked the whistle in the beginning. My guess is that was Billy but I could be wrong. Wharf Rat was really good, too, and I felt like Jerry redeemed himself after that lame Terrapin.

Earlier today I was listening to this show and I was wondering about Mind Left Body Jam and why it's called that. I asked a friend and he said that it is because of this:

Pretty cool image, huh? Yeah, I could spend a long time looking at it, too. It's from the University of Minnesota here, if you want to look at some other stuff. It turns out, though, that the real reason "Mind Left Body Jam" is called that is because it's a jam of the Paul Kanter song, "Your Mind Has Left Your Body" from Baron Von Tollbooth and the Chrome Nun by Grace Slick and Paul Kantner. Jerry and Mickey both play on that album, so it is no wonder they did a little riffing off of it. You can listen to "Your Mind Has Left Your Body" below, if you want.


"Your Mind Has Left Your Body"
from: Baron Von Tollbooth and the Chrome Nun

transcribed from: The Deadhead's Taping Compendium, Volume II: An In-Depth Guide To The Music of the Grateful Dead on Tape, 1975-1985 [out of print] The first set didn't really catch our attention until the closing spiral jam on "Deal," but after a "Brown-Eyed">"Looks Like Rain" to set the mood, the whole crowd was dancing smiles by set's end. The real show started with "Shakedown," with strong interplay between Phil and Jerry and solid support from Brent's piano. The jam stretches out nicely, then pulls up for a strong run to the finish. The "Terrapin" stretches out, too, but there isn't a lot of punch to the jam. But coming out of "Drums" into a nice ethereal "Space," we're treated to a rare taste of the "Mind Left Body Jam," followed by a deliberate, well-paced ignition jam into "Truckin'." Cowboy Bob slaps his forehead when he loses track of the lyrics, but the rest of the band rises up like a giant wave and carries the song along without missing a beat. The intensity builds, and the interplay between Jerry, Phil, and Brent reaches its peak on an overflowing version of "Wharf Rat." Jerry's voice us speaks to us with simple passion as Brent's voice hovers gently above. The bass and organ lines cradle the suspension of time, and a wonderful soaring jam rises up at the end to transform a soft, touching ballad into a powerful Dionysian overture to all the suspended lives lying draped over the park and subway benches of our towns and cities. Settling in for a set-closing run at "Good Lovin'," the band cranks up the energy one last time and lifts the crowd to another peak of dancing ecstasy. For those who make tapes for their own listening pleasure, "Shakedown" and "Space" through "Good Lovin'" fit on one side of a ninety-minute tape and should add a great run of tunes to your rotation. by JIM TUEDIO

Source: Soundboard> Cassette Master> FLAC Audio Quality:	12/30/83 San Fran @ Archive.org: two FOB AUD sources to download, the Soundboard for Listening Only
Download The Show Here 1st Set: GD 12/30/83 --- 12/30/83 SF: 2nd Set

Onward to a New Decade...

Looking to see if a new Grateful Dead show has been posted ? There should be something put up later tonight and then a New Year's Eve show tomorrow...

...but for now check out the cartoon! Once upon a time, they used to show these before movies in the theater, you know, not just on Saturday morning. The cartoon was the warm-up act. So in this case, this Merrie Melodies short is the warm-up act for the Show To Be Posted Later! Yeah? Get it? Yeah!? Enjoy!!

the last Warner Brothers short of the 1930's...

"The Curious Puppy"

directed by: Chuck Jones

Release Date: December 30, 1939

R.I.P.

Movies touch us, they inform us, they get us excited, they help us laugh, they take us away, they allow us to forget. Caring so much about the lives of celebrities is quite lame... but I think it's okay to recognize those who've helped bring a little sunshine in our lives...

from Turner Classic Movies

Ya know, I don't think I realized that Jerry Reed passed away in 2008. Smokey and the Bandit, once upon a time, was without a doubt, one of my all-time favorite movies. It's still a fun watch and this is such a cool song from the movie... check it out!

Running with an Eagle

I'm just not in the mood to rant about nothin' right now. Protesters are protesting Israel defending themselves in London, England ... there were no protests about Hamas shooting missiles at Israel EVERY SINGLE DAY but when Israel defends itself against that, ohhh, that's bad? Morons. What should Israel do? Bend over and keep on taking it? It's okay for Hamas to use violence against Israel but it's NOT okay for Israel to defend themselves? Hmmm. Yeah, that makes sense... but nope, I'm not gonna rant about that.

I should just post this and sit my butt down to watch the last couple hours of the Married With Children marathon on Spike. Now that's good television! Al Bundy rules!! Seriously, there aren't many sitcoms better than Married With Children.

Anyway...

As 100 Days of the Dead comes to a close, this being Day 98, sorry but no tunes today. Check back tomorrow and the next day 'cause there'll be two more shows to close out the year (including a New Year's Eve show from nineteen hundred and something)...

...and then 2009'll be here. Show posting will slow down in January but there'll still be an effort to get good stuff up on a semi-regular basis -- maybe 3 or 4 shows a week, maybe sometimes only 1 a week. I'll do what I can to keep on spreading the tunes.

Monday Afternoon Run: 25 minutes 27 sec

+ 38 seconds

1:55 p.m. -- 65° and mostly cloudy
X ·Dec :: +43 sec· X

DECEMBER: 2 hours 42 min November: 2 hours 31 min October: 2 hours 10 min September: 3 hours 25 min August: 2 hours 39 min July: 2 hours 11 min June: 1 hour 47 min

A great run this afternoon. I was worried about rain but it held off. The trail was wet but oh well, this exercise was mucho needed. Five days without running is too long for me. I've got to put forth a better effort to get out there every 2 to 4 days but none of this 5 crap.

The temperature is a little too warm for my liking, ESPECIALLY in late December, but there's no sense in complaining about it. I was still able to add some time onto my run from last Wednesday so that's cool. Slowly but surely I'm workin' my way on back up to a half hour. Marathon, here I come!!! (HAAA!)

Best thing about today's run is I eclipsed my Total Time for last month. I'm close to a whole run ahead of November so that's sweet. One more run in the last two days of this month and I'll be back up over 3 hours for the month. Paltry to some, not bad for me. I could spend those hours sitting on my ass getting fat and developing diabetes... but ya know, I'd rather not, thanks.

So I run!

Monday's Running Playlist included most of this album...
	Glenn Frey No Fun Aloud 1982
I Found Somebody The One You Love Partytown I Volunteer I've Been Born Again Sea Cruise That Girl All Those Lies She Can't Let Go Don't Give Up

I'm not sure how I feel about this debut album from Glenn Frey. In the past, because of his appearance on Miami Vice, I've totally dug a couple songs from this Detroit native and member of The Eagles, but I've never heard an album of his and... I don't know, this is so... Soft Rock. There's one or two songs that sound like The Eagles, and another that's okay (Don't Give Up) but... well... it's Soft Rock. Eh. Okay but nothing special.

192 kbps download @ Jolly Joker

mp3 download

"The One You Love"
music video, with Don Johnson...
I don't remember this being on MTV

Sweetness

Jerry Garcia Band -- February 18, 1978
Veteran's Memorial Auditorium
San Rafael, California

1st Set: How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You), Catfish John,
That's What Love Will Make You Do,
Knockin' On Heaven's Door, Mystery Train

Set 2: Midnight Moonlight, Love In The Afternoon, Tore Up Over You,
I'll Take A Melody, Lonesome And A Long Way From Home

I haven't got much to say about this show. Why's that. It's outstanding from first note to last. Jerry's solo in Catfish John is hot. Keith's solo in That's What Love Will Make You Do is brilliant! That continues all throughout every single song -- Jerry shines with one solo after another. John Kahn's bass is generally kinda low in the mix but the way Jerry & Keith play together at times -- mmm! Lonesome And A Long Way From Home delves into some nice spacey jamming. At over 22 minutes, there's plenty of room here to get lost in improv a la some of the finest Grateful Dead. Pure sweetness.

Sound quality starts out near-CD like. The soundboard switches to an Audience source for both Love In The Afternoon and Tore Up and a few minutes of Lonesome & a Long Way From Home ... but it's a High Quality AUD with exceptional sound for an Aud: clear instrumentation, Jerry's vocals are pretty much right there, and there's very little crowd noise. Overall I give 4 stars to the recording quality (knocked down a bit because of the mixed sources) but those songs that are from the soundboard are definitely 4½ in my subjective opinion... and I know that for some people I can be a little liberal when I grade the quality of the recording but trust me, it's nice!)

Source: Soundboard> Cassette Master> ?> DAT> CD (see text file for more info) Audio Quality:	Jerry Garcia Band 2/18/78 @ Archive.org: as of Dec. 28, 2008, there is still NO Garcia at The Archive.
Download The Show Right Here Jerry Band 2/18/78 Set 1 -- 320 kbps -- Set 2 San Rafael 2/18/78

02-18-78 aka 2/18/78 aka 02/18/78 78-02-18

So Tired Saturday

Zoooma needs a nap.

So badly I wanted to run today. I had a Running Play List ready but I can barely keep my eyes open. Being up all night then getting only about 5 hours sleep can do that. On the trail, all I'd want to do is quit my run and lay down. It would've been a colossal failure. My needed exercise will have to wait until tomorrow.

No tunes today. Well, I am gonna listen to what I'm gonna post up tomorrow and the next day but no download on this last Saturday of the year / Day 96 of 100 Days of the Dead. Hopefully Sugarmag and I will finish off the last 4 days strongly with something to please everyone.

Got any requests for 2009??? Yeah, yeah, more '77, I know. Besides that. If anyone's lookin' for a specific show or somethin' or whatever, anything within the Dead Family (all side projects included including after '95) don't be afraid to ask! Always happy to help!!

In the meantime -- have a lookie at this stuff...

Random VW Bus Time
Fahrvergnügen -- Volume 4

more prints like this (and for sale) at Cruiser Art

"Porky's Pooch"

directed by: Bob Clampett

Release Date: December 27, 1941

Got dem ol' Day-After-Christmas Turkey Hangover Blues

100 Days of the Dead Day 95

--
38 years ago tonight...

Grateful Dead -- 12/26/70
Legion Stadium, El Monte, California

-- Setlist and Soundboard mp3 download, 256 & 320 kbps 12-26-70 a.k.a. 70-12-26 --

Cold Rain & Snow, Mama Tried, Easy Wind, Till The Morning Comes,
Truckin', Friend Of The Devil, Me & My Uncle, Candyman,
Big Railroad Blues, New Minglewood Blues, Black Peter,
Beat It On Down The Line, Morning Dew, Casey Jones, Dire Wolf,
China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider,
Good Lovin'-> Drums-> Good Lovin', Uncle John's Band

Day after Christmas, in Los Angeles County, southern California, mighta been where the wind don't blow so strange but it kinda sorta feels like the boys were a little hungover from the day before. Cold Rain & Snow just doesn't pop for me. But despite the slightly distorted sound, I'm really digging Jerry & Bob jam in Easy Wind. The mix here, when Pig's not singing or blowing into his harmonica, makes it sound mostly like it's just two guitars. It's not the best sound but I'm not put off by it by any means.

More turkey hangover in Truckin', it seemed, until Jerry went and did some soloing. Even then it felt as though the rest of the band didn't necessarily pick up a ton of steam to push Jerry even further to really make this explode.

The following Friend of the Devil is quite a contrast from the jamming in the song before -- from rock to folk... but then back to rock again, cowboy rock thanks to Bob's penchant for songs like Me & My Uncle.

Some different lyrics are heard in Big Railroad Blues, a couple verses worth. This tune is fairly new here, only the dozenth or less time played. I think by now the hangover is starting to wear off.

Bobby really goes into wild mode with Minglewood. I've heard early Minglewoods (this is within the first two dozen of over 400 times played by the Dead) but it's been a long, long time since I've pressed play on any of those earliest Minglewood shows. I'm kind of surprised by how much effort Weir puts into this, over-the-top almost. And there's a different verse in there than what was on the Dead's debut album in '67. What exactly he sings here, well, I'm not even sure it's English (it's so hard to understand his words.) Kinda crazy!

Some comedy relief comes after Black Peter. They decide on a 26 beat start to Beat It On Down The Line... but it doesn't quite work out. HAAA!!

Problems with the quality of the recording had to do with the sound system being mussed up or something. Everything thus far seems a little distorted to me and because of that the boys take a break before Dew to, according to Phil, "try and get this shit together up here." And when they play again: to my ears it sounds about 50% better! Pretty cool. I've got to wonder if fixing whatever problems there were helped to motivate the band to play tighter from there on out? Dew is excellent!!

Most of what follows is really good, punctuated by the post-Drums Good Lovin' -- Jerry goes into automatic pilot and just sails away for awhile. The whole song with Drums sandwiched in is over 20 minutes and has got to be the absolute highlight of the show.

Not a smokin' show, not a bad show, and one of the only Dead or Jerry shows to take place the day after Christmas.

transcribed from: The Deadhead's Taping Compendium, Volume 1: An In-Depth Guide to the Music of the Grateful Dead on Tape, 1959-1974 by Michael Getz and John Dwork [out of print] It's the day after Christmas and the band is definitely not hung over. This is an important period of transition: a month after the release of American Beauty. It sees the snappier country-rock flavored songs of their repertoire that Bob Weir loved highlighted and Weir taking (or being pushed into?) his future place as a major frontman for the band rather than just the amiable space cadet he had been before. The format is getting much closer to the alternating lead vocalist roles that Garcia and Weir took in the future. However, one consequence of this is the unfortunate relegation of Pigpen to singing on only one track, the lengthy and excellent "Easy Wind." Garcia has a fat and raunchy guitar sound and style throughout the show, and he and Weir are structuring their playing together in a focused manner that is a definite departure, particularly evident on the carefully crafted "Morning Dew." There are a few rarities in the show too. The short "Frozen Logger" acts mainly as a vocal tuning for Weir, who is having mic problems. The band play their fifth and last version of "Till The Morning Comes." Also "Easy Wind" (although not exactly uncommon itself at the time, this song was soon inexplicably dropped from the repertoire) contains a rare Bob Weir guitar solo. In a perfect juxtaposition of the two guitarists' starkly different styles, Weir kicks things off with his jagged and angular playing, throwing out staccato threads of notes until Garcia plunges in with his fluent and easy soloing. All who advocated Weir taking over as lead guitarist after Garcia died should listen to this one. His fluid consummate excellence as a rhythm guitarist is starting to show, but if had ever played lead for three hours straight, I think a high proportion of fans would have been leaving shows with bad headaches! Finally, however, what we have of this show is less truly remarkable in itself than tantalizing as to what they might have done while in such good form in the missing set 2. Despite some excellent soloing and singing, there are no true extended band workouts in what we have--maybe Dick Latvala will oblige us with the rest one day and we'll see what the jams have to offer! by JAMES SWIFT

*** It should be obvious that the Compendium review
was written before this fuller source of the show surfaced ***

Source: Soundboard> Master Reel> Cassette> DAT> CD (Bertha remaster) Audio Quality:	12/26/70 Legion Stadium, El Monte @ the Internet Archive: the Soundboard for Listening Only
Download The Show Here 12/26/70 Legion Stadium - Part 1 Part 2 of 12/26/70 . . . if you dig the tunes, leave a comment!

Rudolph Doesn't Run... He Flies! Duh.

setlist & soundboard (SBD - Betty Board) mp3 download 320 kbps

Grateful Dead -- December 24, 1971
Hill Auditorium, The University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
12-14-71 a.k.a. 12/14/71 aka 71-12-14
1st Set: Truckin, Sugaree, Mr. Charlie, Beat It On Down The Line,
Loser, Jack Straw, Next Time You See Me, Tennessee Jed, El Paso,
Big Railroad Blues, Me And My Uncle, Run Rudolph Run, Black Peter,
Playing In The Band, Casey Jones

Set 2: Ramble On Rose, Mexicali Blues, Big Boss Man,
Cryptical Envelopment-> Drums-> The Other One-> Wharf Rat,
Sugar Magnolia, You Win Again, Not Fade Away->
Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad-> Not Fade Away

I've listened to this show three times in a row and what's there to really say?
It's great!

In the first set, that which isn't just well played, is played with plenty of emotion. Pigpen's vocals were always rather brief but each time he seemed to give an extra ounce of life to the set. I really dig the Tennessee Jed here; it's very cool the way Jerry gives a subtle vocal flourish here and there. In later years, the song is more like something for the crowd to make help make great but here it's Jerry putting himself into it.

I thought I'd try to describe a few more songs in the first set but seriously, there's no point 'cause they're all good!!! Big Railroad, though -- not just good but fun and rockin, love Jer's guitar, lots of energy here!

Okay, maybe I'll go with a couple more...

Run, Rudolph, Run makes this one of the Dead's only "Christmas" shows. I think they really should have brought this song with them beyond '71 -- Bobby could have handled it marvelously and with the Dead sometimes playing in December before Christmas, it would have been perfect. Oh well. It might be oh so brief but it's quite a fun, good time hearing Pig sing it.

One more quiet part of the set comes with Black Peter. Just two songs slow things down so it's almost oddly out of place. There are plenty of other Black Peter's when Jerry pours buckets of emotion into it... but this is so nicely played.

Playing In The Band seems to pack a lot of music into only seven minutes. Such a focused jam they get going that it's almost a shame they didn't keep it up for many more minutes. Ahh, but a super high energy Casey Jones closes the set on a way high note!

Despite being cut into a little bit, Set 2 has a really satisfying Ramble On Rose to open it up. Couple songs later we're treated to Pig's harmonica on Big Boss Man. Maybe not like he used to blow it but always groovy to hear from him... and then Jerry and Keith take over to drive it onward toward the last verse while Bob's rhythm and Phil's bass help steer the way.

Cryptical begins the last hour which really is the most tremendous part of this show. Mmm! I love how Billy's drumming appears to set the moment for the Phil bomb as it leads into O1. Then before too long they're wafting away into spaceyland before Jerry leads the way back. This thing fluctuates a lot and I dig how at times it's Phil who's seemingly in charge... and then it all comes back again! (I sound almost just like the compendium review below but he was exactly right!) The way they crank it back up and then slide into Wharf Rat is exhilarating. This is a ride that's not to be missed!

After all that (which really could've happily ended the set for me) we get back to pure rockin' with Sugar Mag which is undoubtedly the rockinest part of the night. You Win Again seems way oddly placed as it feels so much like a first setter but before long we get the finale: NFA-> GDTRFB-> NFA. I'm often amazed at how great this combo can be and this night is no exception! Here's another instance of Phil taking the lead at times and lots of Keith's piano right up close to the front and playing such a beautiful part in taking this places to delight our senses. Mmm. And then as GDTRFB could very easily close down, a WILDLY raucous NFA conclusion they launch into. Wow. Bobby & Pig are goin' nuts(!) trading line of lyric for line of lyric, scream for scream, back and forth, who can yell, who can empty their lungs the loudest?!? WOW. WOW. Whoa. Oh man.

Yeah! That was cool!

transcribed from: The Deadhead's Taping Compendium, Volume 1: An In-Depth Guide to the Music of the Grateful Dead on Tape, 1959-1974 by Michael Getz and John Dwork [out of print] This tape is a good way to discover the feeling of a typical show from the fall of '71. Highlights from this tour include a blizzard of rollicking keyboard work by the newly initiated Keith Godchaux, and numerous astounding performances of "The Other One" and "Not Fade Away" > "Goin' Down the Road" > "Not Fade Away." 12/14/71 is one of the infamous Betty Board tapes so good-quality copies have been circulating for a number of years in analog and DAT quality. The first set is not spectacular, but it is pretty solid. The highlights are a rocking "Run, Rudolph, Run" and a sweet "Black Peter." After a few songs in the second set, they hit the peak of the show: "The Other One." It's not really a peak as much as a wonderful series of rolling hills in which they build up an intense jam, and then go back down and let it space out a bit, then build it up again, then let it go back down again, etc. Earlier "Other One"'s ('67-'69) were usually played at a breakneck pace without variation, and later versions ('72-'74) sometimes traversed deep space, but 12/14/71 and its close relatives (10/29/71, 11/12/71, and 11/17/71) have a lot of variation that keeps them focused and very interesting all the way through. There is some goofing around with a "Stars and Stripes" intro before "You Win Again," and then they go into the other highlight of the night, the closing seventeen-minute "Not Fade Away" > "Goin' Down the Road" > "Not Fade Away." It seems to go on and on. When you think that they've been going on forever and will be ending the song soon, you realize that they're just starting "Goin' Down the Road." There is no encore, but after this monster medley who cares? This is definitely a keeper. Check it out. by JOHN OLEYNICK

Source: Betty Board Master Reel> PCM> DATx3> CDR Audio Quality:	12/14/71 Hill Auditorium @ Archive.org: the Soundboard for Listening Only
Download The Show Here
12/14/71 Ann Arbor - Part 1 Part 2 - 12/14/71	Part 3 - Ann Arbor 12/14/71 12/14/71 - Part 4

** A note about Parts 3 and 4: Cryptical-> Drums-> Other One-> Wharf Rat is all one track totalling 34½ minutes long. Also: NFA-> GDTRFB-> NFA is also one track. Why this is, I don't know but that's how I got my discs from someone. **