Saturday, November 15, 2008

"All God's children got their little lovelight"

Outside it's chilly and rainy and there's nothing on TV except little girls playing a man's game a.k.a. college football. Borrrr-ring. So, besides have sex, what better thing to do than play with guns and explosives! Oh, no, wait, I meant Play Dead!!

Grateful Dead Skull & Roses100 Days of the Dead
Day 53

39 Years Ago Tonight...

Grateful Dead -- November 15, 1969
Lanai Theater, Crockett, California


Casey Jones, Me & My Uncle, Easy Wind,
Cumberland Blues-> China-> Rider, High Time,
Next Time You See Me, Mama Tried, Big Boss Man,
Cosmic Charley, Dire Wolf, Cold Rain & Snow,
Good Lovin'-> Drums-> Good Lovin', Turn On Your Lovelight


by ANDREW J. LEMIEUX

This show is often underrated because of the great show a week earlier and the standard-looking setlist that lacks the long string of songs found in many of the jams from 1969. After the band works its way into form with the first couple of songs, Pigpen leads it through a very bold and bluesy "Easy Wind." Pig, as he so often did, sparks the band and lifts them to a higher level. This is evident in the fast-paced "Cumberland Blues," which flows into an ebullient "China Cat Sunflower," which in turn pours into a right as rain "I Know You Rider." A pretty but rough-edged "High Time" is followed by Pig upping the ante with both "Next Time You See Me" and "Big Boss Man." A sweet and colorful "Cosmic Charlie" has the charged ending that they would sometimes forgo. After a plaintive backwoods "Dire Wolf" and the doleful matter-of-factness of "Cold Rain and Snow," Pigpen caps the show with a pair of songs. As was often the case when the Dead hit one of "those" moments, it is almost impossible to discern if it is the band or Pigpen who is leading the way. The energy and spirit of both unpredictability and joy are evident as the Dead alternately charge, brake, and charge again while Pigpen serves up his best blues improvisation as well as acting as social director.

transcribed from:

The Deadhead's Taping Compendium, Volume 1 [for Grateful Dead music!]
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]

With Andrew there from the Compendium -- I concur. Interestingly, though, he failed to mention that Lovelight here is only 42 minutes long. Did I say 42? I meant -- 42!! It's not quite one long intense fun time... it gets odd, kind of, and it's... well, it's definitely a curiosity.

Unfortunately the audio quality isn't the hottest. It's too bad but seriously, what are ya gonna do?

Source: Soundboard
Cassette Master> PCM> CDR> SHN

Audio Quality:
11/15/69 Lanai Theatre
@ Archive.org:

The SBD for Listening Only

or... Download The Show Right Here

11/15/69 -- Crockett, Cali -- Part 1
Part 2 -- Lanai Theater -- 11/15/69

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks Zooma!

another interesting set.

Anonymous said...

Well this fits my mood perfectly. Thanks!!

Sugarmag said...

Hey Zooooma, I listened to the beginning of this show last night, then I listened to the Lovelight during a listening party, and now I still need to listen to the middle. Maybe I'll start over and listen to the whole thing from the beginning :). Great Lovelight, everyone at the listening dealie really dug it and i did, too. I liked the Bobby parts.

one says one number and the other another
but they were set at the same time. Hmmm...

i love you amy uzarski.  always!
 
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