Billy For President

Hey now it's me, Sugarmag. I've been so busy with summer school these last few weeks that I have not written much but I wanted to tell you about this show that I've been listening to. The set list doesn't look like much on paper but it is a really good show...

Grateful Dead -- June 21, 1980 Auditorium - West High School Anchorage, Alaska

1st Set: Sugaree-» New Minglewood Blues, Candyman,
Me & My Uncle-» Big River, Loser, Lazy Lightning-» Supplication,
Far From Me, Ramble On Rose, Feel Like A Stranger
·
Set 2: Big Railroad Blues, Samson & Delilah,
Terrapin Station-» Playing In The Band-» Drums-» Space-»
Truckin'-» Stella Blue-» Sugar Magnolia
·
Encore: One More Saturday Night, Brokedown Palace

Brent had just joined the band a few months before and every song is fresh and full of energy. I love 1980! There is not a bad moment in this entire show, starting with Sugaree. I am often not excited about Sugaree but I think that this is the best one ever! The energy builds into a great jam near the end of the song, and the band rides this energy through the whole show. Bobby belts out the lyrics to Minglewood while Jerry wails on his guitar. These guys are having a great time. Have I mentioned how much I love Brent's sound? Another highlight from the first set is the Supplication jam, wow! Jerry blows me away every time. I also like Far From Me a lot. I can't hear this song without thinking of the last few times he played it ten years later in 1990. Of course in 1980 it was brand new, and it sparkles! I really like Brent's voice. Ramble on Rose and Stranger are excellent, too. This show truly does not have a bad moment. I first listed to this show during a listening party over at Lost Sailor's Pub, and at some point my friend Kochman said, "Jerry was putting on a clinic on this night!" If Jerry was putting on a clinic, so was everyone else in the band. This is how it's done.

I love hearing the enthusiasm from the band and the crowd in the opening of the second set. The crowd is going nuts clapping along. Terrapin is good although I should whisper that I have heard better Terrapins but I hate to say that because Terrapin is still good and this is such a good show! In Terrapin I think the best part is the way Jerry plays before he sings, "since the end is never told..." My favorite part of this whole show is the Playin' in the Band. There is this really cool, trippy spacey jam that doesn't even sound like Playin' where Jerry and Brent and everyone else are just going nuts and then it is time for drums.

I love the rich sound that Brent brings to every song and I really like the way he plays the opening notes to Truckin'. On this night in Alaska Bobby sang Chicago New York Alaska it's all in the same street. Jerry, of course, rocks. Things slow down for Stella Blue and it is so pretty, so poignant. I try not to think too much when I hear this song because I could easily cry. Jerry's voice in 1980 was so sweet and clear. After that is my song ;-) to close out the set.

I know some people don't care for Saturday Night as a closer but I think it's always fun. Brokedown Palace is such a sweet ending to this show. I hope you dig it.

6/21/80 @ the Internet Archive: Audience source for listening and downloading plus the SBD and SBD-AUD Matrix for Listening Only

Download The Show Here Source: SBD + AUD Matrix Mix (60%-SBD/40%-AUD) shnid=28470 ♦ Audio Quality: Lineage: Soundboard-» Cass Master-» Sonic Solutions (20bit)-» Sony SBM2-» Master CD-» EAC-» FLAC AUD Source: AKG 414 stereo mic-» Sony TC-158 deck Taped: Eddie Claridge Part 1 ♦ Part 2 ♦ Part 3

mp3 320 kbps SBD + setlist (no lossless FLAC) 6-21-80 aka 06-21-80 aka 6/21/80 aka 06/21/80 aka 80-06-21 Anchorage

Do not be scared of the SBD-AUD Matrix that I (Zoooma) have chosen for this download. The people who work on these give a whole lotta tender loving care to produce a sweet-sounding recording. The audience source gives some ambiance to the sterility of the soundboard. No music is lost; if anything, it's enhanced and most people agree that a MTX like this actually makes the show sound better! Give it a whirl and enjoy!

Psst! Hey Zoooma, I love you!

PSSST! Hey Sugarmag, I love you, too!!!