Grateful Seconds: July 2016

Saturday, July 30, 2016

The Grateful Dead Go From Bad to Brilliant in LA in 1968

At first, apparently, the Dead sucked in LA.

But by a series of four shows at the Shrine by May of 1968 , they were outright brilliant (at least Jerry). At least, according to the mainstream media, namely the LA Times.

August 26, 1968 review of Two From the Vault

The band didn't always get these type of reviews as you can see from some 1966-1967 comments from the Times.

Here's a bad review from the Grateful Dead's first appearance at the Hollywood Bowl September 15, 1967. Wow, the article speaks to 200 people in an 18,000 eat venue.

December 13-14, 1968 in Torrance

November 1967

Fire, Fire In the Motel: De Kalb, IL October 29, 1977

There was no Scarlet>Fire in De Kalb 1977, but that didn't stop Keith and Donna from trying to recreate Fire early the next morning.

10-29-2019 On its 42nd birthday DeKalb gets the Dave Pick's 33 slot!

I loved the three upstate New York shows I saw in November 1977, but others swear by the October shows like De Kalb. In Deadbase 11/50, 10-29-77 is the third highest rated Fall 77 show after Binghampton 11-6 and ~~Seattle~~ Portland (thx Warp Rat) 10-2 (with the 13 minute opener of Casey Jones)

This was a very strong show with a very great 2008 Charlie Miller upgrade. The first review of Charlie's version by grendelschoice says simply "Best Show Ever,,,Yep. Uh-huh. This is It".

We all will love the Might As Well, Straw, Let It Grow (playing now), and of course set two with the St Stephen (hear all here)

I assume the show eneded around midnight, but apparently the Godchaux's couldn't sleep as shown in the article below with something about lighting matches and fire at $400 in damages at 6am. Fun stuff that I never knew.

“I understand it’s a matter of utmost importance,” Regent Chairman David Murray said. “But the fee, $30,000 plus 80 percent of the ticket receipts, is enough to make a regent flinch.”

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

May 30, 1971 Winterland: More Than Just Record Store Day

A few years back, on November 23, 2012, Rhino released the LP below. But the real story is even better. Happy Hump-Day

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Just A Little Nervous At Penn State: On Spring Tour in 1979

A lot of people have been nervous at Penn state, as were we when we rolled on May 8, 1979 for show #5 in 6 days.

The beginning:

Promised, They Love, Mama> Mexicali, Brown Eyed, All Over Now, Row , El Paso, Stagger Lee,

The middle (pure late-1970's gold):

Lazy Lightning-> Supplication-> Deal , Scarlet Begonias-> Fire, Samson & Delilah,

The Jam (with John Cippolina out of the blue):

Terrapin Station-> Playin' > Drums-> The Other One-> China Doll-> Playin'> Good Lovin',

E: Shakedown Street (nice choice!) It's all here kids

From Pittsburgh Press, May 10, 1979

Various Spring 1979 Popular Culture References of the Dead

Friday, July 8, 2016

When Did John Mayer Become a God?

In seven days God created the world.

Over the last seven days John Mayer became a God.

How did this happen? What the fuck?

Look at your body is a wonderful guy over >>>>>>

And look at the hip cool dude

down below

God and Bob Weir in Tennessee

On July 3 last year I saw Fare Thee Well play the perfect post Grateful Dead show. It was the absolute perfect post-Jerry show 19 songs, all Grateful Dead Originals in a carefully crafted set list beautifully played. I thought this was the end.

I've been listening to these Dead and Company shows over the last couple weeks and what the heck happened? I was fortunate to win a free ticket to the Madison Square Garden show last November 7 which was fine and showed me that John Mayer was an excellent guitar player, hey surprisingly excellent guitar player.

Listening to these webcasts the past week I don't know what happen. John Mayer is up there with Jerry Garcia and Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix who knew who knew? And his voice is perfect for so many Jerry songs.

In honor of John Mayor becoming God I give you ~~seven~~ eight selections (yes I added the Wheel from hartford Juliet) you pick I'll play one but pick the one you want to hear and listen.

Sugaree May 23, 2016

West LA Fadeaway June 20, 2016

Bird Song June 23, 2016

Shakedown Street June 25, 2016

St Stephen June 25, 2016
The Wheel June 28, 2016 for Mrs Barr

Stella Blue July 2, 2016

Even So July 2, 2016

Close Share Embed Message Customize your player Mini Embed Code and preview

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Even So, Ever So Rob Wasserman Was The Bomb

E V E N S O. Very sad week at Grateful Seconds with the Death of Rob Wasserman. I didn't know Rob, but Michael's brother Adam was his neighbor and friend in LA.

"Bury Me Standing"
"Lucky Enough"
"Odessa"
"Ashes and Glass"
"Welcome to the World"
"Two Djinn"
"Corrina"

"October Queen" >"The Deep End" > "Even So" It's here. Hear it now after listening to JM rip it

I never saw Rob, but after the death of Jerry in 1995, it took me a while to heal. And Evening Moods
was the music that healed me. And lead me to Phil and Friends and Ratdog Shows. And The Other Ones and The Dead. And Fare Thee Well and Dead and Company. It was Bobby and Rob that did that. And it was Even So that did that too. RIP, Rob Wasserman. The best Dead musician I never saw.
My first Ratdog show was the first show after Rob left (in San Diego with Rob Barraco on Bass, really) RIP